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Will Fuller

South Notes: Saints, Vaccaro, Colts

September 19th, 2017 at 12:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints coach Sean Payton downplayed the trade rumors surrounding safety Kenny Vaccaro this week, noting that it’s not unusual for other teams to call about positions of depth (Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate). Another source echoed similar sentiments to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, pointing out that it only makes sense for the Saints to listen on Vaccaro since he is in the final year of his deal and they might not be willing to spend big money to keep him. Still, second-year pro Vonn Bell took Vaccaro’s place in the lineup on Sunday and that’s not a good sign for his standing in the organization.

More from the South divisions:

  • Colts wide receiver Donte Moncrief is in his contract year but he’ll have to step up his play if he wants to get paid this offseason, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star writes. On Sunday, Moncrief caught just two of his eight targets and blew three opportunities for key first downs. His injury history also doesn’t help matters – he missed seven games a shoulder injury in 2016 and sat out the bulk of training camp this year with an injury to the other shoulder. Moncrief, a third-round pick in 2014, is carrying a modest $1.932MM cap number this year.
  • The Texans cut Jaelen Strong on Monday, leaving them especially thin at wide receiver. However, the move makes a little more sense after learning that Will Fuller returned to practice for the team on Monday (via tradeAaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle). Fuller had 47 catches for 635 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie but we have not seen him on the field this year due to a broken collarbone suffered in training camp. It’s not immediately clear when the lightning-quick receiver will return to action, however.
  • Colts quarterback Andrew Luck won’t play on Sunday, but coach Chuck Pagano is adamant that we’ll see him suit up this season.

Texans’ Will Fuller Out 2-3 Months

August 2nd, 2017 at 4:39pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The broken collarbone Texans wide receiver Will Fuller suffered Wednesday will require surgery and a two- to three-month absence, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Will Fuller

The injury to Fuller will deprive Houston’s Tom Savage-led passing attack of its No. 2 wideout until sometime in the fall, leaving the team with Braxton Miller and Jaelen Strong as its second and third options. Miller and Strong combined for just 29 catches last season, though, while fourth and fifth receivers Wendall Williams and Dres Anderson have a total of four NFL grabs between them.

Having lost Fuller for a while, the Texans could scour the open market to bolster the position, with Anquan Boldin, Vincent Jackson and Steve Johnson among the league’s most established free agent receivers. Of course, more options will come available in the next few weeks as cuts occur, and the Texans may not feel any urgency to add a proven receiver with the strong tight end duo of C.J. Fiedorowicz and Ryan Griffin on hand as weapons.

The speedy Fuller, whom the Texans selected 21st overall last year, emerged as the club’s top receiver opposite the superb DeAndre Hopkins as a rookie. The ex-Notre Dame star, 21, finished second to Hopkins in targets (92) and yards (635), tied for second in touchdowns (two) and fourth in receptions (47). Fuller’s 13.5 yards-per-catch average paced all full-time Texans targets, beating out Hopkins’ 12.2.

Extra Points: Redskins, Reed, Gruden, Texans, Fuller

August 2nd, 2017 at 4:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from around the NFL:

  • Redskins coach Jay Gruden says “nothing earth-shattering” came from Jordan Reed‘s visit to see a specialist on his toe (Twitter link via Mike Jones of The Washington Post). The team is not publicly discussing Reed’s timetable for a return, but if the comment is to be taken at face value, then that could be an overall good sign for the tight end.
  • Jon Gruden is looking to slow down talk of a return to coaching. “I don’t foresee myself coaching again anytime soon,” the former Super Bowl-winning coach and current color commentator said (Twitter link via Roy Cummings of FanRag Sports). Comments by Gruden back in July seemed to hint at different plans.
  • Texans wide receiver Will Fuller broke his collarbone during practice on Wednesday, sources tell Adam Schefter and Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com (on Twitter). At this time, there is no timetable for Fuller’s recovery. Fuller, the team’s 2016 first round pick, is expected to reprise his role as a deep threat to take defensive pressure off of DeAndre Hopkins. If he misses significant time, it could be a major setback for the Houston offense. Braxton Miller and Jaelen Strong can be expected to see increased roles if Fuller is out, but the Texans could also look into adding additional depth.
  • Dolphins seventh round wide receiver Isaiah Ford has suffered a setback that may end up costing him a spot on the 53-man roster. Ford has meniscus damage that will require surgery, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes, and depending on the extent of the tear, he’ll either miss the remainder of training camp or potentially the entire season. Lately, Ford has been gaining traction as a backup possibility in the slot.
  • Alejandro Villanueva‘s new four-year, $24MM deal with the Steelers has base salaries of $1.5MM, $3MM, $5MM, and $5MM, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The remaining $9.5MM in the deal comes in the form of signing and roster bonuses.

AFC South Notes: Orr, Titans, Texans, Colts

June 30th, 2017 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

A number of teams are interested in Zach Orr, with his agent relaying that about half of the league has contacted him regarding the linebacker. Some teams are standing pat, though. The Titans appear to be one of them. Tennessee is content with its linebacker situation, and according to Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com (on Twitter), has not reached out to Orr. The Titans have Avery Williamson and Wesley Woodyard penciled in to start on the inside of their 3-4 scheme. That’s been the team’s arrangement inside for the past three seasons, since Woodyard migrated east from Denver, and it looks like the team will roll with this duo for a fourth campaign as Williamson enters his contract year.

Orr’s Lions visit concluded Friday, and he subsequently made the trip to Indianapolis to meet with the Colts. The fourth-year linebacker’s Jets powwow will occur after the Colts summit ends.

Here’s more regarding Orr and the latest out of the AFC South.

  • Orr told SiriusXM (Twitter links) that he feels great, despite his condition. Orr explained that he’s dealing with a birth defect, but not something that is necessarily an injury. Orr also responded to talk of him cherry-picking medical opinions in an effort to get the diagnosis that he wanted. The 25-year-old says that he retired after seeing only one doctor, but the rest of doctors he spoke with say he’s not a greater risk.
  • ESPN.com’s Field Yates recalls Jon Robinson enduring scrutiny for only getting reserve offensive lineman Dennis Kelly from the Eagles in last summer’s Dorial Green-Beckham trade (Twitter link). Now that Philly cut Green-Beckham after one season, the second-year Titans GM’s decision doesn’t look so short-sighted. A former fifth-round pick of the Andy Reid-era Eagles in 2012, Kelly played in 145 snaps last season and suited up for all 16 Titans games. DGB’s talent will make him one of the more interesting waiver cases in recent years, but he’s now seen two NFL teams give up on him after one season. This comes after he transferred to Oklahoma only to sit out his junior year in 2014. The last time Green-Beckham played for the same team in consecutive seasons was during his freshman and sophomore campaigns at Missouri.
  • The Colts‘ early-season schedule and Chris Ballard‘s presence make Chuck Pagano a hot-seat candidate if the sixth-year Indianapolis leader doesn’t get the team off to a strong start, ESPN.com’s AFC South reporters posit. The Colts have started three straight seasons 0-2 but this year have the Rams, Browns, 49ers and Jaguars in their first seven games. Pagano not being Ballard’s handpicked coach figures to have him as a lame-duck candidate if the Colts are unable to return to the playoffs, however.
  • The Texans want Will Fuller to concentrate on developing as a wide receiver instead of focusing on the return game, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle notes. The speedster out of Notre Dame averaged 15 yards per punt return (11 returns) and took back one punt for a touchdown as a rookie. McClain notes backup running back Tyler Ervin has a chance to be a double-duty specialty player. Fuller’s status and kick returner Akeem Hunt‘s uncertainty to make Ervin a candidate to serve as Houston’s kick- and punt-return man.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

Texans, Will Fuller Agree To Terms

July 2nd, 2016 at 8:27am CST by Sam Robinson

SATURDAY, 8:27am: The Texans have officially announced the signing.

FRIDAY, 9:15am: Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle has additional details on Fuller’s new contract. The first-round pick will receive $9.86MM in guaranteed money, and the deal also contains the typical fifth-year option.

Fuller’s cap hit never exceeds $3MM except in 2019, when his contract will count for $3.23MM against the cap. However, only $1.53MM of that final year is guaranteed.

JUNE 25th, 3:15pm: The list of unsigned first-round picks shortened to three today after the Texans and top choice Will Fuller agreed to terms on the wide receiver’s rookie contract, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (on Twitter).

As the No. 21 overall selection, Fuller will earn approximately $10.16MM on a four-year deal, per OverTheCap. Fuller’s signing leaves just Joey Bosa, Darron Lee and Joshua Garnett as the unsigned performers taken in this year’s first round.

Along with the customary fifth-year option for first-rounders, Fuller’s contract is expected to contain a $5.59MM signing bonus and a 2016 cap figure of $1.49MM, Wilson reports.

Fuller will be given a prime opportunity to earn a starting job opposite Houston’s No. 1 wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, after the Notre Dame pass-catcher put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons the past two years and totaled 29 touchdown receptions.

Houston has been searching for an upper-echelon 1-2 punch at wide receiver for most of its 15-year existence and now has two first-round picks under contract at the position. The Texans also selected Braxton Miller to learn the slot job in a concerted effort to upgrade their offense this offseason. Said effort also included signing Brock Osweiler, Lamar Miller and Jeff Allen.

The Texans’ now-deeper wideout corps also houses Cecil Shorts, last season’s No. 2 target who accepted a pay cut earlier this month, and 2015 third-rounder Jaelen Strong. So, the competition for the options beyond Hopkins in Osweiler’s passing hierarchy should be consistent come training camp.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Seven Rookies Remain Unsigned

June 22nd, 2016 at 10:40am CST by Zachary Links

Updated on June 25th, 2016 3:32pm CT

The overwhelming majority of the rookies in the 2016 draft class have officially signed. However, as we approach July, we still have a small group of stragglers. Seven rookies have yet to put pen to paper with their respective teams and that group includes three first-rounders: Joey Bosa (Chargers, No. 3), Darron Lee (Jets, No. 20) and Joshua Garnett (49ers, No. 28). Joey Bosa (vertical)

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Bosa, of course, stands as the most high-profile player yet to sign his rookie pact and his negotiations are also the most public of the bunch. This week, agent Todd France and team president of football operations John Spanos both discussed the negotiations in radio interviews and it appears that the two sides aren’t even in agreement as to what the disagreement is all about. Spanos says the two sides are hung up on the idea of offset language. France, meanwhile, says there are other reasons behind the protracted talks, including cash flow.

The latest Collective Bargaining Agreement has made rookie contracts much simpler than they used to be. Every rookie from No. 1 through (roughly) No. 256 receives a four-year deal with varying salary amounts based on where they are selected. However, offset language is among the key clauses which may be discussed. If a player with offset language in his contract his released midway through the deal, the original team is only on the hook for the difference in salary between the two contracts. Without offset language, the player can effectively double dip and collect two paychecks. Naturally, there are many player agents who are disinclined to forfeit that potential earning power.

Of the seven players without signed deals, four of those players are third-round picks. That’s because contracts in the third round are, for some reason, far less regulated than the rest of the draft. While third round picks have slotted signing bonuses like everyone else, the base salaries can be brokered and that’s probably at least part of the holdup for these four rookies. However, one pattern to note is that first-rounders Bosa, Lee, Fuller, and Garnett are all represented by powerhouse agency CAA.

Here is the complete list of 2016 rookies who have yet to complete their contracts with signatures and initials:

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

New York Jets

San Diego Chargers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texans Acquire No. 21 Pick From Washington

April 28th, 2016 at 9:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans have acquired the No. 21 pick from Houston, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links). Houston will sacrifice a 2017 sixth-rounder to move from No. 22 to No. 21, adds Farmer. The Texans will use the pick to draft Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Because the Texans moved up just one spot, it’s fair to wonder if another club in the 20s — like the Vikings or the Bengals — was also trying to move up in the hopes of selecting Fuller. Fuller is a speed threat, so he could be a nice compliment in a Houston offense that already has a great-route runner in DeAndre Hopkins and a veteran slot option in Cecil Shorts.

The Texans have added several new elements to their offense over the past few months, including quarterback Brock Osweiler, running back Lamar Miller, and offensive lineman Jeff Allen.

Jets Rumors: Wilkerson, WRs, Lynch, Hackenberg

April 27th, 2016 at 1:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Ever since he received the franchise tag from the Jets nearly two months ago, defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson has been considered a trade candidate, but with the draft right around the corner, there’s still no momentum toward a deal. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the club has fielded calls on Wilkerson, but there hasn’t been much action on that front.

At this point, a Wilkerson trade is considered unlikely, per Rapoport. That could always change — if a team misses out on its top defensive line target(s) on Thursday, perhaps that club puts a Friday pick on the table as part of a trade package for Wilkerson and the Jets like the offer. For now though, Gang Green is content to move forward with a very talented defender on the roster, says Rapoport.

Let’s check in on a few other draft-related Jets notes…

  • The Jets may be targeting a wide receiver in the first round, according to Rapoport, who tweets that TCU’s Josh Doctson and Notre Dame’s Will Fuller are among the names to watch. That would be a surprising direction for New York, since the club already has a solid receiving corps and has more significant question marks elsewhere.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPN.com is hearing that the Jets have cooled on Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, suggesting that Lynch is “too boom-or-bust to take a chance in the first round.” Cimini believes it’s more likely that the club will target Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg on day two of the draft.
  • While the Jets would like to add an edge rusher, they may have to wait until the second round to address that spot, tweets Cimini, adding that Boise State’s Kamalei Correa is on the team’s radar.

NFC Draft Updates: Hackenberg, Cowboys, Lions

April 19th, 2016 at 10:55am CST by Luke Adams

Washington‘s quarterback depth chart for the coming season looks set, with Colt McCoy set to act as the No. 2 option behind starter Kirk Cousins. But it seems the team hasn’t ruled out the possibility of adding a developmental QB to its roster as a third option. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Penn State signal-caller Christian Hackenberg is making a pre-draft visit to Washington today.

Hackenberg projects as a day two pick, and it’s not clear if Scot McCloughan, Jay Gruden, and company have genuine interest in nabbing a QB that early, but the fact that Washington is bringing him in for a visit signals that the club is keeping its options open.

Here are a few more draft updates from around the NFC:

  • The Cowboys worked out Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott earlier in the pre-draft process, and are now bringing him to their facility for an official visit, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • Florida Atlantic safety Sharrod Neasman is also paying a visit to the Cowboys this week, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link). However, before heading to Dallas, Neasman is heading to Atlanta today to meet with the Falcons, says Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, adding that the Lions have also either worked out or hosted the safety.
  • Notre Dame cornerback Keivarae Russell revealed (via Twitter) that he visited the Lions. We heard on Monday that Detroit is one of the most active teams when it comes to exploring defensive back prospects leading up to the draft.
  • Speedy Notre Dame wideout Will Fuller is making a visit to Halas Hall to meet with the Bears today, per Greg Gabriel of 670 The Score in Chicago (Twitter link).
  • The Buccaneers have worked out and shown significant interest in Northwestern fullback Dan Vitale, who could be a late-round pick, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Draft Updates: Dolphins, Jets, Texans, Eagles

April 17th, 2016 at 7:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Having already worked out for the Giants, Jets, Texans, and Dolphins, Texas Tech receiver Jakeem Grant will take a pre-draft meeting with Miami on Monday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Grant, who ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, is expected to serve as a return man in the NFL.

Here’s the latest news on draft prospects and their visits and workouts around the league…

  • The receivers most connected with the Jets during the pre-draft process have been Corey Coleman and Will Fuller, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. La Canfora reports the Jets, who pick at No. 20, have done “extensive work” on both the Baylor and Notre Dame wideouts, respectively.
  • North Carolina State offensive lineman Joe Thuney had a private meeting with the Texans, per Wilson. Thuney, who started all along the offensive line in college, is expected to play on the interior in the NFL, but clubs are excited about his versatility, says Wilson.
  • Punters are people too: Texas Southern Cory Carter punter took part in the Texans’ local pro day and is expected to generate interest around the league, writes Wilson. Carter tells Wilson he drew rave reviews from Houston based on his hangtime and directional punting.
  • Two prospects — Penn State corner Trevor Williams and Purdue defensive tackle Ryan Watson — have been invited to Washington‘s local pro day, according to Wilson (Twitter links).
  • Kolby Listenbee will visit the Eagles on Monday after recently meeting with the 49ers, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The TCU wide receiver. The 6-foot-1 target who blazed to a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the Horned Frogs’ pro day amassed more than 1,300 receiving yards and nine TDs the past two seasons. Listenbee underwent sports hernia surgery, per Caplan (on Twitter), after the ailment kept him from participating in the Combine.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report

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