NFC North Notes: Lions, Packers, Patricia
The Lions are expected to once again use a rotation at running back instead of committing to one starter, head coach Matt Patricia told reporters, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I think for us it all about competition, but when we get into the gameplan mode and we actually have our team and we are working against a particular opponent, then it becomes into a matchup situation,” said Patricia, who is familiar with deploying a running back stable after working for the Patriots until this spring. Detroit signed veteran LeGarrette Blount to a one-year deal last month, adding him to a crop that also includes Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, Zach Zenner, and Dwayne Washington, and Birkett reports the club is expected to select another running back in the upcoming draft.
Here’s more out of the NFC North:
- Packers wideout Trevor Davis was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday after making a joke about carrying a bomb, according to a report from TMZ Sports. Davis was reportedly checking in when he facetiously asked his girlfriend if she remembered to “pack the explosives,” a question which unsurprisingly wasn’t met with laughter by airport staff. The 24-year-old Davis was subsequently arrested and charged with a misdemeanor of making a bomb threat, and is now facing a May 3 court date, per Tom Schad of USA Today. Davis, a fifth-round pick in the 2016 draft, will compete to earn a spot on the back end of Green Bay’s wide receiver depth chart.
- Although Lions general manager Bob Quinn kept former head coach Jim Caldwell in place from 2016-17, Quinn had been eyeing Patricia for some time, as Birkett writes in a separate piece. “I had heard about Matt from Bob for two years before we had the chance to meet and as I think I told him recently, I think he undersold him, and he was selling him,” team president Rod Wood said. “So I think the relationship is strong, the language they speak, the trust. The ability I think to build the team through kind of one long-term vision of what we’re going to be about…” Quinn and Patricia overlapped in New England from 2004-15, and both are now signed through 2022 in Detroit.
- In case you missed it, the Bears declined to match a two-year, $9.6MM offer sheet for wide receiver Cameron Meredith and thus lost him to the Saints. Because Chicago only tendered Meredith at the original round level, the club won’t receive any compensation as Meredith heads to New Orleans. The Bears had the option of tendering Meredith at the second-round level at a cost of $2.914MM, only ~$1MM more than the original round price of $1.907MM.
East Notes: Giants, Collins, Pats, Dolphins
Landon Collins fractured his arm last December, and the injury is not healing as well as the Giants safety had hoped, reprots Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter links). As such, Collins is now considering another operation to further repair the break. Luckily, a procedure to plate the break would only recover a six-to-eight week recovery period, meaning Collins would likely be available for training camp, per Garafolo, who cautions that while surgery is expected, no final decision has been made. Collins, who earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth in 2017, is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- After missing the entirety of his rookie season due to a torn ACL, Patriots edge rusher Derek Rivers has not suffered any setbacks, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. As should be expected, New England will likely use caution as Rivers reintegrates into football, and the club likely won’t feel the need to push Rivers during offseason activities. But it appears that the third-round pick from Youngstown State will be ready for the start of the 2018 campaign, says Reiss. Heading into last year’s draft, Rivers was viewed as something of a project, a high-motor player who may need time to develop. The Patriots could certainly use help on the edge after finishing just 30th in pressure rate last year, and Rivers could conceivably get a chance at playing time if healthy.
- Although the Dolphins have already signed veteran Frank Gore to pair with incumbent Kenyan Drake, the club will be open to selecting another running back in the draft, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Indeed, Miami has been attempting to schedule a pre-draft visit with San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny, but finding an open date has been difficult given that Penny has already set up many meetings with other teams. Penny (5’11”, 220) rushed for a whopping 2,248 yards in 2018, averaging 7.8 yards per carry while scoring 23 touchdowns on the ground.
- The New York media market could play a factor in the Giants‘ decision on whether to use the No. 2 overall pick on quarterback, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk opines. If Big Blue drafts a signal-caller, fans and reporters alike will likely be clamoring for that passer to be inserted into the starting lineup if Eli Manning falters. While that doesn’t necessarily mean the Giants shouldn’t consider a quarterback, they should only do so if general manager Dave Gettleman & Co. have no doubts about the prospect, argues Florio. Sitting at No. 2, New York will have their choice of three of Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Baker Mayfield, and Josh Allen (provided Cleveland uses the first overall pick on a quarterback, as expected).
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/11/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: TE Bryce Williams
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived with non-football injury designation: DL Taniela Tupou
Seattle Seahawks
- Re-signed: DT Quinton Jefferson (ERFA)
Chiefs Meet With OT Cornelius Lucas
The Chiefs have met with free agent offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Lucas, 26, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and spent three seasons with the Lions before playing for the Rams in 2017. He’s never been a full-time starter, and his playing time has decreased in every campaign since his rookie year. Lucas appeared in 30 games and made six starts from 2014-15, and even played 448 offensive snaps during his first season in the NFL. In 2017, however, Lucas appeared in only a single contest for Los Angeles and saw action on just 65 snaps, all of which came in a meaningless Week 17 game.
Lucas played his college ball at Kansas State, so signing with the Chiefs would represent something of a homecoming. Kansas City already has two rock-solid tackle starters in Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, but Lucas would compete with Jordan Devey, Cameron Erving, and Andrew Wylie to serve as a backup.
Rams Rework Johnny Hekker’s Contract
The Rams have restructured the contract of punter Johnny Hekker, as Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).
Los Angeles had been the most cap-strapped team in the league, and remain so even after reworking Hekker’s contract. By converting $1.21MM of Hekker’s 2018 base salary into a signing bonus, the Rams created $968K in cap space. However, the move only barely brings Los Angeles into cap compliance, as the club now has just ~$337K worth of cap room, per Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
In order to reduce Hekker’s 2018 cap charge, the Rams used a simple restructure. Hekker will now earn the veteran’s minimum base salary during the upcoming campaign, and his cap number will increase by $242K from 2019-22. It’s a negligible sum for most teams, but the Rams don’t have any room to spare after making expensive additions such as defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and wide receiver Brandin Cooks over the past month.
Hekker, 28, is considered the best punter in the NFL, as he’s been named first-team All-Pro in four of the past five seasons. In 2018, Hekker ranked second with a net punting average of 44.3 yards, while Los Angeles finished third in points created via its punt team, per Football Outsiders.
Latest On Aldon Smith
Free agent edge rusher Aldon Smith was arrested yet again last week, and the details on his latest are episode are extremely troubling, as Evan Sernoffsky of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (all Twitter links).
Smith had a blood alcohol level of .40 when he went to the San Francisco sheriff’s office on Friday, a range which is typically associated with the “onset of coma, likelihood of death,” per Sernoffsky. After being taken into custody, Smith appeared in court today, and is likely to remain in jail until at least Friday. At that point, Smith will likely be transferred to a rehab facility.
Smith, of course, has been no stranger to off-field incidents since being selected in the first round of the 2011 draft, and a recent domestic violence altercation was just the latest in a string of troubling incidents. The Raiders quickly released Smith following that episode earlier this month, and it’s becoming obvious that Smith will never play in the NFL again.
While his disturbing behavior will likely keep him off NFL rosters, Smith was once an excellent talent. During his first two seasons in the league, Smith posted an astounding 33.5 sacks, and even managed to put up 8.5 sacks during an abbreviated 2013 campaign.
East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Cowboys, Ealy
Here’s that latest from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Guard Richie Incognito‘s sudden retirement could theoretically force the Bills to wrestle with using their draft picks on finding a franchise quarterback, or instead deploying the selections to restock their roster as a whole, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes. Buffalo owns nine picks and possesses the third-most overall draft capital in the league, but would likely need to sacrifice several early selections — including both its 2018 first-rounders — in order to trade up for a signal-caller. However, the Bills are now fielding arguably the NFL’s worst offensive line after trading tackle Cordy Glenn and seeing Incognito and center Eric Wood retire, and needs at receiver and linebacker should be addressed via the draft. After surprising earning a postseason berth a season ago, Buffalo now must decide whether to finds it quarterback of the future or revamp its depth.
- The Dolphins have their sights set on a defensive player with pick No. 11, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that club is hoping to select Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, or Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea in the first round. Defensive backs Derwin James (Florida State), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama), and Denzel Ward (Ohio State) could also be in consideration, per Jackson, while the Dolphins also like South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (although Miami almost surely wouldn’t use a top-15 pick on a tight end). The Dolphins would prefer to select a quarterback at No. 11, but don’t expect any of the draft’s top four QB prospects to be available.
- Defensive end Kony Ealy‘s one-year deal with the Cowboys is worth up to $2MM, tweets Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Ealy, 26, will collect an $800K base salary and a $200K signing bonus, while he can also earn as much as $250K in per-game roster bonuses. In order for Ealy to max out his contract, he’ll need to post at least 12 sacks and play in 75% of Dallas’ defensive snaps next season, both of which seem like lofty goals. Because Ealy didn’t reach either of those thresholds with the Jets in 2018, both incentives will be considered “not-likely-to-be-earned,” meaning they won’t appear on the Cowboys’ salary cap immediately.
Eric Reid Would Accept One-Year Deal From 49ers
Eric Reid finally took his free agent visit on Monday by meeting with the Bengals, but he’d prefer to re-sign with the 49ers, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Indeed, Reid would accept a one-year deal from San Francisco at salary equal to his 2017 compensation ($5.676MM).
It’s unclear if the 49ers have made any sort of offer to Reid, but his affinity for the Bay Area and his teammates means the former first-round pick would like to remain in San Francisco, per Florio. Of course, it’s also fair to wonder if Reid isn’t receiving the sort of contract proposals he was initially hoping for (especially given that free agency is a month old), and is now attempting to reach out to his former team.
Nevertheless, Reid would offer an upgrade in a 49ers secondary that is currently projected to start Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt at safety. Reid, 26, was something of a playmaker during his first two NFL campaigns, as he posted seven total interceptions from 2013-14. While he hasn’t kept up that rate of turnover creation, Reid is still a solid starter, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 30 safety a year ago.
The safety market has developed at a snail’s pace this offseason, as Reid, Tre Boston, and Kenny Vaccaro all remain unsigned. Reid’s meeting with the Bengals was the first known visit for any of those three veteran defensive backs, and it’s unclear why the positional market isn’t generating interest. Reid, for his part, was notably a participant in the Colin Kaepernick-led anthem protests, but has indicated he will no longer continue the practice in 2018.
NFC South Notes: Falcons, Panthers, Bucs
Contract talks between the Falcons and franchise quarterback Matt Ryan have been enveloped by positive words from both sides, and today Ryan affirmed that while no deal is close, talks are moving towards an end goal. “Everything is good. I think the discussions have been very positive. I think those will work out,” said Ryan, whom Atlanta is reportedly willing to make the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback (story via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “As far as a time frame of anything like that, it will shake out. It will handle itself. I don’t know if it will be today or tomorrow. Or in a couple of weeks, but I really think we are moving in the right direction.”
Here’s more from the NFC South:
- Adding new weapons for quarterback Cam Newton was one of the Panthers‘ top offseason goals, and the club doesn’t figure to stop doing so even after acquiring Torrey Smith and signing Jarius Wright. Carolina will be taking a look at multiple wideout prospects in the coming days, as D.J. Moore (Maryland) and Christian Kirk (Texas A&M) are each scheduled to meet with the Panthers, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Moore and Kirk aren’t the only pass-catchers Carolina is eyeing, as reports earlier today indicated that Alabama’s Calvin Ridley and Memphis’ Anthony Miller will also visit the Panthers.
- The Buccaneers will meet with Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, tweets Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports. While Tampa Bay figures to be set along the interior of its front five after inking center Ryan Jensen last month, the club could still use help at tackle. Former second-round pick Donovan Smith currently mans Jameis Winston‘s blindside, but he’s consistently struggled and last season graded as just the No. 53 tackle among 81 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. McGlinchey, meanwhile, is viewed as one of the best tackles in a weak class that also includes Connor Williams (Texas) and Kolton Miller (UCLA).
- The Falcons have announced a few late additions to their coaching staff, as they’ve hired Travis Jones as an assistant defensive line coach and Aden Durde as a defensive quality control assistant. Jones, notably, is fresh off a five-year run with the Seahawks during which he served as the team’s DL coach for four seasons. He’s also worked for the Dolphins, and Saints at the NFL level.
Titans To Sign WR Michael Campanaro
The Titans have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with free agent wide receiver Michael Campanaro, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
Tennessee had been searching for a new slot receiver, as 2017 slot man Eric Decker is currently a free agent. The Titans also hosted Jordan Matthews before he signed with the Patriots, and while he and Campanaro are very different receivers, they’ve both spent most of their time inside. At present, Tennessee’s wideout depth chart is topped by Rishard Matthews and 2017 first-rounder Corey Davis, with Taywan Taylor, Tajae Sharpe, Darius Jennings, and Zach Pascal in reserve.
Campanaro, 27, had managed only 12 total receptions during his first three years in the league, but topped that total alone with the Ravens in 2017. Not only did Campanaro post 19 receptions for 173 yards, but he served as Baltimore’s primary punt returner, averaging 10.8 yards per return while adding one touchdown. The Titans, for their part, used first-round rookie Adoree’ Jackson as a punt returner last season, but it’s possible Campanaro could take over that role if Tennessee wants to give Jackson a breather.
The Titans hosted Campanaro on a visit last week and had reportedly been discussing a deal for weeks. Other clubs, including the incumbent Ravens, also expressed interest in Campanaro, but he never met with any team besides Tennessee.