Giants WR Roger Lewis Arrested For OVI
Giants wide receiver Roger Lewis was arrested on Sunday and charged with operating a vehicle while impaired, the Reynoldsburg, Ohio Police Department confirmed (via James Kratch of NJ Advance Media on Twitter). TMZ Sports first reported the arrest yesterday. Neither the player nor the Giants have commented, and Lewis will presumably face potential discipline from the NFL.
Lewis was reportedly pulled over when officers observed him speeding in a vehicle with “overly tinted windows.” The officers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle, and they observed that the 23-year-old appeared to be impaired. The wideout “was released from jail on his own recognizance,” according to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com.
The 2016 undrafted free agent out of Bowling Green appeared in 13 games (one start) for New York last season, hauling in seven catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Lewis also collected five tackles on special teams.
Lewis was competing with Dwayne Harris and Tavarres King for snaps behind Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall, and Sterling Shepard.
AFC Notes: Jets, Chargers, Ivory, Maclin
A video emerged on Twitter this weekend allegedly showing Jets linebacker Darron Lee in an apparent altercation with a woman at the Governors Ball Music Festival on Randall’s Island. The video shows a man shouting at a woman, and the Twitter user claimed the individual proceeded to “manhandle her’’ and “call her names.’’
Jets defensive end Leonard Williams can also be seen in the video physically restraining his teammate, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Williams’ Instagram account showed that quarterback Bryce Petty was also at the festival.
“We are aware of the reports,” a Jets spokesman said (via Schwartz). “We are taking them seriously, and we are looking into the specifics of the situation. We will have no further comment at this time.”
Lee, a 2016 first-round pick, appeared in 13 games (nine starts) with the Jets last season, compiling 73 tackles and one sack.
Let’s take a look at other notes from around the AFC…
- Danny Woodhead signed with the Ravens this offseason, so ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams took a look at current Chargers who could replace the departed running back’s production. The writer points to Branden Oliver and Kenjon Barner as players who could serve as the pass-catching back behind starter Melvin Gordon.
- We learned yesterday that running back LeSean McCoy was recruiting former teammate Jeremy Maclin to join the Bills. Now it looks like quarterback Tyrod Taylor is also looking to touch base with the free agent receiver. “Today was the first day I seen Shady,” Taylor told Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News. “We texted about it, but [I] want to get Maclin’s number and try to reach out to him. Just to see what his thoughts, what is he thinking moving forward and try to get him here.”
- After a season that saw him compile only 439 rushing yards, Jaguars running back Chris Ivory wants to prove that he’s still capable of starting in the NFL. Unfortunately, despite his experience, the veteran has fourth-overall pick Leonard Fournette breathing down his neck. While the odds seem to be against the 29-year-old, he’s still confident that his 2016 woes are a thing of the past. “One thing about it, people and everybody are going to have their opinions,’’ Ivory told John Reid of the Florida Times-Union. “Mainly, the people that know nothing about football. They don’t know the things we go through to get to this point. What we actually face before we come out for those games…Most of the stuff the people on the outside see are the mistakes and the bad things you do. It’s not always going to go the way you want. I think a lot of people that like to see guys get a 1,000 yards each year, but it just don’t work that way.’’
Mike Zimmer Returns To Vikings
The Vikings announced this morning that head coach Mike Zimmer has returned to practice. The now-61-year-old (his birthday is today) has been absent from the first two weeks of OTAs as he recovered from eye surgery.
The eye woes aren’t anything new for Zimmer, as Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com notes that the coach has undergone eight separate surgeries over the past year to repair a detached retina. Considering the apparent on-going issues, some wondered if Zimmer would consider retirement, but the head coach quickly dismissed that theory.
One eye or two, it really doesn’t matter. I’m going to be back,” Zimmer said in May. “So we can put the retiring thing or whatever to bed quickly.”
Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator George Edwards and special teams coach Mike Priefer were required to lead their respective units during OTAs. Alper notes that defensive line coach Andre Patterson “covered some of Zimmer’s duties” during the head honcho’s absence.
In three seasons with the team, Zimmer has led the Vikings to a 26-22 record and one playoff appearance. Prior to his time in Minnesota, he served as the defensive coordinator for the Bengals, Falcons, and Cowboys.
Eagles Sign DT Gabe Wright
The Eagles have added some defensive line reinforcement. Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (via Twitter) that the team has signed defensive tackle Gabe Wright to a one-year deal.
Wright entered the league as a 2015 fourth-round pick out of Auburn, but he hasn’t been able to establish himself in either of his two seasons. The 25-year-old compiled six tackles in seven games (one start) with the Lions during his rookie campaign, but he was waived by Detroit in 2016.
He subsequently joined the Browns practice squad and ended up appearing in five games with Cleveland, collecting four tackles and one pass defended. The 6-foot-3 lineman was waived in late May after the Browns claimed offensive lineman Chris Barker off waivers from the Patriots.
The Eagles’ defensive tackle depth chart has been a bit thin during OTAs, as Beau Allen has recovered from injury and rookie Elijah Qualls is temporarily barred from participating. Before signing Wright, Destiny Vaeao and Justin Hamilton were the lone defensive tackles behind starters Fletcher Cox and Timmy Jernigan.
Terrance Williams Took Less Money For Cowboys
Terrance Williams took less money to stay with the Cowboys, the wide receiver tells Drew Davison of the Star Telegram. Williams re-signed a four-year, $17MM contract with $9.5MM guaranteed early on in free agency. 
[RELATED: Cowboys, Zack Martin Put Extension Talks On Hold]
“It just wasn’t about money to me,” Williams said of his free agency. “There was a lot of money I could have taken, but it’s just the people. The guys I hang around with in my locker room and then the coaches that I have. That’s a bigger price tag on it for me than money.”
Williams, a third-round pick of the Cowboys in 2013, mentioned fellow receiver Dez Bryant as one reason he gave Dallas a hometown discount. It also helps that Williams is already familiar with the playbook and has already enjoyed success with the team. He had 44 grabs for 594 yards and four touchdowns in 2016. In the year prior, he set watermarks in receptions (52) and yards (840).
Cardinals Content At RB?
The Cardinals have one of the very best running backs in the game, though some might say that the supporting cast for him is lacking. Right now, the Cardinals seem content with Kerwynn Williams, T.J. Logan, Eli Penny, and Andre Ellington as the reserves behind him, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com writes. 
[RELATED: Cardinals Waive QB Zac Dysert]
If that’s truly the case, then that might mean that the Cardinals are moving on from veteran Chris Johnson. CJ2K was hoping to find an opportunity where he could get significant playing time, but he might not even have the opportunity to return for table scraps. Johnson claims that he has been in contact with Arizona brass about a potential deal, but that has not been verified by any other report.
It’s possible that the Cardinals and C. Johnson have an understanding in which he will wait until after the offseason program to sign. This also might be a case of the Cardinals wanting to fully assess what they have in house before bringing CJ2K back. The Cardinals might wait to see Logan and Penny in pads before circling back to the former Titans star.
Seahawks Pass On Colin Kaepernick
The Seahawks won’t be signing Colin Kaepernick. At least, not right now. Today, coach Pete Carroll told reporters that while the door remains “open” to a union with Kaepernick, there is nothing imminent on that front. 
[RELATED: Seahawks Sign Marcus Cromartie]
This jibes with a report from earlier this week which indicated that no deal would be coming together at this time. Still, all signs indicate that the Seahawks’ meeting with Kaepernick was not just done as a courtesy. The team had real interest in him, reports say, and Carroll insists that there is some degree of interest in the former 49ers signal caller. Carroll said that Kaepernick demonstrated that he is still a starting-caliber quarterback and he can’t imagine that he won’t get an opportunity to play somewhere in the NFL this year.
Austin Davis worked out for the Seahawks on the same day as Kaepernick, but he also remains unsigned. If the Seahawks want to continue looking at outside backup QB options for starter Russell Wilson, they could explore vets such as Robert Griffin III, Shaun Hill, and Christian Ponder.
Ravens TE Dennis Pitta Suffers Hip Injury
Awful news for Dennis Pitta. The Ravens tight end suffered yet another hip injury during practice on Friday, GM Ozzie Newsome announced. 
[RELATED: Tavon Young Suffers Torn ACL]
“This is incredibly disappointing, obviously for Dennis, and for the Ravens,” Newsome said in the statement. “Dennis is one of the great Ravens, and he has done everything he can to make our team better.”
The severity of Pitta’s hip injury has not been officially disclosed, but this is crushing news for Pitta, the team, and the tight end’s supporters. The fear is that Pitta fractured and dislocated his hip for third time in four years, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. If that’s the case, then his NFL career is likely finished.
For approximately four years now, Pitta has been dealing with painful hip issues that have kept him off the field. Last year, Pitta bounced back in a major way and became one of the league’s greatest comeback stories.
In 2016, Pitta set career-highs in receptions (86) and receiving yards (729) while adding a pair of touchdowns. It was especially remarkable when considering that Pitta was limited to just seven games between 2013 and 2015.
Pitta, 32 in June, was originally set to carry a hefty $7.7MM cap number in 2017 and 2018. Now, per the terms of his recently restructured pact, he’s slated to carry $5.2MM cap numbers in each of the next two seasons.
Saints Sign Rookie CB Marshon Lattimore
The Saints have officially signed first round pick Marshon Lattimore, according to a team announcement. Second round safety Marcus Williams and third round running back Alvin Kamara have also put pen to paper. 
There was tons of trade speculation surrounding the Saints on draft night, but they stood pat at No. 11 and drafted a player who many see as the best cornerback in this year’s class. Lattimore, an Ohio State product, finished his collegiate career with 46 tackles (34 solo), one stop for a loss, four interceptions and 16 passes defensed. In his final year on campus, Lattimore was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and proved to scouts everywhere that he can succeed at the next level.
“I’ve studied the top cornerbacks coming out and he’s the best I’ve seen,” one pro personnel director for an AFC team told NFL.com before the draft. “He’s so athletic that he can just post up under the receiver’s chin and shadow him all over the field. And he’s tough, too. He’ll be one of the top cornerbacks pretty quickly.”
The 5-foot-10, 215-pound Kamara was a dual threat as a member of the Volunteers, with whom he averaged 6.2 yards per rush, caught 74 passes, and combined for 23 touchdowns over two seasons. Now, he’ll be learning from the best as he backs up both Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson. Kamara split carries with Jalen Hurd at Tennessee, so he’s no stranger to a timeshare.
Panthers, Trai Turner Discussing Extension
The Panthers and guard Trai Turner are in the early stages of working out a new deal, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. League sources say that the talks are preliminary, and that’s probably because the price tag for Turner is trending upwards.
[RELATED: Panthers Make Changes At Tight End]
Guards don’t make as much as tackles, but recent contracts inked by Kevin Zeitler (five years, $60MM) and Kelechi Osemele (five years, $58.5MM) have pushed the market. Those deals were inked in free agency, but others like Joel Bitonio (five years, $51.2MM), David DeCastro (five years, $50MM), Kyle Long (four years, $40MM), and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (five years, $42.4MM) got paid handsomely to remain with their respective teams.
Now, it’s Turner’s turn to get paid. The 23-year-old (24 in June) has made the Pro Bowl in each of the past two seasons and has been viewed as a quality lineman ever since his rookie year in 2014. As a former third round pick, the Panthers have him under contract at a $1.931MM cap number (which was boosted thanks to the proven performance escalator clause), but it will take a lot more than that to lock him up for 2018 and beyond.
In February, Turner changed representation and signed with Drew Rosenhaus.