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Will Compton

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Compton, Fales

August 20th, 2019 at 9:45pm CST by Rory Parks

When announcing the new extension for linebacker Jaylon Smith at a press conference today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sent a clear message to a few other high-profile players who are eligible for extensions. Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic, “[t]he team takes precedent at a point over the opinion or the demand of the individual. The team takes precedent. This was a team move we are talking about today. The team takes precedent. And I’ve got the backbone to keep it that way” (Twitter link).

Obviously, that statement suggests that Jones is going to hold firm on the offers that have been extended to Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott, and Amari Cooper, and as we detailed earlier today, Smith’s extension looks relatively team-friendly. Jones did say that there is “enough pie left” to get deals done with all of them, though he did not have an update on negotiations with the trio.

Let’s check out more from the NFC:

  • Free agent linebacker Will Compton will work out for the Saints, as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Compton, who played for the Redskins from 2013-17, was a full-time starter as recently as 2016. However, his 2017 campaign was marred by injury, and he played only 79 defensive snaps for the Titans last year in his first and only season in Tennessee. He would provide experienced LB depth in New Orleans, and he could also contribute on special teams.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press examines the Lions‘ backup QB situation, noting that presumptive QB2 Tom Savage missed his seventh straight practice on Tuesday (Savage is in the concussion protocol). That has meant more reps for David Fales and Josh Johnson, but Birkett says the Lions are unlikely to carry three QBs. So if Savage cannot be medically cleared by next Saturday, he could be cut. Fales looked sharp in the team’s last preseason game while Johnson struggled, so Fales may have a leg up if Savage can’t get healthy.
  • The 49ers fear that rookie wide receiver Shawn Poindexter suffered a torn ACL in Monday’s preseason win, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Poindexter, a UDFA from Arizona, appeared to be a prime practice squad candidate, and the club has already signed WR/KR Chris Thompson to take Poindexter’s place on the 90-man roster.

Contract Details: Texans, Weeden, Bills

April 3rd, 2018 at 7:21pm CST by Zachary Links

A deeper look at some recent free agent deals:

  • Quarterback Brandon Weeden‘s contract with the Texans is for one year at a rate of $880K. The deal includes $230K in guaranteed cash between $140K of his base being assured and a $90K signing bonus. Weeden has not seen the field since 2015 when he appeared in four games for Dallas and two for the Texans. The 34-year-old (35 in October) has a career 6-19 record.
  • Linebacker Will Compton’s one-year deal with the Titans can be worth up to $2MM, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. The deal included a $250K signing bonus. As Keim notes, that’s a solid contract for Compton considering that shoulder and Lisfranc injuries held him back in 2017. With the Titans, he’ll have an opportunity to reassert himself and potentially start.
  • The Bills’ contracts signed last week with cornerback Phillip Gaines and wide receiver/punt returner Kaelin Clay were both for one year at minimum salaries, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets. Gaines is not well regarded by the advanced metrics, but he was a pivotal reserve for Kansas City from 2014-2017 and started some games last year due to Steven Nelson‘s injury.

LB Will Compton Signs With Titans

April 2nd, 2018 at 5:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two weeks after hosting Will Compton on a visit, the Titans signed the free agent linebacker, Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline reports. It’s a one-year deal, per Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

A member of the Redskins’ linebacking corps for five seasons, Compton will now try to earn an inside spot with the Titans. Tennessee lost Avery Williamson in free agency, breaking up the longtime tandem of he and Wesley Woodyard.

Compton, who has started 33 games over the past four seasons, also visited the Bills during this free agency period. He will stay in a 3-4 defense, having played in that scheme throughout his career. The former undrafted free agent played in only nine games last season, which was cut short due to injury.

Woodyard and Williamson teamed up as starters for four seasons, so this will be a bit of an adjustment. Compton, who will be set for his age-29 season, was a full-time Redskins starter in 2016. He also started 10 games for the 2015 division champion Redskins. Shoulder and Lisfranc injuries plagued Compton in 2017, but the Titans look set to give the Nebraska product a shot at returning to a starting lineup.

Titans To Host LB Will Compton

March 23rd, 2018 at 11:23am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans will meet with free agent linebacker Will Compton on Friday, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Tennessee is clearly aiming to add a veteran linebacker to its depth chart after losing free agent Avery Williamson to the Jets last week. While the Titans still have Wesley Woodyard, they could use another ‘backer to start on the inside of their 3-4 scheme. 2017 fifth-rounder Jayon Brown could be a candidate to start, but adding Compton would allow the second-year pro to join a reserve unit that also includes Nate Palmer and Daren Bates. Tennessee has also reportedly met with former Giants linebacker Keenan Robinson.

Compton, for his part, was a regular for the Redskins from 2015-16, but a Lisranc injury ended his 2017 campaign in November. While he’s never earned positive marks from Pro Football Focus, the 28-year-old Compton would add 57 games worth of pro experience to the Titans’ roster. Compton has already met with the Bills this offseason, so Tennessee may have competition for his services.

Bills Meet With LB Will Compton

March 17th, 2018 at 8:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills plan to host free agent linebacker Will Compton, reports John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Buffalo is seeking to replace Preston Brown, who inked a one-year deal with the Bengals earlier this week. Brown had played nearly every defensive snap for the Bills during his four-year run with the club, so general manager Brandon Beane is now dealing with a massive vacancy at the second level of his defense.

While the Bills signed former Jets linebacker Julian Stanford this week, he’s been primarily a special teams player throughout his career. Buffalo could still re-sign veteran Ramon Humber, but the team’s linebacker depth chart is currently fronted by Lorenzo Alexander, Matt Milano, and Tanner Vallejo.

Compton, for his part, was a regular for the Redskins from 2015-16, but a Lisranc injury ended his 2017 campaign in November. While he’s never earned positive marks from Pro Football Focus, the 28-year-old Compton would add experience to a Bills linebacking corps that desperately needs it. Buffalo has already added one ex-Redskins defender this week by signing Trent Murphy to a three-year pact.

Redskins Place LB Will Compton On IR

November 15th, 2017 at 7:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins have placed linebacker Will Compton on injured reserve, the club announced. Washington has since replaced Compton on its 53-man roster by signing fellow linebacker Zach Vigil.Will Compton (Vertical)

Compton is now the second Redskins inside ‘backer to land on IR in the past month (joining Mason Foster), meaning Zach Brown will once again need another partner on the second level of Washington’s defense. In addition to Brown and Vigil, the Redskins have two other inside linebackers on their roster: seventh-round rookie Josh Harvey-Clemons and third-year pro Martrell Spaight, the latter of whom appears poised to take over starting duties. Spaight, 24, has played 159 defensive snaps this season while Harvey-Clemons has only seen time on special teams.

The 28-year-old Compton wasn’t a star, but he had compiled 32 starts with the Redskins since 2014, so he clearly was familiar with the club’s defensive system. In 2017, Compton had started three contests and played on roughly a quarter of Washington’s defensive snaps, managing 17 tackles, one interception, and three passes defensed in the process. However, Pro Football Focus had assigned Compton below-average marks against both the run and pass.

Compton, a Nebraska product, signed a one-year restricted free agent tender this spring, meaning he’s earning $1.797MM for the 2017 campaign. He’ll become a free agent in 2018, meaning he’ll hit the open market coming off an injury-affected season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/24/17

April 24th, 2017 at 5:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

  • Redskins linebacker Will Compton has signed his restricted free agent tender, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com. Compton had been assigned the original round tender, meaning he’s now scheduled to earn a non-guaranteed $1.797MM base salary for the 2017 campaign. Washington has now re-signed each of its RFAs, as running back Chris Thompson inked his second-round tender last week. Compton, 27, started 15 games for the Redskins last season, racking up 103 tackles while grading as the league’s No. 73 linebacker among 87 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
  • Another restricted free agent — Chiefs wide receiver Albert Wilson — has also signed his tender, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Like Compton, Wilson is now set to earn nearly $1.8MM during the upcoming season. Wilson, 24, managed only 31 receptions for 279 yards and two touchdowns in 2016. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2018.

Redskins’ Su’a Cravens Likely Done For Season

December 11th, 2016 at 4:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins fear that rookie linebacker Su’a Cravens has a partially torn biceps, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Such an injury would presumably knock Cravens out for the remainder of the season, and Rapoport says Cravens will undergo an MRI on Monday to further determine the severity of the tear.Su'a Cravens (Vertical)

[RELATED: Washington Redskins Depth Chart]

Cravens, drafted in the second round out of USC, has played as something of a hybrid ‘backer this season, managing to see action on 36.5% of Washington’s defensive snaps while playing primarily in coverage. Through 10 games (three starts), Cravens has 22 tackles, one sack, one interception, and five passes defensed, all while grading as the league’s No. 27 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus. Cravens has also played 35.9% of the Redskins’ special teams snaps.

Meanwhile, fellow linebacker Will Compton will also undergo an MRI tomorrow after a knee injury, but he’s been informed that his major ligaments are intact, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com. Compton has played nearly every defensive snap for the Redskins this season, so losing him and Cravens could serve as something of a death blow to a Washington defense that already ranks in the bottom-third of DVOA.

RFA/ERFA Signings: 4/18/16

April 18th, 2016 at 6:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ll round the latest news on restricted and exclusive-rights free agents here…

ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/4/16

March 4th, 2016 at 6:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we rounded up the latest decisions on restricted free agent tenders. Now, we’ll shift our focus to the day’s exclusive-rights free agent tenders, for players with fewer than three years of NFL experience. here’s the latest: