Texans Cut CB Rasul Douglas
Rasul Douglas‘ stint with the Texans lasted less than a week. Aaron Wilson reports (via Twitter) that Houston has cut the veteran cornerback.
Douglas was part of the Texans’ sudden revamping of their cornerbacks corps last week, as his addition followed the organization’s acquisition of Ka’dar Hollman from the Packers and trading of John Reid to the Seahawks. The Texans were actually Douglas’ second team in 2021, as he was signed (and subsequently cut) by the Raiders.
The 2017 third-round pick spent the first three seasons of his career with the Eagles, but he was cut by the team last preseason. The Panthers claimed him shortly after, and the former third-round pick started 11 games for the rebuilding squad. Pro Football Focus was moderately impressed with Douglas’ 2020 work, slotting him just outside its top 60 at cornerback. Douglas played a special teams role during the 2017 Eagles’ run to their Super Bowl title and started in the ’18 Eagles’ two playoff contests. Overall, the soon-to-be 27-year-old defender has started 29 career games since the Eagles selected him out of West Virginia.
Steelers Release P Jordan Berry
The Steelers have settled on a new punter. The team released veteran Jordan Berry today, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). This means rookie seventh-round pick Pressley Harvin III has won the starting gig.
Berry, a 2014 undrafted free agent out of Eastern Kentucky, had been with the Steelers since the 2015 season. Berry didn’t miss a game through his first five seasons in the NFL, averaging 44.2 yards per punt on his 328 attempts. It looked like his stint in Pittsburgh had ended in 2020 when the team released him in favor of Dustin Colquitt, but the team reversed course and re-signed Berry in October. The veteran ended up seeing time in 11 games last season, and he finished with a career-high 45.8 yards per punt.
Harvin will now take over the starting gig following a standout career at Georgia Tech. The punter earned a long list of accolades in 2020, including unanimous first-team All-American, first team All-ACC, and the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s top punter.
The Steelers special teams room will look a bit different in 2021, as the team also swapped long snapper Kam Canaday with Christian Kuntz. This leaves kicker Chris Boswell as the lone holdover.
Jaguars Trade CB Sidney Jones To Seahawks
Sidney Jones is heading to Seattle. The Jaguars announced that they’ve traded the cornerback to the Seahawks. Jacksonville will acquire a 2022 sixth-round pick in the trade, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
The former second-round pick spent the first three seasons of his career with the Eagles, but he only saw time in 22 games (eight starts) during his stint in Philly. After getting waived at the end of the 2020 preseason, Jones caught on with the Jaguars, and he proceeded to have a career season for his new team. The cornerback saw time in nine games (six starts) for Jacksonville, finishing with 26 tackles, nine passes defended, and a pair of interceptions.
Jones was expected to slot in as a backup for Jacksonville in 2021, and he’ll see a similar role in Seattle. Considering the Seahawks only gave up a late-round pick for the 25-year-old, it’s presumably a low-risk move with upside. Tre Flowers and Ahkello Witherspoon are listed as starters for Seattle, but Jones could compete with the likes of John Reid, D.J. Reed, Tre Brown, and Will Sunderland for backup reps.
Cardinals CB Malcolm Butler Mulling Retirement
Cardinals cornerback Malcolm Butler is considering hanging up his cleats. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the veteran is “dealing with a personal situation that has him mulling retirement.”
As Garofolo notes, the situation led to Butler being away from team facilities within the last week. The cornerback is still trying to work his way through the situation, and both retirement or “stepping away from the game” remain options. The Cardinals did not provide a comment to Garafolo, while the player’s agent didn’t respond to calls.
After getting cut by the Titans earlier this offseason, Butler inked a fully guaranteed $3.25MM deal with the Cardinals. The 31-year-old was expected to play a key role in Arizona’s secondary. If the veteran does indeed step away from the game, the team could be forced to turn to rookie fourth-round pick Marco Wilson or veteran Robert Alford to fill in as a starter.
Butler, 31, finished 2020 as Pro Football Focus’ No. 15 corner in the NFL. It was a strong return — he missed much of 2019, but he suited up for all 16 games last year while nabbing four interceptions and 100 total tackles (a new career high). All in all, he posted the lowest yards-per-completion and yards-per-target numbers of his Tennessee tenure.
Cardinals Release S Shawn Williams
After joining the Cardinals earlier this offseason, Shawn Williams has already earned his walking papers. Arizona is releasing the veteran safety, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).
Williams inked a one-year pact with the Cardinals back in March. The move reunited the safety with Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who was Williams’ defensive backs coach in Cincinnati for a couple of seasons. The 30-year-old sat on active/non-football injury list until early August.
Williams played sparingly his first couple of years in the league, but then blossomed into a full-time starter. From 2016-19, he started 57 of the 58 games he appeared in.
In 2018 he had an impressive five interceptions, and in 2019 he had 114 tackles. This past season he suddenly fell into the coaching staff’s doghouse, and mostly only played on special teams. He was suspended for a game back in December for stepping on an opponent.
Dolphins Release LB Benardrick McKinney
Benardrick McKinney‘s stint with the Dolphins has already come to an end. After getting traded to Miami earlier this offseason, the veteran linebacker will be released, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
Back in March, the Dolphins acquired McKinney and a 2021 seventh-round pick from the Texans for a 2021 sixth-round pick and Shaq Lawson (who, ironically, was traded by Houston earlier today). McKinney subsequently reworked his contract; the 28-year-old was originally set to make $27.5MM over the next three years, including a $7.75M salary in 2021, but he took a major cut by ripping up the final two years of the deal while earning $3MM this year (plus $200K in playtime incentives).
When McKinney was at his best, he formed one of the league’s best run-stuffing tandems with Zach Cunningham. He earned Pro Bowl nod in 2018 and racked up 100+ tackles again in 2019. Last year, however, a shoulder injury limited him to just four games.
In Miami, McKinney was expected to start alongside Jerome Baker. However, as reporter Armando Salguero observed, the veteran struggled in pass coverage, limiting his playing time. Plus, Elandon Roberts seemed to jump McKinney on the depth chart after the former was activated from PUP.
Dolphins Release C Matt Skura
Matt Skura‘s stint with the Dolphins has already come to an end. The Dolphins are cutting the veteran center, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
Back in March, Skura inked a one-year, $1.75MM deal ($400K guaranteed) with Miami. Today’s move will provide the organization with about $1.35MM in cap space.
The 28-year-old was expected to provide some experience to a young offensive line. However, it never sounded like the organization was committed to Skura as their starting center. Shortly after signing him, we learned that the Dolphins had still pursued center David Andrews before he landed back with the Patriots. We later heard that 2019 third-round pick Michael Deiter had likely earned the starting center gig, and it sounded like the team’s recent acquisition of lineman Greg Mancz could ultimately cost Skura his roster spot.
Skura had issues snapping the ball at times during his final season with the Ravens and wound up getting the hook in favor of Patrick Mekari. In total, he made 12 starts, giving him 51 total first-string appearances over the course of four seasons in Baltimore. Originally an UDFA out of Duke in 2016, Skura spent his rookie year on the practice squad. As a sophomore he was called on to start 12 games at guard when Marshal Yanda missed most of the season. The following year he became the team’s center, starting all 16 games. After starting 11 games in 2019 Skura tore an ACL and had significant other damage in his knee, but he made it back in time for 2020 training camp and started the season on time.
Chiefs Have Talked Trades For OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif could be on the trade block. The Chiefs have received calls on the offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, reports Albert Breer of MMQB. Complicating a trade is the fact that Duvernay-Tardif has a no-trade clause, making it “more likely” that he’ll remain on Kansas City’s roster.
Although he was a full-time starter for the Chiefs from 2015-19, Duvernay-Tardif wasn’t guaranteed his old job back as the Chiefs focused on revamping their offensive line this past offseason. While the lineman started 14 games for Kansas City in 2019, he sat out the 2020 campaign as he helped fight COVID-19. The 30-year-old also suffered a broken bone in his hand earlier this month, and his recovery was going to cut it close for the start of the season.
After watching Patrick Mahomes run for his life in the Super Bowl against the Bucs’ ferocious pass-rush, the Chiefs made it a priority to overhaul their O-line. They traded for tackle Orlando Brown Jr., drafted center Creed Humphrey in the second-round, and signed veteran guards Austin Blythe and Kyle Long. Duvernay-Tardif was battling with sixth-round pick Trey Smith for the starting right guard gig, a job that the rookie likely secured following the veteran’s hand injury.
Still, considering Duvernay-Tardif’s starting experience, it’s not a surprise that teams would have interest in him. The former sixth-round pick has started 57 of his 60 games since entering the NFL in 2014.
Ravens Trade OL Greg Mancz To Dolphins
The Ravens have made their second trade of the week. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Baltimore has traded offensive lineman Greg Mancz to the Dolphins for a late-round draft pick. ESPN’s Jamison Hensley clarifies (on Twitter) that Mancz and a seventh-round pick (acquired from the Patriots earlier this week) will head to Miami, with the Dolphins sending the Ravens a sixth-round pick.
[RELATED: Ravens Trade Shaun Wade To Patriots]
Mancz, a former undrafted free agent, spent six years with the Texans, starting 13 of his 28 games. However, the veteran struggled to get on the field during his final two seasons in Houston, combining for only 13 games played. This included a 2020 campaign when he saw time in only four games, with the majority of his snaps coming on special teams.
The 29-year-old joined the Ravens practice squad late last season, and he inked a reserve/futures contract with the team in January. However, as the preseason went on, most pundits dropped the veteran from their roster predictions.
Now, Mancz will have a chance to stick around Miami. The veteran could be useful thanks to his versatility; he’s lined up at center, guard, and right tackle throughout his career. The Dolphins’ offensive line appears to be just about set, but the team could be looking for some reinforcement after second-round rookie Liam Eichenberg suffered an injury during this week’s practice. Adam Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com speculates that today’s move could also cost veteran Matt Skura his roster spot. The veteran center already found himself behind Michael Deiter on the depth chart, and cutting the 28-year-old could save Miami $1.4MM against the cap.
Jaguars Sign WR Devin Smith
Devin Smith has earned himself another NFL gig. The veteran wide receiver signed with the Jaguars today, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco (via Twitter). The team also signed offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor.
Smith was a standout playing for current Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer while the two were at Ohio State, and that performance made Smith a second-round pick by the Jets in 2015. The wideout proved to be a disappointment, as he collected only 10 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown in 14 games (three starts) through two years with the team. To be fair, a torn ACL derailed his rookie campaign, and another ACL tear in 2017 forced him to miss the entire season. The receiver was ultimately waived by the team in 2018 and ended up sitting out that entire season, as well.
He got another chance in 2019 with the Cowboys, finishing with five receptions for 113 yards and one touchdown in four games (two starts). He was released by Dallas prior to last season, and he spent most of the 2020 campaign on the Texans and Patriots practice squad. New England held on to him for much of the 2021 offseason before ultimately cutting him last month.
In Jacksonville, Smith will have an uphill battle to make the roster. The Jaguars have DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault Jr., and Marvin Jones leading their depth chart, with notable names like Phillip Dorsett, Jamal Agnew, Laquon Treadwell, and Pharoh Cooper listed as backups.
Eluemunor, a 2017 fifth-round pick out of Texas A&M, spent two seasons with the Ravens before getting traded to the Patriots in 2019. The lineman spent two seasons in New England, appearing in 22 games with eight starts. He signed with the Dolphins earlier this offseason but was cut by the team earlier this week.