2014 August - Pro Football Rumors

Chad Johnson Eyeing NFL Comeback

August 6th, 2014 at 6:08pm CST by Zachary Links

When Chad Johnson signed with the CFL’s Montreal Allouettes in April, the team’s GM claimed that the wide receiver simply “wanted to be part of a team again,” and wasn’t angling to make an NFL comeback. Today, agent Drew Rosenhaus told James Walker of ESPN.com that his client is in fact playing with the goal of returning to a 100-yard field.

“If they did [call], he would jump for it,” Rosenhaus said. “Of course, he would love it. But right now, he’s operating as a Canadian Football League player. We will see what happens. It’s not like we’re holding our breath that he’s going to play in the NFL. But he’s trying. That’s the goal.”

The former six-time Pro Bowler “doesn’t lack confidence or enthusiasm,” according to his ever-confident agent, but getting back to the NFL could be a tall order. Johnson, 36, would be the oldest receiver in the league this season. Colts veteran Reggie Wayne, 35, is the current owner of that title.

Johnson, in his prime, was once one of the NFL’s top wide receivers and certainly one of its most charismatic athletes. He recorded six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2002-07 as a member of the Bengals and has 766 career receptions for 11,059 yards and 82 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons. We wouldn’t bank on him adding to that total, but apparently he’s not thinking much about life after football. Rosenhaus says that Johnson would “play football until he’s 50 if they let him.”

La Canfora On Pats, McCourty, Redskins

August 6th, 2014 at 5:38pm CST by Zachary Links

In today’s column, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes that the Redskins’ offensive line is looking solid for the first time in a while. Left tackle Trent Williams is in excellent shape and it appears that offensive line coach Chris Foerster has done a nice job of molding the unit as it adapts to a team that will incorporate elements of power running under head coach Jay Gruden. Here’s more from La Canfora..

Devin McCourty is looking good at safety and it has solved what was a lingering issue for the Patriots. They’ll want him around a long time but there’s nothing brewing as he enters the final year of his deal. The sides exchanged some initial proposals this offseason, sources told La Canfora, but weren’t particularly close, and there hasn’t been any movement since. The safety franchise tag is quite team friendly, so that could be lessening New England’s urgency in working on a new deal. Still, La Canfora feels the sides could talk again before the start of the season.
It’d be tough for the Redskins to pull off a trade well past the draft, but La Canfora wonders if Washington could get more calls at some point in 2014 on backup quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins has two years on his rookie deal and the Browns offered a mid-round pick for him this offseason, though La Canfora hears that Skins GM Bruce Allen wanted a second-rounder. Cousins has plenty of fans in some other front offices and coaching rooms, but the Redskins might want to hang on to him since Robert Griffin III remains an injury risk.
The Patriots are quietly pleased with what they have seen from receiver Brandon LaFell, who they signed as a free agent this offseason. He has shown a grasp of their system and with injury troubles plauging Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson, and Rob Gronkowski, there is an opportunity for LaFell to get lots of looks.

Bon Jovi Group Resubmits Bid For Bills

August 6th, 2014 at 4:34pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 4:34pm: Kryk confirms that the Toronto group has indeed resubmitted its initial bid for the Bills (Twitter link). There has been no word yet on whether the new bid will allow the group to continue on in the process.

TUESDAY, 1:13pm: The Toronto group pursuing the Bills, which is headed by Jon Bon Jovi and also includes Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment chairman Larry Tanenbaum and the Rogers family, will be resubmitting its bid for the franchise, according to John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. Kryk reports that Morgan Stanley – the firm overseeing the Bills’ sale – actually rejected the group’s first bid because the figure was “uncompetitively low” and the firm wanted more assurances that the group intended to keep the Bills in Western New York.

The new proposal by the Toronto group is expected to be in the $1-1.1 billion range, according to Kryk, who adds that if this new bid is deemed insufficient by Morgan Stanley, the group will be out of the running for the franchise. Otherwise, the firm figures to invite the Bon Jovi-led group to participate in the final stage of the sale process, which should also include Donald Trump, Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula, and any other potential bidders that may be permitted to enter the mix.

While the Bills’ sale remains in the fairly early stages, there have already been a number of surprising twists. After reports suggesting that a number of contenders were expected to make bids for the franchise, only the three aforementioned parties are believed to have submitted initial bids in time for last week’s deadline. Since then, both Bon Jovi and Trump have publicly discussed their bids, which may violate the non-disclosure agreement they signed with the franchise. Pegula is the only known bidder who has not publicly discussed the process.

Per Kryk, Pegula’s bid is believed to be in the $1.3 billion range. It appears that Morgan Stanley is hoping for a competitive offer from the Toronto group if only to give Pegula some competition, but the group’s ceiling may be limited — Bon Jovi has been unwilling thus far to accept a minority role in the group, despite the fact that his partners are wealthier. Principal owners must have at least a 30% financial stake in an NFL franchise, so the Toronto group’s maximum bid may be around $1.2 billion, says Kryk.

Lions Waive Jonathan Baldwin

August 6th, 2014 at 4:24pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 4:24pm: Baldwin’s time as a Lion was short-lived — the team has waived the wide receiver with a failed physical designation, tweets Brian McIntyre.

TUESDAY, 6:21pm: The Lions’ claim of Baldwin is not yet official as the team still needs to evaluate his “medical situation,” coach Jim Caldwell told reporters, including Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.

MONDAY, 3:37pm: The Lions have claimed wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin off waivers from the 49ers, according to Michael Schottey of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). Baldwin was cut by San Francisco over the weekend, but had to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent because of his limited service time.

Baldwin, who turns 25 next week, became the third wideout selected in the 2011 draft after A.J. Green and Julio Jones when the Chiefs picked him 26th overall. He ultimately went ahead of fellow wide receivers Torrey Smith, Randall Cobb and Cecil Shorts, but his numbers haven’t come close to matching the production of those players.

Baldwin only caught 41 passes for 579 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his two seasons in Kansas City. The Chiefs traded him to the 49ers last August for another first-round pick, A.J. Jenkins. Baldwin didn’t see the field much with San Francisco, as he had three receptions in seven games during the 2013 season.

In Detroit, Baldwin will be given the opportunity to earn a spot on the Lions’ receiving corps, where there should be at least a couple openings up for grabs in the preseason.

Saints Sign Greg Jones

August 6th, 2014 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Saints have filled the open spot on their 90-man roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed veteran fullback Greg Jones. The club made a series of moves yesterday that left just 89 players on the roster, creating an opening for Jones.

A former second-round pick, Jones spent nine seasons with the Jaguars before playing for the Texans in 2013. Primarily serving as a blocker, the 33-year-old has nonetheless accumulated 272 career carries, racking up 913 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), Jones was the league’s best blocking fullback in 2010, and has ranked among the top 10 in that category in the years since.

With Jed Collins departing in free agency, New Orleans signed fullback Erik Lorig to a four-year deal that included $1MM in fully guaranteed money earlier in the offseason. However, Lorig has not been in attendance at the Saints’ training camp for the last several days, and the team has not explained his absence or commented on any injury he may have sustained.

Jones also visited the Falcons this offseason.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Pats, Mallett, Dolphins

August 6th, 2014 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Wednesday items from around the AFC East….

Terry Pegula, one of the bidders on the Bills, announced yesterday that his company closed on a $1.75 billion sale of petroleum acreage in West Virginia and Ohio. In a press release, Pegula delivered a rare comment about his financial reserves, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. “Our team truly is a leader in the domestic oil and gas industry,” Pegula said. “Our affiliate companies still retain significant oil and gas assets in Colorado, Wyoming, New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. “We are not going away.” It’s probably not a coincidence that Pegula chose to boast about his major transaction in the midst of the bidding process.
Tom Brady‘s contract often gets mentioned as an example a particularly team-friendly deal for a star quarterback, but in Jason Fitzgerald’s view, Patriots offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer has an even more favorable contract. In his latest piece for Over the Cap, Fitzgerald also identifies Logan Mankins as the player with the worst contract on the Pats.
Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett has been receiving positive reviews for his performance in camp this summer, but as long as Brady remains healthy and in New England, Mallett isn’t likely to see the field much. As the former third-round pick enters a contract year, he’s not worried about his situation, and is looking forward to seeing regular game action in the preseason, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com. “You can’t control what you can’t control,” Mallett said. “It’s the uncontrollable. You have to deal with it. I was dealt the hand I was dealt, so I’m playing cards.”
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald passes along 15 notes and observations from Dolphins training camp. Meanwhile, Bill Barnwell of Grantland takes an in-depth look at Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is entering a critical year as he attempts to convince the Dolphins that he’s the team’s signal-caller of the future.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Jake Ballard To Retire

August 6th, 2014 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Tight end Jake Ballard has opted to end his playing career, announcing his retirement today. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk passes along Ballard’s statement, in which he says it was an honor to spend time with the Giants, Patriots, and Cardinals.

“I love this game and have put my heart and soul into it for as long as I can remember,” Ballard said. “After sustaining a serious knee injury while playing for the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, my body never felt the same. Having a quality of life after football is very important to me and I have witnessed it taken away from others. I will miss the game tremendously, but I am ready for this next chapter in my life.”

Prior to sustaining that ACL injury, Ballard had his best season as a pro in 2011, compiling 604 receiving yards on 38 receptions and scoring four touchdowns. The 26-year-old had re-signed with the Cardinals this offseason, so Arizona will open up a roster spot now that Ballard is heading toward retirement.

Jaguars To Sign Ramses Barden, Chad Hall

August 6th, 2014 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Former third-round pick Ramses Barden will get another chance to catch on with the NFL team, having reached an agreement to sign with the Jaguars, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Jags will also add receiver Chad Hall, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link). Mark Long of The Associated Press tweeted earlier today that Jacksonville was auditioning Barden and Hall.

Barden, 28, was selected 85th overall by the Giants in the 2009 draft, but only managed to record 29 receptions for the team over the course of five seasons. The 6’6″ wideout inked a futures deal with the Bills in January, but lost his roster spot this offseason when Buffalo decided to cut him. Hall, meanwhile, has spent time with the Eagles and Chiefs, catching 16 career passes in parts of three NFL seasons.

For the Jaguars, whose receiving corps has been depleted by injuries and absences this summer, Barden and Hall will likely just provide some camp and preseason depth, but perhaps they’ll also have the opportunity to compete for roster spots if they impress this month.

As O’Halloran notes, to make room for the incoming players, the Jags have cut safety Jerome Junior and waived-injured wideout Nathan Slaughter, who suffered a foot injury.

NFC North Notes: Vikings, Packers, Lions

August 6th, 2014 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

After starting 35 games for the Vikings over the last three seasons, Christian Ponder heads into the 2014 preseason as the No. 3 quarterback on the team’s depth chart, behind Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater. However, he’s trying not to let his precarious situation in Minnesota bother him — according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Ponder recognizes that he has to “be prepared” despite not getting as many reps this summer as Cassel and Bridgewater, and adds that he doesn’t expect to be traded before the regular season gets underway.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link) has heard there’s been a little dialogue between the Vikings and Brandon Fusco‘s camp about a contract extension for the offensive lineman. However, according to Fusco himself, nothing is imminent at this point. Minnesota’s starting right guard is heading into the final year of his rookie deal.
With swing tackle Don Barclay expected to be placed on injured reserve, Packers GM Ted Thompson doesn’t expect his club to be in the market for a veteran offensive lineman, says Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
As we heard last night, the Lions‘ waiver claim of former 49ers wideout Jonathan Baldwin has yet to be finalized, while the team evaluates his medical situation. According to Carlos Monarrez and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Baldwin took his physical on Tuesday, but there are some concerns about his knee. “I’m not sure exactly the timetable on when we have to (make a decision),” head coach Jim Caldwell said. “(GM) Martin (Mayhew) and those guys stay on top of those kind of stuff, but we’re evaluating him right now.”
One of the Lions‘ offseason coaching changes involved bringing in a new defensive coordinator, and as Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News writes, newcomer Teryl Austin likes what he has seen from the unit so far.

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August 6th, 2014 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

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