Extra Points: Patriots, Jets, Carson
Denard Robinson is back in the NFL, this time as a coach. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars have hired Robinson as an offensive quality control coach.
Following a standout career as Michigan’s quarterback, Robinson was selected by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2013 draft. The organization ended up transitioning him into a running back, and he ultimately spent four seasons with Jacksonville. His best season came in 2014, when he had 706 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.
The 29-year-old spent the 2019 season as an offensive analyst for the Jacksonville University football team.
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- While the Patriots would presumably like to sign Joe Thuney to an extension, ESPN’s Mike Reiss opines that the offensive lineman will end up playing next season on the franchise tag. As Reiss explains, Thuney has the leverage in negotiations, as he should be more-than-satisfied with his current one-year, $14.78MM deal. The reporter could see a scenario where the lineman signs a two-year deal that would buy the Patriots a bit of cap space for 2020, and Reiss believes that’s more realistic than Thuney getting traded or signing a long-term pact.
- While Jamal Adams may already be saying farewell to some of his teammates, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport believes the Jets will “stand pat” and let the situation play out (Twitter link). The safety has two years remaining on his contract, and that’s part of the reason why New York hadn’t felt any urgency in signing the former first-rounder to an extension.
- Seahawks running back Chris Carson has signed with Octagon Football for representation, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Daily. “From our perspective, he’s an elite running back in this league,” said agent Casey Muir. After averaging 1,190 rushing yards and eight touchdowns between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Carson is set to hit free agency following the 2020 campaign.
Latest On Dalvin Cook, Vikings
With Dalvin Cook in the midst of a holdout, the Vikings are especially focused on signing their stud running back to an extension. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that Minny’s front office wants to “continue to work toward signing” the Pro Bowler.
This isn’t a particularly shocking development; the Vikings have continually been interested in re-signing Cook. However, their initial offer wasn’t to the running back’s liking, leading to Cook’s decision to avoid team-related activities until he received a “reasonable” deal. The 24-year-old’s camp is reportedly seeking a deal that would pay him around $15MM annually, which is a bit less than the $16MM they initially pitched to the Vikings.
For what it’s worth, offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak doesn’t sound all that concerned about Cook’s holdout.
“That’s part of the business,” Kubiak said (via Dane Mizutani of TwinCities.com). “We all understand that. Those guys will do their job. We have to stay focused on our job as a football team moving forward.”
The coach noted that the running back is plenty familiar with the team’s offense, adding that Cook “could teach [a] class” on the system. That sentiment was certainly confirmed in 2019, as the former second-rounder established career-highs in rushing yards (1,135), receptions (53), receiving yards (519), and touchdowns (13).
Meanwhile, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports recently explored a potential compromise between Cook and the Vikings, writing that a three-year deal may make sense for both sides. Using the running back franchise tag as a basis, La Canfora suggests a deal that would pay Cook a bit less than $40MM between 2020 and 2022.
AFC West Notes: Joyner, Broncos, Chubb
It’s been a busy offseason for Derek Carr. The Raiders quarterback moved his family to Las Vegas, and the 29-year-old recently announced that his wife is pregnant. Despite those major life changes and the limitations of a virtual offseason, Carr believes that he and his teammate are entirely focused on football.
“I feel like we’re really working hard, I feel like we’re getting a lot done,” Carr said during an appearance on NFL Network (via Kyle Martin of the team’s website). “We’ve got some young guys, some new guys that are going to play big roles for us. So, I feel like this has been really good for us, this is the best we can do right now.”
Carr also reacted to the news that Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas will host the 2021 Pro Bowl.
“I’ve been to three Pro Bowls, it’s blessing, it’s cool, but I’m trying to do some other things,” Carr said. “I’m trying to play in the Super Bowl, I’m trying to win the Super Bowl. The Pro Bowl is fun and all that stuff, it’s exciting and I think it’s great for the community, I think it’s a great thing for fans to see some of their favorite players up close and personal, and not just on Twitter or Instagram. You know me, I’ve got different plans this year.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC West…
- While Lamarcus Joyner is currently slotted in as the Raiders‘ starting slot cornerback, Vic Tafur of The Athletic writes that the coaching staff intends to give the 29-year-old some reps at safety. After inking a four-year, $42MM deal last offseason, Joyner was inconsistent during his first season with the Raiders, finishing with 49 tackles and three passes defended in 14 games (1o starts).
- Following news that Broncos safety Kareem Jackson had tested positive for COVID-19, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that none of his teammates have recently tested positive. 40 Broncos players recently participated in the Denver protests, including Jackson, so there was some concern that the safety may have passed the coronavirus to other members of the organization. Broncos star Von Miller revealed back in April that he had tested positive.
- It’s been less than a year since Bradley Chubb tore his ACL, but Troy Renck of 7News in Denver writes that the Broncos linebacker has started running. According to the reporter, there’s optimism that the former fifth-overall pick will be ready to go come the start of the regular season.
Eagles Haven’t Made Offer To RB LeSean McCoy
While the Eagles are reportedly “open to the idea” of bringing back LeSean McCoy, it doesn’t sound like they’ve seriously pursued the veteran running back. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (via Twitter) that Philly hasn’t made an offer to their former Pro Bowler.
However, the Eagles have (or, at least, did) make offers to other veteran running backs. McLane notes that the organization made an offer to Carlos Hyde, who has since signed with the Seahawks. The organization also made an offer to Devonta Freeman, who is currently weighing his options.
We heard last week that there was some mutual interest in an Eagles/McCoy reunion. The running back spent six seasons in Philly between 2009 and 2014, earning three Pro Bowl trips and two First-Team All-Pro nods. Of course, the Eagles wouldn’t be getting that version of McCoy in 2020; despite starting 22 games for the Bills and Chiefs over the past two years, the veteran has only compiled 979 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 262 carries.
On the flip side, the Eagles probably wouldn’t be expecting a whole lot of production out of the 31-year-old (32 in July). Instead, he’ll be a mentor in a relatively young running backs room, a grouping that’s currently led by Miles Sanders and Boston Scott.
Seahawks OL Duane Brown Back To Full Health
When the 2020 season eventually kicks off, Duane Brown expects to be fully healthy. The veteran offensive tackle said he’s recovered from bicep and knee injuries that forced him to miss five games (including one playoff contest) last season.
While the 34-year-old had to eventually have December knee surgery, he revealed that he didn’t need to go under the knife for his biceps ailment.
“I didn’t get anything done to it,” Brown said (via Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com). “It’s doing great. Been working out and haven’t really had any restrictions or limitations with it.
“Knee is doing great. Didn’t have any more work done. After the year (I) got it checked out and just got treatment done to it. And since then, just been working out, keeping it strong, moving around. Typical offseason for me at this point. Not nursing it too much so I’m doing pretty good.”
While Brown has only appeared in all 16 regular season games once since 2015, the Seahawks will still be relying on him to provide some veteran savvy to an offensive line that will feature three new starters. The four-time Pro Bowler also noted that he hasn’t considered retirement, although he’s set to turn 35 in August and will be entering his 13th NFL campaign.
“I don’t think about it too much,” Brown said “I tell myself I don’t want to put a number on when I want to walk away. I’m enjoying it. This year my goal is just to stay as healthy as possible and be out there every Sunday. That’s all I’m really concerned with.”
Browns Still Interested In Jadeveon Clowney
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Following reports from yesterday that Jadeveon Clowney turned down an offer from the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that the Browns are still interested in the free agent pass rusher.
We learned last night that Clowney had rejected Cleveland’s contract, even though it was the most lucrative deal he’s been offered. Cabot notes that the 27-year-old is still “weighing his options.”
Clowney’s contract demands have dropped throughout the offseason. While the former first-overall pick was previously seeking a deal that’d pay him $20MM per year, those demands have been reduced to the $17MM to $18MM range. It’s uncertain how much money Cleveland offered the defensive end.
While Cleveland could certainly use some talent, they’re not in desperate need for a pass rusher. After all, they have former first-overall pick Myles Garrett as well as former Pro Bowler Olivier Vernon. Still, as Cabot points out, Browns general manager Andrew Berry isn’t afraid of making a big splash.
“We’re actively always looking, whether it’s draft, free agency, trades, waiver wire, you name it, to add players to our roster,” Berry previously said. “Obviously Jadeveon, he’s a good football player. But for us, it really goes back to something I mentioned maybe a few months ago. Rest assured, across all opportunities to acquire players, we’re going to be aggressive in adding talent to the roster.”
Jalen Ramsey Won’t Skip Training Camp
Jalen Ramsey is seeking a contract extension, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to hold out. The Rams cornerback told reporters that he’ll attend training camp without a new contract (via ESPN’s Lindsay Thiry on Twitter).
[RELATED: Extension Candidate: Rams CB Jalen Ramsey]
“The Rams know where I stand, they’ve been in contact with my agent, they know what’s up,” Ramsey told reporters.
Back in October, the Rams sent a pair of firsts and a fourth-rounder to Jacksonville for the defensive back. Ramsey ended up getting into nine games (eight starts) for his new team, compiling 33 tackles, four passes defended, one forced fumble, and one interception. The 25-year-old ultimately earned his third-straight Pro Bowl appearance.
Ramsey will earn $13.7MM in 2020 thanks to the Jaguars’ (predictable) decision to pick up his fifth-year option. As our own Zach Links recently pointed out, Ramsey’s agents will surely be eyeing Darius Slay‘s $16.7MM average annual value, and they could point to Byron Jones and his $46MM in full guarantees and $54.4MM in effective guarantees.
The Rams don’t have a whole lot of financial flexibility, but they could always turn to the franchise tag next offseason. In that scenario, there’s a chance that Ramsey could end up holding out.
NFL Still Eyeing June Minicamps
The NFL has set its sights on a mid- to late-June minicamp, but there are still a handful of hurdles to overcome.
Yahoo’s Charles Robinson reports that the league could allow head coaches to return to team facilities as early as next week. This vicariously means team minicamps could begin “as early as June 15 or as late as June 27.”
[RELATED: Jets, Giants Permitted To Start Training Camp, Play NFL Games]
The start of minicamps would be dependent on teams getting the green light from their respective state’s government. Specifically, the NFL is awaiting a decision from California governor Gavin Newsom, and there’s hope that he’ll allow “full team operations” for the state’s three organizations. The league would also need the NFL Player’s Association to approve a potential start date.
If minicamps start on June 27th, that’d be about two weeks later than normal. Robinson notes that it’s uncertain whether this start date would have an impact on the start of training camps in July.
Earlier this week, league executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent said he’s optimistic that teams will host “full stadiums” in the fall.
WR Josh Gordon To Apply For Reinstatement
Count Josh Gordon among those who are looking to be reinstated by the NFL. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that the embattled wideout “will be applying for reinstatement soon.”
Sources tell Florio that Gordon is “doing well,” and the receiver has been working out and is ready to play in the NFL again. The 29-year-old is hoping for a resolution before training camp starts.
Last December, Gordon was slapped with an indefinite suspension following his latest violation of the NFL’s policy on substances of abuse. Further, the league also flagged him for performance-enhancing substances. This was Gordon’s sixth career suspension from the league office; while the wideout has continually been given second (and third, and fourth…) chances, he could be facing an uphill battle this time around.
Further, if Gordon is reinstated, he’ll have to find a new team. As Florio writes, the receiver satisfied “his contractual obligations” to the Seahawks last season, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The wideout had a standout season back in 2013, hauling in 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s only appeared in 33 regular season games since that time, including a 2019 campaign that he split between the Patriots and Seahawks. He finished last season with 27 receptions for 426 yards and one score.
Yesterday, the NFL granted reinstatement to Aldon Smith, and we learned earlier today that Randy Gregory was also pushing for a return.
Latest On Cowboys DE Randy Gregory
Yesterday, the NFL granted reinstatement to Aldon Smith, but it sounds like his teammate will have to wait a bit longer. ESPN’s Todd Archer reports that Randy Gregory “remains in the return process” from his suspension.
We heard back in March that the organization was expecting the defensive end to be reinstated and be back with the team next season. However, the former second-round pick remains suspended indefinitely, and a report from April indicated that we wouldn’t receive any clarity until after the NFL Draft. That event has obviously come and gone, and while Smith may have been reinstated by the league, it sounds like Gregory’s case is taking longer to settle.
Gregory missed the entire 2017 and 2019 seasons because of substance-abuse suspensions. The 27-year-old has been productive when he’s seen the field, including a 2018 campaign where he compiled 25 tackles, six sacks, and two forced fumbles in 14 games. Gregory was set to apply for reinstatement last summer, but an apparent slip-up in his aftercare program helped put those plans on hold.
While it sounds like Gregory still has a ways to go until he’s reinstated by the league, his agent, Peter Schaffer, sounded optimistic following yesterday’s news about Smith.
“We are very happy for Alden and wish him all the luck in the world and a successful resumption of his career,” Schaffer said. “It’s refreshing to see the NFL following through on their stated goal to focus more on rehabbing players than punishing players.”