Jets’ Chris Herndon Suspended By NFL
Jets tight end Chris Herndon has been suspended for four games by the NFL. Herndon’s ban stems from a drunk driving arrest and subsequent guilty plea. 
Ordinarily, Herndon would be facing a two-game ban for the violation. However, a woman at the scene of the crash later claimed bodily harm, raising the suspension to four games.
As a rookie, Herndon tallied 39 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns across a full 16-game slate. This year, he won’t be eligible to play until Oct. 13, but can participate in preseason contests.
It’s a bad blow for the Jets as Herndon is among their most promising young offensive players. They’ll have to get by without him for games against the Bills, Browns, Patriots, and Eagles before he can return to face the Cowboys.
Cowboys’ Randy Gregory To Apply For Reinstatement On Monday
Cowboys edge rusher Randy Gregory will apply for reinstatement to the NFL on Monday, according to Mike Fisher of 105.3. We first learned last week that Gregory would petition the league for his return. 
Gregory is presently under “indefinite suspension” for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, but plans to request a “full reinstatement.” The hope, in Gregory’s camp, is that the rehab path will include the ability to partake in preseason games and training camp.
Given Gregory’s struggles, it seems likely that any reinstatement plan will ease him back into football life. Gregory has succumbed to his demons several times before, though he continues to have strong support from owner Jerry Jones. Just recently, JJ gave Gregory a new extension that secures his rights through 2020, despite the indefinite ban.
Gregory reportedly has not failed or missed a drug test during his latest suspension, a promising sign for his personal future.
Rolando McClain Eyeing NFL Comeback
Former Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain is hoping to make an NFL return, as Matt Zenitz of AL.com writes. McClain, 29, hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2015, but he says he feels better than he has in years past. 
“Every time I got in my linebacker position, it was bone on bone grind,” said McClain, the former No. 8 overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. “Not only do I feel good, I’m recovered and I’m rested. I feel better now because I know I’ll be playing with two legs.”
McClain had three productive seasons with the Raiders, though they were marred by controversy. In 2012, he was booted from team practices after several incidents, and McClain subsequently took to Facebook to complain about the organization, going as far as to say that he wanted “to be anywhere besides here.” He was released by the team the next offseason before briefly catching on with the Ravens. However, less than a month after signing with Baltimore, McClain suddenly announced his retirement.
The Cowboys then took a bit of a risk trading for the linebacker in 2014, despite the fact that McClain had sat out the previous season. It ended up paying off for Dallas, as the linebacker would go on to appear in 13 games for his new team, compiling 81 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. He earned his first suspension from the NFL the following offseason, limiting him to only eleven games in 2015, although he still collected 80 tackles and a pair of sacks.
After signing another one-year deal with the Cowboys during the 2016 offseason, McClain was handed a ten-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He then failed another drug test midway through the season, and the NFL slapped him with an indefinite suspension. After his third ban in two years, McClain was cuffed on a 2017 arrest for firearm and drug charges.
Given his off-the-field issues and a reported addiction to “purple drank,” it remains to be seen if McClain will get another NFL opportunity.
Patrick Peterson Wants To Be With Cardinals “For Life”
It has been a strange saga between the Cardinals and Patrick Peterson, but the star now says that he wants to stay with the team “for life.” In an interview with SiriusXM, Peterson said he was willing to bury the hatchet with the club and remain for years to come. 
“Yeah, I would love to be a Cardinal for life, but things happen,” he said. “Hell, something could change next month. The things happen not only in football, but in the world in general. So, I would love to be a Cardinal for life. I would love to be one of those guys to bring this organization its first championship.”
Things, in fact, have changed frequently with Peterson. P2 demanded a trade in 2018, though he apologized for his outspokenness in January and said he’s in Arizona “to stay.” But, tensions resurfaced in April amidst speculation that the cornerback wanted out yet again. Then, in May, he was slapped with a six-game suspension for PEDs.
Peterson says much of his dissatisfaction came from the arrival of Steve Wilks and the major overhaul made to the defense. Now, with Kliff Kingsbury in charge, he seems happier.
“So it was just a lot of whirlwind going on last year,” Peterson said. “And I was just frustrated. I love Arizona. I definitely want to be there. Just that time of the year, last year, like I said, it was just very, very tough to deal with. But as being one of the leaders, I definitely felt it shouldn’t have gone that way. But people upstairs can trade players and try to shop players around whenever they need to. So I didn’t see what was wrong with me asking for a trade at the time. So it kind of works both ways.
“But right now I’m in a very, very happy place with the team. All of this is behind us right now, obviously. And something new just came up with me being suspended the first six games. But you know, I’m a man. I have to lick my wounds and be able to move forward from all of this. I have moved forward, and I’m ready to see what the future has for me.”
Latest On Chargers, Melvin Gordon
Chargers running back Melvin Gordon has threatened to skip training camp and even potentially ask for a trade if he does not receive a long-term extension from the club. Furthermore, his agent says there is a possibility that he could extend a holdout into the regular season. Apparently, that’s more than just talk. 
Last fall, when Sports Illustrated (Twitter link) spent a day with Gordon and his family, the running back was asked about his take on the Le’Veon Bell situation. Gordon’s father asked his son if he thought Bell would really sit out the entire year and the running back responded: “I would, too.”
“Come back and get hurt?,” Gordon asked, rhetorically. “Gave y’all everything he had for about five, six years. Y’all can’t pay the man?”
Gordon, meanwhile, has given the Chargers four years of service, including two Pro Bowl seasons. And, last year, he took a major step forward with an average of 5.1 yards per carry.
It’s debatable as to whether Bell’s stance paid off. Bell gave up $14.5MM on the Steelers’ 2018 franchise tag before signing a four-year, $52.5MM contract with $27MM fully guaranteed. It’s not quite the payday he had in mind, but a catastrophic injury would have prevented him from signing anything in that neighborhood.
If Gordon misses games, he’ll sacrifice roughly $330K per week, representing 1/17th of his $5.6MM salary.
Browns, Damarious Randall Discussing Deal
The Browns and defensive back Damarious Randall have had “very preliminary” talks about a new deal, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com hears. For now, Randall is set to play out 2019 on his fifth-year option, which would pay him $9.069MM. 
Already, Randall has seen a significant bump from his previous pay. Over the first four years of his career, Randall earned just $7.915MM combined. A new deal would likely keep him paid around the $9MM/year level, over multiple seasons.
The Browns shifted Randall from cornerback to free safety, but even at his new position, Randall stands to earn a solid payday. Currently, Tyrann Mathieu (Chiefs, $14MM/year), Landon Collins (Redskins, $14MM/year), and Earl Thomas (Ravens, $13.75MM) lead the way at the position and Randall figures to be somewhere in the second tier.
For his part, Randall has said that he wants to stick around in Cleveland after spending the early part of his career in Green Bay.
“I would want to finish my career here in Cleveland,” Randall said. “I love it here. The fans, the coaches, everybody in charge here, I just love Cleveland.”
Extra Points: 2020 NFL Draft, Gronk, T-Rich
The wide receiver crop in the 2019 NFL draft left much to be desired, but it’s a different story in 2020, as Kalyn Kahler of The MMQB writes. This year, there was not a receiver chosen until No. 25 overall when the Ravens took Marquise Brown. This year, there are several players with high-end potential.
“On the surface it looks as though there are much better route runners with legit gas in this class,” one scout told Kahler. “Not just big jump-ball guys. There could be several Calvin Ridley-types, which could play multiple roles in offenses, increasing their value.”
Among 2020’s top WRs is Alabama junior Jerry Jeudy, who boasts impressive route running despite being undersized at 6’1″ and 192 pounds. Last year, Jeudy reeled in 14 touchdowns and dropped just four of his 72 catchable balls.
Others to watch: Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr., TCU’s Jalen Reagor, Oklahoma’s Ceedee Lamb, Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace, and Clemson’s Tee Higgins.
As you gear up way, way too early for the 2020 NFL Draft, here’s more from around the league:
- The NFL and the NFLPA are set to meet on Monday-Wednesday to discuss a new CBA and Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the players are interested in creating shorter rookie deals for incoming players. Currently, draft picks are signed to four-year contracts, with teams holding fifth-year options for first-round picks. With shorter rookie deals, players would be able to reach free agency at an earlier date and earn market-value deals sooner.
- Take this with a grain of driveway salt, but as Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports writes, a recent interaction captured between former Patriots star Rob Gronkowski and Drew Brees has conspiracy theorists (and amateur lip readers) buzzing. Gronk, some say, told the Saints quarterback that he is “coming back [to football].” For now, we’re assuming that the tight end is staying retired, especially since he has slimmed down considerably since the Super Bowl.
- Running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Connor Cook are participating in the XFL’s “Summer Showcase” in St. Louis on Saturday, as Michael David Smith of PFT writes. T-Rich, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 draft, is apparently still focused on getting back to the NFL. Last year, he led the AAF with 12 touchdowns before the league went belly-up. Cook, meanwhile, was never able to do much in the NFL despite some buzz heading into the 2016 draft.
- CAA, one of the most powerful agencies in the NFL, is driving a hard bargain for rookies, Mike Florio of PFT writes. This year, four of the five remaining unsigned first-round picks are repped by CAA. And, last July, five of seven unsigned players in the top 10 were repped by CAA. As of this writing, the following first-rounders are unsigned: 49ers defensive end Joey Bosa (No. 2; represented by CAA), Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (No. 3; represented by Nicole Lynn of Young Money APAA Sports), Bucs linebacker Devin White (No. 5; CAA), Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (No. 6; CAA), and Panthers linebacker Brian Burns (No. 16; CAA).
Browns’ Duke Johnson Hires Drew Rosenhaus
A couple of days after firing his agent, Browns running back Duke Johnson has new representation. On Thursday, Johnson hired Drew Rosenhaus, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
Johnson has been pushing to get out of Cleveland and he is expected to continue pursuing a trade. Rosenhaus, one of the NFL’s most powerful agents, has a track record in this area. Specifically, he helped facilitate the trade that sent Emmanuel Ogbah from the Browns to the Chiefs and got Breshad Perriman out of his deal with Cleveland.
Johnson has been an extremely effective pass catcher for the Browns out of the backfield, but their RB picture is clouded by the presence of rising star Nick Chubb and new addition Kareem Hunt, who will join the team after serving a suspension through the first half of the season.
So far, the Browns have not shown a willingness to move Johnson, but things could change if he continues to express his dissatisfaction. The Packers and Buccaneers would both be logical landing spots for him given their needs at running back.
Extension Candidate: Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue
Earlier this summer, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue skipped minicamp in an effort to push for a new contract. Jaguars football czar Tom Coughlin might not be wild about the tactic, but Ngakoue’s stand could very well pay off. 
Ngakoue is entering the final year of his rookie contract and there’s no denying that he is criminally underpaid, given his performance. For now, he’s slated to earn just $2.025MM in 2019 after racking up 29.5 sacks across three seasons.
In essence, both sides want the same thing. Ngakoue wants financial security and the Jaguars would, presumably, love to lock down the 24-year-old for years to come. However, the continued explosion of the edge rushing market makes this an extremely costly proposition for Jacksonville.
This offseason, Frank Clark inked a five-year, $105MM deal with the Chiefs after coming over from the Seahawks. And, just prior to that, Demarcus Lawrence signed a similar deal to stay with the Cowboys. Clark is 26, Lawrence is 27, and Ngakoue just turned 24 in March.
Much is made of the general lack of guarantees in NFL contracts, but top edge rushers continue to rake in guarantees that exceed other key defensive positions. Lawrence got a total guarantee of $65MM and Clark came close with $62.3MM, so there’s no real scenario in which Ngakoue would settle for less than the ~$60MM mark. Meanwhile, he’s likely looking at upwards of $21MM per season in terms of average annual value.
Still, with one year to go on his deal, Ngakoue doesn’t have much leverage. If he does not report to the Jags by August 5, he’ll lose one year of accrued service and push his potential entry into free agency back by one season.
If offered a deal that falls just shy of Clark or Lawrence’s, Ngakoue may very well “settle” and sign. If not, he’ll have to play out the final year of his rookie deal and aim for another gaudy sack total. It’s a risky proposition, but if Ngakoue can terrorize quarterbacks over another 16 game slate, he could be in position to become the highest-paid defensive player in the league.
Kicker Phil Dawson Contemplating Retirement
At the age of 44, Phil Dawson may finally be contemplating retirement. The kicker says he has had “some back-and-forth” with teams, but isn’t sure if he’d accept an offer. 
“I haven’t made any decisions yet,” Dawson told Kevin Kleps of CrainsCleveland.com. “Every year, honestly, for the past seven or eight years, I come home in the offseason and assess where I am and where my family is, and then we all sit down and make a decision. We’re in the process of doing that again.”
We have yet to hear of interest in Dawson this offseason, but teams are known to tinker with their kicking situation throughout the summer. Dawson’s resume could draw teams in, but any interested club will want to do a thorough check on his hip.
In November, the Cardinals cut Dawson after his hip held him back. He made just five-of-eight field goals, giving him the least accurate season of his career.
Prior to that, Dawson connected on 84.2% of his career field goals for the Browns, 49ers, and Cardinals. He was so-so in 2017 (80% accuracy), but he did nail 85.7% of his tries for SF in 2016.