Minor NFL Transactions: 6/24/16
Today’s minor moves:
- The Browns announced that they have signed outside linebacker Joe Schobert, a fourth-round draft pick. As shown on our running list, third-round defensive end Carl Nassib stands as Cleveland’s only unsigned draft choice from this year’s class of 14 picks. According to Over the Cap, Schobert, a Wisconsin product, is in line for a four-year deal worth roughly $2.974MM, including a signing bonus of about $634K.
- The Rams have waived wide receiver J.J. Worton, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). Worton was an undrafted free agent out of UCF, and signed with Los Angeles at the beginning of May. The club has also waived linebacker Matthew Wells, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Wells originally inked a futures deal back in January.
Latest On Johnny Manziel
Nearly every mention of former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel on PFR in recent months has been negative, and the latest update, sadly, is no different. Manziel’s father spoke with Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Facebook link) about his son’s life off-the-field, and voiced his concerns for the former Heisman winner.
“He’s a druggie. It’s not a secret that he’s a druggie. I don’t know what to say other than my son is a druggie and he needs help. He just hasn’t seeked it yet,” said Paul Manziel. “Hopefully he doesn’t die before he comes to his senses. That’s about all you can say. I don’t know what else to say. I hate to say it but I hope he goes to jail. I mean, that would be the best place for him. So we’ll see.”
Paul Manziel’s comments come on the heels of another incident involving his son — Manziel’s lawyer accidentally texted the Associated Press and revealed details about his client’s domestic violence case, not only admitting that a plea deal was the target, but mistakenly disclosing non-flattering aspects of Manziel’s life. “Heaven help us if one of the conditions [of a plea bargain] is to pee in a bottle,” wrote Manziel’s attorney, suggesting that his client wouldn’t be able to pass a drug test. The accidental text also described a receipt for more than $1K in drug paraphernalia that may have been purchased by Manziel, though that remains unconfirmed.
Manziel’s rep recently said that his client is still preparing to play in the NFL in 2016, but admitted that a 2017 return was more likely. But at this point, a return to the league at any point seems like a stretch — if Manziel can’t go more than a few weeks without an incident or negative press, no club is going to risk the backlash of signing him.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ra’Zahn Howard To Enter Supplemental Draft
Purdue defensive tackle Ra’Zahn Howard will enter the 2016 supplemental draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who also reports that Howard will hold a pro day in New Jersey on July 8. While no exact date has been set for this years’ supplemental draft, the event has taken place on the second Thursday of July in past years, so July 14 looks like an option.
Howard, who stands 6’3″ and 310 pounds, was suspended for academic reasons in January and had actually announced last month that he would transfer from Purdue, according to Gold and Black. Clearly, he’s changed his mind about attending another school, and he’ll now attempt to make it in the NFL after appearing in 24 games — posting 47 tackles and three sacks — during three years in West Lafayette. According to Hammer and Nails, SB Nation’s Purdue blog, Howard was massive defensive tackle who essentially “took up space” in the middle of the Boilermakers’ line.
The supplemental draft allows clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. If a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it will lose its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select a player in the fourth round of the supplemental, it will lose its 2017 fourth-rounder as a result.
Most players who enter the supplemental draft ultimately go undrafted, allowing them to become free agents and sign with any team. That has been the case over the last two years, as supplemental draft day came and went without any selections. The last two players to be picked were Isaiah Battle (Rams, 2015), Terrelle Pryor (Raiders, 2011) by the Raiders, and Josh Gordon (Browns, 2012).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Moore, Williams, Lanning
Here are some PFR-exclusive updates on three veteran free agents:
- Veteran wide receiver Denarius Moore has worked out for both the Lions and Jaguars this offseason, PFR has learned. Moore was signed by the Bengals prior to the 2015 season, but was cut before the season began and ultimately appeared in five games with the Bills. The 27-year-old was part of a wideout contingent that auditioned for the Saints last month.
- Three teams have expressed interest in signing cornerback Cary Williams, a source tells PFR. After signing a three-year deal with the Seahawks prior to last season, Williams lasted only 10 games before he was released. He latched on with the Redskins at the tail end of the year, and appeared in Washington’s playoff game. Though he’s now 31 years old and coming off a down stretch in his career, Williams does have 75 starts under his belt, and could serve as a veteran presence in a club’s secondary.
- Free agent punter Spencer Lanning worked out for the Saints last week, PFR has learned. Lanning, 28, was the Brown’s full-time punter from 2013-2014, but appeared in just one game last season, filling in for the Bears in early October while Pat O’Donnell was injured. The South Carolina product also auditioned for the Jaguars back in January, but is in no rush to sign as training camp approaches.
Leon Hall Could Sign Next Week
Veteran cornerback Leon Hall‘s offseason of free agent visits could finally be coming to an end, as Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 reports (Twitter link) that Hall could make a decision on a new club next week. Hall has been sitting on the open market since March when his contract with the Bengals expired.
[RELATED: Best Available Defensive Free Agents]
PFR ranked Hall as the eighth-best cornerback available this offseason, and the 31-year-old has garnered his fair share of interest over the past several months. Hall took visits with the Cowboys, Cardinals, Giants, and Falcons, and was linked to Dolphins, who now employ his former position coach in Cincinnati, Vance Joseph, as defensive coordinator. Miami reportedly won’t sign Hall, nor will Atlanta, whittling down his options, but if Hall is indeed set to sign a contract next week, both Dallas and Arizona stand out as options, along with several other clubs that haven’t been officially tied to the veteran defensive back.
Hall has spent his entire nine-year NFL career to date in Cincinnati, playing 121 regular-season games since 2007 for the Bengals, and starting 105 of them. However, the Bengals haven’t been overly aggressive when it comes to re-signing their former first-round pick, and used this year’s first-rounder to add another cornerback in Houston’s William Jackson III.
After dealing with a multitude of injuries throughout his career, including two torn Achilles, Hall underwent back surgery this offseason, and that ailment could be limiting his market, as teams might be wary of of his health. But with a new deal seemingly imminent, it would seem that Hall has convinced at least one club that he’ll be ready to go when the regular season begins.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
49ers Re-Sign RB Kendall Gaskins
After being waived by the 49ers earlier this year, running back Kendall Gaskins is back with the club, having re-signed today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Gaskins is signing a two-year deal, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
[RELATED: 49ers have interest in OT Eugene Monroe]
The 25-year-old Gaskins went undrafted out of Richmond in 2013, and after bouncing between the offseason rosters of the Bills, Titans, and Giants, Gaskins finally found a stable home, inking a deal with the 49ers in 2014. He was called up from San Francisco’s practice squad in October, and ultimately appeared in nine games, rushing for 38 yards on 16 carries while adding eight receptions for good measure. Gaskins’ more valuable contributions arguably came on special teams, where he played on 35% of the Niners’ snaps, good for 11th on the club (a solid accomplishment given that he only played in about two-thirds of San Francisco’s contests).
Gaskins was waived early last month when the 49ers added a new crop of undrafted free agents, but now that he’s back with the team, he’ll use the summer to compete with a cadre of others for backfield playing time. As Roster Resource shows, San Francisco already boasts Carlos Hyde, Shaun Draughn, Kelvin Taylor, and Mike Davis at running back. With Gaskins’ additions, the 49ers’ roster is back to 90-man limit.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Rams RB Tre Mason
Rams running back Tre Mason has been in legal hot water all offseason, first after a March arrest on numerous charges including resisting arrest, possession of cannabis, and reckless driving, and then following a missed arraignment in April. Those incidents could lead to Mason losing his spot on Los Angeles’ roster, as Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters, including Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News, that the club has to “prepare [itself] that Tre’s not going to be here.”
[RELATED: Los Angeles Rams Depth Chart]
It’s not entirely clear if Fisher is referring to a looming league suspension — which is very likely — for Mason, or whether the head coach is implying that the Rams could waive the 22-year-old Mason. Mason hasn’t attended any of Los Angeles’ OTAs this offseason as he deals with his legal troubles, and even if he does make it back on the field, Mason is in danger of losing his role in a Rams running back corps that includes superstar Todd Gurley, plus reserves Benny Cunningham, Chase Reynolds, and Malcolm Brown.
Mason already saw his place on the club dwindle in 2015, as the presence of Gurley meant that Mason’s carries dropped from 179 to just 75. After rushing for 765 yards during his rookie year, Mason toted the ball for only 207 yards in 2015, while his snap percentage was nearly cut in half (36.7% vs. 19.1%). With Cunningham acting as the Rams’ go-to third down back, and Reynolds serving as a special teams ace, waiving Mason might not be all that difficult a decision.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Arian Foster To Be Ready For Training Camp?
Free agent running back Arian Foster is expected to be healthy in time for training camp, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. That news jibes with a report earlier this month that indicated that although Foster could have passed a physical in early June, he would wait until the end of July to begin working out for teams, hoping that extra time would help ensure that he was in “football condition.”
[RELATED: Best Available Offensive Free Agents]
According to Fowler, three teams have recently expressed interest in Foster, who is currently assessing possible fits as he gets healthy. It’s unclear exactly how “recently” Fowler is referring to, but the only club that has officially met with Foster this offseason is the Dolphins, who did so back in March. Miami, however, reportedly views Foster as more of a fallback option, a safety net in the event that its young crop of running backs falter.
Another AFC East club, the Patriots, apparently had “preliminary interest” in Foster earlier this year, but little came of that reported intrigue Still, Foster should be able to find a market for his services if he can prove he’s fully recovered from an October Achilles tear, and I recently listed eight clubs that could be sign the veteran runner, including the Raiders, Broncos, and Chargers.
Foster, 29, is still capable of putting up results when he is on the field. He accumulated 6,472 rushing yards during his seven years as a Texan, and earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2010 to 2012, averaging about 1,900 all purpose yards and 16 touchdowns in those seasons. But Foster was limited to 25 regular-season games from 2013 to 2015, and injuries, his age, and his increasing cap number resulted in the Houston releasing him this spring.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Trumaine Johnson, Rams Unlikely To Reach Long-Term Deal
With a little less than a month remaining until the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions, there doesn’t appear to be much hope that the Rams will convince cornerback Trumaine Johnson to sign on the dotted line. According to Adam Schefter and Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (video link), it’s a “long shot” that Johnson will agree to a long-term deal with Los Angeles in the next four weeks or so.
[RELATED: Rams working on extensions for Jeff Fisher and Les Snead]
Nonetheless, Johnson will be well-compensated for the 2016 campaign, as he’s already signed his franchise tender, guaranteeing himself a $13.952MM salary for the upcoming season. Per Schefter and Anderson, both the Rams and Johnson are comfortable playing out the year with that cost — neither the club nor the player feels an immediate need to reach an extension, as both sides are content with the roughly $14MM figure.
As Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports wrote earlier this year, Johnson is particularly unlikely to agree to a multi-year pact given that his former Rams teammate, fellow corner Janoris Jenkins, landed a mega-deal from the Giants in free agency, securing a $12.5MM annual salary and $28.8MM in guarantees. Both of those charges likely represents a floor for Johnson, and unless Los Angeles is willing to match or exceed those numbers, Johnson is probably unwilling to sign.
Johnson, 26, had just 20 career starts on his NFL résumé prior to 2015, but he established himself as a reliable starting cornerback last season, picking up 71 tackles, seven interceptions, and 17 passes defended, grading out as the No. 17 CB in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Broncos, Sanders Exchange Contract Figures
The Broncos and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders have each submitted contract proposals, reports Mike Klis of 9NEWS (Twitter link), elaborating on his report earlier this month that Denver was engaged in extension talks with both Sanders and linebacker Brandon Marshall. Marshall agreed to a four-year, $32MM deal last week, and it looks as though Sanders could be the next Bronco to be extended, as sources recently told Connor Orr of NFL.com that Sanders is expected to be the next wideout to land a new deal.
[RELATED: Broncos LB Von Miller threatens holdout]
The 29-year old Sanders is currently earning an average salary of $5MM as part of a three-year pact he signed prior to the 2014 season. The Broncos don’t have much 2016 cap space left (roughly $4.6MM), but they do have an ample amount in 2017, as their ~$63.2MM is currently second-most in the league. Denver general manager John Elway said earlier this year that the “ideal” scenario would be to lock up Sanders, Marshall, and Von Miller by mid-July, so the club is currently one-third of the way towards meeting that goal.
Sanders, for his part, has indicated that he’d like to retire as a Bronco, a claim that’s unsurprising given his success in the Mile High City over the past two seasons. Since 2014, Sanders has caught 177 passes for more than 2,500 yards, scoring 15 touchdowns during that time. Those numbers rank eighth, sixth, and 16th among all NFL wide receivers over that span, while Sanders places seventh in Pro Football Reference’s approximate value metric during that period.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.