Kelvin Benjamin Has Torn ACL
4:51pm: The Panthers confirmed that Benjamin is done for the year, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets.
4:39pm: The worst-case scenario for the Panthers has come to fruition, as Kelvin Benjamin‘s MRI today revealed an ACL tear, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The club has yet to officially confirm the news, but the injury figures to sideline the young wideout for the entire 2015 season, a devastating blow for a team relying on Benjamin to be its No. 1 receiver.
As a rookie in 2004, Benjamin had 73 catches for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. This season, the Panthers were counting on that level of production and perhaps more as they looked to have a bounce back year on the whole.
The Panthers could look to the free agent market for outside help, but they have yet to contact the reps for Reggie Wayne, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Wayne, who spent 14 years in Indianapolis after being drafted by the Colts in the first round way back in 2001, is no longer the sort of impact player he was during his prime. However, he was still a reliable target for Andrew Luck last season, compiling 779 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 64 catches.
NFC Notes: Benjamin, Falcons, AP, RGIII
The Panthers are holding their collective breath as they await the results of an MRI on Kelvin Benjamin‘s left knee. The Panthers wideout went down with an apparent non-contact injury during today’s joint practice with the Dolphins, and while head coach Ron Rivera indicated that it’s a sprained knee, there’s a chance the injury is more serious than that. If Benjamin has to miss regular-season action, it’ll be bad news for a Carolina receiving corps that’s lacking legit playmakers outside of Benjamin. Jonathan Jones and Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer have the details.
As the Panthers and their fans wait on the results of that MRI, let’s round up a few more items from across the NFC….
- A report yesterday suggested that free agent quarterback Rex Grossman was drawing interest from the Falcons, but D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says it’s the other way around, tweeting that Grossman is interested in the Falcons. According to Ledbetter, the team is happy with T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree behind Matt Ryan.
- Within an extensive look at Adrian Peterson‘s unusual offseason, Eli Saslow of ESPN The Magazine says that the Vikings running back wants to play another eight season in the NFL, in the hopes of breaking Emmitt Smith’s career rushing record.
- Washington would like to stick with Robert Griffin III as the team’s starting quarterback for the entire 2015 season in order to make a fully informed decision about his future, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The club has already picked up RGIII’s fifth-year option for 2016, but that salary doesn’t become guaranteed until the first day of the ’16 league year, so Washington could still decide to move on from the young QB if this season doesn’t go well.
- The Cardinals‘ signing of running back Chris Johnson is a potential coup, and a move straight from the Steve Keim playbook, writes Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic.
- Lions safety James Ihedigbo, who had been seeking a new contract earlier this year, still feels like he’s in his prime as he prepares to turn 32 years old, he tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
South Rumors: Castonzo, Kuechly, Brooks
The latest news and rumors out of the AFC South and NFC South focus on a handful of candidates for contract extensions. Let’s round up the highlights….
- Earlier in camp, Colts owner Jim Irsay singled out T.Y. Hilton and left tackle Anthony Castonzo as two players the team would like to sign to contract extensions before the regular season. The team has now finalized a new deal with Hilton, and GM Ryan Grigson acknowledged today that the club has active negotiations ongoing with Castonzo, tweets Mike Wells of ESPN.com.
- This morning, we heard that extension discussions between the Panthers and Luke Kuechly were “heating up,” but head coach Ron Rivera doesn’t want to assume his standout linebacker will get a new contract right away. Rivera tells ESPN.com’s David Newton that the odds of something getting done by Week 1 are still about 50/50. Personally, I’d be surprised if the two sides hadn’t agreed to terms by then.
- Sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle that the Texans would like to lock up guard Brandon Brooks to an extension, though it will depend how expensive he gets. If Brooks were to reach free agency in 2016, he would likely be in heavy demand as one of the best players available at his position, alongside perhaps Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele.
Talks Heating Up Between Panthers, Kuechly
The Panthers and Luke Kuechly don’t appear to be on the verge of agreeing to terms on a new contract for the star linebacker, but extension negotiations between the two sides are “heating up,” a league source tells Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. According to Jones, one source estimated last week that there was a 50/50 chance of a deal getting done prior to the season, but talks have become more serious since then.
Kuechly, 24, has established himself as one of the NFL’s best defenders since entering the league in 2012. The Boston College product has started all 48 regular season contests during his three-year career, averaging 167 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and 10 passes defended per season. The former ninth overall pick has received his fair share of accolades, winning the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s also been named to a pair of Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams.
For the Panthers, there’s no real rush to get something finalized with Kuechly, since he remains under contract through the 2016 season. However, his cap hit for ’16 is $11.058MM, the value of his fifth-year option. Carolina will likely want to reduce that figure by working out an extension this year or next.
Kuechly’s floor was likely set earlier this month, when Bobby Wagner signed a new four-year, $43MM contract with the Seahawks. Wagner’s deal made him the highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL, surpassing Lawrence Timmons‘ $9.56MM annual salary, and Kuechly figures to set a new standard when he signs, since he has been even more productive than Wagner. A new-money, per-year salary in the ballpark of $12MM doesn’t seem out of reach for the Panthers linebacker.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/17/15
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves..
- To make room for Chris Johnson, the Cardinals have waived/injured Brandon Person, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. Person tore his ACL on Saturday.
- The Chiefs announced that they have signed linebacker Ja’Gared Davis and cut wide receiver Adam Drake, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Saints signed linebackers Justin Anderson and Chris Young, defensive tackle Austin Brown, and tight end Michael Egnew, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Packers released Adrian Coxson outright but the player will pursue an injury settlement, Wilson tweets.
- The Dolphins announced that they have waived tight end Arthur Lynch and signed free agent linebacker James Davidson in his stead, James Walker of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Seahawks released defensive tackle Jimmy Staten and linebacker Dakorey Johnson, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (on Twitter). Seattle also signed defensive backs Jeremy Crayton and Keelan Johnson.
- The Jaguars have waived undrafted rookie linebacker Matt Robinson with an injury settlement, John Oehser of Jaguars.com tweets.
- The Panthers (on Twitter) announced that they have signed punter Matt Wile and waived/injured tight end Jamie Childers.
- The Colts announced that they have waived-injured linebacker Cody Galea and signed linebacker Nicklas Haag, Mike Chappell of the Indy Star tweets.
Community Tailgate: 8/10/15
We’re still a few weeks away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
Today, we’ll be discussing wide receiver Steve Smith and his candidacy for the Hall of Fame. As you surely know by now, Smith announced on Monday morning that the 2015 season will be his last. Smith, now with the Ravens, stands as the Panthers’ all-time leading receiver with 836 receptions for 12,197 yards and 67 touchdowns receiving. For his career, spanning 15 years to date, Smith has caught 915 passes for a total of 13,262 yards and 73 touchdowns. It seems quite possible that Smith, a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro, could be inducted into the Hall of Fame once he’s eligible. But it’s not a slam dunk.
Due largely to the evolution of the game and voters’ difficulty in comparing wide receivers from different eras, receivers have had some difficulty finding their way into Canton. Since 2000, there have been only ten WRs inducted into the Hall of Fame, and that number includes the controversial selection of Steelers notable Lynn Swann. Smith’s numbers are better than many of the receivers already in the Hall, but voters might chalk that up to the passing-friendly rules that have been brought into the NFL in the modern era.
When Smith is eligible, do you think he’ll enter the Hall of Fame? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!
NFC Notes: A. Smith, Rams, Falcons, Panthers
Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee has had a look at how Aldon Smith‘s release will impact the 49ers as a whole and a few individual players moving forward. For instance, Barrows writes that the team had been working with $10MM of cap space which, if unused, would roll over to 2016 and would be put toward a player. That player, of course, was Smith. Now, the team will need to decide what to do with its surplus cash. The team could bring in free agent guard Evan Mathis, and players like Vernon Davis, Ian Williams, and Quinton Dial might also be in line to get some of that money.
Barrows also details the emotional and strategic fallout of Smith’s release, and he writes that Corey Lemonier, who looked destined to be cut just a couple of days ago, may be able to hold on to his roster spot.
Now let’s take a look at a few more links from around the league:
- Paul Domowitch of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Rams head coach Jeff Fisher took the St. Louis head coaching job because of Sam Bradford, but he traded Bradford because he could not afford to gamble that Bradford would not suffer a third ACL tear.
- Within an article touching on Julio Jones, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reports that Falcons president Rich McKay will meet with commissioner Roger Goodell and executive vice president Troy Vincent to discuss McKay’s reinstatement to the NFL’s competition committee. McKay, Atlanta’s GM from 2003-08, was suspended from the committee as a result of the Falcons pumping in crowd noise during home games the past two seasons.
- In his latest mailbag at ESPN.com, David Newton writes that despite Michael Oher‘s slow start in camp, the Panthers are in a much better place at left tackle than they were a year ago. Head coach Ron Rivera has spoken in defense of Oher, and Carolina is content with Nate Chandler and Amini Silatolu as Oher’s backups.
- While the Panthers‘ front seven has been widely lauded, the clubs’ secondary has remained largely anonymous, even being labeled the “Legion of Whom” by broadcaster Jon Gruden. But as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer notes, Carolina’s defensive backfield could start to generate some headlines this year, as young corners Bene Benwikere, Tre Boston, and Josh Norman will be joined by veterans Charles Tillman, Kurt Coleman, and Roman Harper.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/15
Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Broncos have re-signed nose tackle Sione Fua for another stint in Denver, per Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). The former third-round pick, who played for Cleveland last season, last spent time with the Broncos in 2013. Denver waived punter Karl Schmitz in a corresponding move. The Broncos have also reached an injury settlement with rookie offensive tackle Connor Rains, removing him from their IR, tweets Mike Klis of 9News.
- The Buccaneers have signed former Arena League quarterback Sammuel Lamur, the team announced today in a press release. Lamur, the brother of Bengals linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, will be moved to linebacker in Bucs camp.
- The Titans have made a change in their secondary, signing safety Josh Aubrey and waiving safety Cody Prewitt with an injured designation, per a team release.
- The Cowboys swapped one tight end for another this week, signing Brandon Barden and cutting Ray Hamilton, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets, the club also moved linebacker Justin Anderson and offensive lineman Reshod Fortenberry to its injured reserve list.
- Patriots tight end A.J. Derby and Eagles outside linebacker Travis Long landed on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists after going unclaimed on waivers, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Panthers have moved retired offensive tackle Jonathan Martin from the reserve/retired list to the reserve/did not report list, tweets Wilson.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/15
Today’s minor NFL moves and signings..
- The Eagles signed rookie free agent linebacker Diaheem Watkins, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets.
- The Seahawks announced that they have signed linebacker Dakorey Johnson, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets. Johnson takes the place of linebacker Alex Singleton, who was cut loose earlier today.
- The Bears have waived/injured tight end Brian Vogler with a foot injury, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
- The 49ers agreed to terms with wide receiver Nigel King, as Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com tweets.
Earlier Updates:
- The Rams waived wide receiver Devon Wylie, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Falcons waived cornerback Michael Lee and signed nose tackle Derrick Hopkins, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Buccaneers announced (on Twitter) that they have waived long snapper Courtland Clavette.
- The Panthers signed cornerback T.J. Heath and defensive tackle Kenny Horsley, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. To make room, Carolina released punter Matt Wile.
- Washington announced the signings of cornerbacks Bryan McCann and DreQuan Hoskey. McCann, who first entered the league as UDFA with the Cowboys in 2010, has made multiple stops around the NFL. Hoskey, a Virginia product, was in rookie minicamp this summer and made a strong impression on coaches. Washington also cut Phillip Thomas and waived/injured Tevin Mitchel, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Steelers signed undrafted rookie wide receiver Kenzel Doe of Wisconsin and waived-injured undrafted rookie receiver Eli Rogers, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets.
- The Ravens signed defensive tackle Micajah Reynolds and waived defensive tackle Casey Walker, who just came off the PUP list on Monday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Bears are signing USC tight end Kevin Greene, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
NFC Notes: Ginn, Kerrigan, Chancellor
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Panthers wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. admitted that he was “chasing a check” when he signed with the Cardinals last year, suggesting he took the highest offer he got in free agency for the benefit of his family (link via Tim Durr of the Black and Blue Review). Although Ginn signed a three-year deal with the Cards, his stint in Arizona didn’t last long — he was cut by the team in February.
Here’s more from across the NFC:
- ESPN.com’s John Keim and Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examine the specific details on Ryan Kerrigan‘s new contract with Washington, and Fitzgerald also provides a breakdown of the extension in chart form. The deal, which includes a $16MM signing bonus, features cap hits of $6.238MM in 2015 and $8.45MM in 2016 before jumping to $11.7MM+ for the final four years.
- Since Kam Chancellor‘s holdout from Seahawks camp is now at six days, Seattle is allowed to recoup 15% of the safety’s signing bonus proration for 2015, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. Since Chancellor’s bonus counts for $1MM against the team’s cap this year, Seattle could recoup $150K.
- Lions GM Martin Mayhew explained that the team’s depth at cornerback led to the trade that sent Mohammed Seisay to the Seahawks, a deal he called “win-win for everybody.” Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the quotes from Mayhew.
- Packers defensive end Datone Jones told reporters, including Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link), that he did not appeal his one-game suspension. Jones was suspended last month after receiving a citation for marijuana possession.
- Free agent cornerback Josh Victorian, who recently auditioned for the Texans, worked out for the Panthers following Chris Houston‘s retirement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
Zach Links contributed to this post.