DeAndre Levy Files Grievance Against Lions
Free agent linebacker DeAndre Levy has filed an injury grievance against the Lions, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press first reported last weekend that Levy would take this route.
Levy’s decision stems from the fact that the Lions passed him on their physical when they released him in March, even though he was dealing with a knee injury. By giving Levy a clean bill of health, the Lions avoided having to pay the 30-year-old the $1.75MM injury guarantee in his contract.
“I figured there was something wrong because they passed me on a physical when I couldn’t even sit down to a chair or get into a linebacker stance at the time,” Levy told Rothstein. “In my mind, I didn’t think about the legal contract part of it. I thought, this is f—– up, like I can’t get into position, how can I pass a physical. I didn’t know it was a physical the first time.”
Levy suffered the injury in Week 1 last year and only made five appearances in 2016 as a result. He underwent meniscus surgery once during the season and again this past April, and now he’s “struggling to get up and down stairs.” In Levy’s view, the Lions treated him unfairly, so he regrets playing through the injury last season and putting himself in an even worse situation physically.
“This set me back another year and has been extremely difficult to deal with,” Levy said. “Physically difficult and then being chewed up and spat on after eight years of sacrificing so much for them.”
Before his mostly lost 2016, Levy missed 15 of 16 games in 2015 with a hip injury. He only played in six of 32 regular-season games during the previous two seasons, then, and will also miss a substantial portion of the 2017 campaign. Levy informed Rothstein that five or six interested teams have contacted him since he became a free agent, but he has held off on signing because he won’t be cleared until November or December. Further, after what happened in Detroit, Levy doesn’t want to put his fate in the hands of an NFL team’s medical staff again.
“I think right now, I’d be foolish, at this point in my career,” Levy said. “To put my health in the well-being of NFL doctors.”
While it’s unclear if Levy actually will play again, any team that signs him would be getting an accomplished defender. Before injuries derailed his career, Levy starred at times from 2009-14, particularly when he intercepted six passes in 2013 and then tallied 155 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a pick in ’14 en route to second-team All-Pro honors. The Lions handed Levy a four-year, $33.7MM extension in the ensuing offseason, but he only saw half of that deal through.
Latest On Titans’ Ownership
The NFL has had concerns about Titans ownership since the 2013 passing of franchise founder Bud Adams, who bequeathed equal parts of the team to daughter Amy Adams Strunk and two other heirs. That left the franchise without a true controlling owner (though Strunk has taken the reins), which led the league to hit Strunk with a six-figure fine last year when the Titans remained in violation of NFL rules.
The Titans still haven’t rectified their ownership situation, and now one of Strunk’s fellow heirs, sister Susie Adams Smith, is selling her share of the team’s parent company, Houston-based KSA industries. That stake includes her one-third ownership of the Titans. Forbes values Smith’s piece of the team at approximately $660MM, writes Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.
Smith’s decision to sell “will not impact team operations in any way,” announced Strunk, who added that “I will continue to serve as the controlling owner of the Titans. The remaining two-thirds of the team controlled by myself, Kenneth Adams IV, Barclay Adams and Susan Lewis is not and has never been for sale.”
While Strunk is confident in how the Titans are currently operating, Smith’s move to relinquish her share only complicates an already complex situation, a source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. There’s an “impasse” among the three Adams families, per Florio, who notes that the league’s desire continues to be for one faction to have clear control over the franchise. Therefore, with Smith soon exiting the picture in favor of an outside party, the league could make an aggressive push for the Titans to finally solve their ownership situation, according to Florio.
Corey Coleman Cleared In Assault Case
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office in Ohio announced Tuesday that it will not file charges against Browns wide receiver Corey Coleman for a Dec. 31 assault. A woman accused Coleman of beating up a man who reportedly suffered a concussion, a ruptured eardrum and other minor injuries during an altercation in the wideout’s apartment complex. Coleman maintained his innocence throughout the process, though his brother and another man were charged. Both pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor’s office released a statement Tuesday explaining that it’s no longer investigating Coleman, part of which reads (via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com):
“The Cleveland Police Department’s investigation resulted in charges against Jonathan Coleman, 25, and Jared Floyd, 24, both of Dallas. A Grand Jury returned returned an indictment charging each defendant with one count of Felonious Assault, a second degree felony. Both were released on a $10,000 personal bond. Detectives continued their investigation into the possible participation of others, including the brother of Jonathan Coleman, Corey Coleman. Detectives recently received the labratory results from evidence submitted for DNA analysis. The testing results, conducted by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, indicate that there is no evidence implicating Corey Coleman.”
In response, Coleman’s attorney, Kevin Spellacy, told Adam Ferrise of cleveland.com: “I’m impressed with the county prosecutor and Cleveland police department’s diligence in this case. Obviously Corey’s denials are consistent with the evidence and we’re happy they came to the same conclusion.”
Coleman, 23, is entering his second NFL season. The Browns used the 15th pick in the draft on him last year, and he went on to total 33 catches, 413 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games as a rookie.
AFC Notes: Bengals, Flacco, Boldin, Landry
PFR sends best wishes to Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, who “will be taking time away from the team to focus on a minor health issue,” according to a club announcement. Specifically, Lewis is dealing with a Baker’s Cyst on his ankle, but the initial fear was that he had a blood clot, per Stacey Dales of NFL Network (Twitter link). The Bengals expect Lewis to return sometime this week, fortunately, and special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons will hold the reins as long as he’s out.
More from the AFC:
- There’s no comeback date for Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who’s dealing with a back injury, but a second opinion last week yielded news that was “positive for a slow return,” a league source told ESPN’s Dan Graziano (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). The Ravens can afford to be patient with Flacco because he’s a 10-year veteran who has a full understanding of their offense, noted head coach John Harbaugh. “Every play we’ve run, he’s run before numerous times,” Harbaugh said.
- The Bills’ signing of Anquan Boldin could help put them in position to land a third-round compensatory pick next offseason, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Because the Bills signed seven free agents and lost five prior to May 9, the cutoff date for the compensatory formula, they aren’t poised to receive a pick at the moment. But Boldin may make one of those signings, wideout Andre Holmes, expendable, and Rodak lists fellow FA additions Vlad Ducasse (guard) and Ryan Davis (defensive end) as release candidates. Parting with all three would give the Bills more losses than signings (five to four), thus netting them a valuable pick for 2018.
- This week, the girlfriend of Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry issued a statement regarding the allegations that were raised against him earlier this year (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). “In March of 2017 the father of my child and I had a vocal disagreement that resulted in someone calling 911. I, myself did not call the police. When the police arrived they determined that there was no cause for any arrests nor was there any concern for my physical well-being. There were no arrests made, there were no criminal charges, I was not in any way physically harmed Yes, we are going through a civil family court case and emotions are high, but I would like to make it very clear that Jarvis would never, ever do anything to harm me or anyone else. Jarvis and I are happily raising our beautiful daughter and I would like to make a plea to the media that they refrain from spreading this completely false story.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/8/17
Tuesday’s minor NFL moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Kelvin Taylor
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed: DE Arthur Miley (from Dolphins)
- Waived/Injured: S Dean Marlowe
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Dez Stewart, CB Tramain Young
- Waived: WR Ryan Spadola, CB Des Lawrence
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived: CB Taurean Nixon (Twitter link via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: K Sam Ficken (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: C Lucas Crowley
- Waived/Injured: C Mike Matthews
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: FB Kyle Coleman (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
- Waived/Injured: OL Robert Myers
Extra Points: Donald, Gruden, Titans, Bills
There’s no end in sight to the standoff between the Rams and holdout Aaron Donald, but the two sides remain on “amicable” terms, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. The superstar defensive lineman is under control through the next two seasons at low costs relative to his play and could be a franchise tag candidate in 2019 and ’20, meaning the Rams don’t have any incentive to give him a long-term mega-deal, one NFL agent told Gonzalez. “The Rams should sit back and do nothing. Let him play out this year, let him play out the fifth-year option, and franchise him,” said the agent.
The agent’s point of view makes sense from a financial perspective, but it wouldn’t be acting in good faith, notes Gonzalez, who writes that Donald is worth breaking the bank for and someone who’s clearly a franchise player. While the Rams are aware of the 26-year-old’s greatness, they also realize that they technically don’t have to cave into Donald, which puts them in a tough situation. Ultimately, if a deal does come together, it might not be until closer to September, observes Gonzalez. That’s when the Rams extended wide receiver Tavon Austin, edge rusher Robert Quinn and nose tackle Michael Brockers in past years. In the meantime, they can fine Donald $40K per day as long as he’s absent.
- Redskins coach Jay Gruden wouldn’t be surprised if his brother, Jon Gruden, returned to coaching. “It wouldn’t shock me, no,” said Jay Gruden (via John Keim of ESPN.com). “I don’t know why he would want to do that. He has a pretty good job. He has a passion for the game, the way he talks and prepares for the job he has is second to none. He loves coaching and he loves preparing. I don’t know if he’ll come back or not.” Jon Gruden hasn’t coached since 2008, and while the Monday Night Football commentator suggested last week that a comeback was possible, he indicated he’s content in his current role a few days later.
- Titans receiver Corey Davis, the fifth pick in this year’s draft and the last rookie to sign his contract, will sit out at least a week after suffering a hamstring injury Thursday, head coach Mike Mularkey told 104.5 The Zone in Nashville (via Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com). Davis will not need surgery, fortunately, though the Titans will evaluate him week to week. He expects to be in Tennessee’s lineup come Week 1, tweets Wolfe.
- Speaking to reporters Friday, Bills head coach Sean McDermott didn’t rule out foot surgery for left tackle Cordy Glenn. Both the Bills and Glenn can now breathe a sigh of relief, though, as the stalwart’s “fine” and will likely resume practicing next week, reports John Wawrow of The Associated Press. Glenn’s ankle injury limited him to a career-low 11 games last season, but the five-year veteran’s play still ranked an impressive 21st among 76 qualified tackles at Pro Football Focus.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Lions Notes: LTs, Tabor, Quin
A few notes from Detroit:
- In response to the serious shoulder injury stud left tackle Taylor Decker suffered during the spring, the Lions went out and acquired a pair of fill-in options in Greg Robinson and Cyrus Kouandjio. Robinson (second overall) and Kouandjio (44th) were high picks in the 2014 draft, but the former washed out with the Rams and the latter failed to stick in Buffalo. Unfortunately for the Lions, the two aren’t off to good starts in training camp, according to both Kyle Meinke of MLive.com and Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Robinson and Kouandjio have each dealt with injuries, but when they have taken the field, things haven’t gone well. Second-year defensive end Anthony Zettel, a sixth-rounder in 2016 who had one sack as a rookie, made “mincemeat” of the two tackles during practice Wednesday, per Meinke. Zettel has indeed held his own against the duo, confirms Rothstein, who currently tabs Kouandjio as the likely starter on the blindside. Either way, it appears the Lions are in for significantly worse play this year from the left tackle position, which isn’t exactly positive news for a team that could soon commit huge money to its quarterback.
- Rookie cornerback Teez Tabor has also begun 2017 in less-than-stellar fashion, relays Meinke, who suggests that the second-round pick from Florida could struggle to see the field much this year at the rate he’s going. Most or all of Darius Slay, Nevin Lawson, Quandre Diggs and D.J. Hayden are in line to receive more playing time than Tabor, whom unproven receiver Jared Abbrederis “abused” on Friday, notes Meinke. Tabor also hasn’t shown much speed, which is especially troubling for a player whose draft stock fell as a result of subpar showings in the 40-yard dash.
- Rothstein has the details on safety Glover Quin‘s two-year, $13MM extension. Initially, he was slated to earn a base salary of $4MM with a cap hit of $7.8MM in 2017. Now, his base salary is down to just $900K (fully guaranteed) with a cap hit of $6.4MM. In 2018, Quin will make $3.85MM in base salary, with $3.6MM of it guaranteed for injury only. On the third day in March, however, it becomes fully guaranteed. In 2019, the final year of his deal, Quin has no money guaranteed. Although the 31-year-old got some additional dollars and years in the extension, the Lions will still have the ability to get out of the deal before the 2018 season if his performance dips.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Latest On Dolphins’ Quarterback Situation
There has been mutual interest between Miami and Jay Cutler since Dolphins starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill suffered a left knee injury on Thursday. Adding to the speculation, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post reports that Cutler would “really like to” reunite with Dolphins head coach Adam Gase. The feeling is mutual, as Cutler is Miami’s No. 1 choice among available passers, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who adds that the two sides have discussed a contract (on Twitter).
The 34-year-old Cutler, who retired from football in May after receiving limited interest as a free agent and then signed with FOX Sports, has a good relationship with Gase from their time in Chicago in 2015. Then the Bears’ offensive coordinator, Gase helped Cutler to one of his best seasons, in which he completed 64.4 percent of passes, averaged 7.58 yards per attempt and threw 21 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions.
Whether Cutler joins Gase in Miami will largely boil down to the severity of Tannehill’s injury, which will either keep him out for several weeks or sideline him for the entire season. Cutler would reportedly only put his broadcasting career on hold to join the Dolphins as a full-time starter, so a less serious diagnosis for Tannehill might lead the Dolphins to look elsewhere for help under center.
One possibility could be Browns veteran Brock Osweiler, who isn’t a lock to make a roster that also includes rookie DeShone Kizer and second-year man Cody Kessler. Osweiler worked under Gase as a backup in Denver from 2012-14, when the latter served as the team’s quarterbacks coach and then O-coordinator, and developed immense respect for the coach. Gase is “brilliant” and “a tremendous coach,” Osweiler told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
Thanks to the close relationship between Osweiler and Gase, not to mention the strong likelihood that Kizer will start for the Browns, the Dolphins will probably inquire about an Osweiler trade, writes Cabot. It’s unclear whether Osweiler, after struggling mightily last year in Houston, would overtake Tannehill’s main backup, Matt Moore, or sit behind Moore on Miami’s depth chart.
The 32-year-old Moore acquitted himself well while filling in late last season for an injured Tannehill, when he helped the Dolphins finish 2-1 to post a 10-6 record and earn their first playoff berth since 2008. Gase lightly endorsed Moore on Friday, telling reporters (including Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today): “Right now, Matt is our quarterback. We’ll see where we go from there because I’ve got to figure out what’s going on with Ryan. And then we’ll make a decision after that.”
There’s “no timetable” for a decision on Tannehill, Gase added, but the Dolphins are going to have to take action soon with the regular season just over a month away.
Chargers Release Darrell Stuckey
The Chargers have released safety Darrell Stuckey with a failed physical designation, tweets James Palmer of NFL Network. Stuckey was on the active/physically unable to perform list with a knee injury that he suffered in the team’s final game of the 2016 season.
The 30-year-old Stuckey had been with the Chargers since they used a fourth-round pick on him in 2010, which made him one of their longest-tenured players. Stuckey appeared in 89 games with the Bolts, including all 16 last year, and never made a significant defensive impact. However, he was regularly among their most reliable special teamers. Stuckey paced the unit in snaps last season (368), and he earned a Pro Bowl berth for his output in that phase of the game in 2014.
Thanks to his superb work on special teams, Stuckey was more expensive than most players who specialize in that area. Releasing him saves the Chargers $2.9MM (compared to $433,750 in dead money), but it wasn’t an easy decision for general manager Tom Telesco.
“For the past seven years, Darrell has been a difference maker for our franchise both on and off the field,” Telesco said in a press release (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “He followed up a Pro Bowl season in 2014 by being named the Chargers Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2015. You couldn’t ask for a better person to represent the organization than Darrell, and we want to sincerely thank him not only for what he has meant to the Chargers, but for what he has meant to the community as a whole. Darrell, his wife Lacie, and his children will always be part of the Chargers family, and we wish them all the best now and in the future.”
AFC Notes: Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Jets
Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the most important weapon in the Texans’ aerial attack, has caught passes from unheralded veteran Tom Savage and first-round rookie Deshaun Watson this summer. Asked Friday which of the two should start, Hopkins endorsed Savage (via Dan Graziano of ESPN.com). “If anybody should be a judge of quarterbacks, I’ve played with the most quarterbacks in NFL history throughout my first four years,” Hopkins said. “So I put the stamp on Savage, and I think that’s all that needs to be said about that.” The 27-year-old Savage “does everything well,” according to Hopkins, who went on to discuss his own status with the Texans. Hopkins is in a contract year, but he insisted that he has no desire to test free agency after the season. “I’m pretty sure there’s a lot of teams in the NFL that would love to have me, but the Houston Texans is my home and the team that I want to play for forever,” he declared.
More from the AFC:
- Bills left tackle Cordy Glenn went for a second opinion on his injured left ankle and may have to undergo surgery, head coach Sean McDermott suggested Friday to reporters, including Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Glenn has been dealing with ankle issues since last year, when he missed five games. The five-year veteran entered 2016 having posted three straight 16-start campaigns. Losing Glenn for an extended period of time would deprive the Bills of arguably their best offensive lineman and likely lead to second-round rookie Dion Dawkins taking the reins at left tackle. It would also further eat into Buffalo’s tackle depth – the team cut now-Lion Cyrus Kouandjio in the spring, and Seantrel Henderson will miss the first five games of the season because of a suspension. The Bills’ only other bookend with experience is right tackle Jordan Mills, who started 16 games a year ago but ranked an underwhelming 56th in performance out of Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified OTs.
- The Chiefs worked out rookie cornerback John Green on Friday, according to a league source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Green, undrafted from Connecticut, spent time with the Titans in the spring.
- Rookie running back Shaquille Cooper worked out for the Jets on Friday, tweets Wilson. Cooper, also an undrafted free agent, played his college football at Division II Fort Hays State University.
Zach Links contributed to this post.