Patriots WR Eric Decker To Retire
Patriots wide receiver Eric Decker today announced his intention to retire from the NFL, according to a post from his Instagram account.
“It has been my childhood dream and my passion to play the game of football,” reads Decker’s statement, in part. “I was very fortunate and blessed to have had the opportunity to have those dreams fulfilled and to have played with such extremely talented and hard-working teammates, coaches and staff. This has been a passion inside of me since I was a little boy but I know now this is time to hang my helmet up and start a new chapter in my life.”
Decker, 31, inked a one-year, $1.5MM deal with New England earlier this month, but he’d been facing an uphill battle to earn a spot on the Patriots’ 53-man roster. New England, which released fellow pass-catcher Kenny Britt earlier this week, is now down to Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarrelle Patterson, among others, as it waits for Julian Edelman to return from a four-game suspension.
A third-round pick in 2010, Decker became a starting receiver for the Broncos in 2011, but his career took off the following season when Denver added Peyton Manning under center. Decker averaged 86 receptions, 1,176 yards, and 12 touchdowns per year with Manning, and subsequently inked a five-year, $36.25MM pact with the Jets.
Decker was excellent through two seasons in New York, but injuries limited him to three games in 2016 and led to his release. A one-year accord with the Titans followed, and Decker posted 54 catches, 563 yards, and one score in what will become his final NFL action.
Interestingly, Decker’s name had recently appeared in trade talks, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Decker had reportedly been struggling with the Patriots, so it’s unclear what kind of market may have existed for the veteran receiver.
Broncos Sign CB Adam Jones
The Broncos are signing free agent cornerback Adam Jones after working him out Sunday morning, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com was the first to tweet Jones was auditioning for Denver and was likely to land with the club.
Jones received a one-year deal for the 10-year veteran minimum ($1.015MM), according to Mike Klis of 9News. The pact likely qualifies for the minimum salary benefit, meaning that while Jone will collect his full salary, the Broncos will only see the minimum for a two-year veteran ($630K) hit their salary cap.
Denver is in the market for a third corner after trading Aqib Talib to the Rams earlier this year. While the Broncos project to start Chris Harris and Bradley Roby in their base defense, Harris tends to move to the slot in nickel packages, so Denver needs a cornerback capable of playing the outside on nearly 75% of its defensive plays. Veteran Tramaine Brock is competing for that role, but Jones would give the Broncos another option.
Jones should be familiar with Denver’s defensive scheme, as Broncos head coach Vance Joseph served as the Bengals’ defensive backs coach from 2014-15, guiding Jones and the rest of Cincinnati’s secondary during that time. With the regular season just around the corner, that level of comfort could prove crucial.
The Bengals declined Jones’ 2018 option earlier this year, and he hasn’t drawn much interest since that time, with a July Browns workout representing his only known visit. Jones, 35 next month, was limited to just nine games with the Bengals in 2017, and didn’t fare particularly well on 299 defensive snaps.
Pro Football Focus assigned Jones the worst mark (47.1) of his entire career, although he performed relatively better in recent years. Aside from his work on defense, Jones can also be a factor in the kicking game, as he’s posted more than 300 combined kick and punt returns during his NFL tenure.
Jets Sign RB Charcandrick West
The Jets announced that they’ve signed former Chiefs running back Charcandrick West. He’ll take recently-released kicker Cairo Santos‘ roster spot, so New York won’t need to make another transaction to clear roster space.
Kansas City released West on Wednesday following four seasons with the club. The 27-year-old West’s most productive campaign came in 2015, when he managed 160 carries for 634 yards and four touchdowns, but his rushing role with the Chiefs had been greatly reduced in recent seasons. While he played more than 500 offensive snaps from 2016-17, West handled only 106 total carries, including just 18 last year.
West has seen more action in the receiving game, as he’s posted at least 20 receptions in three consecutive seasons. However, he hasn’t been very efficient with his touches, as he finished 57th among 62 running backs in Football Outsiders’ receiving DVOA. With Bilal Powell expected to handle most of the Jets’ receiving work, it’s unclear how West will fit on the club’s roster (especially given that he’s never played much on special teams).
West will give New York a bit of depth as it deals with injuries at the running back position. Starter Isaiah Crowell just returned this week after suffering a concussion, while reserve Elijah McGuire is currently sidelined with a broken foot.
Cardinals Extend C A.Q. Shipley Through 2019
The Cardinals have signed center A.Q. Shipley to a one-year extension through the 2019 season, the club announced today. Shipley is currently on injured reserve and will miss the upcoming campaign after tearing his ACL earlier this month.
Arizona’s decision to extend Shipley while he’s injury may seem curious at first glance, but the deal likely doesn’t contain much — if any — guaranteed money, so there’s probably little risk for general manager Steve Keim & Co. Shipley originally re-signed with the Cardinals on a two-year pact in March 2017, and that contract will pay him a base salary of $1.5MM in 2018.
With Shipley sidelined, the Cardinals plan to use third-round rookie Mason Cole at center. If Cole establishes himself at the pivot in 2018, Shipley would likely return next season as a reserve at all three interior line spots. But if Cole doesn’t play well in his first NFL go-round, Shipley could conceivably compete to start again next year.
Shipley, 32, has been with Arizona since 2015 but didn’t become the team’s full-time starter until 2016. He started all 32 games over the past two season, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 14 center in 2017.
North Rumors: Browns, Tyrod, Steelers, Bell
Tyrod Taylor gave Browns fans a scare on Thursday night when he left Cleveland’s preseason game with a hand injury, but he eventually return to the contest and was diagnosed with just a dislocated pinky, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While undoubtedly a painful ailment, Taylor isn’t expected to miss any time with the issue, and he tweeted earlier today that he’s “doing well.” Taylor will begin the 2018 campaign as the Browns’ starting quarterback, but could eventually cede to No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Le’Veon Bell isn’t expected to report to the Steelers until Week 1, and it’s unclear if the two-time franchise player will be a member of Pittsburgh’s roster after 2018. He won’t be assigned the tag again, meaning he’ll be able to hit the open market next spring. With that in mind, Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports examined whether Bell will be able to command a fully guaranteed deal, and also looked at the top contenders to land Bell once he finally hits free agency. The Colts, Jets, and Browns — all of whom project to have plenty of 2019 cap space, all make sense as potential destinations, per Paylor.
- Bears safety DeAndre Houston-Carson during Chicago’s preseason game against the Broncos and is expected to miss regular season action, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Houston-Carson had been performing well in training camp and during the preseason, but it’s unclear if the Bears will hold a roster spot for a player who’s not a key contributor on defense. The former sixth-round pick has played just 24 defensive snaps over two seasons in Chicago, but is a core special-teamer (303 total ST snaps since 2016).
- Edge rusher Aaron Lynch is running out of time to earn a place on the Bears‘ roster, as Campbell writes in a full piece. Lynch has been dealing a hamstring issue since late June, and has since missed 20 practices and three preseason games. He won’t participate in Saturday’s exhibition contest, either, meaning the 25-year-old will need to show progress in Chicago’s final preseason game next Thursday. A third-round pick in 2015, Lynch flashed potential during his first two NFL seasons with San Francisco, but has played in only 14 total games over the past two years due to injuries and a suspension.
Ravens TE Hayden Hurst To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Ravens rookie tight end Hayden Hurst is likely to miss three-to-four weeks while dealing with a stress fracture in his foot, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds Hurst will undergo a procedure today to insert a screw in his foot.
Given his timeline, Hurst won’t be available for Baltimore when the regular season gets underway, and could potentially miss multiple games. But because he’s not expected to miss half the year or more, Hurst isn’t a realistic candidate to be placed on injured reserve/designated to return. Instead, the Ravens will simply hold Hurst on their roster until he recovers.
Hurst was one of two tight ends Baltimore selected in the 2018 draft, as the club added Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews in the third round after picking Hurst on Day 1. With Hurst out of the picture for the time being, Andrews figures to line up as the Ravens’ move tight end, while Nick Boyle is likely to see the most action as a blocker. Fourth-year pro Maxx Williams, Vince Mayle, and Darren Waller are also candidates to stick on Baltimore’s roster.
Hurst, the 25th overall selection and one of two Ravens first-round picks (joining quarterback Lamar Jackson), posted 44 receptions, 559 yards, and two touchdowns during his junior season at South Carolina. A former minor league baseball player, Hurst will already be 25 years old when the 2018 campaign begins.
Bengals Release DT Chris Baker
The Bengals have released veteran defensive tackle Chris Baker, the club announced today.
Cincinnati inked Baker to a one-year, $2.45MM deal in March in the hopes that he’d become its starting nose tackle opposite All-Pro three-technique Geno Atkins. Not only has Baker struggled during the preseason, often getting defeated in both the run and pass game, but he’s been severely outplayed by third-year pro Andrew Billings, who will now play alongside Atkins on the Bengals’ defensive line.
Baker, 30, spent the 2017 campaign with the Buccaneers after signing a three-year pact last March. Although he’d played like of the league’s better interior defenders from 2015-16, Baker struggled in 2017, grading as just the No. 96 defensive tackle among 122 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, and was subsequently released after only a single season in Tampa Bay.
Baker will now join a list of free agent interior defenders that’s still rather deep, as options such as Johnathan Hankins, Courtney Upshaw, Jared Crick, and Tony McDaniel still reside on the open market. With just a few weeks until the 2018 regular season begins, Baker could struggle to find a job immediately (especially given that he’s been cut twice in the span of six months), and may need to wait for an injury to open up a job.
The Bengals will trot out Atkins and Billings as their starting defensive tackles, while 2017 fourth-round pick Ryan Glasgow will now become the clear third man on the depth chart. Baker’s release opens up a roster spot for rookie fifth-round selection Andrew Brown, who’d been on the roster bubble in recent weeks.
Baker collected a $300K signing bonus when he signed with Cincinnati, and he’s also picked up $150K in workout bonuses. That $450K will become dead money on the Bengals’ salary cap, but they’ll clear $1.5MM in base salary and $500K in per-game roster bonuses by cutting ties with Baker.
Baker becomes the second veteran player — and one-time projected starter — released by the Bengals this week, as Cincinnati cut safety George Iloka on Sunday.
Colts Waive/Injured QB Brad Kaaya
The Colts announced that they’ve waived/injured quarterback Brad Kaaya and signed cornerback Juante Baldwin.
Kaaya, 22, was once viewed as the potential first overall pick in the 2017 draft, but ended up falling to the sixth round after an inconsistent final season at Miami. Since being selected by the Lions, Kaaya has bounced around the NFL via waiver claims and free agent deals, spending time with the Panthers, the Lions (again), and — most recently — the Colts. He’s yet to appear in an NFL game.
Despite his lack of production, Kaaya could still conceivably garner interest on the waiver wire. Any number of teams that expressed interest in Kaaya leading up to the 2017 draft — a list that includes the Bears, Giants, Dolphins, and Texans — could theoretically put in a claim. If Kaaya isn’t claimed on waivers, he’ll revert to Indianapolis’ injured reserve list.
Andrew Luck and Jacoby Brissett are locked in as the Colts’ top two quarterbacks, while Phillip Walker is the club’s No. 3 option. However, Indianapolis is only expected to keep two signal-callers on its 53-man roster, meaning Walker’s time on the squad will likely end soon.
NFC East Notes: Redskins, Eagles, Giants
Adrian Peterson just signed with the Redskins on Tuesday, but head coach Jay Gruden wants to get the veteran back on the field for Friday’s preseason game against the Broncos, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. While Gruden didn’t fully commit to Peterson seeing the field, he did say Washington will attempt to get Peterson “up to speed” before Friday. The Redskins are dealing with multiple injuries at the running back position, so Peterson will compete to handle early-down work that would have gone to second-round rookie Derrius Guice, who tore his ACL earlier in the preseason.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Eagles will likely release linebacker Corey Nelson prior to the regular season, not only because he’s been outplayed during camp and the preseason, but because doing so will net a Philadelphia a sixth-round compensatory pick, according to Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice. The NFL’s comp pick process is based on complicated cancellation charts that track how many free agents each team gained or lost. If Nelson is cut before the season (or anytime prior to Week 10), he’ll be removed from the comp pick formula, and therefore open up a sixth-round pick for the Eagles (in exchange for losing corner Patrick Robinson in free agency). Philadelphia would also pick up $1MM in cap space by releasing Nelson, although they’d take on $600K in dead money.
- With a room full of injured running backs, the Giants added free agent runner Jhurell Pressley earlier this week. But New York also worked out fellow back Jahad Thomas on Monday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Thomas, 22, went undrafted out of Temple in 2017, but landed a contract with the Cowboys and then spent the majority of the regular season on the Jets’ practice squad. Thomas, who was briefly on the Winnipeg Bombers’ (CFL) roster earlier this summer, averaged 4.6 yards per carry and scored 30 total touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons.
- After winning the Super Bowl in 2017, the Eagles returned much of their loaded roster and added more depth. Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com runs down the projected 53-man squad and potential roster cuts.
Texans Work Out CBs Zack Sanchez, Teddy Williams
The Texans recently worked out free agent cornerbacks Zack Sanchez and Teddy Williams, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Houston may be on the lookout for defensive back help after starting corner Kevin Johnson suffered a concussion during Saturday’s preseason game. While the Texans have already added one cornerback in 2017 undrafted free agent Bryce Jones, the club could bring in more bodies behind Johnson, Aaron Colvin, and Johnathan Joseph.
Sanchez, 24, entered the league as Panthers fifth-round pick in 2016. He lasted only five games before being placed on injured reserve during his rookie campaign, and subsequently spent the majority of the 2017 season on Carolina’s practice squad. After being waived by the Panthers in May, Sanchez auditioned for the Giants but has yet to land a contract.
Williams, 30, offers far more experience than Sanchez, as he’s appeared in 36 NFL games (though none since 2016). He actually overlapped with Sanchez on the Panthers’ roster in 2016. Williams has never made a start in the pros, as he’s mostly served on special-teams duty during his NFL tenure. He inked a one-year deal with the Giants in May, but requested his release earlier this month in order to deal with a family issue.