Vince Young Announces Retirement
It appears as if Vince Young‘s career as a National Football League quarterback is over.
According to Brent Carney of kxan.com, the former Texas Longhorn who spent his first five years with the Titans has called it quits.
“It’s definitely official I think in my book,” Young said. “Unless we get a great opportunity, something guaranteed … other than that I’ve started moving forward in some things.
“I love the NFL, will love the game always but I’m kind of moving forward and moving on right now.”
Young signed with the Browns in early May, but was released less than two weeks later following the team’s minicamp. He went to training camp with the Packers in 2013 and Bills in 2012, but was released by each team prior to the start of the regular season. His last significant on-field action came in 2011 with the Eagles, starting three games and totaling four touchdowns and nine interceptions.
NFC South Notes: Panthers WRs, Saints TEs
Chalk this up as one of the more amazing tidbits with respect to NFL team’s rosters, as written by The Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person: none of the 11 wide receivers on the Panthers roster this spring caught a pass for the team last season.
The Panthers went wide receiver in the first round of the draft, selecting 6-foot-5, 240-pound Kelvin Benjamin from Florida State No. 28 overall. He’ll be looking to replace departed receiver Steve Smith, as will fellow young wideouts Tavarres King and Marvin McNutt, who have been rotating through the first-, second- and third-team offenses in organized team activities.
“One thing we’re trying to make sure is everybody’s getting a lot of reps right now,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “Because when we get to training camp, we want to make sure everybody’s up to speed. We’ve made an emphasis that we’re rotating a lot of players, as much as possible. Wide receiver’s one of those positions.”
As Person notes in his column, both King and McNutt have impressive collegiate résumés, starring at Georgia and Iowa, respectively. They’ll be competing for the starting receiver spots with Benjamin and three free-agent acquisitions: Jerricho Cotchery, Tiquan Underwood and Jason Avant.
Check out more from the NFC South in the links below…
- De’Andre Presley was the answer from Rivera when asked if a player has distinguished himself after Wednesday’s OTA, writes The Observer’s Tom Sorensen. Presley, a quarterback in college at Appalachian State, switched to cornerback upon signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent, and is now trying to make the Panthers roster at wide receiver.
- The Panthers went defensive tackle back-to-back in the 2013 NFL Draft with the selections of Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short in the first and second rounds, respectively, but Short is still in a fight for a starting position, writes Jonathan Jones of The Observer.
- Six tight ends combine for 20 years of experience on the Panthers roster, and Rivera loves the versatility they bring, ESPN.com’s David Newton reports.
- While there is no replacing the immense talent of Jimmy Graham, Saints tight ends Ben Watson and Josh Hill are doing what is asked of them at OTAs, including everything Graham would be doing, per The Times-Picayune’s Christopher Dabe.
- First-round pick receiver Brandin Cooks will be back for the final week of Saints OTAs, believes ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett.
- Despite suffering two concussions in his rookie season, Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro said he won’t slow down nor change his reckless ways, Triplett writes.
- With a defensive-heavy draft, notes ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure, the Falcons surely made defensive coordinator Mike Nolan a happy man. Nolan touched on each of the seven defensive players drafted, including a glowing review of Dez Southward, the former Wisconsin safety whom Atlanta selected in the third round: “He’s got really good size and is fast. He’s an intelligent guy. He doesn’t have as much football in his background as other guys because he played late in high school. But he’ll listen, as opposed to somebody that didn’t learn much and then they think that they have all the answers.”
Patriots Notes: Revis, Edelman, Anderson
Defense was the cornerstone of the Patriots’ three Super Bowl victories between 2001 and 2004, and stellar play from the secondary had much to do with it. Now, with the addition of Darrelle Revis, arguably the best defensive back in football, coach Bill Belichick has more flexibility than ever to implement his defensive strategy, opines ESPN.com’s Jeffri Chadiha.
Revis’ inclusion to the team means good things for the rest of his defensive counterparts, per Chadiha. Safety Devin McCourty can take more chances, defensive end Chandler Jones could add to his 11.5 sacks last season, and the defense could regain the swagger last seen in the Romeo Crennel days of yesteryear.
More from the defending AFC East champs below…
- The cornerback group has the potential to be the deepest it’s been in Belichick’s 15 years as head coach, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss. A projection places Revis at left cornerback, former Seahawk Brandon Browner at right cornerback, and veteran Kyle Arrington manning the slot. Browner will serve a suspension for the first four games of the season, and Reiss pegs reserves Alfonzo Dennard or Logan Ryan as potential replacements during that span.
- Wide receiver Julian Edelman, loaded with a four-year, $17MM contract and fresh off a 105-catch season, said he’s working to not make the same mistakes twice in an attempt to avoid Belichick’s wrath, reports the Associated Press’ Howard Ulman.
- Linebacker James Anderson, signed by the Patriots earlier this week, undergoes a scrutinous film study by ESPN.com’s Reiss, who surmises that the former Bear excels in pass coverage but is not a stack-and-shed linebacker.
- The transition from Carolina to New England has not been an easy one for wide receiver Brandon LaFell, whose two main goals are learning the offense and not getting embarrassed by Revis, writes The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin and Shalise Manza Young.
- In an impressively thorough writeup, Sports Illustrated’s Doug Farrar breaks down first-round pick Dominique Easley‘s game and how the former Florida defensive lineman could redefine New England’s defensive fronts.
NFC East Notes: Beckham Jr., Bryant, Mathis
After receiving a $5MM cap credit on June 1 for cutting offensive lineman David Baas in March, the Giants have just over $7MM to spend on fine-tuning the roster, writes Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com. 91 players are currently under contract for the G-Men, with a team cap of $124.98MM.
As Ranaan points out, $7MM might sound like a lot of money, but 20 teams have more room to spend. All seven 2014 draftees except for third-round defensive tackle Jay Bromley have signed their rookie deals, and it’s only a matter of time before the former Syracuse Orange joins the fold.
More news and notes from the AFC East below…
- Giants first-round wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is being rested for precautionary reasons while recovering from a hamstring injury that sidelined him at OTAs, reports National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson. Beckham told reporters he’s also suffering from a tight back.
- Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden waxed poetic about his former college and current pro teammate, Dez Bryant, per The Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota. “He’s unbelievable at what he does,” Weeden said. “It’s the same stuff he did when he was 18 when he came in. I have said it when we came in the same year, he’s just a freak. The guy is probably the most passionate football player. He loves the game more than anyone I’ve ever been around.” Both players arrived at Oklahoma State in 2007.
- At a function honoring former Arkansas head football coach and athletic director Frank Broyles, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said nothing has made him prouder than to know the Arkansas Razorbacks — Jones’ Alma mater — will play at AT&T Stadium next season, tweets Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News Bureau.
- Eagles guard Evan Mathis said the team is light years ahead of where it was compared to this time last year, reports CSNPhilly.com’s Michael Barkann. “This year, you can just see so much more confidence on the field. Everybody’s executing, it’s much more crisp, and that’s what you get with a year under this system.”
- Michael Bamiro has been working mainly at right guard on the Eagles‘ second-team offensive line, writes CSNPhilly.com’s Geoff Mosher.
- According to a tweet by last year’s No. 4 overall pick Lane Johnson, the Eagles‘ rookie dinner totaled nearly $18k, including a $3,495 bottle of wine.
- Eagles first-round pick Marcus Smith, who will be outside linebacker in Philadelphia’s base 3-4, was tabbed by National Football Post’s Greg Gabriel as one of five players to keep an eye on during the 2014 NFL Season.
- Niles Paul, the Redskins wide receiver and core special teams player, is optimistic about a potential turnout for the ST unit under Ben Kotwica, the first-year coordinator, writes CSNWashington.com’s Tarik El-Bashir.
- Training camp practices under new Redskins head coach Jay Gruden will likely start earlier, end later and feature a longer break in between sessions, reports CSNWashington.com’s Rich Tandler.
- Learning his fifth offensive system in five years, Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy likes the fit in Washington and is eager to learn behind Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III, writes ESPN.com’s John Keim.
Jaguars Notes: Stanzi, Joeckel, Clemons
The Jaguars claimed quarterback Ricky Stanzi off waivers last season after he was released by the Kansas City Chiefs. Some stated this was a play by the Jags to pick Stanzi’s brain — Jacksonville played Kansas City Week 1, and lost, 28-2 — but the former Iowa QB is still in Northeast Florida, holding on to a roster spot.
That roster spot got less assured when the team selected Blake Bortles No. 3 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, as Vito Stellino of The Florida Times-Union writes.
And, for three straight seasons since college, Stanzi hasn’t had an opportunity to see the field, inactive for all but four games last year.
As it stands right now, the Jags have four QBs on the roster — Stanzi, Bortles, veteran Chad Henne and Stephen Morris, an undrafted free agent rookie from Miami who projects as a developmental player.
Stellino writes that Stanzi has made a good impression on head coach Gus Bradley, who was surprised with the slinger’s arm strength.
More news and notes from “America’s Team,” as NFL.com’s Adam Schein likes to call them:
- Luke Joeckel, the former Texas A&M offensive tackle selected No. 2 overall in last year’s draft, is hoping to put the injury that sidelined him after five games last season behind him, writes Hays Carlyon of jacksonville.com. Joeckel participated in all three OTA practices and said he was pleased with how his ankle held up.
- Henne, Stanzi, wide receiver Cecil Shorts, defensive end Andre Branch and safety Jonathan Cyprien were named by Bradley as players who stood out during the team’s first week of OTAs, The Times-Union reports. Bradley said he has “98% confidence” that defensive end Chris Clemons will be on the field Monday when the team gets back on the field.
- While the biggest challenge facing the Jags in 2014 is getting Bortles ready to play, The Times-Union’s Gene Frenette says no challenge is more daunting than meshing the team’s rag-tag offensive line.
Poll: Bears Backup Quarterback
When Josh McCown signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Buccaneers in March, the position of Bears backup quarterback swung wide open. And when the team added San Jose State’s David Fales with a sixth-round pick two months later, the competition got that much juicier.
Three men are competing for the No. 2 spot on the QB depth chart: Jordan Palmer (brother of Carson), Jerrod Johnson and the aforementioned Fales. Palmer is the leader in the clubhouse, according to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, a spot he’s earned with experience. A sixth-round pick in 2007, 2014 will mark his eighth season of professional football.
Johnson spent 18 days on the practice squad in September, Wiederer notes, and has yet to throw a pass in the NFL after entering the league in 2011 as an undrafted free agent from Texas A&M.
Whoever wins the spot has big shoes to fill — McCown shined bright last season filling in for an injured Jay Cutler, leading the league in fewest interceptions per throw and winning three of five starts. The biggest reason for his success, per quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh, was the relationship he shared with Cutler.
“Josh was a great example of a guy where, although he knew he was going to be backing up Jay, he truly approached every day like he was going to be getting all the reps,” Cavanaugh said. “He worked very hard. And not only that, he was selfless enough to know that although I’m competing, I want to be able to help Jay too.
“Those guys had a unique relationship that Jay really counted on. Josh was his sounding board a lot. Sometimes when coaches speak to you, it’s coach-speak. You want to hear one of your buddies say, ‘Hey, they’re right.’ Or, ‘Let’s talk it through and then we’ll approach them about it.’ So there’s a role to be played there.”
Raiders Notes: Woodley, Schaub, McFadden
LaMarr Woodley won’t drop back into coverage as much with the Raiders like he did with the Steelers, and he’s just fine with that. Oakland utilizes a base 4-3 alignment, and defensive ends are consumed with what’s in front of them, not behind. As CSNBayArea.com’s Scott Bair notes, Woodley last played in a 4-3 defense at Michigan.
“Looking at the (Raiders) defense, seeing how guys were flying around on defense, getting after people, I kind of felt like after talking to the coach that that’s what he wanted me to do,” Woodley said. “He wanted me to rush the passer more and then drop back in coverage. I felt like with the kind of people that was on this defense, and add me in there, I felt like I could help the team win.”
Woodley signed a two-year deal worth a maximum of $12MM in March, and he’s eager to show the Raiders made a good investment.
“You still have to come here and prove yourself, at least that’s how I feel. The last few years for me haven’t been good. So I have to come here and I feel like I have to rebuild myself as well.”
Other news and notes from the Oakland Raiders:
- Matt Schaub is a Top 10 quarterback in the Raiders’ eyes, says ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez in his Twitter mailbag. As long as the skill set of the former Texans QB can fit with what offensive coordinator Greg Olson wants to do, it’ll be a good match.
- Gutierrez predicts a run-first offensive approach with Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew, along with 2013 sixth-round pick Latavius Murray. If the runners can stay healthy and consistently produce positive yardage, that’ll set up the play-action pass, at which Schaub excels.
- Wide receivers Andre Holmes and Juron Criner have been the stars at three OTA practice thus far.
- Eddie Paskal of Raiders.com recaps Week 1 of OTAs, with Schaub able to go against an active defense with his receivers for the first time.
Jimmie Ward Out Until Training Camp
Jimmie Ward went to the NFL Scouting Combine in February unaware of a fracture in his right foot. Doctors alerted him of the issue and did not allow him to work out.
His pre-draft medical recheck in Indianapolis on March 25 brought good news — doctors reported that the foot was healing on schedule.
But, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, Ward is likely out until training camp in late-July due to the injury, specifically referred to as a Jones fracture, which deals with the fifth metatarsal bone in the midfoot area.
The 49ers selected Ward No. 30 overall with knowledge of the player’s medical history, so this isn’t exactly a shocker for them. Ward was in attendance Friday at the team’s opening day of rookie camp, but was only cleared for mental reps.
Week In Review: 5/19/14 – 5/25/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Major Move:
- The Bears signed wide receiver Brandon Marshall to a three-year, $30MM contract extension.
First-Round Pick Signings:
- Chiefs — DE Dee Ford (link)
- 49ers — S Jimmie Ward (link)
- Falcons — OT Jake Matthews (link)
- Vikings — QB Teddy Bridgewater (link)
- Vikings — LB Anthony Barr (link)
- Giants — Odell Beckham Jr. (link)
Find the full results of the 2014 draft at the PFR Draft Tracker.
Released:
Waivers:
- Raiders — claimed WR Greg Little off waivers from Browns.
Restructured:
- 49ers — LB NaVorro Bowman (link)
Extension Candidates:
- Ravens — CB Jimmy Smith (link)
- Packers — WR Jordy Nelson (link)
- Cardinals — CB Patrick Peterson (link)
Other Signings:
- Browns — LB Larry Grant (link)
- Chiefs — DL Kyle Love (link)
- Packers — TE Colt Lyerla (link)
- Browns — WR Anthony Armstrong (link)
- Chiefs — OT J’Marcus Webb (link)
- Eagles — WR Arrelious Benn (link)
- Raiders — QB Derek Carr (link)
Other:
- Bucs — Start contract talks with DT Gerald McCoy (link)
- Cowboys — QB Kyle Orton mulling retirement (link)
- Saints — QB Drew Brees hopes to play past age 40 (link)
- Seahawks — WR Doug Baldwin discusses contract (link)
- Lions — RB Reggie Bush wants to retire a Lion (link)
Follow all the latest news at PFR’s Transactions Page.
Marcus Lattimore Returns To Field
In what might be his first significant on-field action since suffering the second of two horrific knee injuries, 49ers running back Marcus Lattimore took the field for rookie minicamp drills yesterday, cleared to take handoffs and make basic cuts. NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling writes that Lattimore was expected to sit out minicamp with soreness in both legs, but the second-year back felt well enough to participate.
Lattimore, a fourth-round pick in 2013, spent the entirety of last season on the reserve/NFI list, and can thus participate in rookie camp.
A stacked depth chart at running back lies in front of Lattimore — incumbent starter Frank Gore, 2014 second-round pick Carlos Hyde and 2011 fourth-round pick Kendall Hunter — but long odds have never swayed Lattimore’s efforts. Many projected his career over after multiple torn knee ligaments on two separate injuries, but the 49ers saw enough promise to use a fourth-round pick on him in last year’s draft, and he’s determined to prove them right.