HEADLINES

Month: August 2023

Saints To Sign RB Darrel Williams

August 14th, 2023 at 5:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

5:00pm: The Saints have signed Williams, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football (Twitter link). Williams should have a pass-catching role early in the season in particular as he looks to put together a healthy campaign and in doing so, boost his free agent value. He will also provide insurance against Miller’s injury lasting longer than expected.

12:05pm: With the running back position in flux at the moment, the Saints are eyeing a depth addition. Darrel Williams is set to work out with New Orleans today, per Jordan Schultz of the Score (Twitter link).

Williams spent his first four campaigns in Kansas City, finding himself behind a number of different contributors on the depth chart over that span. In 2021, however, he saw a surge in playing time and recorded the only seven starts of his career. The 28-year-old parlayed that into a notable uptick in production with 558 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, coupled with another 452 yards and two scores through the air.

The former UDFA signed with the Cardinals last year to serve as James Conner‘s pass-catching backup. Williams was limited to just six games, however, and he received only 21 carries in Arizona. With a number of other backs still on the open market, it comes as no surprise that he has not been able to land a deal despite training camps and the preseason being well underway.

New Orleans is expected to pursue help at the position, though, as Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com tweets. Williams, a Marrero, Louisiana native and LSU alum, could provide depth in a backfield which will be without Alvin Kamara for the first three weeks of the season due to suspension and which lost Eno Benjamin for the year to an Achilles tear. The Saints appeared poised to sign Kareem Hunt last week, but his visit did not result in a deal being signed.

With Kamara temporarily out of the picture, much of the Saints’ backfield responsibilities will fall to free agent signing Jamaal Williams and third-round rookie Kendre Miller. The latter suffered an injury scare during the team’s preseason win on Sunday, threatening to thin out the roster further at the RB spot. Testing confirmed Miller suffered a knee sprain, but surgery will not be required and recovering in time for Week 1 is still in play at this point (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).

Even if Miller is able to suit up at the start of the season, a vacancy exists which Williams could fill if his visit convinces the Saints to add him. As the Hunt workout demonstrated, New Orleans is not prepared to make a sizable commitment in terms of guaranteed money for a depth addition to the backfield. It will be interesting to see if Williams’ case produces a different result than Hunt’s.

Buccaneers C Ryan Jensen Not Likely To Be Ready For Regular Season?

August 14th, 2023 at 4:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier this month, Ryan Jensen indicated he has healed in full after missing the entire 2022 regular season with a trio of ligament tears in his knee. The Buccaneers center has resumed individual work since then, but he has yet to take part in team drills.

Jensen – who declined to undergo surgery and returned in time for the postseason – has kept a part-time schedule so far as he slowly makes his way back to a full workload. Since he has been absent from regular practices, however, head coach Todd Bowles acknowledged that the Pro Bowler is not in consideration for Week 1 usage at this point.

“When we go into the season, I don’t think we’re going to have anybody if they haven’t practiced,” Bowles said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, on Twitter). “You always prepare if somebody gets hurt or somebody’s gonna stay hurt, so we prepare that way every day so that hasn’t changed.”

When at full health, Jensen will be a critical member of the Buccaneers’ O-line, a unit which has seen a number of changes this offseason. The 32-year-old has been a dependable full-time starter since his arrival in free agency in 2018. A lengthy ramp-up period could be needed for Jensen to receive enough practice reps to be green-lit for a return to game action. With two years remaining on his contract at cap hits of $5.9MM and $17.3MM, a cautious approach from the team would come as no surprise.

With Jensen not in the picture (for the time being), Stroud notes that the Week 1 starting center competition will come down to Robert Hainsey and Nick Leverett (Twitter link). The former started all 17 regular season games at center in Jensen’s absence last season, while the latter logged 10 starts at left guard. Bowles said a final decision on the matter will likely not be made until after the preseason has ended. By that point, it will be interesting to see how much progress Jensen will have made in his ongoing recovery process.

Ravens Activate RB J.K. Dobbins

August 14th, 2023 at 1:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

J.K. Dobbins is eligible to take part in his first team activities of the offseason. The Ravens’ lead back has been activated from the PUP list today, per a team announcement.

Dobbins missed OTAs and minicamp while dealing with an undefined injury and apparent tension over his contract status. He was also absent from the first 14 practices of training camp and the team’s record-extending 24th consecutive preseason win on Saturday, giving him plenty of ground to make up with respect to acclimating to new OC Todd Monken‘s scheme. With Dobbins activated, Baltimore does not have any remaining players on the PUP list.

A major knee injury cost Dobbins the entire 2021 season and the beginning of the following campaign. He returned for a four-game stretch in 2022, but then underwent a cleanup procedure to recover in full. After seeing the field following the second surgery, the 24-year-old showed the efficiency which was present before the injury, something which has helped put him on the extension radar.

Head coach John Harbaugh has remained optimistic that Dobbins would return to Ravens camp shortly, something which could help contract talks yield progress. An extension has been discussed recently, but nothing is considered imminent. The signficant missed time in the Ohio State alum’s career serves as an obvious factor working against him with respect to securing a multi-year commitment from the Ravens.

More generally, the running back market has skewed heavily in favor of teams over players recently, as the actions by a number of the league’s top producers at the position have alluded to throughout the offseason. Baltimore has a number of other options in the running game aside from Dobbins, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Quarterback Lamar Jackson can be expected to remain a frequent runner despite the offensive coordinator change, while Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and Melvin Gordon are all on the books as well for 2023.

Limited usage relative to other lead backs could thus remain an element of Dobbins’ upcoming season. That, in turn, would also likely hurt his production and subsequent free agent value, though operating as part of a committee could have long-term benefits for the former second-rounder. In the immediate future, Dobbins will make a welcomed return to the fold with the regular season not far away.

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor Returns To Camp

August 14th, 2023 at 12:54pm CST by Ely Allen

AUGUST 14: Taylor has indeed returned to camp, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). He is not being activated from the PUP list, and the trade request remains in place, but the disgruntled back is at least on-site in case a resolution to his situation can be found in the near future.

AUGUST 13: The NFL’s 2021 leading rusher has been away from the Colts’ training camp as he rehabilitates his ankle. According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, the team expects star running back Jonathan Taylor to return to camp this week. The ankle recovery combined with contract disputes that have been extremely public lead to a number of questions about what his return means moving forward.

Taylor has been away from the team now for almost a week, nursing the ankle injury that hampered most of his 2022 season. He missed six games last year due to the injury and failed to reach 1,000 rushing yards or double-digit touchdowns for the first time in his career. The team had placed him on the physically unable to perform list, so there is no penalty for his being away from the team, but most teams would prefer their injured players heal under the watchful eye of their own doctors.

The injury absence has served double duty for Taylor, allowing him to essentially hold out from training camp amidst the contract issues he’s been attempting to work through. Seeing the writing on the wall with how running backs have fared on the market this offseason, Taylor attempted to get ahead of things and start conversations towards his second contract. Soon after, owner Jim Irsay made it clear that the front office wasn’t at the point of considering that idea, shortly after making some concerning remarks about the running back group’s efforts to combat their falling value.

This led to Taylor requesting a trade, likely hoping to go to a team that is willing to start discussions towards an eventual extension. Again, Irsay vocalized that the franchise was not open to this idea, but the Colts didn’t seem to entirely dismiss the possibility as teams began to show interest. The situation was unresolved and seemingly a bit hostile as Taylor left camp, so what exactly is a return to camp going to look like for Taylor?

First off, we don’t know exactly when this return would come. New head coach Shane Steichen was the one who confirmed the team’s expectations, telling the media, “He should be back this week. Do I know the exact date he’ll be back? No, but he should be back.”

Secondly, even when he does return, he’s still on the PUP list. He will have to pass a physical with the team’s medical staff in order to be activated off of the list and return to the field for full participation. A source told ESPN that Taylor “has consistently made his intention clear to the team that he’ll return to the field when he is 100% healthy,” but given the lack of any sort of resolution in the contractual matters, it’s easy to wonder about the veracity of that claim.

Taylor’s ankle rehab has been a useful tool in his ability to dictate the flow of the contract conversation. If he returns fully-healed, he’ll be subject to the requirements of the CBA, which would penalize him for any further missed time, neutralizing that advantage. Regardless, the situation, which has been at a standstill for weeks, has to move forward at some point. It will be an intriguing situation to watch for this week as we wait to see how things unfold.

Vikings RT Brian O’Neill Returns To Practice

August 14th, 2023 at 10:39am CST by Adam La Rose

Brian O’Neill missed time due to injury for the first time in his career last season, but his Week 1 availability for the coming campaign has seen an encouraging development. The Vikings’ longtime right tackle starter participated in team drills for the first time this offseason on Sunday.

O’Neill suffered a partial Achilles tear in January, ending his season and setting up a long recovery schedule. He remained sidelined for much of the offseason until taking part in individual drills. He has now progressed to team practices, a notable milestone on his path toward a return to the lineup. Further progress needs to be made for him to reach 100% health, however.

“I’m really excited. I’m just trying to follow the plan that they’ve got for me and starting to shake some rust off,” the 27-year-old said, via Ellis Williams and Craig Peters of the team’s website. “We’re right on schedule, right where we want to be. They’ve done a great job. We’re not there yet but will be.”

The Pro Bowler has been a mainstay on Minnesota’s O-line throughout his career, starting all but four of his 79 career games. He eclipsed 1,000 snaps in 2022 despite missing the regular season finale, and he earned a career-high PFF grade of 82.7. That ranked eighth out of 71 qualified tackles, demonstrating the Pitt alum’s value to the Vikings up front. Being recovered in full in time for the start of the regular season would provide a notable boost to the team’s offense.

Swing man Oli Udoh filled in for O’Neill during the latter’s absence, which helped earn him a new deal with the Vikings this offseason. The latter, meanwhile, is in the midst of a five-year, $92.5MM extension which has him on the books through 2026. Returning to his pre-injury form would help O’Neil and the Vikings over both the short- and long-term future, and the weekend marked a notable step in that direction.

Jaguars To Host Jadeveon Clowney

August 13th, 2023 at 7:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

7:58pm: Clowney’s visit in Jacksonville has come and gone without a deal being made. After leaving Baltimore without the promise of a contract, Clowney once again concludes a visit with no deal imminent, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Only one season removed from a nine-sack 2021 performance, it’s unclear who is determining the progress of these contracts. Either teams are hesitant to ink a pass rusher who has recorded three or fewer sacks in three of the last four seasons or Clowney is seeking a value that he hasn’t yet been offered. Either way, Clowney’s search for the fifth NFL team of his career continues.

3:40pm: Another suitor has emerged for Jadeveon Clowney. The veteran edge rusher is set to meet with the Jaguars today, reports Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 (Twitter link).

The Ravens hosted the former No. 1 pick a few days ago, and his market now appears to be heating up late in the offseason. Clowney did not depart Baltimore with a deal in place, but head coach John Harbaugh indicated the team is still interested in one. With the likes of Yannick Ngakoue and Justin Houston having signed recently, the pass-rush market has thinned out considerably.

That could help drive Clowney back to the AFC South. He spent the first five years of his career in Houston, earning each of his three Pro Bowl nods between 2016-18. Clowney has played exclusively on short-term deals since then, however, including one-year stints with the Seahawks and Titans. His Browns tenure, which began in 2021, came to an unceremonious end after his release in March.

Jacksonville could represent a suitable landing spot for Clowney as he looks for yet another new beginning. The Jaguars retained a number of contributors from last year’s surprisingly successful team, but production on the edge has been an area for improvement during the offseason. Jacksonville registered just 35 sacks in 2022, and Arden Key (responsible for 4.5 of them) was among the few players to depart Duval County.

One player who has increasingly come under fire with respect to edge production – or a distinct lack thereof – is K’Lavon Chaisson. The LSU alum has recorded just one sack in each of his Jaguars campaigns, making the team’s decision to decline his fifth-year option an obvious one. A step forward from Chiasson would help Jacksonville improve on the edge, but the addition of Clowney, 30, could as well. Sack totals have fluctuated for the latter, but in 2021 he posted nine, matching the second-highest total of his career.

Clowney could at least be in line for a rotational role to compliment Pro Bowler Josh Allen in a pass-rushing capacity should his Jaguars visit produce an agreement. Jacksonville currently sits sixth in the league in cap space with $18.3MM, so they could afford a short-term commitment to Clowney or fend off other interested parties if needed. It will be interesting to see how many other suitors (if any) emerge in the near future as Clowney approaches a decision on his future.

Vikings To Sign LB Tanner Vallejo

August 13th, 2023 at 7:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Vikings added some linebacker depth today, adding an elite special teamer to the unit, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Linebacker Tanner Vallejo has started games here and there throughout his career, but the new Vikings defender has made his name on special teams. He’s like to continue doing more of the same in Minnesota.

Vallejo came into the league as a sixth-round draft pick for the Bills out of Boise State back in 2017. Almost immediately, he became an active contributor on special teams, only playing 13 defensive snaps as a rookie. Buffalo waived him just before his sophomore season, allowing for him to be claimed by the Browns, who would attempt to utilize him in a more natural linebacker role.

After being waived by Cleveland, Vallejo would spend the offseason with the Cardinals before being waived and starting the 2019 season in Washington. Washington didn’t use him at all on defense and hardly utilized him on special teams either. Nine weeks into the season, he was waived once again and returned to Arizona, where he would spend the next three years.

Since then, he’s carved out a reserve linebacker role with the Cardinals, becoming an elite contributor on special teams. The Cardinals re-signed him to a two-year deal to remain with the team back in 2021 worth $4.1MM. If there’s a knock on the young defender and special teamer, it’s a penchant for missing time due to injuries. As someone without a consistent role on offense or defense, the inability to stay on the field could cost him money on this next contract with the Vikings.

In Minnesota, Vallejo becomes a backup to the likes of Brian Asamoah and Jordan Hicks. Aside from Hicks and backup linebacker Troy Reeder, the Vikings’ linebacking corps lacks much starting experience. Vallejo likely won’t add anything to that, but he does come in as a strong option to rotate in. He’ll, of course, continue his production on special teams.

To make room for Vallejo on the roster, Minnesota waived/injured linebacker William Kwenkeu. Kwenkeu, an undrafted rookie last year, appeared in six games for the Vikings in 2022.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/23

August 13th, 2023 at 6:10pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions as we close the first week of the preseason:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Claimed off waivers (from Lions): CB Tae Hayes

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Reyes retires from the sport of football after only two years in the league. A former basketball player with dreams of playing in the NBA, Reyes applied for and was admitted into the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program out of Chile. Despite spending time with three teams, Reyes only suited up for regular season action in Washington, where he played 11 games, starting one. As a tight end, Reyes mostly made an impact on special teams during his career. He retires at the age of 27.

Falcons Waive LB Mykal Walker

August 13th, 2023 at 5:00pm CST by Ely Allen

The Falcons have made a slightly surprising roster move as we start to inch closer to initial 53-man rosters for the 2023 NFL season. In order to make space on the roster for recent linebacker addition Frank Ginda, Atlanta waived former sixth-round pick Mykal Walker, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Walker was drafted to the Falcons in 2020 out of Fresno State. He played a decently consistent role in Atlanta over his first two NFL seasons, starting eight of 33 games as a rotational defender. In limited action, Walker graded out fairly well, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), ranking as the league’s eighth-best linebacker as a rookie.

When finally given more opportunities as a starter in 2022, he produced given the extra time but saw the quality of his play suffer. In 12 starts last season, Walker passed the century-mark for total tackles and added two interceptions and six passes defensed in the process. The production was there, but he only graded out at 55th in the league at the position, according to PFF. The site didn’t dock him in any one area, simply grading him as average against the run, in coverage, and rushing the passer.

Coming into 2023, the Falcons didn’t seem to be planning to continue starting Walker moving forward. He had routinely been working behind Kaden Elliss, added in free agency this spring, and second-year linebacker Troy Andersen. The team experimented with maybe moving him back outside, a role he saw a bit as a rookie, but even then, he found himself working on the second-team defense. He felt comfortable moving around the three linebacker spots as a rover, but it seems that at every position, the Falcons preferred other options.

With the 2023 USFL Defensive Player of the Year in Ginda now in the locker room, Walker apparently fell too low on the depth chart. His time in Atlanta has come to an end, but it wouldn’t be surprising to find him on a new roster before the regular season gets going.

Dolphins Sign WR Keke Coutee, CB Jamal Perry

August 13th, 2023 at 2:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Keke Coutee has not needed to wait long to find his next NFL home. The depth wideout has landed a deal with the Dolphins, the team announced on Sunday.

Coutee signed with the Saints in June, but he was released on Friday. That allowed him to search for a better opportunity with respect to securing a 53-man roster spot, and he will look to earn one in Miami. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are comfortably set atop the Dolphins’ WR depth chart, while Cedrick Wilson and Braxton Berrios should be considered roster locks as key complimentary players.

The latter required stitches after a collision on a punt return during Miami’s preseason opener, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Berrios is expected to miss a few days as a result, which could leave training camp snaps available for Coutee right away. The 26-year-old’s most productive seasons came with the Texans to begin his career, including a 400-yard campaign in 2020. Coutee played sparingly with the Colts over the past two years.

The former fourth-rounder will compete with the likes of Chosen Anderson and Erik Ezukanma for a depth receiver spot. Coutee has experience as a returner, having handled 17 punts with the Colts in 2022. That special teams value could help him avoid roster cutdowns at the end of the preseason as he looks to secure a full-time spot late in the offseason.

The Dolphins also announced the return of cornerback Jamal Perry. The 28-year-old first joined the team in 2019, and he made 17 appearances between the two following seasons. Perry’s 2021 campaign was cut short by a season-ending knee injury, and he spent part of 2022 on Miami’s practice squad. The Iowa State alum will aim to return to the lineup and remain healthy as he resumes his tenure in South Beach.

To make room for Coutee and Perry, wideout Freddie Swain and corner Mark Gilbert were each waived with an injury designation. Jackson notes that Swain suffered a hamstring injury on Friday. Gilbert, meanwhile, signed with the Dolphins earlier this month after bouncing around Pittsburgh and Detroit earlier in his career.

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