2015 August - Pro Football Rumors

Eagles Notes: Boykin, Kelly, Shepherd

August 3rd, 2015 at 9:52am CST by Zachary Links

Brandon Boykin, who was traded from the Eagles to the Steelers late last week, made some comments on Sunday that seemed to echo criticism of other ex-Eagles players, who have said that Chip Kelly harbors some type of racial bias. Boykin later clarified those, comments, however, telling Judy Battista of NFL.com (Twitter links) that Kelly just has a hard time relating to players overall.

Of course, Boykin’s comments quickly became the focus for Eagles beat writers. Quarterback Mark Sanchez made it clear that he’s tired of answering the same old questions, as Tucker Bagley of Philadelphia Magazine writes.

“[During stretching today], guys were like, ‘Sanchez, ain’t you Mexican? And [Sam] Bradford aren’t you Native American?‘” Sanchez said. “And Kiko [Alonso] is Colombian. We’ve got black guys, white guys, Polynesian guys. Come on, that’s crazy,” Sanchez said.

Malcolm Jenkins, meanwhile, told reporters that Kelly just “likes uniformity, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” That quest for uniformity, he says, has been misinterpreted by some as something different. Here’s more on the Eagles..

Boykin was stunned by the trade, a source close to the player told Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. Boykin loved being with the Eagles, but he also wanted a shot at the outside cornerback spot. The 5’9″ corner felt that Kelly never gave him that opportunity and Kelly never took the time to explain to him why he wouldn’t be getting it.
Jesse Dougherty of the Philadelphia Inquirer looked at the Eagles’ internal options for replacing Boykin, including rookie JaCorey Shepherd.
Eagles coach Chip Kelly says that he’s optimistic that guard John Moffit can turn his life around, on and off the field, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “We spent a lot of time figuring out what he’s all about. We felt comfortable, and we are hopeful that he has turned the corner and he’s got an opportunity. Really, the ball is in his court,” Kelly said. The 28-year-old abruptly left the Broncos in 2013 after losing interest in the game and had legal and drug problems during his time away from football.

Giants Notes: JPP, Reese, Mara

August 3rd, 2015 at 9:06am CST by Zachary Links

Giants GM Jerry Reese told WFAN that he spoke with Jason Pierre-Paul on Sunday, but wouldn’t elaborate on the conversation (via Graziano on Twitter). “[It was] a personal conversation. I want to keep it private,” the GM said. He did say, however, that there’s no timetable for the defensive end’s return (link).

Reese says that the Giants’ defense can be really strong, even without Pierre-Paul in the lineup, as Tom Canavan of The Associated Press writes. “I think we’ll be really good defensively,” Reese said. “I think we’re going to surprise people. I think we have five defensive ends that we feel like can play and play at a high level at that position. I do think our defense is going to be a better unit than it was last year. I’m excited to see them out there playing.”
The Giants are trying to build a dominant pass-rusher from the ground up with third-round pick Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes. Still, he’s green and has a long way to go before he can start replicating the production of someone like JPP. Odighizuwa was a 3-4 defensive end at UCLA and wasn’t asked to develop pass-rush moves or get after the quarterback in that scheme so he has a lot to learn.
Giants owner John Mara told WFAN that he believes the NFL will return to Los Angeles with two teams by 2016, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News tweets.

Sunday Roundup: Levy, Incognito, Fitzpatrick, Pryor, Bowers

August 2nd, 2015 at 8:43pm CST by Rob DiRe

While Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy is working on his own extension, Bobby Wagner‘s new contract has set a new bar for non-pass rushing linebackers in the NFL. Despite that big number, Levy remains focused on football, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com.

“My agent is the negotiator, I’m the football player. I even try to stay out of it now. If something significant happens, send me a text or something,” said Levy. “My focus has never been on that, it’s about getting ready for the season, year in and year out. Whatever happens, happens.”

Here are some more notes from around the NFL this Sunday evening:

The Bills have had their share of issues along the offensive line over recent years–including this offseason–but hopefully a player with his own baggage can help solidify things as head coach Rex Ryan has announced Richie Incognito will start at left guard for the Bills, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).
Staying with the AFC East, Ryan Fitzpatrick is playing well despite watching as Geno Smith takes the majority of first-team reps for the Jets, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. “The thing we stress every day and Coach [Todd] Bowles stresses is he going to put the best guys on the field to help the team win,” Fitzpatrick said. “That is what we are all here for, to win football games.”
One of the most interesting storylines in Browns’ camp this offseason is whether or not Terrelle Pryor can complete the position change to wide receiver. The 6’4″ former quarterback has roughly a 50/50 chance of making the team as a wideout, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com.
Buccaneers defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers has played both defensive end and defensive tackle in previous years in Tampa Bay, but head coach Lovie Smith says he will be locked in as an interior lineman in 2015, writes Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter).

Jeremy Mincey Ends Holdout With Reworked Deal

August 2nd, 2015 at 7:58pm CST by Rob DiRe

Jeremy Mincey ended his holdout today, as expected, and while he doesn’t have a contract extension to show off, Mincey and the Cowboys have agreed to rework his contract for the 2015 season.

The renegotiated deal hasn’t been fully reported yet, but it will include at least an extra $500K in new money, which will bump up Mincey’s pay grade beyond $2MM for the upcoming season, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram.

Head coach Jason Garrett spoke very highly of his defensive veteran, and is happy to have him back with the team.

“I think that contributed to taking the ball away 31 times, second-most in the National Football League,” said Garrett. “That positively impacted the games that we played, and I think Mince was a big part of that, establishing that identity, that toughness, that relentlessness.”

As Zach Links wrote when discussing Mincey’s holdout, the veteran narrowly missed a $500K bonus based on snap count last season, despite coming up with a team high six sacks in 2014. The 31-year old had one of his best all-around seasons last year, and will be increasingly valuable to the team early on with Greg Hardy suspended for the first four games of the regular season.

The team’s second-round pick, Randy Gregory, also shows promise, but is undersized and could struggle to impact games early on. When the three hit their stride during the middle and hopefully towards the end of the season, the Cowboys could have a newfound strength on the defense.

“I think Jeremy has been a good player in this league for a number of years,” Garrett said. “He’s physically tough, and he plays hard. You want that on your football team.”

Mincey had sat out the last four days, hoping to work out out a contract extension with the team.

Trent Richardson On Raiders’ Roster Bubble

August 2nd, 2015 at 7:43pm CST by Rob DiRe

Trent Richardson was once one of the most polarizing players in the league, with many people writing the former third-overall pick off completely with a few thinking he could still rejuvenate his career in Indianapolis.

After signing a two-year deal with the Raiders that included $600,000 in guaranteed money, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com puts Richardson’s chances of making the roster at 50% (via Twitter).

After three years in the league, those who believe he can still turn his NFL career around are far and few between, and Oakland hasn’t exactly been a great spot for reclamation projects in recent years. Still, getting some guaranteed money after an extremely disappointing run with the Colts showed a vote of confidence for Richardson.

Now, as he remains on the non-football injury list, the Raiders backfield is beginning to look crowded with productive players. Latavius Murray, Roy Helu, and Michael Dyer have all made their marks early in training camp as they look to earn a spot on the roster. Teams normally carry only three running backs, and that could leave Richardson as the odd man out.

“The reality is he has some very real competition, thanks to some newfound depth on this roster,” Rapoport said. “He needs to do exactly what they ask on the field and off the field just to make this roster. … It’s possible at this point that Trent Richardson is the odd man out.”

Murray in particular has been impressive, and Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that he is not only the frontrunner to be the number one running back, but looks like he could be a really good number one back (via Twitter).

AFC North Notes: Elam, Lundy, Johnson, Bryant

August 2nd, 2015 at 6:53pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some injury notes from around the AFC North on this first Sunday of training camp:

Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes that Ravens safety Matt Elam may have torn his biceps and will undergo an MRI today. It is feared that the injury may be season-ending (via Twitter). “I’m sure it’s very disappointing for him,” said head coach John Harbaugh. “He’s very serious in great shape and then has a freak injury.”
In addition to Elam, early signs could mean the Ravens’ secondary may be in injury peril again, with cornerbacks Tray Walker and Rashaan Melvin both hurting their hamstrings, writes Clifton Brown of CSN Mid-Atlantic (via Twitter).
Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets that Browns head coach Mike Pettine said he will talk with GM Ray Farmer later today to discuss adding a running back or two. After rookie Luke Lundy left practice with an injury today, the team is down to Isaiah Crowell and Shaun Draughn as its only healthy backs. Duke Johnson and Terrance West have already gone down, and Pat MaManamon of ESPN details a few other players who have suffered injuries in camp so far.
Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson was carted off the practice field with a knee injury, but head coach Marvin Lewis said he doesn’t believe the injury is major, according to Sirius XM NFL Radio (via Twitter). Albert Breer of NFL Network reports that the early word is that he suffered a torn MCL, which would likely cost him time early in the season (via Twitter).
Not to be left out, the Steelers are also dealing with an injury to a key contributor in second-year receiver Martavis Bryant, who had a procedure to fix an infection with his elbow, reports Jeremy Fowler of ESPN (via Twitter). Luckily for Steeler nation, he is only expected to miss a few days.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Beauharnais, Dockett, Lions, Unger

August 2nd, 2015 at 6:00pm CST by Rob DiRe

With training camps going on throughout the NFL landscape, players are beginning to stand out and injuries are starting to shift depth charts already. Here are a few veterans who could be looking at new roles or new contracts as the season draws near:

The 49ers worked out linebacker Steve Beauharnais yesterday, per John Middlekauf of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter). Beauharnais was on Washington’s active roster last season after being selected by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2013 draft.
Coming off a torn ACL, Darnell Dockett wasn’t seen much during the beginning of the 49ers training camp. Coach Jim Tomsula said that the reason he wasn’t in there was because he might not factor into the base defense early on with all the double teams he’ll be facing, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “We’re not going to have him in there doing that,” Tomsula said. “I don’t want him in there. . . He’ll be doing more of the nickel stuff, the sub stuff. You’ll see that stuff.” That could mean more work for Ian Williams, Quinton Dial, and Glenn Dorsey.
In his latest mailbag, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com says the Lions could extend standout linebacker DeAndre Levy soon, and he adds that Ryan Broyles has a “decent chance” of making the team’s roster provided he can stay healthy.
James Ihedigbo, who skipped the Lions‘ early spring workouts due to frustration over his current deal, declined to talk about his contract on Sunday, simply saying that it is not time to negotiate once the season starts (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press).
Jimmy Graham was the biggest name traded this offseason, but it is easy to forget that Max Unger was moved in that deal as well. He is currently getting accustomed to being the starting center for the Saints, and readying himself for the season in New Orleans, writes Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. “Regardless of the reason I’m here, I’m being asked to do a job that I’ve been doing for a while,” said Unger. “I just get on the field and do it, keeping the things that I’ve been doing to get this point in my career.”

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/2/2015

August 2nd, 2015 at 4:51pm CST by Rory Parks

Here are Sunday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

The Patriots have claimed offensive lineman Harland Gunn off waivers from the Falcons, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Gunn, 25, played in 10 games for Atlanta last season, starting one.
Cornerback Justin Green has decided to retire from the NFL, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). The Cowboys acquired Green from the Patriots last year, but he never suited up for Dallas. The 24-year-old had been back with New England until they cut him yesterday.
The Broncos announced that they’ve signed tackle Charles Sweeton while waiving injured tackle Connor Rains. Rains injured his foot during the first day of Denver’s camp.
The Chiefs have made a switch a running back, signing Darrin Reaves and waiving LaVance Taylor, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Reaves appeared in six games for the Panthers last season, starting one.
The Jets have filled an open spot on their roster, signing receiver Jarrod West, an undrafted rookie out of Syracuse, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

Mark Kaboly of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets that the Steelers have signed RB Jawon Chisholm placed RB Ross Scheuerman on the waived/injured list in a corresponding move. The team also cut TE Michael Egnew to make room for the newly-acquired Brandon Boykin.
The Panthers have signed WR Paul Browning to take the roster spot of Stephen Hill, who has been put on the team’s waived/injured list with a torn ACL (via Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer).
John McClain of The Houston Chronicle tweets that the Texans, who are in desperate need of defensive line depth, have signed veteran NT Chris Neild.
The Giants have added rookie DE Brad Bars and second-year wide receiver Derrick Johnson, per James Kratch of NJ.com.

Washington GM, HC On Galette Signing, Morris

August 2nd, 2015 at 4:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After the Saints released controversial linebacker Junior Galette last week, Washington quickly signed him to a one-year, minimum salary deal. General manager Scot McCloughan and head coach Jay Gruden spoke to reporters today, touching on the Galette signing, running back Alfred Morris, and other topics. Lets’ take a look at the highlights:

McCloughan said Washington got word the Saints were going to release Galette about a week before the transaction actually took place, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter), so the club had plenty of time to conduct research on Galette.
“There’s a chance” that Galette is in line for a suspension — either because of his arrest earlier this year, or his involvement in an assualt incident captured on video — but McCloughan doesn’t know where the process stands at the moment, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times.
On the subject of the video: “I did not like the video at all and as a matter of fact when I saw the video it was scary,” McCloughan said, according to John Keim of ESPN.com. “That’s why I wanted to meet with him face to face. That’s why I had to sit down with him and ask him what happened. I got the real story and I’m fine with that.” McCloughan said he spoke to more than 20 people regarding the events on the video, per Keim (Twitter link).
Washington is giving Galette a second chance, but it won’t give him a third, says McCloughan. “He knows he’s got to walk the line, and he knows if he doesn’t, he’s gone,” said the GM (per Jones on Twitter).
Both McCloughan and Gruden want Morris to stay in Washington for the long haul, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (Twitter link). “We anticipate Alfred being here for a while,” said Gruden. “I love what Alfred is all about on and off the field.” However, Keim adds (via Twitter) that a deal isn’t expected to come together any time soon. Morris is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
McCloughan confirmed that he has final say over the 53-man roster, but added that the coaching staff and personnel department would have a hand in formulating the final roster, tweets Boyer.

Chip Kelly: Mychal Kendricks Won’t Be Traded

August 2nd, 2015 at 3:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After months of speculation, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly today told reporters, including Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com, that linebacker Mychal Kendricks will not be traded. A report earlier this afternoon indicated that Kendricks was likely to stay in Philadelphia and act as an “insurance policy.”

“Mychal Kendricks is not going anywhere, I can tell you that right now,” said Kelly. “You can write that down in ink, not pencil. He’s not going anywhere.”

Given that the Eagles made several additions at inside linebacker during the offseason, it was fair to speculate if the 24-year-old Kendricks was a candidate to be dealt to another club. Philadelphia not only renegotiated veteran DeMeco Ryans‘ contract, ensuring that he’ll stay with the team in 2015, but traded for former Bill Kiko Alonso, signed ex-Packer Brad Jones, and drafted Jordan Hicks in the third round.

Ryans and Alonso project as the Eagles’ starters inside, so given that Kendricks is entering the final year of his rookie contract, it made sense that the club would try to get some sort of compensation now, especially if they don’t plan to re-sign him. Kendricks has started 40 games over the past three seasons, and graded as the league’s fifth-best inside linebacker in 2014, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Throw in Kendricks’ contract — an acquiring team would be on the hook for just under $1MM — and Philadelphia could probably find a decent return for the Cal alum.

Reports earlier this year indicated that the Eagles did shop Kendricks during the draft, and were asking for as much as a second-round pick. Teams reportedly balked at the request, but Kendricks was also rumored to be part of a proposed package to acquire the No. 1 or No. 2 pick, in the hopes of selecting quarterback Marcus Mariota.

The Eagles have certainly been no strangers to the trade market during the past few months. In addition to swinging a deal for Alonso (by giving up running back LeSean McCoy), the club also acquired quarterback Sam Bradford (and picks) from the Rams for fellow QB Nick Foles (and picks). And just last night, Philadelphia traded slot corner Brandon Boykin to the Steelers for a mid-round pick.

For his part, Kendricks said during OTAs that he had not been approached about an extension, and today, after acknowledging that Kelly had told him he would not be traded, Kendricks said he’d rather focus on the season at hand.

“That doesn’t even matter man,” Kendricks said. “We’re here to play ball and to do the best that we can do while we’re here. After the season is after the season. We’ll worry about that then. Until then I’m just going to ball out like I’ve been doing.”