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Month: June 2018

Extra Points: XFL, Luck, Kaepernick

By | at June 7, 2018 3:42 pm

This week, Vince McMahon’s XFL appointed Oliver Luck as its new commissioner and CEO.

“The XFL will be a labor of love as I get to combine my experiences as a player and executive,” Luck told ESPN.com in an email. “I’m thrilled to have this unique opportunity to reimagine the game that has been a constant in my life for 40 years.”

Luck, the father of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, will relocate to Connecticut as he gears up for the league’s launch in 2020. That also means leaving behind his previous job with the NCAA, in which he oversaw eligibility requirements and academic affairs.

“I always felt there was an opportunity for another pro league as long as it had the key ingredients, and I found all those ingredients present in the new XFL,” Luck said. “There was the leadership and vision from Vince [McMahon] who is a tremendous entrepreneur with a solid track record and there is a potential to have good quality football if it is well capitalized, which of course it is.”

Here’s more from around the world of football:

33 comments XFL

This Date In Transactions History: Issac Bruce

By | at June 7, 2018 3:24 pm

On this date in 2010, the 49ers traded Issac Bruce to the Rams. However, this wasn’t a typical trade. The deal was facilitated in order to allow Bruce, then 37, to retire with his original franchise. 

Bruce started his career with the Rams in 1994, the team’s final season in Los Angeles. The second-round pick played sparingly as a rookie, but he broke out as an NFL sophomore in St. Louis with 119 catches, 1,781 yards, and 13 touchdowns, all of which went down as his career bests. In his 14 illustrious years with the Rams, Bruce amassed four Pro Bowl trips and eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in eight different seasons.

“Sixteen years was enough for me,” Bruce said at his farewell press conference. “I think a lot was done. But that second training camp practice (in two-a-days) may have played a part in it. I was ready to move on and do something else other than playing football.”

After so many productive seasons in the NFL, Bruce had little left to prove. Bruce was the leading wide receiver in the Rams’ “Greatest Show On Turf” Super Bowl-winning season and left the team as its all-time receiving leader with 14,109 yards. His second act with the Niners was not quite as flashy with 835 yards in his first SF season and 264 yards in his 2009 finale.

“The two years I was away, I kept tabs on this organization,” Bruce said. “I played against this organization, I played against its players. The funny thing is I found myself encouraging them when things didn’t look bright for them. I looked down and saw myself in a different colored uniform. It was honestly just to me personally — it just wasn’t right.”

So, with the trade, Bruce returned back to the Rams and became the last member of the Rams’ first Los Angeles run to hang ’em up. Later, his No. 80 jersey was retired by the team.

Bruce was denied entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second time in 2018, but he remains a likely candidate for induction down the road.

4 comments Los Angeles Rams PFR Originals San Francisco 49ers This Date In Transactions History

Browns, Duke Johnson Agree To Extension

By | at June 7, 2018 3:00 pm

The Browns and running back Duke Johnson have agreed to terms on a long-term contract extension, sources tell Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a three-year addition worth $15.6MM, including $7.7MM guaranteed. 

With nearly $70MM in cap space, it wasn’t difficult for the Browns to make room for Johnson’s deal. The two sides have been in talks throughout the offseason and a pact came together well in advance of the team’s mandatory minicamp.

If the deal were to start this year, Johnson would be ninth amongst all NFL running backs in terms of annual average value. When the pact kicks in next year, Johnson will probably be just outside of the top ten at his position.

Johnson, 25 in November, has averaged 4.2 yards per carry in his three NFL seasons while playing largely in a backup capacity. In 2017, the Browns often utilized him as a pass-catcher and the results were tremendous. Johnson set new career highs in catches (74) and receiving yards (693) and was a bright spot in an otherwise frustrating season for Cleveland. This year, he’ll serve as the Browns No. 2 ball carrier behind free agent addition Carlos Hyde.

Johnson was initially set to enter the final year of his rookie deal with a modest $2.084MM cap number. He has now received a significant pay bump.

In addition to Hyde and Johnson, the Browns further bolstered the running back group by drafting former Georgia standout Nick Chubb in the second round of last month’s draft.

5 comments Cleveland Browns Newsstand Transactions

Latest On Eagles, Brandon Graham

By | at June 7, 2018 1:43 pm

Back in February, Eagles linebacker/defensive end Brandon Graham said he was pushing for an extension on his contract. Now on the cusp of his walk year, Graham says he is willing to play out the final year of his deal (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). 

In 2017, Graham racked up a career high 9.5 sacks to go along with 47 total tackles. He also graded out as the eighth-best edge defender in the NFL with a 91.6 overall score from Pro Football Focus, nearly matching his 93.9 grade from 2016. Presumably, Graham is looking for a contract that will reflect his performance as one of the league’s top defensive ends.

Last year, the Eagles rewarded Graham with an extra $1.5MM in incentives for the final two years of his deal as a showing of good faith. His next deal will probably require a more substantial bump. Graham’s $8MM cap number for 2018, which ranks just 15th amongst 4-3 DEs in the NFL.

After dealing with a serious cap crunch this offseason, the Eagles will be wary of overextending themselves on a new deal for Graham. At the same time, they’ll run the risk of Graham pricing himself out of their range if he turns in another excellent season. In March, the Eagles watched defensive end Vinny Curry sign a three-year, $23MM free agent deal with the Bucs. Though Curry is a solid player in his own right, Graham stands to command considerably higher offers if he reaches the open market.

3 comments Philadelphia Eagles

Latest On Patriots QB Tom Brady

By | at June 7, 2018 1:28 pm

On Thursday, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady spoke to the press about his relationship with the team and his absence from OTAs. Though he was reluctant to delve deep into his absence from voluntary OTAs, Brady did say that his relationship with the club continues to be in a good place (video link via Ben Volin of The Boston Globe). 

[RELATED: Julian Edelman Suspended By NFL]

Brady reiterated that he was away from the club for “personal reasons.” When asked if those personal reasons include friction with coach Bill Belichick, Brady claimed there are no issues on that front, despite all of the rumors to the contrary.

“Not at all,” Brady said. “[Our relationship] is great, we’ve always had a great relationship. I’ve been here for a long time and I love this team, I love this organization, and I love playing quarterback for him. I loved it last year and I’m having a lot of fun now, so that’s obviously what’s most important to me.”

Meanwhile, Brady was non-committal when asked whether he’ll take part in the Patriots’ next set of OTAs. It’s safe to assume that Brady will be on hand for mandatory minicamp later this summer, though he could be putting pressure on the team to revise his contract between now and then.

Last year, Brady led the league with 4,577 passing yards and completed 66.3% of his throws. The Pats went 13-3 in the regular season under Brady’s command and defeated a tough Jaguars team in the AFC title game before falling short against the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

2 comments New England Patriots

NFL Suspends Patriots WR Julian Edelman

By | at June 7, 2018 12:48 pm

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing substances policy, league sources tell Field Yates and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The suspension is now under appeal. 

Edelman, 32, missed all of the 2017 season with a torn ACL. Barring a successful appeal, he’ll have to wait a bit longer to make his return to the field.

Winning an appeal for a PED suspension is tough, but it’s not unprecedented. In 2012, cornerback Richard Sherman made his case and had his four-game ban overturned.

Over the past four seasons, Edelman has averaged 133 targets, 89 receptions, 956 yards, and five touchdowns per year. He was a major part of the Super Bowl-winning squad in 2016, hauling in 98 catches for a career-high 1,106 yards. He was also a force in the postseason, collecting another 21 catches for 342 yards and one touchdown during the Patriots’ three-game run.

The good news for the Patriots is they have a number of options at wide receiver beyond Edelman. The team figures to lean on Chris Hogan, Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, and Phillip Dorsett more heavily to start the year while return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson could also see some snaps on offense. Edelman’s ban could improve the odds of others such as sixth-round pick Braxton Berrios, Malcolm Mitchell, and Riley McCarron as they push to make the final cut. Still, this is a definite setback for the Patriots, who already saw Danny Amendola sign with the rival Dolphins.

Edelman is under contract with the club for one more year, per the terms of the two-year, $11MM extension he signed in 2017. If the suspension holds up, he’ll lose out on more than $470K in base pay while missing games against the Texans, Jaguars, Lions, and Dolphins.

25 comments New England Patriots Newsstand

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Owens, Giants

By | at June 7, 2018 12:32 pm

Terrell Owens will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, but he announced on Thursday that he won’t be attending his own induction ceremony. Not one to follow convention, Owens also insists that he can still play in the NFL at the age of 44. In an appearance on FS1, Owens said that he could be a contributor for the Cowboys this year, if called upon.

“Yeah,” Owens said when asked if he could catch 30-40 passes for Dallas (transcription via the Dallas News). “And put them in a situation to get into the playoffs and the opportunity to win a championship? Absolutely.”

Ten years ago, the Cowboys rewarded Owens with a four-year, $34MM extension. It’s unlikely that Dallas will give him a call this offseason, though questions persist about their wide receiver group following the departure of Dez Bryant.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • The Redskins‘ wide receiver is very fluid behind starters Josh Doctson, Jamison Crowder, and Paul Richardson, as Rich Tandler of NBC Sports Washington writes. Maurice Harris, rookie Trey Quinn, Robert Davis, or Brian Quick could end up as the team’s No. 4 receiver and none of them are assured a place on the final 53-man roster. The Redskins are expected to keep six wide receivers in total, so at least one of those players will miss the cut on Sept. 1.
  • There’s a chance the Redskins will employ a fullback this season, coach Jay Gruden says (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com). So far in practice, Elijah Wellman has been operating as the team’s top FB. Niles Paul previously saw reps at fullback, but he is now with the Jaguars.
  • The Giants have hired Mark Koncz as their director of player personnel, a source tells Darin Gantt of PFT. Koncz, who previously served as the pro personnel director in Carolina under Dave Gettleman, was hired on a temporary basis earlier this year. Now, he has a permanent role in the front office.
7 comments Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Washington Commanders

Team Facebook/Twitter/RSS

By | at June 7, 2018 11:29 am

By now, you probably know that you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, or via an RSS reader to ensure that you receive all of our updates, 365 days a year. If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, PFR has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

1 comment Uncategorized

Latest On Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

By | at June 7, 2018 10:26 am

Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has yet to show for OTAs, but his absence is apparently not related to his contract. Clinton-Dix has been away from the team due to personal reasons, Jason Wilde of ESPN Wisconsin reports (on Twitter), and he will be with the team during the mandatory minicamp. 

At first, it seemed that Clinton-Dix might have been angling for a better deal. The 2016 Pro Bowler is entering his walk year and is slated to earn $5.96MM. After playing out the fifth-year option season, he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency.

Clinton-Dix has yet to miss a game in his four-year career, and has started every game in each of the last three seasons. He enjoyed his best season in 2016, when he earned Second Team All-Pro honors after snagging a team-best five interceptions. Though he logged three picks in 2017, the Packers also allowed the fourth-most passing touchdowns and ranked in the bottom ten in passing yards allowed.

Last year, Clinton-Dix graded out as the No. 40 ranked safety in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. His 79.1 overall score put him ahead of notables such as George Iloka, Bradley McDougald, Malik Hooker, and Morgan Burnett. Though it was a decent year, the advanced metrics indicate that he had better efforts in 2015 and ’16.

Dix will return as the Packers’ starting free safety this year with 2017 second-round pick Josh Jones at strong safety. They’ll be flanked first-round cornerback Jaire Alexander and free agent addition Tramon Williams.

0 comments Green Bay Packers

North Rumors: Steelers, Vikings, Browns

By | at June 6, 2018 9:36 pm

Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier will not play in 2018 after suffering a devastating spinal injury in 2017, but he today reiterated his desire to resume his career at some point, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). Meeting with the media for the first time since his injury, Shazier took an optimistic tone, but it’s unclear if he’ll ever realistically have the chance to step on the field as a player again. Pittsburgh has already placed him on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he’s now ineligible to play during the upcoming campaign. In something of a goodwill gesture, the Steelers also converted the majority of Shazier’s 2018 base salary into a signing bonus, allowing the former first-round pick to collect his entire paycheck immediately.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • The Vikings have lost undrafted free agent edge rusher Hercules Mata’afa for the season after he suffered a torn ACL today, reports Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (Twitter link). While he ultimately wasn’t selected in the draft, Mata’afa was labeled as a potential fifth-rounder by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, who lauded Mata’afa’s toughness and motor. Mata’afa, a Washington State product, would have had to make the Minnesota roster on special teams, but he’ll now have to wait until his second NFL season for another opportunity. He’ll be waived/injured and removed from the Vikings’ active roster, and then placed on injured reserve if he’s not claimed.
  • Mychal Kendricks‘ one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Browns contains a $500K signing bonus and a $1.4MM base salary, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. As such, it appears Kendricks is due either a roster bonus or a significant total in per-game roster bonuses. Either way, his new pact doesn’t appear to guarantee him a roster spot in Cleveland, especially given the Browns’ depth at the position. Cleveland believes Kendricks can play all three linebacker positions, but the club already boasts Jamie Collins, Christian Kirksey, and Joe Schobert at the second level, meaning snaps could be sparse for Kendricks.
  • The NFL announced it has fined the Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh, and docked the club its final two organized team activity sessions, following a “violation of offseason workout rules.” While the infraction is unclear, it’s possible — based both on Baltimore’s history and the club’s statement — that players were either asked to hit or practice for too long a duration, violating the collective bargaining agreement.
6 comments Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns Minnesota Vikings Pittsburgh Steelers
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