Vic Beasley

NFC Notes: Patterson, Matthews, Beasley

June 2nd, 2016 at 8:15pm CST by Zachary Links

It appears that a fire has been lit under Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. Minnesota failed to exercise the former first-round pick’s fifth-year option for 2017, and teammates believe that slight may have been a catalyst in Patterson’s increased production so far at camp.

“I don’t know if them not picking up his fifth-year option woke him up a little bit or what, but he’s going out there and working,” Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. “He’s doing a great job of switching it up on you. Normally, CP, he was just one speed. He’d just come at you full speed. Now, he’ll lull you to sleep a little bit, and he’ll turn on the burners. It’s messing the DBs up a little bit, but at the same time, I told him, ‘You’re running some great routes. Just keep it up, keep working and then when we get the month of July off, don’t backslide. Just keep doing what you’re doing and getting better.'”

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the NFC…

Clay Matthews says he never pressured Packers head coach Mike McCarthy to move him back to outside linebacker, but he did admit to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com that he hoped the transition inside would be short-lived. Matthews is set to return to his pass-rushing role again in 2016, as Green Bay will roll with Jake Ryan, Sam Barrington, and fourth-round rookie Blake Martinez at inside ‘backer.
The Falcons do plan to move former eighth overall pick Vic Beasley to linebacker, but that doesn’t mean that he’ll stop rushing the passer, as Atlanta linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich explains to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. “The emphasis with Vic will still be pass rush,” Ulbrich said. “The emphasis will still be his nickel end stuff, will still be playing Sam as a blitzer. The majority of his meeting time will be devoted to that. The majority of his individual work pre-practice will be devoted to that. The majority of his practice reps will be devoted to that. And on Sundays, the majority of his reps will be devoted to that.”
Running back Terron Ward made the Falcons as an undrafted free agent last season, but he’ll have to beat Gus Johnson and Brandon Wills to retain his roster spot this season, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. Ward managed only 29 carries behind Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman in 2015, but he did play on roughly 22% of Atlants’s special teams snaps.
The Lions worked out former Mississippi State tight end Darrion Hutcherson on Thursday, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.

Extra Points: Harrison, Replay, Bucs, Beasley

May 21st, 2016 at 8:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

James Harrison‘s recent drug-testing mixup may have triggered more dissent between the NFL and NFLPA. The Steelers linebacker informed DeMaurice Smith of a drug-testing agent categorizing the taping of a test as an act that could ensure a positive result. The NFL’s explanation of the ban on taping drug tests was to maintain the process’ integrity, however, Smith’s response to Harrison — which he posted on his Instagram account (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk) — refutes that.

“Despite what the player was told, and what has been reported, our drug policy regarding specimen collection rules does not specifically prohibit the video taping of a drug test,” Smith wrote. “There are rules in place, however, that prohibit a player from carrying any item other than his collection cup into the restroom when providing a specimen. Additionally, some states may have rules limiting a person’s ability to videotape another person without their consent. If drug collectors desire to change the collection rules, they may not do so on their own as happened in this case. They need to obtain approval from both the NFL and the NFLPA before making any such changes.”

The veteran linebacker appears to be at the center of another controversy and the latest source of conflict between the league and its players’ union.

The competition committee will consider a proposal that will expand the use of replay, Jarrett Bell of USA Today reports. Although penalties won’t be up for review, referees under this concept would be permitted to speak with league representatives in New York similar to last season’s playoffs format. The rule will need 24 approval votes at the owners’ meetings Tuesday in Charlotte.
Another proposal on the table for the most recent set of meetings comes from the Redskins, who would prefer a late-summer format where teams did not have to perform two stages of roster cuts. Washington’s proposal would allow all 90 players to stay on the roster until the early-September cutdown to 53 is required instead of the initial trim to 75, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer reports. That passing would flood the waiver wire and free agent market with more than 1,200 players in one weekend.
Although Vic Beasley will play a Bruce Irvin-like role with the Falcons after relocating from defensive end to linebacker, he’s still expected to return to a three-point stance on passing downs, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Atlanta’s coaches left the decision up to the 2015 first-rounder, though if it was their preference Beasley move to linebacker, this may have been a choice in name only.
Buccaneers offensive line coach George Warhop did not consider the team to have deployed a good offensive line last season. Although the Bucs employed now-retired Logan Mankins and potentially promising Day 2 pick Ali Marpet, the team allowed an NFL-high 124 quarterback hits. “Too many quarterback hits, regardless. I don’t care whose fault it is,” Warhop said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “We all have a hand in that. It’s one of our points of emphasis this year. First meeting, ‘Hey, listen, guys. Everybody’s telling me what a great job you did. I thought we were just average, really.” Pro Football Focus graded tackles Donovan Smith and Gosder Cherilus as two bottom-tier performers at the position, but now-healthy Demar Dotson and newly signed J.R. Sweezy should bring some much-needed reinforcements to the group.
Robert Mathis‘ Colts contract expires after this season, but Colts.com’s Kevin Bowen expects that if the former All-Pro can perform like he did during his age-34 slate in 2015 and is willing to work with the Colts financially, there’s a path for another Mathis contract for 2017. Mathis, Trent Cole and Erik Walden‘s contracts expire after this season, leaving Indianapolis bereft of pass-rushers after 2016. As part of an extension signed during Mathis’ PED suspension in Sept. 2014, the 35-year-old outside linebacker is due a non-guaranteed $5MM this season.

NFC Notes: Eagles, Lions, Falcons

May 19th, 2016 at 8:12pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Eagles running back Darren Sproles took to Twitter on Wednesday to shoot down the notion that he’s holding out for a long-term contract (links here). “Totally false,” he claimed in one of the tweets. As of earlier this week, the soon-to-be 33-year-old was reportedly staying away from Eagles workouts amid trade rumors, but head coach Doug Pederson responded by calling Sproles “a big part of this team.” Sproles, who’s entering a contract year, will count $4.6MM against the Eagles’ cap this season.

More regarding Philly and a pair of other NFC clubs:

Whether Pederson can actually develop quarterbacks remains an open question, opines Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Sielski points to 2011, the year Pederson was the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach and when Michael Vick declined significantly from the prior campaign, as a reason for skepticism. Pederson also failed to tap into former first-round pick Vince Young‘s talent, adds Sielski, who writes that the beleaguered Chip Kelly did manage to get production from Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez and Sam Bradford during his oft-criticized run in Philadelphia. While Alex Smith played well during Pederson’s three-year reign as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator, his career was revived by Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman – not Pederson – as Sielski offers.
Lions safety Glover Quin believes teammate Darius Slay is one of the 10 best cornerbacks in the NFL, but there’s one thing missing from his game. “Everybody is going to say it from now until the end of time — he’s a great, great, great cover guy. The only thing that he can do to take it to the next level is intercept the ball. I mean, that’s it,” Quin said Wednesday (via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com). Slay has just four interceptions during his three-year career – all of which came during the previous two campaigns – but Pro Football Focus graded him as the second-best corner in the league last season (111 qualifiers). Thanks to his reputation as a shutdown corner, Slay should land a sizable raise between now and the expiration of his contract after next season. A deal could be in the works, as Slay’s agent – Drew Rosenhaus – was at Lions practice Thursday.
The Falcons are making a few changes to their defensive alignment, including shifting Vic Beasley to strongside linebacker. The eighth pick in last year’s draft, Beasley spent his rookie campaign as a LEO pass rusher, as Kevin Patra of NFL.com notes, and totaled four sacks while playing in all 16 of the team’s games. The ex-Clemson star had a difficult time against the run, writes Patra, which would explain the switch. Beasley will now fill the role that former Seahawk Bruce Irvin occupied when Falcons head coach Dan Quinn was Seattle’s defensive coordinator in 2014. Patra, however, is skeptical of the decision because it’ll lead to fewer pass-rushing opportunities for Beasley.
In addition to moving Beasley, the Falcons will give Ra’Shede Hageman a look at defensive end and try DE Tyson Jackson at D-tackle, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Hageman, a second-round pick in 2014, spent his first two seasons at tackle, amassing 43 tackles and two sacks in 32 games (11 starts). On playing end, the former Minnesota standout said, “It’s something I did in college. It’s a nice little move for me.” The Falcons believe the change will give the 310-pound Hageman a better opportunity to take advantage of his size and strength.

NFC Notes: Seahawks, Eagles, Cards, Falcons

January 25th, 2016 at 5:18pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Bellevue, Wash., police arrested Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman in October on investigation of vehicular assault and hit-and-run, but they released the 26-year-old without charges the next day. They’re now recommending the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charge Coleman with felonies for both offenses, Jennifer Sullivan and Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times report. The prosecutor’s office will take the next several weeks to determine whether to file charges against Coleman, who was driving a Dodge pickup at a “high rate of speed,” according to police, and struck a Honda Civic traveling the same direction.

The police report, which was released Monday (per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com), says Coleman’s truck was going 60 in a 35-mph zone, and his foot was on the accelerator at 100 percent for several seconds. That pushed the other vehicle 260 feet off the roadway up a hill. It then flipped over. The driver went to the hospital with a head injury and a fractured left clavicle, while police found a barefoot Coleman two blocks from the scene. Stephen W. Hayne, Coleman’s lawyer, said the accident dislodged Coleman’s hearing aids, which may have left him disoriented and caused him to leave the scene. The report reveals Coleman admitted to smoking “Spice,” synthetic cannabinoids, and showed signs of impairment. Police found multiple bags of synthetic cannabinoids and various drug paraphernalia in Coleman’s truck. However, there were no signs of drug consumption in the blood tests Coleman underwent several hours after the accident. Despite that, Coleman – whom police accused of driving in a manner that was “rash and heedless” and “indifferent to the consequences” – could now be in serious trouble.

The four-year veteran is set to become a restricted free agent.

Some notes on the NFC’s other bird-themed teams:

It’s currently unclear who will quarterback the Eagles next season. If newly extended tight end Zach Ertz has his way, the club will re-sign pending free agent Sam Bradford. “I’ve played for five quarterbacks now in three years, which seems like a lot, and I want to play with Sam,” Ertz said, per Bob Ford of Philly.com. Ertz added that Bradford hopes to remain with the Eagles. “He wants to be in Philadelphia. Whether he’s back here or not, that’s none of my business, honestly. He’s going to do what’s best for him and the Eagles are going to do what’s best for us. But at the end of the day, I think he wants to be here.”
The Cardinals finished a below-average 20th in the NFL in sacks during the regular season and took down Panthers quarterback Cam Newton just once in their 49-15 NFC title game loss on Sunday. As a result, the Cards’ top offseason priority will be strengthening their pass rush, general manager Steve Keim said Monday (per Darren Urban of the team’s website).
Despite playing his entire rookie year with a torn right labrum, Falcons pass rusher Vic Beasley will not have offseason surgery, according to head coach Dan Quinn (link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). As Ledbetter writes, some labrum tears can be treated without surgery. Beasley led the 2015-16 Falcons with four sacks, a franchise record for rookies, and will look to build on that next season without having to deal with a shoulder injury.

Community Tailgate: Who Will Win DROY?

August 20th, 2015 at 4:55pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still a few weeks away from the start of regular-season battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This summer, we launched a new series here at PFR known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Yesterday, we asked you to take your pick on who will be this year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. Today, in the interest of equal time, we want to know who you think will be this year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Any list of DROY contenders has to have Jets rookie Leonard Williams near the top. The USC defensive lineman was touted by some as the top talent in this year’s class but thanks in part to the team needs at the top of the draft, the Jets managed to snag him with the No. 6 overall pick. At 6’5″ and 300+ pounds, Williams offers tremendous athleticism for his size and is a proven run stopper. Many wondered exactly where Leonard would fit on the Jets defensive line, which already featured stars like Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson, but Richardson’s suspension and subsequent run-in with the law have opened up a major opportunity for Williams to be an impact player in his rookie year.

Linebacker Vic Beasley, taken at No. 8 by the Falcons, is another strong contender for the award. Beasley has been roundly praised for his agility at the linebacker position and many feel that he’s going to be a menace for opposing quarterbacks right out of the gate. It also helps Beasley’s case that he’ll be under the tutelage of Dan Quinn, who is known for developing tough players in the front seven. For what it’s worth, the Clemson product also looked impressive in his preseason debut.

Outside of those top ten picks, other viable candidates for the trophy include a pair of “red flag” guys in Cowboys linebacker Randy Gregory and Broncos defensive end/linebacker Shane Ray. Without their respective off-the-field issues, both players would have been strong candidates to go inside of the top ten on talent alone. Staying in the front seven, there was great buzz surrounding Kentucky’s Bud Dupree in the months leading up to the draft and he now finds himself with a franchise that is historically known for it’s hard-nosed defense.

A defensive back has not won DROY since Charles Woodson did it in 1998, but early cornerbacks like Marcus Peters (Chiefs) and Trae Waynes (Vikings) could get in the mix if they get opportunities to make big plays.

Who do you think will win Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2015? Let us know in the comments below!

Falcons Sign Vic Beasley

June 12th, 2015 at 3:26pm CST by Luke Adams

After assuring Falcons fans and owner Arthur Blank last night that a deal would come soon, general manager Thomas Dimitroff has locked up first-round pass rusher Vic Beasley to his rookie contract, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter).

With Beasley now under contract, the Falcons have secured all seven of their 2015 draft picks, becoming the latest team to do so. Fewer than 20 draftees around the NFL have yet to sign their rookie deals.

In Beasley’s case, his new four-year deal will be worth $14.495MM, according to Over The Cap’s data. That contract will also feature a signing bonus worth about $8.802MM and a fifth-year option for 2019, and will almost certainly be fully guaranteed, since the former Clemson edge defender was the eighth overall pick.

The Falcons have struggled to produce an effective pass rush over the last couple seasons, and the arrival of Beasley is expected to help improve that aspect of the defense. It will be interesting to see how new head coach Dan Quinn makes use of Beasley, who was considered one of the top edge rushers in this year’s draft.

Extra Points: Beasley, T. Johnson, Owens

June 12th, 2015 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

At a season tickets holders’ Q&A on Thursday night, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff assured fans – and owner Arthur Blank – that first-round pick Vic Beasley will be locked up soon, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com details.

“He has not been signed yet, but it’s very close,” Dimitroff said. “And rest assured, Arthur, it’ll be done very quickly. And he’ll be very happy.”

Here are a few more Friday odds and ends from around the NFL:

Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson has been found not guilty on all charges stemming from his arrest last year for disorderly conduct, agent Bardia Ghahremani tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links). Per Pelissero, Johnson plans to file a civil suit against the Minneapolis Police Department.
In an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show (link via SI.com), former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens said he hasn’t officially retired, adding that he’d be “ready to go right now” if called upon. At age 41, Owens hasn’t appear in a regular season game since 2010, so I don’t expect we’ll see him draw interest from any teams.
With the details of Corey Liuget‘s new contract with the Chargers now available, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examines how the deal compares to Cameron Jordan‘s extension, and what it means for the 3-4 defensive end market.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) believes that Demaryius Thomas, Julio Jones, A.J. Green will break the ceiling in the stagnant wide receiver market. They may all try to reach Calvin Johnson money though, and it remains to be seen whether they’ll do quite that well.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

South Notes: Bucs, Glennon, Martin

June 9th, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Titans receivers coach Shawn Jefferson sees big things in rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota‘s future, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com writes.

“He is deadly accurate,” Jefferson said. “I am just giddy about his future going forward …He’s the real deal. A couple years ago I was back in Detroit and when Matthew Stafford stepped into the huddle the first time, once I heard his voice and the way he called a play, I said, ‘OK, that’s a real one right there.’ Same way with this one. He’s real. He’s got the goods.”

Here’s tonight’s look at the South divisions..

The Buccaneers gave some thought to trading Mike Glennon this offseason, but GM Jason Licht pulled back when he found how many teams were interested in the young QB, Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com writes. Ultimately, the Bucs felt they were better off with Glennon for at least one more season in case of injury or ineffectiveness from No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston.
More from Reynolds, who writes that the hire of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter extended Doug Martin‘s stay with the Buccaneers. “Dirk Koetter, once he started watching tape of all our players, he came away impressed with Doug,” Licht said. “You saw the tape when he’s healthy, he’s still a very effective runner.” The Muscle Hamster is in Tampa Bay for 2015, but they declined his fifth-year option, putting Martin in a “prove it” situation. In his rookie year, Martin made a heck of an impact by running for 1,454 yards off of 319 carries with 11 touchdowns while catching 49 passes for 472 yards and a TD.
Eighth overall pick Vic Beasley is expected to sign his rookie contract with the Falcons “soon,” tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Beasley is in line for a signing bonus worth $8.8MM+, with an overall four-year contract value of about $14.495MM.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: K. Johnson, Hundley, Peters

April 30th, 2015 at 7:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest draft notes…

The ceiling for Wake Forest corner Kevin Johnson is the Dolphins at pick No. 14, while his floor is the Steelers with the 22nd pick, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
With the Browns considered likely to select a quarterback at some point in the draft, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com tweets that the club showed “absolutely zero interest” in UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley.
The Saints have been trying to trade up for a pass rusher, and might have Vic Beasley in mind, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Marcus Peters is not on the Cowboys’ draft board, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Sunday Roundup: Draft, Weddle, J. Houston

April 26th, 2015 at 12:48pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some notes from around the league on this Sunday afternoon, including one note on the first overall pick in Thursday’s first round:

Multiple teams have reached out to the Buccaneers recently to determine what it would take to move up to the No. 1 overall pick, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). However, Getlin adds in a second tweet that although the Bucs have listened, no offer has been strong enough for the team to seriously consider trading down just yet.
Similarly, Conor Orr of NFL.com writes that Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie has fielded calls on Oakland’s No. 4 overall selection.
In a separate piece, Orr writes that the Chiefs are keeping the lines of communication open with star outside linebacker Justin Houston, who was slapped with the franchise tag in March. Kansas City has a little under three months to work out a long-term deal with Houston, and the fact that talks are still ongoing and are still progressing is a good sign that something will get done.
Paola Boivin of The Arizona Republic believes Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon would be the perfect first-round choice for the Cardinals, who hold the No. 24 overall pick.
Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post feels the Broncos should take an offensive tackle in the first round, even if they have to trade up a couple of spots to do it. Renck goes on to examine some of the prospects that could be available when Denver is on the board.
Chargers safety Eric Weddle feels “highly disrespected” by the team’s refusal to engage in contract talks despite his desire to retire with the organization, but Matt Calkins of U-T San Diego believes the Chargers are taking the right approach.
Given that the Jaguars feel better about their roster than they have in the past two seasons, Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union would not be surprised if the team traded a couple of picks to move into the back of round 1 or up in rounds 2-3.
Continuing a theme among NFL beat writers, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean looks at the offensive side of the Titans‘ roster heading into the draft and offers his predictions as to what the team will do to address its deficiencies on that side of the ball during draft weekend.
Washington GM Scot McCloughan‘s history suggests he will select an edge rusher with his top pick in this year’s draft, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. Although Tandler says Randy Gregory‘s red flags will probably keep him off McCloughan’s board, Vic Beasley and Dante Fowler, Jr. would both be good bets.

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