AFC Notes: Dolphins, Brady, Taylor, Colts
The NFL postponed the Dolphins–Buccaneers‘ Week 1 game until Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma (Twitter link). Both teams had byes that week, making this rare postponement easier. Both south Florida teams will now play 16 straight games.
Here’s the latest from several other AFC cities on Wednesday morning.
- After a joint review by the NFL and NFLPA, the Patriots were determined to have followed protocol regarding a potential Tom Brady concussion last season, the sides said in a statement (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, on Twitter). Brady’s wife, Gisele Bundchen, said earlier this offseason her husband suffered a concussion last season that wasn’t reported by the Patriots. Brady issued a vague response when asked about this in July, but the quarterback turned over his medical records during this investigation — one that examined film from all 19 Patriots games, along with reports from unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants and concussion spotters assigned to those respective games. While the NFL isn’t claiming Bundchen is lying about the concussions, Volin tweets this examination merely determined the Patriots followed protocol. This matter appears to be closed, from the league’s perspective.
Tyrod Taylor‘s agent contacted the Browns, Jets and 49ers prior to the Bills agreeing to a revamped deal with their incumbent starter, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports. After those discussions, Carucci reports Taylor’s camp decided it was best to agree to the reworked Bills pact. The three teams possessed some degree of interest in Taylor had he hit free agency, but it evidently wasn’t enough to dissuade Taylor from staying with the Bills on a contract that now pays him $10MM less over the next two years than it would have under the previous terms. “Maybe a couple less touchdowns, but as far as yardage, I did what I did to get that deal in the first place,” Taylor said, via Carucci, about the adjusted contract. “So whether they thought that I didn’t deserve it, I don’t know. That’s up to them.” Taylor threw for just 12 fewer yards last season (3,023) and rushed for 12 more (580) than he did in 2015. Although, the quarterback played in one more game last season than he did during his first year as Buffalo’s starter.- The Texans‘ deal with cornerback Marcus Burley is for two years, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. A former sixth-round pick, Burley’s played in 38 games during his three-year career. After two seasons with the Seahawks, Burley played with the Browns in 2016. Cleveland cut him last week.
- The Colts worked out offensive lineman Emmett Cleary, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Cowboys cut Cleary on Saturday after he played in 13 games for them last season.
- Newly acquired Steelers defensive backs Joe Haden and J.J. Wilcox account for a combined $5.541MM in 2017 cap hits, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. Pittsburgh now holds $11.07MM in cap space.
Saints To Re-Sign John Kuhn
John Kuhn‘s latest free agency stay didn’t last long. Three days after cutting the veteran fullback, the Saints agreed to re-sign him, Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com reports (on Twitter).
The Saints parted with both Kuhn and Zach Line after the preseason, leaving them without a fullback. But that setup turned out to be temporary. Kuhn is in line to play a second season with the Saints after playing the previous nine slates with the Packers.
When the Saints cut Kuhn on Sunday, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com suggested it could be a brief separation. That turned out to be the case. Kuhn played on roughly a quarter of New Orleans’ offensive snaps last season.
The 34-year-old Kuhn is no stranger to year-to-year arrangements. He played the past three seasons under those terms, agreeing to one-year deals with the Packers in 2014 and ’15 and signing a one-season pact with the Saints in August 2016.
Offseason In Review: New York Jets
The Jets swear up and down that they aren’t tanking, but if they’re not trying to secure the first pick in the 2018 draft, then we’re not quite sure what the game plan is. Recently, former head coach Rex Ryan became the latest to pile on Gang Green’s offseason.
“They have to get a quarterback,” Ryan told ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “That kid from Penn State, we all know that’s not the answer.”
That kid, Christian Hackenberg, was taken in the second round of last year’s draft with the hope that he would blossom into the team’s next franchise QB. He did not see a snap as a rookie and this year he is third on the depth chart behind a 38-year-old journeyman and a former fourth-round pick with limited NFL experience.
The question marks go far beyond the quarterback position. The Jets are a team with no real prospects for the 2017 season and no exact blueprint for the future. However, if the Jets can secure the No. 1 pick (which is totally not their goal, you guys), then there will be some reason for hope.
Notable signings:
- Brian Winters, G: Four years, $29MM. $15MM guaranteed.
- Kelvin Beachum, T: Three years, $24MM. $12MM guaranteed.
- Josh McCown, QB: One year, $6MM. Fully guaranteed. $7MM available via incentives.
- Ben Ijalana, T: Two years, $10.25MM. $3MM guaranteed.
- Morris Claiborne, CB: One year, $5MM. $2MM signing bonus.
- Josh Martin, LB: Two years, $3.8MM. $850K guaranteed.
- Chandler Catanzaro, K: One year, $900K. $250K guaranteed.
- Bruce Carter, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
- Jonotthan Harrison, C: One year, $850K. $50K guaranteed.
- Mike Pennel, DT: One year, $990K.
- Wesley Johnson, C: One year, $2.746MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
- Marcus Williams, CB: One year, $2.746MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
- Jeremy Kerley, WR: One year, contract terms unknown.
Josh McCown had opportunities to serve as a No. 2 quarterback for contending teams, but he followed the money to New York where he’ll enter as the Week 1 starter. McCown didn’t have a ton of competition for the job this summer given Hackenberg’s aforementioned struggles and Bryce Petty‘s knee injury, but he’ll probably get the hook if/when the Jets fall in the standings. Eventually, the Jets have to get a better read on what Petty can offer and they’ll have to test Hackenberg in some fashion. 
The good news for the Jets’ QB trio is that the team did invest a bit in the offensive line. One of last year’s most porous units now has Kelvin Beachum starting at left tackle, and he could be a difference maker if he’s healthy. The 28-year-old was an elite left tackle in 2014 with the Steelers. In 2015, he had his season cut short by a torn ACL and could not get back to his old form upon joining the Jaguars in 2016. Last year he graded out as the NFL’s No. 63 tackle among 78 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, and one has to wonder if the knee injury was holding him back. Last year’s left tackle, Ben Ijalana, will slide back over to the right side after re-upping on a two-year deal.
The Jets made a low-risk/high-reward signing by adding cornerback Morris Claiborne in March. There’s just one problem here – what good will it do the Jets to have a quality cornerback on a one-year deal when the rest of the team is not equipped to win? Then again, if the Jets wanted to add a second or third year to the deal, it would have cost them a pretty penny. The Claiborne deal came in at just $5MM for this year and that will be a steal if Claiborne can perform like he did in his injury-shorted 2016 campaign. Claiborne was on the field for only seven games, but he finished out as Pro Football Focus’ 12th ranked corner for his work in Dallas. If he plays well, it’s possible that the Jets will re-sign him to a long-term deal, allowing him to be a part of the franchise’s turnaround.
Extra Points: Colts, Browns, McGill, Patriots
The Colts placed a waiver claim on wide receiver Kasen Williams after he was cut by the Seahawks on Saturday, but the Browns held waiver priority and landed the preseason standout, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Ultimately, Indianapolis ended up keeping six wideouts: T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, Kamar Aiken, Chester Rogers, Matt Hazel, and Quan Bray. A Williams addition likely would have led to the release of either Hazel or Bray. The Colts, of course, also traded away a wideout over the weekend, shipping former first-rounder Phillip Dorsett to the Patriots in exchange for quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
- Another Browns waiver claim — defensive tackle T.Y. McGill — is in legal hot water after being charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana early Saturday morning, reports Katherine Peralta of the Charlotte Observer. Cleveland picked up McGill, who’s appeared in 25 career games, from the Colts just hours after the charge. While it’s an minor episode (McGill wasn’t arrested and was cooperative when cited, per Peralta), but the NFL could still hand down some sort of suspension down the road.
- After being waived by the Patriots on Saturday, tight end James O’Shaughnessy was claimed by a league-high six NFL clubs, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The Bills, Colts, Chargers, Jets, Saints, and Jaguars (who ultimately landed him) all put in claims on O’Shaughnessy, whom New England originally acquired in a draft-day trade with Kansas City. O’Shaughnessy, 25, appeared in all 16 games for the Chiefs in 2016 and spent most of his time on special teams. He’ll be Jacksonville’s third tight end behind Marcedes Lewis and Ben Koyack.
- The 49ers, Browns, and Jaguars will enter the 2017 regular season with the most cap space in the league, although San Francisco ($64.2MM) and Cleveland ($61.8MM) are in a different tier than the rest of the NFL, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. While some of those reserves can be spent during the season on additional signings and extensions, most of that space will be carried over to the 2018 campaign. The Dolphins, Rams, and Chargers, meanwhile, sit at the bottom of the league in cap space.
- Defensive backs Jarrell Carter, Cody Riggs, Channing Stribling, and Jamal Wiltz, plus tight end Alex Ellis, all worked out for the Patriots on Tuesday, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Only Riggs (14 games) and Ellis (six) have appeared in an NFL contest thus far in their careers.
NFC East Notes: Redskins, Eagles, Giants
Su’a Cravens‘ decision to retire (and then reverse his course of action) stunned both the Redskins‘ front office and many of the club’s players, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), although Jones report that Cravens had discussed his intentions with some Washington coaches. Cravens, who’s now on the exempt/left squad list, took to Snapchat on Monday to express that while he doesn’t feel the need to “explain” his reasons for leaving the Redskins, he will attempt to be more open, as Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post writes. Walking away could cost Cravens more than $1MM, as Washington could force the second-year safety to pay back a portion of his signing bonus, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Offensive guard Chance Warmack‘s one-year extension with the Eagles has a base value of $2.5MM and can be worth as much as $5MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Given that Warmack, a former top-10 draft pick, is scheduled to earn roughly $1.3MM in 2017, his new deal could allow him to take a leap in terms of salary in 2018. Warmack isn’t projected to start for Philadelphia during the upcoming season, but he’ll be the club’s top backup guard behind Brandon Brooks and Isaac Seumalo. Speculatively, the Eagles could view Warmack as a future starter if they part ways with Jason Kelce and shift Seumalo to center.
- The Redskins put in a waiver claim for former Jaguars quarterback Brandon Allen but lost out to the Rams, who had the higher waiver priority, tweets Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post. Allen, a sixth-round pick in 2016, would have become Washington’s third quarterback behind Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy. Instead, the Redskins — who waived signal-caller Nate Sudfeld over the weekend — signed 2017 undrafted free agent Alek Torgersen to their practice squad.
- Similarly, the Giants attempted to claim offensive tackle Zach Banner off waivers from the Colts, but lost out to the Browns, reports Dan Duggan of NJ.com (Twitter link). Currently, New York boasts Chad Wheeler and D.J. Fluker as tackle depth, while guard Justin Pugh can also move outside. Banner, who stands a gargantuan 6’9″, 350 pounds, was a fourth-round selection in this year’s draft.
- After acquiring Ross Cockrell from the Steelers in exchange for a conditional 2018 pick over the weekend, the Giants have now reduced the cornerback’s pay from $1.797MM to $1.1MM, tweets cap guru Ian Whetstone. Cockrell will now earn a base salary of $1MM, while that extra $1MM is available via bonuses, per James Kratch of NJ.com. A restricted free agent during the spring, Cockrell was tendered at the original round level by Pittsburgh, but RFA salaries aren’t guaranteed. Cockrell is expected to serve as depth for a stacked New York secondary that includes Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
Valentino Blake To Retire
Veteran cornerback Valentino Blake has decided to retire, according to Dan Duggan of NJ.com (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Giants Work Out Dan Williams]
New York designated Blake as “left squad” at the end of last month after the veteran defensive back left the team for a personal reason. It’s still unclear as to what exactly Blake — who was formerly known by the first name “Antwon” — was dealing with, but it’s possible he was simply contemplating the end of his career.
The Giants signed the 27-year-old Blake in March, after he proved to be a durable defender for the Jaguars, Steelers and Titans over the first five seasons of his career. Blake, who has appeared in 78 of 80 regular-season games since going undrafted in 2012, logged his third straight 16-game campaign last year with the Titans, though Pro Football Focus graded his performance an underwhelming 76th among 110 qualified corners.
With Blake out of the picture, the Giants picked up extra cornerback depth on Saturday, acquiring Ross Cockrell from the Steelers in exchange for a conditional 2018 draft pick.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/5/17
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: G Jamil Douglas
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Tony McRae, C Matt Skura
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Eric Lee
- Released: S B.T. Sanders, CB Marcus Sayles
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: FB Alex Armah
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Ben Braunecker
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Rashard Higgins, CB Darius Hillary, S Kai Nacua
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Mark Nzeocha
- Released: WR Brian Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB LaTroy Lewis
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Ronald Martin
- Released: S Andrew Williamson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: CB Raysean Pringle
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: RB Akeem Hunt
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Joseph Jones, CB Craig Mager
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: TE Johnny Mundt, CB Kevin Peterson
- Released: OL Michael Dunn, DL Louis Trinca-Pasat
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Willie Beavers
- Released: LB Trevor Bates, DT Darius Kilgo
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Nordly Capi, WR Travis Rudolph
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Lawrence Thomas
- Released: DL Patrick Gamble
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Ben Boulware, RB Jeremy McNichols
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB Kenneth Durden
Ezekiel Elliott’s Suspension Upheld
Arbitrator Harold Henderson has upheld Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott‘s six-game suspension, per Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Elliott will still play in Week 1 against the Giants, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, as the NFL typically doesn’t implement suspensions when a decision is made after 4pm ET on a Tuesday. Instead, Elliott will begin his suspension in Week 2, and will subsequently miss games against the Broncos, Cardinals, Rams, Packers, 49ers, and Redskins.
Of course, the battle may not yet be concluded even after a yearlong investigation into domestic violence allegations against Elliott, a suspension, and a unsuccessful appeal. Elliott has vowed to take his case to court, and a judge is expected to rule on a restraining order against the NFL by 5pm ET on Friday, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. If that order is accepted, Elliott will likely be available to play out the entire season, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link).
Elliott, the fourth overall selection in the 2016 draft, has accused the NFL of a conspiracy against him, and the dispute has gotten ugly from all angles. Elliott and his camp have cast doubt on the consistency of his accuser’s claims and suggested her motives were profit-based, while the NFL has accused Elliott of victim-shaming. Nevertheless, Elliott plans to fight his ban to the “complete exhaustion of his legal options,” a source tells Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
On the field, Elliott is one of the league’s more dynamic talents, as he lead the NFL in rushing yards while scoring 15 times a year ago. Without him, the Cowboys will turn to a trio of Darren McFadden, Alfred Morris, and Rod Smith to run behind arguably the league’s best offensive lines.
Jets Audition TE Gavin Escobar, OL Jah Reid
The Jets worked out tight end Gavin Escobar, running back Juwan Thompson, and offensive lineman Jah Reid, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link) and Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Jets Sign WR Jeremy Kerley]
New York has been focusing extensively on tight ends in the past few days, as the club first claimed former Giant Will Tye off waivers before working out free agent Tim Wright, formerly of the Lions. Escobar, 26, never lived up his to second-round draft status, as he managed only 30 receptions and 333 yards over four seasons with the Cowboys. He inked a minimum salary benefit contract with the Chiefs in March, but was part of the club’s final cutdowns on Saturday.
Like Escobar, Thompson was cut over the weekend, as the Broncos handed him his walking papers after three seasons. The 25-year-old Thompson has never been much of an offensive contributor, and he rushed the ball a career-low eight times in 2016. The Jets have a pair of veterans leading their running back depth chart in Matt Forte and Bilal Powell, while rookie Elijah McGuire brings up the rear.
Reid, 29, is perhaps the best fit for the Jets’ current roster, as Gang Green is fielding one of the league’s worst offensive lines. Released by the Chiefs at the tail end of August, Reid has experience at both tackle and guard and 61 career appearances (18 starts) under his belt.
Giants Work Out Dan Williams, John Greco
The Giants worked out defensive tackle Dan Williams, offensive lineman John Greco, and linebacker Akeem Ayers on Tuesday, a source tells Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). New York also took a look at former Lions linebacker Antwione Williams, tweets Dan Duggan of NJ.com.
[RELATED: Giants Work Out LB Jonathan Freeny]
New York already boasts perhaps the league’s best nose tackle in Damon Harrison, so Williams — if signed — would serve as a backup, as he isn’t a three-technique. Williams hasn’t drawn a lick of interest since being released by the Raiders, and that’s probably a reflection of the declining need for 330-pound defensive tackles and Williams’ age (30). However, Pro Football Focus was a fan of Williams’ work in 2016, ranking him a solid 44th among 127 qualified interior defensive linemen.
The Giants could use help along the offensive line, but that’s mostly at tackle, as the club is presumably set at guard/center with Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg, and John Jerry. Greco could perhaps unseat Jerry at right guard, but he doesn’t play offensive tackle, which is where New York is truly below-average. Released by the Browns last week, Greco has dealt with injuries in each of the past two seasons (six total missed games) but has performed well when on the field.
Ayers, 28, signed with the Colts just before the 2016 season got underway, and ultimately spent the entire season with the club. He appeared in all 16 games and posted two sacks. Williams, a 2016 fifth-round pick, played 203 defensive snaps for Detroit a season ago, and also saw plenty of special teams action (196 snaps). The 24-year-old wasn’t claimed on waivers over the weekend, and he’d be a youthful reserve option for New York.