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Dimitri Patterson

FA Notes: Jets, Cooley, Patterson, Shembo

August 12th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jets did their due diligence in reaching out to a number of representatives for available quarterbacks on Tuesday, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Still, as we learned late Tuesday night, the Jets don’t have workouts scheduled with Rex Grossman, Tyler Thigpen, or any other quarterback.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Jets are poised to stick with the three quarterbacks they currently have on their roster for now. The team may decide to add a veteran later in the preseason — I expect that decision will rely in part on how the current QBs look in the preseason, and how Smith’s recovery from his jaw injury progresses.

Let’s check in on several more notes related to free agents and the open market…

  • Last we heard, tight end Chris Cooley had generated some interest from the Cardinals, but his old team in Washington hadn’t discussed signing him. While Cooley may still sign with Arizona or another team, it sounds like he really wants to return to D.C. On ESPN 980 today, Cooley said it would “literally be the greatest thing in the world” to play for Washington again, writes Peter Hailey of CSNWashington.com.
  • Former Dolphins and Jets cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who is currently without an NFL home, is facing a felony child abuse charge stemming from an August 1 incident at a South Florida shopping mall, says Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. We haven’t heard many rumblings this offseason about Patterson landing with a new team, and his legal trouble will likely further decrease the likelihood of him signing a new NFL contract.
  • Another free agent who was facing felony charges – former Falcons linebacker Prince Shembo – has had those charges dismissed, his agent tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Shembo, who was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend’s dog, pleaded to a misdemeanor and a $1,000 fine, per agent Adisa Bakari. “Now that this matter is settled, we are excited to see if he can resume his career in the NFL,” Bakari said of his client.
  • Despite head coach Mike Pettine‘s confirmation that the Browns have discussed Ray Rice, that doesn’t mean the team has interest in signing him, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, who outlines why the Browns aren’t seriously considering Rice, and shouldn’t.
  • After Arian Foster underwent groin surgery, the Texans auditioned several running backs and attempted to sign Pierre Thomas. However, since failing to lock Thomas, the team doesn’t appear to be in the market for a free agent back, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
  • Free agent wideout Gerrard Sheppard, who played his college ball at Towson, worked out for the Patriots today, per Wilson (via Twitter).

Dimitri Patterson Refuses Minimum Offers

October 15th, 2014 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent cornerback Dimitri Patterson is looking for his next job, but he’s being rather selective about it. Patterson has refused multiple offers for the veteran’s minimum and declined to work out for the Seahawks, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

It’s a curious stance for Patterson to take considering the hit his reputation has taken this season. Patterson was suspended in August by the Jets after allegedly going AWOL from training camp. The corner denied leaving the Jets without notice, but the team decided to cut their losses and release Patterson just days later. That move spoke volumes since the Jets are paper thin in the secondary and cutting Patterson left them on the hook for his $1MM bonus. The 31-year-old signed a one-year, $3MM deal with Gang Green in the offseason, but he’ll be hard pressed to find anything close to that this time around.

Despite missing ten games with a groin injury, Patterson played well for the Dolphins in 2013, recording four interceptions in just 240 defensive snaps. He also tallied four picks for the Eagles in 2010, the only season in which he played the full 16 games. Patterson has also spent time with the Redskins, Chiefs, and Browns.

Jets Owner Talks Smith, CBs, Ryan, Idzik

October 2nd, 2014 at 12:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Jets owner Woody Johnson spoke to reporters today, and while he didn’t have any significant updates to provide, the session acted as a sort of state of the union session, with Johnson addressing a number of Jets-related topics and issues. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Brian Costello of the New York Post, and Newsday’s Kimberly Martin were among the scribes providing updates, so we’ve rounded up the highlights from the Jets owner below (all links go to Twitter). Let’s dive in….

  • Asked about the team’s lack of a splash in free agency, Johnson said that the Jets would prefer to build through the draft. “We’ll do an occasional free agent, but the free agent market isn’t a panacea,” the owner added.
  • Despite Geno Smith‘s erratic player, Johnson still has plenty of confidence in the young signal-caller, suggesting that he continues to believe Smith can be a “franchise quarterback.”
  • According to Johnson, he doesn’t regret not signing free agent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and thinks the Jets adequately addressed the CB position in the offseason. The owner cited injuries as one reason the secondary may have underperformed so far, and said he expects the team to be fine now that Dee Milliner is returning.
  • Johnson on the Dimitri Patterson debacle, which resulted in the cornerback being suspended and then cut by the team prior to the regular season, after he signed as a free agent in the spring: “Just like any portfolio, we have a portfolio of players. Some are going to be good, some aren’t.”
  • Asked if Rex Ryan has to lead the Jets to the playoffs this season in order to keep his job, Idzik replied, “We don’t look at it that way,” and indicated that a decision on Ryan will be made at the end of the year.
  • The Jets still have about $20MM in cap space, but Johnson said he doesn’t put any constraints whatsoever on the club’s spending, and that GM John Idzik has full autonomy to use that cap room. Johnson also said that he believes GM John Idzik is fully invested in winning this year.
  • According to Johnson, Idzik’s deliberate approach to decision-making is one of the reasons he was hired.
  • Johnson was noncommittal when one reporter asked if he’s cut or keep a player who was found guilty of domestic violence.

Lions Eyeing DBs, Audition Dimitri Patterson

September 10th, 2014 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Lions preparing to place offensive lineman Corey Hilliard on injured reserve, the team appears likely to add a defensive back to fill Hilliard’s roster spot. As Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets, head coach Jim Caldwell didn’t dispel that notion today, telling reporters that it’s possible the Lions sign a cornerback or safety.

A handful of free agent defensive backs worked out for the Lions last week, including Champ Bailey, Roc Carmichael, Tommie Campbell, Chris Clemons, and Anthony Walters. And today, the team added another name to the list of notable veterans to audition for the team. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), the Lions had Dimitri Patterson in for a tryout. Patterson, who spent last season with the Dolphins, joined the Jets for training camp and the preseason, but was cut after he reportedly went AWOL about a week before the regular season got underway.

The secondary was already considered one of the weak spots on the Lions’ roster heading into the season, and while it looked solid in the club’s Week 1 win over the Giants, it took another hit during that game. Cornerback Bill Bentley suffered a torn ACL and has since been placed on injured reserve.

Free Agent Notes: Patterson, Bailey, Kafka, Painter

August 30th, 2014 at 10:18pm CST by Ben Levine

It was a busy day in the NFL, and plenty of free agents are now looking for a new home. Let’s see where some of them could be heading…

  • The Texans have already expressed interest in former Jets cornerback Dimitri Patterson, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
  • The Saints don’t have a kicker on their roster, but they shouldn’t be worried. Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole tweets that there are plenty of options in free agency, including Ryan Succop, Connor Barth and Jay Feely.
  • NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport spoke to Champ Bailey‘s agent, Jack Reale, who indicated that the veteran “definitely” still wants to play and is completely healthy. “He had a plantar problem which is resolved. He just missed too much time for the coach’s evaluation to be complete,” Reale said (via Rapoport’s Twitter).
  • The Buccaneers will look to bring back quarterback Mike Kafka to their practice squad, tweets the Tampa Tribune’s Roy Cummings.
  • Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com wonders if the 49ers could have interest in offensive lineman Vinston Painter. Florio refers to the 49ers attempt to sign Painter away from the Broncos prior to the conference championship games.
  • If Joe Banyard clears waivers, he will end up on the Vikings practice squad, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  • The Bills aren’t expected to add another quarterback, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan.

Jets Release Dimitri Patterson

August 30th, 2014 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

After an unusual incident in which Dimitri Patterson denied having gone AWOL for 48 hours last weekend, the Jets have decided to cut their losses, releasing the veteran cornerback today, per Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Patterson had been suspended indefinitely by the team following last week’s incident.

The Jets would have been the sixth different team that Patterson has played for in his nine-year career, having also suited up for the Redskins, Chiefs, Eagles, Browns, and Dolphins. Despite missing 10 games with a groin injury, Patterson played well for the Dolphins last season, recording four interceptions in just 240 defensive snaps. He also tallied four picks with Philadelphia in 2010, the only season in which he played the full 16 games.

Still, after he essentially called out head coach Rex Ryan and GM John Idzik, suggesting that their comments about him going AWOL were “completely false,” it appeared that Patterson’s days in New York were numbered. The one-year deal Patterson signed with the Jets earlier this offseason included $1MM in bonus money, and the team was already thin at cornerback, so parting ways with him isn’t an ideal solution. There’s a chance that $1MM signing bonus could be recouped though, given the circumstances surrounding Patterson’s release — I’d expect the team to at least explore that option.

Safety Rontez Miles has also been cut by the Jets, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.

Latest On Dimitri Patterson

August 28th, 2014 at 10:26am CST by Luke Adams

Reports over the weekend suggested that Jets cornerback Dimitri Patterson went AWOL from the team for about 48 hours, resulting in an indefinite suspension after he resurfaced. Today, Patterson issued a statement, via ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (TwitLonger link), in which he suggested that the idea he went missing for two days is “completely false.” Here are Patterson’s comments in full:

“As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative is completely false. My agent reached out to the Jets organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night’s game. My commitment to the Jets organization and to my teammates has never been an issue and never will be an issue. As it relates to the rumors about my frustration in regards to the depth chart is totally and completely false. In nine years I have never had control over the depth chart.”

Considering both head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik said over the weekend that Patterson had gone AWOL, the cornerback’s statement is a little “stunning,” as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com tweets, since it’s essentially calling out Ryan and Idzik. In the view of Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link), the only sensible solution for the Jets is to cut Patterson.

The one-year deal Patterson signed with the Jets earlier this offseason included $1MM in bonus money, and the team is already thin at cornerback, so parting ways with him isn’t an ideal solution for New York. Still, it’s an unusual situation that took a stranger turn after Patterson’s public statement today, and it seems unlikely that the Jets would simply drop the issue (and the suspension). With 53-man rosters due two days from now, we’ll have to wait and see if Patterson hits the free agent market this weekend.

Dimitri Patterson Suspended Indefinitely

August 25th, 2014 at 12:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

MONDAY, 12:01pm: Patterson has been suspended indefinitely, tweets Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network. Idzik says the team will “gather more information on what led to his behavior.”

SUNDAY, 5:39pm: Jets’ cornerback Dimitri Patterson was missing in action on Saturday, and head coach Rex Ryan had heard from him since the preseason game against the Giants on Friday, reports Kimberly Martin of Newsday (via Twitter).

Patterson has developed a reputation of being injury prone, and rumors circulated that the former Dolphin was considering retirement, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. General manager John Idzik maintains that Patterson intends to play for the Jets in 2014.

Patterson’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirms that his player will return to the Jets, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). The team is extremely thin at the cornerback position, and losing Patterson would only put them deeper into a hole than they already were.

Extra Points: Byrd, Murray, Smith, Jets

May 31st, 2014 at 1:05pm CST by Matt Feminis

Miscellaneous news and notes from around the league. . .

AFC East Notes: Jets, Pats, Bills, Dolphins

May 24th, 2014 at 9:46am CST by Matt Feminis

When asked about the Jets’ perceived weakness at cornerback, ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini provided a blunt response: “I think fans need to come to grips with this sobering reality: The Jets believe they’re set at cornerback. I don’t agree with it, and I’m not sure [head coach] Rex Ryan does either, but [GM] John Idzik is done making significant moves at cornerback. He thinks Dee Milliner is a No. 1 corner, he invested $3 million in Dimitri Patterson and he drafted Dexter McDougle in the third round. Unless there’s a key injury, I can’t see Idzik importing a big name…”

Here’s some more AFC East notes:

  • The Patriots’ top four or five receivers appear to be set, but Masslive.com’s Nick Underhill takes a look at the competitors for the remaining roster spots. Among those on the bubble are second-year players Josh Boyce and Kenbrell Thompkins (who disappointed last season after being the talk of training camp), seventh-rounder Jeremy Gallon and size-speed prospect Mark Harrison. Underhill says, “There has been some speculation that Harrison could be tried out at tight end, and while he didn’t close the door on the notion, head coach Bill Belichick said it is unlikely Harrison will see time at that spot this season.”
  • In a Bills off-season wrap-up, ESPN’s Mike Rodak praised the signing of linebacker Brandon Spikes, who, teamed with Defensive Rookie of the Year Kiko Alonso, should improve the team’s run defense which ranked near the bottom of the league.
  • The Dolphins plucked offensive coordinator Bill Lazor from Chip Kelly’s staff in Philadelphia, and Lazor has total control of the offense, writes Barry Jackson in the Miami Herald. Based on early indications, Dolphins players are excited about the possibilities and say the new system is reminiscent of the Eagles’.
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