HEADLINES

Author: Dallas Robinson

Texans Acquire RB Duke Johnson

August 8th, 2019 at 9:45am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans have acquired running back Duke Johnson from the Browns, Cleveland announced today. Houston will send a conditional 2020 fourth-round pick to Cleveland, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. If Johnson is active for 10 games with the Texans, the Browns will receive a 2020 third-rounder, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Johnson, of course, has been on the trade block ever since the Browns signed former Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt earlier this offseason. Hunt won’t be available until the second half of the 2019 season as a result of a suspension, but Johnson nevertheless formally requested a trade in April. At various points, Cleveland has indicated it would keep Johnson on its roster, but after the 25-year-old back fired his agent and hired Drew Rosenhaus, he finally got his wish.

Houston was on the hunt for depth at running back after waiving former third-round pick D’Onta Foreman earlier this week. With Foreman out of the picture, the Texans were planning to use Josh Ferguson and Buddy Howell (who have 30 career carries between them, all Ferguson’s) as Lamar Miller‘s backups.

[RELATED: Full List of 2019 NFL Trades]

Johnson handled 104 rushing attempts during his rookie campaign in Cleveland, but that figure represents a high-water mark. Playing behind Browns starter Nick Chubb in 2018, Johnson managed only 40 attempts, but did post 47 catches and was one of the NFL’s most efficient receiving backs, per Football Outsiders. Since entering the league in 2015, Johnson leads all running backs with 2,170 receiving yards, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link), so he figures to see a good deal of work on third downs and other passing situations.

With Johnson out of the picture, the Browns will rely on unproven options Dontrell Hilliard and D’Ernest Johnson to backup Chubb until Hunt’s suspension is completed. But by dealing Johnson, Cleveland has further added to its stockpile of 2020 draft picks. General manager John Dorsey & Co. now boast 10 picks in 2020, including extra fourth-, sixth-, and seventh-rounders, tweets Pelissero.

The Texans will add Johnson on a highly team-friendly contract. The former third-round pick is due a base salary of just $1.8MM for the 2019 campaign, while he can also collect up to $400K in per-game roster bonuses. Houston will essentially hold club options on Johnson in both 2020 ($3.6MM) and 2021 ($4.65MM), and won’t incur any dead money if it cuts Johnson over the next two years. Cleveland, meanwhile, will immediately take on $750K in dead cap charges by dealing Johnson, with another $1.5MM hitting the club’s books in 2020.

Johnson is only the second running back to be traded this offseason. Jordan Howard was dealt from the Bears to the Eagles in March in a swap that saw Chicago receive just a sixth-round pick that can become a fifth-round pick based on Howard’s performance.

49ers DE Nick Bosa To Miss Preaseason

August 8th, 2019 at 9:37am CST by Dallas Robinson

49ers defensive end and No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa will miss at least the preseason after suffering an ankle sprain, as general manager John Lynch told KNBR (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).

Initial reports suggested Bosa’s sprain was a minor issue, but Lynch’s comments suggests that may not be the case. Lynch called the injury a “significant” sprain, and while he noted Bosa doesn’t have a full-blown high ankle sprain, the rookie pass-rusher’s injury does have “elements” of a high ankle sprain, which can often take a while to fully heal.

It’s unclear if Bosa will be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, and Lynch seemed unsure if the Ohio State will be available. “We won’t see in the preseason and we’ll go from there. … We’ll get him right and he’ll be a great player for a long time in this league,” Lynch said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link).

Going without their first-round pick for any amount of time isn’t ideal, but the 49ers do have depth along their defensive line. If Bosa is forced to miss regular season action, Dee Ford, Arik Armstead, and Solomon Thomas would all likely see increased snaps along the edge.

Dolphins Sign DT Robert Nkemdiche

August 8th, 2019 at 9:18am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Dolphins announced that they’ve signed free agent defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche to a one-year deal and placed him on the active/physically unable to perform list. The pact is worth $1.19MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Nkemdiche, who was selected 29th overall by the Cardinals in 2016, was cut by Arizona in late July. He was quickly linked to the Dolphins, who were reportedly making “preliminary due diligence inquiry calls” on the former first-round pick. Miami left tackle Laremy Tunsil, a teammate of Nkemdiche at Ole Miss, was a “big advocate” for signing the interior defender, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.

In the midst of a rebuilding phase, the Dolphins can afford to take a chance on Nkemdiche, a player that clearly boasts talent but comes with question marks. Effort issues dogged Nkemdiche during his time in Arizona, and he reportedly showed up to training camp out of shape. Additionally, he’s facing a possible suspension due to a June arrest.

Still recovering from a December torn ACL, Nkemdiche won’t be able to practice with the Dolphins until he’s removed from the active/PUP list. It’s possible that he’ll be placed on the reserve/PUP list once the regular season begins, which would force him to miss the first six weeks of the year. When he is healthy, Nkemdiche will compete with first-round pick Christian Wilkins, Davon Godchaux, Akeem Spence, Vincent Taylor, and others for playing time on Miami’s defensive line.

Nkemdiche, who won’t turn 25 years old until September, appeared in only 27 out of a possible 48 games during his three-year run with the Cardinals, with injuries reducing his chances at playing time. Last season, he played in 10 games (six starts) before tearing his ACL, posting 4.5 sacks on 426 snaps. Among the 130 defensive tackles with at least 20% playtime in 2018, Nkemdiche ranked a lowly 114th in Pro Football Focus’ grades.

Teams Eyeing Trades For Patriots/Saints CBs?

August 7th, 2019 at 3:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A number of teams are potentially interested in trading for a cornerback, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, and some clubs view the Patriots and Saints as teams that might be willing to deal away a defensive back.

Breer’s report is sparse on details, as we don’t know what teams might potentially inquire on New England or New Orleans’ corners, or what they might might be willing to give up in return. But it’s still worth examining each club’s defensive back depth chart to see what players might be considered spare parts.

In New England, first-team All-Pro Stephon Gilmore, recently re-signed veteran Jason McCourty, and 2018 undrafted free agent J.C. Jackson almost certainly aren’t going anywhere. The same goes for 2018 second-round pick Duke Dawson, who missed his entire rookie campaign, and 2019 second-rounder Joejuan Williams.

One name does stand out on the Patriots’ stacked depth chart as potential trade bait, however, is fourth-year pro Jonathan Jones. An undrafted free agent in 2016, Jones has played between 40-50% of New England’s defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. As a restricted free agent, he’s signed through 2019 on a non-guaranteed salary of $3.095MM. Given the Patriots’ depth at corner and Jones’ expiring contract, he’d make sense as a potential trade target.

The Saints also have several corners who almost assuredly won’t be going anywhere, including starters Marshon Lattimore, Eli Apple, and Patrick Robinson. But P.J. Williams and Ken Crawley are both entering contract years and have significant experience under their belts (67% playtime for Williams in 2018, 40% for Crawley). Even veteran Kayvon Webster, who signed a one-year deal with the Saints in June, could potentially be on the table if rival teams are desperate for corners.

Seahawks TE Ed Dickson Out 4-5 Weeks

August 7th, 2019 at 3:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Seahawks tight end Ed Dickson underwent knee surgery and Seattle is “hoping” for a four-to-five week recovery, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).

Given Dickson’s recovery timeline, he’s likely to miss at least one regular season game, but complications could potentially extend that timeframe. Starting tight end Nick Vannett will continue to see the bulk of Seattle’s tight end load, but 2018 fourth-round pick Will Dissly — who posted eight receptions and two touchdowns in four games before going down with a patellar tendon injury during his rookie campaign — could see more time. Trade acquisition Jacob Hollister, whom Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports has “been as impressive as anyone on the [Seahawks’] roster”, might also be in line for extra work.

Dickson signed a three-year, $10.7MM contract with the Seahawks last spring, but his 2018 debut was delayed by various injuries. After spending the first part of the year on the non-football injury list, Dickson was activated in October, and went on to post 12 receptions and three touchdowns in 10 appearances.

Colts DE Jabaal Sheard Could Miss Regular Season Time

August 7th, 2019 at 2:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After undergoing knee surgery earlier this month, Colts defensive end Jabaal Sheard could potentially miss regular season action, according to Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star.

Sheard experienced soreness and swelling in his knee on the first day of Indianapolis’ training camp and subsequently underwent the procedure. Head coach Frank Reich said it’s too early to definitively say Sheard will miss regular season games, but admitted it’s a possibility.

“If it does (cause him to miss time), Jabaal’s the kind of guy that you know he’s the ultimate pro, he’s going to do whatever it takes,” Reich said. “But because he’s had the procedure on his knee, we’ve just got to take it slow and be cautious and make sure that we have Jabaal for the long haul.”

Sheard, 30, played the most snaps (813) of any Colts defensive lineman in 2018, racking up 5.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits in the process. Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 36 edge defender in the NFL, the highest ranking of any Indianapolis pass rusher last season. Sheard, who joined the Colts in 2017, is entering the final season of a three-year, $25.5MM contract.

Al-Quadin Muhammad has soaked up most of Sheard’s snaps during training camp, but other players could also see more action. Kemoko Turay, rookie Ben Banogu, or even nose tackle Margus Hunt could see snaps along the edge, according to Erickson.

Buccaneers OL Mike Liedtke Done For Season

August 7th, 2019 at 12:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Buccaneers backup offensive lineman Mike Liedtke will miss the 2019 season with a shoulder injury, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Liedtke, 27, went undrafted out of Illinois State in 2015, and spent time with the Dolphins, Chiefs, Jets, and Browns before finding a home in Tampa Bay in 2016. After spending parts of two seasons on the Buccaneers’ practice squad, he was promoted to the active roster for good in December 2017. Last year, Liedtke appeared in nine games but played only three offensive snaps.

Tampa Bay has other reserve guards capable of backing up starters Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa, including Earl Watford and Caleb Benenoch. But if the club looks to the open market for depth, free agent options could include Brandon Fusco, Chance Warmack, Jermon Bushrod, and John Greco.

Texans QB A.J. McCarron Could Miss Preseason

August 7th, 2019 at 10:52am CST by Dallas Robinson

Texans quarterback A.J. McCarron may miss the entirety of the preseason after suffering a thumb injury during practice on Tuesday, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Houston gave McCarron a $2.5MM guarantee in March, so there’s no question that he’ll still be in line to be Deshaun Watson‘s backup, regardless of how his injury plays out. However, given that the only other quarterback on the Texans’ roster is gadget player/special teamer Joe Webb, the club will need to sign another signal-caller in order to make it through training camp and the preseason.

While veterans such as Matt Cassel, Landry Jones, and Brandon Weeden are still available on the free agent market, it seems unlikely any of those players will be options for the Texans. Given that McCarron figures to ready for the regular season, it’s difficult to imagine a veteran signing with Houston while knowing they’ll likely be cut within a month. Weeden, though, does have a history with the Texans (2015-16, 2018), so perhaps he’d be amenable to returning, if only for a short period.

Saints To Sign TE A.J. Derby

August 7th, 2019 at 10:17am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints are expected to sign free agent tight end A.J. Derby, according to Herbie Teope of The Advocate (Twitter link). Offensive lineman Nate Wozniak will be waived in a corresponding move.

New Orleans currently has six tight ends on its roster, but two of them — Garrett Griffin and Alize Mack — are dealing with injuries, so the club is aiming to add a bit more depth by bringing Derby onto the roster. Veteran Jared Cook, who inked a two-year, $15MM contract with the Saints during the offseason, will be the team’s starter, but Josh Hill should still see a relatively large role after playing on more than 60% of New Orleans’ offensive snaps in 2018.

Derby, 27, has bounced around the NFL since entering the league as a Patriots sixth-round pick in 2015. The Arkansas product’s most significant action came in 2017, when he racked up 21 catches on 40 targets while splitting time between the Broncos and Dolphins. Last season, Derby appeared in four games and managed three receptions for Miami before being placed on injured reserve in December.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Morris, Giants, Eagles

August 1st, 2019 at 9:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After signing Alfred Morris earlier this week, Cowboys executive Stephen Jones admitted his club likely wouldn’t have brought in an established running back if Ezekiel Elliott were not holding out. “We were going to look at something no matter what but probably not as much,” Jones said, via Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram. “Every time you are missing a guy you need to have a guy in here and it made sense for us to get a guy we were comfortable with.” Morris, who served as Elliott’s backup in 2016 and 2017, says he’s been given no assurances that he’ll stick on Dallas’ roster if/when Elliott returns to the team.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

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