Vikings LB Cameron Smith Medically Cleared
Vikings LB Cameron Smith might not be a household name, but his return to the practice field is still noteworthy. The 24-year-old, who missed the entire 2020 campaign due to open-heart surgery, has been medically cleared to play, as Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets.
Smith has had a tumultuous start to his pro career. Despite less than impressive measurables, his instincts and collegiate production as a four-year player at USC got the Vikings’ attention, and Minnesota selected him in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. He did not survive final cutdowns at the end of his first training camp, though he was quickly signed to the Vikes’ practice squad after he cleared waivers. He was promoted a few weeks later, saw action in a couple of games, and was waived again, only to end up back on the Vikings’ taxi squad before getting another promotion.
In all, he played five games in 2019, compiling eight tackles. Last August, during a COVID test, doctors discovered his heart condition. “COVID saved my life,” Smith said (Twitter link via Tomasson). The Vikings put him on waivers in a procedural move when they realized he would need heart surgery, and he subsequently reverted to season-ending IR (the club paid him his full $675K salary).
Now, Smith has rejoined his teammates, though he will still have an uphill battle to see significant burn on the defensive side of the ball. The Vikings are returning Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, and Minnesota also nabbed North Carolina LB Chazz Surratt in the third round of this year’s draft. Surratt is likely the favorite to land the weakside ‘backer job alongside Barr and Kendricks, but Smith will try to push him for playing time. If nothing else, he could carve out a role on special teams.
Speaking of Barr, the four-time Pro Bowler was also back on the practice field this week, as Tomasson tweets. Barr missed all but two games of the 2020 season due to a torn pec, and he reworked his contract this offseason. He will now be eligible for free agency next March.
Dolphins To Move Robert Hunt To RG
Earlier this month, we heard that the Dolphins had contact with free agent right tackles like Alejandro Villanueva and Ricky Wagner prior to the draft, with the idea that 2020 RT Robert Hunt could shift inside to right guard. Though Miami did not sign one of those players, the club did draft Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg, who is believed to be a better fit on the right side of the line despite serving primarily as a left tackle for the Fighting Irish. So as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins are officially moving Hunt to right guard.
Miami believes Hunt, a 2020 second-round draft choice, can be a Pro Bowl-caliber guard. He did not perform particularly well at right tackle in his rookie campaign, grading out as a below-average player per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Though he showed noticeable improvement down the stretch, the Fins believe that a permanent move to the interior will be in their best interests. Jackson says Hunt has no issue with the position switch.
The Louisiana product did play guard as an underclassmen, but he spent his junior and senior seasons at right tackle. Given the team’s views of his ceiling as a guard, he would appear to be the odds-on favorite to open the season as the starting RG, though there are several other players on the roster — like Jesse Davis and 2020 fourth-rounder Solomon Kindley — who could be considered for the role.
With Eichenberg, Hunt, Kindley, 2020 first-rounder Austin Jackson, and 2019 third-rounder Michael Deiter, the Dolphins have a high-upside but generally unproven group blocking for sophomore passer Tua Tagovailoa. The team did add veteran center Matt Skura and tackle D.J. Fluker this offseason, but for the Dolphins to take the next step, they will need their significant draft investments into the O-line to start paying dividends.
Deshaun Watson’s Deposition Set For February 2022
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports, the scheduling order signed by the presiding judge in the lawsuits filed against Texans QB Deshaun Watson has set Watson’s deposition for February 22, 2022. That is over a week after Super Bowl LVI.
So unless there’s a settlement prior to that date, then Watson would theoretically be able to play the entire 2021 campaign with Houston — if he is willing to drop his previous trade demands in light of his current predicament — or with another club if a rival GM is willing to take a career-defining risk. Florio predicts that Watson will report to Houston’s training camp, and that’s when matters will truly come to a head.
Indeed, there is a very real possibility that Watson will be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt list for an indefinite period of time, and perhaps until all 22 lawsuits are resolved. His first appearance at training camp could force Roger Goodell to make a decision in that regard one way or another.
Florio describes in a separate piece how the league’s personal conduct policy applies to Watson’s situation. The second paragraph of the paid leave section of the policy reads as follows: “when an investigation leads the Commissioner to believe that a player may have violated this Policy by committing any of the conduct identified above (relevant here is an act of sexual assault by force), he may act where the circumstances and evidence warrant doing so. This decision will not reflect a finding of guilt or innocence and will not be guided by the same legal standards and considerations that would apply in a criminal trial.”
Obviously, the language “may have violated” gives Goodell a great deal of discretion in deciding whether or not to place a player on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, and his decision will be guided in large part by PR considerations. Veteran NFL reporter John Clayton, writing for DenverFan.com, believes Watson may be suspended for a few games but will play in 2021, likening his situation to the sexual assault allegation that was levied against Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger in 2010 (Roethlisberger was ultimately suspended for four games despite no criminal charges being filed).
It would seem, however, that the two matters are very different. For starters, Watson is facing 22 accusers, not “just” one. Plus, by the time Roethlisberger’s suspension was announced, it had already been determined that he would not face criminal charges, and all of the relevant facts had already come to light. But Watson’s deposition is not scheduled until next February, depositions of the 22 plaintiffs cannot commence until September 13, and the criminal investigation is ongoing. So it seems that if the league takes any action between now and a resolution of the lawsuits, it will come in the form of placing Watson on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, not in the form of a suspension.
Lane Johnson Receives Full Medical Clearance
Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson — who had ankle surgery in December — has received full medical clearance, as Johnson himself recently told reporters, including Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). A report last month indicated that this was to be expected, but it will still come as welcome news to Eagles fans.
Indeed, Johnson battled his painful ankle injury through seven games of the 2020 season before finally succumbing and landing on IR in late November. That was seven more games than right guard Brandon Brooks played, as Brooks sustained a torn Achilles tendon last June. Presumptive left tackle Andre Dillard was lost to a season-ending biceps injury in August, and left guard Isaac Seumalo was limited to nine games. Meanwhile, longtime LT Jason Peters, who was originally re-signed to replace Brooks, had to be shifted back to left tackle in the wake of Dillard’s injury, though Peters only ended up playing eight games due to a toe ailment.
It was a horrible run of misfortune for the Eagles, but the club is banking on a return to health from its MASH unit in 2021. Philadelphia selected Alabama center Landon Dickerson in the second round of this year’s draft and recently signed veteran OT Le’Raven Clark, but both players suffered major injuries of their own in December (an ACL tear for Dickerson and an Achilles tear for Clark). Otherwise, there were no notable offseason additions to the O-line.
Johnson’s shortened 2020 campaign ended a run of three consecutive Pro Bowl berths. He has restructured his market-topping $18MM/year contract multiple times, and he has a number of void years tacked onto the end of the deal. Although he is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season, he will count against the Eagles’ books for three more years after that. So Philly has plenty of on-field and financial reasons to celebrate Johnson’s clean bill of health.
NFC South Notes: Lance, Tryon, Spencer
Let’s take a look at some news and notes from the NFC South as we approach the witching hour on this Tuesday evening:
- The Falcons were perhaps the most interesting team to watch during the first hour of last month’s draft, as they could have gone in any number of directions. Ultimately, they kept their No. 4 overall pick and selected Florida TE Kyle Pitts as part of their effort to gear up for one final run with Matt Ryan. But if the 49ers had not selected North Dakota State QB Trey Lance one pick before Atlanta, then Lance might be holding Ryan’s clipboard this year. The Falcons were represented at both of Lance’s Pro Days, and as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes, if there was a signal-caller to stop Atlanta from taking Pitts, Lance might have been it (subscription required). A source tells Fowler that Lance thought the Falcons were the club most interested in him, and after the Pro Days, NDSU coaching staff got the sense that Lance would not fall past Atlanta.
- The final pick of the first round of this year’s draft, Joe Tryon, underwent a knee scope a few weeks ago, per Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians (Twitter link via Jenna Laine of ESPN.com). Luckily, Arians said the Washington product should be ready to go by next month’s mandatory minicamp. Tryon opted out of the 2020 collegiate season, but he was a menace in 2019, racking up eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. He should provide even more firepower to Tampa’s front seven.
- The Panthers continue to make additions to their personnel department. Carolina has hired former Washington Football Team scout Cole Spencer as its new director of college scouting, the team announced. The Panthers hired former linebacker Dan Morgan as their assistant GM last week, and new general manager Scott Fitterer is continuing to put his stamp on the front office. Spencer had been with WFT for over a decade and was promoted to national scout in 2019.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/18/21
A roundup of today’s mid-round draft pick signings:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- DE/LB Jordan Smith (fourth round; UAB)
Los Angeles Chargers
- LB Chris Rumph II (fourth round; Duke)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- LB Buddy Johnson (fourth round; Texas A&M); OL Dan Moore Jr. (fourth round; Texas A&M)
Latest On OTA, Training Camp Negotiations Between NFL And NFLPA
Phase 2 of the league’s offseason workout program kicked off yesterday, and with it came the news that negotiations between the league and the union with respect to that program are officially dead (via Albert Breer of SI.com). Of course, the union advised players to stay away from team facilities for voluntary offseason activities, and the NFLPA and NFL were ultimately unable to come to an agreement on a number of key points.
Instead, players and coaches negotiated their own structures, and per Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, roughly 15 teams have implemented some sort of change as a result of those conversations. Browns center and union president J.C. Tretter predictably approved of the modifications, saying, “The offseason program has gotten out of hand. OTAs have been ratcheted up year after year, and they’ve turned into — especially for big guys and guys on the line of scrimmage — legitimate full-contact, non-padded practices. Nobody puts any restraints on them; they let guys go at it.”
Some teams are even making changes to the non-voluntary sessions. According to Fowler, the Packers moved their mandatory minicamp up a week, which could mean that a week of OTAs gets canceled, and as Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk writes, the Colts and Eagles have canceled mandatory minicamp altogether. Interestingly, although the Broncos were the first team to support the union’s stance on OTAs, Mike Klis of 9News.com reports that over 70 Broncos players showed up for the first day of Phase 2. The off-site injuries suffered by former Broncos Ja’Wuan James and DaeSean Hamilton and the potential money battle that could ensue may have played a role in that attendance figure.
The initial push from the union to have players boycott OTAs was due to persisting COVID-19 concerns, but as that situation improved in this country, NFLPA assistant executive director of external affairs George Atallah says the union began to shift focus. He says that, despite the complete absence of OTAs in 2020, injuries were down and the quality of the games remained the same (Twitter links via Lindsay Rhodes of the NFL Rhodes Show podcast). So, as Tretter implied, a permanent modification of OTAs into a purely mental exercise is appropriate.
Rhodes asked Atallah if the union is essentially attempting to renegotiate the CBA on the fly, and he conceded as much (Twitter link). And players are also pushing to make last year’s approach to training camp the new normal. Tretter said the ramp-up period that was instituted out of necessity last summer was widely embraced by players, who felt better both going into the regular season and coming out of it.
To be sure, the issue of the quality of the games is a subjective one, and whether there is a direct correlation between the ramp-up period and the absence of OTAs and any data showing a decrease in injuries is debatable. But, if everything was clear-cut, there wouldn’t be much need for negotiation.
In related news, masks are no longer required for fully-vaccinated players, coaches, or staff members, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. And teams will once again be permitted to hold training camp away from club facilities (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network).
No Contract Talks Yet Between 49ers, Fred Warner
The 49ers, naturally, would like to extend star linebacker Fred Warner, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the 2021 campaign. However, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network says no contract talks have taken place just yet (video link).
That doesn’t mean that negotiations will not commence soon, and look for San Francisco GM John Lynch to do his utmost to keep Warner in the fold for the long haul. The BYU product was selected in the third round of the 2018 draft, and he has played virtually every snap for the Niners over his first three professional seasons.
During that time, Warner has established himself as one of the top off-ball LBs in football. In fact, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics considered him the best linebacker in the league in 2020, thanks in large part to his stellar 91.1 coverage grade. Warner landed his first Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors for his efforts.
We heard earlier today that Darius Leonard, another premier linebacker taken in the 2018 draft — he was chosen 34 spots ahead of Warner — will not be giving the Colts a hometown discount in his negotiations with the club. Rapoport suggests that both Leonard and Warner have a good chance to eclipse Bobby Wagner‘s $18MM AAV, which currently tops the inside linebacker market.
It will be interesting to see which player signs first, as that player’s deal will likely push the second player’s asking price just a little higher. Leonard and Warner have had similar career trajectories to this point, and though Warner is over a year younger than his Indianapolis counterpart, Leonard has two Pro Bowl bids and two First Team All-Pro honors to his credit. Either way, both players have a good chance of landing massive multi-year deals in the coming months.
Bucs Sign 4 After Weekend Tryout
The Buccaneers have signed cornerback Antonio Hamilton, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). Greg Auman of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that Tampa has also agreed to terms with tight end Jerell Adams, running back Troymaine Pope, and safety Curtis Riley. That quartet was part of a five-man group invited for tryouts during this weekend’s rookie minicamp and did enough to earn a contract.
Hamilton, who signed with the Raiders as a UDFA out of South Carolina State in 2016, played a full 16-game slate with the Giants in 2019, and he also enjoyed perfect attendance in 2020 as a member of the Chiefs. Most of his work has come on special teams, as he has played a total of 335 defensive snaps in his five-year career. If he makes the Bucs’ roster, it will probably be due to his ST prowess, but he could get some action as a backup corner.
Adams was a sixth-round selection of the Giants back in 2016, but he has played in exactly one game over the past three seasons. In that game, a 2018 appearance with the Texans, Adams played only five special teams snaps. Over his first two years in New York, the South Carolina product tallied 24 catches for 214 yards and a score.
Tampa’s tight end depth chart is pretty full, and Adams will try to convince the club to roster four TEs again. He will join Tanner Hudson and Codey McElroy in that endeavor.
Riley, 28, worked as a full-time starter for the 2018 Giants, lining up with their first-stringers in all 16 games. He intercepted four passes that season. He then landed in Oakland, playing as a Raiders backup/spot starter in 2019. Last season, Riley saw limited action with the Vikings and Cardinals.
The Bucs will be Pope’s sixth NFL team. A Jacksonville State alum, Pope has been in the league since arriving as a 2016 UDFA. Stints with the Seahawks, Jets, Colts, and Texans preceded work as a Chargers backup from 2019-20. Injuries in Los Angeles’ backfield summoned Pope to action on offense briefly at the midseason point last year, but he mostly played special teams with the Bolts.
Tampa Bay’s backfield is also crowded. Leonard Fournette was re-signed this offseason, and Giovani Bernard joined up with the Super Bowl champs. Ronald Jones and Ke’Shawn Vaughn, both on their rookie contracts, will also return.
Jags Notes: Lawrence, Etienne, Tebow
Let’s round up a few items out of Jacksonville:
- The expectation remains that Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick of this year’s draft, will be at full strength when training camp opens in a couple of months, as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network observes (Twitter link). In fact, head coach Urban Meyer said Lawrence should be “pretty close to full go” before the end of mandatory minicamp on June 17 (via John Oesher of the team’s official website). Lawrence was on a 30-40 throw “pitch count” during this weekend’s rookie minicamp, and both he and Meyer believe everything is trending in the right direction. Lawrence underwent surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder in February.
- Lawrence was obviously the headliner of the 2021 draft, but there is also plenty of excitement about the Jaguars’ second first-round choice, RB Travis Etienne (Lawrence’s teammate at Clemson). Etienne is a threat to break off a big play whenever he touches the ball, and his receiving abilities are just as enticing as his rushing prowess. In an effort to continue honing Etienne’s skills as a dynamic dual-threat talent, Meyer said that Etienne took most of his rookie minicamp reps at wide receiver, as Rapoport tweets. The Jags do have 2020 UDFA James Robinson on the roster, and Robinson turned in a terrific rookie campaign both as a runner and as a receiver. Despite Robinson’s presence, it doesn’t sound as if Etienne will be transitioned to a full-time WR. Meyer said he knows what Etienne can do as a rusher and just wants to see if he can also excel when split out wide (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).
- The Jags are planning to sign Tim Tebow as a tight end, but according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington (via Tim Daniels of Bleacher Report), not everyone in the building is thrilled with the proposition. The detractors think that the signing does not send the right message to the rest of the team, and that it will not provide the locker room with the “cultural jolt” that Meyer is anticipating. But this is unquestionably Meyer’s club now, and there is an obvious void at TE. Whether Tebow is a legitimate candidate to fill that void remains to be seen.