Jaguars OL Branden Albert Retires
Branden Albert is retiring from the NFL. The Jaguars announced that the veteran tackle is walking away from the game. 
Albert, 32, was acquired by the Jaguars in a trade with the Dolphins back in March. Things did not get off on the right foot for Albert and Jacksonville as the veteran immediately pushed for a new contract. When the Jaguars refused to guarantee a portion of the two years left on his deal, Albert skipped voluntary OTAs and had minimal contact with the team.
Although he showed for the mandatory minicamp in June, he has changed course here in late July. It’s not immediately clear whether his contract played a role in his decision.
“After nine seasons playing in the National Football League, I have decided to retire from the game that has given me so much,” said Albert. “I would like to thank Mr. Khan and the Jaguars organization, Mr. Ross, Joe Philbin, Dennis Hickey and the Dolphins organization and Mr. Hunt, Carl Peterson, Herm Edwards and the Chiefs organization for providing me with the opportunity of a lifetime….I wish Coach Marrone and my Jacksonville teammates the best of luck on their journey this season. During my short stint in Jacksonville, I quickly realized that they are working incredibly hard to turn the corner and I truly believe that they will find success in the coming years.”
Without Albert, the Jaguars will likely start second round pick Cam Robinson at left tackle. Tyler Shatley, Patrick Omameh, and free agent addition Earl Watford could be among those competing for the left guard spot that was originally supposed to be covered by Robinson.
The loss of Albert could be devastating for a Jaguars offense that is looking to right the ship and get a quality year out of quarterback Blake Bortles. On the plus side, Jacksonville now has some extra cap room to work with in the event that a quality left tackle pops up on the free agent market in August.
Latest On Chargers’ Mike Williams
We have been hearing conflicting information on the status of Chargers rookie Mike Williams for the last few weeks. The wide receiver refuted talk that he could be out for the season, but head coach Anthony Lynn now admits that Williams’ could be out all year long. 
[RELATED: Chargers Acquire Cardale Jones]
“I’m hopeful that it’s not [a season-ending injury], but who knows? It could be,” Lynn said (via Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times).
On Sunday, the Chargers announced that Williams will be out for all of training camp, which at minimum is a bad sign for his early season availability. At one point, the word was that Williams may require season-ending surgery on his herniated disc but the Bolts, for now, are hoping to avoid such a drastic measure.
Losing Williams for the entire season would sting, but the Chargers could hypothetically withstand the loss with Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin, Tyrell Williams, and Dontrelle Inman in the fold. However, if Allen gets injured again – he’s missed 23 games in the last two years – the Bolts will be left paper thin at wide receiver.
Cardinals Sign CB Tramon Williams
Late Sunday night, the Cardinals added a cornerback to the mix. Tramon Williams has been signed to a one-year deal, per a club announcement. Williams joins the team just hours after cornerback Ronald Zamort suffered a season-ending ACL tear. 
[RELATED: Cardnals Sign Philip Wheeler]
Interestingly, Zamort was practicing with the first team last week as Justin Bethel recovered from a minor knee injury, so it seems like the relatively unknown second-year player from Western Michigan leapfrogged Brandon Williams on the depth chart. With that in mind, Bethel and Tramon Williams may be the frontrunners for the right to start opposite of Patrick Peterson.
T. Williams, 34, spent the first nine years of his career with the Packers before joining the Browns last season. He has been remarkably durable over his ten NFL seasons, missing only five games in total. The traditional stats, the advanced stats, and the naked eye test all indicate that he’s not as sharp as he was in his prime with Green Bay, but he could still be a difference maker for a Cardinals team in need of cornerback depth.
The Cardinals also met with cornerback Brandon Flowers in July, but they might not have room for him after adding Williams.
Poll: Which Free Agent QB Will Sign First?
Last week, a veteran quarterback came off the board, but it wasn’t one of the names that the football world has really been waiting on. Dan Orlovsky will now look to make the Rams’ final cut while more notable players continue to look for work.
Things continue to be eerily quiet for Colin Kaepernick, despite the fact that he is widely regarded as the best backup quarterback option available. The Ravens say that they have some degree of interest, but they’re also concerned about how adding him to the roster would be publicly perceived. A late May workout with the Seahawks did not result in a deal and, depending on who you ask, Seattle may have passed because of Kaepernick’s salary expectations. The Cowboys also found themselves in the market for a quarterback when Zac Dysert went down with injury, but they scooped up Luke McCown without calling Kaepernick. For what it’s worth, Chip Kelly says that Kaepernick’s political activism was not a distraction while they were together in San Francisco.
There was hope for Robert Griffin III to find a home after he had a successful audition with the Chargers earlier this month. Unfortunately for the former Redskins star, it seems that the Bolts used his quality tryout to leverage the Bills into a more favorable trade for Cardale Jones. The Bolts workout was Griffin’s first of the offseason and although the Ravens are thinking about bringing him in for a workout, it’s not clear if they’ll follow through. Griffin is eager to show teams that he can recapture some of the magic from his rookie season in 2012. But, after Griffin missed the bulk of 2016 with a shoulder injury and fell flat in his five starts, teams are not all that interested in seeing what he can do.
Kaepernick and Griffin are the most well-known QBs left on the market, but other notable names left include 37-year-old Shaun Hill, former first round pick Christian Ponder, and ex-Titans signal caller Zach Mettenberger. Of those five players – who do you think will be the next to sign? Click below to cast your vote and back up your choice in the comments.
Who Will Sign First?
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Colin Kaepernick 26% (498)
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RG3 24% (453)
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Zach Mettenberger 19% (367)
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Shaun Hill 15% (287)
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Christian Ponder 15% (287)
Total votes: 1,892
Ravens Interested In RG3, Colin Kaepernick
On Sunday, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti confirmed that the team has interest in Colin Kaepernick. He also said the club is looking into auditioning Robert Griffin III. 
[RELATED: Ravens’ Crockett Gillmore To Undergo Knee Surgery]
“We’re very sensitive to it, and we’re monitoring it and we’re still, as [general manager Ozzie Newsome] says, we’re scrimmaging it,” Bisciotti said. “We’re trying to figure what’s the right tact. Pray for us.”
Naturally, the decision of whether to sign Kaepernick involves considerations that go beyond just football. Team president Dick Cass said that the team is reaching out to fans and sponsors as they think about inking the polarizing athlete (Twitter links via Jeff Zrebiec). Cass says that the organization has spoken directly with Kaepernick, so their interest certainly seems legitimate.
The Ravens aren’t certain about whether they want to kick the tires on Griffin and they will first evaluate the health of Joe Flacco and backup Ryan Mallett before moving forward (Twitter link). Of course, it doesn’t cost anything to work a player out, so one has to wonder how real the Ravens’ interest is in Griffin. It’s possible that Baltimore is looking to first light a fire under Mallett before giving serious consideration to an outside arm.
5 Key Stories: 7/23/17 – 7/30/17
Holdouts from star players. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald didn’t report to training camp last week as he seeks a new contract, and he wasn’t the only player to fail to report. Left tackle Donald Penn didn’t show at Raiders camp, and the veteran offensive lineman is reportedly looking for top-10 positional money. Donald, meanwhile, presumably wants to be paid like the NFL’s best defender, but Los Angeles controls his right for two more years.
Ravens hit hard by injuries. Having already witnessed Dennis Pitta and Tavon Young go down with serious injuries, Baltimore lost several more significant players to health questions this week. Running back Kenneth Dixon is out for the year with a torn meniscus, leading the Ravens to sign Bobby Rainey. Tight end Crockett Gillmore also has a meniscus injury (severity unknown), so Baltimore added Larry Donnell, while quarterback Joe Flacco‘s back issue could lead the Ravens to bring in Colin Kaepernick.
Extensions galore. With the regular season fast approaching, many clubs are working on long-term deals that will lock in key players for the years to come. Among the players who’ve signed new pacts over the past weeks: Cowboys tackle La’el Collins (link), Jaguars center Brandon Linder (link), Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen (link), Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva (link), Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (link), Viking cornerback Xavier Rhodes (link), and Lions safety Glover Quin (link).
Not so Lucky Whitehead. Whitehead had one of the more eventful weeks for an NFL player in recent memory, and it all began with a case of mistaken identity. An arrest warrant was issued for the former Cowboys wideout after he failed to appear for an arraignment, but Whitehead wasn’t actually involved in the case. Nevertheless, he was still waived by Dallas. The Jets subsequently picked him up, but Whitehead is understandably miffed about the entire incident.
AFC retirements. Patriots defensive lineman Rob Ninkovich and Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel both announced their retirements over the past week, but each player is an entirely separate case. While Ninkovich is 33 years old and perhaps nearing the end of his road, Urschel is just 26. The former Baltimore center acknowledged a recent study showing the prevalence of CTE in ex-NFLers played a role in his decision, and could also be affecting the status of Steelers safety Daimion Stafford, who is also mulling retirement.
Free Agent IK Enemkpali Medically Cleared
Free agent defender IK Enemkpali has received a “clean bill of health” from Dr. James Andrews and is “100% ready to return” to the NFL after sustaining a torn ACL nearly a year ago, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Although he’s probably still best known for breaking Jets quarterback Geno Smith‘s jaw prior to the 2015 campaign, the 26-year-old Enemkpali has shown the ability to act as a reserve defensive end/linebacker since being selected in the sixth round of the 2014 draft. He appeared in 17 games from 2014-15 with the Jets and Bills, and had been slated for a larger role with Buffalo last season before injuring his knee.
Enemkpali seemed to a favorite of former NFL coach Rex Ryan, as the latter was in New York when Enemkpali was drafted and then acquired him off waivers even after the Smith incident. With Ryan no longer coaching in the league (and his longtime defensive assistant Dennis Thurman also currently unemployed), it remains to be seen if a club will take a chance on Enemkpali.
Crockett Gillmore To Undergo Knee Surgery
Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore will undergo meniscus surgery on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Baltimore will be able to further assess Gillmore’s condition once the operation is complete, per Rapoport.
Meniscus injuries typically require one of two treatments: either a trim, or a full repair. A trim will typically allow a player to return much more quickly following the surgery. A full repair, meanwhile, is better for the long-term health of the player’s knee, but often requires a season-long absence. Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon, for example, recently underwent a repair, meaning he’ll miss the 2017 campaign.
Baltimore’s tight end depth has already been reduced this offseason, as Dennis Pitta was released after suffering a possibly career-ending injury, while Darren Waller is suspended for the entire season. Maxx Williams and Ben Watson, meanwhile, are recovering from injuries, leading the Ravens to sign veteran tight end Larry Donnell earlier today.
Gillmore, 25, was last productive during the 2015 season, when he posted 33 receptions for 412 yards and four touchdowns. In 2016, Gillmore appeared in only seven games, while dealing with back and knee injuries.
Buccaneers Sign Marqueston Huff
The Buccaneers have signed free agent safety Marqueston Huff, the club announced today. Tampa Bay also signed wide receiver Jhajuan Seales and waived wide receiver and Thomas Sperbeck and safety Alex Gray.
Huff, 25, has already enjoyed stints with two other clubs — the Ravens and Chiefs — this offseason. After Baltimore withdrew Huff’s restricted free agent tender, Huff signed on with Kansas City, but his tenure with the Chiefs didn’t last long. Kansas City cut ties with Huff after he spent fewer than three months on its roster.
A former fourth-round pick, Huff has primarily been a special teams player throughout his three-year NFL career, as he’s appeared in 41 games but only posted one start. Last season with the Ravens, Huff played in 11 games but saw action on just 32 defensive snaps. He played on nearly half of Baltimore’s special teams snaps, though.
Tampa Bay has boasted one of the league’s worst safety tandems for several years running, but the club made several additions to the position this offseason. The Buccaneers used a second-round pick on Texas A&M defensive back Justin Evans, and also signed free agent J.J. Wilcox to two-year pact.
Malik McDowell Could Miss 2017 Season
Seahawks rookie defensive tackle Malik McDowell could potentially miss the season after being involved in an ATV accident, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). McDowell suffered a concussion and facial injuries in the mishap, per Mike Garafolo and James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Seattle released a statement today indicating McDowell is currently undergoing care in Michigan. McDowell himself, meanwhile, tweeted that his injuries are not career- or life-threatening, and added that he expects to rejoin the the Seahawks soon.
Given that he’s unable to practice, McDowell has been placed on the reserve/did not report list, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. To fill McDowell’s roster spot, the Seahawks have signed fellow defensive tackle Rodney Coe, per Condotta.
McDowell, a Michigan State product, was the Seahawks’ first selection in the draft and the No. 35 overall pick. Originally holding the No. 25 selection, Seattle traded down three times — acquiring a bevy of extra draft capital in the process — before picking up McDowell at the top of the second round.
A defensive tackle for the Spartans, McDowell had been expected to also play defensive end for the Seahawks. While Seattle is well-stocked along the defensive line, the club was surely hoping to see what it had its rookie interior defender in 2017. If McDowell is forced to miss his rookie campaign, defensive linemen such as Jarran Reed, Ahtyba Rubin, Dion Jordan, and Marcus Smith could see more playing time.