Latest On Safety James Ihedigbo
After starting 21 games for the Lions over the past two seasons, safety James Ihedigbo has been sitting on the open market since his contract expired this spring. And while he hasn’t yet taken any known free agent visits, Ihedigbo expressed confidence to SiriusXM NFL Radio that he’ll find a landing spot before the regular season begins.
[RELATED: Updated Detroit Lions depth chart]
“The thing about this part of the game and just the business aspect of it, teams are going to want to see if their young guys got it — they want to see guys that they drafted two years ago, if they can play at a high level, if they can handle the mental aspect of the game more than special teams, of playing offense and defense,” said Ihedigbo. “And then you have to account for the injury rate. It happens every year, the first week of training camp, guys go down or guys aren’t performing up to management’s expectation, and that’s when guys like myself get that phone call.
“Yeah, could my agent possibly get me a league-minimum deal with somebody right now? Yeah. But at the other end of it, you increase your value if you were to just patiently wait for that opportunity, which tends to happen every year.”
Ihedigo did say that he has received inquiries from clubs, with teams wondering if he’s staying in shape in the hopes of earning a roster spot. But Ihedigbo is probably correct in that he’ll have to wait for an injury before he garners any serious interest. That’s partly due to his age (32), and partly due to his production in 2015, when he lost his starting job to Isa Abdul-Quddus down the stretch and ultimately ranked as the No. 64 safety among 89 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, grading much better against the run than the pass. As recently as 2014, however, Ihedigbo posted the best season of his career, so he’s not far removed from above-average play.
Ihedigbo said in May that he’d like to play for his hometown Texans, and that’s a match that might make sense on paper. Ihedigbo is a similar player to fellow free agent safety Donte Whitner, for whom I recently listed eight potential landing spots, so many of the fits I outlined could be logical for Ihedigbo, as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC East Notes: Garoppolo, Pats, Jets, Dolphins
If Jimmy Garoppolo performs well during Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension, the Patriots would reap benefits not only during the 2016 season, but beyond, especially if they can use Garoppolo as a trade chip, writes Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports. New England could view Garoppolo as its quarterback of the future, but given that he’s only signed through 2017, he might be more valuable to other clubs than to the Pats. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could show interest if he lands a head-coaching job next offseason, while Robinson also tosses out the 49ers, Saints, Redskins, and Browns as clubs that might be willing to trade for Garoppolo.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- Now that Muhammad Wilkerson is under contract for the foreseeable future, the Jets could have a valuable trade asset in fellow defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson — but don’t expect Richardson to be dealt any time soon, opines Darryl Slater of NJ.com. Richardson can be controlled though 2017 via his fifth-year option, and New York could then franchise him in 2018. The club doesn’t figure to engage in extension talks right now, especially given that Richardson is set to be suspended for one game due to a personal conduct violation. But if he proves he’s reliable, Richardson could be the next Jet in line for a long-term contract, or he could be bandied about in trade discussions.
- The Dolphins invested in their defensive line over the spring, signing Mario Williams, Andre Branch, and Jason Jones, but another option might come internally, as Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald hears (Twitter link) that former No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan looks “brand new.” Yesterday, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that there’s been no status update on Jordan, who applied for reinstatement in April. Jordan is thought to be dealing with shoulder issues, but if reports are to be believed, it looks he’ll be a full-go for camp, if and when he’s eligible.
- Miami also spent capital on the offensive trenches, and James Walker of ESPN.com (video link) examines whether the Dolphins‘ offensive line can come together as a unit to protect quarterback Ryan Tannehill. With No. 13 overall pick Laremy Tunsil scheduled to start at left guard, the Fins will have four former first-rounders among their front five. And the club has also stockpiled depth, adding veteran options like Jermon Bushrod and Sam Young to handle backup roles.
- Jace Amaro has a decent chance at opening the season as the Jets‘ starting tight end, but the third-year pro needs to work on his blocking, both in the run and pass game, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Amaro missed his sophomore campaign with a shoulder injury, allowing Kellen Davis to step in and start nine games last year. As Roster Resource shows, Gang Green also boasts Wes Saxton, Zach Sudfeld, and Brandon Bostick at tight end.
Cardinals Sign Mike Jenkins
11:10am: The Cardinals formally announced the signing of Jenkins. To make room, they have cut cornerback Carrington Byndom.
8:17am: The Cardinals have agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Mike Jenkins, according to Luke Easterling of USA Today (Twitter link). Financial terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but it’s likely a one-year pact with little or no guaranteed money. The deal is still pending the results of a physical, according to Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (on Twitter).
[RELATED: Reviewing the Arizona Cardinals’ offseason]
Jenkins, 31, has been sitting on the open market since his contract with the Buccaneers expired in March. He spent the past two seasons in Tampa, although he appeared in only 15 totals games, as his 2014 campaign was wiped out by a pectoral injury. Save for one year with the Raiders, the rest of Jenkins’ action came with the Cowboys, the club that made him a first-round pick back in 2008. All told, Jenkins has 101 games (68 starts) under his belt, and has posted 10 interceptions during his career.
Arizona isn’t a bad landing spot for Jenkins, given that the club hasn’t truly replaced 2015 starting corner Jerraud Powers. The Cardinals appear to be counting on special teamer Justin Bethel to start opposite Patrick Peterson, and given that slot corner extraordinaire Tyrann Mathieu is still on the mend, it makes sense that Arizona is adding more secondary depth. It’s fair to wonder how much Jenkins can help, however, given that he graded as a bottom-20 corner last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
[RELATED: Arizona Cardinals depth chart]
At the very least, Jenkins should be able to help on the Cardinals’ special teams unit, as he played on roughly a quarter of Tampa Bay’s ST snaps last season. Arizona needs all the help it can get on special teams, as the club ranked 29th in special teams DVOA in 2015.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Ausberry, Lions, Hawks, Saints
Free agent tight end David Ausberry tore his Achilles during a November workout with the Jets, PFR has learned. Clearly, the injury was devastating turn of events for Ausberry, who spent last summer with the Lions before being waived in August. The 28-year-old Ausberry, who is expected to be healthy by September, appeared in 34 games with the Raiders from 2011-2014 after being selected in the seventh round out of USC.
Here’s more from around the league…
- Though he never actually made the visit, Arian Foster was scheduled to meet with the Lions after he spent time with the Dolphins, and although Detroit never got the chance to make its pitch, the Lions’ interest in Foster shows that the club wants to improve its running back depth, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. Detroit is currently dealing with injuries at the position, as Ameer Abdullah hasn’t practiced all offseason after undergoing labrum surgery, while Stevan Ridley has been out with an undisclosed injury. So while the Lions didn’t land Foster, it wouldn’t be shocking if the team continued to look for outside help.
- If the Seahawks don’t extend head coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider, ESPN’s John Clayton wonders if the duo could join up with the Rams after 2016. Carroll, of course, has tons of history in L.A. and he would be the perfect high-profile hire for the team as they break into their new market. Los Angeles, meanwhile, is thought to be working on extensions for incumbent GM Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher, but the latest reports indicate that there’s been no movement on that front.
- Although New Orleans’ defense — especially against the pass — was historically poor in 2015, the Saints could end up fielding a decent secondary next season, as Nick Underhill of the Advocate details. Damian Swann, Keenan Lewis, and P.J. Williams are all returning from injury, and if that group can perform adequately alongside Delvin Breaux, there’s potential for upside in New Orleans. As Roster Resource shows, former Broncos defensive back Tony Carter will also fight for playing time, competing with Brian Dixon and Brandon Dixon.
- The Packers are working out kicker Brent Wahle on Wednesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Wahle, an Ohio Dominican product, spent a few days in Browns camp earlier this year but didn’t earn a contract. He obviously won’t challenge Mason Crosby for the starting job in Green Bay, but Wahle could act as a camp kicker.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC East Notes: Geno, Fitz, Harris, Foster, Pats
The Jets/Ryan Fitzpatrick saga could last well into training camp, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), who adds that New York’s staff may need to see how Geno Smith performs in preseason contests before deciding if the club can cope without Fitzpatrick. Given that the Jets cleared some cap space by lowering Muhammad Wilkerson‘s 2016 charge (through an extension), some observers believed that Gang Green could now afford to offer Fitzpatrick the deal he’s sought, but it doesn’t sound like an agreement is close.
Meanwhile, while Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com opines that Jets management needs to set a deadline for talks with Fitzpatrick, wide receiver Brandon Marshall says he’s lost communication with the veteran quarterback. “To be honest, me and Fitz talk everyday, all the time, but I texted him the last two weeks three times and there’s no response,” said Marshall, per Ryan Mayer of CBS New York. “The only thing that he can do to make this right is to say he was on vacation, I was out of the country. It’s not like him. It’s scaring me right now.”
Let’s take a look at more from New York and the rest of the AFC East:
- Although David Harris doesn’t have any guarantees left on his contract in 2017, the Jets figure to hang onto the veteran linebacker through the end of his deal, argues Brian Costello of the New York Post. Harris’ three-year deal, which he signed prior to 2015, contained $15MM guaranteed, but all of that total was made up of base salaries. As such, the club could release him after the upcoming season without any dead money accelerating onto their cap. But as Costello notes, Harris is viewed as a locker room leader, so as long as his play doesn’t fall off completely, it stands to figure that he’ll remain on the roster.
- “I still feel like I’m a Pro Bowl player and I intend to show that,” said running back Arian Foster after agreeing to terms with the Dolphins earlier today, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Foster inked a one-year, $1.5MM deal that can max out at $3.5MM, and his presence in South Beach further complicates a running back unit that already boasted Jay Ajayi, Damien Williams, and rookie Kenyan Drake. Foster’s pact only contains $400K guaranteed, so if he can’t stay healthy during the preseason, Miami can cut ties without too much of a fiscal penalty.
- Patriots safety Nate Ebner has been selected for the United States rugby team, agent Sean Stellato tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Head coach Bill Belichick has indicated that he supports Ebner’s Olympic bid, provided that he reports to the New England in shape and ready to go for the upcoming season. This offseason, the Patriots re-signed the special teams standout to a two-year, $2.4MM deal, presumably with the knowledge that he would go out for the U.S. rugby team. Ebner won’t Olympian with NFL experience, as former Lions running back Jahvid Best will be member of Saint Lucia’s track team.
- Although the Bills used a fourth-round pick on him, rookie quarterback Cardale Jones won’t have much of an impact during the 2016 campaign, writes Joe Buscaglia of WKBW. Jones didn’t look NFL-ready during minicamps, so any hopes of him usurping backup EJ Manuel are no more, and given that Buffalo doesn’t need to keep three quarterbacks active on gameday, Jones figures to spend much of rookie year holding a clipboard.
NFC East Notes: McClain, Dez, Redskins, Cruz
Lending credence to a report that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is one of the few voices in the Dallas office that doesn’t want to release troubled linebacker Rolando McClain, Jones today expressed support for McClain and seemed to indicate the club wouldn’t part ways any time soon. “There’s a lot of reasons why we don’t cut him: cap, many reasons,” said Jones, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. “But the bottom line is, I’d like to be positive about this and think that we haven’t seen the last of Rolando McClain.” So while financial concerns still appear to be at play — a notion that Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram corroborates (Twitter link) — it sounds like Jones still has a belief that McClain will be able to contribute on the field later in the season.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Almost two years after teaming with Roc Nation, Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has left CAA and agent Tom Condon to be represented solely by Jay-Z’s organization, according to Liz Muller of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter link). The switch doesn’t figure to have many implications currently, as Dallas has Bryant locked up for years to come. After being assigned the franchise tag last prior to last season, Bryant agreed to a five-year, $70 extension that will keep him with the Cowboys through 2019.
- A few unheralded players figure to make the Redskins‘ 53-man roster, and Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com points to running back Robert Kelly as one surprising option that could make waves this summer. As Roster Resource shows, Washington doesn’t have much depth behind starter Matt Jones, as third-down back Chris Thompson is recovering from shoulder surgery, while Keith Marshall, Mack Brown, and Kelly have no NFL experience. Tandler’s colleague Tarik El-Bashir, meanwhile, identifies tight end Marcel Jensen as someone who could unseat veteran Logan Paulsen for the club’s fourth tight end position.
- Even if he’s able to fully recover from his torn patellar tendon, Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz is unlikely to have much of an impact in 2016, opines Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. While uncertainty surrounds Cruz’s health, New York clearly isn’t counting on him, as the club drafted Sterling Shepard in the second round. As Roster Resource details, Shepard figures to start, while Dwayne Harris could also play a key role. Additionally, Big Blue has been rumored to be in the free agent receiver market, so perhaps the club could bring in external option as camp progresses.
- Earlier today, the Redskins signed receiver Dez Stewart, who was part of a morning workout that included fellow pass-catcher Marlon Brown and quarterback Jimmy Clausen.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/18/16
Today’s minor moves:
- The Cowboys have waived defensive tackle Casey Walker, the club announced. Dallas needed to clear a roster spot for newly-signed linebacker Justin Durant, who agreed to a deal earlier today. Walker, 26, went undrafted in 2013, but has since spent time with the Panthers, Patriots, Ravens, and, most recently, Cowboys, though he hasn’t seen much game action. After appearing in six games during the 2014 campaign, Walker played in two games for Dallas last season, posting just a single tackle. The rest of the league will now have the opportunity to claim him, but if no club does, Walker will become a free agent.
Redskins Sign WR Dez Stewart
Following a tryout earlier today, the Redskins have signed free agent wide receiver Dez Stewart, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Washington has since confirmed the transaction.
[RELATED: Latest on Washington’s cornerback battle]
Stewart was evidently a part of a morning Redskins workout session that included quarterback Jimmy Clausen and wide receiver Marlon Brown. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that other pass-catchers were involved in the tryout, and given that Stewart was signed to a contract, Brown (and the other receivers present) might be out of luck. Washington, which now has a full 90-man offseason roster, already has a well-stocked group of receivers, as Roster Resource shows the club boasting DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Jamison Crowder, first-round pick Josh Doctson, and others on its depth chart.
An undrafted free agent out of Ohio Dominican, Stewart signed with the Buccaneers in May, only to be placed on injured reserve shortly thereafter — he was waived off IR in early June. The 6’2″, 200-pound Stewart accumulated more than 3,000 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns across 40 career collegiate games, and also excelled as a kick returner, a role he might need to play to earn a spot on the Redskins’ roster.
Meanwhile, Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets that Clausen’s presence at the workout shoudn’t raise any eyebrows, as the former second-round pick was simply in attendance to throw passes. However, Clausen is on Washington’s emergency list should something happen to one of their current quarterbacks, a list that includes Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy, and Zach Sudfeld.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
West Notes: Rams, Fisher, Snead, Mason, Bosa
Let’s take a look at the latest out of the NFL’s two West divisions:
- A early June report indicated that the Rams were working on extensions for both general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher, but Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link) suggest that little progress has been made on either front, noting that there is no “present timeline or parameters” on negotiations with either Snead nor Fisher. Both men are entering the final year of their respective contracts, and despite the club’s lack of success under the pair’s management, teams generally don’t like their GMs or head coaches to enter lame-duck seasons, so one-year extensions (at the least) wouldn’t be surprising. Fisher, for his part, is already thought to be among the highest-paid coaches in the league, as he’s reportedly earning around $7MM annually.
- Fisher told reporters that last month that the Rams had to prepare as if running back Tre Mason would not be with the club after Mason was arrested in March for resisting arrest, possession of cannabis, and reckless driving, but according to Bonsignore (Twitter link), a decision has not yet been made as to whether Mason will be involved in training camp. It’s still unclear if Mason’s potential absence is related to a looming league-imposed suspension or because Los Angeles is considering waiving him. Regardless, Mason already saw his role with the club dwindle in 2015, as the presence of Todd Gurley meant that Mason’s carries dropped from 179 in 2014 to just 75 last year.
- No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa continues to haggle with the Chargers over his rookie deal, and while negotiations haven’t yet gotten unpleasant, that could change if the battle goes on much longer, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Bosa and his agent are reportedly angling to remove offset language from his contract, and to improve the overall cash flow of the pact. For what it’s worth, former agent and current CBSSports.com contributor Joel Corry recently said that Bosa and his camp have a much better shot at upgrading the payout schedule than getting rid of offsets. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk argues that San Diego should cave on both issues, noting that getting Bosa into camp is far more important than possibly recouping a small amount of cash years down the road, a view we’ve espoused on PFR.
- Earlier today, we learned that the Rams are planning on bringing quarterback Nick Foles to camp, but are still holding out hope that another club will express interest in trading for the signal-caller.
Latest On Underclassmen Combine
Earlier this month, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer revealed that he was working to develop some form of a combine for underclassmen, and added that he had discussed the issue with Alabama head coach Nick Saban in the past. Saban, meanwhile, has taken a step further, and plans to meet with the NFL about the possibility, according to Chase Goodbread of NFL.com.
“I think the NFL is very much interested in this,” Saban said on Wednesday. “We have a meeting scheduled in the near future to discuss some ways to implement this.”
NCAA juniors don’t currently have a venue in which to work out for NFL scouts, coaches, and front office personnel without first declaring for the draft, and Meyer said in early July that would like to see an opportunity for underclass players to showcase their skills without losing their eligibility. “It’s not a process that’s well done right now,” said Meyer at a youth football camp. “There’s a rule that says the NFL can’t look at juniors. Well of course the NFL [scouts] are going to look at a junior. And they should look at a junior.” The only feedback underclassmen receiver from the league at the moment is from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, which projects juniors’ draft stock in January prior to the draft.
“There is a cross-section of people out there who maybe aren’t giving young men responsible information about making this decision, which is indicative of 107 guys going out for the draft last year. Probably at least half of those guys probably shouldn’t have made that decision relative to whether they didn’t get picked, or where they got picked,” said Saban. “They’d have been better off enhancing their draft status by staying in school and developing as a player. There is a group of people out there not being responsible on how they help these guys, and create unrealistic expectations of what their future might be as a football player based on where they are in their development.”
Saban has offered solutions to this problem in the past, but as Goodbread has previously noted, Saban’s proposal would involve pro day-esque events at every college campus, which would only serve to increase the required hours put in by NFL staffs. Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has also suggested allowing undrafted players to return to college, an idea that is fraught with problems, per Goobread.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.