Jaguars To Host Jadeveon Clowney
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.
Dolphins Sign WR Keke Coutee, CB Jamal Perry
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.
Extra Points: Loya, Goodell, Cook
Texans minority owner Javier Loya has had his tenure with the organization put on hold in the wake of multiple sex crime charges being brought against him. Loya is facing one rape charge, along with five first-degree and one third-degree sexual abuse charge, as detailed by KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
The charges stem from incidents in May of 2022 in Kentucky. Loya, who is due to take part in a pretrial conference on August 22, has agreed to withdraw from all Texans activities until his case has been resolved. The NFL also confirmed in a statement that Loya has been removed from all league committees.
“Mr. Loya is innocent and has pled not guilty to all charges,” a statement from attorney Andrew Sarne reads. “He unequivocally and categorically denies these allegations and will vigorously defend his innocence. Mr. Loya has voluntarily taken and 100% passed a polygraph test which confirms his innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court.”
Loya, 53, has been a limited partner with the Texans since their inaugural season in 2002. He faced a civil suit alleging sexual misconduct earlier this year, but it was withdrawn. If Loya is convicted on the rape charge, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Here are some other notes from around the NFL:
- News of another contract extension for commissioner Roger Goodell first came out in March. That new deal, which will be three years in length and keep him in place through 2027, has been considered a certainty to be finalized throughout the offseason. A firm timeline for ratification has emerged; Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports (via Twitter) that owners are aiming to agree to the extension during the October league meetings in New York. Goodell has been at the helm of the NFL since 2006, and it is expected that the 64-year-old’s next deal will be his last.
- Dalvin Cook has generated plenty of headlines this offseason with his high-profile free agency, but his legal situation has also seen recent developments. The 28-year-old was cleared to proceed with a defamation counterclaim in court stemming from the ongoing allegation of assault, battery and false imprisonment made by Gracelyn Trimble. In an update on the situation, Rochelle Olson of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes that the latter was offered a $1MM payout by Cook. The offer included the condition that Trimble send a letter to the NFL “absolving Cook of wrongdoing.” Trimble has already testified to the contrary, and court filings detailing the attempt to put the case (which began in November 2021) to rest via a settlement could strengthen her argument. Cook remains unsigned.
- The NFL has updated its personal conduct policy in a way which gives the league wider authority with respect to issuing punishments in a number of situations. That includes adding sexual assault to the list of offenses which can receive heavy suspensions, as noted by the New York Times’ Jenny Vrentas. The alterations come in the wake of Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson receiving what was initially a six-game ban for sexual misconduct alleged by more than two dozen women. The suspension (which was ultimately upped to 11 games) was limited in part by the wording of the league’s previous policy and the precedents set by other violations. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds, meanwhile, that the new policy also gives the NFL the power to hand down discipline to players for violations which occurred before they entered the league. Incidents dating back to college, for example, will now fall under the scope of the league when investigations take place.
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Addresses G Zack Martin’s Holdout
With their preseason now officially underway, the top talking point around the Cowboys is the ongoing holdout of Zack Martin. The All-Pro guard does not appear to be close to working out a resolution with his contract status, as owner Jerry Jones recently touched on again. 
The latter made it clear last month that Dallas is not interested in discussing a new deal, something Martin is seeking in the wake of the upward movement seen recently in the guard market. Two years remain on his current contract, and Jones has alluded to that fact when speaking about why the Cowboys expect him to report to the team ahead of the regular season.
Dallas also has a number of extensions on the radar, even with the likes of cornerback Trevon Diggs and safety Malik Hooker signing multi-year deals this offseason. A number of other high-profile players (including wideout CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott) are either eligible for a second contract or need years added onto their existing one for the sake of smoothing out cap charges. As a result, no traction has been made on the Martin front.
When asked if he is surprised that is the case, Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota (on Twitter), “Not really. Surprised is really not the word there. It’s very costly. That’s just where we are. There are huge, significant ramifications happening here by anybody’s measure, financially. So , you realize that not having him here, it could happen [via injury] on the next play. You got to put that one on and say you just move on here without him. You say that sounds like a concern. No, I’m just trying to give you how you really have to look at it.”
Martin has remained one of the league’s top O-lineman at any position throughout his Cowboys career. That included Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2022, adding to his case for a raise commensurate with the new financial landscape of the guard position. With a number of other producers whose Dallas tenures are not accounted for, though, a firm stance is also understandable from the team’s perspective.
“It’s not about precedent, it’s about facts,” Jones added, via Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher. “We need the money to pay [Micah] Parsons [in the future]. We need the money to pay the players that we got to pay in the future. That’s a fact.”
Martin is accumulating $50K per day in mandatory fines, which has quickly resulted in six-figure penalties for the 32-year-old. His absence has also left the Cowboys in need of a replacement starter at the right guard spot during camp practices and today’s preseason opener. A pair of contenders are in play to win the first-team role.
Josh Ball had the inside track for the title of Martin fill-in, but former UDFA Brock Hoffman has made a case as well, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. The latter played three games in the regular season and one in the playoffs as a rookie last year, putting him at a slight disadvantage compared to Ball. Neither option has the pedigree of Martin, though, so the status of the holdout will remain a major storyline for the foreseeable future.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/12/23
Saturday’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: LB Jacob Phillips (story)
- Waived (injury designation): CB Bubba Bolden
Detroit Lions
- Waived: CB Tae Hayes
Houston Texans
- Activated from PUP list: TE Teagan Quitoriano
- Waived: K Jake Bates
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: LB, Kana’i Mauga, RB Darwin Thompson
- Waived (injury designation): WR DJ Turner, LB Darius Harris
New England Patriots
- Signed: RB C.J. Marable, T Micah Vanterpool
- Waived: LB Olakunle Fatukasi, LB Jourdan Heilig
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Ra’Shaun Henry
- Waived: DT Robert Cooper
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Cephus Johnson
- Waived: CB Duron Lowe
Hayes was signed one week ago as the Lions were dealing with injuries in the secondary, but he will now be on the lookout for another new team. The 25-year has appeared in 13 career regular season games while bouncing around the league.
The Raiders added one ex-Chiefs running back in Damien Williams yesterday, and they have done so again today. Thompson was part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning squad in 2019, and remain with the Chiefs the following season. He made 31 combined regular and postseason appearances in Kansas City, but he has yet to see game action since 2020. Especially until Josh Jacobs returns to the Raiders, Thompson will aim to earn a depth role in the Vegas backfield.
Lions HC Dan Campbell Addresses Jared Goff’s Future
Much is expected of the Lions’ offense in 2023, in no small part due to the play of quarterback Jared Goff to close out the 2022 campaign. The former No. 1 pick is on the extension radar as a result, something head coach Dan Campbell would approve of. 
[RELATED: Lions Sign Teddy Bridgewater]
Goff is on the books through 2024, but he is only due guaranteed money for the coming season. It thus comes as no surprise that a new deal has come up, and the Lions have discussed an extension for much of the offseason. Goff’s presence has also been named as a reason why offensive coordinator Ben Johnson chose to withdraw from head coaching searches during the 2023 cycle.
When asked about his confidence in Goff’s ability to remain the team’s starter for years to come, Campbell said, “There’s nothing that tells me he can’t be. When you have a quarterback you believe in, why would you ever move on? I get there are other circumstances, but it’s hard to find quarterbacks in this league. We’ve got a guy we can win with right now. We’re fortunate to have him; that’s how I see it” (h/t ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler).
Detroit seemed to put a Goff succession plan in place by drafting Hendon Hooker in April. The Tennessee alum is currently on the NFI list while rehabbing the ACL tear which ended his college career, but a path exists for him to compete for the starting role in 2024. That would especially hold true if Goff were to move through the coming season without any clarity regarding his long-term future.
After the trade which ended his Rams tenure, the 28-year-old posted underwhelming numbers in 2021. Goff was at the heart of the Lions’ late-season playoff push last year, though, and he finished with 4,438 yards, 29 touchdowns and a third career Pro Bowl nod. Questions will remain about his ability to earn a multi-year extension in Detroit, especially with Hooker in place. If Campbell has his way, though, Goff could remain in the Motor City for the foreseeable future.
WR Notes: Flowers, Mingo, Patrick, Johnson
One of the top storylines entering the 2023 season for the Ravens is their new-look receiving corps. First-round rookie Zay Flowers will be counted on as a key member of the team’s passing game, and further details recently emerged regarding how the organization viewed him leading up to the draft.
Baltimore used the No. 22 pick on Flowers, making him one of four straight wideouts selected on Day 1. The Boston College product was the subject of trade talks with teams looking to move past the Ravens to secure Flowers, but general manager Eric DeCosta elected to remain in place. Part of the reason for doing so was his evaluation of the 5-10, 172-pounder in the winter.
After seeing Flowers in the East-West Shrine Bowl, the Ravens confirmed their thinking that Flowers was the top receiver in the draft, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley writes. That makes their decision to avoid trading down (despite not owning a 2023 second-round pick) clearer, and could add further to the expectations surrounding Flowers as a rookie. The 22-year-old has drawn rave reviews from local and national media alike, so he will be a player to watch closely once the regular season kicks off.
Here are some other wide receiver notes from around the league:
- Panthers rookie Jonathan Mingo is listed as a starter on the team’s first depth chart, as noted by Joe Person of The Athletic (subscription required). The latter adds that such a development is a slight surprise, given the relatively quiet offseason the second-rounder has had to date. If Mingo does indeed land a first-team spot amongst veterans Adam Thielen and DJ Chark, the likes of Laviska Shenault and Terrace Marshall would be relegated to backup duties. Shenault, a Swiss Army-type player since his arrival in the league with the Jaguars, is in line to handle more rushing duties this season. Marshall, meanwhile, is assured of a roster spot under new head coach Frank Reich after he played sparingly for much of his first two seasons in Carolina.
- The Broncos have once again been hit hard by availability issues at the receiver spot, including the Achilles tear suffered by Tim Patrick. The 29-year-old missed all of last season due to a torn ACL, and the same will hold true of the 2023 campaign. Fortunately, his recovery has started well. Patrick underwent successful surgery, as noted (on Twitter) by 9News’ Mike Klis. His ability to return to full health will be something to monitor closely, as he is under contract for 2024 but does not have any guaranteed compensation scheduled for that year.
- Second-year Seahawks wideout Cade Johnson suffered an injury scare during the team’s preseason opener on Thursday. He was taken to hospital for evaluation, but he has been released (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). Johnson, 25, is still in concussion protocol, however, bringing his availability for the remainder of the preseason into question.
Browns To Sign RB Jordan Wilkins
The Browns have are set to add experienced depth to their backfield. After working out with the team, Jordan Wilkins has agreed to a deal with Cleveland, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 (Twitter link). 
Nick Chubb is in place as the undisputed lead back for the Browns, but the losses of Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson have left a vacancy with respect to depth behind him. Second-year back Jerome Ford is likely to assume RB2 duties, but he is currently dealing with a hip injury which could threaten his Week 1 availability. Wilkins could represent a fill-in option if needed.
The 29-year-old has spent nearly all of his career with the Colts. Wilkins came to Indianapolis as a fifth-rounder in 2018, and he produced three consecutive seasons of consistent production to begin his career. He recorded 336, then 307 and 308 rushing yards while seeing more time on special teams than offense, then was waived midway through the 2021 campaign.
The Titans added him to their practice squad not long after, though he only made a single appearance in Tennessee. Wilkins returned to the Colts last season, playing in four games. The Ole Miss product will compete for a role alongside Demetric Felton, John Kelly and undrafted rookie Hassan Hall in the Browns’ backfield.
Cleveland has made a number of changes to their passing attack, which should help quarterback Deshaun Watson take a step forward in his first full season with the team. The ground game will still be a central element to the Browns’ offense, however, so running back depth will be crucial. Wilkins will look to find a home and playing time with his latest deal.
Latest On Bills’ RB Situation
The season-ending injury suffered by Nyheim Hines last month left the Bills shorthanded in the backfield. His absence has led to increased clarity with respect to who should make the team’s 53-man roster, though, along with the pecking order at the position. 
James Cook was already in line to handle starting duties with Devin Singletary having departed in free agency, but Hines’ ACL tear should leave further pass-catching opportunities available this season. Cook, 23, is well-positioned to build on his production as a rookie this year. He sits comfortably atop the depth chart heading into the campaign, as noted by Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic (subscription required).
Cook posted 507 rushing yards on an impressive average of 5.7 per carry last season. Much of that efficiency owes to his limited workload (89 carries), however. The former second-rounder added 180 yards and one of his three total touchdowns in the passing game, showcasing his abilities on the ground and through the air. With veterans Damien Harris and Latavius Murray (the latter of whom was on the roster bubble before the Hines injury) in place as complimentary options, Cook should see a sharp uptick from his 25% snap share as a rookie.
With Hines having suffered his injury in a jet ski accident, the Bills placed him on the NFI list. That opens the door to a conflict over the matter of compensation, something Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports is underway. Hines’ adjusted contract includes a $1MM signing bonus, $600K of which has already been paid. The Bills are considering withholding the remaining $400K, and paying Hines the equivalent of a practice squad players’ maximum earnings for a season. A formal grievance is an option depending on how the ex-Colt responds to Buffalo’s handling of his case.
Meanwhile, Hines recently underwent surgery on his injured knee (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). That began the recovery process ahead of next season, something which will be the focus of his personal attention moving forward. For the Bills, plenty will depend on the play of their remaining backs, especially Cook, given the responsibility he is expected to shoulder in 2023.
Latest On Ravens’ Patrick Ricard, LG Competition
The return of Patrick Ricard to Ravens training camp earlier this week brought about a notable development. The four-time Pro Bowl fullback was used in a different capacity, one which could signal another position change for him. 
Ricard worked as an offensive lineman after being activated from the PUP list, as noted by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. That represents an interesting development given Ricard’s successful background as a fullback, where he has received a Pro Bowl invitation every year since 2019. That campaign saw the former college defensive tackle serve in a hybrid role, as he logged 342 snaps on offense and 140 on defense.
Since that point, Ricard has been used exclusively as a fullback, a position which held more value under previous offensive coordinator Greg Roman than it is expected to with Todd Monken now at the helm. A shift toward a more pass-oriented scheme led to some questions about Ricard’s roster security, but they have been put to rest. Trying the 29-year-old along the O-line is currently just in the experimental stage, though.
“We’re looking at that,” head coach John Harbaugh said via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic when speaking about the potential position switch (subscription required). “It’s just a multitude role kind of thing. Pat’s quite an athlete. He can do a lot of different things, and maybe we expand his role just a little bit for a little bit of time here and see how he does.”
Ricard could serve in a depth role along the offensive line if needed, but that unit is also the location of an ongoing positional battle. The left guard spot has been up for grabs since Ben Powers signed with the Broncos, and the Ravens have auditioned a number of replacement candidates. 2021 third-rounder Ben Cleveland appeared to be the top fill-in option at one point, but that is no longer the case.
Sixth-round rookie Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (who has experience as a guard and tackle dating back to his time at Oregon) is currently the frontrunner to win the job, per Hensley. Zrebiec adds that former Raider John Simpson is the other contender for the starting role, and that he recently rotated into the first-team during practice. It will be interesting to see how that competition shakes out over the coming weeks, along with how Ricard is deployed in practice and preseason games.