HEADLINES

Seantrel Henderson

Rodak On Bills’ Offensive Line

August 9th, 2014 at 8:24pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Bills’ offensive line received some great news today, as starting left tackle Cordy Glenn was removed from the non-football illness list and rejoined the team, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). Glenn, a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, started 13 games as a rookie and all 16 games last season. The former Georgia Bulldog has experience at both tackle and guard.

While the team is excited to have their best offensive lineman back, head coach Doug Marrone was clear that Glenn will be brought along slowly, according to Rodak (via Twitter). He will not take part in team drills for a while.

The first team in warmups consisted of Glenn at left tackle, Cyril Richardson at left guard, Eric Wood at center, Kraig Urbik at right guard, and Erik Pears at right tackle (via Twitter). Guard Chris Williams is not practicing, and Seantrel Henderson, who has been filling in for Glenn, has been bumped to second team.

Henderson, who struggled with marijuana in college, was drafted in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Before that, he was one of the most highly touted high school offensive linemen in recent memory. When Glenn retakes his starting position, Rodak questions whether Henderson will be taking reps at guard or competing with Pears for the starting right tackle job (via Twitter).

Marrone would not divulge the plans for Henderson now that Glenn is back with the team, but did give the rookie a vote of confidence, saying that Henderson “can play left tackle in this league.” (via Twitter)

The Bills drafted three offensive linemen this May, and Henderson has been the most impressive, according to Rodak (via Twitter). He is a lock to make the 46-man roster, and will serve as a backup swing tackle at the very least.

AFC East Links: Babin, Bills, Gronk, Dolphins

July 25th, 2014 at 8:10pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets inked Jason Babin to a two-year deal on Wednesday, but the veteran defensive end wasn’t around the team’s facilities until the next day. So what was with the delay? ESPNNewYork.com’s Jane McManus found out…

“It was probably more my fault in signing,” Babin said. “I had to clean up some things back home.”

General manager John Idzik also addressed the delay…

“We just wanted to make sure it was right from both ends, to bring Jason in, get a nice full day so he can gain a feel for us our staff, our approach, and talk it through for a day,” Idzik said. “And sometimes it’s good for the player to go home, stew on it, talk to his family back in Jacksonville, and then if it’s a fit then you go forward and that’s what happened.”

With Babin now at practice, everyone is happy. That includes Rex Ryan, who likes what he’s seen from Babin…

“I think the first things that jumps out about Babin is the production he has as a pass-rusher,” Ryan said. “[He] has a relentless motor, so that part of it we’re excited about. The way he’ll fit in with the guys we already have is going to give us great depth. We brought him in to play.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC East…
  • There has been “no movement” towards a new deal for Jets defensive Muhammad Wilkerson, writes CBSSports.com Jason La Canfora. Still, an extension isn’t on the former first-rounder’s mind. “I don’t worry about it,” he said. “That’s what I have an agent for. I let him handle the business side of it and I just try to focus on being a leader of this team and try to better myself as a player.”
  • It’s not often that you’ll hear a coach gush about a seventh-round pick. However, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Bills offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson has really impressed, with one coach saying that “he can be special.”
  • Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski told reporters that he may have been cleared medically, but he is still not 100 percent. Nonetheless, ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss writes that Gronk isn’t intending on changing his playing style, with the tight end saying that he’ll “keep smashing and dashing.”
  • Even though the Dolphins could be playing without Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey for half the season, his teammates aren’t too worried. As ESPN.com’s James Walker writes, Pouncey’s probable replacement, Shelley Smith, is confident in his teammates’ talent. “I think we have a lot of potential and we’ve got a good group of guys in the room,” Smith said “We have a good coaching staff and I feel like we’re working our butts off to fulfill our potential.”

Extra Points: Clowney, Glenn, Shembo

July 19th, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Matt Feminis
  • Texans No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney’s status for the beginning of training camp is still up the air, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. Clowney, who is recovering from June sports hernia surgery, remains day-to-day with no timetable established for his return.
  • The Ravens placed backup nose tackle Terrence Cody on the physically unable to perform list for the beginning of training camp, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Cody, who is recovering from hip surgery, can be be activated whenever he’s healthy enough to resume practicing.
  • In minor transaction news, the Bills signed receiver Tori Gurley and cornerback Kamaal McIlwain to fill empty roster spots, according to BuffaloBills.com insider Chris Brown.
  • Bills left tackle Cordy Glenn is on the Active/Non-Football Illness list, but GM Doug Whaley doesn’t think Glenn will be lost long-term, according to WGR 550’s Joe Buscaglia. Said Whaley: “We don’t think so at this time. It’s just gonna have to see on how he progresses. We hope not. We’re still waiting on some reports on him, but it looks like it’s gonna be one of those day-to-day things and we’ll see how it progresses.”
  • In the meantime, highly publicized rookie Seantrel Henderson will man left tackle in Glenn’s stead.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union takes an in-depth look at the Jaguars’ new-look offensive line, including quotes from offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch praising the athleticism of Luke Joeckel and the leadership of Zane Beadles. “He’s certainly as advertised and then some,” Fisch says of Beadles.
  • Falcons fourth-round outside linebacker Prince Shembo has a realistic chance of earning starts, writes Orlando Ledbetter in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ledbetter says the team will “force-feed” information to Shembo, whom head coach Mike Smith is “very excited” about. “He’s picked up the system very well,” said Smith. “He doesn’t have any experience, but we will get him a lot, I can assure you that in the preseason.”
  • James Harrison, Jermichael Finley and Santonio Holmes headline AP writer Dennis Waszak Jr.’s list of 13 notable, veteran free agents still looking for work with training camps getting underway.
  • The Patriots issued a press release saying Bill Belichick and Aaron Hernandez exchanged 34 total text messages, not 33 pages worth. According to Boston Globe correspondent Dan Adams, filings released Monday did not reveal the contents of the text messages or what Patriots employees shared with authorities, but did reveal that Belichick, Robert Kraft were interviewed by investigators, who also searched the locker of a player.
  • The NFL is moving swiftly to address the issue of underqualified underclassmen flooding the draft, reports NFL.com’s Albert Breer. In an effort to deter potentially undraftable players from declaring, the league’s advisory committee will streamline (simplify) its evaluation grades to include first round, second round or neither. Additionally, colleges will be restricted to five evaluation requests unless an abundance of talent dictates the need for more (e.g. Alabama, LSU, Florida State, etc.). Writes Beer: “At the heart of the changes are staggering statistics stemming from the 2014 draft class — of the record 107 who declared, 45 went undrafted. A majority of those 45 remain unsigned by NFL teams as undrafted free agents.”

AFC Notes: Garoppolo, Broncos, Steelers, Bills

May 18th, 2014 at 10:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A final batch of AFC notes as the weekend comes to a close…

  • Like Tom Brady, Patriots rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo studied under a QB coach as he progressed, writes Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. Garoppolo’s tutor, former NFL quarterback Jeff Christensen, bases his teachings on one particular NFL signal-caller…Tom Brady. Christensen, for his part, is excited about the future for Garoppolo and the Pats, citing the young QB’s excellent work ethic. “I have zero doubts about the outcome of this one. It’s so perfect,” he said. “You have to know where you’re at in the equation, accept it, and then work like a crazy man to get great. That’s the kind of kid you want to coach.”
  • Within the same piece, Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders says he is excited to replace Eric Decker in Denver. “My whole deal is when I first came out in free agency, I wanted to go to a spread attack. I like to block, but I’m not trying to block 75 percent of the time. I’m 185 pounds…All the numbers lined up, and now I’m here.”
  • The Broncos coaching staff has spoken to running back Ronnie Hillman about his fumbling problem, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Hillman, expected to backup starter Montee Ball in 2014, coughed up the football four times over the past two seasons.
  • The Steelers are excited about rookie pass rusher Howard Jones, who faces a tough road as an undrafted player from a Disivion II program, writes Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  • Speaking of the Steelers, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review believes that despite being front seven players, Ryan Shazier and Stephon Tuitt will help Pittsburgh’s secondary. Not only will an improved pass-rush aid the secondary in coverage, Kovacevic writes, but Shazier’s presence in particular will allow Troy Polamalu to stop moonlighting as a linebacker.
  • Seantrel Henderson is aware that he needs to mature in order to succeed in the NFL, and Bills general manager Doug Whaley has made it clear that this is Henderson’s final chance. “We’ve talked to Seantrel and he knows that he’s got one shot,” said Whaley after selecting Henderson with pick No. 237. “He’s been dealing with some demons. Hopefully those demons are out of his life and why not give somebody — this is America — give somebody a chance?”

Draft Signings: Bills, Colts, Jets, Seahawks

May 15th, 2014 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

After a handful of draft picks agreed to terms with their respective teams this morning, several more have done so this afternoon. You can check out our tracker to keep tabs on which players have signed. Here’s the latest:

  • Fourth-round Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell was one of three Bills to sign his contract with the club today, according to the team. Seventh-round picks Randell Johnson and Seantrel Henderson have also inked their deals.
  • The last of five Colts picks, seventh-round offensive tackle Ulrick John, has signed with Indianapolis, per Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter). John should receive a signing bonus of about $58K on a four-year contract worth $2.278MM, as Jason Fitzgerald’s numbers at OverTheCap.com show.
  • The Jets continue to put a dent into their draft class of 12 players, signing sixth-rounders Quincy Enunwa and IK Enemkpali today, according to a pair of press releases. Having been chosen back to back at Nos. 209 and 210, Enunwa and Enemkpali should be on identical four-year contracts, which include signing bonuses of about $79K (link via Fitzgerald).
  • 7 Sports Group, the agency for former San Diego State safety Eric Pinkins announced today (via Twitter) that their client has agreed to terms with the Seahawks on his rookie deal. The sixth-rounder will be in line for a signing bonus of about $88K, according to Fitzgerald.

Ten Players Failed Combine Drug Test

May 5th, 2014 at 5:46pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ten players were flagged for their drug test at the scouting combine, reports Jay Glazer of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Among the biggest names that were reported by Glazer were Timmy Jernigan of Florida State University, Zach Mettenberger, and Anthony Johnson, both of Louisiana State University.

It was announced earlier today that Seantrel Henderson of Miami also was flagged on his drug test.

Jernigan was considered a possible first-round pick at times during the draft process, and still was thought of as a possible late-first, early-second round pick. This news could push him further down day two and possibly into a day three pick.

Mettenberger was one of the fastest rising quarterback prospects in the draft. He was coming off an ACL injury, but his workouts were reportedly impressive and he was beginning to challenge other quarterbacks in the second tier that could have possibly found themselves being selected at the beginning of the second round. If a team was sold on him, there was a chance someone would trade into the back end of the first round to select him.

Johnson was a projected mid-round pick. The defensive tackle was a huge load at LSU, taking on blocks in the middle of the defense.

Mettenberger’s physical therapist chalks up the failed test to a diluted urine sample due to efforts to combat dehydration, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Jernigan and his representatives have declined to comment, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter).

Seantrel Henderson Failed Drug Test

May 5th, 2014 at 8:49am CST by Dallas Robinson

NFL teams were apprised last week that Miami offensive line prospect Seantrel Henderson tested positive for marijuana during the combine in March, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).

Henderson, who was projected as a mid-round pick, could see his draft stock fall even further following this revelation. The 22-year-old was suspended three times during his college career, and, prior to the 2014 Senior Bowl, Henderson admitted those disciplinary actions were the result of marijuana use. He also had trouble finishing his workouts during Miami’s Pro Day, though his agent later said that Henderson was dealing with an illness.

Though many players have failed combine drug tests and then gone on to successful careers, such an infraction cannot be viewed in a good light. Around league circles, the drug use itself is perceived as less of a problem than a prospect failing a test he knew was coming. Such an error often gives the impression that the player was either unprepared, ill-informed, or simply unaware of the combine’s policies and structure.

West Notes: Fuller, Rams, 49ers, Chiefs

April 17th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up the latest draft items related to teams in the NFC and AFC West….

  • Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller will visit the Rams next week, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). A report last Friday indicated that Fuller would be working out for St. Louis at some point.
  • Thomas adds in another tweet that the Rams will also host Missouri Western TE/FB Reggie Jordan for a local visit next Friday.
  • The 49ers hosted Miami offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson for a visit this week, and Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com suggests that it may have been to gain more information about a prospect with possible character concerns. Henderson was suspended three times in college for violating team rules.
  • UTEP edge defender James Davidson has a visit on the docket with the Chiefs, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who refers to Davidson as a potential sleeper.