HEADLINES

Month: February 2017

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Claiborne, Garcon

February 7th, 2017 at 10:06am CST by Zachary Links

Cornerback Morris Claiborne is one of the free agents most likely to depart the Cowboys this offseason, Kate Hairopoulos of The Dallas Morning News writes. Claiborne had a strong start to the season, but injuries were again an issue for him and he wound up missing the final nine regular season games before returning in the postseason. While he flashed his potential, Hairopoulos feels the Cowboys will not offer him a multi-year deal because of his inability to stay on the field. In the end, a fresh start could be the best outcome for both sides.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • The Eagles are set to face some major cap-related decisions in the coming weeks, Tim McManus of ESPN.com writes. The team could save $7.75MM by dropping defensive end Connor Barwin and although he’s willing to take a pay cut, former agent Joel Corry tells McManus that both sides would be better off with a release because he doesn’t fit a 4-3 scheme. Others to address include center Jason Kelce ($6.2MM cap number, $3.8MM savings if cut), linebacker Mychal Kendricks ($6.6MM cap number, $1.8MM savings), and left tackle Jason Peters ($11.7MM cap number, $9.7MM savings).
  • The Redskins have yet to talk to pending free agent Pierre Garcon and other veterans who are out of contract, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. However, it’s early, so this doesn’t necessarily mean that the team is looking to move on from the veteran wide receiver. Earlier today, one writer posited that Garcon would be a good fit for the Ravens. At his age, Garcon is not a WR1-type, but he still has plenty of value as a possession receiver.
  • The Giants are reportedly intrigued by South Alabama tight end Gerald Everett as they look ahead to the draft.

Jarrad Davis Won’t Work Out At Combine

February 7th, 2017 at 9:46am CST by Zachary Links

Florida’s Jarrad Davis will not perform drills at the draft combine because of a lingering ankle injury, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). However, he expects to be 100% by UF’s Pro Day where he can do all drills, including the 40-yard-dash. Jarrad Davis (vertical)

[RELATED: 2017 NFL Draft Order Set]

Davis is widely projected as a mid-to-late first round pick but he’ll have to work hard to slot himself against other top LBs in this year’s class like Alabama’s Reuben Foster and Tim Williams, UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley, and Missouri’s Charles Harris. Rapoport estimates Davis to be a “top two” linebacker in this year’s class, but that’s not necessarily everyone’s take.

Working in Davis’ favor is his ability to play both inside and outside linebacker at the next level. He has also drawn praise for his wortk ethic and character. ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper feels that he’s not capable of being a sack machine as a 3-4 OLB, but he is an every down player which can’t be said for others at the top of this linebacker crop. As with every prospect, he has holes in his game, but one AFC talent evaluator tells Lance Zierlein of NFL.com that the drawbacks don’t faze him:

“He’s good. I don’t care about some of those holes you are talking about. Kill him so maybe somebody will listen to you and he can fall to us. We’ll take him.“

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Garcon, Garoppolo

February 7th, 2017 at 8:11am CST by Zachary Links

Redskins receiver Pierre Garcon would be a quality free agent pickup for the Ravens, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com argues. The Ravens have a history of success with 30-something WRs (Derrick Mason, Anquan Boldin and Steve Smith Sr.) and Garcon could nicely complement the speed of Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman. Recently, GM Ozzie Newsome talked about his desire to add a receiver with experience and Garcon fits the bill.

“Some of the success that we have had here is going out — whether it is by trade or free agency or cap casualty — and getting a veteran receiver that still has some juice left, that still has the ability to play at a high level,” Newsome said. “When I was talking about getting a complementary receiver, that is what I was referring to. It does not necessarily have to come through the draft, but it can come through other means. We definitely will be pursuing that this year.”

Here’s more out of the AFC North:

Extra Points: Jets, Falcons, Romo, Bills

February 6th, 2017 at 9:14pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Former Seahawks offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates has emerged as a strong candidate to become the Jets’ quarterbacks coach, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). The 40-year-old Bates hasn’t coached anywhere since 2012, when he oversaw the Bears’ QBs, but he did work on the same staff as then-USC offensive coordinator and now-Jets OC John Morton in 2009. If Bates ends up in New York, he’ll join a team whose starting signal-caller for 2017 probably isn’t on its roster yet.

A few more notes from around the NFL:

  • Falcons right tackle Ryan Schraeder tore a ligament in his right ankle Sunday during the team’s Super Bowl LI loss to the Patriots, a source told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Schraeder suffered the injury in the second quarter and eventually departed in the fourth, when the Falcons were amid an all-time meltdown. Fortunately, this ailment seems unlikely to affect Schraeder going into next season – it’ll take “probably a good month” for the stalwart to feel normal again, per the source.
  • Should a team trade for Cowboys backup quarterback Tony Romo this offseason, that club would have to take on his $14MM base salary for 2017 before reworking his contract, tweets CBS Sports’ Joel Corry. The Cowboys would likely permit the acquiring team to have contract-related discussions with Romo’s camp before the trade, Corry adds.
  • The Bills will hire Gill Byrd to coach their defensive backs, report Vic Carucci and Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). The father of ex-Bills safety and current Saint Jairus Byrd, Gill Byrd served as the Buccaneers’ defensive backs coach from 2014-15. He worked under former Bucs D-coordinator Leslie Frazier, who’s now atop the Bills’ defense, in each of those two seasons.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/6/17

February 6th, 2017 at 8:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Monday’s minor moves:

  • The Bears have waived linebacker Josh Shirley, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Shirley appeared in just one game last year with Chicago, which signed him to its practice squad in December after he spent the first few months of the season looking for work. As a rookie with the Buccaneers in 2015, the former undrafted free agent from UNLV totaled five appearances and two tackles.

49ers Hire Kyle Shanahan As Head Coach

February 6th, 2017 at 6:18pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

After weeks of waiting for Atlanta’s season to end, the 49ers have finally named now-former Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan as their 20th head coach. Shanahan, 37, will join new general manager John Lynch in receiving a six-year contract to help turn around the 49ers, who went 2-14 in 2016 and are set to pick second in this spring’s draft.

Kyle Shanahan

Shanahan was among eight candidates the 49ers interviewed in January to succeed the fired Chip Kelly, and he became the runaway favorite for the job three weeks ago. His emergence as a shoo-in came after Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable withdrew from consideration.

Monday was the first day the 49ers could officially hire Shanahan, whose prolific offense led the Falcons to an 11-5, NFC South-winning regular-season mark, two playoff victories and a berth in Sunday’s Super Bowl. The Falcons collapsed on the sport’s biggest stage, though, as they blew a 28-3 second-half lead en route to a 34-28 overtime loss to McDaniels’ Patriots. Shanahan’s aggressive decisions in the fourth quarter, when the Falcons seemingly had a victory all but locked up, have since come under fire.

Despite his gaffes in Super Bowl LI, Shanahan is unquestionably among the NFL’s brightest offensive minds and is now parlaying his five-year career as a coordinator with the Texans, Redskins, Browns and Falcons into a head coaching position. Shanahan will have more responsibility than most neophytes, as he’ll have final say over the 49ers’ 53-man roster. His most important roster-related task this offseason will be helping the 49ers find a quarterback to replace Colin Kaepernick, whose tenure with the team is set to conclude.

Shanahan has long been a fan of Redskins standout Kirk Cousins, having coached him in Washington, and could pursue him either via trade or free agency in the coming months. Otherwise, Shanahan’s Plan B is reportedly Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo, who’s a trade candidate. If he and Lynch aren’t able to nab either of those two, they could turn to a veteran stopgap like Falcons reserve Matt Schaub and search for a younger option to become the franchise’s long-term solution.

The 49ers will have the means to make upgrades under center and elsewhere this offseason, as they lead the NFC in cap space (upward of $80MM, including the soon-to-be gone Kaepernick) and possess three of the draft’s first 66 picks. In the meantime, Shanahan will get to work on assembling a coaching staff. Given that all other newly named head coaches landed their positions well before Shanahan, he could be at a disadvantage in finding assistants.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers To Hire Co-Defensive Coordinators?

February 6th, 2017 at 5:41pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Soon-to-be 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan‘s staff appears to be taking shape, as Sporting News’ Alex Marvez details (Twitter links here). Among the offensive-minded Shanahan’s most important calls will be deciding who will run the 49ers’ woeful defense, and he’s actually targeting two assistants – Falcons defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson and ex-Jaguars linebackers coach Robert Saleh – to work as co-coordinators in San Francisco.

Kyle Shanahan (vertical)

Saleh’s candidacy is no surprise, as FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported Sunday that he could land with the 49ers, but Henderson’s emergence is a new development. Henderson is fresh off his first season in Atlanta – where he worked with Shanahan, of course – and is only a year removed from interviewing for the Browns’ then-vacant head coaching job.

Along with potentially taking Henderson from Atlanta, Shanahan is likely to tab Falcons offensive assistant Mike McDaniel as his wide receivers coach in San Francisco. Falcons offensive assistant Mike LaFleur will also go with Shanahan, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link).

Another NFC South assistant, Buccaneers tight ends coach Jon Embree, is poised to oversee the 49ers’ TEs and serve as an assistant head coach, per Marvez. And a pair of current 49ers assistants, linebackers coach Jason Tarver and defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley, are good bets to stay on under Shanahan. Tarver nearly headed elsewhere last month, when he met with the Redskins about becoming their defensive coordinator (a job that ultimately went to onetime 49ers DC Greg Manusky) and discussed a role with the Saints.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Shayne Graham Retires

February 6th, 2017 at 5:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Longtime NFL kicker Shayne Graham spent last season out of football and has now decided his playing career is over. The 15-year veteran announced Monday that he’s retiring, though he would like to eventually become a special teams coach.

Shayne Graham (vertical)

Graham, 39, entered the league as an undrafted free agent from Virginia Tech in 2000 and went on to play for 10 teams. The last of those clubs, the Falcons, released Graham prior to the 2016 campaign. The nomadic Graham’s longest stay was in Cincinnati, where he played from 2003-09, earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2005 and remains the most accurate kicker in franchise history. Graham’s stint with the Bengals ended in ignominious fashion, though, as he missed 29- and 35-yard field goals in a 24-14 wild-card round loss to the Jets.

“One of the great regrets I have in my career is that I didn’t realize how good I had it in Cincinnati,” he told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “There was a time I fooled myself into thinking there were other things more important than what they were. I lost grasp of what true reality was. When I look back on it I feel like I could have been there a lot longer if I made different decisions. But think it made me a better person, made me a better professional.”

Graham was indeed a quality professional, having converted 277 of 324 field goal tries and 429 of 435 extra points en route to a 1,260-point total. His 85.5 percent success rate on field goals ranks 10th all-time.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Martellus Bennett Eyeing Free Agency

February 6th, 2017 at 4:50pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Shortly after New England’s stunning Super Bowl LI victory over Atlanta on Sunday, Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett made it clear that he’s eyeing a significant raise this offseason.

Martellus Bennett

“I’m going into free agency as a Super Bowl champion,” he told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). “You know they overpay Super Bowl champions!”

The Patriots’ acquisition of Bennett last offseason proved to be a fruitful move for both sides in 2016. Despite dealing with an ankle injury that will likely require surgery, Bennett emerged as a key part of a Patriots offense that mostly went without superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Bennett hauled in 55 receptions, seven touchdowns and 701 yards on 73 targets during the regular season and was a notable part of their triumph over the Falcons. In what could go down as his final game with the Patriots, Bennett nabbed five catches for 62 yards. Moreover, the overtime pass interference penalty he drew on linebacker De’Vondre Campbell on Atlanta’s 2-yard line set up running back James White‘s championship-winning touchdown plunge two plays later.

Now, having helped the Patriots to their fifth title, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Bennett could join his fifth franchise when free agency opens in March. The Patriots are clearly interested in preventing that from happening, though, as they and the nine-year veteran held extension talks during the season and are likely to continue discussing a new deal over the next month. If no agreement comes to fruition, Bennett will take his 403-catch, 30-score, championship-winning resume to the open market.

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Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jets Claim Mike Pennel

February 6th, 2017 at 3:44pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jets have claimed defensive tackle Mike Pennel off waivers, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). Pennel’s status had been in limbo since the Packers cut him Jan. 9.

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Pennel, 25, is coming off a season in which he served a pair of four-game suspensions for substance abuse violations. The second ban was supposed to be for 10 games, but Pennel filed suit against both the NFL and the NFLPA, claiming that the appeals board was only going to consist of two neutral arbitrators (as opposed to the standard three to five). Pennel then dropped his lawsuit after the sides came to an agreement to presumably reduce the suspension from 10 games to four.

After the second four-game penalty expired, the Packers moved on from Pennel. Between suspensions, Pennel appeared in eight games, played in 103 defensive snaps and totaled seven tackles. Previously, the 2014 undrafted free agent amassed 29 appearances in Green Bay during his first two seasons. In his best year, 2015, he established career highs in games (16), starts (five), tackles (24) and sacks (one).

Pennel will now join a Jets team with three high-profile defensive linemen – Leonard Williams, Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson – as well as the less heralded Steve McLendon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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