Colts Sign RB Branden Oliver
The Colts have signed running back Branden Oliver, the team announced today (Twitter link). The team waived receiver Dres Anderson to make room on the roster.
Oliver was one of several veteran running backs left on the market, and his addition likely has something to do with the injury to Marlon Mack. It was reported yesterday that the Colts were looking to bring in a veteran back. Mack is expected to miss a few weeks with a hamstring strain.
Earlier this summer, it was reported that the Bills were interested in bringing in Oliver, but nothing ever materialized. Oliver came into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2014, and spent the last four seasons as a Charger.His biggest role came as a rookie, when he started seven games and carried the ball 160 times for 582 yards and three touchdowns. His role decreased significantly to being strictly a backup after that, and he missed the entire 2016 season due to injury.
The Colts let Frank Gore walk to Miami earlier this spring, and were left with a very young running back room. Oliver should provide a steady veteran presence, but isn’t a lock to make the 53-man roster. The group currently consists of Mack, rookie Nyheim Hines, Christine Michael, Robert Turbin, and Jordan Wilkins.
Redskins WR Robert Davis Has Broken Leg, Out For Season
It’s now official. Redskins wide receiver Robert Davis will miss the entire 2018 season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). It was reported earlier that the team was concerned Davis may have torn his ACL during their preseason opener. As it turns out, Davis broke his leg and tore his LCL, per Rapoport. Head coach Jay Gruden said that Davis will require major surgery and will be sidelined for nine to 12 months (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com).
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweeted that the “slight silver lining here is no ACL, as they’d feared, and no nerve damage,” adding it “could’ve been worse for him.” Davis, a 2017 sixth-round pick, had reportedly been turning heads at training camp and was pushing for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster.
Davis was extremely productive in college, having played a major role during his four years at Georgia State. In his senior season, he caught 67 passes for 968 yards and five touchdowns. He finished his collegiate career with 222 catches, 3,391 yards, and 17 touchdowns. Given how impressive he was looking before going down, Davis could be back next year to compete for a job with the Redskins.
The injury is a blow to the Redskins’ depth, but it shouldn’t be too devastating. The team will move forward with Jamison Crowder, Paul Richardson, and Josh Doctson as its top three receivers. It was, though, the second brutal injury from the preseason opener, as Derrius Guice was revealed to have torn his ACL.
On the plus side, Gruden had high praise for 2016 UDFA Maurice Harris, who has seen limited action in his first two years in the league but who could be in for an increased role in 2018. Gruden said, “Mo is a great all-around receiver for us. We’re confident he can line up anywhere” (Twitter link via Keim).
AFC Notes: Chargers, Schofield, Vaccaro, Titans, Jets
The Chargers are seemingly never able to stay healthy, and this year hasn’t been any different. They’ve already lost Hunter Henry and Jason Verrett to season ending injuries. Last year’s second round pick, guard Forrest Lamp, has been expected to start for the team in 2018, but has been very slow in recovering from a knee injury that cost him his whole rookie season.
Michael Schofield is filling in for now, and in a recent interview with Dan Woike of the San Diego Union-Tribune, talked about his role. “I’m kind of a plug-and-play guy. I can play guard. I can play tackle. Right now, they need me at guard, so that’s where I’m going to be.” Woike echoes the sentiment many Charger fans have felt about Lamp, writing “even if Lamp is healthy, he still has much to prove, considering he essentially has not practiced since being drafted in the second round a year ago.”
Given Lamp’s history, it’s entirely possible Schofield ends up being a starting guard for the Chargers this year. Here’s more from the AFC:
- Kenny Vaccaro only signed with the Titans earlier this week, but is already operating as the team’s starter according to Turron Davenport of ESPN (Twitter link). Davenport writes that Vaccaro has “taken pretty much all of the first-team reps” since signing with the team in the wake of Johnathan Cyprien’s season ending injury.
- “Things aren’t looking great” for Juston Burris‘ roster chances, according to Matt Stypulkoski of NJ.com. The Jets’ fourth round pick in 2016, Burris hasn’t shown much through two seasons and appears likely to be cut at this point.
- “It wouldn’t be a total shock to see the Jets in the mix” if the Raiders decide to shop Khalil Mack, writes Stypulkoski. Stypulkoski writes that the Jets “are looking to bolster the pass rush” so it sounds like whether it’s Mack or someone else, the Jets may be making a move soon.
Bashaud Breeland To Visit Dolphins
Cornerback Bashaud Breeland‘s tour of NFL cities continues. Breeland will visit the Dolphins on Sunday, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link). 
Breeland is one of the biggest names left on the free agent market, and has taken a number of visits recently. He recently worked out for the Patriots, and has also visited the Chiefs, Ravens, Browns and Colts. He’s left all those visits without contracts, and it’s unclear what has been delaying his signing. It’s possible he’s holding out for bigger money.
Breeland initially signed a three-year $24MM deal with the Panthers earlier this offseason, but it was voided due to a foot injury that was discovered. He spent the first four years of his career with the Redskins after Washington took him in the fourth round back in 2014.
The Dolphins have a wide open competition to be the starting cornerback opposite Xavien Howard, so Breeland could be a nice fit. As things currently stand, Torry McTyer, Cordrea Tankersley, and Tony Lippett are battling for the other starting spot. None of them have a ton of starting experience, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Breeland finally finds a home in Miami.
Saints Sign CB Marcus Williams
The Saints now have two Marcus Williams‘. The team is signing the fifth-year jounreyman cornerback, a source told Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate (Twitter link). Williams came into the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2014, signing with the Jets. He made an impact right away, starting eight games as a rookie.
He continued to play a large role in New York over the next couple of seasons, and the team valued him highly. When he was a restricted free agent in 2017, the Jets placed a second round tender on him. Despite paying him $2.75MM under the tender, he quickly fell out of favor and was waived just a few weeks into the 2017 season.
The Texans claimed him off waivers, and he appeared in ten games for them, notching 12 tackles in a reserve role. After the season, he signed with the Cardinals, but was released back in May. Across his four seasons in the league, Williams has played in 49 games, including 15 starts, and racked up 89 tackles, ten interceptions, and 27 passes defended.
Signed this late in the offseason, Williams will be fighting an uphill battle to earn a roster spot with the Saints. New Orleans was apparently looking for some secondary depth, also signing safety Robert Nelson according to Underhill (Twitter link). It’s a nice add at this point in the season for the Saints, as Williams has always shown good ball skills, compiling an impressive amount of interceptions and pass breakups on limited playing time.
Extra Points: Rookie Scale, McCoy, Bills, Beckham, Giants, Donald, Rams
Roquan Smith still isn’t signed. The eighth overall pick in this year’s draft is the last remaining unsigned pick, and there’s no end in sight to the impasse between the linebacker and the Bears. Although issues like total guaranteed money and signing bonuses are predetermined in rookie contracts, things like offsets and when guarantees will void can still be haggled over.
To help better understand the process, Andrew Brandt of SI.com took a look at the rookie contract process, and spoke with a handful of agents. Brandt, a former Packers executive, writes that it’s a “system tilted heavily toward management” and that the players have little leverage now due to the 2011 CBA. Brandt writes that teams have become “emboldened” by their newfound power in negotiating rookie deals, and that “teams like the Bears are looking to invalidate future guarantees based on discipline for on-field conduct.”
The Bears want to be able to void guaranteed money from Smith’s contract if he were suspended for on-field conduct like an illegal hit, and Smith is fighting back. It will be fascinating to see how the situation plays out. Here’s more from around the league:
- The ex-girlfriend of LeSean McCoy issued a new statement yesterday, saying that she is still waiting for “justice to be served.” McCoy has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has not yet been punished by either the Bills or the NFL.
- Odell Beckham Jr. didn’t play in the Giants’ preseason opener, but his absence had nothing to do with his contract. Although the two sides are still negotiating a contract extension which should make OBJ the highest paid receiver in the game, coach Pat Shurmur said he wasn’t going to play his star in the first game anyway, according to Tom Rock of Newsday.
- Aaron Donald missed the August seventh deadline to report and will become a restricted free agent after the season, but the deadline was mostly irrelevant writes former NFL agent Joel Corry of CBS Sports. Since the Rams will certainly franchise tag Donald if the two sides can’t agree on an extension, it doesn’t really matter whether he’s a restricted or unrestricted free agent after this year, and there was no reason for Donald to report.
NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Thomas, 49ers
There’s still no end in sight to the Earl Thomas/Seahawks drama. Thomas continues to insist he won’t report without a new contract, and that without a new contract he wants to be traded. The Seahawks won’t budge on extending him, but also haven’t complied with his trade demands. The Cowboys have been a frequently mentioned potential destination for Thomas, a Texas native, and Brady Henderson and Todd Archer of ESPN.com, the site’s Seahawks and Cowboys reporters, respectively, took a look at what it would take to get Thomas to Dallas.
Henderson notes that the Seahawks have the money available to give Thomas a new deal if they really wanted to, they just don’t have any desire to pay him longterm top-safety market as he enters his age-29 season. Archer notes the Cowboys are even less restricted by the cap, and could give Thomas any deal they want comfortably. Henderson says the Seahawks “aren’t going to give Thomas away for nothing despite the perception that they have no other choice.” The Seahawks are clearly intent on getting top dollar for the All-Pro safety in any trade, and it’s unclear if the Cowboys will be willing to pay it.
Archer writes the Cowboys “aren’t going to overpay”, that they’ve “held firm in talks”, and that it’s “basically a staring contest” between the two sides now. The start of the season is right around the corner, and any potential trade would have to happen relatively soon for Thomas to be able to get up to speed with his new team. It will be fascinating to watch to see which side blinks first.
Here’s more from around the NFC West:
- The details on Duane Brown‘s new extension from the Seahawks are in. He’ll get $14.5MM fully guaranteed this year, an increase of nearly $5MM from what he was scheduled to make, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). The team could get out from under his contract fairly easily if they want after this year, as Rapoport notes only $1.75MM is guaranteed for injury in 2019.
- Speaking of staring contests, the Rams and Aaron Donald continue to have one of their own. Although the two sides reportedly remain intent on getting a deal done, Peter King of NBC Sports writes he thinks “this Aaron Donald holdout could last into September. Easily.” That’s the last thing in the world Rams fans want to hear, but it sounds like Donald again missing regular season time isn’t out of the question.
- Joshua Garnett could be cut by the 49ers writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. Garnett was a first round pick in 2016, but didn’t play great as a rookie and missed all of last year with a knee injury. It’s always shocking if a first round pick is cut this soon, but it sounds like it’s a real possibility for Garnett, as the new regime in San Francisco has no ties to him.
Kelvin Sheppard Working Out For Lions
Former Bills, Dolphins, and Giants linebacker Kelvin Sheppard is working out for the Lions today, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).
Sheppard, 30, has made quite a few stops in his NFL career. Originially drafted in the third round by the Bills back in 2011. After a couple years there he was traded to the Colts, but released after just a season. He then signed in Miami for the next two years, and started 13 games for the Dolphins in 2015. He was a starter in 2016 with the Giants, then signed with the Bears the following offseason. He was cut before the regular season started and ended up re-signing with the Giants mid-season. A true journeyman, Sheppard will be looking to latch on with his sixth team in just eight seasons.
It’s been a quiet market so far for Sheppard, who’s drawn little known interest. Lions coach Matt Patricia should have some familiarity with Sheppard, having coached in the same division as him during his time with the Patriots while Sheppard was playing for the Bills and Dolphins. Sheppard received poor marks from Pro Football Focus in 2017, earning a low 46.5 grade, 59th among linebackers.
Extra Points: Keim, Cardinals, Breeland, Colts, Beal, Giants, Mayfield, Browns
Steve Keim became the rare GM to be suspended when the team announced his punishment for his “severe DUI” arrest from earlier this month. Speaking to the media, team president Michael Bidwill shined a light on how the team will proceed with out Keim, who is banned for the next five weeks and not allowed to have any contact with the team. Although the suspension was announced as five weeks, along with a $200k fine, “Bidwill made it clear that Keim won’t return that soon unless he meets other requirements, including counseling” according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.
Bidwill was highly critical of Keim’s actions, saying flatly “there is no excuse to drink and drive.” Despite his harsh words, Bidwill indicated the team is still Keim’s to run when he returns and that they will be operating under his vision during his absence. While he conceded that training camp is “obviously not a great time to not have your general manager”, Bidwill insisted there won’t be any “drop-off here with his absence.” He said the team’s recent signing of safety Tre Boston, along with their other recent moves, were all made with the belief that they’re what Keim would’ve wanted.
Here’s more from around the league:
- Free agent cornerback Bashaud Breeland visited the Colts recently, but the team is unlikely to sign him according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Holder says there’s “no indication that Bashaud Breeland will land in Indianapolis” and that his “sense is they’ll stand pat with the group of corners they have”, adding he’d be “surprised” if the team ends up bringing in Breeland.
- Injured rookie cornerback Sam Beal will not be able to return this season notes Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. If the Giants had wanted to have Beal eligible for one of their IR/return slots, they would’ve needed to wait until their roster was down to 53-men to place him on inured reserve. The third round supplemental draft pick will redshirt his rookie year and look to return strong in 2019.
- Browns coach Hue Jackson acknowledged that number one overall pick Baker Mayfield has “exceeded expectations” so far in camp, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Kay Cabot notes that Mayfield “has yet to throw a pick in camp.” Jackson has insisted all along that Tyrod Taylor will be his starter, but it sounds like Mayfield could be pushing for the job sooner rather than later.
Jets To Sign Sam Darnold
The Sam Darnold rookie contract saga has come to a close. Darnold missed the first several days of training camp in his standoff with the Jets, but the two sides officially reached agreement on a contract on Monday, the club announced.
Offset language was a point of contention between the two sides, but the deal will indeed include offset language according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Darnold’s reps fought hard on that front, but the team “was not moving off that,” Mehta writes.
Over the weekend, conflicting emerged about what exactly was keeping Darnold away. Some reported that bonus money and under what circumstances it would void was the issue, but according to Mehta, “offsets were the real issue” (Twitter link). Mehta adds that Darnold’s agency, CAA, was “fuming” after number one overall pick Baker Mayfield agreed to a deal with offsets in it that reduced their leverage. He also notes that attempts this weekend to muddy the waters about why Darnold was holding out were purely an attempt by Darnold’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, to “save face.”
Finally, Jets fans can stop worrying. Darnold’s absence has prompted a lot of fan anger toward the team for adopting such a hardline stance against the rookie quarterback, and now the team can get back to football. Ultimately, it seems as if this was a battle between two sides who both just wanted to “win” the argument, and Darnold’s camp caved first. Bears linebacker Roquan Smith is now the last remaining unsigned first round pick.