Ravens Notes: Trestman, Dumervil, Flacco
Will the Ravens be more potent offensively in Marc Trestman’s second season as offensive coordinator? For what it’s worth, Trestman believes that his increased comfort level will help things go a little smoother in 2016. 
“It’s a little unnatural when you (first) come in, and there is a preexisting offense in place,” Trestman said of taking over for Gary Kubiak (via Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com). “It was a very good offense, as we all know. But I spent three months on it, trying to make sure that I simulated the things that were necessary for me to do my job. Certainly this year…Coming into it a day after the season is over, you feel you are in a lot better position, because you are not using those 90 days out of 120 to learn another offense.”
Last year, the Ravens ranked eighth in the NFL in passing, but a dismal 26th in rushing, giving them the No. 14 ranked offense in the NFL. This year, the pressure is on for the Ravens to improve the running game and crack the top 10.
Here’s more out of Baltimore:
- The Ravens haven’t always given the smartest contracts to their homegrown players, but they have made some smart free agent deals overt he years, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. That list of savvy moves includes the five-year, $26MM deal ($8.5MM guaranteed) given to outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil, a deal which Fitzgerald says stands as their best contract. Baltimore effectively guaranteed Dumervil three years at $17MM, which is quite reasonable for a player that had 20.5 sacks in the prior two seasons. Since 2013, Dumervil has racked up 32 sacks for Baltimore while earning two Pro Bowl appearances.
- On the flipside, quarterback Joe Flacco is an obvious choice for the Ravens’ worst contract, Fitzgerald writes. Flacco secured his first monster contract coming off of the Ravens’ Super Bowl win, giving him a (then) record $20.1MM/season. Then, this offseason, those unrealistic cap numbers forced the team to give Flacco another bloated deal despite his major knee injury.
- As the Ravens work to improve their offense, they’ll be forging ahead without the services of left guard Kelechi Osemele, who left via free agency. All-Pro right guard Marshal Yanda believes that the team has “the right guys” to replace Osemele. “Everyone is going to work hard toward that goal, whether it’s John Urschel or whether it’s a young kid. We’ll find out during training camp,” Yanda said. As shown on the Ravens’ Roster Resource page, the Ravens also have Ryan Jensen, free agent pickup Vlad Ducasse, and rookie lineman Alex Lewis (often listed as a tackle) in the mix.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cory Redding Announces Retirement
On Wednesday morning, defensive lineman Cory Redding took to Twitter to announce his retirement from the NFL. Redding wrote (sic): 
“I’m leaving the game I’ve played for 23 years. Thanks to the teams I played for, coaches, teammates, fans and my family for their support!”
Redding contemplated retirement before signing with the Cardinals last year. After playing a limited role in Arizona in 2015 – he failed to make a start for the first time since his 2003 rookie year – the 35-year-old decided to call it career.
Redding, viewed as a potential cap casualty heading into the spring, was released by the Cardinals in April. At the time, the Cardinals had the second-least amount of cap space in the NFL with just $2.29 in breathing room, which made the move something of a no-brainer. Cutting Redding will reduced the team’s hit from $4MM to $1MM, removing his non-guaranteed $3MM salary from the Cardinals’ books.
In his 12 games last season, Redding played 183 defensive snaps, picking up five tackles and two passes defended. He did show a knack for coming up with big plays, grabbing his second career interception, and recovering a pair of fumbles, including one for a touchdown.
In 2014, Redding started all 16 regular season games for the Colts, racking up 44 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 3 pass deflections. He also made his presence felt in the postseason, recording 2 sacks and 2 pass deflections to go with 9 total tackles. In total, Redding enjoyed a 13-year career with the Lions, Seahawks, Ravens, Colts, and Cardinals and made a total of 147 starts.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Impact Rookies: Jacksonville Jaguars
The old adage that defense wins championships may or may not be true, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a title-winning team that didn’t build heavily through the draft. Rookie classes, naturally, are evaluated on the perceived upside of the NFL newcomers, but which rookies are ready to contribute right out of the gate? And, how do they fit in with their new team schematically?
To help us forecast the immediate future of these NFL neophytes, we enlisted the help of draft guru Dave-Te Thomas who has served as a scouting personnel consultant to NFL teams for multiple decades.
Today, we continue PFR’s Impact Rookie series with his insight on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ draft class:
Patience and an unlimited bank account by team ownership might just be the tickets to get the Jaguars into the playoff picture in 2016. If not, heads are certain to roll, both in the front office and on the field. The maturation of quarterback Blake Bortles, along with the emergence of receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, gives Jacksonville formidable aerial weapons. The addition of former Jets tailback Chris Ivory gives the team a solid 1-2 punch in the backfield, as the newcomer is expected to split time with T.J. Yeldon.
The defense received the bulk of the front office’s attention via the free agent market. Denver’s Malik Jackson was brought on board to join injured 2014 first-round talent Dante Fowler, drastically upgrading the team’s pass rush. Toss in free safety Tashaun Gipson leading a revamped secondary and you can see that coordinator Todd Wash had enough weapons on hand even before the cache of talent the team snatched during the draft.
Jacksonville failed to address their primary need – offensive line – spending six of their seven draft selections on defensive talent. Still, you can envision at least two future All-Pros (Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack) to hopefully emerge from this crop. The rest of the defensive selections were taken with one task in mind – attack the pocket and get to the quarterback.
First Round – Jalen Ramsey, DB (Florida State, No. 5 overall)
The Jags wasted little time running up to the podium with Ramsey’s name on the card handed to the commissioner. Many had figured Ramsey, the best athlete in the draft, would be taken by the Chargers at No. 3 to help ease the loss of Eric Weddle. Ramsey may have slipped past the Chargers and Cowboys due to some minor knee issues and, as it turns out, that injury did pop up during Jacksonville’s rookie camp. 
Still, to find Ramsey on the board with the fifth pick was a blessing. The addition of Gipson via veteran free agency will see Ramsey remain a cornerback, at least at the start of his NFL career. He’s already listed as their starting right cornerback, leaving former starters Dwayne Gratz and Aaron Colvin as caddies for Ramsey and Davon House. Both former starters will also have to contend for a roster spot, as the team also inked former Giants first rounder, Prince Amukamara, to a one-year deal. Additionally, the team seems enamored with versatile Nick Marshall, a former college passer making the conversion to the secondary.
Second Round – Myles Jack, LB (UCLA, No. 36 overall)
If Jacksonville was fast to get to the podium with the Ramsey card, they were at warp speed when it came to Myles Jack. Medical reports are split on Jack as some say the injured star is 90% ready to contribute while others indicate that he could have a short-lived career due to his knee issues. Perhaps the Jags felt that Jack was just too good to pass up, even if it is for the short term.
If Jack’s knee is able to withstand the rigors of NFL life, he could be the team’s playmaker at strong-side linebacker. Recent off-field issues for current starter Dan Skuta put the veteran in a precarious situation, but even on his best day, he could not compare to Jack at his worst. Skuta ranked eighth on the team with 40 tackles in 2015 and his 1.5 sacks are easily replaced. Skuta’s roster spot could be in further peril, thanks to the drafting of Yannick Ngakoue and Tyrone Holmes (more on them in a bit). Outside of Telvin Smith, look for the linebacker unit to undergo a transformation this year, with middle linebacker Paul Posluszny possibly holding on to that spot one more year before Jack could be asked to shift inside in 2017.
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/28/16
Today’s minor moves:
- The Seahawks signed rookie long snapper Nolan Frese on Tuesday and released linebacker Khairi Fortt, as PFT’s Zac Jackson writes. They also waived receiver Jeff Fuller from injured reserve, making him a free agent, tweets the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. Frese tried out for the Seahawks on Monday and he’s now expected to vie with Drew Ferris for the team’s long-snapping job. Fortt, who has bounced around on different practice squads in recent years, appeared in three games for the Jaguars in 2014. Fuller, undrafted from Texas A&M in 2012, signed with the Seahawks in February. He previously spent time on the Dolphins’ practice squad and in the Canadian Football League.
Former Colts RB Zurlon Tipton Dead At Age 26
Former Colts running back Zurlon Tipton was killed in an accidental shooting, according to WJBK in Detroit. Tipton was 26 years old. 
Police say Tipton pulled into a service bay at a Michigan car dealership this morning and went to take a duffel bag out of his trunk. The duffel bag had two guns inside, according to the police report, and one of the guns accidentally went off, which led to Tipton being shot in the stomach. Tipton was able to converse with people around him as he was being placed in an ambulance, but he later died at the hospital.
Tipton had an unfortunate history with guns. In December of last year, he was arrested on charges of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon after he reportedly went to his girlfriend’s home and shot a round from a Colt AR-15 rifle into the house. Reportedly, Tipton’s then girlfriend asked him to protect her as she was receiving threatening texts from an ex-boyfriend. Even though shots were fired in her home, the ex-boyfriend was apparently not there.
Tipton joined the Colts as a UDFA prior to the 2014 season. He was waived by the team on December 21, 2015, just prior to the aforementioned arrest. In his two seasons with the Colts, Tipton appeared in 16 games and rushed for 38 yards off of 15 carries.
We here at Pro Football Rumors extend our heartfelt condolences to Tipton’s family.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC North Notes: Steelers, Harrison, Ravens
The NFL has made plans to interview all of the players (yes, Peyton Manning included) implicated in last year’s Al Jazeera America documentary, but not all of them are thrilled about it. Steelers linebacker James Harrison, who has clashed with commissioner Roger Goodell in the past, laid out his conditions for an interview on Instagram this week (sic):
“I never had a bully before in my life and I’m DAMN sure not about to have one at this point,” Harrison wrote. “But since I’m a nice guy & don’t mind helping to clear the air in the name of the NFL Shield, I’ll do this interview. WITH THESE STIPULATIONS: The interview will be done at MY house. BEFORE training camp. On a date of MY choosing. AND Mr. Goodell must be present.”
While we wait to see if the NFL agrees to the 38-year-old’s terms, let’s take a look at the rest of the AFC North:
- Time is ticking on a potential long-term deal for the Ravens and franchise-tagged kicker Justin Tucker, CSNMidAtlantic.com’s Bo Smokla writes. The two sides have until July 15th to get something done and while Baltimore surely wants to hammer out a multi-year deal, the asking price is probably high. Tucker’s camp could be shooting to top Stephen Gostkowski‘s four-year, $17.2MM deal with $10.1MM guaranteed, which set the market for kickers last year. Right now, Tucker’s franchise tag carries a $4.5MM cap hit but that could be reduced through a long-term pact. Deadlines can spur action, but Smokla writes that there hasn’t been much movement on a deal in the last four months.
- Mike Wallace, who joined the Ravens on a free agent deal this offseason, believes that he has actually improved since his days with the Steelers. “I think I’ve gotten better, even though (the) numbers don’t say so,” the 29-year-old Wallace said of his career since leaving the Steelers in 2013, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “I think I’ll get better this year, and I’ll show some people I have a lot up my sleeve.” In March, the Ravens inked Wallace to a two-year, $11.5MM deal with a $4.5MM signing bonus. He also due a $1MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2017 league year. His option for year two must be exercised or declined by the end of the 2016 league year.
- The Bengals’ Andrew Whitworth showed he had plenty left in the tank last season, but he’s unsure if he’ll play beyond 2016.
- The saga of ex-Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel continues to get more and more bizarre.
Buddy Ryan Dies At Age 85
1:29pm: Rex Ryan has issued a statement on the passing of his father:
“On behalf of the entire Ryan family, we want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their sympathies, prayers and warm thoughts with the passing of my dad. He was many things to many people–outstanding coach, mentor, fierce competitor, father figure, faithful friend and the list goes on. But to me and my brothers Rob and Jim, he was so much more. He was everything you want in a dad–tough when he had to be, compassionate when you didn’t necessarily expect it, and a loving teacher and confidant who cherished his family. He truly was our hero.
“For Rob and me, we’ve had the great fortune of sharing the coaching profession that he was so proud of and cherished so much. There is no way we can possibly begin to measure how much football we have learned from him over the years and we are forever thankful to him for instilling within us his unwavering love for the game of football.
“While today is a tough day for all of us in the Ryan family, we are consoled in knowing how much dad was loved by so many and the love he gave back in return. Though we will miss him dearly, we take comfort in knowing that his memory will live on through all of us.”
8:37am: Former NFL coach and defensive guru James “Buddy” Ryan has died at the age of 85, his agent, James Solano, told NFL.com’s Conor Orr. The news has since been confirmed by the Eagles.
Ryan, the father of Bills head coach Rex Ryan and assistant head coach Rob Ryan, was battling cancer in recent years. Ryan was outspoken and bold and, like his sons, a proponent of aggressive defense. Ryan served as the defensive coordinator for the famed 1985 Bears and spearheaded some of the Vikings’ best defenses in the 1970s. Ryan won two Super Bowl rings over the course of his 35-year career as an NFL coach and also served as a head coach for the Eagles and Cardinals, compiling a 55-55-1 record in his seven seasons at the helm.
“Without Buddy Ryan … I’m just a guy,” legendary Bears linebacker Mike Singletary said in an ESPN documentary about the 1985 Bears (transcript via Orr). “He’s someone that you meet, and you think he’s the toughest, meanest guy that you’ll ever meet. But he loves you. He just doesn’t know how to express it. But you know it when he looks at you.”
Ryan was the pioneer of the 46 defense, a scheme that was wildly effective and changed the way defense was played in professional football. Of course, when you’re bold and successful, you’re not always going to be well-received everywhere you go.
“In Chicago they say, ‘Coach Ryan, so good to see you!'” Ryan once said (via the Daily News). “In Philadelphia, they say, ‘Hey, mother f—er, what are you doing here?”
Overall, however, Ryan was a beloved figure in the NFL and we here at Pro Football Rumors would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time.
NFC East Notes: Giants, Williams, Redskins
Rookie Paul Perkins could jettison fellow running back Andre Williams off of the Giants‘ roster, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes. In addition, veteran Orleans Darkwa also finds himself on the hot seat and it seems as though Williams and Darkwa could be vying for one roster spot. Williams disappointed in his sophomore effort while Darkwa has been dealing with a lower-leg injury all spring.
Rashad Jennings is locked in as the Giants’ No. 1 running back, as shown on their Roster Resource page, with Shane Vereen, Williams, Perkins, Darkwa, and Rainey in support. The Giants also have fullbacks Will Johnson and Nikita Whitlock in the mix. Not long ago, Williams was being looked at as someone who could lead the Giants’ rushing attack. Now, he has been relegated to a support role and could conceivably get squeezed out altogether.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Having free agent pickup Damon Harrison plugging up the middle will do more for the Giants than bolster their run-stuffing, Newsday’s Tom Rock writes. By clogging up the middle, Snacks should allow Johnathan Hankins and Jay Bromley more sack opportunities and improve the overall ability of the team to push the pocket in on opposing quarterbacks. While the ex-Jet’s $9.5MM/year salary might seem high for a two-down player, the Giants firmly believe that he will benefit them on third downs by lengthening the distance their opponent has to go with his work on first and second downs. Giants opponents converted 47% of third-down opportunities in 2016, the highest figure in the league, so Big Blue needs Harrison to help in that department.
- Mike Jones of The Washington Post has Mack Brown making the Redskins‘ 53-man roster over Rob Kelley and Keith Marshall, a projection that is surprising to some. Jones says that’s because Marshall, a seventh-round pick, has hardly practiced this offseason due to a hamstring injury. Kelley, a UDFA, has not been as consistent as Brown and is at something of a disadvantage in understanding the offense since Brown was on the team’s taxi squad last year. Still, things could change between now and the final roster cutdown and Washington could even wind up carrying four running backs on the roster.
- Cody Parkey has been a fantasy football hero at times, but the Eagles kicker could be supplanted by Caleb Sturgis, Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com writes. Sturgis has looked better in the team’s open practices, according to Zangaro, and Parkey is coming off of an injury.
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Impact Rookies: Tennessee Titans
The old adage that defense wins championships may or may not be true, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a title-winning team that didn’t build heavily through the draft. Rookie classes, naturally, are evaluated on the perceived upside of the NFL newcomers, but which rookies are ready to contribute right out of the gate? And, how do they fit in with their new team schematically?
To help us forecast the immediate future of these NFL neophytes, we enlisted the help of draft guru Dave-Te Thomas who has served as a scouting personnel consultant to NFL teams for multiple decades.
Today, we continue PFR’s Impact Rookie series with Dave-Te Thomas’ insight on the Tennessee Titans’ draft class:
First Round – Jack Conklin, OT (Michigan State, No. 8 overall)
It was apparent after last season that the Titans needed to address their lack of depth on defense, but they also had to add speed on offense. Ultimately, Tennessee started the draft by placing a higher priority in protecting their franchise quarterback and opted to build a formidable front line that already featured two first rounders and four starters selected by the team since the 2013 draft phase. 
The Titans watched Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil slide down the board, but he wasn’t the tackle that they wanted when they traded up from No. 15 to No. 8. When they owned the first overall pick in the draft, many draft experts expected that Tunsil was a shoe-in, but all along the Titans were eyeing either Conklin or Notre Dame standout Ronnie Stanley.
Being a Top Ten choice does not always spell instant success, at least where offensive tackles are concerned. Among the 179 offensive tackles to ever be drafted in the first round, four never even played in any NFL games and seven others never started any contests during their pro careers. Since the 1970 draft, five other first round offensive tackle selections never reached double-digit starting figures.
Still, Conklin’s future looks bright and his presence is doubly appreciated following Byron Bell‘s season-ending ankle injury. His injury leaves the door open for Conklin to immediately step in as the new starter at right tackle, joining 2013 first round right guard Chance Warmack, 2014 first round left tackle Taylor Lewan, 2015 third round left guard Jeremiah Poutasi, and 2013 fourth round center Brian Schwenke up front.
Second Round – Austin Johnson, DT (Penn State, No. 43 overall)
Dick LeBeau is placing more emphasis on the 3-4 game this season and second round pick Kevin Dodd is currently sidelined with a foot injury, which means that the team could experiment with Jurrell Casey playing on the edge and DaQuan Jones on the opposite side. That would leave Johnson to battle Al Woods for time in the middle of the front wall.
The former journalism major graduated from school early and was eligible to compete at the 2016 Senior Bowl, where he put on quite a performance throughout the week-long practices. Johnson ranked second among interior defensive linemen in the major college ranks and finished third overall on his team with 70 tackles. That was the most tackles for a Penn State defensive lineman since Jimmy Kennedy (87) in 2002. He also recorded 6.5 sacks among his fifteen stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2015.
With his thick-cut frame, Johnson can play either the zero-gap or line up as a traditional under-tackle when the team utilizes the 4-3 scheme. He’s proven last season that he can be very stout at the point of attack and you have to be impressed with his balance and coordination when attacking the rush lanes, along with his great leg drive and core strength to anchor vs. double teams.
Second Round – Derrick Henry, RB (Alabama, No. 45 overall)
DeMarco Murray is a ball-hungry veteran intent on proving that last season’s debacle in Philadelphia was a one-time thing. If Murray looks strong off the bat, it remains to be seen how playing time in the backfield will be divvied up. Murray only had 193 carries (3.6 avg) last season, but he had his best year when he carried the rock for 392 times for Dallas in 2014.
Henry is a one-time starter who needs room to operate and build his acceleration. He will have the benefit of seeing fellow Tide backfield mate, Jalston Fowler, serving as the team’s lead blocker out of the backfield, but he will still have to vie for “scraps” that Murray leaves on the table. Further complicating the touches available for Tennessee players is the fact that Bishop Sankey, David Cobb, Dexter McCluster, Antonio Andrews, and David Fluellen will all be fighting for the two available slots behind Murray on the depth chart, though Sankey could be traded. Only time will tell if Henry can be a successful runner in the NFL and the same goes for his opportunity level in 2016.
Third Round – Kevin Byard, FS (Middle Tennessee State, No. 64 overall)
Ever since LeBeau became a coordinator, he has surrounded himself with smart, instinctive safeties. Last year, the Titans made a great move by securing the services of former Bills strong safety Da’Norris Searcy. Now, in Byard, they believe they have a ball-hawk free safety to pair with to Searcy’s hard-hitting style. Byard has nineteen interceptions to show for those ball-hawking skills at MTSU, but despite his pedigree and fine performances in practice at the 2016 Senior Bowl, he was not invited to this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. The Titans realized what he can offer, as he not only set the school all-time theft mark, but also returned those interceptions for 377 yards and four touchdowns.
Byard’s arrival does not mean he will be the instant starter at free safety, which is where Arizona castoff Rashad Johnson resides. His versatility (he played every secondary position in college) will see him be called upon to play the slot corner spot in passing situations and he could also be utilized as a Cover-2 linebacker vs. the run. All that stands in his way for playing time is a challenge from veteran Marqueston Huff, along with Daimion Stafford and Lamarcus Brutus for the two safety spots on the second unit.
Fifth Round – Tajae Sharpe, WR (UMass, No. 140 overall)
To hear Marcus Mariota and the offensive coaches during mini-camp, you’d think that they’d hit the lottery with this fifth round find. Nagging injuries limited the UMass receiver to eleven games last year, but he still pulled in 111 balls, breaking the school season-record. He also holds the career marks with 271 receptions for 3,348 yards. His addition gives Mariota another big, physical possession-type receiver, one with very reliable hands and excellent route-running ability.
Sharpe’s arrival could take playing time away from 2015 second rounder Dorial Green-Beckham, who will now compete with aging veteran Harry Douglas for outside receiver chores. Kendall Wright should line up outside on the right side, and Sharpe expected to challenge Miami castoff Rishard Matthews for the slot receiver role. The team plans on keeping five receivers, putting Douglas and 2013 second round pick Justin Hunter on the bubble. Ben Roberts, Tre McBride, Reece Horn and Andrew Turzilli all appear to be “warm bodies” for training camp at this position.
Fifth Round – Sebastian Tretola, OG (Arkansas, No. 193 overall)
Bell’s loss also gives Tretotala a great opportunity for playing time. Bell was also projected to serve as the top reserve guard, but that role will likely fall to the former Razorback. What Tretola lacks in athleticism, he makes up for with his high level of aggression, especially in the running game. He should easily steal away playing time from fellow Titans reserve blockers, Josue Matias, Andy Gallik, Quinton Spain, and Nick Ritcher. That quartet holds one distinction: none of them were ever drafted. The Titans also signed Ben Jones away from the Texans, but he was mainly brought in to challenge Schwenke for the center spot.
Dave-Te Thomas owns and operates The NFL Draft Report, a service which has provided insight to league scouting departments for over 40 years. All year round, can read Thomas’ in-depth reviews of both blue chip prospects and diamonds in the rough by visiting the NFL Draft Report blog.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.