Broncos Notes: Kaepernick, Elway
On Wednesday morning, Broncos GM John Elway gave his deposition to lawyers in the Colin Kaepernick collusion grievance case against the NF, as Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets. As has been the case with most of the depositions thus far, Kaepernick was personally on hand.
As Klis notes, the Broncos were one of just a few teams who were keenly interested in Kaepernick in 2016 and, technically speaking, Elway may be the last executive who offered him a job. Elway tried to orchestrate a trade for Kaep with the 49ers after Peyton Manning‘s retirement, but Kaepernick declined to take a pay cut. Eventually, the Broncos moved on and selected Paxton Lynch in the first round of the 2016 draft.
Here’s more from Denver:
- Broncos running back De’Angelo Henderson was briefly hospitalized with minor injuries over the weekend after he was an accidental victim of a high-speed police chase. “I don’t know if lucky is the word,” said Henderson (via Klis), whose car went airborne and flipped in the air. “Blessed. There’s just so many different words.’’ Henderson says he suffered a slightly sprained ankle and shoulder, but “nothing that’s going to keep (him) out for a significant time.”
- Oregon running back Royce Freeman fell to the Broncos in the third round and some evaluators believe that his 947 carries in college played a role in his position on the board. Freeman, who saw seven running backs drafted before him, feels that he did not deserve a demerit for his odometer. “I feel like all of that durability and all of those carries just reflected my productivity throughout my four years at Oregon,” Freeman said (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold). “It is not often you get backs playing as many games or taking as many carries. I feel like the fact that I was able to do so proves I am a durable running back.”
Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Jets’ Robby Anderson
Florida prosecutors have dropped felony charges against Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson, attorney Ed O’Donnell tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Anderson was previously set to go to trial for resisting arrest with violence after getting into a fight at an event in Miami. 
Even with that situation behind him, Anderson still has more legal proceedings ahead. In January, Anderson was arrested and threatening to sexually assault the wife of a police officer. The 25-year-old was originally facing nine charges for the incident, but three felonies were later dropped. Regardless of how things play out with the six remaining charges, it seems likely that Anderson will face a suspension from the NFL.
Anderson enjoyed a breakout season with the Jets in 2017, recording 63 receptions for 941 yards and seven touchdowns as an NFL sophomore. A big-play threat, Anderson recorded six of his seven scoring grabs from more than 20 yards away from the goal line. New York has hedged against a possible Anderson ban by inking fellow pass-catchers Terrelle Pryor and Andre Roberts this offseason. They’re also banking on a big season from a healthy Quincy Enunwa and contributions from veteran Jermaine Kearse.
This week, fellow Jet Kevin Pierre-Louis avoided trial for drug possession by agreeing to one-year of probation with Kansas prosecutors.
Breeland To Meet With Colts, Cardinals
Free agent cornerback Bashaud Breeland will visit the Colts on Wednesday and the Cardinals on Thursday, a source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Demovsky hears his foot issue is healed and he is expected to be able to pass all medical tests. 
Breeland was one of the top cornerbacks on the market this offseason and agreed to a three-year, $24MM deal with the Panthers in March. Days later, the Panthers 86’d the deal due to an infected cut on his foot that prevented him from passing a physical.
Freak accident aside, Breeland has been largely healthy over the course of his four-year NFL career. The 26-year-old appeared in all but one of the Redskins’ games last season and has missed just four possible regular season games since entering the league in 2014.
Last year, Breeland tallied 47 tackles and one interception, which was returned 96 yards for a touchdown against the Chargers. Pro Football Focus bestowed a middling grade on Breeland as he played opposite of star Josh Norman, but he did improve from 2016 to ’17, per the advanced metrics.
The Cardinals’ need for a quality partner alongside Patrick Peterson has been well documented. This offseason, the Cardinals brought in free agents Bene Benwikere and Marcus Williams to compete with Brandon Williams for the second starting role. If healthy, Breeland would be their clear CB2.
The Colts, meanwhile, project to start Quincy Wilson and Kenny Moore at cornerback after losing Rashaan Melvin to free agency.
Randy Gregory To Apply For Reinstatement
Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory will formally apply for reinstatement on Thursday, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Reinstatement rulings are typically delivered within a 60-day window, so Gregory could be cleared in time for training camp. 
Gregory recently spent more than six weeks in intensive rehab for drug and alcohol use and has also received counseling to combat his issues. Teammate Tyrone Crawford has told the league that it would be best for Gregory’s recovery if he is allowed back in football and Gregory’s camp is likely to make a similar argument.
The Cowboys are hopeful that Gregory will be allowed to play in 2018, but they are not banking on his return either.
“I am not confident [in Gregory being reinstated], but I do see where his heart is,” owner Jerry Jones said recently. “He is one the smartest people to have played this game. This is a tremendous step. He has had that same IQ since he has had these issues. That’s an issue. This is definitely a medical issue. There is no doubt in my mind about the medical. That is another campaign. It’s a pretty circuitous route. It has a lot of discretionary things to determine. There is a lot of subjectiveness. But he is doing very well. He’s got a lot to play for. He has a new baby. He has a lot going for him. He is very astute about knowing that. He has to do what a lot of us have had to do and that is to do better at 24 and 25 than when you were 20.”
Some felt that Gregory had top 10 talent heading into the 2015 draft, but he slid to the Cowboys in the second round following a positive test for marijuana at the combine. So far, the Nebraska product has notched just 15 career tackles. He has one sack to his credit, which came in Dallas’ 2016 season finale. He has not taken the field since.
Vikings Sign DL David Parry
The Vikings have signed defensive lineman David Parry, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Vikings met with the former Colts and Saints lineman last week and came to terms on Wednesday morning. 
Parry started 32 games for the Colts as a nose tackle in Indianapolis’ 3-4 scheme, but a bizarre incident in February of last year put his football future into jeopardy. Parry was alleged to have attacked a taxi cart driver, car(t)jacked the vehicle, and threatened police officers. At one point in time, Parry was facing jail time with four charges against him. One of the charges was for committing a “Super Extreme” DUI in the state of Arizona, since he operated the cart with a high blood alcohol level.
Eventually, the Saints took a flier on him, but an injury in Week 4 cost him the bulk of the season. He was later tagged with a suspension for the aforementioned incident, but he was able to serve his time while on IR.
The Vikings’ impressive defensive line features starting defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Sheldon Richardson. Parry will fight for a place in the rotation along with last year’s fourth-round pick Jaleel Johnson and Cashaud Lyons.
Speaking of the Vikings’ defensive line, Brian Robison has committed to return for his 12th NFL season. Robison is the team’s longest-tenured active player.
Jaguars Meet With RB Terrance West
Terrance West‘s free agent tour will continue in the AFC South. The former Ravens running back will meet with the Jaguars on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
West met with the Colts on Tuesday and also sat down with the Eagles earlier this month. The running back is likely looking for a shot at playing time on a one-year deal, which would give him the opportunity to potentially do better in free agency next year.
West’s 2017 season was cut short due to a calf injury suffered in October. He didn’t do much in his 39 rushing attempts last year, but he did average a respectable 4.0 yards per carry as the Ravens’ leading ball carrier in 2016.
The Jaguars have Leonard Fournette as their primary running back with T.J. Yeldon and Corey Grant in support, but things are fairly open after that. Three players who entered the league as UDFAs – Brandon Wilds, Tim Cook, and Lamar Atkins – are in the running for the final spots on the RB depth chart. West could help fortify that group with his powerful running style and pass-catching acumen.
Bryant: No Regrets On Turning Down Ravens
After being released by the Cowboys, wide receiver Dez Bryant turned down a reported three-year deal worth roughly $21MM from the Ravens, choosing instead to wait for a similarly lucrative one-year offer. So far, that offer hasn’t come through, but Bryant claims that he doesn’t regret that decision “one bit” (Twitter link). 
Bryant may not see it this way, but it sure looks like he missed the boat on his best possible deal. While the Ravens were willing to give him an average annual value of $7MM to match free agent acquisition Michael Crabtree, many teams are unwilling to consider him for even the league minimum.
It’s anyone’s guess as to where Bryant will land at this point in the offseason. As recently noted by our own Dallas Robinson, the Cardinals, Packers, Patriots, Redskins, and Seahawks would all make varying degrees of sense for the multiple time Pro Bowler. However, we’ve heard no real news of Bryant being connected to any club since his talks with the Ravens and the Packers are not engaged with him at this time.
Last year, Bryant recorded just 838 yards and six touchdowns off of 69 catches, a far cry from his average of 91 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns from 2012-14. His dip in production and perceived locker room issues have been serious barriers towards his pursuit of a platform contract, but he says that he will suit up for a team no matter what.
“No, I’m not retiring,” Bryant wrote on Twitter. “For the record, me not being signed to a team yet has a lot to do with my personal decisions. This media [sic] is a joke.”
Panthers Announce Sale To David Tepper
It’s a done deal. On Wednesday morning, the Panthers officially announced the sale of the team to hedge fund manager David Tepper. Tepper will pay $2.2 billion in cash for the team plus $75MM down the line, pushing the total purchase price to $2.275 billion (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).
“Bringing the Panthers and the NFL to the Carolinas in 1993 was enormously fulfilling for Rosalind and me and all of our partners,” club founder Jerry Richardson said in a press release. “We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support over the last 25 years. You have taken the Panthers into your hearts and made them part of this warm and supportive community. We want to thank all of our past and present players, coaches and staff for their hard work in making the Panthers a great success both on the field and in the community. The personal relationships we have enjoyed have been very meaningful to us. I look forward to turning the stewardship of the Panthers over to David Tepper. I have enjoyed getting to know him in this process and am confident that he will provide the organization with great leadership in both its football and community initiatives.”
Given that he has been a minority owner of the Steelers since 2009, it is expected that the NFL will quickly approve the transaction during the spring league meeting later this mont in Atlanta. The business end of the deal should be finalized by July, per the team’s announcement.
“I am thrilled to have been selected to be the next owner of the Carolina Panthers,” Tepper said. “I have learned a great deal about the community and the team over the past several months and look forward to becoming part of the Carolinas. I want to thank Jerry Richardson and the other Panthers partners for all they have done to establish and develop the NFL in the Carolinas. It has been a remarkable 25-year journey and I promise to build upon the Panthers’ success on the field and in the community.”
Ravens’ Terrell Suggs To Play Beyond ’18
Jason Witten, one of the standout talents to come from the 2003 NFL Draft, retired this spring in order to jumpstart his career in broadcasting. Around the same time, cornerback Terence Newman announced that his one-year contract with the Vikings will be his last. Meanwhile, Terrell Suggs says retirement can wait. 
“I don’t plan on going nowhere,” Suggs said before adding that he plans to play for multiple seasons in a Ravens uniform.
Suggs will turn 36 in October, but is coming off of a Pro Bowl season in which he recorded eleven sacks, four forced fumbles, and graded out as one of the 20 best edge rushers in the league, per Pro Football Focus. That’s not too shabby for an old guy in the NFL.
“To be totally honest with you, I don’t see my peak in my near future,” Suggs said. “The answer to your question is yes. [Joe Flacco and I] definitely going to be two major, key parts of the leadership on this team. We also have other leaders, but from an offensive and defensive standpoint, absolutely. We take that very seriously. We take pride in that. We’re looking forward to doing some special things this year. I’ve said this before: It’s a trip to get to do it all again. I love playing ball. I love being Sizzle. When the time comes for me to just be a full-time dad, a full-time actor, writer, director, producer, I will do all that. But right now, it’s flock. Go flock, Ravens nation.”
Suggs has one season left on his deal with the Ravens, so the two sides will have to hammer out a new contract in order to see his plan through. He’ll carry a cap number of $6.95MM in 2018 as he rounds out his four-year, $20MM deal.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/15/18
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Jason Hall
- Waived: RB Terrence Magee
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed: OL Anthony Fabiano (Colts), OL Avery Gennesy (Jaguars)
- Waived: P Michael Carrizosa, OL Christian Schneider
Detroit Lions
- Claimed: OL Adam Bisnowaty (Giants)
- Waived: OL Brett Kendrick
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed: RB Larry Rose (Titans)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB LaRoy Reynolds
- Waived: S Dominick Sanders
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Blaine Woodson
- Claimed: CB C.J. Goodwin (Giants)
- Waived: WR DeAndre Carter