2017 May - Pro Football Rumors

Month: May 2017

6 Possible Fits For Victor Cruz

May 20th, 2017 at 7:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Victor Cruz is starting to generate some interest months after the Giants ended his lengthy New York tenure in February. But the slot receiver is far removed from his best seasons, ones that occurred before multiple leg injuries sidetracked his career.

But there’s still a market for the 30-year-old wideout, probably on a short-term arrangement to see what the former Pro Bowler has left. Cruz met with the Panthers before the draft, but they went in another direction. The 2012 Pro Bowler also went on visits to discuss a potential role with the Jaguars and Bears last week, and the Ravens expressed interest as well.

Here are some of the fits for Cruz as he attempts to re-establish himself on another team following the down years that marred the second half of his Giants tenure:

Ravens — Baltimore lost both Steve Smith and Kamar Aiken and has done little to help its receiving corps this offseason. The Ravens did not draft a wideout despite a depth chart that’s headlined by 2016 street free agent Mike Wallace and injury risk Breshad Perriman. Cruz would stand to be a far more proven inside complement for this team compared to what is currently on the roster. A rumored Cruz/Ravens summit hasn’t occurred yet, but the Ravens are believed to be targeting veteran UFAs that would likely serve niche roles this season.
Raiders — Oakland made some flashy additions to an offense that was already among the league’s best. Marshawn Lynch, Jared Cook and Cordarrelle Patterson will see plenty of time for the rejuvenated team, but the Raiders still don’t have a surefire No. 3 wide receiver. Former UDFA Seth Roberts did not build on his promising spurts in 2015, and Patterson has made his name as a kick returner. The former first-round pick hasn’t been a consistent receiving threat. The Raiders are targeting extensions for Derek Carr, Gabe Jackson and Khalil Mack, but a low-end Cruz pact — likely for one year — wouldn’t stand to impede those pursuits much.
Browns — If Cruz visited the Bears, he’s not dead set on playing for a team in position to contend now. The Browns look to have made a mistake by cutting Taylor Gabriel last summer, and they don’t have much beyond Kenny Britt and Corey Coleman despite a sizable wideout corps acquired in last year’s draft. Cruz doesn’t fit a rebuilding team, but Cleveland has young quarterbacks Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer. A better target to help over the middle would stand to aid in these passers’ development. Cruz did haul in 39 passes for 586 yards last season; that’s over 300 more than any current Browns WR3 candidate did.
Jaguars — The obvious connection to Tom Coughlin makes this avenue somewhat viable, and the parties getting together for a meeting makes Jacksonville a candidate. It’s just more difficult to see where Cruz would play than some of these other teams. The Jags already have starters Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, and Marqise Lee put together his best season in 2016. While Robinson and Lee are UFAs after the season, Cruz as of now does not profile as a player that would command a multiyear deal and factor into longer-term planning.
Lions — Detroit has two locked-in starters in Marvin Jones and Golden Tate, and the franchise selected 6-foot-4 wideout Kenny Golladay in Round 3. The Lions, though, could still use another veteran here, especially if Ameer Abdullah‘s injury history continues to force passing-down specialist Theo Riddick — himself a season-ending injury casualty last season — into the backfield. That said, the Lions are a candidate to re-sign Anquan Boldin, which would negate this path.
Bears — Also an interesting match despite the visit, Chicago has lost some marquee receiving weapons in recent years. Brandon Marshall made another franchise regret a trade in 2015, and Alshon Jeffery‘s defection to the Eagles leaves the Bears in transition mode here. Kevin White‘s rampant injury struggles don’t make the former top-10 pick a safe bet either, leaving Cameron Meredith as their de facto WR1. But the Bears signed both Kendall Wright and Markus Wheaton. While neither can match Cruz at his best, and both did not thrive in their contract years, but Chicago adding both may make the ex-Giant superfluous and create some interesting debates on which wideouts to shuttle to special teams.

Which of these teams do you think would be the best fit for the would-be eighth-year veteran? Who did we leave off that you think would make for a logical destination? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

NFC Rumors: Megatron, Vikings, Redskins

May 20th, 2017 at 6:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Calvin Johnson said again Saturday he is not coming back to football, and the potential Hall of Fame wide receiver didn’t like the way his relationship with the Lions concluded when he retired in March 2016.

“I just didn’t feel like I was treated the way I should have been treated on the way out. That’s all,” Johnson said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I mean, it’s all good. I’m not tripping. I don’t feel any kind of way, just hey, that’s what they did. Hey, it is what is.”

Johnson declined to go into specifics regarding this. Birkett points out the Lions attempted to recoup some of Megatron’s signing bonus, reporting Johnson paid $320K — one-tenth of the $3.2MM the Lions could have collected under the CBA — when he retired. The parties agreed to a reduced payment last year, Birkett notes. This retirement unfolded smoother than Barry Sanders‘ did in 1999. The Lions filed a grievance against the Hall of Fame running back, and he paid the team back in installments.

Johnson also alluded to a conversation he had with the team regarding the reason he was retiring. Last year, the receiver did say it would have been harder to follow through with the early-retirement plan if the Lions were in a better position to compete. But he maintained this NFL exit centered around his health.

“They told me they wouldn’t trade me if I came back and stuff like that, but it wasn’t about that,” Johnson said, via Birkett. “It was about how I felt.”

Here’s the latest from the NFC.

Mike Zimmer underwent an eighth right eye operation this week, Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. All of these procedures have occurred since November of last year. The fourth-year Vikings coach said he’s unsure if this will be the last one. Zimmer missed Week 13 of last season due to eye troubles and acknowledges he will experience vision problems in his left eye at some point.
Zimmer said the franchise carefully took Michael Floyd‘s off-the-field history into account before signing him. “We always try to weigh every situation, but you know he’s from here. I think he has a good support system with Harrison Smith and Kyle Rudolph partly,’’ Zimmer said (via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) of two former Floyd Notre Dame teammates. “So a lot of those things were factored in and entered into it.” A Floyd arrest for a super extreme DUI led to the Cardinals releasing him last season.
The Redskins don’t plan to move one of their outside linebackers to defensive end before training camp. The team drafted Ryan Anderson to join a stable of outside ‘backers that includes Ryan Kerrigan, Trent Murphy, Preston Smith and Junior Galette. But none will be tried at 3-4 end, John Keim of ESPN.com reports. Washington may have a crowd here, but it’s not full of reliable players. Murphy will serve a four-game suspension, and Galette hasn’t played since 2014. Free agents Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain preceded Jonathan Allen‘s arrival in what will be a new-look defensive end corps. Washington lost Chris Baker and cut Ricky Jean-Francois this offseason.

East Notes: McDonald, Giants, Eagles, Jets

May 20th, 2017 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Signing T.J. McDonald to a one-year deal despite an eight-game suspension looming, the Dolphins will prepare throughout the offseason as though the safety is part of the plan. McDonald signed a one-year, $1.344MM deal that will only guarantee the Dolphins eight regular-season games of service. But he makes for an interesting complement to Reshad Jones, and the Fins’ offseason and preseason could display those looks, even if their September and October slate won’t.

“We’re just going to practice him,” Adam Gase said today, via Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post. “We’re going to give him the reps that he needs. We’ve got to go through our process with him. I’ve played against him, but I haven’t seen him practice and go through a daily routine and all those type of things, so we need to get used to him as he needs to get used to us.

“It’s a good signing for us because we feel like that position is something that we didn’t do as well as we needed to. Last year, we got a little thin and some guys had to really step up and play and try to fill into some roles and they were playing multiple roles.”

Nate Allen leads a cast of safeties expected to vie for the Fins’ back-line job alongside Jones while McDonald is out.

Here’s more from the Eastern divisions.

The Giants did not allocate many resources to bolstering a middling offensive line, pointing to the incumbents being given another chance. Although the team added guard/tackle D.J. Fluker on a lower-level deal, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post believes Bobby Hart will still be given every chance to keep the right tackle job. This arrangement could potentially pit Fluker against recently re-signed right guard John Jerry, whom Pro Football Focus assessed as enjoying a bounce-back season in 2016. The 22-year-old Hart being a priority over putting Fluker and Jerry in the lineup together would be interesting given his history as a former seventh-round pick and a player whom PFF graded as the No. 67 full-time tackle last season.
Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook fascinated the Eagles, but the price to move up in Rounds 1-2 to be in range to select them was too steep, Jeff McLane of Philly.com notes. The Eagles evidently believed the gap between McCaffrey and Cook was wide enough they didn’t want to use their No. 14 overall pick on a Florida State runner who plummeted into the second round. Cook went to the Vikings at 41, two spots before the Eagles went with Sidney Jones. Philly signed LeGarrette Blount earlier this week and is expected to cut Ryan Mathews once he’s healthy.
Former Redskins GM Scot McCloughan saw current Washington third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld as a player who could be a starter after a few development seasons, J.P. Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. This will be Year 2 for the 2016 sixth-round pick, who sits behind Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy on the depth chart.
The Jets are focused on seeing if Christian Hackenberg can pan out rather than eyeing the as-of-now highly acclaimed 2018 quarterback class, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. Cimini, though, does note that scouts are particularly intrigued by Wyoming’s Josh Allen, whom he adds could end up being taken No. 1 overall next year despite large-school competition from Sam Darnold (USC) and Josh Rosen (UCLA). The Jets appear to be in rebuilding mode, and in signing Josh McCown for one year, would possibly have a route to one of the aforementioned passing prospects — if Hackenberg stock falls this season.

Dimitroff Confident Devonta Freeman Extension Coming

May 20th, 2017 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

A Devonta Freeman extension became a talking point during Super Bowl week, just before the running back became eligible to sign one as a fourth-year player.

Freeman wants “elite” running back money after putting together back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons that each featured 1,500-plus yards from scrimmage. The Falcons appear to be in stride with their starting running back regarding an extension. After owner Arthur Blank voiced support for Freeman remaining in red and black long-term, GM Thomas Dimitroff believes he could make that happen.

“We want him here and he’s a very important part of our organization. Contrary to what people were saying around the Super Bowl time with what came out, we’re ready in the relatively near future to have some discussions with their representation,” Dimitroff said during a radio interview with Adam Schein (via Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com).

“Devonta, he’s a really good guy. He’s really — as far as his personality — he’s so hyper competitive. … He’s an urgent, angry runner, which we want and we know is important for us. We want him to be around for years to come and we’re confident that we’ll be able to get it done.”

Dimitroff targeted training camp as a window for this extension to potentially occur. The Falcons have also expressed desire to extend Matt Ryan, although two years remain on the reigning MVP’s contract, and recently reached a long-term agreement with Desmond Trufant. Freeman’s position doesn’t demand that kind of money, but given the ball-carrier’s age (25) and production coming into Year 4, he is in position to be paid like a top-tier running back.

Freeman could well target LeSean McCoy‘s $8MM-per-year deal. The running back market also could be different by then, should the Steelers extend the franchise-tagged Le’Veon Bell by July 15.

The Falcons also have Freeman complement Tevin Coleman, who ate into the starter’s workload in the games he played. Coleman, 24, has two years remaining on his deal.

“We’ve talked about approaching these types of contracts and situations usually going into camp is when we start talking about them and really start having some discussions about it,” Dimitroff said. “That’s not a hard line for us, but in my mind, I like to make sure that we have those kind of things worked on. You know, look, he’s in a really good space here, he loves being here and he loves playing for Dan Quinn.”

Freeman is not planning to hold out and will make $1.8MM this year on his rookie contract, which will expire at season’s end.

Extra Points: Bills, Falcons, Saints, 2018 Draft Class

May 20th, 2017 at 12:32pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

Bills general manager Brandon Beane continues to grow his front office. According to Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News, the team has hired former Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey as their Senior College Scout. Prior to his gig with Miami, Beane spent almost 20 years with the Buccaneers. The Bills also re-hired three former scouts and Curtis Rukavina, the former Director of Player Personnel for the Toronto Argonauts.
The 2018 running back class “could be special,” says Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller. The writer specifically points to Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, with one executive saying the upcoming junior could be the best running back prospect of the past decade. Miller also points to LSU’s Derrius Guice and Ohio State’s Mike Weber among those who are primed for big 2017 seasons.
Saints undrafted rookie Justin Thomas served as the starting quarterback for Georgia Tech throughout his college career, but he’s been forced to make a position change in the NFL. Thomas originally auditioned for the Saints as a defensive back, but the team switched him to wideout at the beginning of the multi-day tryout, and the rookie ultimately earned a spot on the team. Predictably, Thomas would be willing to play any position if it meant he’d stick around for the regular season. “Of course, I would like to play quarterback, but at the same time, I’m a realist,” Thomas told Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com. “I didn’t want to lessen my opportunities, so I was open to anything.”
The Falcons let go of defensive line coach Bryan Cox back in February, and the former Pro Bowler believes his firing was attributed to his “incident” during the 2016 Combine when he reportedly shoved a Cardinals scout. “You go from your unit playing really well in the Super Bowl and sacking the quarterback five times and having [nine] quarterback hits . . . and [three] days later you get fired,” Cox told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “I wasn’t given an answer to why I was fired. I was left to go back and kind of play stuff over. And the only thing I can come up with is the Combine incident that kind of led to it.”

Poll: Which Veteran Edge Rusher Will Sign First?

May 20th, 2017 at 11:51am CST by Ben Levine

Dwight Freeney, Elvis Dumervil, and Mario Williams have combined for 16 Pro Bowl appearances, six first-team All-Pro selections, and 319 sacks during their playing careers. Yet, the trio of edge defenders still find themselves unsigned. Their current free agent status isn’t particularly surprising, especially when you consider their age and mileage. However, with several teams still needing help at edge rusher, it’s easy to assume that at least one of these guys will find a new home relatively soon.

Freeney might be the most attractive name on the list, and he was still useful as a reserve in 2016. The 37-year-old ended up playing in 15 games (one start) for the Falcons, compiling 10 tackles and three sacks. The former AFC Defensive Player of the Year also started a pair of playoff games for Atlanta, and he collected a sack on Tom Brady during the Super Bowl. The veteran is clearly slowing down, and considering that he’s started a total of 14 games over the past four seasons, he’s best used as a situational pass rusher.

Following the Falcons Super Bowl loss, there were whispers that Freeney might decide to call it a career. However, the veteran made it sound like he’d be returning for the 2017 season. The Falcons have been the only team connected to the defensive end throughout free agency, with one report indicating that Atlanta was going to wait until after the draft to decide on Freeney.

The market has been even quieter for Dumervil and Williams. Dumervil was released back in March by the Ravens, with the team saving nearly $6MM in the transaction. However, following the move, Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said he wouldn’t rule out re-signing the 33-year-old. Since then, the market for the linebacker has apparently been non-existent. The veteran did compile 17 sacks as recently as 2014, but his production tailed off a bit this past season. Dumervil ended up playing in only eight games (three starts) in 2016, collecting 11 tackles, three sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles.

Despite being the youngest of the three, Williams is the lone edge defender not to be connected to any teams this offseason. The former first-overall pick set career-lows in solo tackles (nine) and sacks (1.5) during his lone season in Miami, and he was subsequently released by the Dolphins in February. At only 32-years-old, there should be some optimism that Williams can return to form. Between 2012 and 2014, Williams averaged more than 12 sacks a game, so he could surely be useful in a reserve role.

There are still several teams that could use some reinforcement on the defensive line. The Cardinals have former first-rounder Robert Nkemdiche starting at defensive end, but they could seek some depth alongside him. The Panthers might be looking for some help behind Charles Johnson and Mario Addison, while the Cowboys, Lions, Chargers, and Saints are other teams that could theoretically use a pass rusher.

So, among these three veteran edge rushers, who do you think will end up signing with a team first?

NFC Notes: Jackson, Cowboys, Kaepernick, Bears

May 20th, 2017 at 10:02am CST by Ben Levine

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson signed a three-year, $33.5MM deal ($20MM guaranteed) with the Buccaneers earlier this offseason, and the organization is counting on the veteran to live up to this contract. With Jackson coming off the fifth 1,000-yard campaign of his career, offensive coordinator/receivers coach Todd Monken is expecting the 30-year-old to perform like a top receiver.

“How can we get DeSean Jackson up to playing at a really high level? Not that he’s still not capable of it, but how do we get him to play at why we paid him?’’ Monken told Rick Stroud of TampaBay.com. “I’ve told him that, ‘we have paid you a hell of a lot of money to be a damn good player. We’re not paying you a lot of money, this is a contract where we’re paying you for what you’ve done for us…we’re not paying like (Derek) Jeter the last three years…we don’t have any old street cred that we’re paying you. No. We need you to be a great player now. Okay? That’s why we gave you the money.

“You came here because of the money. Don’t give me all that bull about you came here because of the weather and Jameis. No. You came here because we paid you the most. You need to play like that. He gets that. He’s smart enough to understand that.’’

The Buccaneers could end up having one of the best receving corps in the NFL, as Jameis Winston will be throwing to a group that includes Jackson, Mike Evans, Adam Humphries and rookie Chris Godwin.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFC…

The Cowboys are currently rostering quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Kellen Moore (as well as undrafted free agents Cooper Rush and Austin Appleby), leading ESPN.com’s Todd Archer to wonder if the team will pursue another veteran signal-caller. The writer specifically dives into Colin Kaepernick‘s fit with the team, with Archer ultimately concluding that the embattled quarterback would be a solid backup to Prescott. Furthermore, the writer points out that Kaepernick would be a much more attractive choice than the other available veteran quarterbacks, including Robert Griffin III and Zach Mettenberger.
Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News expects Cowboys offensive guard Zack Martin to sign an extension during training camp, with the writer citing the extension’s signed by Travis Frederick and Tyron Smith. Martin hasn’t missed a regular game since entering the league as a first-rounder in 2014, and he’s been named to three straight Pro Bowls.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wasn’t particularly impressed with the Bears offseason, especially when it came to the team’s handling of the quarterback position. While the organization could presumably find their future signal-caller among Mike Glennon and Mitch Trubisky, Barnwell still believes the organization paid too much for the free agent and sacrificed too many assets for the rookie. The pundit also wasn’t a fan of the Bears selection of several “small-school” prospects, including Ashland tight end Adam Shaheen and Kutztown offensive lineman Jordan Morgan. If there was a positive to take away from the Bears offseason, Barnwell points to the team’s improved secondary.

Chargers WR Dontrelle Inman Has Core Muscle Surgery

May 20th, 2017 at 8:59am CST by Ben Levine

Chargers wideout Dontrelle Inman is set to miss some time. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the receiver underwent core muscle surgery and is expected to be out for six weeks. This is relatively good news for the organization, as Inman should be healthy in time for training camp.

Inman toiled in the Canadian Football League after going undrafted out of Virginia in 2011, but he’s seemingly found a home with the Chargers, where he’s spent the past three seasons. The 28-year-old has a breakout campaign in 2016, hauling in career-highs in receptions (58), receiving yards (810), and touchdowns (four). Earlier this offseason, Inman signed his second-round tender assigned by the Chargers, meaning he’s set to earn a non-guaranteed $2.797MM base salary for the 2017 season. Next offseason, the wideout will be an unrestricted free agent.

Fortunately for Los Angeles, the team has plenty of depth at wide receiver, so they should be able to make up for Inman’s absence if he’s out longer than expected. With Keenan Allen and rookie Mike Williams presumably atop the depth chart, Inman will be competing with Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin to be the team’s third receiver.

Extra Points: Cousins, Fitz, Bills, L. Green

May 19th, 2017 at 9:03pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins has spoken highly of Redskins brass lately, but it remains doubtful that the two sides will agree to a long-term contract by the July 15 deadline, writes Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com. Cousins has little incentive to take Washington’s $20MM-per-year offer, observes Tandler, as he’s set to make a fully guaranteed ~$24MM as the team’s franchise player this season and could earn another $34MM in 2018 in the unlikely event it places the franchise tag on him again. Otherwise, Cousins could be in position next offseason to hit free agency and ink a lucrative contract with either the Redskins or someone else.

West Notes: Broncos, Cardinals, 49ers

May 19th, 2017 at 7:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Broncos entered the offseason with questions at two of the game’s most important positions – quarterback and left tackle – and that remains the case, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. But general manager John Elway, who’s sticking with Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch under center and drafted ex-Utah left tackle Garett Bolles in the first round, expects the Broncos to return to the playoffs in 2017. “I like where we are. I like where we’ll be if we continue to work,” said Elway, whose club went 9-7 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Elway added that the Broncos are “a pretty good football team,” which led him to trade two draft picks and reduce his selection total from 10 to eight. “We had the meeting before the draft started … and we started counting numbers,” Elway explained. “It’s going to be hard to make our football team. We’ve got a lot of good football players, so that’s why we have to be that good in the draft because we’ve got to find guys that can come in and compete and have a chance to make our football team.”

Now the latest on a couple NFC West teams:

Regarding his decision to accept a pay cut earlier this offseason, Cardinals cornerback and special teams standout Justin Bethel told Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic, “It’s called betting on yourself.” Bethel agreed to a reworked contract that hacked $2MM off his base salary for this season and erased the final year of his deal, 2018, which will give him an opportunity to hit free agency next March. In order to cash in, though, Bethel will need to be more of a defensive factor than he was last season, when he only saw action in 25 percent of snaps. Along the way, head coach Bruce Arians called Bethel a “failure in progress.” But Arians acknowledged last month that a broken foot may have held Bethel back, and the defender agrees. “Before I broke my foot, I thought I was going to come into the season and earn the starting job,” Bethel said. “I still had high hopes that I would be healthy by training camp. That wasn’t the case. I was just trying to make it through (the season). I knew I wasn’t healthy enough to play corner all the time.” Bethel and Arians are now “on good terms,” according to Bethel, who will get a chance to start opposite Patrick Peterson in 2017. With free agency looming, the upcoming campaign will be a make-or-break season for Bethel, opines Bickley.
The 49ers have tabbed Ran Carthon as their new director of pro personnel, general manager John Lynch announced Friday. Carthon served in the same role with the NFC West rival Rams over the previous five seasons, before they dismissed him last month.
In other 49ers news, the team worked out defensive lineman Carlos Wray on Thursday, tweets Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Wray was among three defensive linemen whom the 49ers auditioned, along with the previously reported Kedric Golston and Cedric Reed. A former Duke Blue Devil, Wray signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent last spring, but they waived/injured him in July.

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