Extra Points: Chiefs, Jaguars, Williams
Andy Reid said the Chiefs might not have to choose between Charcandrick West or C.J. Spiller. The team might retain all four of its top running backs, Reid said (via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com).
“If we only keep three, then somebody’s going to get a heck of a player,” Reid said of a running back competition fronted by Spencer Ware and rookie Kareem Hunt. “… If we can keep all four, then that’s great.”
This may not be an automatic indication Kansas City plans keep both West and Spiller, and one could well be trade bait since both smaller backs might not make sense as Nos. 3-4 options. The Chiefs signed Ware and West to identical contracts during the 2016 offseason, and West has two years and barely $3MM remaining on his deal. He received the initial crack at replacing Jamaal Charles in 2015 and led the Chiefs in rushing that season with 634 yards (4.0 per carry). He operated as Ware’s backup last season but possesses top-end straight-line speed that could be useful on a team with less backfield depth.
Spiller caught on with the Chiefs in February after being cut by several teams. The former first-round pick is making the league minimum. Kansas City also has veteran fullback Anthony Sherman in line to occupy a roster spot.
The Jaguars’ quarterback situation has become a key topic this week; here’s the latest on that and other key stories as preseason Week 2 winds down.
- Doug Marrone opened up the Jaguars‘ quarterback competition after Blake Bortles continued to struggle. But Chad Henne looks like he will be the only in-house challenger, with Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union noting Brandon Allen‘s inexperience (zero regular-season snaps) won’t be ideal in Week 1 against a Texans defense that ranked No. 1 last season. O’Halloran anticipates Henne receiving the nod. The Jags are not currently looking at outside options for this job. Allen is a second-year player out of Arkansas.
- Aaron Colvin has come off the Jags’ Active/PUP list and resumed practicing in team drills for the first time since December 2011, and O’Halloran notes he’s still expected to be the team’s top nickel option. The fourth-year player is slated to line up in the slot inside of Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Colvin confirmed he experienced a rehab setback this offseason while recovering from an ankle injury that took more than seven months to heal sufficiently.
- Brandon Williams is playing like he will come out ahead of recent UFA addition Tramon Williams, although he’s now unlikely to usurp Justin Bethel in the Cardinals‘ competition to see who starts opposite Patrick Peterson this season. Bruce Arians said (via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com) Williams played “really well” in the Cards’ game against the Bears on Saturday.
- The Giants will work out offensive lineman Matt Rotheram on Monday, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Rotheram has bounced around the league for the past two seasons, residing on the Packers and Lions’ practice squads in 2015 and ’16, respectively. The Lions signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January but cut him earlier this week.
- Before signing linebacker Kelvin Sheppard to a deal, the Bears worked out fellow ‘backer Michael Scherer, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets.
Dolphins Looked At Mychal Kendricks Before Kiko Alonso Trade
When the Dolphins and Eagles discussed the seminal trade that ended up giving Miami Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell and the Eagles the No. 8 pick in the 2016 draft, Philadelphia brass gave the south Florida franchise a list of players they were willing to offer.
Mychal Kendricks appeared on the list, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports. The Dolphins preferred Alonso to Kendricks and ended up making sure the former Bills standout only played one season with the Eagles. While the Dolphins signed Alonso to an extension, Kendricks hovered on the 2017 trade block.
Salguero reports the Dolphins studied Kendricks, who was a full-time player for the Chip Kelly-era Eagles before being relegated to a part-timer under new DC Jim Schwartz. Kendricks said in July he requested a trade out of Philly, but his 2017 salary became guaranteed earlier this year.
Dolphins executive VP Mike Tannenbaum also received reassurance on Maxwell, who did not show much with the Eagles, from Dan Quinn — Maxwell’s DC for part of his years in Seattle. The rangy corner became the player the Dolphins prioritized in this deal — one that helped the Eagles move from No. 13 to No. 8, putting them in better position to make the Carson Wentz trade with the Browns — but the team wanted more, per Salguero, prompting Miami to scan Philadelphia’s linebacker depth chart.
The Dolphins preferred Alonso to Kendricks because of his appeal as a three-down linebacker, Salguero notes. Kendricks is signed through the 2019 season but sits behind Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham in Philly’s linebacker hierarchy; Hicks and Bradham function as the Eagles’ nickel ‘backers.
Kendricks is attached to cap numbers of $6.6MM (2017), $7.6MM (’18) and $8.6MM (’19). Alonso’s extension ended up being for nearly the exact same amount as the Eagles signed Kendricks to more than 18 months earlier. The Miami outside ‘backer signed a four-year, $28.9MM re-up more than a year after Kendricks signed for four years and $29MM.
Anquan Boldin To Leave Bills, Retire
Anquan Boldin signed with the Bills earlier this month in advance of a 15th NFL season, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to be in the cards for the veteran wideout any longer.
Boldin informed the Bills on Sunday he plans to retire instead of suiting up for them in the regular season, ESPN.com’s Jim Trotter reports (on Twitter).
The former first-round pick signed a one-year deal that was worth as much as $4MM and said he would have signed with the Bills with or without Sammy Watkins on the roster. GM Brandon Beane also used Boldin’s acquisition to illustrate how the franchise wasn’t rebuilding after dealing Watkins and Ronald Darby.
Beane confirmed Boldin is retiring, via Twitter. The wideout officially spent just less than two weeks with the Bills.
Boldin retires as one of the best receivers of his era. The former Cardinals, Ravens, 49ers and Lions cog has the ninth-most receptions in NFL history, with 1,076. Only two active players — ex-teammate Larry Fitzgerald and longtime Cowboys tight end Jason Witten — have more catches than Boldin. A potential Hall of Famer, Boldin is 14th in receiving yards (13,779) and 23rd in touchdown receptions (82).
“Football has afforded me a platform throughout my career to have a greater impact on my humanitarian work,” Boldin said in a statement, via Trotter (on Twitter). “At this time, I feel drawn to make the larger fight for human rights a priority. My life’s purpose is bigger than football.”
Set to turn 37 in October, Boldin operated as a starer during all 14 seasons of his career. The Florida State product finishes his run as a three-time Pro Bowler and having helped the 2012 Ravens to a Super Bowl title. He also teamed with Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner in elevating the Cardinals to their franchise peak, with an NFC title and narrow Super Bowl loss in 2008.
Boldin authored seven 1,000-yard seasons — for three different teams — and caught a career-high 11 touchdown passes during that ’08 season. He also recorded one of the best rookie seasons, with the ’03 Cards, by a receiver in NFL history, catching 101 passes for 1,377 yards and eight touchdowns.
Last year with the Lions, Boldin signed a one-year deal and started all 16 games. He served as a key security blanket for Matthew Stafford, catching 67 passes and scoring eight touchdowns.
Boldin was a free agent throughout the offseason and was connected to the Lions and Ravens. He ended up signing with the Bills and was expected to provide a veteran presence to a team that has revamped its receiving corps.
Gone are Watkins, Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin. In their places are now Jordan Matthews, second-round rookie Zay Jones and former Raiders starters Andre Holmes and Rod Streater, the latter of whom is currently injured. Former Panthers wideout Philly Brown and Patriots special-teamer Brandon Tate are also on the roster. This move deprives the Bills of a proven pass-catcher and puts more pressure on Matthews, also currently sidelined with an injury, to fill the void this season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/17
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived from IR: WR Kenny Bell, LB Lamar Louis
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Rory Anderson, S Adrian McDonald
- Waived: P/K Austin Rehkow
- Waived/injured: TE Jason Croom
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: QB Mitch Leidner
- Waived: LB Darnell Sankey
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: T Tyrus Thompson (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Claimed: T Marquis Lucas
Le’Veon Bell Not Expected Back This Week
The Le’Veon Bell holdout is not expected to end by the time the Steelers suit up for their third preseason game, which is Saturday night against the Colts. But the running back still plans to return before the regular season.
While Bell is expected to avoid a return in time for this exhibition contest, a source who spoke to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler revealed it would be surprising if he stayed away much longer due to his “love for football.” The timing of the franchise-tagged runner’s holdout points to Bell skipping preseason play.
Just more than two weeks remain between the third Steelers preseason game and their September 10 opener in Cleveland. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley having been in place for Bell’s entire tenure in Pittsburgh shouldn’t make many pre-Week 1 reps necessary for the 25-year-old, though.
Bell is attached to a $12.12MM cap number once he signs his tender and returns to the Steelers. Missing games would mean forfeiting a prorated portion of that amount, which is by far a league-high for running backs this season.
5 Key Stories: 8/13/17 – 8/20/17
Ezekiel Elliott officially files appeal. The Cowboys running formally appealed his six-game suspension, and a hearing is now set for August 29. While that’s still more than a week away, it’s already clear that Elliott and his legal team intend to shed doubt on his accuser’s credentials, highlighting the alleged victim’s inconsistencies and indicating that she sought to profit from her connection to Elliott. Harold Henderson — the man who reduced Greg Hardy‘s ban in 2015 — will hear Elliott’s case.
Tramaine Brock finds a home. After being released by the 49ers earlier this year following domestic violence allegations, Brock will stay in the NFC West after inking a one-year deal with the Seahawks. It’s not often that a starting corner with Brock’s track record reaches the open market this late in the offseason, but San Francisco opted to not wait for a resolution on the charges against Brock (which were ultimately dropped). Brock, 29, will give Seattle options at corner while DeShawn Shead recovers from a torn ACL.
Aaron Donald, Le’Veon Bell still holding out. The Rams control Donald, arguably the NFL’s best defensive player not named J.J. Watt, through the 2018 campaign at a relative pittance. Scheduled to earn just $1.803MM for the upcoming season, Donald wants a raise, and could potentially miss regular season action in order to achieve that goal. Bell, meanwhile, is expected to report before the season gets underway (he’ll earn north of $12MM in 2017). The Steelers reportedly thought they had a long-term agreement with Bell in place earlier this year.
Eagles release Ryan Mathews. As had been expected, Philadelphia finally parted ways with Mathews, only doing so after he could pass a physical so the club wouldn’t be on the hook for injury protection. While the Eagles are set to go forth with LeGarrette Blount, Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Donnel Pumphrey in the backfield, Mathews is now on the open market, and he may be the perfect backup running back.
Work stoppage possibly on the way. NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith calls a strike or lockout after the expiration of the current contractual bargaining agreement in 2020 “a virtual certainty.” While Smith cautions the stoppage may not lead to the loss of actual games, the strife between the player’s union and the owners is clear, as Smith says the league “lied and cheated” last time around. NFL players, including a union rep, confirmed that negotiations between the two sides will be difficult.
Colts WR Phillip Dorsett On Trade Block?
Colts wide receiver Phillip Dorsett is reportedly on the trade block, according to Michael Lombardi of the Ringer (Twitter link). Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Lombardi indicated Indianapolis is willing to deal Dorsett, noting any club “can have him if [it] wants him.”
That Dorsett can be had via trade should come as no surprise, as he has no connection to the current Indianapolis regime. Dorsett, 24, was selected 29th overall in the 2015 draft by former general manager Ryan Grigson, so current GM Chris Ballard may try to recoup some sort of draft capital for Dorsett before the season begins. Indeed, PFR listed Dorsett among its Top 30 NFL Trade Candidates last week.
Despite his draft billing, Dorsett is currently working behind 2016 undrafted free agent Chester Rogers, and may also be buried behind free agent addition Kamar Aiken, meaning he’s possibly fifth on the Colts’ wideout depth chart. Based on counting statistics, Dorsett has certainly been a disappointment, as he’s averaged just 26 receptions and 276 yards per season through two years in the NFL. Despite playing nearly three-quarters of Indy’s snaps a season ago, Dorsett managed only 33 catches.
Underlying metrics, however, indicate Dorsett could have more to offer on the field. Last year, Dorsett ranked 25th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA, which means Dorsett was relatively effective on a per-play basis (even if his overall production wasn’t there). Among receivers with at least 25 receptions, Dorsett finished eighth with 16 yards per catch, and also registered four receptions of 50 yards or more, suggesting he can be a successful deep threat.
Dorsett has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and his $1.175MM base salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed. An acquiring club would also take on Dorsett’s 2018 base salary ($1.094MM) and roster bonus ($450K), but neither figure is guaranteed.
Bengals Release DT Brandon Thompson
The Bengals have released defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, the club announced today. Cincinnati also waived wide receiver Karel Hamilton and running back Stanley Williams.
Thompson, 27, re-signed with the Bengals on a one-year contract prior to the 2016 season after having torn his ACL in December 2015. Although he attempted to work his way back to the field, Thompson never played last year and spent the campaign on the physically unable to perform list. As such, his contract tolled, meaning he was still under Cincinnati control for 2017.
A former third-round selection, Thompson never broke into the starting lineup for the Bengals during his five-year run with the club (with the exception of 2013, when he started seven contests after Geno Atkins went down with injury). Still, he was a serviceable reserve, appearing in 39 games and and posting three sacks from 2012-15.
Hamilton and Williams, meanwhile, were each undrafted rookie free agents earlier this year.
PFR Originals: 8/13/17 – 8/20/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- While the NFL doesn’t see as many trades as the NBA or MLB, deals can often be swung in the weeks leading up to the regular season. With that in mind, I examined the Top 30 NFL Trade Candidates for 2017, with players such as A.J. McCarron, Carlos Hyde, Reggie Ragland, and Stephone Anthony making the list.
- Ryan Mathews was released by the Eagles last week, but he should be able to find work in the near future, as I made the case that Mathews is the perfect backup running back. Based on his production, scheme fit, cost, and the lack of running back options on the open market, Mathews will be a nice find for whichever team lands him.
- With the 2017 regular season only several weeks away, PFR began its annual Offseason In Review series, assessing the major signings, departures, trades, and other notable events for each of the 32 NFL clubs. We covered three teams this week:
Shawn Williams Expected To Miss 4-6 Weeks
Bengals safety Shawn Williams suffered a dislocated elbow in Saturday’s preseason game against the Chiefs and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. However, that timetable could be extended, as an October return is a “best-case scenario” for Williams, tweets Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Williams doesn’t plan to undergo surgery, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Cincinnati was already down one safety before Williams injured his elbow, as George Iloka is only know returning from a knee sprain suffered in early August. While Iloka should be ready for the regular season, the Bengals are witnessing the thinning of their defensive back depth. Derron Smith, a 2015 sixth-round pick, will likely step in for Williams in the starting lineup, while Clayton Fejedelem and Josh Shaw are also expected to see increased snaps.
Williams, 26, was a full-time starter for the first time in 2016 after he took over for the departed Reggie Nelson. In 15 games, Williams played on 83% of Cincinnati’s defensive snaps, racking up 81 tackles and three interceptions while grading as the league’s No. 39 safety among 90 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Having agreed to a contract extension last May, Williams is signed through the 2020 campaign.
The Bengals open the 2017 season with two divisional games among their first five contests before heading to a bye in Week 6. If Williams is sidelined for the full six-week timeline, he’ll miss games against the Ravens, Texans, Packers, and Browns.