Cowboys’ David Irving Banned Indefinitely
Defensive tackle David Irving was suspended indefinitely for violating the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, according to a league press release. The Cowboys were reportedly ready to let Irving walk in free agency due to a variety of issues, but this marks the second indefinite ban to a Cowboys defender in the last week. 
Just days ago, linebacker Randy Gregory was hit with an indefinite suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy for the umpteenth time. Irving, meanwhile, has been battling his own demons and had a tumultuous 2018 season.
For the second time in a row, Irving missed the start of the year with a drug suspension. Then, he was entangled in a custody battle for his daughter last year and was served with a restraining order from the mother of his child. He suited up just twice for Dallas in 2018.
In 2017, he missed eight games between his suspension and late-season concussion.In between, though, he was terrific, as he registered seven sacks in eight games.
Irving was in line to receive interest from teams looking to beef up the front seven, but he has some serious hurdles to clear before he can think about retaking the field.
Ravens Waive RB Alex Collins
The Ravens announced that they have waived running back Alex Collins. The move comes hours after Collins was arrested in connection with a Friday morning car crash. 
[RELATED: Ravens’ Nick Boyle Has 20 Teams Interested]
Collins, 25 in August, enjoyed a breakout season in 2017, but was something of an afterthought in 2018. After averaging 4.6 yards per carry as Baltimore’s lead back in 2017, he let down Ravens fans and fantasy players everywhere with a 3.6 yards per carry season. Now, the Ravens are moving forward with Gus Edwards as their lead back and Collins will try to hook on elsewhere.
Collins was unlikely to receive even the lowest possible tender from the Ravens, so the transaction effectively gives him an early jump on free agency. The rest of the league’s available players will not be free to sign until March 13.
Patriots’ Hightower Won’t Take Pay Cut
Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower is unwilling to accept a pay cut this offseason, according to Doug Kyed of NESN.com. The Pats have yet to approach Hightower about a pay reduction, however, so it may be a moot point. 
It has been speculation that Hightower could be a cap casualty due to his nearly $11MM cap hit and $7MM salary for the upcoming season. If released, Hightower knows that he would find a ripe market for his services with teams like the Lions and Dolphins in need of a middle linebacker. The Pats, meanwhile, would save $5.945MM and carry a dead money hit charge of $5MM.
Hightower, 29 in March, was healthy in 2018, which was a step up from his five-game campaign in 2017. However, his 48 tackles were the lowest total of any full season in his career. The advanced metrics were down on him, too. He graded out as just the No. 51 ranked linebacker in the NFL with a career-worst 63.7 mark. Along with the 48 tackles, Hightower had three tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, an interception, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.
Hightower re-upped with the Patriots in 2017 on a four-year pact worth $35.5MM. He reportedly had a five-year deal worth $62.5MM on the table from the Jets, but opted to stay at home instead.
Raiders Interested In Antonio Brown
The Raiders are one of “several” teams interested in Steelers star Antonio Brown, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport adds that there is a market developing for the ultra-talented wide receiver. 
The Raiders are in need of talent across the board and they’re a logical suitor for Brown given their significant draft capital. Oakland owns four picks in the top 35, including three-first round picks. The Steelers are unlikely to pry the No. 4 overall pick from the Raiders in a Brown deal, but picks No. 24 or No. 27 could be up for grabs.
Brown, 31 in July, earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl selection in 2018, finishing with 104 catches, 1,297 yards and a league-leading and career-high 15 touchdown receptions. Still, things went sideways between him and the Steelers. The rise of JuJu Smith-Schuster and the attention he received may have caused tensions to boil over between Brown and coach Mike Tomlin (plus other key figures), but that won’t stop clubs from chasing one of this generation’s most dangerous offensive weapons.
Dolphins, Xavien Howard Discussing Deal
The Dolphins met with cornerback Xavien Howard to discuss a new long-term deal, according to ESPN.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Howard is set to enter the final year of his rookie deal this year, so a fresh contract could make sense for both sides.
Howard is expected to command at least $15MM annually on his next contract, but it’s unclear if Miami is willing to go that high. Some have speculated that Howard could be a trade candidate, but the Dolphins say he’s staying put.
“Yes, I’m very confident that he’ll be there. Xavien has been in the building. He’s coming back, working out and getting in shape again after the Pro Bowl,” GM Chris Grier said. “He’s doing good. We’ve been hanging out around him. He wants to be a Miami Dolphin and we want him to be a Dolphin.”
If the Dolphins can’t hammer out a deal with Howard, they can wait until next year and potentially cuff him with the franchise tag. With club control beyond ’19, the Dolphins aren’t necessarily in any rush.
In a more pressing matter, the Dolphins want to hang on to right tackle Ja’Wuan James, an impending free agent. Unfortunately for Miami, things could get costly if he hits the open market.
Quality tackles are hard to come by, and Wolfe hears buzz at the combine that James could command upwards of $10MM/year. Two agents tell Wolfe that if they were representing James, they’d shoot to surpass the five-year, $47.5MM deal that Lions right tackle Rick Wagner signed two seasons ago. Beating that mark would make James the second-highest-paid right tackle in the NFL behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson. The Dolphins should know more this week when they meet with James’ reps.
Jets Interested In Fowler, Ansah
The Jets’ need for pass rushing help has been well documented and they’re already targeting some of this year’s biggest available names. Gang Green is showing interest in Dante Fowler (Rams), Ezekiel Ansah (Lions), and Preston Smith (Redskins), according to ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). 
This year’s crop, at first glance, is positively loaded with impactful edge rushers. However, top flight guys like Demarcus Lawrence (Cowboys), Jadeveon Clowney (Texans), Frank Clark (Seahawks), and Dee Ford (Chiefs) are expected to receive tags or sign long-term deals with their respective clubs. That may leave the Jets to sift through some lower tier options, though Fowler, Ansah, and Smith all have upside.
Fowler, a former No. 3 overall pick, didn’t do a ton during the regular season, but he made a dent in the Rams’ first two playoff games. Ansah was limited to just seven games in 2018, but his history (14.5 sacks in 2015; 12.0 sacks in 2017) shows that he’s capable of much more when healthy. Smith, who had only four sacks last year, has amassed eight sacks in two of his four pro seasons and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ eighth-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the league in 2018.
With $102MM+ to burn, the Jets should be able to sign at least a couple of impact edge rushers in March.
49ers Want Jimmie Ward Back
The 49ers want defensive back Jimmie Ward to return, but only on a one-year deal, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. The 49ers recognize that another team could approach him with a multi-year offer, so they’re bracing for the possibility that he won’t return. 
The 49ers value Ward’s toughness and versatility, but they also have reservations about his health.
“It’s not an easy answer, because there’s a long (injury) history,” Lynch said at the combine. “But there’s also a very, very talented football player who I would tell you grew into a really special leader.”
Ward, a, first-round draft pick in 2014, made $8.5MM last season. He hasn’t necessarily lived up to his pricey rookie deal and the 49ers want to see how he does in 2019 before considering a longer arrangement. Still, coach Kyle Shanahan wants him in SF next year.
“I love Jimmie Ward,” Shanahan said. “I really hope to have him back. We all know he’s struggled a little bit to stay healthy. But he’s a guy, as a person, I’ll go to war with every day. I really trust and believe in, and I love him as a player, too. I hope it works out that we get him back.”
AFC North Notes: Browns, Perriman, Bell
Former Redskins and 49ers GM Scot McCloughan is not working for the Browns this offseason, GM John Dorsey told reporters (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal). McCloughan hooked on with the Browns as a consultant last year and championed Baker Mayfield as the top selection in the buildup to the draft. The exec has consulted with multiple teams as a freelancer in recent years, so he may continue on that front in advance of the 2019 draft.
Here’s more from Cleveland:
- Dorsey has spoken with wide receiver Breshad Perriman multiple times at the combine (via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer). There’s mutual interest between the Browns and the speedster, though he could garner sizable offers amidst a weak free agent class for the position. The former first-round pick caught only 16 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns in his ten games with the Browns, but he made some big plays.
- The Steelers opted against using the transition tag on Le’Veon Bell because the league informed them that it would cost $14.54MM, not the sub-$10MM figure they were hoping for (via PFT). Had the league given the Steelers the news they were hoping for, they could have tagged Bell and worked to trade him in exchange for draft capital.
- Ravens free agent tight end Nick Boyle has almost 20 teams interested in his services, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Boyle doesn’t quite light up a stat sheet, but he has blossomed into one of the league’s best blocking tight ends. The high level of interest in Boyle jibes with what Pauline has heard about this year’s draft – this year’s best TEs are likely to be overdrafted.
Redskins Prez: It’s Time For Foster To Play
The Redskins made waves last year when they claimed embattled linebacker Reuben Foster off waivers from the 49ers. Months later, team president Bruce Allen says he expects Foster to suit up early in the 2019 season without a suspension from the NFL. 
“The charges have been dropped, there are no complaints, so it’s time for him to play football,” Allen said on Friday (via Les Carpenter of the Washington Post).
Foster, a 2017 first-round pick, is among the most talented linebackers in the NFL. He’s also one of the league’s most controversial players due to his off-the-field transgressions.
Foster was accused of roughing up his ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, in February of 2018. Ennis went on to recant that story, but, in November, she alleged Foster of abusing her once again at the 49ers’ team hotel in Florida. This time around, she is sticking to her story, but the Redskins claimed her days after the police report was filed. At the time, the Redskins said Foster would not play if the latest round of accusations appeared to have merit.
The NFL suspended Foster for the first two games of the 2018 season for violations of the league’s personal conduct policy, owing to the California arrest and a related weapons charge. The Redskins might feel that Foster is in the clear, but commissioner Roger Goodell says another suspension could be forthcoming.
Despite a potential ban, Foster is very much in the Redskins plans for 2019. When asked if Foster’s availability has been taken into account this offseason, Allen replied, “Oh, we consider him strongly.”
Latest On Browns, Jamie Collins
Browns GM John Dorsey is scheduled to meet with agent Bus Cook on Friday to talk about the “long-term plan” for linebacker Jamie Collins (via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer). Dorsey didn’t say it explicitly, but it sounds like the Browns will either ask Collins to restructure his deal or consider an outright release. 
The Browns acquired Collins from the Patriots via trade in 2016 and later signed him to a new four-year, $50MM contract. Collins missed the bulk of the 2017 season due to injury and had a so-so 2018, so the Browns probably don’t feel that he’s worth the expense. As it stands, Collins is under contract through 2020 with cap hits of $11.75MM and $13.75MM in each of the next two seasons. Releasing Collins would give the Browns an additional $9.25MM in cap room versus just $2.5MM in dead money.
Collins will celebrate his 30th birthday in October, midway through his seventh pro season. Last year, Collins registered 104 tackles and four sacks in his first 16-game season since his 2013 rookie campaign, but graded out as just the No. 58 ranked LB in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
“There were some inconsistencies,’’ said Dorsey. “You don’t know what leads to it. He may have been nicked. There’s certain things that come. All I know is he’s a very talented football player and you can’t have enough of those guys on your team.”
Dorsey also wondered aloud whether Collins would fit into new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks’ 4-3 scheme as an outside linebacker.
“Once you understand the concepts that Steve is trying to apply, what it takes to have a position of success within the linebacker position, you want to make sure he fits that model,’’ said Dorsey. “Jamie is a good football player, so we’re going to sit and talk to his representatives, we’re going to go back as an organization and talk about all these different things and then we’ll make a decision here moving forward.”