Redskins, Steelers Swap Dashaun Phillips, Lucas Crowley
Washington has traded cornerback Dashaun Phillips to Pittsburgh for center Lucas Crowley, James Palmer of NFL Network tweets. The Redskins would have cut Phillips had they not found a taker for him, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (on Twitter), as the 26-year-old was on the outside of the team’s cornerback battle.
Phillips spent the first two years of his career in Washington, where he totaled 11 appearances and eight tackles. He picked up the first two starts of his career last season and ended up amassing 207 snaps (147 on defense, 60 on special teams) in five games. Phillips will now vie for a role in a Pittsburgh corner corps that features Artie Burns, William Gay, Coty Sensabaugh and Ross Cockrell as its most established members.
Crowley, an undrafted rookie, is already on his third team since May. The former North Carolina Tar Heel originally signed with the Cardinals, who cut him July 22, and then latched on with the Steelers just two weeks ago. While he hardly seems like a lock to make the Redskins, it could help Crowley’s cause that starting center Spencer Long underwent minor knee surgery this week. Washington’s top option behind Long is another rookie, sixth-round pick Chase Roullier.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/23/17
Wednesday’s minor moves…
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Christian Bryant
Detroit Lions
- Claimed: DT Caushaud Lyons (via Rams)
- Cut: TE Andrew Price
Houston Texans
- Signed: OLB Mike Catapano
- Waived/Injured: WR Devin Street
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: ILB Darnell Sankey
- Waived/Injured: CB Tevin Mitchel
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Jahad Thomas
- Released: RB Jordan Todman
Oakland Raiders
- Cut: DE Jimmy Bean
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Antonio Crawford
- Cut: RB Brandon Brown-Dukes
Latest on Jaguars’ QB Competition
The Jaguars announced that they will start quarterback Chad Henne over Blake Bortles in their exhibition game against Carolina on Thursday. Both signal-callers will receive first-team reps, but the fact that Henne will get top billing in the Jaguars’ most important preseason game seemingly bodes well for his chances of starting the team’s regular-season opener in Houston on Sept. 10.
[RELATED: Jaguars Offseason In Review]
Bortles, whom the Jaguars chose third overall in the 2014 draft, had a mediocre-at-best first three seasons in the NFL and has been ineffective this summer. Both his on-field woes and his contract status combine to cloud his future in Jacksonville. If he doesn’t win the starting over Henne, the Jaguars could cut Bortles, though doing so would leave them with $6.57MM in dead cap and no savings. But keeping him would be risky, as Bortles has a $19MM fifth-year option for 2018 that’s guaranteed for injury. Should Bortles stay on the Jags’ roster this season and suffer an injury that leaves him unable to pass a physical next March, they’d be on the hook for that sizable sum a year from now.
Henne, like Bortles, hasn’t exactly established himself as a quality starter during his time in the league. A second-round pick of the Dolphins in 2008, the 32-year-old has totaled 65 appearances (53 starts) and posted poor numbers (59.3 completion percentage, 58 touchdowns against 63 interceptions, 75.5 passer rating). The ex-Michigan standout hasn’t started a regular-season game since 2014.
Unless the light bulb goes on for Henne or Bortles during the season, a fairly talented Jacksonville team will struggle to break its nine-year playoff drought or significantly improve over its three-win 2016. Still, although their situation under center looks bleak, the Jaguars have not considered adding an outsider to the mix. The best options available in free agency include Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III, while the Browns’ Brock Osweiler is on the block. Griffin and Osweiler come with obvious on-field warts, though, while teams have been averse to signing Kaepernick because of his his off-field activism and his recent decline in performance.
Valentino Blake Designated As “Left Squad”
Giants cornerback Valentino Blake‘s NFL future could be in question. Blake did not participate in practice Wednesday for undisclosed reasons and was then designated as “left squad,” and the Giants were given a roster exemption as a result, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.
Blake dealt with a back injury earlier this summer, but he has seemingly moved past that, having played a team-high 45 snaps in the Giants’ preseason game against the Browns on Monday.
The Giants signed the 27-year-old Blake in March, after he proved to be a durable defender for the Jaguars, Steelers and Titans over the first five seasons of his career. Blake, who has appeared in 78 of 80 regular-season games since going undrafted in 2012, logged his third straight 16-game campaign last year with the Titans, though Pro Football Focus graded his performance an underwhelming 76th among 110 qualified corners.
New York will continue to boast a top corner trio of Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Eli Apple without Blake, but he’s its most proven option behind those three. The Giants’ other corners – Michael Hunter, DaShaun Amos, Nigel Tribune and Donte Deayon – have combined to play in just two NFL games. All of that experience belongs to Hunter, who has a mere 17 defensive snaps under his belt and is now battling a concussion.
OBJ Could Miss Regular-Season Time
We already know the Cowboys-Giants Week 1 tilt will probably be without Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott, who’s likely to serve a six-game suspension to open the season. New York might not have its go-to playmaker, either, as wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. “could miss a week or two of the regular season,” a source told Jordan Raanan and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Beckham sprained his ankle in a preseason game against Cleveland on Monday, though the hit to the left leg he took from Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun could have resulted in a far more serious injury.
After their NFC East showdown with the defending division champion Cowboys, the Giants take on another 2016 playoff team, the Lions, in Week 2. Those are the first of two difficult-looking games in a slate that also includes what look to be tough matchups with the Eagles, Buccaneers, Chargers, Broncos and Seahawks before the Giants’ Week 8 bye. Going without Beckham for any of those first-half contests would be a notable blow, then, though the playoff hopefuls did add to their aerial weaponry in the offseason by signing receiver Brandon Marshall and using a first-round pick on tight end Evan Engram. They also have wideout Sterling Shepard, who hauled in 65 receptions and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2016.
Beckham, who wants to be the highest-paid player in the NFL someday, has not yet had extension negotiations with the Giants. The club has little incentive to give Beckham a raise, despite his phenomenal output over the first three years of his career, as he’s controllable at affordable prices for the next two seasons and could be a candidate for the franchise tag past that point. But, having come close to suffering a catastrophic injury, the 24-year-old is considering purchasing an insurance policy worth in excess of $100MM.
Saints Sign Zach Line, Bryan Braman
The Saints made a series of moves Wednesday, bringing in three new players – fullback Zach Line, linebacker Bryan Braman and undrafted rookie defensive back Elijah Mitchell – and parting with offensive lineman Jack Allen, whom they waived/injured.
The most notable addition may be Line, who spent the first four years of his career with the Vikings and is coming off back-to-back 16-game seasons. Line totaled 339 snaps in Minnesota last year (210 on offense, 129 on special teams), but offseason hip surgery and a lack of demand for fullbacks likely combined to make it difficult for him to find employment. Before joining the Saints, who deployed fullback John Kuhn on 397 snaps last year (278 on offense, 119 via special teams), Line’s only known interest came from the Jets. It’s unclear whether Kuhn is now on the hot seat as a result of the Line signing.
Braman, meanwhile, has posted five 16-game seasons during his six-year career. His only missed time (two games) came as a member of the Texans in 2012, his second NFL season. Braman spent his first three years in Houston and the previous three in Philadelphia, where he functioned as a leading special teamer. The 30-year-old posted upward of 1,100 special teams snaps during his tenure with the Eagles and paced the unit in playing time in each of the previous two seasons. Thanks in part to Braman, the Eagles’ ST unit ranked as the NFL’s No. 2 group in 2016, per Football Outsiders. The Saints finished just 27th, on the other hand, so picking up Line and Braman could be the latest moves that improve the unit under new coordinator Bradford Banta.
Rams Re-Sign Tyrunn Walker
The Rams announced that they have re-signed defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker, whom they released July 22 at the time a rape accusation in Louisiana surfaced, and waived fellow DT A.J. Jefferson in a corresponding move. A grand jury cleared Walker of wrongdoing on Aug. 3, freeing him up for a return to the NFL.
The 27-year-old Walker, who first signed with the Rams back in March, spent the first three seasons of his career in New Orleans and the previous two in Detroit. Walker has totaled 42 appearances, and the majority of his 13 career starts (eight) came last season. Walker tallied 26 tackles and played 34.1 percent of the Lions’ defensive snaps in 2016, and ranked a below-average 77th among Pro Football Focus’ 127 qualified interior D-linemen.
In his return to Los Angeles, Walker figures to once again provide depth in the middle of a D-line whose best player, all-world tackle Aaron Donald, could miss regular-season time on account of a holdout. Without Donald in the fold, the Rams are currently set to start sixth-round rookie Tanzel Smart alongside established tackle Michael Brockers. Other than Walker, the Rams’ primary depth options include Mike Purcell and Louis Trinca-Pasat.
Donald Penn Ends Holdout
Raiders left tackle Donald Penn reported to practice Wednesday, bringing his holdout to an end after nearly a month away from the team. Penn sat out for all of training camp, which began July 28, and two of the Raiders’ preseason games. The Raiders could have fined him $40K for each day he was absent, but there’s no word on whether they did.
Penn, who’s in his fourth year with the Raiders, held out in an effort to land a raise over the $5.8MM base salary he’s scheduled to earn this season. Although he’s one of the premier tackles in the NFL, Penn is just 21st among bookends in annual contract value, having inked a two-year, $14MM deal prior to the 2016 campaign. The 34-year-old is seeking top 10 money relative to his position, which would mean upward of $11.25MM per annum, but it doesn’t appear general manager Reggie McKenzie has agreed to give Penn any type of increase yet. Penn reported to practice in a good faith maneuver, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Regardless of whether the Raiders and Penn do find common ground in negotiations, it’s obvious his return is a boon to the Super Bowl hopefuls’ offensive line. The unit is among the best in the league, with fellow top-end starters Kelechi Osemele, Gabe Jackson and Rodney Hudson joining Penn to protect Derek Carr and block for Marshawn Lynch. Penn arguably boasts the most impressive track record of any, having never missed a regular-season game in his 10-year career. Last year, his ninth straight 16-start campaign, Pro Football Focus ranked Penn as the game’s 12th-best tackle.
Extra Points: Bortles, Kap, Rosen, Browns
Blake Bortles has struggled so much this summer that the Jaguars may have to consider benching the quarterback in order to avoid a catastrophic injury that would guarantee his fifth-year option for 2018, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk opines (Twitter link). Such an injury for Bortles this season would leave the Jags on the hook for upward of $19MM a year from now, which even a healthy version of the 2014 third overall pick hasn’t been worth during his three seasons in the NFL. Keeping Bortles away from the field to prevent any chance of the option triggering wouldn’t be a first in the league – the Redskins did it with Robert Griffin III in 2015.
Meanwhile, in light of Bortles’ second straight lackluster performance of the preseason on Thursday, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that the Jaguars should bring free agent signal-caller Colin Kaepernick in to take the starting job. While Kaepernick’s social activism makes him a tough sell for many teams’ decision makers and fans, he at least possesses a superior on-field resume to both Bortles and backup Chad Henne.
More from around the game:
- The NFL may soon have another Kaepernick on its hands in UCLA passer Josh Rosen, a scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report. Rosen, a junior, could end up as a first-round pick in next year’s draft, though his outspoken views might cause him to slide down the board, Miller notes. To cite one example, Rosen has openly derided President Donald Trump, who happened to appoint Jets owner Woody Johnson as an ambassador to the United Kingdom. The QB-deficient Jets figure to end up with a high pick in next year’s draft, which could make for an intriguing situation if Rosen draws their interest. UCLA head coach Jim Mora Jr. discussed his unique prospect as a guest Thursday on PFT Live, saying: “I’m never going to stifle his opinions. I just want to make sure he’s aware when he does say things publicly there are going to be ramifications.”
- There’s a chance the Browns will have to open the season without one of their top players, Danny Shelton. The nose tackle suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for three to six weeks, Field Yates of ESPN reports (on Twitter). Shelton, the 12th pick in 2015, was a full-time starter for Cleveland in each of his first two seasons and posted a breakout 2016, ranking 15th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 125 qualified interior D-linemen. He also piled up 59 tackles, 23 more than he amassed in 2015, and the first 1.5 sacks of his career.
- Justin Britt‘s three-year, $27MM extension with the Seahawks includes $15MM in injury guarantees and $5MM fully guaranteed at signing, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Sean Smith Charged With Assault
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that it has charged Raiders cornerback Sean Smith with assault. Smith “faces one felony count each of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury” stemming from an alleged assault on his sister’s boyfriend on July 4. Smith, who allegedly beat and stomped on the victim’s head, could face up to seven years in prison if he’s convicted of the charges. His first court date is scheduled for Sept. 29.
“Sean has maintained his innocence,” Smith’s attorney, Daniel Rosenberg, told Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We are going to enter a plea of not guilty and fight these charges.”
Smith, whom the Raiders signed to a four-year, $40MM contract in 2016, is in his second season with the club. The former Dolphin and Chief started in all 15 of his appearances last year, totaled two interceptions and ranked a stellar 16th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 110 qualified corners. Smith, 30, has been competing this summer to retain his starting role for a Raiders team with Super Bowl hopes, but his chances of remaining near the top of their depth chart are now in even greater jeopardy.
Even if Smith avoids serious legal punishment, the NFL could discipline him in some form, as it has done with other players in the past. For now, it’s possible Smith will go on paid leave, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.