Cardinals Move Andre Ellington Back To RB
The Cardinals’ experiment of moving Andre Ellington to wide receiver is over. Starting today, he is back to practicing as a running back, coach Bruce Arians told reporters (Twitter link via Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic). 
We typically don’t cover position changes in great detail here at Pro Football Rumors, but Ellington’s switch is notable since it could impact other moves made by the Cardinals this summer. For one, Ellington’s move back to RB could hurt Chris Johnson‘s chances of returning to the team. Now, Ellington and Kerwynn Williams stand as the top reserves behind starter David Johnson with youngsters T.J. Logan and Eli Penny jockeying for roster spots.
Ellington’s classification as a running back may also improve the chances of receivers like Brittan Golden, Jeremy Ross, and Marquis Bundy of making the roster. With Ellington back at his original position, the Cards’ top five receivers are Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, J.J. Nelson, third round pick Chad Williams, and Jaron Brown.
Ellington, 28, had just 96 rushing yards off of 34 carries last season. He also added 12 grabs for 85 yards. His best season arguably came as a rookie in 2013 when he ran for 652 yards off of 118 carries (5.5 ypc) and three scores. In that year, he also had 39 receptions for 371 yards and one score.
Jeremy Maclin Heads To Ravens Visit
Jeremy Maclin‘s visit to the Bills wound up spanning two days, but it won’t keep him from meeting with the Ravens. The free agent is leaving Buffalo and heading to Baltimore, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
Maclin could still sign with the Bills, as far as we know, but he does not have a deal with them at this time. That leaves the door open for the Ravens to swoop in and potentially land him this week. The Eagles and Browns are also among the clubs said to have interest in the 29-year-old.
The Ravens have Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman, Chris Moore, and Michael Campanaro as their top receivers following the retirement of Steve Smith. Because Baltimore did not address the position in the draft, a veteran addition like Maclin would make tons of sense for the team and the need to add a weapon for Joe Flacco has only been amplified by Dennis Pitta‘s injury/release.
If the Ravens cannot get a deal done with Maclin, they could explore a potential deal for Jets receiver Eric Decker. The Jets have already called the Ravens about a swap.
Ravens Release TE Dennis Pitta
The Ravens have formally released tight end Dennis Pitta, according to a team announcement. Pitta’s career could be over after he suffered yet another hip dislocation. 
[RELATED: Ravens TE Dennis Pitta Has Dislocated Hip]
The move will free up roughly $2MM in cap room for Baltimore, money that could be directed towards landing another pass-catcher. The Ravens could have free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in their sights and that extra space could be a difference maker.
For several years, Pitta has been dealing with painful hip issues that have kept him off the field. The tight end was limited to just seven games between 2013 and 2015, but he became a focal point of Baltimore’s offense once again in 2016 as he caught 86 passes for 729 yards and two scores. Ever the team player, he even accepted a pay cut for the second straight time this offseason. He’ll be free to pursue other opportunities now, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be able to suit up again.
The Ravens also signed rookie free agent tight end Barrett Burns in a related move.
Ravens, Jets Discuss Eric Decker Trade
The Jets say they’ll trade or release Eric Decker before the week is through. With that in mind, they’re reaching out to clubs to try and get something for the veteran and the Ravens are among those teams, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Jets To Trade Or Release Decker]
The Ravens’ level of interest in acquiring Decker via trade is not immediately clear. From a football perspective, Decker would make plenty of sense for the Ravens after they lost Steve Smith to retirement and did not select a wide receiver in this year’s draft. However, the Ravens might not want to take on the two years remaining on his five-year, $36.25MM contract. In theory, the Ravens could wait things out and try to land Decker as a free agent if he is released.
Decker, 30, had 154 catches, 1,989 yards, and 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Jets. Unfortunately, he missed the majority of 2016 due to injury. Now that he’s healthy, Decker is looking to get back to his old form with another team.
The Ravens project to have Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman, Chris Moore, and Michael Campanaro as their top receivers in the fall.
Daryl Washington Wants To Play For Cowboys
The Cowboys have discussed signing Daryl Washington and the interest is apparently mutual. In a conversation with Charean Williams of PFT, Washington made the case for why Dallas should sign him. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Considering LB Daryl Washington]
“Why not be a Cowboy?” Washington said. “I’m settled in here. It’s home. Let’s try to get one this year. Come on Mr. [Jerry] Jones, you’ll be glad you took a chance on me. We’ll hold up that Lombardi Trophy together.”
Washington has yet to work out for the Cowboys, but Williams hears that the team is still doing its due diligence on the linebacker. After learning that pass rusher David Irving is facing a four-game ban for PEDs, Washington could be a low-cost boost for the front seven, but the Cowboys will want to first glean that he is in football shape. For his part, Washington says that he is the same size (235 pounds) that he was in Arizona and believes that he can be the same type of player even though he has been out of the game for years.
Washington has not played a down of football since the 2013 season, but he accepts responsibility for his own predicament.
“I take full responsibility for everything I went through,” Washington said. “I don’t blame anybody. But I’m not here to talk about it; I’m here to show you what type of person I am now and where I’m trying to go.”
FB Zach Line Cleared For Contact
Free agent fullback Zach Line has been cleared to do everything following hip surgery, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The green light means that he can participate in full-contact drills in camp. 
Line visited the Jets in March but he left without a deal. Now that he’s fully healthy, it’s possible that Gang Green could circle back to him. The Jets don’t have a true fullback on the roster and they have at least some interest in a blocking specialist to lead the way for Matt Forte, Bilal Powell, and the rest of the gang.
Line graded out as the league’s 12th best fullback last year, according to Pro Football Focus, though only 17 fullbacks played enough to qualify for their rankings. Line had roughly even grades for run blocking and pass blocking in his 211 snaps.
To date, Line has spent his entire playing career with the Vikings. Over those four years, he has been used primarily for blocking with just 13 carries and seven receptions to his credit.
Giants’ Odell Beckham Pushing For New Deal
Odell Beckham Jr.’s absence from voluntary organized team activities is directly tied to his desire for the Giants to give him a new contract, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Meanwhile, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan that Beckham is expected to attend minicamp. Unlike OTAs, players who miss minicamp are subject to hefty fines. 
Beckham has been one of several Giants players who have missed OTAs, but his absence has garnered the most attention. It has been suspected that a contract dispute is at the heart of his absence, but today’s report from Schefter is our first confirmation of that.
Beckham, one of the game’s very best wide receivers, is slated to make $1.8MM in 2017 per the terms of his rookie deal. The Giants have picked up his fifth-year option for the 2018 season which should pay him ~$8MM, but ODB is looking for dollars and certainty beyond that point. After three straight seasons with at least 1,300 receiving yards, the 24-year-old is likely looking for a deal that will reset the market at his position.
In theory, the Giants don’t have to rush to give Beckham a new deal. Between the aforementioned option and the franchise tag, Beckham could be under team control through at least the 2021 season.
Jeremy Maclin’s Bills Visit Enters Day Two
It’s not a done deal yet, but this might be a good sign for Jeremy Maclin and the Bills. The wide receiver’s Tuesday visit has extended into a second day, as Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets. 
[RELATED: Bills Meet With Jeremy Maclin]
Earlier this week, it was reported that Maclin would meet with the Bills on Tuesday before possibly heading to the Ravens on Wednesday. Right now, it’s not clear whether a Baltimore trip is still on Maclin’s docket for today. If Maclin was initially scheduled to leave Buffalo on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, then this could be a sign that things are progressing between the two sides. Ultimately, the Ravens, Eagles, Browns, and other interested teams might not get their opportunity to meet with the receiver.
In 2015, Maclin had 87 catches for more than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns for the Chiefs. Even though he is not far removed from that performance, KC cut him in order to avoid paying his $9.75MM base salary for 2017. Last season, Maclin had 44 catches for 536 yards and two scores in 12 games.
Latest On Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney says that he would like to return to the Falcons. What’s not clear is whether the Falcons necessarily want him back. Coach Dan Quinn told reporters that he has spoken to the veteran, but he has not spoken to him about a return, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. He declined whether to say if he’d be interested in having Freeney on the team for 2017.
“I haven’t even found out if he’s ready to play yet,” Quinn said. “I know he was pretty committed to golf. He’s such a competitor. But our conversations haven’t been about playing. When we drafted [first-round defensive end Takkarist McKinley], that was someone I wanted him to connect with. But we haven’t talked about playing. If he does [bring it up], he knows we’re going down the line of looking at our team here first.”
In addition to adding McKinley, the Falcons also signed Jack Crawford this offseason. Still, there could still be room made for Freeney after he found success as a situational pass rusher last season. For his part, Freeney would like to suit up again for Atlanta. After the team received a $4MM+ post June 1 cap credit, the Falcons could theoretically afford to link up again.
NFC West Rumors: Maclin, Cardinals, Rams
Here’s a look at the NFC West:
- The Cardinals have no interest in Jeremy Maclin, according to an NFL source who spoke with Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter). The Cardinals, in theory, could have used Maclin as a No. 2 option opposite of Larry Fitzgerald, but they’re apparently not giving him much thought. For now, the Cards will have the speedy John Brown, JJ. Nelson, Brittan Golden, and Jaron Brown as the WRs behind Fitzgerald. While the Cardinals are not interested in Maclin, at least four teams are in on the veteran.
- Cornerback Trumaine Johnson was missing from Rams OTAs until Monday, but that was not due to any issues over his contract, as Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times writes. “Right now, I’m happy to be here and playing ball,” Johnson said. “I’m controlling what I can control. When that contract stuff comes up, I’ll handle it.” The Rams have until July 15 to sign Johnson to a new contract. Otherwise, he will play under his one-year, ~$17MM franchise tender.
- Austin Davis‘ deal with the Seahawks is for the veteran’s minimum, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The quarterback will earn a $775K base salary with a $50K signing bonus plus a $30K roster bonus if he makes the team. Seattle inked Davis earlier this week, effectively choosing him over Colin Kaepernick.