Cornerback Chris Johnson To Retire
Former NFL cornerback Chris Johnson has decided to retire, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Johnson, 35 next month, last played in 2012, when he won a Super Bowl as a member of the Ravens secondary.
Johnson, a Louisville product, was 2003 seventh-round pick by the Packers. He bounced around the league for four seasons, spending time with the Rams and Chiefs, before landing with the Raiders in 2007. He experienced his most success while in Oakland, beginning as a reserve and special-teamer before starting 15 games in 2009. Johnson ultimately signed an $11.3MM extension with the Raiders, and remained with the team through the 2011 season.
After joining the Ravens in 2012, Johnson was pressed into duty following injuries to Baltimore’s top corners, Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith. He started one game that season, and played in the Ravens’ AFC Championship victory over the Patriots. He was released in August 2013.
NFC Links: Falcons, 49ers, Cassel, Hester
Six years ago on this date, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Packers quarterback Brett Favre from the reserve/retired list (h/t: Packerpedia on Twitter). Of course, this move would set off a series of transactions — Favre was traded to the Jets before “retiring” again, then subsequently signed with the Vikings before calling it quits for good following the 2011 season. Let’s look at some news from the NFC:
- The Falcons signed safety Tyrell Johnson following his workout today, and according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link), Atlanta also tried out fellow S Jordan Pugh. Pugh, a sixth-round pick by the Panthers in 2010, had previously tried out for the Broncos, Colts, and Bears.
- Following Glenn Dorsey‘s potentially season-ending injury, and considering the murky injury status of Dorsey’s direct backup, Ian Williams, the 49ers will turn to a triumvirate of Quinton Dial, Tony Jerod-Eddie, and Demarcus Dobbs to fill in at nose tackle, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes.
- The 49ers have seen most of their injuries afflict the running back and defensive line position groups, which, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee tweets, is fortuitous, as those are perhaps San Francisco’s deepest units.
- Matt Cassel is confident he’ll be the Vikings Week 1 starter, and isn’t worried that rookie Teddy Bridgewater is receiving practice snaps, as he tells Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “The No. 2 guy, you have to get him ready to play at any point,” said Cassel. “The fact of the matter is he’s going to get reps with the one’s and this is the time of year to do it. it’s also a situation where they’re preaching competition. I think competition makes all of us better…”
- New Falcon Devin Hester is always a threat on punt and kick returns, but even a special teams ace needs to learn to adjust to new blockers, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
AFC South Notes: Colts, Nicks, Jaguars, Texans
Aside from Andrew Luck, the Colts might have the worst roster in the NFL, opines Rivers McCown of Football Outsiders (in a piece for ESPN Insider: subscription required). Since 2010, Indianapolis draft picks have borne little fruit, as Luck, T.Y. Hilton, and Dwayne Allen are the only above-average players selected during the span. Because of the lack of draft success, general manager Ryan Grigson has been forced to add talent via trade and free agency — a strategy that hasn’t worked well, as the Trent Richardson, Erik Walden, and LaRon Landry acquisitions have yielded substandard results. Finally, effective veterans like Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis are nearing the end of their careers, meaning the Colts’ lack of roster depth could be a long-term issue.
More from Indianapolis and the rest of the AFC South:
- Despite his struggles last season, Richardson is now feeling more comfortable in the Colts’ offense, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com.
- New Colts receiver Hakeem Nicks hasn’t yet impressed at training camp, Indianapolis offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton tells Tom James of the Tribune-Star (Twitter link). …”I don’t know if I can say that I’ve seen enough. I think he is still working to get himself in game shape…” said Hamilton. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap tweets, the Colts are only paying Nicks as a mid-to-low-tier receiver (~$4MM), so it wouldn’t be a major problem if his performance is lackluster.
- After adding to their defensive line over the offseason, the Jaguars are intent on raising their sack totals in 2014, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Union-Times. Jacksonville got to the quarterback just 31 times last year, tied for last in the league.
- Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick looked to be at his best during Sunday’s scrimmage, and head coach Bill O’Brien tells Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle that he’s pleased with the veteran’s performance. “I think he is getting better every day. He’s more and more comfortable,” said O’Brien. “…[T]here is a lot to this offense. It’s good to have a guy that has been in a few offenses…He loves this offense, as do all the quarterbacks, because it is a quarterback-friendly offense.”
Falcons Sign Tyrell Johnson
The Falcons have added some depth at the safety position by signing Tyrell Johnson, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Johnson is the latest in a group of veteran safeties who have found new homes this week, joining Jim Leonhard (Browns) and Steve Gregory (Chiefs). To clear a roster spot, Atlanta released fullback Roosevelt Nix, an undrafted free agent out of Kent State.
Johnson, 29, was a second-round draft choice by the Vikings in 2008, and started 27 games with the team. Per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), he was effective as the Minnesota’s starter at strong safety during his first two seasons in the NFL. Since 2010, however, the former Arkansas State Indian has dealt with degraded play and injuries. Johnson spent time with both the Dolphins and the Lions over the past two years, but took the field for only four games (with Detroit in 2012).
The Falcons’ secondary was stretched a bit thin after Dwight Lowery, the projected starter at free safety, suffered a concussion on Friday. Lowery also missed time last season with a concussion, so the injury is concerning; in the above tweet, McClure even notes that Lowery’s season could be “in doubt.” Strong safety is in the hands of William Moore, but a competition at FS in now likely, with third-rounder Dezmen Southward, who is dealing with a minor knee injury, a candidate for increased playing time.
PFR Originals: 7/27/14 – 8/3/14
The original content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- We continued our Offseason in Review series, as Zach Links looked at the Buccaneers, Saints, Rams, and Cardinals, and I examined the Falcons.
- Luke Adams asked who would win the NFC South: the Saints received about 44% of the vote, while the Falcons finished second at just over 25%.
- As part of our Free Agent Stock Watch series, I profiled former Jets/Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma.
- In the first Extension Candidate entry regarding a head coach, Rory Parks evaluated the potential negotiations between Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers.
Week In Review: 7/27/14 – 8/3/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Extended:
- Cowboys – LT Tyron Smith: eight years, $98MM
- Cardinals – CB Patrick Peterson: five years, $70.05MM
- Vikings – TE Kyle Rudolph: five years, $36.5MM
- Bills – RB Fred Jackson: one year, $2.6MM
- Steelers – K Shaun Suisham: four years
- Packers – GM Ted Thompson (link)
Signed:
- Redskins – DE Everette Brown (link)
- Browns – WR Marlon Moore (link) and S Jim Leonhard (link)
- 49ers – RB Alfonso Smith (link)
- Seahawks – CB Terrell Thomas (link) and RT Eric Winston (link)
- Colts – RB Phillip Tanner (link)
- Chiefs – S Steve Gregory (link)
- Dolphins – C Samson Satele (link)
Claimed Off Waivers:
- Patriots – RB Tyler Gaffney from the Panthers (link)
Waived:
- Colts – RB Chris Rainey (link)
- Seahawks – RT Michael Bowie, waived-injured designation (link)
Contract Restructured:
- Seahawks – Marshawn Lynch (added $1MM in guarantees, plus $500K bonus)
- Chargers – G Jeromey Clary (link)
- 49ers – LB Ahmad Brooks (link)
Retired:
- G Travelle Wharton (link)
- DT Peria Jerry (link)
Other:
- Lions, Ndamukong Suh to table negotiations until next offseason (link)
- Only three initial bidders for the Bills (link). Latest on the sale here.
- 49ers, Jim Harbaugh table extension talks (link)
Extra Points: Abraham, Casey, Jags, Bucs
Some assorted to notes to close out this Friday evening:
- Cardinals linebacker John Abraham, who was arrested for DUI last month, has issued a statement through the team’s website. He says, in part, that he is “taking the necessary steps to handle [his] personal business.” A previous report indicated that Abraham was set to join Arizona’s training camp next week.
- Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey is coming off of a career season and is seeking a contract that reflects that, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. While he says that he doesn’t want to cause any headaches, Casey is earning just $1.43MM this season and knows that the top performers at his position are earning more than five times that number.
- The Jaguars are working out former Florida State wide receiver Kenny Shaw today, tweets Mark Long of the Associated Press. The Browns cut Shaw, a UDFA, last last month when they signed Rutgers product Jamaal Westerman.
- The Buccaneers will pair new tight end additions Brandon Myers and Austin Seferian-Jenkins with holdovers Tim Wright and Luke Stocker to form a solid position group, writes Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, who notes that Jenkins and Wright have the capacity to line up wide.
- The Texans’ newly-implemented 3-4 defense, lead by coordinator Romeo Crennel, is starting to round into form, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Friday
We’ve already posted one roundup of today’s minor moves, but there are even more transactions, so we’ll start a new list here. Any new updates will appear atop the post.
- The Cowboys signed defensive end Adewale Ojomo, and because of their earlier addition of Kenneth Boatright, were forced to make two roster moves. As such, Dallas cut guard Darius Morris and receiver L’Damian Washington (Twitter link via Bryan Broaddus of Cowboys.com).
- The Jets have released safety Brandon Hardin, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. Hardin was the Bears’ third-round pick in 2012.
- The Steelers waived running back Alvester Alexander and signed fellow RB Jawan Jamison, per Pittsburgh’s PR man Burt Lauten (via Twitter). Jamison was a 2013 Redskins seventh-rounder, but was waived by Washington in March.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Jonathan Vilma
As Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today noted last month, the 2014 offseason has not been kind to linebackers. Sean Lee, Kiko Alonso, Sean Weatherspoon, Daryl Washington, and Robert Mathis are among the LBs who have been lost to either injury or suspension. While allowing that linebacker is one of football’s most fungible positions (excluding 3-4 outside pass-rushers), teams still need to deploy competent defensive players in the middle of the field. As training camp gets underway, more LBs will inevitably suffer injuries, forcing teams to inquire on available free agents. Among defensive players, veteran inside ‘backer Jonathan Vilma is perhaps the most intriguing name who is still out of a job.
Vilma, 32, entered the league with the Jets in 2004 as the 12th overall pick out of Miami. After four largely successful seasons in New York, during which he was selected Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the Pro Bowl, he was traded to the Saints. During seven years with New Orleans, Vilma was again named a Pro Bowler (twice) and won a Super Bowl. He was, however, engaged in the Saints’ “bounty scandal”; after a suspension, appeals, and courtroom action, Vilma was somewhat exonerated, but only played in 11 games in 2012. He underwent a knee scope before the 2013 season, and ultimately made it on the field for just 12 defensive snaps. Vilma was not re-signed by New Orleans in March 2014.
Besides Vilma’s play, the obvious concern for teams would be his health. He was originally placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list following his knee injury last summer. When he returned midseason, he barely lasted a series’ worth of snaps before being placed back on I.R. The immediacy with which the Saints’ medical staff determined Vilma was unfit to play is certainly concerning, especially for a 32-year-old. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported on June 18 that Vilma’s knee received a “thumbs-up” medically, so perhaps his injury concerns are lessened for the time being.
Many teams could use help at linebacker, but it’s always important to consider scheme fit when discussing LBs. When Vilma was traded by the Jets, the prevailing opinion around the league was that he was a poor match for Eric Mangini’s 3-4 look. The Saints mixed in some 3-4 fronts while Gregg Williams was the defensive coordinator, and Vilma did struggle — during Williams’ final two seasons in New Orleans, Vilma ranked as the worst and third-worst LB in the league, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). At 230 pounds, Vilma is generally considered too small to flourish as a 3-4 “Mike” linebacker. However, when the Saints brought in Rob Ryan and his 3-4 defense in 2013, there was some optimism that Vilma could fit as the weakside linebacker. Additionally, 3-4 LBs aren’t expected to cover nearly that ground that 4-3 ‘backers do, so perhaps a 3-4 look could benefit an aging Vilma.
All of which is to note that Vilma doesn’t lack for options when searching for a potential match with a team. PFR’s pages show that Vilma has been linked to teams such as the Falcons and the Cowboys (each of whom lost a key linebacker), while Vilma himself reached out to the Dolphins, who were not interested in his services. I think the Cardinals would make some sense, as they are relying on an inexperienced Kevin Minter and an older Larry Foote in the wake of Washington’s suspension. The Broncos and Giants are also asking marginal players to contribute in the middle, and could be viable landing spots. The Vikings could be interested, as well, but Vilma might not want to play for a team that probably won’t contend in 2014.
At this point in his career, Vilma won’t be handed anything but a one-year deal. A contract for the minimum salary benefit, with a modest signing bonus, is a real possibility, especially considering his injury history. A team could potentially get desperate later in training camp, and offer Vilma a slightly larger deal, perhaps laden with performance-based incentives and/or gameday active roster bonuses. Ultimately, he’ll have to decide how badly he wants to return to the league, and if he lands with the right team and the right defensive front, he could end up being something of a bargain.
North Links: Gordon, Packers, Bears, Ravens
Browns receiver Josh Gordon‘s appeal hearing in New York today lasted from 9:30am to 7:00pm, and is expected to continue on Monday, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The 23-year-old Gordon is seeking to overturn his proposed one-year ban for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Earlier today, Florio indicated that there is a “slight chance” a compromise is reached in the negotiations; any such deal would presumably allow Gordon to serve a sentence less than one year. If that’s the case, it makes sense that the ongoing deliberations are taking a decent amount of time.
More from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The Packers fear that fifth-round receiver Jared Abbrederis has a torn ACL, a source told Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Abbrederis, a Wisconsin product, was expected to contribute in the return game.
- Adrian Wilson is already working with the Bears’ first-team defense, according to John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Roles in training camp are often inconsequential, but this report suggests that Wilson, who missed all of last season with an Achilles injury, is healthy enough to dominate safety snaps at Chicago’s practice sessions.
- Browns rookie guard Garrett Gilkey believes he’s a legitimate candidate to start, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Gilkey, a seventh-round pick in May’s draft, has been rotating at right guard with John Greco. “He’s shown to us in our practices he is a caliber of guy that is ready to be right in the starting mix,” said offensive line coach Andy Moeller. “…By no means has he arrived, but he’s certainly taking great strides to get there.”
- Following the release of veteran Vonta Leach, second-year man Kyle Juszczyk is slated to be the Ravens’ starting fullback, and he’s made great strides heading into his sophomore campaign, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.