Ravens’ Kenneth Dixon To Miss 2017 Season
Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon will miss the entire 2017 campaign after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Baltimore had been hopeful that Dixon, a 2016 fourth-round selection, would only need his meniscus trimmed, which would’ve lead to a much shorter recovery period. Instead, Dixon underwent a full repair, per Rapoport, which means he’ll miss five-to-six months. With the regular season fast approaching, Dixon won’t be able to make it back on the field in time to play this year.
Entering his age-23 campaign, Dixon had been slated to compete for carries alongside Terrance West, Danny Woodhead, and the rest of the Ravens’ backfield crew. A four-game PED suspension was already set to temper Dixon’s 2017 outlook, but now he won’t play again until 2018. Last season, Dixon managed 4.3 yards per carry on 88 rushes, and also added 30 receptions out of the backfield.
With Dixon sidelined, the Ravens made a move to add running back depth earlier today, agreeing to terms with veteran Bobby Rainey.
Texans Place Duane Brown On Reserve/Did Not Report List
The Texans announced that they’ve placed offensive tackle Duane Brown on the reserve/did not report list. Brown is currently holding out of training camp as he pushes for a new contract.
For the most part, Brown’s new roster designation has minimal effect: he doesn’t count towards Houston’s 90-man roster, and he can be removed from the list at any time. However, Brown is costing himself money by not attending camp, as Field Yates of ESPN.com reports Brown has triggered a de-escalator clause in his contract by not taking part in a predetermined amount of workouts. Per Yates, Brown’s 2017 base salary has been reduced from $9.65MM to $9.4MM.
The 31-year-old Brown does hold a certain amount of leverage, however, as the Texans have extremely limited options at left tackle behind him. Chris Clark would probably step in as the starter, but he graded as a bottom-five guard in the NFL a season ago, per Pro Football Focus. Free agent signee Breno Giacomini and rookie Julien Davenport, meanwhile, are considered right tackles only.
The Texans and general manager Rick Smith don’t seem inclined to cave to Brown’s demands, however, as Smith explained to Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. “There’s no contract dispute,” Smith said. “Duane’s under contract for two more years. That’s our position. We’re here to get our football team ready for the season, and he should be a part of it.”
Jaguars, Brandon Linder Agree To Extension
Brandon Linder got paid. The Jaguars and the center have agreed to a five-year extension worth $51.7MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal will make him the highest-paid center in NFL history on a per year basis, besting the average annual value of Cowboys standout Travis Frederick ($9.4MM per year).
Linder started out as a right guard but was moved to center in 2016. He flourished at the new position and the Jaguars wanted to ensure that he was locked up for years to come.
Guard Trai Turner, who was drafted one spot behind Turner in the third round of the 2014 draft, inked a four-year, $45MM extension with the Panthers earlier this month. Despite playing at center, a position that is generally less valued than guard, Linder is set to earn nearly as much on a per year basis. His salary may indicate that the Jags plan on shifting him back to guard at some point down the road.
Last year, Linder graded out as the No. 5 center in the NFL, per the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. The former third round pick missed the majority of the 2015 season due to a shoulder injury, but he missed only two games last year and was on the field for over 900 snaps.
Linder is the first draft pick of GM Dave Caldwell to sign a second deal with the team. Wide receivers Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee and linebacker Telvin Smith are also products of that 2014 draft class and are eligible to sign extensions with the team this year.
Saints Place LB Dannell Ellerbe On IR
The Saints are placing linebacker Dannell Ellerbe on IR, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Once the veteran heals up from his foot injury, he’ll be waived by New Orleans. 
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Ellerbe has struggled to stay healthy over the last three seasons, but he has shown that he can still be a difference maker when he is on the field. In 2016, Ellerbe tallied 44 total tackles and 4.0 sacks for the Saints across nine games. This year, he was expected to compete for the Saints’ starting weakside linebacker job. Now, we could see either rookie Alex Anzalone or the returning Hau’oli Kikaha on the first unit.
Per the terms of his restructured deal, it is believed that Ellerbe’s $1.7MM base salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed and his roster bonus of $750K is guaranteed for injury.
Since 2014, injuries have limited Ellerbe to just 16 total games.
Dolphins Sign Verner, Put Misi On IR
Well, that didn’t take long. Hours after auditioning him, the Dolphins have signed cornerback Alterraun Verner to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). In a related move, linebacker Koa Misi has been placed on injured reserve. 
Misi underwent spinal fusion surgery late last year and the hope was that he would be ready to go for the season opener. Apparently, he’s going to need more time before he can think about getting back on the field.
Misi, 30, managed only 127 defensive snaps in 2016 before going down with injury. In 2015, Misi’s last predominantly healthy season, he totaled 78 tackles and had one pass defensed. Though he’s never had huge sack totals, he did have 12 sacks from 2010 through 2014. Pro Football Focus, for the most part, has always been high on the former second-round pick. In 2014 and 2015, he had scores of 81.5 and 80.8, painting him as a top-30 linebacker in the league. Earlier this year, Misi accepted a pay cut for the second consecutive year, as he agreed to slash his salary by ~$3MM.
The good news is that the Dolphins were not necessarily counting on Misi’s health. The Dolphins signed former Steelers ‘backer Lawrence Timmons to a two-year, $12MM deal in March and used a second-round pick on Ohio State product Raekwon McMillan. Timmons and McMillan project to start along with Kiko Alonso while Mike Hull, Neville Hewitt, Trevor Reilly, and others will come on in support.
Verner did not live up to his big money deal in Tampa Bay, but the Dolphins are not expecting him to be a shutdown corner in 2017. They’ll likely look at Verner as a slot option who could potentially take the job from 2015 fifth-round pick Bobby McCain.
Cowboys, La’el Collins Agree To Extension
The Cowboys and offensive lineman La’el Collins have reached agreement on a new deal. It’s a two-year, $15.4MM extension that will keep him in place through the 2019 season, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
Collins would have been a restricted free agent following the 2017 season. With the new contract, Collins has traded in that one RFA year plus his first year of scheduled unrestricted free agency. The Cowboys theoretically could have controlled Collins through the 2019 season with the franchise tag, but by extending him now, they have given themselves cost certainty while leaving the tag available for another star player.
The new deal gives Collins a $7.7MM average annual salary in the additional two seasons, which currently would represent the second-highest AAV of any right tackle in the NFL.
Collins was expected to be a first round pick and potential top ten pick in the 2015 draft. However, he went undrafted after he was linked to the shooting death of a pregnant woman and his agent that he would hold out if he were selected beyond the third round. Once he was cleared of any wrongdoing, he signed with the Cowboys on a modest three-year contract worth roughly $1.6MM. Collins’ new contract will him like a first round pick and reflects the tremendous production he has provided at the professional level.
Collins excelled at left guard as a rookie and was slated to hold down the position again in 2016 before a foot injury ended his season after three games. This year, the 6’5″ lineman will be shifting over to right tackle. It’s a return to Collins’ roots as he started at left tackle for LSU in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Jets Host Orlando Franklin On Visit
The Jets hosted guard Orlando Franklin on a visit Tuesday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Franklin has been looking for work ever since being released by the Chargers in May. 
Franklin met with the Jaguars earlier this offseason, but he hasn’t gotten a ton of bites in general. The Dolphins, who have a clear need for help on the interior line, aren’t interested for one reason or another.
Franklin, 29, came to the Chargers as a free agent prior to the 2015 season, but he did not live up to his five-year, $35.5MM contract. He played in all 16 games last season – something he didn’t do in 2015 – but he also graded out as one of the seven worst qualified guards in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Jets probably can’t offer Franklin an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, but they are a team in need of depth along the offensive line. Franklin would have a good chance of making the Jets’ final cut and he could get opportunities to showcase himself for a more lucrative contract next offseason.
Andrew Hawkins Retires From NFL
Andrew Hawkins is walking away from football. The wide receiver announced that he will retire rather than continuing with the Patriots this offseason (Twitter link). 
Hawkins signed a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal with New England this offseason, but he was facing long odds of making the final cut. Brandin Cooks, Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, and Malcolm Mitchell are already locks to make the roster and the Patriots also have to have a sixth WR spot saved for special-teams ace Matt Slater. Hawkins reportedly passed up more lucrative opportunities with other clubs because New England was his top choice, but he’s opting not to circle back to those teams. Hawkins’ retirement leaves the Patriots with 88 players on their 90-man roster.
Until signing with the Pats, the 31-year-old had spent his entire career in the AFC North. After playing for the Bengals from 2011-2013, he hooked on with the Browns as a free agent prior to the 2014 season. Hawkins was initially a focal part of the offense in Cleveland, racking up 63 catches for 824 yards and two scores in his first season there. After that, however, his role shrank. In 2016, he recorded 33 catches for 324 yards and three scores.
Hawkins recently finished his MBA and he has always been comfortable being on camera. There will be plenty for Hawkins to do now that his playing career is through and he won’t necessarily be confined to football.
Latest On Lucky Whitehead
What a strange week it has been for Lucky Whitehead. First, an arrest warrant was issued for the wide receiver when he failed to appear at the arraignment for a previously unknown shoplifting charge. Hours later, the Cowboys decided to release him. Today, agent Dave Rich says that all charges have been dropped against his client and the warrant has been rescinded (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). According to Rich, the cops had the wrong guy. 
The good news Whitehead is now clear of any serious legal trouble. The bad news is that Whitehead’s name has been sullied by a bogus accusation and he may or may not be out of a job.
Apparently, the Cowboys did not file the paperwork on Whitehead in time to make his release official for Monday (Twitter link). If they still go through with releasing him, teams will have the opportunity to claim him on Wednesday afternoon. If they opt to retain Whitehead in light of today’s news, they’ll have to first mend a bridge with a player who may be harboring some bad feelings against the team.
Whitehead also has a bone to pick with the Prince William County Police Department. In a statement from Sergeant Jonathan L. Perok (link), the department says that they cuffed a man for petit larceny who provided Whitehead’s date of birth and social security number, but did not produce identification. The cops crosschecked the info with Whitehead’s DMV photo and decided to take the man at his word.
The Cowboys probably moved to quickly dump Whitehead because of the other headaches they are also dealing with. The team is still waiting for a ruling on the league’s Ezekiel Elliott investigation while linebacker Damien Wilson deals with the fallout from his 4th of July blowup.
Broncos Bring Gary Kubiak Back
The Broncos are bringing back Gary Kubiak. The former head coach will join the organization as a senior personnel executive where he will essentially fill a scouting role, a source tells Mike Klis of 9News. 
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Kubiak stepped down as Broncos coach in January due to health concerns. His new role with the team should allow him to work a much leaner schedule while staying close to his family. He’ll be based near his home in Houston, Texas with only occasional visits to Broncos headquarters. He’ll be tasked with scouting college players for the draft and also pitch in for free agent evaluations.
Kubiak took over as Broncos coach in 2015 and guided the team to victory in Super Bowl 50. In his two years in charge, Kubiak’s Broncos posted a combined 21-11 record in the regular season. As an NFL head coach, Kubiak left the sidelines with an 82-75 regular season record and a 5-2 postseason mark, including his one Super Bowl win.