HEADLINES

Month: August 2015

Washington Signs Tight End D.J. Williams

August 16th, 2015 at 5:19pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Washington has signed free agent tight end D.J. Williams, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

The Packers took Williams in the fifth round of the 2011 draft and parted ways with him after the 2012 season. The ex-Arkansas Razorback has since been a member of the Jaguars, Patriots and Buccaneers organizations. He has three career starts and just nine catches, the last of which came in 2012.

Williams’ less-than-decorated resume aside, Washington was in desperate need of tight end depth after losing Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen to season-ending injuries over the last week. Washington worked out Williams and two other tight ends, Ernest Brun and Jean Sifrin, on Sunday. The club agreed to a deal with Brun before inking Williams, though Jones tweeted that it chose not to sign Sifrin.

Giants Sign Brandon Meriweather

August 16th, 2015 at 4:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Giants have signed veteran safety Brandon Meriweather, the club announced. To create a roster spot, New York waived kicker Chris Boswell. The team also announced that it has placed rookie safety Mykkele Thompson on injured reserve.

The Giants had been on the hunt for help in the secondary after injuries to both Thompson and fellow safety Landon Collins. While Collins’ injury isn’t considered as serious as Thompson’s, Collins’ MCL sprain could keep him out for a few weeks, and perhaps the rest of the preseason. At the very least, Meriweather’s presence will give New York some experienced depth while Collins begins his recovery.

Meriweather, 31, had spent the past three season in Washington, where he appeared in 10 games last season. He posted 36 tackles on the season, but was placed on injured reserve in December after suffering a toe injury. The Miami alum was selected in the first round of the 2007 draft by the Patriots, and has also spent time with the Bears. I’d be surprised if Meriweather’s Giants contract was anything more than a minimum salary benefit deal, with little to no guaranteed money.

Because Thompson is not a vested veteran, he’ll continue to count against the Giants’ 90-man roster because he is not a vested veteran.

PFR Originals: 8/9/15 – 8/16/15

August 16th, 2015 at 4:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past seven days:

  • Zach Links looked back at the Chargers‘ offseason, which included the re-signing of King Dunlap and Brandon Flowers, as well as the additions of free agents such as Orlando Franklin, Stevie Johnson, and Joe Barksdale.
  • Washington lost two tight ends to season-ending injuries last week, as both Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen will miss the 2015 season. Luke Adams looked at some options — both via free agency and trade — as the club seeks to replace some production at tight end.
  • The Seahawks have been active in extending key players this summer, and I eamined whether left tackle Russell Okung might be next in line for a long-term deal.
  • In our Community Tailgate series, we post topics for discussion, encouraging readers to post their thoughts in the comments section. The issues touched on by Zach and Luke last week:
    • Will Steve Smith make the Hall of Fame? (link)
    • Will Geno Smith regain his job as the Jets‘ starting QB when he returns from injury? (link)
    • Who will be the 2015 MVP? (link)

Connor Shaw Likely To Miss 2015 Season

August 16th, 2015 at 3:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Browns third-string quarterback Connor Shaw suffered a thumb injury during Thursday’s preseason game against Washington and will require surgery, the club announced. Cleveland’s press release notes that Shaw is expected to miss “an extended period of time,” and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter link) that Shaw’s recovery times is set at three months.

“I feel for Connor because he has worked extremely hard,” said head coach Mike Pettine. “He’s a competitor and has had a great offseason and a good camp so far. He is good for the quarterback room and it’s unfortunate that this injury won’t allow him to compete.”

Shaw, 23, started the final game of the 2014 season for the Browns, completing 14-of-28 attempts for 177 yards and one interception in a 20-10 loss to the Ravens. The South Carolina alum’s three-month recovery timetable means that he could return during the season, but Cleveland is unlikely to carry an injured third quarterback for that length of time. Additionally, the club probably doesn’t want to waste its injured reserve/designated to return slot on a reserve QB, so Shaw is likely to be placed on season-ending IR.

Shaw’s injury could open the door for Thad Lewis to make the Browns final roster as the third quarterback, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com, though if Cleveland opts to simply carry a reserve QB on its practice squad, Lewis would be out of luck, as he’s exhausted his practice squad eligibility. Furthermore, don’t expect former quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who’s converted to receiver, to attempt a switch back to QB, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com.

Week In Review: 8/9/15 – 8/16/15

August 16th, 2015 at 2:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Key News:

  • The Chargers signed quarterback Philip Rivers to a four-year, $84MM extension that will keep him in San Diego through 2019.
  • Receiver T.Y. Hilton agreed to a five-year, $65MM extension with the Colts.
  • The Buccaneers and linebacker Lavonte David reached agreement on a five-year extension worth $50.25MM.
  • Jets quarterback Geno Smith is out eight-to-ten weeks after linebacker IK Enemkpali broke his jaw during an altercation. Enemkpali was immediately waived, and subsequently claimed by the Bills.
  • Ravens receiver Steve Smith announced that he will retire following the 2015 season.

Injuries:

  • Bears – Kevin White, WR (link)
  • Bills – Jarius Wynn, DE (link)
  • Eagles – JaCorey Shepherd, CB (link)
  • Rams – E.J. Gaines, CB (link)
  • Steelers – Shaun Suisham, K (link)
  • Vikings – Phil Loadholt, T (link)
  • Washington – Niles Paul, TE (link) and Logan Paulsen, TE (link)

Signed:

  • Buccaneers – Tony McDaniel, DE (link)
  • Eagles – Deontae Skinner, LB (link)
  • Patriots – Ryan Lindley, QB (link)
  • Steelers – Garrett Hartley, K (link) and David Nelson, WR (link)

Released:

  • Patriots – Matt Flynn, QB (link)

Trade:

  • Patriots – acquired G Ryan Groy from the Bears in exchange for LB Matthew Wells (link)

Suspended:

  • Cardinals – Bobby Massie, T: thee games (substance abuse)

Bills’ Jarius Wynn Likely Done For 2015

August 16th, 2015 at 1:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After tearing his ACL in Friday’s preseason game against the Panthers, Bills defensive end Jarius Wynn is likely to miss the 2015 season, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. While Buffalo hasn’t officially announced anything regarding Wynn’s status, such a severe knee injury likely ensures that Wynn won’t see the field this year.

“Obviously that’s a devastating loss to us and to him,” coach Rex Ryan told Rodak today.

The 28-year-old Wynn appeared in 11 games in 2014, his first season with the Bills. He played on more than 300 snaps, acting as a key backup to starting defensive ends Jerry Hughes and Mario Williams. Wynn, who’s also spent time with the Packers, Titans, Cowboys, and Chargers, re-signed with Buffalo this March, agreeing to a two-year, $2.2MM deal.

Per Rodak, Wynn’s absence could aid fellow defensive end IK Enemkpali — recently claimed off waivers from the Jets — in his effort to make the 53-man roster. Another offseason addition, Michael Buchanan, could see more time, as could veteran Alex Carrington, as he’s capable of playing all along the defensive line.

Sunday Roundup: Loadholdt, Dotson, Broncos

August 16th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Parks

The Buccaneers and Vikings played each other on Saturday night, and both teams lost their starting right tackles. Minnesota’s Phil Loadholdt suffered a torn Achilles and is likely done for the season, while Tampa Bay’s Demar Dotson sprained his MCL and will undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of the sprain. Today’s Sunday Roundup begins with some fallout from those two injuries.

  • Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times notes that the Buccaneers could shift Kevin Pamphile from left tackle to right tackle to replace Dotson, or they could promote Patrick Omameh. However, if Dotson has anything worse than a sprained MCL, Auman expects Tampa Bay to look outside the organization to fill the void (Twitter links).
  • Former NFL agent Joel Corry tweets that the Vikings could be forced into a tough early decision on Loadholdt next season. As Corry notes, Loadholdt will be due a $500,000 bonus if he is on the roster on the third day of the league year (March 17, 2016), which may be too rich for a player who has suffered two major injuries in 10 months.
  • Mark Craig of The Star Tribune tweets that the Vikings are not panicking over Loadholdt’s injury or scrambling for outside help, as the team has confidence in its young tackles.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com breaks down Washington‘s potential options at tight end as it seeks to build depth behind Jordan Reed.
  • Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com observes (via Twitter) that the season-ending injury to Rams CB E.J. Gaines could open the door for someone like undrafted free agent Imoan Claiborne.
  • Broncos WR Bennie Fowler, whom Denver signed as an undrafted free agent last year, might be a long-shot to make the roster, but as Mike Klis of 9News.com writes, Fowler’s impressive showing in training camp and in the first preseason game is giving the Broncos’ brass a lot to think about.

East Notes: Giants, Murray, Petty

August 16th, 2015 at 11:01am CST by Rory Parks

One New York-area scribe opined last night that the Giants may be forced to scour the free agent market in an attempt to bolster their injury-ravaged secondary. Today, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com examined New York’s options in that regard, which are less than inspiring. Cornerbacks Chris Cook and Alfonso Dennard are available, but both come with their fair share of question marks, and the veteran safety options like Thomas DeCoud and Quintin Demps are not much better. Raanan expects the Giants to bring in younger, less familiar players with some upside to fill out their depth chart.

Now let’s have a look at a few more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News says the biggest reason the Cowboys were willing to let DeMarco Murray leave in free agency is the talent of its offensive line, which the team believes can pave the way for its current, less expensive crop of running backs. Thus far, the line has picked up right where it left off in 2014.
  • Washington GM Scot McCloughan has made it clear that Chris Cooley is not an option as the team seeks to add depth to its decimated TE corps (Twitter link to Zac Boyer of The Washington Times).
  • Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News believes rookie QB Bryce Petty could be the Jets‘ long-term answer under center, but he will need to be brought along slowly for that to happen.
  • Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert is steadily increasing his workload in training camp, according to Omar Kelly and Chris Perkins of The Sun-Sentinel. Albert is getting closer to his goal of starting Miami’s regular season opener, and may even see some preseason game action.
  • The Bills currently have 11 wide receivers on their roster, and they will have to cut roughly half of them by the time the regular season opens. Per Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, the team’s coaching staff believes at least one of the players that will be cut will be a significant contributor elsewhere, which speaks to the depth of Buffalo’s receiving corps. It’s a good problem to have, but it will create a number of difficult decisions in the coming weeks.

Rams’ E.J. Gaines Done For Season

August 15th, 2015 at 11:13pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines will miss the 2015 season after having surgery for a Lisfranc foot injury suffered earlier this summer, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Gaines was injured when he got stepped on during practice on August 2, and while it was originally thought to be a knee ailment, it’s a foot problem that will sideline Gaines.

“It’s a tough break,” a team source told Thomas. “But the team will roll on. He’ll be 100 percent when he comes back. We’ll keep him busy and keep him occupied during his rehab.”

For a club that doesn’t have a ton of depth at the corner position, the loss of Gaines signifies a major loss. A sixth-round pick a in 2014, Gaines was inserted into the starting lineup following a preseason injury to Trumaine Johnson; Gaines continued to start even when Johnson returned. The 23-year-old Gaines went on to post 63 tackles and two interceptions in 15 contests, grading as not only the fourth-best Rams defender, but as the 29th-best cornerback in the league, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

With Gaines (as a Missouri alum, he’s a local product) out for the year, Johnson figures to reclaim his starting role opposite Janoris Jenkins. Second-year pro LaMarcus Joyner, meanwhile, will become the new slot corner. Along with safeties Rodney McLeod and T.J. McDonald, the Rams will field a secondary of players all age 26 or younger.

Chargers Extend Philip Rivers Through 2019

August 15th, 2015 at 10:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers have agreed to a four-year extension, the club announced (via Twitter). Rivers, who was set to enter the final year of his contract, is now locked up through the 2019 season. The deal is worth $84MM, with $65MM guaranteed, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).Philip Rivers

This new deal brings to end months of speculation about the future of the relationship between Rivers and the Chargers, which was rumored to on its last legs throughout the spring. Reports had indicated that Rivers had no interest in negotiating an extension with the club potentially weighing a move to Los Angeles, and the Chargers reportedly dangled him in trade talks in an effort to move up to the second overall pick in the draft. As recently as April 20, Rivers declined to engage in extension negotiations, but less than two weeks later the team told Rivers that he would not be dealt.

Despite reports of an August 13 deadline for talks to conclude, Rivers yesterday downplayed the notion that a deal was no longer on the table. San Diego obviously had incentive to get something done, as well, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported on Wednesday that the club would use the franchise tag on Rivers in both 2016 and 2017, if need be.

The 33-year-old Rivers has spent the entirety of his 11-year career with the Chargers, passing for more than 35,000 yards and 250 touchdowns during that time. The five-time Pro Bowler has experienced something of a late-career renaissance under the leadership of Mike McCoy, as Rivers has completed 68% of his passes during the past two seasons, averaging more than 4,300 yards and 32 touchdowns during that span. Rivers has made the postseason five times, most recently in 2013, advancing to the AFC Championship Game in 2007.

While the reported guarantees likely aren’t full guarantees — $65MM would be the highest guaranteed figure among quarterbacks by $11MM — Rivers’ new $21MM annual salary would place him fourth among QBs, trailing only Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Ben Roethlisberger. Rivers’ deal looks eerily similar to that of Roethlisberger, who signed a four-year deal worth $87.4MM ($34.25MM guaranteed) earlier this year. The other notable member of that 2004 draft class, Eli Manning, is still waiting on an extension with the Giants.

Working out an extension with Rivers puts a bow on an active Chargers offseason that not only saw the club bring in new weapons for Rivers in the forms of Stevie Johnson and Melvin Gordon, but fortify the offensive line with by re-signing King Dunlap and adding free agent additions Orlando Franklin and Joe Barksdale.

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