2014 June - Pro Football Rumors

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, 49ers, Lloyd

June 18th, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Even with news (via a tweet from The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta) that they’d be receiving their Super Bowl rings following Thursday’s practice, things got a bit heated at Seahawks minicamp this afternoon.

As Condotta writes in his Seahawks blog, the fracas began when wideout Bryan Walters hurt his shoulder after attempting a diving catch. Safety Earl Thomas was covering the play, and while Condotta didn’t have a clear view on the amount of contact, Seattle’s offensive players seemed to think it was a dirty hit.

The two teams jawed at each other before lining up for another play. While running down field, wide receiver Phil Bates and cornerback Richard Sherman got locked up and the fists came out. Bates appeared to have thrown a punch before the players were broken up. Thomas and receiver Doug Baldwin continued to jaw at each other while Percy Harvin had to be held back by Marshawn Lynch.

Practice soon resumed, and (perhaps intentionally) Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy” was soon heard playing.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn had an explanation:

“They are such a tight group of guys that they don’t want to give an inch sometimes, both offensively and defensively. Most good teams are close and tight like that where they can practice like that. They were just having fun.”

Fun…that sounds about right. Let’s check out other news from the NFC West:

Seahawks tackle Russell Okung has left Authentic Athletix and is believed to be without an NFL agent at present, tweets Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal.
49ers coach Jim Harbaugh says the 49ers are unlikely to fill their 90th roster spot until after minicamp, tweets Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee. San Francisco had a spot open up after the retirement of Eric Wright.
49ers wideout Brandon Lloyd kept busy during his season off and rarely thought about football. However, when he came across the opportunity to join the team that drafted him in 2003, it was something that Lloyd couldn’t refuse. “It was more about getting to play with the 49ers again, and the opportunity to win, and maybe bring a certain amount of closure to my career,” he told Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. “I don’t think there was anything that I was pushing hard for. The opportunity presented itself to me.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Links: Goodson, Flowers, Jaguars

June 18th, 2014 at 6:50pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets released running back Mike Goodson earlier today, but the transaction had little to do with his production on the field. Following Goodson’s failure to show up to training camp, the team announced that the player was cut with the “left squad” designation. Furthermore, he’s had zero contact with anyone within the organization, and that’s leaving some of his former teammates and coaches worried.

Offensive guard Willie Colon is one of those players (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini):

“Usually, a guy will send you a text and say, ‘I’m OK.’ Not to hear anything is scary in itself. All you can do is send out prayers to him.”

Goodson has had a bit of a troubled past. The issues began in May 2013, when he was found stopped in the middle lane of a highway by New Jersey Police. The cops say he was incoherent and had vomited, and a semiautomatic weapon and marijuana was allegedly found in his possession. Last season, he was suspended four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Wideout David Nelson briefly touched on his former teammate’s issues:

“The concern is what kind of state he might be in, where he might be and things he might be doing. Guys are trying to check in on him, making sure that stuff isn’t reoccurring and taking over.

“For somebody who has just gone MIA – nobody can get a hold of him and nobody knows where he is – that takes it to a different level and it goes beyond football. Guys aren’t reaching out to him because of football. They’re reaching out to him because they care about him. They want to know if he’s OK.

“That’s the element everybody is talking about. At this point, nobody is talking about, ‘Why isn’t he here practicing?’ I think the fear is that we haven’t heard from him. That’s not a good sign, honestly.”

Head coach Rex Ryan also addressed the matter:

“There’s no question, it concerns me. I’ve tried to reach out to him but haven’t been able to make contact with him.”

The only time we’ve heard from Goodson’s agent, Kennard McGuire, was following the player’s initial absence from camp on Tuesday:

“Mike must be accountable and responsible for his own actions and comprehend not only effective communication but simple communication.”

With that, let’s see what else is going on around the AFC…

Free agent cornerback Brandon Flowers isn’t negotiating with teams yet, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The former Chiefs notable will spend the next two days with the Chargers. The Ravens, Steelers, and Vikings are among the clubs keeping a close eye on him. According to La Canfora (via Twitter), Flowers has no other visits scheduled yet and will re-evaluate the situation and whether to take more visits after he’s done spending time in San Diego (link).
Count wide receiver Eddie Royal amongst the folks who want to see Flowers sign with the Chargers, writes Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego. The two were teammates at Virginia Tech.
New Jaguars running back Toby Gerhart wants to be the Jacksonville’s version of Marshawn Lynch, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports. The Jags gave Gerhart a three-year, $10.5MM deal in March.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Bengals, Raiders, Bears, Bucs

June 18th, 2014 at 5:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Tonight’s minor moves..

The Bengals announced (via Twitter) that they have released Mississippi halfback Jeff Scott.
The Raiders claimed tackle Emmett Cleary off waivers from the Buccaneers, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Safety Sean Cattouse (Bears), Steven Jenkins (Buccaneers), Lamont Bryant (Titans), Aaron Mellette (Ravens), and Adrian Hamilton (Ravens) all went unclaimed, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links).
The Texans signed former North Carolina defensive tackle Tim Jackson, Wilson tweets.
Texans cut tight end Chris Coyle and waived-injured defensive lineman Sullivan Grosz, Wilson tweets. Both Coyle, an Arizona State product, and Grosz, out of Cal Poly, were signed as undrafted free agents back in May.
The Raiders cut David Gilreath, according to Wilson (on Twitter). The former Wisconsin wideout hooked on with Oakland earlier this month.
The Cowboys removed former Illinois State tight end Evan Wilson from injured reserve with an injury settlement, Wilson tweets. The UDFA signed with Dallas in May and received a $2.5K signing bonus.

Free Agent Rumors: Flowers, Vilma, Muir

June 18th, 2014 at 3:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard that cornerback Brandon Flowers, the most noteworthy name on the free agent market, will likely make a decision on where to sign within the next three to five days. The afternoon has brought a couple of updates on Flowers, along with several items on other free agents. Let’s dive in and check out the latest….

The Chargers are hosting Flowers for a free agent visit today, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As I pointed out this morning, the most serious suitors for the veteran corner may be teams we haven’t heard many rumblings about yet, and San Diego fits that bill.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Flowers has also received significant interest from the Falcons and Vikings. Sources from both of those clubs have downplayed their interest to local reporters, so it’s hard to get a read on whether their interest is being overstated by sources close to Flowers or understated by team sources. Besides those clubs, the Patriots and Ravens also have some interest, tweets Wilson.
As they continue to weigh options to replace Sean Weatherspoon, the Falcons are working out veteran linebacker Jonathan Vilma today, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). A source confirms to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (Twitter link) that the workout went well, though the team didn’t sign Vilma right away.
Defensive tackle Daniel Muir, who spent last season with the Raiders after also playing for the Packers, Colts, and Jets, auditioned for the Ravens today, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
Guards Steve Greene and John Sullen and defensive tackles Gilbert Pena and Everett Dawkins tried out for the Giants at the team’s minicamp today, tweets Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

No Long-Term Offer For Jason Worilds?

June 18th, 2014 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

A report over the weekend suggested that linebacker Jason Worilds had rejected a long-term extension offer from the Steelers, which remained on the table and was unlikely to be improved by the club. However, a source tells Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that’s not the case, and that Worilds has not received a multiyear offer from the Steelers. According to Kaboly, there have been no real contract talks between the two sides since Worilds signed the club’s transition tag offer several months ago.

As Kaboly points out, it’s not unusual for there to be multiple different accounts on the status of contract negotiations while they’re in progress, and whether or not the Steelers have extended a formal offer, it’s clear that talks remain at an impasse. When Worilds first signed the one-year offer, which is worth nearly $10MM, it appeared as if the Steelers would want to reduce that cap number with a longer-term extension. Since then, however, the cap increased more than had been expected, and the club created additional savings by parting ways with LaMarr Woodley, reducing the need to get something done with Worilds.

As I pointed out back in May when we first heard that no progress was being made in negotiations between Worilds and the Steelers, the team may want to see more than one productive season as a starter out of the linebacker before committing significant years and money to him.

In 792 defensive snaps last season, his first as a regular starter, Worilds recorded eight sacks and 50 overall quarterback pressures. He graded well as both a pass rusher and a run stopper, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, which placed him 12th overall among 3-4 outside linebackers (subscription required).

AFC Notes: CJ2K, Steelers, Yates, Titans

June 18th, 2014 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

New Jets running back Chris Johnson is now five years removed from a 2009 season in which he eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards with the Titans. He’ll turn 29 this fall, and is coming off a knee injury, but Johnson still believes he has enough left in the tank to make another run at that mark, as he tells Seth Walder of the New York Daily News.

“I’d just retire and not play anymore if I didn’t feel like I was still capable of being a 2,000-yard back,” Johnson said. “I know I have the ability.”

Another run at 2,000 yards may be aiming a little high for the former Titan, but the fact that Johnson feels as if he hasn’t lost a step should be encouraging for Jets fans hoping he’ll make an impact this season. Here’s more from around the AFC:

The Steelers have swapped one undrafted free agent for another, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed running back Jordan Hall and waived cornerback Deion Belue. Belue signed with the Dolphins as a rookie free agent last month, then was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh after being cut by Miami.
Although the Ravens have been “monitoring” T.J. Yates‘ situation for some time, there’s no guarantee that Baltimore will pursue the quarterback now that he’s been cut by the Texans, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Of the two linebackers who worked out for the Titans earlier this week, Quentin Groves is viewed as a better fit than Marvin Mitchell, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
Wide receiver Greg Little, who joined the Raiders after being cut by the Browns, was surprised that Cleveland waived him, since he had a “tremendous relationship” with the new coaches, he tells Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Of course, as Little acknowledges, the decision ultimately wasn’t in the hands of the coaching staff (Twitter links).

Jets Release Mike Goodson

June 18th, 2014 at 11:39am CST by Luke Adams

The Jets have officially parted ways with Mike Goodson, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve released the running back. The announcement notes that the move was made with the “left squad” designation. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap observes (via Twitter), the club figures to use the fact that Goodson left the team to try to recoup some money from him.

Goodson, 27, only had seven carries and two receptions during his one-year stay with the Jets, but created plenty of headlines along the way. The former fourth-round pick was arrested last year on a weapons possession charge, received a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, tore his ACL, and failed to report to the club multiple times, including for this week’s minicamp.

Although there were still two years remaining on Goodson’s contract with the Jets, none of his remaining base salary was guaranteed. As noted above, however, portions of his $1MM signing bonus were prorated over the next two years, and cutting the running back with a left squad designation is a sign that the team will try to recoup as much of that bonus money as possible.

Goodson enjoyed his best NFL season in 2010 with the Panthers, rushing for 452 yards and three touchdowns, as well as catching 40 balls out of the backfield. However, his on-field resumé isn’t impressive enough to outweigh his off-field troubles, so even when he gets healthy, there are certainly no guarantees he’ll get another shot with an NFL team.

Brandon Flowers Decision Expected Soon

June 18th, 2014 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent cornerback Brandon Flowers will likely make a decision on his next team within the next three to five days, according to Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities (via Twitter). Flowers has been on the market since being cut by the Chiefs last Friday, and has reportedly received inquiries from at least 10 clubs.

Plenty of potential suitors have been linked to Flowers in recent days as rumors swirl about the Pro Bowler’s next destination, but many reports have downplayed teams’ interest. Yesterday, we heard that the Falcons and Redskins, previously believed to be among the possible favorites, aren’t in serious pursuit, while the Jets have yet to inquire. On Monday, the 49ers and Titans were all but ruled out as landing spots. And in Wolfson’s latest tweet, he notes that the Vikings appear to be a long shot.

One team whose interest hasn’t been significantly downplayed is the Lions, who were said on Monday to be “seriously considering” a run at Flowers. While that doesn’t necessarily make Detroit the frontrunner, it suggests the club remains in play. I expect they’ll have competition from a handful of other teams, but so far it seems that any other clubs making a serious effort to land Flowers have kept their intentions mostly concealed.

U.S. Patent Office Cancels Redskins Trademark

June 18th, 2014 at 9:47am CST by Luke Adams

The United State Patent and Trademark Office has canceled the trademark on the Redskins name, according to Travis Waldron of ThinkProgress.org. According to the U.S. Patent Office, the name is “disparaging to Native Americans” and therefore can’t be trademarked under federal law, which prohibits the protection of offensive or disparaging language.

“I am extremely happy that the [Board] ruled in our favor,” plaintiff Amanda Blackhorse said in a statement. “It is a great victory for Native Americans and for all Americans. We filed our petition eight years ago and it has been a tough battle ever since. I hope this ruling brings us a step closer to that inevitable day when the name of the Washington football team will be changed.”

This isn’t the first time that the Redskins’ trademark protections have been rescinded — in 1999, the name was ruled offensive to Native Americans, but a federal court overturned that decision due to a technicality that, according to Waldron, the plaintiffs say has been fixed in this most recent case.

Practically speaking, if the decision is upheld, it will allow non-NFL outlets to sell merchandise bearing the Redskins’ name and colors, diluting the value of the name to the franchise. While it wouldn’t necessarily mean the team would have to change its name, it would provide a more compelling reason for owner Dan Snyder and co. to consider the possibility, since it would be costing the franchise money. Of course, before we reach that point, the ruling will likely go through a lengthy appeals process.

Steelers Sign Second-Rounder Stephon Tuitt

June 18th, 2014 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have become the latest team to lock up their entire 2014 draft class, announcing today (via Twitter) that second-round defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt has signed his rookie contract.

Tuitt, 21, played his college ball at Notre Dame, racking up 19.5 sacks in his last two seasons with the Fighting Irish. As the 46th overall pick in last month’s draft, Tuitt will receive a signing bonus worth around $1.672MM, per Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com. The overall four-year value of his contract will be about $4.609MM.

I wrote yesterday that only 13 draftees remained unsigned, and since then, five more have been locked up, meaning just eight have yet to put pen to paper. Now that the Steelers have secured all their draftees, only five teams still have picks to sign.