Andrew Luck Updates: Wednesday
After many months of bad news on the Andrew Luck front, the Colts’ centerpiece player has been making significant progress this week. A day after throwing lighter footballs at Colts minicamp, Luck was tossing the standard NFL football.
Luck began his Wednesday workout with the high school-sized footballs, but Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star tweets he progressed to the elusive NFL ball upon working with pass-catchers. This step came in the routes-vs.-air portion of the practice, Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star notes. He adds Luck took about 15 or 20 throws with the NFL ball, and the tosses weren’t showing a drastic lack of zip compared to his pre-shoulder surgery form.
Luck will take Thursday off, per Keefer, but will continue to ramp up his throwing regimen in the six weeks between minicamp and training camp.
While these would be unremarkable developments in most injury-rehab cases, they aren’t for Luck, who had not thrown an NFL-sized football at a workout since last season. Luck admitted he tried to come back too soon last fall, leading to an IR placement and a lost 2017 season. He may be working toward being on the field when the Colts debut this season.
It’d been a slow process after that setback. Luck had not resumed throwing as of OTAs. But he’s now on course to presumably throw regularly at training camp. And the setback watch will intensify considerably at that point. For now, Indianapolis’ quarterback is moving in the right direction again.
Saints’ Terrance West Signing Not Certain?
The Saints’ search for an Alvin Kamara sidekick during Mark Ingram‘s suspension has operated in high gear this week, with several running backs contacted for workouts. But the one they’ve reportedly agreed to sign — Terrance West — may not be New Orleans-bound just yet.
West’s deal is not finalized, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com and The Advocate’s Nick Underhill report (Twitter links). While Triplett notes a deal could come to fruition, it hasn’t yet despite a report of the sides reaching an agreement emerging Wednesday afternoon.
Additionally, Triplett reports Shane Vereen worked out for the Saints on Wednesday. He joins West, Jamaal Charles and Tim Hightower among UFA backs to audition for New Orleans. DeMarco Murray declined to be a part of this process.
Charles also could be a candidate for the Saints, assuming their West accord doesn’t come to fruition. The two-time All-Pro enjoyed a good workout, Herbie Teope of NFL.com tweets, and the injury-prone runner passed his physical. Teope adds a signing didn’t make sense for either side but could be revisited down the road. This would be Charles’ 11th season, should he land with a team.
This is the first known workout Vereen’s participated in since his Giants contract expired after the 2017 season. Vereen’s skill set is somewhat similar to Kamara’s; he’s functioned as a passing-down back in New England and New York. But nevertheless, the 29-year-old has seven years’ experience. However, he only posted 417 yards from scrimmage last season and missed 11 games in 2016.
Tyler Eifert Uncertain For Training Camp
Although Tyler Eifert received medical clearance early in the offseason, the Bengals are holding the recently re-signed tight end out of minicamp this week. And Marvin Lewis isn’t sure if that setup will change once the team reconvenes in late July for training camp.
Lewis said, via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, he doesn’t know if Eifert is going to be back by the time training camp begins. He’s recovering from back surgery after back problems defined a second straight season. Eifert was a limited OTAs participant.
The Bengals’ working out at Paul Brown Stadium could be a factor here. Lewis said the field being redone earlier this month has affected how the team is proceeding with Eifert. It can be expected that Eifert, who re-signed with Cincinnati for $5.5MM on a one-year deal, will return to work at training camp. It’s just not known if the sixth-year tight end will do so from the outset.
“There’s no reason to get him jostled,” Lewis said. “Just ease his way into things. No setback. We’re trying to make sure we manage everything they want him to do.”
Health’s obviously been the defining component in Eifert’s NFL career, and he’s at a career crossroads because of it. The 2015 Pro Bowler has missed 51 percent of the regular-season games during his Bengals run. He missed 14 games last season and eight in 2016.
Latest On Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Beckham Jr.‘s received clearance to work out with the Giants, and the superstar wide receiver has expanded his drill repertoire since OTAs. But Beckham still has a bit of progress to make before being full-go.
The fifth-year wideout is running routes after bypassing that portion of practices at OTAs, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Although Pat Shurmur said Beckham has been cleared for minicamp work, New York’s top weapon is not participating in team drills.
Upon clearing Beckham, the Giants hoped he would be able to participate in some team work this week, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets, but he’s being held out of such activity. Anderson reports Beckham’s preference is to abstain from team reps this week and continue his progression, with the obvious goal to return to 11-on-11 work come training camp. Beckham has reported to the Giants, taking the opposite route of 2014 first-rounders Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack, but the ankle injury that ended his 2017 season will still limit him.
The Giants and Beckham are on the same page regarding this process, Kimberly Jones of NFL.com tweets, adding this course of action has been the plan since April.
“Cleared to practice. Cleared to practice. Let’s not worry about it,” Shurmur said. “He’s cleared to practice, and that’s what he was doing. … He’s out there practicing. If you all wanna count the reps, go ahead. But he was out there practicing. He’s cleared to practice. … I don’t necessarily think it helps anybody to play the word game here.”
Beckham remains in pursuit of a likely landmark extension, which is likely affecting the measured progression here. He’s one of several 2014 draftees in that boat presently.
North Notes: Bengals, Browns, Vikings
Bengals tackle Jake Fisher returned to full participation for the first time in many months. The fourth-year blocker underwent surgery this offseason to correct an irregular heartbeat and was limited during OTAs. On Wednesday, Fisher was present for a full workout at Bengals minicamp, per Laurel Pfahler of ESPN.com. Fisher’s 2017 season ended in early November, but the Bengals remain optimistic he can bounce back and have a productive contract year. Despite the Bengals acquiring Cordy Glenn this offseason, Fisher is nonetheless a decent bet to start. He’s the leading candidate to start opposite Glenn at right tackle.
Here’s the latest from Cincinnati, as well as some other northern cities.
- Bengals rookie quarterback Logan Woodside was arrested for speeding and driving under the influence, cincinnati.com’s Jim Owczarski and Bob Strickley report. This occurred in Kentucky on the morning of June 9. The Bengals confirmed they were aware of the incident. Cincinnati selected Woodside in the seventh round out of Toledo. With A.J. McCarron gone, the job of Bengals backup falls to a competition between Woodside, Matt Barkley and Jeff Driskel.
- Multiple AFC West teams gave Donald Stephenson chances to be a starting right tackle, but he could not maintain the job in Kansas City or Denver. He’s now in Cleveland but was not present for the start of Browns minicamp, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. Stephenson missed a sizable portion of Cleveland’s OTAs, per McManamon, as well and would be in position to incur fines for missing minicamp workouts. Hue Jackson said Wednesday this situation will be explained soon. Stephenson may not have a solidified roster spot, with the Browns having signed Chris Hubbard and drafted Austin Corbett in the second round. Shon Coleman is also in the mix for either the starting left tackle job or a swing role, which could make matters more difficult to stick with his most recent AFC franchise.
- J.W. Johnson, son-in-law of Jimmy Haslam, will now serve as Browns executive vice president, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. Johnson will assume those duties July 1. La Canfora reported last year Johnson was moving into a bigger role with the Browns. Johnson worked at CBS Sports for many years before spending four years at Haslam’s Pilot Flying J company earlier this decade.
- Rookie defensive end Jalyn Holmes suffered a broken hand and is not participating in Vikings minicamp, Mike Zimmer said (via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, on Twitter). Slated to be a backup edge defender behind Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter, the fourth-round pick is expected to be ready for training camp.
Details On Zack Martin’s New Deal
The Cowboys and Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin finalized the terms of his new contract on Wednesday, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. As previously reported, it’s a six-year deal that will keep him in the fold through 2024. The new portion of the contract is worth a whopping $84MM with $40MM guaranteed. 
The new pact makes Martin the new highest-paid guard in the NFL as his $14MM/year tops Andrew Norwell‘s $13.3MM annual average value. Among offensive linemen, only Giants tackle Nate Solder has a higher per year average at $15.5MM. It’s a sign that the guard market is nipping at the heels of the tackle market and also an indication of just how valuable Martin is Dallas’ front five. His total guarantee is also the highest of any guard in the NFL.
Martin’s streak of 64 consecutive starts is the longest active streak by a guard in the entire league. Martin is also one of just four offensive linemen earn Pro Bowl selections in each of their first four NFL seasons since 1970 (Twitter link via ESPN).
The Cowboys have their excellent O-Line locked up for the foreseeable future. Martin is signed through 2024, left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick are under contract through through 2023, and right tackle La’el Collins is signed through 2019.
88% Of NFL Draft Picks Have Signed Their Rookie Contracts
The overwhelming majority of this year’s draft picks have signed their rookie deals, as shown in PFR’s tracker. Of this year’s 256 selections, 226 have inked their first NFL deal. As of Wednesday afternoon, that leaves 30 players – less than 12% of this year’s class – unsigned. Here’s the complete breakdown, round by round:
First Round (17)
- Browns, 1-1: Baker Mayfield, QB (Oklahoma)
- Giants, 1-2: Saquon Barkley, RB (Penn State)
- Jets, 1-3: Sam Darnold, QB (USC)
- Browns, 1-4: Denzel Ward, CB (Ohio State)
- Broncos, 1-5: Bradley Chubb, DE (North Carolina State)
- Bills, 1-7: Josh Allen, QB (Wyoming)
- Bears, 1-8: Roquan Smith, LB (Georgia)
- 49ers, 1-9: Mike McGlinchey, T (Notre Dame)
- Titans, 1-22: Rashaan Evans, LB (Alabama)
- Patriots, 1-23: Isaiah Wynn, T (Georgia)
- Panthers, 1-24: D.J. Moore, WR (Maryland)
- Ravens, 1-25: Hayden Hurst, TE (South Carolina)
- Falcons, 1-26: Calvin Ridley, WR (Alabama)
- Steelers, 1-28: Terrell Edmunds, S (Virginia Tech)
- Jaguars, 1-29: Taven Bryan, DT (Florida)
- Vikings, 1-30: Mike Hughes, CB (UCF)
- Patriots, 1-31: Sony Michel, RB (Georgia)
Second Round (5)
- Colts, 2-36: Darius Leonard, LB (South Carolina State)
- Colts, 2-37: Braden Smith, G (Auburn)
- Buccaneers, 2-38: Ronald Jones, RB (USC)
- Dolphins, 2-42: Mike Gesicki, TE (Penn State)
- 49ers, 2-44: Dante Pettis, WR (Washington)
Third Round (8)
- Giants, 3-69: B.J. Hill, DT (North Carolina State)
- Broncos, 3-71: Royce Freeman, RB (Oregon)
- Redskins, 3-74: Geron Christian, OL (Louisville)
- Chiefs, 3-75: Derrick Nnadi, DT (Florida State)
- Bengals, 3-77: Sam Hubbard, DE (Ohio State)
- Bengals, 3-78: Malik Jefferson, LB (Texas)
- Seahawks, 3-79: Rasheem Green, DE (USC)
- Raiders, 3-87: Arden Key, DE (LSU)
Fourth Round (0)
Fifth Round (1)
- Giants, 5-139: RJ McIntosh, DT (Miami)
Sixth Round (0)
Seventh Round (0)
The Rams signed their entire rookie class late last week, putting a serious dent in the unsigned total since our last check. Still, the first round (17) and third round (8) lead the way in rookie stragglers. That’s to be expected, as first round picks have the leverage needed to negotiate a better position on certain issues such as offset language. Third round negotiations also tend to drag since there is wiggle room when it comes to base salaries.
49ers Sign Rookie Fred Warner
49ers rookie Fred Warner says he has formally signed his contract (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee). With the BYU linebacker officially in the fold, the Niners have only two unsigned draft picks left in first rounder Mike McGlinchey and second rounder Dante Pettis. 
Warner, a 6’3″, 236-pound ‘backer, started all 13 games as a senior and led his team with 87 tackles. Nine of his stops were behind the line and he also notched an interception and five pass breakups. Evaluators believe that his athleticism and fluidity will allow him to occupy something of a hybrid role with reps at both outside linebacker and safety.
Warner figures to be among the first outside linebackers off of the bench behind starters Eli Harold and Reuben Foster this year. He’s one of three notable newcomers to the LB group in San Francisco, along with free agents Korey Toomer and Jerry Attaochu.
The Niners still have some work to do, but they’re hardly alone in that regard. Roughly two-thirds of teams in the NFL still have at least one rookie left to sign, as shown on PFR’s tracker.
NFC Notes: Rams, D. Johnson, Vikings
The Rams hope the chemistry of their new-look defensive will be explosive in the right way, Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today writes. There’s definitely big potential in L.A., but some outsiders aren’t convinced that new additions like cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will gel with the team.
“That’s what keeps you young, coaching-wise, is new challenges, and new players, new players that you get to work with. And when you get to work with great players? That’s really fun,” defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said.
Last year, the Rams were roughly in the middle of the pack in terms of points and passing yards allowed per game while allowing the fifth-most rushing yards per contest. Talib believes that the Rams’ D will improve across the board – especially against the pass.
“I’ve been in some great, great secondaries, but top to bottom, with depth, this is probably the best one I’ve played in,” Talib said. “The sky’s the limit, we just have to be on our stuff. Be in meetings on time, get sleep at night. The talent is there, you just have to do the extra stuff.”
Here’s more from the NFC:
- David Johnson‘s decision to holdout from the Cardinals is a good call, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. Although new 49ers running back Jerick McKinnon proved to be an exception this offseason, RBs typically do not garner big money in free agency, so Johnson’s best bet for a big contract is to land one as soon as possible with the Cardinals. Fitzgerald expects Johnson’s camp to push for a deal similar to Devonta Freeman‘s $8.25MM/year pact with the Falcons, given that Johnson is also a former mid-round pick and had a better 2016 than Freeman. However, Freeman is the younger player and has had a more consistent career overall. Ultimately, Fitzgerald expects to see a deal that works out for both sides.
- Running back Latavius Murray says he never gave any consideration to leaving the Vikings after they requested his salary be cut from $5.15MM to $3.65MM for 2018 (via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press). Even though he might go back to a reserve role, he wanted to stay with a winner. “The most important thing apart from my family and those things that I believe in is winning. So, that’s how I made my decision,” Murray said. “We had been talking throughout the offseason. It didn’t get to the point (that I considered leaving Minnesota), and thankfully I didn’t have to.”
DeMarco Murray Declines Saints Workout
The Saints reached out to running DeMarco Murray to bring him to New Orleans for a Wednesday workout, but he declined, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Apparently, Murray did not want to work out as a part of a large group of running backs. 
Schefter hears that Murray is still very much intent on playing and believes that he can be a significant contributor in 2018, but he is also waiting for the right opportunity. The right opportunity, apparently, was not an audition with the Saints on the same week as Tim Hightower, Jamaal Charles, and Terrance West.
The Titans kicked Murray to the curb in March and he has not found a new NFL home despite meeting with the Lions, Seahawks, and Dolphins since his release. Murray, 30, is coming off of a down season in which he amassed just 659 yards and averaged 3.6 yards per carry. On a per-tote basis, it matched the career low he set in his lone season with the Eagles. He did have 39 catches for 266 yards, however, and may be capable of getting back to his old form with a new team. Murray ultimately graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 40 running back in the league.
The Saints, who will be without Mark Ingram for the first four games of the season, are exploring veteran additions to support top rusher Alvin Kamara.