Minor Moves: Wednesday
Today’s minor moves..
- The Ravens cut Trey DePriest and re-signed linebacker Andrew Bose, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. Both players were UDFAs from this year’s class. DePriest, who got a $5K signing bonus from Baltimore earlier this month, was a starter at Alabama who registered 87 total tackles and five tackles for loss last season. Bose, meanwhile, tried out at the Ravens’ rookie minicamp and was a roster casualty after the signing of veteran cornerback Kyle Arrington.
- The Raiders signed linebacker Horace Miller and wide receiver Milton Williams III, according to Wilson (on Twitter). The Panthers waived Miller in April.
- Browns linebacker Keith Pough reverted to the team’s injured reserve after going unclaimed off waivers, Wilson tweets. Cowboys wide receiver Chris Boyd (link) and Colts defensive back Josh Mitchell (link) also went back to their team’s respective IRs after going unclaimed.
- The Raiders cut Travell Dixon and Austin Hill, Wilson tweets. Oakland signed Hill after the wide receiver did not pass a physical to sign with Seahawks.
AFC North Notes: Brown, Mack, Rice
Despite rumors that he might not show up for offseason workouts, Steelers receiver Antonio Brown joined his teammates on Tuesday, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Brown may be pushing for a new deal, but he’s not pouting in public over it. “This is a community that I love,” Brown said Tuesday. “My kids go to school here. I want to keep a good reputation. Obviously money’s not important to me. I’ve got enough. The organization has extremely blessed me. I’m ready to play football.” When asked directly whether he’s looking for a new deal, Brown said that’s “not my business to discuss” and directed questions to agent Drew Rosenhaus. More from the AFC North..
- Browns center Alex Mack said “absolutely not” when asked if he has decided whether he’ll opt out of contract after 2015 season, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. Mack is in line for a fully guaranteed salary of $8MM in 2015 and he can opt in for the same amount in 2016. If Mack opts out after the 2015 season, the Browns would be unable to use the franchise or transition tag on him, since the deadline for his decision comes after the deadline for those tags to be applied.
- Two team executives say that clubs won’t give former Ravens running back Ray Rice a chance after Ray McDonald‘s latest arrest, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Some in football are also wondering if there will be penalties imposed against teams that take chances on guys like McDonald in the event of a repeat offense.
- The Steelers (on Twitter) announced that they have named Steve Meyer a coaching assistant. Meyer served as the team’s scouting intern in 2013 and 2014.
AFC Notes: Bills QBs, Mario, Titans, Ravens
Most expect the Bills’ starting quarterback in 2015 to be either Matt Cassel or EJ Manuel, but don’t discount Tyrod Taylor, writes Conor Orr of NFL.com. Taylor, who backed up Joe Flacco in Baltimore from 2011-14 and signed with the Bills as a free agent earlier this offseason, has a fan in head coach Rex Ryan. Although Taylor has thrown just 35 passes in his pro career, Ryan recruited the 25-year-old to Buffalo and views his dual-threat abilities as a plus in coordinator Greg Roman’s run-first offense, notes Orr.
Bills general manager Doug Whaley said earlier this week that all three QBs are going to get a real chance to win the No. 1 job prior to the season.
“The way they’re structuring practices everyone is getting a run with the ones,” Whaley stated. “So it’s a fair shake. In this system that we’re trying to figure out who is going to be the number one it’s all about competition. That’s why everybody involved is excited about it.”
Here’s more on the Bills and a couple of their fellow AFC teams:
- Star pass rusher Mario Williams is entering his fourth year with the Bills and will work under his fourth different defensive coordinator. Williams isn’t concerned about the latest change, however, despite the success the defense experienced last season led by departed coordinator Jim Schwartz. The Bills will go from a 4-3 base to a 3-4 base under Schwartz’s replacement, Dennis Thurman, but they used a similar scheme two years ago with ex-coordinator Mike Pettine. Williams thinks that gives him and his fellow defenders a leg up. “Understanding the defense, I love it,” Williams told the Buffalo News. “It gives everybody ample opportunities to just do different things and just be able to bring different looks, different angles, and attacks, stuff like that. So I’m ecstatic.”
- The pecking order at wide receiver will be something to watch during Titans training camp, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Kuharsky expects Kendall Wright, second-round pick Dorial Green-Beckham, and Harry Douglas to comprise Tennessee’s top three wideouts. Things get murkier thereafter, though, with Justin Hunter, Hakeem Nicks, and seventh-rounder Tre McBride jockeying for position.
- The Ravens’ offense was a success last year under Gary Kubiak, finishing 12th in yardage, eighth in points, and ninth in Football Outsiders’ efficiency rankings. With Kubiak having left to be Denver’s head coach, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com believes the offense will change in 2015 to fit new coordinator Marc Trestman’s identity as a play caller – which should mean more screen passes – but will still tailor to the the players’ strengths.
AFC Mailbags: Dolphins, Ravens, Jags, Colts
It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s start off with notes from the AFC…
- James Walker believes Dolphins coach Joe Philbin‘s job could be in jeopardy if his team doesn’t succeed this season. The team spent money to improve their roster during the offseason, and the writer believes owner Stephen Ross won’t have much patience for another subpar season.
- The Ravens certainly have the money to add another veteran to their squad, and Jamison Hensley thinks that’s a realistic possibility. The team will likely depend on their young players to compete for jobs, but the team could pursue an established player if any of those young players struggle. The writer points to wideout James Jones, running back Pierre Thomas, tight end Jermaine Gresham, defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora and defensive tackle Kevin Williams as the top available free agents.
- When asked which undrafted rookies could make the Jaguars 53-man roster, Michael DiRocco focuses on the team’s group of young linebackers (Thurston Armbrister, Matt Robinson and Todd Thomas). The writer cites the lack of depth at that position, nothing that one of the rookies could contribute as a backup linebacker/special teamer.
- If the Colts decide to keep four running backs, Mike Wells says the final spot will likely be between Vick Ballard and Zurlon Tipton. Frank Gore and Boom Herron have their spots locked down, and Wells believes sixth-round pick Josh Robinson has a good chance of sticking.
- When it comes to the Colts‘ wideouts, Wells says Griff Whalen is likely the odd man out. The team seemingly has six receivers ahead of Whalen on the depth chart, so Wells believes it’s a “long shot” for the former undrafted free agent to make the roster.
John Harbaugh On D-Line, Player Development, Rule Changes
Ravens coach John Harbaugh gave the keynote speech at Stevenson University in Maryland on Thursday. While the former Super Bowl winner barely mentioned the Ravens during his address, he discussed his team with reporters following the ceremony. Harbaugh mostly focused on the defensive line, including the players returning from injury, the team’s loss of veteran leadership, and the team’s apparent depth among defensive ends and tackles. Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun collected these soundbites, and we have some of the more notable quotes below:
On the recovery of Brent Urban and Kapron Lewis-Moore, who both suffered season-ending injuries during last year’s training camp:
“It’s really important that Brent Urban and Kapron Lewis-Moore come on. Brent looks like he’s 100 percent, Kap looks like he’s really close to 100 percent.”
On the changes to the defensive line, including the loss of veteran leadership in Haloti Ngata:
“The young D-linemen are obviously going to be huge for us. We’ve gotten younger there really quickly, capped off by the move of Haloti. We still have Chris Canty, so that’s a plus for us. He’ll be the sage veteran in the locker room.”
On the development of talented defensive tackle Brandon Williams:
“I talked to Brandon Williams about stacking another year. You come back better than before. He took last year and got everyone’s attention. Now everybody is going to be watching.
“You’re not going to surprise anybody. The expectations are up. What an opportunity to build on that and really make a name for himself. He seems motivated to do that as well.”
On the team’s depth on the defensive line:
“DeAngelo Tyson is still a big part of us, Lawrence Guy is a big part of us, Christo Bilukidi is another veteran player. There’s going to be some major competition on the D-line.”
On the NFL’s new extra-point rule:
“The effort to move the line of scrimmage back on the point after touchdown, to me, is a good thing. I think it’s a positive thing. We’re for it. We were fine with it the other way. I know Justin Tucker was kind of like saying stuff about it. But I think he realizes that it’s going to give the better kickers an opportunity to shine a little bit. So, move it back and make it a little bit tougher. Make it more of a challenge, make that point mean more.
“It is going to encourage more two-point conversion tries. There’s no question about it, especially in windy stadiums. Maybe later in the year when it means the most will probably see the most attempts. I know one thing, we’re going to spend more time defending two-point conversions and practicing two-point conversions because it’s going to be a bigger part of the game.”
Extra Points: Yanda, McGlynn, Peterson, Jets
With the week winding down and Memorial Day weekend fast approaching, let’s round up a few odds and ends from around the NFL….
- With Marshal Yanda heading into the final year of his five-year contract with the Ravens, the team is exploring what a contract extension for the veteran guard would look like, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. As Zrebiec points out, it may not be feasible for Baltimore to keep both Yanda and Kelechi Osemele, who are both eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016.
- Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune has the details on Mike McGlynn‘s contract with the Saints, tweeting that the offensive lineman will get a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract with a $30K signing bonus.
- It’s not clear when Adrian Peterson will report to the Vikings, but head coach Mike Zimmer told 1500 ESPN Twin Cities this week that he thinks he has “an indication” of when his running back will show up, as Andrew Krammer details.
- Former Rams scout Brian Shields has accepted a scouting job with the Jets under GM Mike Maccagnan, reports Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Maccagnan has made several changes to his club’s scouting department since this year’s draft.
- The Saints are retooling their own scouting department under the influence of Jeff Ireland, and will likely part ways with some employees soon, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports.
Extra Points: Brees, Cowboys, Rice
Drew Brees has said that he wants to play football until he is 45, but he admits that goal is a little bit unrealistic. “45 is a long way away,” the Saints quarterback said on ESPN’s SVP and Russillo, according to Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate. “I’m 36 right now, and I know I got maybe a little overzealous last year when I threw out the number 45.” Warren Moon, Vinny Testaverde, and Steve Deberg hung in there until they were 44, but those final years were mostly spent playing in reserve roles. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Along with free agent running backs Daniel Thomas, Ben Tate, and Felix Jones, Ronnie Wingo also worked out for the Cowboys today, as Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram tweets. Wingo was released by the Falcons earlier this month to help make room on the roster for incoming rookies.
- A judge dismissed domestic violence charges against former Ravens running back Ray Rice, as The Associated Press writes. Rice completed the terms of his pretrial intervention, which included $125 in fines and anger management counseling.
- Joe Barksdale, who signed a minimum-salary deal with the Chargers, was offered more from the Rams earlier in the offseason, Jim Thomas of the Post Dispatch tweets. Back in March, Barksdale looked like a decent bet to land a deal similar to the $6MM-per-year pacts signed by Austin Howard and Anthony Collins in 2014. However, that kind of market never materialized for the veteran. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the former Ram just 48th out of 84 qualified tackles last season.
- Falcons linebacker Joplo Bartu was fined $50,000 for an alcohol-related offense, but only after his two-game suspension was rescinded, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Bartu, who had 83 tackles in 2014, was handed a two-game suspension in March for his DUI arrest. Earlier this month, the linebacker brought new information to the league and his punishment was altered. However, future violations of the law will carry more significant discipline for him.
- Ravens rookie lineman Leon Brown hopes to land a roster spot with his hometown team, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The 6-foot-5, 332-pound former junior college All-American also had an invite to try out for the Jaguars, but he chose the Ravens instead. Brown, an Alabama product, went undrafted this year.
AFC North Notes: Browns, Sandusky, Ravens
A quick look at the AFC North..
- Duke Johnson was just a third-round pick for the Browns but he’s already impressing and could wind up as the starter, Steve Doerschuk of CantonRep.com writes. At Miami last season, he recorded 242 carries for 1,631 yards at 6.8 per carry with 38 catches for 421 yards. Now, he has a very real chance to push 2014 rookies Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell.
- The Browns have “parted ways” with player personnel associate Jon Sandusky, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). Sandusky, the son of former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, was demoted from director of player personnel in 2014. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter) finds it odd that the Browns are making this move now rather than immediately after the draft.
- Under new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com wonders if the Ravens will run the ball more or less this season. The Ravens had 448 rushing attempts in 2014, the most for them since 2011. Meanwhile, in the two seasons that Trestman was the Bears’ head coach, they didn’t run the ball nearly as often as the Ravens. The Bears ranked 30th in the NFL in rushing attempts 2014 and 24th in 2013.
AFC Mailbags: Browns, Ravens, Titans
Here are some takeaways from some of the latest mailbags produced by AFC reporters.
- The Browns upset Pro Bowl safety Tashaun Gipson by placing a second-round tender on the restricted free agent instead of a first-round tender, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. A first-round distinction would’ve paid Gipson $3.35MM this year, as opposed to the $2.36MM he’ll receive if he signs the second-round tender by June 15. Cabot, however, expects the team to offer Gipson a long-term deal before June 15.
- Before going to the Chiefs at pick 76, Georgia wideout Chris Conley caught the Browns’ eye, likely inducing one receiver-needy team to leapfrog the other, Cabot notes. The eventual receiver Cleveland selected, fourth-rounder Vince Mayle of Washington State, will undergo thumb surgery soon.
- Wideout DeAndre Carter (Sacramento State) and safety Nick Perry (Alabama) are the best best to make the Ravens as undrafted free agents, per to ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. With John Harbaugh proclaiming the team’s next return specialist could emerge from the UDFA contingent, as the team lost Jacoby Jones to the Chargers, Carter’s returning experience in Division I-FCS play bodes well for his chances, notes Hensley. Perry’s work in the Crimson Tide’s pro-style defense helps his cause.
- ESPN.com’s Paul Kukarsky expects rookie Jeremiah Poutasi to line up at right tackle with the Titans and anticipates former ballyhooed free agent Andy Levitre will have one more season to display the proficiency at left guard that led him to signing a six-year, $46.8MM deal in 2013. Despite ranking as the 45th-best guard last season on Pro Football Focus’ scale (subscription required), Levitre has an $8.6MM cap figure that is tied with Jason McCourty‘s for the Titans’ highest.
- Dorial Green-Beckham will threaten the playing time of raw outside target Justin Hunter before the second-rounder disrupts No. 1 receiver Kendall Wright‘s path, Kuharsky writes. Wright and Harry Douglas are now the primary slot receivers, with Wright’s versatility likely preventing any such Hunter-DGB looks in two-tight end sets.
Sunday Roundup: Ray, Eagles, Chargers
Let’s take a look a a few notes from around the league:
- Shane Ray‘s draft stock took a hit because of a citation for marijuana possession and a toe injury, but the Missouri product was still selected in the first round, as the Broncos traded up to nab the high-ceiling pass rusher. As Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes, Denver hopes that Ray, who missed rookie minicamp as a result of the toe injury, will be able to participate in some capacity when the team resumes work tomorrow. As Alper points out, though, Ray’s work is likely to be limited, especially since the Broncos just lost third-round tight end Jeff Heuerman to a torn ACL at minicamp.
- Of all the eyebrow-raising moves that Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has made during his brief tenure with the club, his decisions relating to Philadelphia’s wide receiving corps may be the most curious. But as David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News writes, with the addition of Nelson Agholor–a physical clone of Jeremy Maclin–the expected improvement from Zach Ertz and Jordan Matthews, and the team’s ability to shift Darren Sproles to more of a pass-catching role now that DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews are in the fold, the Eagles may actually have a more dynamic set of receivers than they had in 2014.
- Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano says rookie Denzel Perryman will compete for time at inside linebacker with projected starters Manti Te’o and Donald Butler, but that ultimately everybody will see time on the field, ESPN’s Eric D. Williams writes. Pagano complimented his talent not only at the linebacker position, but also on special teams.
- The Chargers don’t have a true fullback on their roster, but San Diego State product Chad Young hopes to change that, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego writes. Young has experience on his side, having been in training camp last year with the Jets. But like other fullbacks, he has seen his position fade across the NFL over the past several years.
- Former Maryland standout Andre Monroe tried out for the Chargers during the team’s rookie minicamp, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Monroe set Maryland’s school record with 25 career sacks, 20 of which came in his last 26 games. But at 5’10” and 294 pounds, Monroe is a bit undersized for an NFL defensive lineman, and he was not immediately offered a contract by San Diego.
- Longtime Ravens scout Joe Douglas has accepted a job with the Bears, according to a press release from the Ravens. Douglas will be Chicago’s new director of college scouting.
- The Steelers have hired veteran NFL personnel man Rick Reiprish to join their player personnel department, writes Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Reiprish, who has over 30 years of experience in player personnel, was the Saints’ director of college scouting for 11 years until he was released in a front-office shakeup earlier this year.
Zach Links contributed to this post.