2017 June - Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/7/17

June 7th, 2017 at 5:50pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Wednesday’s minor NFL moves:

The Bengals announced that they’ve signed fifth-round pick J.J. Dielman, the 176th selection in this year’s draft. With the former Utah interior offensive lineman under contract, the Bengals have now locked up 10 of their 11 picks. Only third-round defensive end Jordan Willis is without a deal.
The Redskins are expected to sign cornerback Lou Young, as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Washington would be the fifth team for Young, an undrafted free agent in 2014. Young made his regular-season debut last year with the Panthers and appeared in six of their games, but he only played 11 defensive snaps.
The Packers have signed cornerback Daquan Holmes and waived fellow corner David Rivers with an injury designation, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Holmes went undrafted this year out of American International. Rivers also went unpicked this year, after playing college football at Youngstown State.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Rumors: Maclin, Ravens, Chiefs, Jets

June 7th, 2017 at 5:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin just wrapped up a two-day trip to Buffalo, and his visit with the Ravens is also likely to span a pair of days, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links). The Ravens “want” Maclin, notes Zrebiec, and Josina Anderson of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that they’re “very interested.” But Zrebiec cautions that the Ravens aren’t the only team vying for Maclin, suggesting they’ll face competition from Buffalo and others if they enter negotiations with the 29-year-old.

More from Baltimore and two other AFC cities:

Even though the Ravens have lost two of their top pass catchers from last season in retired receiver Steve Smith and just-released tight end Dennis Pitta, they’ll “significantly” improve their aerial attack by adding Maclin or soon-to-be former Jet Eric Decker, opines Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. It’s “critical” the Ravens pick up one of the two, argues Hensley, given that they lost out on the likes of Brandon Marshall and Pierre Garcon earlier this offseason. Now, with the extra cap space they’ve gotten this week by releasing Pitta and cornerback Kyle Arrington, they could be in position to give a much-needed boost to their receiving corps.
The Jets have spent the offseason throwing veterans overboard, with Decker and linebacker David Harris being the latest to go, and have seemingly put themselves in position to land the first overall pick in next year’s draft. One league executive seems to believe they’re a shoo-in to finish 32nd this year, telling Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, “I think the Jets might have the worst roster I’ve seen in a decade” (Twitter link).
Maclin’s release could leave a void in the Chiefs’ receiving corps, but head coach Andy Reid seems content with the team’s current options, writes Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. “I’ve got a ton of trust in the young guys that they’ll step up and do a good job for us,” Reid said. “We’ve got enough talent here to do whatever we need to do. I don’t worry about that.” One beneficiary of Maclin’s exit could be second-year man Demarcus Robinson, a fourth-round pick in 2016 who only played five offensive snaps as a rookie. Despite his lack of experience, Robinson has impressed Reid this offseason. “He’s the young one that’s come up here a little bit and had a pretty good offseason,” Reid commented. “We’ll see how he does once we get going in the preseason.

Redskins, Kirk Cousins Making Progress

June 7th, 2017 at 4:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The July 15 deadline for Redskins franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins to sign an extension is approaching, and there are finally signs that a deal could get done. There has been an “improved, encouraging tone” in recent talks between the two sides, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN. Discussions have gone so well that there’s hope the Redskins will be able to re-sign Cousins after the season if they’re unable to reach an agreement with him by next month, according to Schefter.

“There’s no doubt it’s been more positive lately,” a source familiar with these negotiations told Schefter. “Everything has been much more positive in the past several months.”

It’s unclear if the Redskins have upped their offer from the reported five-year, $20MM-per-annum contract they were willing to give Cousins earlier this offseason. But one thing is certain, per Schefter: Owner Daniel Snyder wants Cousins in the fold for the long haul. Perhaps at Snyder’s behest, team president Bruce Allen and Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, had a face-to-face meeting at last month’s owners meetings. That was the first time the two sat down together since the Redskins first placed the franchise tag on Cousins last offseason.

In 2017, his second straight year as Washington’s franchise player, Cousins is slated to rake in a $23.94MM salary. While that’s a tenable amount for a quarterback of the 28-year-old Cousins’ caliber, tagging him again next offseason won’t be nearly as easy. Doing so would cost the Redskins upward of $34MM, leading Schefter to point out that Cousins is the one with the leverage in discussions between him and the team. Unsurprisingly, then, the Redskins seem more willing than they were in the past to recognize Cousins’ long-term value, writes Schefter.

Cousins, who entered the NFL in 2012 as a fourth-round pick and a backup to Robert Griffin III, has certainly looked like part of the solution for the Redskins since he took over for RG3 as their No. 1 signal-caller prior to the 2016 season. The ex-Michigan State Spartan has started 32 straight games, thrown 54 touchdowns against 23 interceptions, amassed over 9,000 yards (4,917 last year) and completed 68 percent of passes since grabbing the reins in Washington.

Cardinals Move Andre Ellington Back To RB

June 7th, 2017 at 1:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals’ experiment of moving Andre Ellington to wide receiver is over. Starting today, he is back to practicing as a running back, coach Bruce Arians told reporters (Twitter link via Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic).

We typically don’t cover position changes in great detail here at Pro Football Rumors, but Ellington’s switch is notable since it could impact other moves made by the Cardinals this summer. For one, Ellington’s move back to RB could hurt Chris Johnson‘s chances of returning to the team. Now, Ellington and Kerwynn Williams stand as the top reserves behind starter David Johnson with youngsters T.J. Logan and Eli Penny jockeying for roster spots.

Ellington’s classification as a running back may also improve the chances of receivers like Brittan Golden, Jeremy Ross, and Marquis Bundy of making the roster. With Ellington back at his original position, the Cards’ top five receivers are Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, J.J. Nelson, third round pick Chad Williams, and Jaron Brown.

Ellington, 28, had just 96 rushing yards off of 34 carries last season. He also added 12 grabs for 85 yards. His best season arguably came as a rookie in 2013 when he ran for 652 yards off of 118 carries (5.5 ypc) and three scores. In that year, he also had 39 receptions for 371 yards and one score.

Jeremy Maclin Heads To Ravens Visit

June 7th, 2017 at 1:26pm CST by Zachary Links

Jeremy Maclin‘s visit to the Bills wound up spanning two days, but it won’t keep him from meeting with the Ravens. The free agent is leaving Buffalo and heading to Baltimore, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

Maclin could still sign with the Bills, as far as we know, but he does not have a deal with them at this time. That leaves the door open for the Ravens to swoop in and potentially land him this week. The Eagles and Browns are also among the clubs said to have interest in the 29-year-old.

The Ravens have Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman, Chris Moore, and Michael Campanaro as their top receivers following the retirement of Steve Smith. Because Baltimore did not address the position in the draft, a veteran addition like Maclin would make tons of sense for the team and the need to add a weapon for Joe Flacco has only been amplified by Dennis Pitta‘s injury/release.

If the Ravens cannot get a deal done with Maclin, they could explore a potential deal for Jets receiver Eric Decker. The Jets have already called the Ravens about a swap.

Ravens Release TE Dennis Pitta

June 7th, 2017 at 12:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens have formally released tight end Dennis Pitta, according to a team announcement. Pitta’s career could be over after he suffered yet another hip dislocation.

The move will free up roughly $2MM in cap room for Baltimore, money that could be directed towards landing another pass-catcher. The Ravens could have free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in their sights and that extra space could be a difference maker.

For several years, Pitta has been dealing with painful hip issues that have kept him off the field. The tight end was limited to just seven games between 2013 and 2015, but he became a focal point of Baltimore’s offense once again in 2016 as he caught 86 passes for 729 yards and two scores. Ever the team player, he even accepted a pay cut for the second straight time this offseason. He’ll be free to pursue other opportunities now, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be able to suit up again.

The Ravens also signed rookie free agent tight end Barrett Burns in a related move.

Ravens, Jets Discuss Eric Decker Trade

June 7th, 2017 at 11:26am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets say they’ll trade or release Eric Decker before the week is through. With that in mind, they’re reaching out to clubs to try and get something for the veteran and the Ravens are among those teams, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).

The Ravens’ level of interest in acquiring Decker via trade is not immediately clear. From a football perspective, Decker would make plenty of sense for the Ravens after they lost Steve Smith to retirement and did not select a wide receiver in this year’s draft. However, the Ravens might not want to take on the two years remaining on his five-year, $36.25MM contract. In theory, the Ravens could wait things out and try to land Decker as a free agent if he is released.

Decker, 30, had 154 catches, 1,989 yards, and 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Jets. Unfortunately, he missed the majority of 2016 due to injury. Now that he’s healthy, Decker is looking to get back to his old form with another team.

The Ravens project to have Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman, Chris Moore, and Michael Campanaro as their top receivers in the fall.

Daryl Washington Wants To Play For Cowboys

June 7th, 2017 at 10:21am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have discussed signing Daryl Washington and the interest is apparently mutual. In a conversation with Charean Williams of PFT, Washington made the case for why Dallas should sign him.

“Why not be a Cowboy?” Washington said. “I’m settled in here. It’s home. Let’s try to get one this year. Come on Mr. [Jerry] Jones, you’ll be glad you took a chance on me. We’ll hold up that Lombardi Trophy together.”

Washington has yet to work out for the Cowboys, but Williams hears that the team is still doing its due diligence on the linebacker. After learning that pass rusher David Irving is facing a four-game ban for PEDs, Washington could be a low-cost boost for the front seven, but the Cowboys will want to first glean that he is in football shape. For his part, Washington says that he is the same size (235 pounds) that he was in Arizona and believes that he can be the same type of player even though he has been out of the game for years.

Washington has not played a down of football since the 2013 season, but he accepts responsibility for his own predicament.

“I take full responsibility for everything I went through,” Washington said. “I don’t blame anybody. But I’m not here to talk about it; I’m here to show you what type of person I am now and where I’m trying to go.”

FB Zach Line Cleared For Contact

June 7th, 2017 at 9:13am CST by Zachary Links

Free agent fullback Zach Line has been cleared to do everything following hip surgery, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The green light means that he can participate in full-contact drills in camp.

Line visited the Jets in March but he left without a deal. Now that he’s fully healthy, it’s possible that Gang Green could circle back to him. The Jets don’t have a true fullback on the roster and they have at least some interest in a blocking specialist to lead the way for Matt Forte, Bilal Powell, and the rest of the gang.

Line graded out as the league’s 12th best fullback last year, according to Pro Football Focus, though only 17 fullbacks played enough to qualify for their rankings. Line had roughly even grades for run blocking and pass blocking in his 211 snaps.

To date, Line has spent his entire playing career with the Vikings. Over those four years, he has been used primarily for blocking with just 13 carries and seven receptions to his credit.

Giants’ Odell Beckham Pushing For New Deal

June 7th, 2017 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

Odell Beckham Jr.’s absence from voluntary organized team activities is directly tied to his desire for the Giants to give him a new contract, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Meanwhile, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan that Beckham is expected to attend minicamp. Unlike OTAs, players who miss minicamp are subject to hefty fines.

Beckham has been one of several Giants players who have missed OTAs, but his absence has garnered the most attention. It has been suspected that a contract dispute is at the heart of his absence, but today’s report from Schefter is our first confirmation of that.

Beckham, one of the game’s very best wide receivers, is slated to make $1.8MM in 2017 per the terms of his rookie deal. The Giants have picked up his fifth-year option for the 2018 season which should pay him ~$8MM, but ODB is looking for dollars and certainty beyond that point. After three straight seasons with at least 1,300 receiving yards, the 24-year-old is likely looking for a deal that will reset the market at his position.

In theory, the Giants don’t have to rush to give Beckham a new deal. Between the aforementioned option and the franchise tag, Beckham could be under team control through at least the 2021 season.