Dallas Robinson | Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/17

By Dallas Robinson | at August 22, 2017 5:31 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Los Angeles Chargers

Signed: DE Whitney Richardson
Waived/injured: DE Chris Landrum

Los Angeles Rams

Signed: DB Tyquwan Glass, LB Willie Mays
Waived: RB De’Mard Llorens, DE Caushaud Lyons

New York Giants

Signed: OL Matt Rotheram (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Signed: LS Andrew DePaola
Waived/injured: CB Jude Adjei-Barimah

Raiders OT Donald Penn Expected To Report

By Dallas Robinson | at August 21, 2017 9:19 pm

Donald Penn is likely to end his holdout and report to the Raiders at some point this week, possibly as early as Tuesday, sources tell Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Penn initiated his holdout in late July with the end goal of earning a top-ten left tackle salary.

Penn, 34, is scheduled to earn $5.8MM in 2017, and Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie indicated that the club wouldn’t renegotiate that figure unless Penn showed up for training camp. Even if Penn reports, the Raiders aren’t expected to rework his deal, per Tafur, although they could choose to guarantee his 2017 salary. That would mark an extremely minor concession on the part of Oakland, as Penn was clearly going to make the Week 1 roster and therefore see his salary guaranteed.

A remarkably durable player, Penn hasn’t missed a single game during his decade-long career. Last year, Penn ranked as the NFL’s No. 12 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus, while playing nearly every offensive snap for the Raiders.

Oakland, of course, boasts one of the league’s best offensive lines, and has continually been willing to invest in its front five, handing large contracts to Kelechi Osemele, Gabe Jackson, and Rodney Hudson. Last year, the unit ranked first in adjusted sack rate and 11th in adjusted line yards, per Football Outsiders.

Penn’s yearly contract value of $6.25MM ranks just 21st among NFL left tackles, as he’s sandwiched between the Cardinals’ Jared Veldheer (who’s being shifted to the right side) and former No. 2 draft pick Greg Robinson.

1 comment Las Vegas Raiders Donald Penn

Seahawks Notes: Odhiambo, Tobin, Brock

By Dallas Robinson | at August 21, 2017 8:52 pm

The Seahawks made a trade to acquire more offensive line depth today, adding tackle Matt Tobin from the Eagles, and Seattle had been “calling around” the league in search of front five depth, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). General manager John Schneider & Co. were willing to offer a late-round draft pick in order to bring in an offensive lineman, and they did just that, sending a 2018 fifth-rounder to Philadelphia for Tobin and a seventh-round choice.

Here’s more from the Pacific Northwest:

Tobin was brought in after incumbent left tackle George Fant was lost for the season following a torn ACL, but he’s not the leading contender for Seattle’s blindside job. That title goes to second-year offensive lineman Rees Odhiambo, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Odhiambo, a third-round pick in 2015, was a favorite of many in the draft opportunity, be barley played during his rookie campaign. In eight appearances, he saw only 33 offensive snaps and earned negative grades from Pro Football Focus.
The Seahawks figure to continue reshuffling their offensive line in order to find the best combination before the regular season gets underway, but those changes figure to come mostly at left tackle and right guard. Mark Glowinski will stay at right guard, per Condotta, where he’ll compete with Oday Aboushi for the starting role. Meanwhile, Seattle appears to be content with free agent signee Luke Joeckel at left guard and 2016 first-round pick Germain Ifedi at right tackle.
Although Tramaine Brock‘s one-year deal with the Seahawks contains no guaranteed money, the veteran corner will earn a $80K roster bonus if he earns a place on Seattle’s Week 1 roster, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Seahawks signed Brock after he was cleared of domestic violence charges, and general manager John Schneider says the club went “above and beyond” in its research into Brock’s situation, as Condotta writes in a separate piece. While Brock may be out of legal trouble, he could still be disciplined by the NFL, and Brock’s agent indicates that league process has only just begun, tweets Condotta.

0 comments Seattle Seahawks Rees Odhiambo Tramaine Brock

Offseason In Review: Jacksonville Jaguars

By Dallas Robinson | at August 21, 2017 8:24 pm

Although the 2016 Jaguars may not have been as poor as their 3-13 record indicated (Football Outsiders pegged Jacksonville’s expected wins at 5.4 while Pro Football Reference had them at 5.9), the club still posted at least 11 losses for the sixth consecutive season. Having fired their head coach in-season, the Jaguars seemed likely to add free agent talent to their roster, and with nearly $70MM in available cap space, they had the funds to do so.

Notable signings:

Calais Campbell, DL: Four years, $60MM. $30MM guaranteed.
A.J. Bouye, CB: Five years, $67.5MM. $26MM guaranteed.
Barry Church, S: Four years, $26MM. $12MM guaranteed.
Abry Jones, DT: Four years, $15.5MM. $3.5MM guaranteed.
Earl Watford, OL: Two years, $5MM. $1MM guaranteed.
Mychal Rivera, TE: Two years, $3.25MM. $750K guaranteed.
Lerentee McCray, LB: One year, $2MM. $750K guaranteed.
Stefan Charles, DT: Two years, $4MM. $400K guaranteed.
Audie Cole, LB: Two years, $2.6MM. $100K guaranteed.
Patrick Omameh, G: One year, $875K. $100K guaranteed.
Brian Dixon, CB: One year, $690K.
Andrew Gachkar, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
Jonathan Grimes, RB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
DuJuan Harris, RB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
Jeron Johnson, S: One year, minimum salary benefit.
Malliciah Goodman, DE: Contract terms unknown.

The Jaguars have completely revamped their starting defensive backfield over the past two years, first adding Jalen Ramsey and Tashaun Gipson through the draft and free agency, respectively, in 2016 before signing A.J. Bouye and Barry Church this spring. Bouye, particularly, was one of the more interesting free agent cases in recent memory, as he’d only played on 819 defensive snaps over his first three NFL seasons before seeing action on 722 plays last year. He was excellent, as well, grading as the league’s No. 2 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus, and ranked as PFR’s No. 1 free agent when the market opened.

Due to his productivity and his age (he just turned 26 last week), Bouye generated a great deal of interest, as the Colts, Titans, Bears, Buccaneers, Jets, Eagles, and Texans all inquired on the free agent corner. Jacksonville, though, has never been afraid to open up its checkbook for top-of-the-market deals, and made Bouye the eighth-highest-paid cornerback in terms of annual salary — he ranks fourth in guarantees at $26MM. Now paired with Ramsey, who lived up to his fourth overall draft status during his rookie campaign, Bouye gives the Jaguars one of the league’s best secondaries.

Church will join Ramsey and Bouye in the back-end of Jacksonville’s defense, and while he’s not an elite athlete on the level of the Jaguars’ starting corners, Church is a sound, reliable safety who should provide capable play for the duration of his four-year contract. Since becoming a starter in 2013, the 29-year-old Church has started 59 of a possible 64 games, and while he missed four contests in 2016, that was due to a freak injury (broken arm) and not a nagging ailment. Jacksonville not only now boasts an an outstanding defensive backfield, but faces the third-easiest schedule of opposing offenses, according to Warren Sharp‘s 2017 NFL Preview.

The Jaguars didn’t stop adding to their defense after upgrading the secondary, as the club also targeted reinforcements along the front four. Calais Campbell was the best interior defensive lineman available during the free agent period, and Jacksonville convinced him to move to northern Florida instead of Denver (Campbell reportedly narrowed his choice to the Jaguars and Broncos). While Campbell is an extremely talented player against both the run and pass, it’s fair to question the wisdom of signing a near-31-year-old to a four-year pact that contains $30MM in guaranteed money. The deal contains a signing bonus of just $6MM, so Jacksonville can exit the contract after two years, but it’s certainly a risky proposition. In 2017, expect Campbell to play end on early downs before sliding inside on passing plays.

Campbell is a new addition to the Jaguars’ defensive line, while Abry Jones will be returning to Jacksonville for a fifth consecutive season. Jones, who at age-25 is five years younger than Campbell, re-signed with the Jags in February, well before free agency actually opened. I can’t help but wonder if he could’ve landed a larger contract by waiting and meeting with other teams, and Jacksonville may have orchestrated a steal. Jones is an exceptional run defender and played on nearly half the Jaguars’ defensive snaps a year ago, but his contract is essentially equal to that of the Jets’ Steve McLendon, who is a vastly inferior player.

While the Jaguars didn’t spend extravagantly on the offensive side of the ball, a couple of veterans could end up playing relatively impactful roles. Tight end Mychal Rivera once posted 58 receptions for the Raiders, but consistently saw his role dwindle over the past two years. While Jacksonville ran of ton of three wide receiver formations last season (75% of plays, 15% above league average), that percentage could fall in the early weeks of the season as Marqise Lee recovers from a high ankle sprain. Without an established No. 3 wideout, it’s possible the Jaguars could use more two tight end sets, potentially giving Rivera an opportunity to make an impression.

Patrick Omameh may also see his responsibilities enhanced, as Branden Albert‘s release means rookie Cam Robinson will now start at left tackle, leaving a vacancy at left guard that Omameh figures to fill. Omameh, who received a guarantee of just $100K, will be the weak link on Jacksonville’s offense line, but he’s not a disaster, as PFF ranked him as the No. 31 guard in the NFL last season. However, PFF gave Omameh poor run-blocking marks, and given the Jaguars’ intention to lean on the running game in 2017, the club may need to search for other options on the left side. Austin Pasztor, who just signed with the Falcons last week, would have been an intriguing signing.

Notable losses:

Looking at list of notable Jacksonville losses, it’s apparent the Jaguars were intent on overhauling three key areas of their roster: the offensive line, the defensive line, and the secondary. Along the front five, Jacksonville struck quickly to acquire offensive tackle Branden Albert from the Dolphins, sending a late-round 2018 pick to Miami in exchange for the veteran blindside protector. While the Jaguars thought they had stabilized the left side of their offensive line, Albert’s addition was anything but solidifying.

Albert held out for a new deal in April, but eventually reported to camp after the Jaguars indicated they wouldn’t rework his deal. At the end of July, Albert abruptly announced his retirement, leaving Jacksonville in a precarious position. Just a week later, Albert un-retired and attempted to again report to Jacksonville, but general manager David Caldwell & Co. weren’t having it. Having grown tired of Albert’s act, the Jaguars first placed Albert on the reserve/retired list, and then simply released him. While there’s an argument to be made that Jacksonville should have held onto Albert’s contractual rights, the club was likely ready to part ways with Albert given his offseason antics.

Albert won’t be part of the Jaguars’ offensive line in 2017, and neither will Kelvin Beachum nor Luke Joeckel, each of whom were allowed to depart via free agency. Jacksonville took a risk on Beachum last season, offering him a unique option-based contract as he recovered from a torn ACL. Although he stayed healthy, Beachum wasn’t effective as the Jaguars’ left tackle, and has never rebounded to his pre-injury level of play. Joeckel, meanwhile, was a massive disappointment after being drafted second overall in 2013, and had been moved to guard by the end of his Jacksonville tenure. The Seahawks, shockingly, saw fit to sign Joeckel a one-year deal worth $8MM, a price the Jags were never going match.

Jacksonville’s defensive line will see even more change than the team’s offensive line, as none of Sen’Derrick Marks, Roy Miller, Jared Odrick, nor Tyson Alualu will return in 2017. None of that group played 50% of the Jaguars’ defensive snaps last season, and each is at least 29 years old. Miller and Odrick, notably, were both sidelined by injury a year ago, and only played in 12 combined games. Of the foursome, only Miller (Chiefs) and Alualu (Steelers) have found new contracts, though Odrick has been linked to a number of clubs.

Because the Jaguars have added so much talent to their defensive backfield over the past couple of years, quality players such as Jonathan Cyprien, Prince Amukamara, and Davon House found themselves redundant in Jacksonville. Cyprien, a second-round pick in 2013, finally broke out in 2017, grading as the league’s No. 7 safety per PFF, but he’s simply not as consistent a player as new Jaguars safety Barry Church. Similarly, Amukamara has always provided competent play at each of his NFL stops, but Jacksonville wasn’t going to pay him the $7MM he landed in Chicago, especially when he’d be the team’s third corner at best. This is what roster turnover looks like.

Trades:

Acquired T Branden Albert from the Dolphins in exchange for a 2018 seventh-round pick (pick returned to Jacksonville due to Albert’s release).
Acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 240) from the Dolphins in exchange for TE Julius Thomas.
Acquired a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick from the Bengals in exchange for DE Chris Smith.
Acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 34; T Cam Robinson) from the Seahawks in exchange for a 2017 second-round pick (No. 35; DT Malik McDowell) and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 187; S Mike Tyson).

Julius Thomas posted 24 touchdowns from 2013-14 with Peyton Manning as his quarterback, and the Jaguars bought in, signing the athletic tight end to a five-year deal worth $46MM. Predictably, Thomas’ two-year stay in Jacksonville wasn’t as successful as his run in Denver, as catching passes from Blake Bortles isn’t exactly the same as handling throws from a future of Hall of Famer. From 2015-16, Thomas struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness, appearing in only 21 games and managing 76 total receptions for 736 yards and nine scores. While he still can’t help as a blocker, Thomas could rebound under Adam Gase in Miami, with whom he agreed to a renegotiated contact following his trade to South Beach.

Draft picks:

1-4: Leonard Fournette, RB (LSU)
2-34: Cam Robinson, T (Alabama)
3-68: Dawuane Smoot, DL (Illinois)
4-110: Dede Westbrook, WR (Oklahoma)
5-148: Blair Brown, LB (Ohio)
7-222: Jalen Myrick, CB (Minnesota)
7-240: Marquez Williams, FB (Miami)

While there’s certainly an argument to be made that the fourth overall pick should never be spent on a devalued position such as running back, the Jaguars bucked conventions and selected LSU’s Leonard Fournette, whom many analysts view as a once-in-a-generation runner. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein called Fournette a “full-on, grown man” heading into the draft, and Fournette certainly ran like one during his time in the SEC. In 2015, Fournette rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and scored 19 touchdowns, and although he was limited by injury in 2016, he still averaged 6.5 yards per touch on the ground. He doesn’t factor into the passing game, however, leading to questions about his fit in today’s NFL. But if he hits, Fournette could be the next Adrian Peterson.

Like Fournette, Cam Robinson will play a large role during his rookie season, as the Alabama product is now the Jaguars’ starting left tackle following the release of Branden Albert. Jacksonville paid 109 cents on the dollar to swap Round 2 picks with Seattle, moving up to No. 34 in order to draft Robinson. Pro Football Focus compared Robinson to former Panthers tackle Michael Oher, noting Robinson’s propensity to vacillate between excellent play and sub-optimal production. In 2016, Robinson ranked 10th among all collegiate tackles with a 97.8 pass-blocking efficiency, but he also committed 23 penalties over the past two seasons.

The rest of the Jaguars’ 2017 draft picks look like backups in Year 1. Defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot could see rotational snaps during his rookie campaign, but is buried on depth chart that contains a multitude of high-end talent. Blair Brown, too, has veterans in front of him, as Myles Jack, Paul Posluszny, and Telvin Smith form one of the league’s more athletic linebacking trios. Fourth-round receiver Dede Westbrook has the best chance to earn an early-season role, as he projects as Jacksonville’s third wideout while Marqise Lee is sidelined.

Extensions and restructures:

Brandon Linder, C: Extended through 2022. Five years, $51.7MM. $19.5MM guaranteed.
Chad Henne, QB: Restructured contract. One year, $3.5MM. $500K guaranteed.

Other:

Hired Tom Coughlin as executive vice president of football operations. Extended general manager David Caldwell through 2019.
Retained Doug Marrone (interim) as head coach to replace Gus Bradley.
Retained interim offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Hired Joe DeCamillis as special teams coordinator to replace Mike Mallory.
Exercised 2018 fifth-year option for QB Blake Bortles ($19.503MM).
Claimed S Tracy Howard off waivers from the Browns.
Claimed CB Charles James off waivers from the Bills.
Claimed OL Demetrius Rhaney off waivers from the Rams.
Signed 16 undrafted rookie free agents.

It’s difficult to label David Caldwell‘s tenure as Jaguars general manager anything other than a failure. Clearly, Caldwell didn’t join a Jacksonville club loaded with talent, as the Jags posted a 2-14 record the year before Caldwell was hired. But Caldwell, formerly Atlanta’s director of player personnel, hasn’t done anything to turn around Jacksonville’s fortunes, as the club has produced double-digit-loss seasons in each of the past four years. Caldwell has invested in hefty free agent deals that have gone nowhere, wasted top-five draft choices on selection such as Luke Joeckel and Blake Bortles, and fired his hand-picked head coach, Gus Bradley.

Caldwell earned a contract extension this offseason, but that was mostly in order to line up his deal with that of new executive vice president Tom Coughlin, who was hired as Caldwell’s superior. Everything the Jaguars did this offseason, from the addition of Coughlin, to the decision to retain Doug Marrone as head coach and Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator, points to Jacksonville blowing up its team after 2017. If the Jaguars struggle next season, it won’t be surprising if Caldwell and Marrone are both ousted, leaving Coughlin as the ultimate decision-maker in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars’ recent handling of Bortles also points to a changing of the guard, as the club has now opened up its quarterback battle to a competition between Bortles and Chad Henne. Jacksonville has financial incentive to limit Bortles’ playing time next season, as a catastrophic injury would lead his $19.5MM 2018 option to become fully guaranteed. As such, the Jaguars could place Bortles on the bench for the duration of the year, or could even choose to waive him before the season begins. That’s probably an extreme option, but Jacksonville’s decision to allow Henne to vie for the starting quarterback job is a sign Coughlin is now calling the shots.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Malik Jackson, DL: $15,500,000
Calais Campbell, DL: $10,500,000
Branden Albert, T: $8,900,000
Barry Church, S: $8,000,000
Allen Hurns, WR: $7,000,000
Blake Bortles, QB: $6,571,983
Jermey Parnell, T: $6,500,000
Dante Fowler Jr.: $6,406,429
Tashaun Gipson, S: $6,300,000
Paul Posluszny, LB: $6,166,668

2017 will undoubtedly be a turning point year for the Jaguars. Typically a preseason sleeper pick, Jacksonville could theoretically take a step forward next season and claim a division title in a weak AFC South. On the other hand, another disappointing campaign will likely lead to the complete overhaul of the roster, coaching staff, and front office. At present, the latter appears more likely, but the Jaguars could certainly shock the NFL world.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

1 comment Jacksonville Jaguars Offseason In Review PFR Originals

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/17

By Dallas Robinson | at August 21, 2017 7:24 pm

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

Waived from IR: RB Jahad Thomas (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com)

Denver Broncos

Claimed off waivers: RB Stanley Williams

Detroit Lions

Signed: TE Scott Orndoff
Waived/injured: DT Bruce Gaston

Green Bay Packers

Signed: DL Calvin Heurtelou

Houston Texans

Waived from IR: DeAndrew White (Link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)

San Francisco 49ers

Waived from IR: LB Jayson DiManche (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area)

Seattle Seahawks

Waived/injured: TE Marcus Lucas, T Justin Senior

Tennessee Titans

Waived: DL Mehdi Abdesmad

0 comments Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans Transactions Bruce Gaston Calvin Heurtelou DeAndrew White Jahad Thomas Jayson DiManche Justin Senior Marcus Lucas Mehdi Abdesmad Scott Orndoff Stanley Williams

Broncos Name Trevor Siemian Starting QB

By Dallas Robinson | at August 21, 2017 6:30 pm

Broncos head coach Vance Joseph has officially named Trevor Siemian as the club’s starting quarterback over Paxton Lynch, according to multiple reports. Former Denver receiver Brandon Stokley (now a 104.3 The Fan contributor) first reported the news earlier today (Twitter link).

“It’s a permanent decision,” said Joseph, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. “As for as Trevor being our guy, he’s our guy.”

Siemian, of course, won Denver’s quarterback job in 2016 even after general manager John Elway traded up in the first round to select Lynch with the 26th overall pick. A former seventh-round pick choice who spent his rookie campaign on the bench behind Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler, Siemian responded by completing 59.5% of his passes for 3,401 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

The Broncos didn’t attempt to hide Siemian in their offense, as the club ranked in the middle of the pack in percentage of passing plays (15th) and finished fifth in offensive pace. But Denver’s offense clearly struggled with Siemian at the helm: the unit only scored on 30.3% of its drives (26th in the league) and averaged just 5.3 plays per drive (29th). As a whole, the Broncos ranked 22nd in points and 28th in DVOA, both of which represented dips from the team’s 2015 performance.

All that said, it’s not readily apparent that the 23-year-old Lynch would constitute a significant upgrade. The Broncos, under new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, presumably gave Lynch every chance to win Denver’s quarterback gig before handing the duty to Siemian. And Lynch didn’t perform all that well in relief of Siemian last season, either: in two starts, Lynch completed 59% of his passes for 497 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, making his quarterback rating of 79.2 about five points worse than Siemian’s figure.

What this decision means for Lynch’s future isn’t entirely clear at the moment, but he’ll join an ignominious list of first-round quarterbacks who failed to start their respective club’s season opener in their second NFL season, as Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders tweets. Lynch is under contract for two more years, and the Broncos also hold a fifth-year option for the 2019 campaign. Siemian, meanwhile, is under team control through only 2018.

3 comments Denver Broncos Newsstand Paxton Lynch Trevor Siemian

Colts Sign CB Corey White

By Dallas Robinson | at August 21, 2017 6:03 pm

Chris Culliver isn’t the only cornerback the Colts signed today. Indianapolis also inked corner Corey White, placed corner Darryl Morris on injured reserve, and waived/injured guard Blake Muir, the club announced.

The Colts are clearly on the hunt for defensive back depth, and White will give them just that. A four-game starter for the Bills in 2015, White appeared in 15 total contests and played on a roughly a third of Buffalo’s defensive snaps. During that time, White posted 28 tackles, two interceptions, and four passes defensed. Additionally, White saw action on more than half of the Bills’ special teams plays.

White, 27, signed with the Jets in May, but was subsequently released from injured reserve earlier this month after suffering a back injury. Like Culliver, then, White’s health may be an important factor in just how much he can contribute early in the season. If available from a medical standpoint, White certainly boasts more experience than any Colts corner not named Vontae Davis.

Morris, meanwhile, was a rotational defensive back who appeared on 33.4% of Indianapolis’ plays in 2016. The 26-year-old started two games and earned a respectable No. 53 ranking among 110 qualified corners, per Pro Football Focus. It’s possible Morris will be released from injured reserve in the near future if he returns to full strength.

0 comments Indianapolis Colts Transactions Blake Muir Corey White Darryl Morris

Colts To Sign CB Chris Culliver

By Dallas Robinson | at August 21, 2017 5:24 pm

The Colts have agreed to sign free agent cornerback Chris Culliver, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). It’s a one-year deal for Culliver, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.

Culliver, 29, was a 14-game starter as recently as 2014, but his recent campaigns have been defined by injury. After being released by the Redskins last spring, Culliver sat on the free agent market until landing a one-year deal with the Dolphins in August. Still recovering from a torn ACL, Culliver began the season on the PUP list and was ultimately cut in November without ever having played a down for Miami.

The Colts — who worked Culliver out today, per Mike Wells of ESPN.com (Twitter link) — can use all the secondary help they can get after ranking 26th in passing DVOA a year ago. Vontae Davis is Indianapolis’ only established cornerback, as second-round rookie Quincy Wilson is set to start opposite him with Darius Butler in the slot. Rashaan Melvin, Darryl Morris, Nate Hairston, and Chris Milton round out the rest of the Colts’ corner depth.

Given that uninspiring cast of characters, it’s entirely possible that Culliver could earn ample playing time early in the season. The condition of his knee, which ultimately led to his release in Miami, will likely determine if Culliver is able to contribute on a weekly basis.

0 comments Indianapolis Colts Newsstand Transactions Chris Culliver

5 Key Stories: 8/13/17 – 8/20/17

By Dallas Robinson | at August 20, 2017 4:43 pm

Ezekiel Elliott officially files appeal. The Cowboys running formally appealed his six-game suspension, and a hearing is now set for August 29. While that’s still more than a week away, it’s already clear that Elliott and his legal team intend to shed doubt on his accuser’s credentials, highlighting the alleged victim’s inconsistencies and indicating that she sought to profit from her connection to Elliott. Harold Henderson — the man who reduced Greg Hardy‘s ban in 2015 — will hear Elliott’s case.

Tramaine Brock finds a home. After being released by the 49ers earlier this year following domestic violence allegations, Brock will stay in the NFC West after inking a one-year deal with the Seahawks. It’s not often that a starting corner with Brock’s track record reaches the open market this late in the offseason, but San Francisco opted to not wait for a resolution on the charges against Brock (which were ultimately dropped). Brock, 29, will give Seattle options at corner while DeShawn Shead recovers from a torn ACL.

Aaron Donald, Le’Veon Bell still holding out. The Rams control Donald, arguably the NFL’s best defensive player not named J.J. Watt, through the 2018 campaign at a relative pittance. Scheduled to earn just $1.803MM for the upcoming season, Donald wants a raise, and could potentially miss regular season action in order to achieve that goal. Bell, meanwhile, is expected to report before the season gets underway (he’ll earn north of $12MM in 2017). The Steelers reportedly thought they had a long-term agreement with Bell in place earlier this year.

Eagles release Ryan Mathews. As had been expected, Philadelphia finally parted ways with Mathews, only doing so after he could pass a physical so the club wouldn’t be on the hook for injury protection. While the Eagles are set to go forth with LeGarrette Blount, Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Donnel Pumphrey in the backfield, Mathews is now on the open market, and he may be the perfect backup running back.

Work stoppage possibly on the way. NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith calls a strike or lockout after the expiration of the current contractual bargaining agreement in 2020 “a virtual certainty.” While Smith cautions the stoppage may not lead to the loss of actual games, the strife between the player’s union and the owners is clear, as Smith says the league “lied and cheated” last time around. NFL players, including a union rep, confirmed that negotiations between the two sides will be difficult.

0 comments Week In Review

Colts WR Phillip Dorsett On Trade Block?

By Dallas Robinson | at August 20, 2017 3:45 pm

Colts wide receiver Phillip Dorsett is reportedly on the trade block, according to Michael Lombardi of the Ringer (Twitter link). Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Lombardi indicated Indianapolis is willing to deal Dorsett, noting any club “can have him if [it] wants him.”

That Dorsett can be had via trade should come as no surprise, as he has no connection to the current Indianapolis regime. Dorsett, 24, was selected 29th overall in the 2015 draft by former general manager Ryan Grigson, so current GM Chris Ballard may try to recoup some sort of draft capital for Dorsett before the season begins. Indeed, PFR listed Dorsett among its Top 30 NFL Trade Candidates last week.

Despite his draft billing, Dorsett is currently working behind 2016 undrafted free agent Chester Rogers, and may also be buried behind free agent addition Kamar Aiken, meaning he’s possibly fifth on the Colts’ wideout depth chart. Based on counting statistics, Dorsett has certainly been a disappointment, as he’s averaged just 26 receptions and 276 yards per season through two years in the NFL. Despite playing nearly three-quarters of Indy’s snaps a season ago, Dorsett managed only 33 catches.

Underlying metrics, however, indicate Dorsett could have more to offer on the field. Last year, Dorsett ranked 25th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA, which means Dorsett was relatively effective on a per-play basis (even if his overall production wasn’t there). Among receivers with at least 25 receptions, Dorsett finished eighth with 16 yards per catch, and also registered four receptions of 50 yards or more, suggesting he can be a successful deep threat.

Dorsett has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and his $1.175MM base salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed. An acquiring club would also take on Dorsett’s 2018 base salary ($1.094MM) and roster bonus ($450K), but neither figure is guaranteed.

5 comments Indianapolis Colts Phillip Dorsett

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Author: Dallas Robinson