NFC East Notes: Redskins, Pryor, Eagles
Will free agent addition Terrelle Pryor wind up being the Redskins‘ leading receiver in 2017? JP Finlay and Rich Tandler of CSN Mid-Atlantic put the question up for debate. Pryor’s 55% catch rate last year wasn’t great, but Finlay argues that he couldn’t have done much better given the quarterbacks he had throwing to him. If Pryor was able to haul in 77 receptions for 1,007 yards with a rotating cast of unimpressive QBs, then he could put up even bigger numbers with Kirk Cousins throwing to him. On the flipside, Tandler notes that wide receiver Jamison Crowder and tight end Jordan Reed both figure to be targeted more than Pryor, giving the Ohio State product long odds of being the team’s top pass catcher.
Here’s more out of the NFC East:
- Eagles running back LeGarrette Blount can earn $50K if he weighs in between 240-245 pounds on the team’s reporting date for training camp, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Blount’s one-year deal calls for $1.25MM in base pay, but he can earn a total of $2.8MM through incentives, including the summer weigh-in. Blount is coming off one of his best seasons, having achieved career highs in carries (299), yards (1,161), and touchdowns (an NFL-leading 18).
- If a deal does not get done between the Redskins and Kirk Cousins, don’t be shocked if Washington leaks the last offer rejected by the quarterback, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. It’s likely that the final offer will sound impressive in comparison to what Cousins has accomplished so far on the field, so the Redskins can win some fan sympathy by giving a selective peek behind the curtain. An extension is currently viewed as a longshot and Cousins might be fundamentally unhappy with the team.
- Could the Giants consider free agent cornerback Darrelle Revis? It would make for an excellent story, but James Kratch of NJ.com writes that it doesn’t make sense for the G-Men financially. Revis can collect his $6MM salary from the Jets by sitting on the couch and some have speculated that he would want $8MM from a team in order to actually play this year. Not only is that an unreasonable asking price for Revis at this stage of his career, but the Giants couldn’t fit that salary under the cap even if they wanted to make it happen.
- Alterraun Verner, on the other hand, would be a more realistic option for the Giants, Kratch writes. Verner was apparently out of shape when he auditioned for the Jaguars in May, but he’d be an interesting slot option if he is now ready to play football. The Giants have a great slot corner in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but they don’t have a Plan B in the event of an injury.
Zach Orr Considering Comeback
Linebacker Zach Orr retired from football in January due to a congenital spinal condition. Surprisingly, the former Ravens standout says that he is now thinking about a return to football. 
“I had my mind made up. I was like man, the doctors told me I was done,” Orr said on NFL Network Wednesday morning. “This is a serious issue. So I’m going to leave it alone. But I just kept hearing that from multiple people and some were telling me to just go check out and seek out some more opinions and things like that and come to find out my condition, it is rare — .01 percent of the people have what I have — but there’s no actual evidence or facts that I’m at a higher risk than any other player. And it’s actually been documented that a college player who had the exact same thing that I have that returned to play with no problems.”
The Ravens had the option of controlling Orr through 2017, but they did not use the restricted free agent tender on him before the window expired. The 25-year-old is now a free agent and he could be an interesting option for teams if he is in fact healthy enough to play.
People from the Ravens organization have been in touch with Orr, Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. They love him as a player and as a person, but they seriously doubt their doctors would pass him on a physical. It’s possible that other teams will have similar reservations about Orr, despite his optimism about playing.
Orr’s condition, which affects less than 1% of people, was thought to be serious enough to end his career. Initially, doctors told Orr that he was at risk of death or paralysis by playing with the condition. However, other doctors have since given him the green light to play. Those experts said their only concern would be if Orr played with herniated discs. Fortunately, the herniated discs he suffered last season have corrected themselves.
The former undrafted free agent became a starter for the first time in his career in 2016. As the replacement for Daryl Smith, Orr appeared in 15 games and played the most defensive snaps of any Baltimore ‘backer. All in all, Orr recorded 89 tackles, three interceptions, and five passes defensed.
NFL Held Michael Floyd Hearing Last Week
Although Michael Floyd escaped a failed alcohol test with only a single-day jail sentence, the new Vikings wide receiver isn’t likely to get off so easy in terms of NFL punishment. The league held a hearing on Floyd’s conduct last week, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, and he’ll face a minimum two-game suspension.
However, Floyd’s league-mandated ban could far exceed the minimum length, reports Florio. For one, Floyd plead guilty to extreme DUI, meaning the NFL could hand down an even harsher penalty, as NFL policy allows lengthier bans when a blood alcohol content is above .15% (Floyd’s was at .217).
Additionally, Floyd’s probation violation could theoretically be considered a second offense, which would put him in line for further punishment. If the league takes such an approach, Floyd could be suspended for eight games (although Florio doesn’t expect that to be outcome).
Cowboys Sign Rookie CB Jourdan Lewis
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with third-round cornerback Jourdan Lewis, and as such, wrapped up their 2017 draft class, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
Lewis, a Michigan product, was the No. 92 overall selection earlier this year, and was one of three cornerbacks drafted by the Cowboys in 2017. Dallas lost several members of its secondary, including starting corners Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, to free agency, so Lewis should be able to garner playing time immediately. Per Archer, Lewis will start out seeing action in sub packages.
Here’s an overview of the Cowboys’ draft class:
- 1-28: Taco Charlton, DE (Michigan)
- 2-60: Chidobe Awuzie, CB (Colorado)
- 3-92: Jourdan Lewis, CB (Michigan)
- 4-133: Ryan Switzer, WR (North Carolina)
- 6-191: Xavier Woods, S (Louisiana Tech)
- 6-216: Marquez White, CB (Florida State)
- 7-228: Joey Ivie, DT (Florida)
- 7-239: Noah Brown, WR (Ohio State)
- 7-246: Jordan Carrell, DE (Colorado)
Extra Points: Chiefs, Bengals, Saints, Rams
The Chiefs will interview Seahawks executive Scott Fitterer for their general manager position either today or early Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Fitterer, Seattle’s co-director of player personnel, is one of six candidates linked to the Kansas City vacancy (a total that includes the Vikings’ George Paton, who declined an interview). Earlier this year, Fitterer was an initial candidate for the 49ers’ GM job, but ultimately was not asked back for a second interview. Another candidate for the Chiefs gig — Tennessee staffer Ryan Cowden — will meet with Kansas City tomorrow, as Rapoport indicated earlier today.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Bengals told current Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby that he’d be their pick at No. 24 in the 2014 draft, but that changed after Roby was charged with OVI, as Roby explains to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. Cincinnati instead chose Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard, a choice that — at least through three seasons — was clearly the incorrect choice. While Roby has played well as Denver’s third corner after being selected 31st overall in ’14, Dennard has struggled to get on the field in the Queen City. A fitting conclusion to the tale? Vance Joseph, now the Broncos head coach, was the Bengals defensive backs coach in 2014 who promised Roby he wouldn’t fall past pick No. 24.
- Although Saints coaches are high on second-year defensive tackle David Onyemata, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to fill the hole vacated by the loss of veteran Nick Fairley, as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes. New Orleans placed Fairley on the non-football injury list Monday after doctors ruled a heart condition wouldn’t allow him to play in 2017. Onyemata, a fourt-round pick last year out of Manitoba, played on slightly more than a third of the Saints’ defensive snaps during his rookie campaign and posted 18 total tackles. Earlier today, I ran down a list of external options New Orleans could consider to help replace Fairley’s production.
- Connor Barwin is not only playing a 3-4 scheme once again, but will see his second go-round under the tutelage of new Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, per Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times. Barwin, who signed a one-year, $3.5MM with Los Angeles this spring, struggled in Philadelphia’s 4-3 defense last season (bottom-10 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus), but he’s excited about the shift back to a 3-4. “There’s certain things I can do and I can take advantage of that you can’t necessarily do being down in an even front every single play,” said Barwin. “This is really where I want to be playing, the system I want to be in and where I’m going to have the most success.”
AFC East Rumors: Patriots, Dolphins, Jets
If Tom Brady continues his run of success in his age-39 campaign, the Patriots will likely be forced to use the franchise tag on backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in 2018, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. New England would probably deploy the tag with the intention trading Garoppolo, but dealing away the talented reserve signal-caller would depend on a number of factors, per Reiss. Aside from Brady’s excellent play and his intention to play for several more seasons, the Patriots would need to feel secure with current third-stringer Jacoby Brissett. The 23-year-old Brissett posted a record of 1-1 last season while completing 28 of 46 passes for more than 300 yards, and while he didn’t throw any touchdowns, he did score on the ground.
Let’s take a look at more from the AFC East:
- Given that he was coming off an Achilles injury, the Dolphins attempted to limit defensive end Cameron Wake‘s snaps at the beginning of the 2016 season, but head coach Adam Gase now admits that strategy was an oversight. “I made a mistake. I should have been playing him more early,” Gase tells Adam Walker of ESPN.com. “We were trying to think long term. … We thought we were being smart and it backfired on us. What we should have done was just let him play.” Wake, 35, ended up playing on roughly half of Miami’s snaps, compiling 11.5 sacks and grading as the league’s No. 10 edge defender, according to Pro Football Focus. In February, Wake agreed to an extension that will keep him with the Dolphins through 2018.
- Although the Patriots handed him a $100K base salary guarantee and a $15K signing bonus, Harvey Langi might have trouble earning a spot on New England’s roster given the club’s depth at linebacker, as Phil Perry of CSNNE.com details in his latest Patriots roster projection. Langi was a highly-touted undrafted free agent out of BYU, but New England’s recent addition of veteran David Harris could throw his status into flux. The Pats could attempt to pass him through waivers to the practice squad, but another team could be ready to pounce with a claim.
- The Jets have promoted director of pro personnel Matt Bazirgan to college scouting director, sources tell Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. He replaces Rex Hogan, who left New York last month to become the Colts’ co-director of player personnel. Bazirgan had been working as Gang Green’s pro personnel director since 2015, and had worked as an area scout prior to that. A Jets staffer since 2004, Bazirgan has worked under four different New York general managers.
How The Saints Can Replace Nick Fairley
The Saints officially placed defensive tackle Nick Fairley on the non-football injury list on Monday, ending Fairley’s 2017 season before it began and casting doubt on the future of his career. New Orleans already added one potential reinforcement earlier this month, agreeing to terms with veteran Tony McDaniel, but the club could still pursue more help on the interior.
Let’s take a look at the possible solutions for the Saints, beginning with players that could potentially be acquired via trade:
Trade options
Arik Armstead, 49ers — Now that the 49ers have made several additions to their defensive line, Armstead — the 17th overall selection just two years ago — could become expendable. Free agent signee Earl Mitchell is projected to start at defensive tackle alongside 2016 first-rounder DeForest Buckner, but a trade of Armstead could allow Buckner to see more snaps on the edge opposite Solomon Thomas. Dealing Armstead could also allow San Francisco to get Aaron Lynch more playing time at end. At 6’7″, 292 pounds, Armstead has the size to play the interior in the Saints’ 4-3 scheme.
Desmond Bryant, Browns — Bryant doesn’t fit in with a Browns team that is going young, and he’s entering the final year of his contract. He’s eminently affordable (he’d cost the Saints just $3MM), and, like others on this list, has the ability to play on the edge and inside. Bryant’s health is a question mark, as he missed the entire 2016 campaign with a torn pectoral, but he returned to Cleveland’s practice field last month. It’s possible the Browns release Bryant later this summer, so New Orleans wouldn’t even have to sacrifice a pick.
Vinny Curry, Eagles — Curry may be the unlikeliest trade candidate listed here, especially given that he just signed a five-year, $46.25MM extension last February. But the Eagles haven’t been afraid to deal recently-signed players in the past (see: Sam Bradford), and trading Curry would allow Philadelphia to part with his $7MM guaranteed base salary. Listed as a defensive end, Curry is an excellent pass rusher from the interior, but the snaps haven’t been there with the Eagles (43% in 2016). With Chris Long now in tow, Curry could struggle to find consistent playing time again next season.
Carl Davis, Ravens — Heading into the 2015 draft, Davis was considered a potential first- or second-round selection, but the Ravens ended up picking him up in the third round. After struggling through 239 defensive snaps during his rookie campaign, Davis missed all of 2016 with an ankle injury. He’s now third on the depth chart at nose tackle behind Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce, meaning he could be superfluous. Only 25 years old, Davis is signed through 2018 at palatable rates.
Steve McLendon, Jets — Gang Green has already unloaded several notable veterans this offseason, and a rebuilding club like the Jets doesn’t particularly need to employ a run-stuffing defensive tackle earning nearly $3MM like McLendon. The 31-year-old McLendon played on roughly a third of New York’s defensive snaps a year ago, and that’s the type of reserve role he’d likely play for the Saints. A player-for-player trade could be a possibility here, as the Jets were the free agent runners-up for running back Travaris Cadet, whom New Orleans is now shopping.
Sheldon Richardson, Jets — I’ve banged the drum for a Richardson-to-New Orleans trade in the past, but had previously considered the former first-round pick as an ideal complement to Cameron Jordan at defensive end. The Saints didn’t do much to address their edge rushing problem, with free agent Alex Okafor and third-round selection Trey Hendrickson comprising most of the team’s attempted improvement. Richardson, then, would make a perfect candidate to play end in base packages before becoming an interior rusher on passing downs.
Free agents
Arthur Jones — Jones, who will turn 31 years old later this week, managed to appear in only 17 games through three seasons after signing a five-year deal with the Colts prior to the 2014 season. While he’s typically served as a two-gapping, 3-4 defensive end throughout his career, Jones has the size (6’3″, 315 pounds) to play tackle for the Saints. Clearly, Jones has question marks, including severe health issues and a 2016 PED suspension, but those factors should make him come cheap.
Jared Odrick — While a number of clubs have expressed interest in Odrick this offseason, he hadn’t been on the Saints’ radar as of yet. That could change now that Fairley is lost for 2017, and Odrick offers a recent track record of success. Although his Jaguars tenure was not successful, Odrick was a high-caliber player for the Dolphins as recently as 2014. Additionally, Odrick still has youth on his side, as he’s entering just his age-29 season.
Vince Wilfork — As of earlier this month, Wilfork still hasn’t decided whether he wants to hang up his cleats, as he claims he’s “50-50” on the idea of retirement. At age-35, Wilfork wasn’t very effective last season, but the Texans may have been asking too much of him, as he played on roughly half the club’s defensive snaps. Perhaps he could still play a role for New Orleans if his workload was reduced, although Wilfork may wait to sign in order to avoid another training camp.
Dan Williams — Among available free agents, Williams earned the highest 2016 marks from Pro Football Focus, as he graded as the No. 44 interior lineman among 127 qualifiers. Although the 6’3″, 330 pound Williams is viewed as a massive space-eater, PFF actually assigned him much higher marks for his pass rushing acumen than his run defense. As such, Williams could possibly push the pocket a bit, but his main goal would still be to clog the middle.
I recently ran down the best available players at each defensive position. Other free agents of interest could include: Tyson Jackson, Tony Jerod-Eddie, Sen’Derrick Marks, Roy Miller, Devon Still, and Vance Walker.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/27/17
Today’s minor moves:
- The Bengals have signed guard Cameron Lee, the club announced today. Lee went undrafted earlier this year out of Illinois State after playing in 39 games during his collegiate career. After originally signing with the Saints as a UDFA, Lee was waived earlier this month. He’ll compete with Christian Westerman, T.J. Johnson, J.J. Dielman, and Trey Hopkins for playing time as an interior reserve.
NFC West Notes: Cardinals, Palmer, Rams
Here’s a look at the NFC West:
- Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer won’t put a timetable on his retirement. “I love every facet of it,” Palmer told the team’s website. “I don’t want to stop. But I’ll have to wait and make that decision after the season. … There’s always urgency, especially as you get to the second half of your career. You just never know when your last year is going to be.” For now, all Palmer knows is that he is returning in 2017 to serve as Arizona’s starting QB. Last year, the veteran threw for 4,233 yards with 26 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Pro Football Focus had Palmer rated as the No. 17 QB in the NFL – not his best showing, bu tit still put him ahead of guys like Cam Newton, Philip Rivers, and Carson Wentz.
- This is a make-or-break year for Trumaine Johnson, Vincent Bonsignore of the Daily News writes. The Rams cornerback is betting on himself, it seems, since he and the Rams are far apart in contract negotiations. If Johnson can turn in a monster year, he’ll get a monster contract to match next spring, whether it comes from L.A. or somewhere else. If not, Johnson may regret turning down whatever multi-year deal is being offered to him at this time. Bonsignore seems to think that Johnson will respond well to the pressure since he’ll be motivated to maximize his value.
- Dan Graziano of ESPN.com ran down the next quarterbacks to get big money deals following Derek Carr‘s brand new pact. Seahawks signal caller Russell Wilson is among those listed, even though his deal runs through 2019. In two summers, however, Wilson could find himself in talks on a deal that could give him an even longer extension than Aaron Rodgers. Wilson will turn 31 in ’19.
Cowboys Audition QB Seth Russell
The Cowboys continue to look at outside quarterback options. On Tuesday, the team auditioned Baylor product Seth Russell, according to David Smoak of ESPN Central Texas (Twitter link).
“The workout went really, really well,” Russell said. “Scouts said they were going to send the film to the coaches and then they would let me know in 2-4 weeks, maybe sooner. They said I looked a lot stronger and had more zip on the ball. Legs looked really good and athletic.”
Russell was not drafted this year and he was not able to make the Raiders’ 90-man roster after participating in their rookie minicamp in May. However, the local kid’s skillset might still appeal to Dallas coaches. From his perspective, it sounds like he has a chance of getting signed.
The Cowboys have been searching for QBs to give them additional support after Dak Prescott and Kellen Moore. Right now, UDFA Cooper Rush and Zac Dysert occupy spots on the 90-man roster, but one of those two players could theoretically get bumped for Russell.