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Willie Colon

East Notes: Cowboys, Maclin, Forbath

March 1st, 2015 at 11:23am CST by Rory Parks

Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray have understandably dominated the discussion surrounding the Cowboys‘ offseason, but there are still other decisions for Dallas to make once the Bryant and Murray situations are resolved. For instance, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News recently predicted that the team would opt not to exercise Morris Claiborne‘s fifth-year option, which is surprising in that it directly contradicts what owner Jerry Jones said last month. And, on the topic of underperforming defensive backs, Machota thinks the Cowboys will retain Brandon Carr but that Carr will probably end up taking a pay cut, which reaffirms what our Ben Levine wrote last night.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News takes a look at how the Cowboys will address their backup quarterback situation in 2015. Although Brandon Weeden is still under contract, Jones did not give Weeden a ringing endorsement at the NFL combine a few weeks ago, and the team is high on third-stringer Dustin Vaughan. George does not believe Dallas will ultimately sign a free agent to replace Weeden, but he does note that the Cowboys would not hesitate to do so if the right deal came along.
  • The Cowboys’ decision to put the franchise tag on Bryant is good news for the Eagles, as it prevents Bryant from setting a market price for wide receivers like Jeremy Maclin that Philadelphia would be unable to meet. But Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets that, if the Eagles cannot agree to a long-term deal with Maclin by tomorrow afternoon, then Maclin will also get the franchise tag.
  • Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com passes along Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman‘s thoughts on trading up in the draft. Roseman is generally against such a move, which is interesting given the rumors surrounding the team’s alleged desire to move up to select Marcus Mariota. But Roseman, of course, will not have a say in the Eagles’ ultimate decision to trade up or stay put as a result of his redefined role in the team’s front office.
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com examines whether Washington should part ways with kicker Kai Forbath, a restricted fee agent. Washington has not been particularly eager to extend an offer to Forbath, who would be the most accurate kicker in team history if he had enough attempts to qualify, and Tandler says the reason for that is Forbath’s leg strength. Forbath was near the bottom of the league in net kickoff average, and the team may choose to trade a little accuracy in field goal attempts below 50 yards for improved field position and the chance to make a long-range field goal every once in a while.
  • After the Bills missed out on Josh McCown, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News took a look at other signal-callers that the team could pursue. The free agent class is, of course, underwhelming, with the possible exception of Brian Hoyer, though Nick Foles or even Jay Cutler could be intriguing trade targets.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com looks at the free agent case of right guard Willie Colon. Colon could make sense for another team looking for a one-year stopgap, but the Jets are likely to seek an upgrade in free agency.

Jets Links: Ryan, Idzik, Decker, Casserly

December 27th, 2014 at 3:18pm CST by Rob DiRe

Jets head coach Rex Ryan has cleaned out his office at One Jets Drive, reports Dom Cosentino of NJ.com. With the team set to finish the season no better than 4-12, most fans and pundits believe that it will be Ryan’s last game with New York.

Team owner Woody Johnson has hired Charlie Casserly to serve as a consultant, likely in an effort to help him to hire replacements for both Ryan and general manager John Idzik.

Here are some other notes from around Jets camp:

  • While Ryan has already cleaned out his office, many of his players are still giving their full support and effort to their head coach, reports Kimberly Martin of Newsday. One of his newest additions, Percy Harvin, was adamant about how much he likes playing for Ryan. “I love him. I loved him before I got here and I’m that much more in love with him now that I’m here,’‘ said Harvin. “I don’t think anybody in this locker room has anything negative to say about Coach. That’s why you see guys still playing hard these last few games, still giving their all for Coach. He’s a players’ coach and definitely a guy you want to play for.”
  • Idzik could very well be joining Ryan in packing up his stuff, and if he does get fired, he will have his 8-8 2013 to blame, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Fitzgerald surmises that the surprise 8-8 season is more damaging than a three-win 2014 campaign because it elevated and highlighted Ryan’s gifts at a coach to take a bad roster to the brink of playoff contention, and it blurred the line between whether Ryan or Idzik was more to blame for the lack of success, and cost Idzik a chance at a high draft pick and a new coach this past offseason.
  • If Casserly has been contacting potential coach and general manager candidates, he may have committed tampering, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. He notes that the league has made no comment about the situation or the conflict of interest, as Casserly sits on the Career Development Advisory Panel. Florio’s source tells him that Casserly is calling about candidates, not contacting them directly. The influence Casserly has from sitting on that panel could be invaluable, and is considered a rare genius move by Florio.
  • This Sunday’s game against the Dolphins could be the last in green for a few of the Jets’ veteran player, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Some players who may not be back include Michael Vick, Willie Colon, Dawan Landry, Bilal Powell, and David Harris. Cimini also writes that Harvin, Chris Johnson, and Calvin Pace could be cap casualties this offseason.
  • Although Eric Decker will be missing the playoffs for only the second time in his NFL career after signing with the Jets this past offseason, he has no regrets about the decision, according to Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “I don’t have any regrets. When I made my decision to come to New York I wholeheartedly felt it was the best decision,’’ Decker said. “Even though the record is not the same and the stats aren’t the same [as they were in Denver], I still believe that my purpose is to be here. I believe there is a greater plan for me. I realize that is probably hard to see that in the moment.’’

AFC Mailbags: Tannehill, Landry, Forsett, Shorts

November 15th, 2014 at 9:36am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN.com’s writers. Let’s start with some interesting notes out of the AFC…

East Notes: Barbre, Pryor, Colon

July 27th, 2014 at 9:49am CST by Rory Parks

We learned yesterday in a series of Twitter posts that Eagles‘ offensive lineman Allen Barbre would be given the first opportunity to replace suspended right tackle Lane Johnson but that Barbre would be pushing for more playing time even if Johnson had never been suspended. Today, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com and Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer flesh out those thoughts in full articles, noting that Barbre’s strong performance as a reserve in 2013 and the three-year extension he signed last month suggest that he may remain a starter somewhere on the line–he has more experience on the left side than the right–even when Johnson returns.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the only real positional battle in Eagles‘ camp this year is between Nate Allen and Earl Wolff at strong safety.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com writes that former Redskins running back Tim Hightower was in attendance at Redskins practice on Saturday and would like to return to the league.
  • We also learned yesterday that Jets‘ rookie Calvin Pryor suffered a head injury and possible concussion during practice. Although Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that it was a good sign that Pryor returned to the field on Saturday to watch the remainder of practice, Brian Costello of The New York Post tweets that there was no sign of him when practice began this morning. Costello also tweeted that, since the team will not hold practice tomorrow, it makes senses to give Pryor two consecutive days of rest as a precaution.
  • In better news for the Jets, Costello tweets that Willie Colon is in full pads and appears to be ready to play.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes that, despite all the hype that comes with every training camp, the only real goal for the Patriots this summer is to stay healthy.
  • Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News writes that the battle between Chris Hairston and Kraig Urbik for the Bills’ starting right guard spot will be an intriguing one to keep an eye on as training camp unfolds.

 

Jets Re-Sign Willie Colon

March 19th, 2014 at 12:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jets have re-signed offensive lineman Willie Colon, the team announced today in a press release. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), it’s a one-year, $2MM agreement.

Colon, who turns 31 next month, had been an unrestricted free agent, with a Monday report indicating that New York was trying to lock him up to a new deal. The former Steelers has consistently graded as an above-average pass blocker, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but has struggled with penalties, being called for 12 in each of the last two seasons.

Colon will likely re-assume his spot as the Jets’ starting right guard for the 2014 season.

FA Rumors: Jets, Boothe, Melton, Wharton

March 17th, 2014 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

The two New York teams appear to be the top contenders for free agent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but Rich Cimini of ESPN New York gets the sense that the Jets may be losing hope on the DRC front (Twitter link). That’s not to say the Giants should start printing Rodgers-Cromartie jerseys quite yet, since the Browns are rumored to be lurking as well, but it looks like the G-Men might have the upper hand on their AFC rivals.

Here’s more on a few free agents still on the market:

  • The Jets continue to talk to offensive lineman Willie Colon in the hopes of working out a deal to bring him back to New York, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The club has also shown interest in free agent receiver Jacoby Ford, says Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter).
  • The free agent swap meet between the Raiders and Giants continues, as offensive lineman Kevin Boothe is in Oakland to visit the Raiders today, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
  • Defensive end Robert Ayers will visit the Bengals tomorrow, tweets Garafolo.
  • The Vikings remain in contact with free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. Melton is visiting the Cowboys today.
  • While the Dolphins have made preliminary inquiries on free agent offensive lineman Ryan Harris, the team has yet to set up a visit with the ex-Texan, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.
  • Free agent guard Travelle Wharton has no plans to retire at this point, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wharton has spent nearly his entire NFL career with the Panthers, who have seen Jordan Gross and Geoff Hangartner retire so far this offseason.
  • Free agent cornerback Mike Jenkins is visiting the Buccaneers today, a source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).

Jets Have Sights Set On Asamoah

March 8th, 2014 at 9:17am CST by Matt Feminis

“Legal tampering” begins at 11 a.m. CT, when the NFL’s three-day negotiating window opens, allowing teams to discuss deals with impending free agents. The Jets will waste no time in an effort to upgrade their offensive line, as the team is planning to lure Chiefs free agent offensive guard Jon Asamoah, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

Despite losing his starting job to Geoff Schwartz late in the season, the 26-year-old Asamoah has 41 career starts under his belt and will have multiple suitors, including the Falcons and Chargers, writes Mehta. He is considered a better pass protector than run blocker.

The Jets are seeking to upgrade from Willie Colon, who started 16 games at right guard last season before tearing a biceps tendon in Week 17. He is considered a “back-burner option.” Meanwhile, the team is negotiating to retain right tackle Austin Howard, who has started all 32 games the last two seasons.

AFC East Notes: Spikes, Colon, Byrd

March 7th, 2014 at 9:09am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this morning, we passed along word that the Jets, unsurprisingly, intend to exercise their fifth-year 2015 option on defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson. We’ve got a few more updates and notes from out of the AFC East, so let’s dive in and check them out…

  • Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes said this morning on NFL Network that, while he hasn’t entirely ruled out the possibility of re-signing in New England, he thinks he and the Patriots could both “benefit from a fresh start,” tweets Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com. We heard earlier this week that the two sides aren’t discussing a new deal and that Spikes is expected to hit the open market.
  • Also apparently headed to the open market: Jets guard Willie Colon, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Colon is recovering from biceps surgery and has had problems with penalties throughout his career, but he’s also a very good pass blocker, so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of interest he receives.
  • Aaron Williams, who signed a long-term contract extension with the Bills this week, said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that fellow Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd also remains interested in re-signing with the team, as far as he knows (hat tip to Pro Football Talk): “I know that they’re still negotiating. I don’t want to speak on their situation because I have no say, nor do I know the full story on it, but I know Jairus does want to come back and wants to be a part of something special.”

East Notes: Nicks, Cowboys, Patriots, Jets

February 13th, 2014 at 9:57am CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few of the latest links of note from out of the NFC’s and AFC’s East divisions:

  • Victor Cruz has lobbied for fellow Giants receiver and pending free agent Hakeem Nicks to re-sign with New York, according to Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger. “Selfishly, I would love for him to stay,” Cruz said, confirming that he’s talked to Nicks about it.
  • As if the Cowboys didn’t already have enough 2014 cap commitments, running back DeMarco Murray will have a slightly higher cap number than expected, as Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com details. Murray triggered performance escalators that will bump his base salary from about $755K to nearly $1.4MM.
  • In a photo gallery, the Dallas Morning News suggests 10 free agent quarterbacks the Cowboys might consider as a No. 3 option behind Tony Romo or Kyle Orton.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPN.com attempts to gauge the free agent value of Aqib Talib around the NFL by compiling a few links to see where Talib ranks on various lists of top free agents. As Reiss writes, the veteran cornerback will be among the Patriots‘ top priorities this offseason.
  • In a separate blog entry, Reiss weighs in on a few other Patriots stories, indicating that he doesn’t think Josh McDaniels was as interested in the Browns’ head coaching job as an earlier report suggests, and that he believe the Pats will again have interest in free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders this offseason.
  • With the right side of the Jets‘ offensive line poised to hit free agency, it would behoove the team to re-sign both guard Willie Colon and tackle Austin Howard, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini expects the club to make a “strong push” to re-sign Howard, while perhaps taking a wait-and-see approach with Colon and the right guard position.