AFC East Notes: J. Taylor, McCourty, Dareus
We learned earlier today that the Giants suffered yet another blow to their secondary last night, and as Adam H. Beasley of The Miami Herald writes, the Dolphins‘ secondary is also growing thin due to injury. After losing Louis Delmas to a torn ACL last week, Miami saw Jamar Taylor leave last night’s preseason game to a quadriceps injury. Taylor, fighting for a starting cornerback spot opposite Brent Grimes, dealt with a sports hernia in his rookie campaign in 2013, and last year he was placed on IR with a shoulder injury. The severity of Taylor’s latest ailment is unknown at this time.
As the Giants and Dolphins fret over their secondaries, let’s take a look at a few more links from the AFC East:
- Devin McCourty played cornerback for the Patriots in their preseason contest against New Orleans last night, and he did not like it one bit. McCourty said, via Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com, “I hope it’s not permanent. It didn’t feel great, and I don’t think it looked great so we’ll see.” McCourty, of course, transitioned to safety from corner in 2012, and has thrived as a safety in the past couple of seasons. But with the exodus of starting-caliber corners from New England this offseason, the team may be forced to utilize McCourty’s versatility more than he would like.
- In a separate piece, Curran discusses the status of the Patriots‘ running back battle in light of the impressive performances from James White and Dion Lewis last night.
- PFR’s Sam Robinson wrote yesterday that Marcell Dareus has softened his public stance towards his contract negotiations with the Bills, and as Jerry Sullivan of The Buffalo News opines, it’s the right move. Sullivan writes that Dareus may be an excellent player, but he is surrounded by other terrific players on the defensive line, and he is not nearly the run defender that Ndamukong Suh is. Those facts, combined with Dareus’ past indiscretions, suggest that Dareus should not be paid like Suh, regardless of what Dareus himself thinks. In the end, the Bills will likely bend a bit, Dareus will bend a bit, and Dareus will remain in Buffalo for the foreseeable future.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com says Jets‘ tight end Jace Amaro, a holdover from the John Idzik regime, is on the “moderate” hot seat. Amaro was listed as the third tight end on the team’s first official depth chart, and the team has mixed feelings about him. Cimini adds that wide receiver Jeremy Kerley is in a similar situation, especially given the strong training camp of Quincy Enunwa.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/16/15
Here are Sunday’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL:
- The Saints have released tight end Alex Smith, per Kristian Garic of WWL 870am (Twitter link). Smith, who signed with the Saints earlier this month, hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2013. He caught 163 passes and 13 touchdowns from 2005-13 as a member of four different teams.
- The Dolphins have signed offensive lineman Bryant Browning, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Browning was previously a member of five other organizations since going undrafted out of Ohio State in 2011. He was last with the Steelers and has only suited up for one game – a 2011 contest with Carolina.
- The Saints have waived long snapper Chris Highland, tweets Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com.
Earlier updates
- The Cowboys cut receiver George Farmer and signed fellow wideout David Porter, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth-Star Telegram (Twitter link). Farmer signed with the Cowboys in May as an undrafted free agent out of USC. Porter, formerly of TCU, also went undrafted this year. He previously spent time with Denver.
- After a rash of injuries at the position, Washington has signed a new tight end in Ernst Brun, the club announced. Brun, an undraftd free agent out of Iowa State, tried out for the team earlier today. Washington also officially placed tight ends Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen on injured reserve, and waived/injured running back Silas Redd.
- The Falcons have signed RB Evan Royster, CB Travis Howard, and LB Terrell Manning, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The team has also cut OL DeMarcus Love.
- The Browns have signed CB Aaron Ross and LB Everette Brown, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. The team waived OL Joe Madsen and DL Christian Tupou to make room for Ross and Brown. Ross, 32, was a key member of the Giants’ secondary when Big Blue captured Super Bowl titles in 2007 and 2011.
- Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets that the Dolphins have cut offensive tackle Chris Martin.
Demar Dotson Sprains MCL
8:24pm: Dotson’s MCL sprain will keep him out of action for roughly six weeks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
3:19pm: Head coach Lovie Smith says Dotson will be out “for a period of time,” tweets Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com, while Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune reports (Twitter link) that the Bucs believe he will return at some point during the season.
8:44am: Buccaneers right tackle Demar Dotson suffered a sprained left MCL in last night’s preseason contest against the Vikings, according to Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Dotson will have an MRI today to determine the extent of the injury. Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports first tweeted that Dotson was believed to have sustained a sprained MCL.
Dotson has been a steady presence on the right side of Tampa Bay’s line, starting all but one of the team’s regular season games since 2012. Dotson has recorded a positive grade in each of the last three seasons according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), and he ranked 28th out of 84 qualified tackles last year. He even held down the left tackle spot for three games in 2014.
Dotson is under club control through 2016, but he was understandably seeking a new contract this summer, as he has considerably outperformed his current deal that carries an average annual value of $1.5MM (he is set to earn $2.5MM this year). Although Dotson and the Bucs were reportedly close to agreement on a new contract, the fact that Dotson skipped voluntary workouts in an effort to rework his deal complicated the matter, as Tampa Bay’s team policy prohibits the negotiation of contracts with players who are absent from workouts, whether those workouts are voluntary or mandatory. Even though Dotson ultimately reported to mandatory minicamp and changed agents, it does not appear that the dialogue picked up much steam.
Needless to say, a season-ending injury would be a major blow for the Bucs, who are trying to give Jameis Winston as many chances to succeed as possible. Patrick Omameh is listed as the backup right tackle on the team’s depth chart. Notable free agents still available include players like Jake Long and Tyson Clabo. We will pass along updates on the severity of Dotson’s injury when they become available.
Sunday Roundup: Loadholdt, Dotson, Broncos
The Buccaneers and Vikings played each other on Saturday night, and both teams lost their starting right tackles. Minnesota’s Phil Loadholdt suffered a torn Achilles and is likely done for the season, while Tampa Bay’s Demar Dotson sprained his MCL and will undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of the sprain. Today’s Sunday Roundup begins with some fallout from those two injuries.
- Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times notes that the Buccaneers could shift Kevin Pamphile from left tackle to right tackle to replace Dotson, or they could promote Patrick Omameh. However, if Dotson has anything worse than a sprained MCL, Auman expects Tampa Bay to look outside the organization to fill the void (Twitter links).
- Former NFL agent Joel Corry tweets that the Vikings could be forced into a tough early decision on Loadholdt next season. As Corry notes, Loadholdt will be due a $500,000 bonus if he is on the roster on the third day of the league year (March 17, 2016), which may be too rich for a player who has suffered two major injuries in 10 months.
- Mark Craig of The Star Tribune tweets that the Vikings are not panicking over Loadholdt’s injury or scrambling for outside help, as the team has confidence in its young tackles.
- John Keim of ESPN.com breaks down Washington‘s potential options at tight end as it seeks to build depth behind Jordan Reed.
- Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com observes (via Twitter) that the season-ending injury to Rams CB E.J. Gaines could open the door for someone like undrafted free agent Imoan Claiborne.
- Broncos WR Bennie Fowler, whom Denver signed as an undrafted free agent last year, might be a long-shot to make the roster, but as Mike Klis of 9News.com writes, Fowler’s impressive showing in training camp and in the first preseason game is giving the Broncos’ brass a lot to think about.
East Notes: Giants, Murray, Petty
One New York-area scribe opined last night that the Giants may be forced to scour the free agent market in an attempt to bolster their injury-ravaged secondary. Today, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com examined New York’s options in that regard, which are less than inspiring. Cornerbacks Chris Cook and Alfonso Dennard are available, but both come with their fair share of question marks, and the veteran safety options like Thomas DeCoud and Quintin Demps are not much better. Raanan expects the Giants to bring in younger, less familiar players with some upside to fill out their depth chart.
Now let’s have a look at a few more notes from the league’s east divisions:
- Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News says the biggest reason the Cowboys were willing to let DeMarco Murray leave in free agency is the talent of its offensive line, which the team believes can pave the way for its current, less expensive crop of running backs. Thus far, the line has picked up right where it left off in 2014.
- Washington GM Scot McCloughan has made it clear that Chris Cooley is not an option as the team seeks to add depth to its decimated TE corps (Twitter link to Zac Boyer of The Washington Times).
- Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News believes rookie QB Bryce Petty could be the Jets‘ long-term answer under center, but he will need to be brought along slowly for that to happen.
- Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert is steadily increasing his workload in training camp, according to Omar Kelly and Chris Perkins of The Sun-Sentinel. Albert is getting closer to his goal of starting Miami’s regular season opener, and may even see some preseason game action.
- The Bills currently have 11 wide receivers on their roster, and they will have to cut roughly half of them by the time the regular season opens. Per Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News, the team’s coaching staff believes at least one of the players that will be cut will be a significant contributor elsewhere, which speaks to the depth of Buffalo’s receiving corps. It’s a good problem to have, but it will create a number of difficult decisions in the coming weeks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/9/15
Here are Sunday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:
- The Bills re-signed defensive Erik Williams and waived/injured receiver Justin Brown, ESPN’s Mike Rodak tweeted.
- The Colts have signed former Ball State cornerback Eric Patterson, according to Indy PR man Matt Conti (Twitter link). Patterson, who went undrafted earlier this year, was cut by the Patriots in June.
- The Browns signed CB Joe Rankin yesterday, and according to Nate Ulrich of The Akron Beacon Journal, the team has also signed TE Manasseh Garner. To make room for the new additions, Cleveland has cut LB Darius Eubanks and TE Kevin Haplea.
NFC Notes: A. Smith, Rams, Falcons, Panthers
Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee has had a look at how Aldon Smith‘s release will impact the 49ers as a whole and a few individual players moving forward. For instance, Barrows writes that the team had been working with $10MM of cap space which, if unused, would roll over to 2016 and would be put toward a player. That player, of course, was Smith. Now, the team will need to decide what to do with its surplus cash. The team could bring in free agent guard Evan Mathis, and players like Vernon Davis, Ian Williams, and Quinton Dial might also be in line to get some of that money.
Barrows also details the emotional and strategic fallout of Smith’s release, and he writes that Corey Lemonier, who looked destined to be cut just a couple of days ago, may be able to hold on to his roster spot.
Now let’s take a look at a few more links from around the league:
- Paul Domowitch of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Rams head coach Jeff Fisher took the St. Louis head coaching job because of Sam Bradford, but he traded Bradford because he could not afford to gamble that Bradford would not suffer a third ACL tear.
- Within an article touching on Julio Jones, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports that Falcons president Rich McKay will meet with commissioner Roger Goodell and executive vice president Troy Vincent to discuss McKay’s reinstatement to the NFL’s competition committee. McKay, Atlanta’s GM from 2003-08, was suspended from the committee as a result of the Falcons pumping in crowd noise during home games the past two seasons.
- In his latest mailbag at ESPN.com, David Newton writes that despite Michael Oher‘s slow start in camp, the Panthers are in a much better place at left tackle than they were a year ago. Head coach Ron Rivera has spoken in defense of Oher, and Carolina is content with Nate Chandler and Amini Silatolu as Oher’s backups.
- While the Panthers‘ front seven has been widely lauded, the clubs’ secondary has remained largely anonymous, even being labeled the “Legion of Whom” by broadcaster Jon Gruden. But as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer notes, Carolina’s defensive backfield could start to generate some headlines this year, as young corners Bene Benwikere, Tre Boston, and Josh Norman will be joined by veterans Charles Tillman, Kurt Coleman, and Roman Harper.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Arthur Blank: J. Jones To Be A Falcon For Life
We learned at the end of last month that Julio Jones and his agent had begun working towards a long-term extension that would keep the star wideout in a Falcons uniform for the foreseeable future. Although there is not yet a timeline for such an extension, owner Arthur Blank expects Jones to be a Falcon not only for the next few years, but for the remainder of his career.
Per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Blank said, “We’re moving as quickly as we can. The player has been fabulous. He came into camp in great shape. He’s working all-out. There is no hesitation or question on his part.…We expect Julio to be lifer for the Falcons. We are moving forward and have every reason to be positive and be enthusiastic about it.”
The market for top-flight receivers was, of course, set just a few weeks ago, when Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant inked five-year, $70MM deals with their respective clubs. As our Luke Adams pointed out in his recent examination of Jones as an extension candidate, Jones is in line to land an even more lucrative contract, with an average annual value of over $15MM.
Jones’ numbers would certainly support such a deal. As Adams wrote, “in 15 games, Jones racked up 1,593 yards and six touchdowns on 104 receptions, setting a new Falcons team record for most receiving yards in a season. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also ranked him right behind Bryant and Thomas, despite the fact that he played fewer snaps than either player.” However, a fractured foot limited Jones to just five games in 2013, he missed a game last season due to a hip pointer, and he has dealt with multiple hamstring issues in his professional career.
Blank, though, seems unconcerned with Jones’ injury history. He said, “We’ve gotten the best medical advice, really in the world. [Jones] followed their program last year to a tee. This year, he’s been able to do more in the offseason and it reflects in how he looks at camp.”
Blank also went out of his way to compliment Jones’ agent, Jimmy Sexton, calling him a “very professional agent who actually understands the business.” We have seen negotiations between clubs and their best players turn ugly, so it makes sense that both sides are working quickly towards a deal while positive feelings prevail. Blank certainly wants to avoid any unnecessary drama next year, when Jones is eligible for unrestricted for free agency and would be a prime candidate for the franchise tag. And if Blank’s recent comments are any indication, he may be close to achieving that goal.
Bills Sign Nickell Robey To Extension
11:37am: Rand Getlin of The NFL Network tweets that it is a two-year extension for Robey, though no financial details are available at this time. Getlin writes that the team wanted to reward Robey for his contributions.
10:14am: The Bills and cornerback Nickell Robey have agreed to a multi-year contract extension, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.com (via Twitter). Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
Robey was signed as an undrafted free agent out of USC in 2013 and was therefore eligible to receive an extension after just two years in the league (draftees must wait at least three years). As his name suggests, Robey has served as the team’s primary nickel cornerback over the course of the past two years, and he has appeared in each of the Bills’ 32 games during that time. He has recorded 86 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception (which he returned for a touchdown) in his brief but promising career.
He was particularly good in his rookie campaign, when he graded out as the 27th-best corner out of 110 eligible players per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Although he fell to the 89th-best corner out of 108 eligible players in 2014, he still led the team with 10 passes defensed, and the defensive scheme the Bills plan to implement under new head coach Rex Ryan this year is more similar to the one in which Robey excelled in 2013. As Robey said, “Last year I was more just coverage basically and softer coverage too. I didn’t get to do everything that I wanted to do as far as being aggressive and being able to play like I really wanted to play. This year Rex is allowing me to do that. I’m playing a lot more aggressive coverages, but most of all doing a lot more blitzing. I love it” (via Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com).
GM Doug Whaley apparently agrees. Whaley said of his young corner: “Under the tutelage of Rex Ryan and his coaching staff, we believe Nickell will continue to develop and make significant contributions within this defense. Our philosophy is to continue to reward our players. Signing Nickell to an extension is an example of of this organization making a commitment to that plan” (Twitter link to Buscaglia).
Most pundits agree that Robey is primed for a breakout season, and by signing him to an extension now, one year before he is eligible for free agency, the Bills may have gotten themselves a bargain.
East Notes: Rice, Cassel, Giants
The Bills signed Nickell Robey to an extension this morning and may now direct their attention to a long-term deal with Marcell Dareus, but one transaction that the team is not contemplating is a reunion between head coach Rex Ryan and embattled running back Ray Rice. Per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, Ryan reiterated, “We don’t have any interest [in Rice] and we never went into great detail about it because of the type of depth that we have at running back.” Those comments were made despite a recent hamstring injury to Fred Jackson and Bryce Brown‘s continued fumbling woes.
Now let’s have a look at some more notes from the league’s east divisions:
- Although the Bills‘ quarterback competition is far from over, The Associated Press reports that Matt Cassel will “probably” start the team’s first preseason game against Carolina this week. All three competitors–Cassel, E.J. Manuel, and Tyrod Taylor–have had mixed results in camp, and no one has separated themselves from the pack as of yet. We heard just last month that Cassel was in danger of being released, and while that may still be the case, he will at least have the first chance to lead Buffalo’s offense in game action in 2015.
- The top of the Jets‘ depth chart at wide receiver has remained intact, but as Brian Costello of The New York Post writes, recent injuries to players like Chris Owusu, DeVier Posey, and Devin Smith have really tested the team’s depth. Of course, there is not much by way of free agent talent available at this point, though Reggie Wayne and Wes Welker are both ostensibly looking for jobs.
- In his latest mailbag, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes that Bennett Jackson, the Giants‘ sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft, has enjoyed a terrific camp thus far, and he has put himself in position to not only make the 53-man roster, but to earn one of the starting safety spots.
- In the same piece, Graziano writes that Marshall Newhouse, whom the Giants originally signed to be a backup, is New York’s undisputed starting right tackle at the moment.
- Hank Kurz, Jr. of The Associated Press writes that Jamison Crowder, Washington‘s diminutive rookie receiver, is making a splash in training camp, but John Keim of ESPN.com says Crowder has not yet passed Andre Roberts and Ryan Grant on the team’s depth chart. Keim does concede, though, that Crowder has been outperforming Roberts and Grant and it could be a matter of time before he seizes hold of Washington’s No. 3 receiver job.