HEADLINES

Stephon Tuitt

AFC Notes: Steelers, Fins, Ravens, Bills

June 8th, 2017 at 6:42pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Steelers would like to sign contract-year defensive end Stephon Tuitt to an extension before the start of the regular season, reports Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The 24-year-old is clearly open to a new deal with the Steelers, telling Fittipaldo: “I would love it here. It’s a blessing if they see me being here for the long term. I love the organization.” Locking up Tuitt could cost the Steelers $8MM to $9MM per year, and it probably won’t become a priority until later in the summer, writes Fittipaldo. Tuitt, a second-round pick in 2014, started 14 games in each of the past two seasons and combined for 10.5 sacks in those 28 contests. He also impressed Pro Football Focus last season, receiving its 19th-best grade among 127 qualified interior defensive linemen.

More from the AFC:

  • With the Dolphins having exercised his fifth-year option for 2018, right tackle Ja’Wuan James said Wednesday that “it’s good to know that I’m secure in the aspect of being here.” However, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald points out, the $9.431MM option is only guaranteed for injury, meaning James isn’t a lock to be on the team in 2018. James is actually at risk of ending up on the chopping block next offseason if he doesn’t rebound from what the team believes was a “frustratingly unspectacular” 2016, according to Salguero. James has started all 39 of his appearances since going 19th overall in 2014, and is coming off a 16-game season in which he graded as PFF‘s 32nd-best bookend. But the Dolphins are going to want more out of him if he’s going to stick around in 2018 at a high cost, per Salguero.
  • The Ravens will have to revise wide receiver Eric Decker‘s contract if their trade talks with the Jets lead to a deal, notes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Decker has two years and nearly $15MM left on his contract, including an $8.75MM cap hit for 2017. The Ravens only have $5MM-plus in spending room at the moment.
  • Thanks to the injury waiver he previously signed, tight end Dennis Pitta will receive no additional compensation following his release from the Ravens, Mike Florio of PFT writes. Typically, when a player gets injured during offseason practices, he gets paid until healthy or receives his entire salary if he’s out for the year. However, Pitta’s waiver cleared the Ravens of financial responsibility in the event of another hip injury. The tight end has dislocated his hip multiple times in recent years.
  • Bills running back Jonathan Williams was arrested in Arkansas last July on a DUI charge, but the 23-year-old was found not guilty on Thursday, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Assuming Williams dodges a suspension from the league, he’ll be in line to open the season as the Bills’ backup to LeSean McCoy. Mike Gillislee thrived in that role last season, but Buffalo lost him to the AFC East rival Patriots as a restricted free agent.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Maurkice Pouncey To Undergo Surgery

August 23rd, 2015 at 6:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

6:40pm: Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports (via Twitter) that Pouncey will miss at least six weeks.

3:54pm: Pouncey suffered a broken ankle, tweets Bouchette, while Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link) says the Steelers hope Pouncey can still return this season.

3:34pm: After leaving today’s preseason game with an ankle injury, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey will indeed require surgery, head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters, including Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). Tomlin did not give any indication as to how long Pouncey will be sidelined.

Earlier today, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported (via Twitter) that early indications are that Pouncey suffered a high ankle sprain “at the very least.” That report has yet to be confirmed, but such an injury would keep Pouncey out for four-to-six weeks, meaning he would likely miss three regular season games at minimum. Obviously, Bouchette’s tweet leaves the door open for Pouncey to have suffered a more serious injury, meaning that timetable would need to be amended.

Pouncey, 26, has been bitten by the injury bug before, as he missed all of the 2013 season after tearing his ACL during Week 1. He signed a five-year, $44MM extension during the summer of 2014, and went on to start all 16 games last year, earning his fourth Pro Bowl nod. Currently, Cody Wallace is projected as Pouncey’s direct backup at center, and he’d see more playing time if Pouncey is out for an extended period.

Per Kaboly (Twitter link), the Steelers also suffered another injury, albeit one that sounds less serious, Tomlin announced that defensive end Stephon Tuitt will be out a few weeks after suffering a sprained ankle.

Extra Points: Tuitt, Mallett, Brooks

August 4th, 2014 at 11:05pm CST by Matt Feminis

The Steelers thought Stephon Tuitt was a steal at No. 46 overall, writes Triblive.com’s Alan Robinson, and the rookie defensive lineman out of Notre Dame is already working with the first-team defense, drawing praise from coaches and teammates.

Here’s a few more miscellaneous notes to conclude the evening:

Steelers Sign Second-Rounder Stephon Tuitt

June 18th, 2014 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have become the latest team to lock up their entire 2014 draft class, announcing today (via Twitter) that second-round defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt has signed his rookie contract.

Tuitt, 21, played his college ball at Notre Dame, racking up 19.5 sacks in his last two seasons with the Fighting Irish. As the 46th overall pick in last month’s draft, Tuitt will receive a signing bonus worth around $1.672MM, per Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com. The overall four-year value of his contract will be about $4.609MM.

I wrote yesterday that only 13 draftees remained unsigned, and since then, five more have been locked up, meaning just eight have yet to put pen to paper. Now that the Steelers have secured all their draftees, only five teams still have picks to sign.

Sunday Roundup: Garoppolo, Steelers, Boyd

May 18th, 2014 at 11:53am CST by Rory Parks

It’s been a fairly slow Sunday morning as beat writers continue to evaluate how new draftees are faring in rookie minicamps, but let’s take a look at some other noteworthy tidbits from around the league:

  • Mike Jones of the Washington Post writes that, of all the undrafted rookies the Redskins signed, BYU WR Cody Hoffman might be the one to watch.
  • Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com looks at the Eagles‘ depth chart at wide receiver behind the top four of Jeremy Maclin, Riley Cooper, Jordan Matthews, and Josh Huff. Spadaro also notes that there is no news on potential roster additions at this time.
  • John Glennon of The Tennessean looks at four undrafted wide receivers that could make an impact on the Titans this season.
  • The Jaguars are the only team that has just one quarterback with regular season experience on its roster, but Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union expects the club to add a quarterback with some such experience before the end of offseason workouts.
  • Although Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes the Patriots drafted Jimmy Garoppolo as a possible successor to Tom Brady down the road, he believes “Garoppolo’s presence is closer to 80 percent about filling the No. 2 role set to be vacated by Ryan Mallett (likely in 2015) at more manageable rookie financial rates, with the other 20 percent or so tied to possible succession plans.“
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe, meanwhile, thinks the Patriots definitely had Brady’s heir apparent in mind when they drafted Garoppolo, and Volin examines the similarities in the skillsets of the two quarterbacks.
  • Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes that, although it wasn’t that along ago that even top draft picks were not expected to make an immediate impact on the Steelers‘ defense, new draftees Ryan Shazier and Stephon Tuitt might be expected to inject their blend of speed and athleticism on the team’s defensive unit right away.
  • Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post writes that the Jets may use newly-drafted Tajh Boyd as a running back or in the Wildcat, a prospect that does not enthuse Boyd. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that rumors concerning Boyd’s move to another position is “premature.”

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Ravens, Jones

May 11th, 2014 at 9:49pm CST by Ben Levine

Many recent Steelers draftees have found themselves buried on the depth chart, but a handful from this year’s class will have an opportunity to start, writes Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Fourth-rounder Martavis Bryant has a good chance of starting, with wide receivers coach Richard Mann telling Bouchette that they “feel like (they) got a guy to put opposite of Antonio Brown.”

Bouchette adds that the team’s two big holes, inside linebacker and defensive end, could adequately be filled by their first two picks, Ryan Shazier and Stephon Tuitt.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the AFC North…

  • The Steelers announced the signing of 10 undrafted free agents yesterday, and ESPN.com’s Scott Brown focuses on five who could make a difference. Brown lists Howard Jones, Josh Mauro, Ethan Hemer, Eric Waters and Devon Carrington as the most likely to stick around.
  • San Jose State offensive lineman Ryan Jones didn’t pass his physical with the Ravens, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Wilson adds that the undrafted player had foot surgery last year.
  • Michigan running back Fitz Toussaint will join the Ravens for rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, tweets Wilson.
  • The Ravens didn’t address their need at offensive tackle in the draft and now need to look at help internally or in free agency, writes Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com. Mink suggests veteran Eric Winston, who played for Raven Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak in Houston.

AFC Draft Notes: Steelers, Carr, Bengals, West

May 10th, 2014 at 11:01am CST by Matt Feminis

The Steelers first three picks — linebacker Ryan Shazier, defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt and receiver/running back/returner Dri Archer (he of the sub-4.3 speed) — have instant impact ability, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com.

Here’s a handful more AFC draft-related notes as we settle in for the completion of the draft:

  • The Raiders landed Derek Carr in the second round, and Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller (video) calls the Fresno St. gunslinger a “nicer Jay Cutler.”
  • In the wake of the Bengals’ second-round selection of LSU running back Jeremy Hill, veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis‘ days with the Bengals are officially numbered,” says ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey.
  • Did the Browns trade up to make sure they got Towson running back Terrance West, a Baltimore native, before the Ravens could? Tom Reed of Cleveland.com seems to think so.
  • The Jets have nine picks today, writes ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini, who says the team could tab a quarterback in the fourth round. He also points out GM John Idzik’s “next in-draft trade (for picks) will be his first. Ever.”
  • Of the Bills‘ predraft visitors, eight players — includuing Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk and Clemson cornerback Bashaud Breeland — remain undrafted, according to Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Shazier, Dennard

May 9th, 2014 at 1:27pm CST by Matt Feminis

Although there was some speculation that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam may have had a hand in the club’s decision to trade up for Johnny Manziel, GM Ray Farmer says that “at no point in the draft did Jimmy try to influence the decisions that were made” (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today). Meanwhile, head coach Mike Pettine says Manziel won’t simply be handed the starting job, and that he’ll compete with Brian Hoyer, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter).

  • Ryan Shazier, drafted 15th overall by the Steelers, “has no holes” according to head coach Mike Tomlin, who was quoted by Ed Bouchette in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • In an additional blog post, Bouchette defended the selection: “Shazier is exactly the kind of player Chuck Noll told Art Rooney Jr. he needed when the Steelers hired him to coach them in 1969 – great athletes with great production. That’s what Shazier has. . .He also has the kind of speed where you could line him up with some of the fastest wide receivers and cornerbacks and he would beat most of them to the tape.”
  • Sitting at No. 46 in the second round, the Steelers could benefit from an expected run of offensive linemen, says ESPN’s Scott Brown, who lists ten prospects who could be on the Steelers radar, four of which are echoed by Bouchette: Penn State WR Allen Robinson, Indiana WR Cody Latimer, Notre Dame defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt and Minnesota defensive lineman Ra’Shede Hageman.
  • Also buried in Bouchette’s post were a few tidbits: Shazier is an obvious upgrade over Vince Williams, especially when it comes to speed and range; Shazier might have been preferred over CJ Mosley, in part, because of durability; and anything the team gets out of Sean Spence will be a bonus, as they are “not counting on him at all.”
  • Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome was looking for a “bonanza” to move off the 17th pick, which he used to select Mosley, whose combination of outstanding tape and special intangibles impressed team brass. The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec quotes assistant GM Eric DeCosta, who raved about Mosley: “He’s fast, instinctive, tough, smart, talented, a playmaker. People always ask about the best available player and what that means. He was the best available player on our board and he would have been the best available player on our board at 10. He’s a great football player.”
  • As they did with Alabama product Dre Kirkpatrick two years ago, the Bengals won’t ask Darqueze Dennard to start in his first year, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

West Rumors: Baldwin, Tuck, Jones, Chargers

April 22nd, 2014 at 8:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Doug Baldwin told 710 ESPN in Seattle that he has not yet signed his second-round tender, but he is working out with the Seahawks at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). Seattle extended the one-year, $2.187MM tender to Baldwin back in early March. Baldwin is coming off of a solid season in which he hauled in 50 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns. Baldwin added that he still hopes to work out a long-term pact with the team, tweets Terry Blount of ESPN.com. More from the AFC and NFC West..

  • Justin Tuck knows the Raiders‘ history and reputation, but he says he’s ready to help turn it all around, writes ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez. “A lot of people always say you go to Oakland for your career to die. I’m not looking at it like that. I’m looking at it like this is an opportunity to revive a storied franchise in a city with a great fan base behind this football team. The energy and excitement around this football team should be good. I’m excited about it,” said the veteran.
  • New Raiders receiver James Jones spoke glowingly of his relationship with GM Reggie McKenzie when they were together in Green Bay, writes Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Sulia link).
  • Former Ohio State cornerback Brandon Roby is en route to San Diego to visit the Chargers, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
  • The 49ers hosted three draft prospects today, according to Adam Caplan of NFL.com (on Twitter). Arizona State outside linebacker Carl Bradford, University of South Florida defensive end Aaron Lynch, and defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt of Notre Dame all flew out to San Francisco.

South Notes: Jaguars, Texans, Falcons

April 9th, 2014 at 4:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars have been at the center of a number of NFL stories this week, with the team reportedly on the verge of signing Alex Mack to a five-year offer sheet and hosting some of 2014’s biggest prospects on pre-draft visits this week. Jacksonville continues to pop up in the news cycle, with the team playing a part in a couple of our late-afternoon updates out of the NFL’s South divisions. Let’s dive in….

  • Offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger, who re-signed with the Chargers today, drew interest from the Jaguars before he agreed to return to San Diego, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. It’s not likely that the Jags viewed Ohrnberger and Mack as equal commodities, but perhaps missing out on the former prompted the team to push harder to finalize an offer sheet with the latter.
  • Add LSU running back Jeremy Hill to the list of prospects visiting the Jaguars tomorrow, says Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
  • Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who met with the Jags today, will visit the Texans tomorrow, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter).
  • The Falcons have a visit lined up for next Wednesday with BYU outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
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