Dolphins Receiving Calls About QB Josh Rosen’s Availability
The Dolphins’ quarterbacks depth chart is plenty crowded, and other teams have apparently caught on. NFL Network’s Michael Giardi reports that Miami has received calls regarding quarterback Josh Rosen‘s availability (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com).
The front office is reportedly in “no hurry” to make a trade, and Williams opines that the organization hasn’t received an offer to their liking.
Rosen, the 10th-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has struggled to find a home in the NFL. The Cardinals moved him to Miami last offseason after they opted for Kyler Murray with the first-overall pick. Rosen found himself playing behind Ryan Fitzpatrick during much of his first season in Miami, and he’s fallen further down the depth chart after the Dolphins selected Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth-overall pick in this year’s draft.
The Dolphins gave up a second-rounder to acquire Rosen last offseason, but it’s unlikely they’d be able to recoup that value in another trade. The quarterback has gone only 3-13 as a starter during his brief career, completing 54.8-percent of his passes for 2,845 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions.
We heard back in February that the 23-year-old could end up sticking around Miami, but that was before the organization used their top pick on a quarterback. For what it’s worth, it sounds like Rosen is optimistic about his future in the NFL, even if that means being a temporary backup.
“I’m very encouraged just in general day to day, in how I’ve developed and watching Fitz do his thing,” Rosen said in December, some time after losing his starting job. “It’s not really the window is opened and closed like that. But there’s a sense of understanding time and opportunity. I’m aware of it, but it’s all for you guys to write about more than for me to worry about. Opportunities will come and I’ll try to seize them.”
This Date In Transactions History: NFL Adopts “Annual Draft Of College Players”
On this day in 1935, the NFL made a significant decision that didn’t only impact football, but the entire sports world. As Hall of Famer (and NFL.com analyst) Gil Brandt points out on Twitter, the league “adopted an annual draft of college players” on May 19th, 1935.
There were several events that led up to this decision. For starters, collegiate players were initially allowed to sign with any NFL team, leading to a free-for-all that’s not too different than modern free agency. Specifically, Eagles co-owner Bert Bell found that these prospects were simply opting for the most lucrative deal, and if money was equal, the player would land with the more accomplished, competitive franchise. As a result, teams like the Bears and Packers generally recruited the top collegiate players.
There was also the matter of Stan Kostka, who had a standout campaign for the Minnesota Gophers during the 1934 season. The running back ended up waiting for the highest-possible offer, and after a nine-month “holdout” (which also included an unsuccessful campaign to be the mayor of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota), Kostka ended up landing a league-leading $5,000 deal (we swear, that’s not a typo) with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
This move infuriated Bell, who believed the NFL would ultimately fail if teams were allowed to simply buy the best prospects. So, on May 18th, 1935, the Eagles co-owner proposed a rookie draft. Bell touted that a draft would help increase parity, and he believed this would have a vicarious impact on the league’s financials. The next day, the league unanimously voted to adopt a draft starting with the 1936 season.
Of course, NFL teams didn’t have the scouting resources that they do now; in fact, NFL teams didn’t even have scouting departments. Organizations were required to randomly submit the names of college seniors, and these players would then be inserted into the draft pool. If a team selected a player, they were allowed to exclusively negotiate with the prospect. If a deal couldn’t be reached, the organization had the ability to trade the rookie. If neither a contract nor a trade materialized, the NFL was allowed to step in and arbitrate a settlement between the two sides. This ended up being relevant for the 1936 Draft, as only 24 of the 81 selections proceeded to play in the NFL that season.
In a not-so-ironic twist, the Eagles (and Bell, the architect of the draft) landed the first-overall selection of the inaugural event. The organization selected halfback Jay Berwanger, but after unsuccessfully negotiating with the prospect, Philadelphia traded his rights to the Bears. Berwanger didn’t sign with Chicago, either, and the first pick of the first draft ultimately never played a snap in the NFL.
Of course, who knows if Berwanger would have followed this same path had he been allowed to sign with any NFL team. There were surely some pundits who pointed to Berwanger and criticized the draft for alienating prospects. However, without the decision made 85 years ago today, the NFL (and sports as a whole) would look a whole lot different.
LeBron James Considered Playing Football In 2011, Received Contract Offer From Cowboys
Back in 2011, LeBron James considered taking his talents to…the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. And no, we’re not saying he considered playing alongside Dirk Nowitzki on the Dallas Mavericks. Rather, the NBA star flirted with the idea of joining the NFL, and he had at least one potential suitor in the Dallas Cowboys. 
During an appearance on “Uninterrupted” yesterday, the future NBA Hall of Famer revealed that he considered switching to football during the 2011 NBA lockout (and the concurrent 2011 NFL lockout).
“I had no idea how long the lockout was going to be, and myself and my trainer … we really started to actually train to be a football player,” James said (via David Helman of DallasCowboys.com). “We started to clock our time in the 40, we started to add a little bit more to our bench presses and things of that nature.”
How serious did it get? Well, Maverick Carter, James’ friend and business partner, revealed that Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones sent the basketball great a contract (which James subsequently framed). Considering LeBron’s star power, you’ve got to assume that the contract offer was legitimate; even if the MVP’s talents didn’t translate from the court to the gridiron, he undoubtedly would have been atop the list of jersey sales.
Of course, it’s not even that outlandish to suggest that James could have succeeded in the NFL. At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, James has the ideal body for a modern tight end. Plus, while we know we shouldn’t put too much stock into high school stats, LeBron hauled in 27 touchdowns in just two seasons while playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary.
As we all know, LeBron ended up sticking with basketball, which proved to be the right decision. Since the summer of 2011, the veteran has won three NBA championships and a pair of MVP awards. Still, it’s fun to wonder whether James could have helped guide the Cowboys to their first championship since 1995.
For the latest on LeBron, the Lakers, and all things NBA, follow Hoops Rumors on Twitter. (And, while you’re there, say hello to PFR editor emeritus Luke Adams!)
Latest On Redskins WR Cody Latimer
Following his arrest in Colorado on Saturday morning, Redskins wideout Cody Latimer appeared at a court hearing yesterday morning, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter and John Keim. Latimer was ordered to return for a July 24 court date. He’s facing five individual charges, including assault in the second degree, menacing, illegal discharge of a firearm, prohibited use of weapons, and reckless endangerment. Latimer was initially released from the Douglas County Jail on $25,000 bond on Saturday.
The police report states that Latimer was participating in a poker game at the home of one of his best friends, Roderick English. During that game, the NFL player got into a “heated argument” with another participant, at which point English ordered everyone to leave his apartment.
Latimer returned to the apartment about 30 minutes later and was “agitated and angry.” It was at this point that the 27-year-old pulled out a handgun, waved it around, and threatened to kill everybody in the residence. Latimer eventually “emptied the magazine and cleared the chamber of his gun,” but that was after he fired a pair of shots near English. The two also engaged in a physical confrontation, and English required medical attention after being hit in the head with the gun.
During Monday’s hearing, attorney Harvey Steinberg told the court that he had been contacted by law enforcement regarding “an investigation of a sexual assault of Latimer’s 4-year-old son that was allegedly perpetrated by one of the individuals at that poker game.” The shooting incident took place “at about the same time and location as the alleged sexual assault.”
Following a 2019 campaign that saw him compile career-highs in receptions (24) and receiving yards (300) with the Giants, Latimer joined the Redskins this offseason. While the veteran was expected to contribute on offense and special teams, ESPN notes that Latimer could end up losing his gig to fourth-round wideout Antonio Gandy-Golden.
Redskins Re-Sign CB Aaron Colvin
Aaron Colvin will be back in Washington for another season. The Redskins announced today that they’ve re-signed the cornerback.
The 28-year-old started the 2019 season with the Texans, but he was released after allowing a key catch to Ted Ginn Jr. during Houston’s Week 1 loss to the Saints. Colvin subsequently signed with the Redskins, and he proceeded to appear in six games (two starts) for his new team, compiling 10 tackles and two passes defended.
The 2014 fourth-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Jaguars, including a 2015 campaign where he started a career-high 15 games. Colvin signed a four-year, $34MM contract (including $18MM guaranteed) with the Texans prior to the 2018 campaign.
Washington’s secondary will look a whole lot different next season, as both Quinton Dunbar and Josh Norman are gone. The Redskins brought in Ronald Darby and Kendall Fuller to take their place, and they can also turn to Colvin and former third-rounder Fabian Moreau.
NFC West Notes: Dorsett, Simmons, 49ers
Phillip Dorsett signed with the Seahawks earlier this offseason, but it sounds like the wideout regrets not joining the organization sooner.
“I could have went a lot of different places but I just felt like this was the right fit,” Dorsett told reporters (via Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com). “I felt like it was one year – not too late because I could have come last year and I chose to stay in New England, but I didn’t want to make that mistake again.”
The former Patriots receiver made two trips to the Super Bowl (including a victory in Super Bowl LIII) during his time in New England. However, he struggled to climb the depth chart, as he hauled in only 73 total receptions for 881 yards and eight touchdowns in 45 games for the Patriots.
“I’m not going to say it’s not any fun. Because at the end of the day, I went to two Super Bowls and won one. So you can’t say there’s no fun in that. There is fun in that,” Dorsett said. “But at the end of the day when you’re at practice, it’s all business. When you’re in the meeting rooms, it’s all business. When you’re on the practice field or the game field, it’s all business. But I met some amazing people there. Amazing teammates, media, equipment managers, coaches. I had a great experience there. And I was just ready for the next step, you know, I’m blessed to be here. I can’t wait to get going. And I’m just thankful.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFC West…
- While Clemson may have capitalized on Isaiah Simmons’ versatility, it sounds like the Cardinals have other plans. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury will allow the eighth-overall pick to solely focus on one position. “His ability to play so many positions and not really having a chance to focus on one, we just think the sky could be the limit for what he can be if we really lock him in one position for the majority of the time,” Kingsbury said (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph previously hinted that Simmons could end up spending most of his time at linebacker.
- Retired 49ers offensive lineman Joe Staley will count $2MM against the cap next season, observes Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. The veteran was set to earn more than $10MM in salary and bonuses before the 49ers released him with an injury settlement. Staley will get $1MM via that transaction, and he’ll receive another $1MM stemming from the contract extension he signed last offseason.
- We learned yesterday that the Seahawks don’t seem interested in re-signing Jadeveon Clowney, and it could be a while before the edge rusher joins any NFL team
Logan Ryan Discusses Free Agency, Jets Rumors
Logan Ryan is clearing the air. Following reports that the veteran cornerback was close to signing with the Jets, Ryan said on Good Morning Football that he’s “completely open for business.”
“[The] Jets…it makes a lot of sense because I’m from the area, I went to Rutgers. I’m blue collar,” Ryan said (via GMFB on Twitter). “[I’m] trying to do what’s best for my family. Obviously there’s a lot of rumors out there. I can’t confirm any of it because I’m obviously still not signed yet. We’ll see. I obviously want to get a deal done whenever, and I’m open to it. So we’ll see what happens there.
“But I’m also open to pretty much 30 other franchises, except for the Titans, that’s the only one I’ve ruled out thus far. So I’m completely open for business.”
On Tuesday, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported that the Jets organization believed they were on the verge of signing Ryan. However, nothing has materialized 48 hours later, and we’ve since heard that the Dolphins could still have interest in the 29-year-old.
As ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes on Twitter, the cornerback could simply be looking to “stimulate his market” with today’s appearance. Throughout the offseason, Ryan has been pretty adamant that he wants a contract that would pay him around $10MM per season. He previously approached the Titans with a suggested one-year, $9.5MM contract, which they rejected. As a result, Ryan bid farewell to the organization, as he alluded to this morning.
After winning a pair of Super Bowls during his four seasons in New England, Ryan signed a three-year, $30MM deal with the Titans back in 2017. He started each of his 45 regular season games with Tennessee, including a 2019 campaign where he set career-highs in tackles (113), passes defended (18), sacks (4.5), and forced fumbles (four).
Jets To Sign CB Logan Ryan?
The Jets believe they’re close to signing one of the best remaining free agents. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that the organization “believes” they’ll land cornerback Logan Ryan on a one-year deal. Meanwhile, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano hears that while the Jets are interested, no formal offer has been made just yet. It’s a situation to monitor, but it’s not signed, sealed, and delivered as of this writing.
We heard last month that the Jets were looking to “free up money” so they could make a run at the veteran defensive back. While the organization will eventually have the necessary funds to add Ryan (they’ll have $14MM in space come June 1st), a signing was dependent on “Gang Green’s relatively stringent budget.” Indeed, Mehta notes that the impending signing revolved around “ownership’s willingness to dole out enough cash this year.”
After winning a pair of Super Bowls during his four seasons in New England, Ryan signed a three-year, $30MM deal with the Titans back in 2017. He started each of his 45 regular season games with Tennessee, but it doesn’t sound like a reunion was ever in the cards. Ryan bid farewell to the organization earlier this month, and he later revealed that the front office wouldn’t consider his suggested one-year, $9.5MM contract.
Ryan had one of his most productive seasons in 2019, setting career-highs in tackles (113), passes defended (18), sacks (4.5), and forced fumbles (four). Even if the veteran does eventually transition to safety, Mehta previously opined that he’s “the kind of player that [defensive coordinator Gregg] Williams covets.
The Jets have been busy revamping their secondary this offseason. The front office signed Pierre Desir, traded for Quincy Wilson, and re-signed Brian Poole. They also added safety Ashtyn Davis in the third round of the draft.
AFC Notes: Ravens, Patriots, Rivers
After the Ravens added Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Mark Ingram believes his team officially has the best running game in the league.
“I like his mindset, I like his attitude, I like the way he run the ball. Just bring him and his talents to our room that’s already special; our backfield is gonna be the best in the league for sure,” Ingram told NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe (via NFL.com’s Grant Gordon). “We’re all looking forward to it, being playmakers for the team and help us win the championship.”
Last season, Ingram and quarterback Lamar Jackson became just the second RB-QB duo to top 1,000 rushing yards in the same season (Warrick Dunn and Michael Vick did it with the Falcons in 2006). Gus Edwards also had a productive season in Baltimore, running for 711 yards and two scores. Even Justice Hill found the end zone twice as a rookie.
While the backfield may be a bit crowded, it doesn’t sound like Ingram is too concerned about carries. Rather, the veteran is focused on winning a championship, and he passed that mindset on to his rookie teammate.
“He reached out to me,” Ingram said. “Right after he got drafted, just shot me his number, said he was looking forward to getting to work. I told him let’s go get a ring.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC…
- Sticking with Baltimore, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta told season ticket holders that the team doesn’t have a whole lot of salary cap flexibility (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec on Twitter). DeCosta noted that if the front office did open up space, they’d likely pursue a pass rusher/linebacker or a veteran offensive lineman.
- Reports yesterday indicated that Tom Brady‘s “deteriorating relationship” with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was a big reason why the quarterback left New England. However, Brady vehemently denied those rumors via Instagram, asking reporters to “[p]lease be more responsible with reporting” (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). McDaniels and Brady had been paired together for more than a decade, winning six Super Bowls along the way.
- In 2019, Philip Rivers was playing behind a Chargers offensive line that ranked 29th in effectiveness, per Pro Football Focus. In Indy, he’ll be playing behind an offensive line that was ranked third by the same metric, and that’s a big reason why the veteran decided to join the Colts. “The big part of Philip being here is Anthony Castonzo. Quenton Nelson,” said offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni (via NFL.com’s Nick Shook). “Ryan Kelly. Braden Smith. Mark Glowinski. Those guys are studs…That’s something that he just kept mentioning after we signed him of how valuable those guys were to him.”
Contract Details: Jets, Charlton, Gipson
Some assorted contract details to pass along:
- Tashaun Gipson, S (Bears): One year. Deal is worth $1.05MM, including $550K in guaranteed money. Via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter.
- Johnathan Joseph, CB (Titans): One year. Deal is worth $2MM, including $1.5MM guaranteed. Additional $500K in “reachable incentives” and another $750K in standard incentives. Contract worth a maximum of $3.25MM. Via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com on Twitter and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network on Twitter.
- Frank Gore, RB (Jets): One year. Deal is worth $1.05MM, including $200K guaranteed. Cap charge of $750K. Via Pelissero on Twitter and ESPN’s Rich Cimini on Twitter.
- Jordan Jenkins, LB (Jets): One-year. Deal is worth $3.75MM. $3.25MM in guaranteed money, including $1.75MM signing bonus and $1.5MM base salary. $500K in roster bonuses, $250K in “likely to be earned” incentives. Via Cimini on Twitter.
- Taco Charlton, DE (Chiefs): One year. Deal is worth $825K. Via Pelissero on Twitter.
- Devontae Booker, RB (Raiders): Signed. One year deal worth veteran salary benefit ($887.5K cap charge). Includes $50K signing bonus. Via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.