Ravens Notes: Jackson, Bateman, OL, Tampa
Before veteran Eddie Jackson landed in Baltimore, the safety got a ringing endorsement from a Ravens defender. Linebacker Roquan Smith told reporters that he put in a good word to management about Jackson.
“Yes, I always tell the truth,” Smith said (via the team’s website). “I have great respect for Eddie [Jackson] and [I’ve] known Eddie since I came into the league. Like I said earlier, I think he’s a great asset for our team. [He’s] obviously been making plays in this league for a very long time, and with the pieces that we have here, and then with his talent, and having him in his role, I think it will go well for us.”
Jackson previously spent his entire seven-year career with the Bears, and he played more than four of those seasons alongside Smith. After starting all 100 of his appearances in Chicago, Jackson won’t be nearly as relied upon in Baltimore. The team is mostly looking for a replacement for Geno Stone, who often played with Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton in three-safety looks.
Smith also touched on the major shakeup on the sidelines. Inside linebackers coach Zach Orr replaced Mike Macdonald as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator, and the star pass-rusher is optimistic that the new defensive play-caller will seamlessly replace the former defensive play-caller.
“I think are very similar that’s here, and I have a great deal of respect for Zach [Orr and] his mindset,” Smith said. “He’s been out there on the field, and believe it or not, obviously him and Mike [Macdonald] are two totally different people, and they’re unique in their own way, but through the headset, they actually sound the same. Every voice I’ve heard through a headset all sounds the same. I’m like, ‘Is that Mike or something?’ I told ‘Z.O.’ one day during OTAs, so it’s pretty funny. I’m excited for ‘Z.O.,’ for him to showcase what he’s able to do with the pieces that we have here and showcase it to the world. We’ve all been doubted before, [how] things may not be as good as this, that or the third, but the game gives us the opportunity to prove that. I have a great deal of respect for ‘Z.O.,’ and that he’ll prove it week-in and week-out, and it’s going to start here in training camp, preparing for the year.”
More notes out of Baltimore…
- Rashod Bateman‘s 2022 foot injury ultimately led to surgery, and the receiver’s 2023 offseason was focused on recovering from that operation. Now a year removed from his rehab, the wide receiver believes he’s completely past the issue. Bateman told Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic that his foot is no longer a problem and he’s 100 percent healthy heading into training camp. Bateman hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing in Baltimore, although he did rebound from his disappointing sophomore campaign, finishing 2023 with 32 catches. The Ravens are clearly still optimistic about Bateman, as the team handed him a three-year, $15MM extension this offseason.
- Zrebiec writes that the only certainties on the Ravens’ offensive line are the starting spots for Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum, although the writer also opines that Patrick Mekari, Josh Jones, Andrew Vorhees, and Roger Rosengarten will make the roster in some capacity. Beyond those six linemen, Zrebiec writes that the rest of the team’s OL corps could be competing for up to four roster spots, with the likes of Daniel Faalele, Ben Cleveland, and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu benefiting from the team’s decision to avoid veteran reinforcements.
- Fourth-round cornerback T.J. Tampa recently underwent sports hernia surgery, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. The rookie is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks. The Iowa State product joins a deep cornerbacks grouping that’s headlined by Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, and rookie first-round pick Nate Wiggins.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/24
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DB Daryl Worley
- Waived: DB Tre Swilling
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Ike Boettger
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from PUP: OT Zach Tom
Houston Texans
- Waived-injured: WR Jared Wayne
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: S Tyree Gillespie
- Waived: S Trey Dean
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/retired list: LB Shaquil Barrett (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on PUP: CB NaJee Thompson
- Placed on NFI: RB DeWayne McBride
New England Patriots
- Waived-injured: LB Jontrey Hunter
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Kevin Austin Jr.
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Nehemiah Shelton
CB Jerry Jacobs To Visit Panthers
Despite auditioning for a handful of teams earlier this offseason, Jerry Jacobs remains unsigned. After about two months of inaction, it sounds like his market is starting to pick back up. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the cornerback will visit the Panthers later this week.
[RELATED: CB Jerry Jacobs To Visit Falcons, Vikings]
The former UDFA spent the first three seasons of his career in Detroit, starting 29 of his 40 appearances. Jacobs is coming off a 2024 campaign where he got into a career-high 744 appearances while starting 12 of his 15 games. He finished the year with 55 tackles, eight passes defended, and three interceptions. Pro Football Focus only ranked Jacobs 91st among 127 qualifying cornerbacks, with the site giving him one of the lowest positional grades for his coverage ability.
Still, Jacobs’ starting experience will make him an attractive option for teams seeking secondary depth. The 26-year-old visited with the Jaguars, Falcons, and Vikings earlier this offseason, although a deal obviously never materialized.
Carolina would be a logical landing spot for the cornerback, as the team is eyeing a bit of a makeover at the position. Donte Jackson and Jeremy Chinn are no longer around, meaning Jaycee Horn will be positioned to take over as the team’s top cornerback. The depth behind the former eighth-overall pick is questionable, explaining why the organization has been connected to a reunion with Stephon Gilmore. Any notable cornerback acquisition would likely be competing with Dane Jackson to be the team’s CB2.
Release Candidate: Kadarius Toney
As the Chiefs navigated their post-Tyreek Hill offense, the front office was seeking reinforcement at the receiver position. One of the team’s most notable WR acquisitions was Kadarius Toney, who the Chiefs acquired from the Giants midway through the 2022 campaign. While Toney has won a pair of Super Bowl rings during his year-plus in Kansas City, the wideout hasn’t lived up to the billing. Now with only a year remaining on his rookie contract, it’s uncertain if he’ll even reach the 2024 campaign with the Chiefs.
A 2021 first-round pick by the Giants, Toney showed flashes during his rookie campaign, finishing with 39 catches for 420 yards. However, injuries quickly proved to be an issue in both 2021 and 2022, leading to the Giants deciding to cut bait. The Chiefs swooped in and acquired the intriguing wideout, sending New York a future third- and sixth-round pick.
Toney struggled to carve out a significant role during his first season in Kansas City, finishing with 14 receptions in seven games. He showed out a bit in that year’s playoffs, finishing with 50 yards in Kansas City’s divisional-round victory before setting the Super Bowl record with a 65-yard punt return (while also hauling in a touchdown). With JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman out the door, Toney had a chance to step into a major role with Patrick Mahomes heading into 2023.
Unfortunately, it was more of the same for the third-year pro. Toney was unable to emerge ahead of Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (and, of course, TE Travis Kelce). The Chiefs even went out and re-acquired Hardman, leading to Toney being inactive for four of the team’s final seven games, plus each of the Chiefs’ four playoff contests.
Heading into the 2024 campaign, Toney faces even more competition than he did last year. The Chiefs were quick to add Marquise Brown on a one-year agreement, and they moved up in the first round to select Xavier Worthy. That leaves Toney to compete with many of the same WRs who he was unable to supplant during the 2023 season, but there are fewer roster spots this time around.
Rice’s future is in question following some troubling off-the-field incidents, but the 2023 second-round pick notably finished his rookie season with 935 yards from scrimmage. Hardman and Watson were ahead of Toney at the end of the 2023 season, and the team is also still rostering 2022 second-round pick Skyy Moore. Even when accounting for Rice’s uncertain roster status, Toney would have to leap at least one player if he hopes to make the roster.
The Chiefs unsurprisingly declined Toney’s fifth-year option back in May, making the wide receiver a free agent after this season. While moving on from his $2.5MM salary in 2024 wouldn’t provide any cap relief, the dead cap charge isn’t enough to make his cut untenable. With only three seasons under his belt, Toney would be subject to waivers, and his draft pedigree could be enough for a team to bite. More likely, Toney will hit free agency before having to settle for a lower salary (and/or even a practice squad gig).
Latest On Extension Talks Between Lions, Taylor Decker
While the Lions spent much of the offseason handing out lucrative, long-term pacts to their top players, one key member of the squad is still heading into the final year of his contract. Offensive tackle Taylor Decker is an impending free agent, and while it’s been relatively quiet on the extension front, there’s optimism the former first-round pick will continue to stick around Detroit.
[RELATED: Lions, LT Taylor Decker Discussing Extension]
According to Justin Rogers of The Detroit News, Decker’s camp “seemed encouraged” by early extension talks. We heard back in April that the two sides had opened negotiations, but there haven’t been any developments over the past few months.
Rogers notes that GM Brad Holmes has “every intention” of keeping his core together, and that sentiment would surely include Decker. The 16th-overall pick in the 2016 draft has played under a number of regimes during his time in Detroit, starting all 112 of his appearances in eight seasons.
Pro Football Focus has always graded Decker as an above-average OT, but the veteran had his best showing in 2023. The 30-year-old graded ninth among 81 qualifying offensive tackles, and he continued a five-year stretch of ranking in the top-30 at his position.
Decker is heading into the final year of his second career contract. Following the completion of his rookie pact, Decker inked a five-year, $70MM extension with the Lions. The lineman has fallen out of the top-10 average annual values at his position (he now ranks 12th), and he’ll probably stick around his $15MM AAV on his next deal. Rogers suggests the two sides will eventually land on a two-year extension for the long-time offensive tackle. With Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Penei Sewell having inked lucrative extensions this offseason, Detroit’s front office will have to get a bit creative as they manage their future cap sheets.
Broncos RBs Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine Competing For One Spot?
With two young running backs expected to earn a pair of roster spots in Denver, the Broncos may have to choose between two of their more experienced rushers. Troy Renck of the Denver Post believes Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine are ultimately competing for one roster spot.
This would be an unfortunate turn of events for Williams, who was a second-round pick only three years ago. The North Carolina product never truly got a chance to lead the backfield in Denver. He did top 1,200 yards from scrimmage as a rookie, but he still split most of his reps that season with veteran Melvin Gordon. Then, his sophomore season was limited to only four games thanks to a torn ACL, LCL, and posterolateral corner.
To Williams’ credit, he managed to return and start 13 of his 16 appearances in 2023. However, he averaged only 3.6 yards on his 217 carries, and while he finished the year with 47 receptions, that resulted in only 228 yards. While that drop in production could easily be attributed to his recovery from a devastating knee injury, the Broncos will surely use training camp and preseason to evaluate the running back ahead of the 2024 campaign. For what it’s worth, Renck observed that Williams “looked bigger and stronger” during the spring.
Perine was productive during his first season in Denver, finishing with a career-high 50 receptions and 693 yards from scrimmage. Heading into his age-29 season, Perine is the most veteran member of the Broncos RB corps, and with rookie Bo Nix under center, the Broncos may lean on the former fourth-round pick (especially in the passing game). Still, as Renck notes, Williams has also proved to be a capable pass-catcher, so the offense wouldn’t be completely lost without Perine.
Renck believes rookie fifth-round pick Audric Estime will earn one of the spots on the depth chart. The Notre Dame product had a breakout campaign in 2023, finishing the year with 1,341 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. The rookie suffered a knee injury during OTAs but is expected to be a full participant at training camp.
The team is also expected to hang on to Jaleel McLaughlin. The 2023 UDFA had a productive rookie season in Denver, finishing with 570 yards from scrimmage. He also notably hauled in 31 of his 36 targets, perhaps making him an option on third downs.
Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles Hasn’t Had “Any Conversations” With Randy Gregory
Randy Gregory was a no-show from Buccaneers mandatory minicamp. With veterans set to report to Tampa Bay’s training camp on Tuesday, the status of the pass rusher is still unknown. During an appearance on The Sick Podcast, head coach Todd Bowles admitted that he’s uncertain if he’ll see Gregory on the first day of training camp.
“We have not had any conversations,” Bowles said (h/t Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “I expect him to be here, but we’ll see.”
Gregory inked a one-year deal with Tampa Bay earlier this offseason that could pay him up to $5MM, but the 31-year-old has already accrued more than $100K in fines thanks to his unexcused minicamp absence. It shouldn’t take Gregory very long to get acclimated with his new outside linebackers grouping. He worked under current Bucs OLB coach George Edwards when the two were in Dallas, so the veteran should at least be familiar with some of the defensive concepts.
The beginning of Gregory’s career was defined by suspensions. The former second-round pick has already been banned four times for violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He’s avoided trouble in recent years, but his lack of availability will surely be top of mind as the Bucs staff evaluates the roster.
Gregory is also in the midst of a lawsuit against the NFL and the Broncos, where he played for one-plus seasons. Gregory claimed that he faced more than $500K in fines for taking medications that include THC. The suit alleges discrimination, with Gregory claiming he was denied a therapeutic use exemption.
The pass rusher’s six-sack campaign with the Cowboys in 2021 helped earn him a five-year contract from Denver. He didn’t last two seasons with his new squad, getting shipped to the 49ers last October. Gregory compiled 2.5 sacks in 12 games with San Francisco, and he got into each of the 49ers’ three playoff games.
The Buccaneers were counting on Gregory to soak up some edge snaps following Shaquil Barrett‘s departure. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Yaya Diaby, and Anthony Nelson are still around from last season, and the organization added Chris Braswell in the second round of this year’s draft. That four-man grouping should be more than capable, so the team may ultimately decide to cut their losses and move on from Gregory.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/18/24
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Reverted to IR: WR Jaxon Janke
- Reverted to NFI: OL LaDarius Henderson
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on PUP: LB Bradley Chubb, LB Cameron Goode, LB Jaelan Phillips, OL Isaiah Wynn
- Placed on NFI: RB Salvon Ahmed
New York Jets
- Placed on PUP: RB Nick Bawden, DL Leonard Taylor, WR Mike Williams
- Placed on NFI: WR Tyler Harrell, QB Jordan Travis
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on PUP: LB Jerome Baker, CB Lance Boykin, LB Tyrel Dodson, RT Abe Lucas, S Jerrick Reed II, LB Drake Thomas, NT Cameron Young
- Placed on NFI: G Anthony Bradford, LB Easton Gibbs, CB D.J. James, CB Nehemiah Pritchett, WR Dee Williams
As a reminder, players who land on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list can be activated at any time during training camp or the preseason. If players remain on either of those two lists following initial 53-man rosters, they’ll be forced to sit out the first four games of the 2024 season.
While the majority of the Dolphins’ injuries were expected, Isaiah Wynn‘s placement on PUP is a bit of a surprise. The offensive lineman continues to recover from a quadriceps injury that ended his 2023 campaign in October, but his rehab is apparently taking longer than expected. After mostly playing offensive tackle to begin his career, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the former first-round pick is expected to be the “front-runner” at left guard once he’s healthy enough to see the field. Jackson also passed along that Salvon Ahmed‘s issue isn’t related to his season-ending foot injury from last season and is a result of a “minor medical issue.” The RB is firmly on the roster bubble heading into training camp.
Patriots Could Pursue CB Depth
The Patriots’ cornerbacks corps is set to look a bit different in 2024. Myles Bryant, Jalen Mills, and J.C. Jackson accounted for 1,743 snaps last season but are no longer on the roster. The team can still feel comfortable atop their depth chart; Jonathan Jones returns after emerging as an outside CB in 2023, and the team will also welcome back 2023 first-round pick Christian Gonzalez, who was limited to only four games as a rookie thanks to a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder.
However, the depth behind that duo remains questionable, and that could lead the Patriots to pursue some reinforcement. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes, the organization could be in the market for a cornerback if somebody “doesn’t emerge in the first couple weeks of camp.”
Volin is confident that the team has a temporary answer to replace Bryant in the slot, with former Bills draft pick Alex Austin having impressed the organization down the stretch last season. Otherwise, the team is eyeing some uninspiring options.
Shaun Wade started six of his 14 appearances last season, but the former Ravens fifth-round pick isn’t guaranteed a roster spot. Marcus Jones impressed on special teams as a rookie but only saw a part-time role on defense. Coming off a shoulder injury that limited him to only two games in 2023, Jones will once again have to prove himself as a cornerback. The rest of the team’s depth includes the likes of sixth-round rookie Marcellas Dial and 2023 seventh-round pick Isaiah Bolden.
If the Patriots’ staff realizes they only have two or three capable CBs, the team could pivot to free agency. Volin specifially points to Jackson, who remains unsigned. The veteran was acquired by New England via trade in October, and he started six of his eight appearances during his second stint with the team.
Former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore remains unsigned, and the cornerback recently expressed interest in a reunion with the organization. Xavien Howard, Patrick Peterson, and Adoree’ Jackson are also still free agents, although there’s a chance the rebuilding squad just prefers to take a chance on an unproven talent.
Free Agent CB Stephon Gilmore Remaining “Patient” While Seeking Next Job
Stephon Gilmore is one of the biggest names remaining on the free agent market. With all 32 teams opening training camp over the next week, the former Defensive Player of the Year isn’t in any rush to find a new home. The veteran cornerback told Josina Anderson that he’s remaining patient as he seeks his next gig.
“Honestly, I’m still being patient and staying ready until teams see what they have in training camp; but you mean to tell me among 32 teams that there are 64 starting corners that are better than me? I don’t think that,” Gilmore said. “If teams want to win, I think they should sign the best players. I know I’m still a starter in this league. I started games last year, but the season doesn’t start until September, we got a while.”
Gilmore previously said that he’s waiting for the “right opportunity,” but it’s uncertain if the soon-to-be 34-year-old is still being selective at this point in the offseason. At the very least, it sounds like the veteran is seeking a starting gig. After spending the 2023 season with the Cowboys, Gilmore stated a desire to re-sign with Dallas, although there were few developments on that front. Gilmore also flirted with another former squad in the Panthers, and he recently hinted that he’d be open to a reunion with the Patriots.
The former Bills first rounder earned a number of accolades during his subsequent four-year stint with the Patriots. He’s only earned a single Pro Bowl nod while bouncing around the NFL in recent years, spending time with the Panthers, Colts, and Cowboys since the 2021 campaign. Gilmore has still graded out favorably by Pro Football Focus over that span, and since being limited to eight games with Carolina in 2021, he’s topped 1,000 defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons (the first time he’s accomplished this feat in his NFL career).
In other words, Gilmore still clearly has something left in the tank, but it sounds like he’s willing to wait for teams to evaluate their current depth options. As Gilmore noted to Anderson, he’ll also be competing with a number of defensive backs who are also unsigned. Gilmore specifically pointed to free agent safety Justin Simmons, but there are plenty of other notable veteran CBs still on the market, including Xavien Howard, Patrick Peterson, and Adoree’ Jackson. Considering Gilmore’s resume plus his recent performance and availability, teams will surely come knocking sooner than later.