Dolphins Place WR Allen Hurns On IR
Months away from his 30th birthday, Allen Hurns now faces the prospect of missing consecutive full seasons. After the veteran wide receiver suffered a wrist injury recently, the Dolphins placed him on IR Tuesday.
This transaction may well precede an injury settlement, which would send Hurns to free agency. The Dolphins, however, kept the former Jaguars starter this offseason — one that saw many teams simply cut role players who opted out in 2020 — rather than part ways early. Regardless, Hurns cannot play for the Dolphins this season because of this IR move.
The Dolphins revamped their receiving corps this spring, signing Will Fuller and using the No. 6 overall pick on Jaylen Waddle. Hurns and Albert Wilson‘s absences hurt last year’s Miami squad, but Wilson had impressed in this year’s training camp and is on the way back to the Dolphins’ active roster. Despite Miami extending Hurns late in the 2019 season, he may be on his way out of town.
Hurns’ wrist injury is set to sideline him for a few months, which could mean he ends up missing two straight full seasons. That will put the ex-Allen Robinson Jacksonville sidekick’s career in jeopardy, given his age. As a Parker supporting caster in 2019, Hurns caught 32 passes for 416 yards and two touchdowns. He did so after a scary injury in a Cowboys-Seahawks wild-card game the previous January, so Hurns has experience surmounting significant injuries and catching on elsewhere. The former UDFA has not come close to matching his 1,000-yard season from 2015, but a few teams have sought him as a veteran contributor.
In other moves to trim their roster to 85 players Tuesday, the Dolphins waived offensive tackles Jonathan Hubbard and Timon Parris, defensive tackle Jerome Johnson and guard Tyler Marz. They also cut cornerback Jaytlin Askew with an injury designation.
Jaguars Cut Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow‘s time with the Jaguars has come to an end. On Tuesday morning, the Jaguars released the former UF superstar as they work their way down to an 85-man roster.
“Thankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, and the setbacks,” said Tebow on Twitter. “I’ve never wanted to make decisions out of fear of failure and I’m grateful for the chance to have pursued a dream. Thank you to the Jaguars organization and everyone who has supported me in this journey.”
Head coach Urban Meyer previously said that Tebow did a “decent job” in practice . Over the summer, 46% of PFR readers said Tebow would make Jacksonville’s 53-man roster, while another 25% said the ex-Broncos QB1 and Mets farmhand would land on the practice squad. The practice squad remains a possibility, but Tebow won’t be on the Jaguars’ varsity squad to start the year.
Tebow bulked up to 255 pounds — up ~20 from his quarterback days — to move to TE. Washington tight end Logan Thomas proved that the transition could be done, but it took him several years to find his footing. Of course, the ex-Virginia Tech quarterback made the move in his mid-20s; Tebow was trying it at the age of 33.
Due to his NFL service time, Tebow will be a full-fledged free agent by the end of the business day. However, it’s not clear if Tebow will receive — or pursue — an opportunity elsewhere.
In addition to Tebow, the Jaguars have also made the following moves to reach the 85-man max:
- CB D.J. Daniel (waived)
- WR Josh Imatorbhebhe (waived/injured)
- WR Tim Jones (waived/injured)
- DT Daniel Ross (IR)
Steelers To Acquire Joe Schobert From Jags
Aug. 15: The Jags are paying $3.65MM of Schobert’s 2021 pay, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. That is exactly half of Schobert’s $7MM base salary plus $300K in per-game roster bonuses. Schobert is also converting $2.36MM of his remaining salary into a signing bonus in order to decrease his cap charge on Pittsburgh’s 2021 books.
Schobert’s non-guaranteed salaries of $8.75MM, $10.25MM, and $10.75MM from 2022-24 will remain unchanged.
Aug. 12: Joe Schobert is headed back to the AFC North. The Jaguars are trading the veteran linebacker to the Steelers, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The Steelers will send a 2022 sixth-round pick to the Jags to complete this deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Schobert will end up having spent just one season in Jacksonville, with the team’s new regime moving in a different direction. The Steelers will pick up the sixth-year vet’s five-year, $53.75MM contract. This addition comes a few weeks after longtime Pittsburgh inside linebacker Vince Williams announced his retirement.
The Steelers are plenty familiar with Schobert, who worked as a Browns starter for three seasons prior to his March 2020 departure for Jacksonville. Schobert led the NFL with 144 tackles in 2017, earning him a Pro Bowl nod, and he led the Browns in stops in 2018 and ’19 as well. Schobert, 27, paced the Jags in tackles in 2020, with 141, but the effort came for a team that capped a 15-game losing streak that produced the No. 1 overall pick. That led Trevor Lawrence and Urban Meyer to Jacksonville, where changes are taking place.
Pittsburgh has Devin Bush returning from a torn ACL; Schobert will provide the team with a proven starter alongside its 2019 first-round pick. A former fourth-round pick out of Wisconsin, Schobert is set to earn $7MM in base salary this year. This move will hand the Jaguars a few million in dead-money charges, but the team leads the NFL in cap space as of Thursday.
Mike Tomlin has been high on Schobert’s coverage ability for a while, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter). Pro Football Focus did not view Schobert as a plus coverage ‘backer in 2020, but he graded in the top 15 overall at the position in 2018. Schobert will soon adjust to his fourth defensive system in four seasons. Of course, that was already the case with the Jaguars retooling their staff under Meyer.
Schobert and Myles Jack resided as the most productive players in the Jags’ lineup last season, with numerous backups joining them in the lineup as the season careened off course. The team has since signed Damien Wilson and used a fourth-round pick on Jordan Smith at linebacker. They also added ex-Alabama standout Dylan Moses as a UDFA, though he remains on the team’s NFI list.
Bold Take Pod’s Eric Dilla was the first to report a trade was in the works (Twitter link).
Urban Meyer Not Committing To Trevor Lawrence As Jaguars’ Week 1 Starter
Even as the Jaguars suggested in June they would hold a quarterback competition, such a plan seemed difficult to believe. The Jags drafted Trevor Lawrence, the most celebrated QB prospect since at least Andrew Luck, and went through three starters last season.
Jacksonville securing the No. 1 overall pick undoubtedly influenced Urban Meyer to make the jump to the NFL. Two months later, however, the first-year Jags HC is sticking to his guns on refusing to turn the keys over to Lawrence. Meyer did not say if either Lawrence or Gardner Minshew would start in Jacksonville’s preseason opener Saturday in Cleveland.
Regarding the chance Lawrence does not start in Week 1, Meyer said, “I think we’ll answer that as we get closer.” It would be stunning if the top quarterback investment in Jaguars history does not take over from the jump, but Minshew has won Meyer over during camp.
“He’s earned my respect. I love that guy,” Meyer said, via NFL.com. “He’s a warrior, competitor. He’s a fighter. I told him that. I just got great respect for Minshew. He brings it every day, every day.”
This praise may not translate to the former sixth-round afterthought keeping Lawrence out of the lineup, but it is rather interesting this remains a question. Meyer said following the Jags’ minicamp Lawrence was not ready to take over yet but acknowledged the prized prospect certainly could prove himself worthy in camp. Although Minshew was benched last season, as the Jags’ losing streak brought Lawrence into the equation, he raised his completion percentage by six points and finished the year at 66%. This came with a similar yards-per-attempt figure (6.9) compared to his rookie-year number (7.0). Minshew has a 37-11 career TD-INT ratio.
Even if Lawrence takes over as planned, Minshew would profile as one of the NFL’s better backups. The Washington State alum came up in trade rumors earlier this offseason, with the Jags signing C.J. Beathard. But Meyer shot down the notion Minshew was available. And the third-year passer has remained a factor in the Jaguars’ decision-making into training camp.
Latest On Jaguars, C.J. Henderson
It is safe to say C.J. Henderson‘s stock with the Jaguars has dropped since the previous regime made him the No. 9 overall pick barely a year ago. The second-year cornerback is now in trade rumors, and his standing with Urban Meyer appears less than ideal.
Meyer and assistant head coach Charlie Strong traveled to Henderson’s residence to meet with him recently, Strong said Tuesday (via John Reid of the Florida Times-Union). Henderson has been on the field for just two of the Jaguars’ 11 practices at training camp. He spent time on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list and missed the offseason program due to shoulder labrum surgery. Before the shoulder injury cut his season short, Henderson started eight games as a rookie. He has not been a steady participant since that midseason injury.
The ex-Florida Gator has appeared disinterested at Jags practice, per Reid, and he no-showed the team’s scrimmage Sunday for personal reasons. Strong, however, said he is attempting to help Henderson get back on solid footing with the team.
“We didn’t have to go get him to come to the facility, just had a conversation with him,” Strong said of he and Meyer’s visit with Henderson, via Reid. ”Anytime you have a great young man like that, you want to make sure you do everything possible to help him. We know he can make us a lot better football team. He wants to play. He is going to do everything he can to get back.”
Recent reports have indicated execs around the league believe Henderson is available, and that the Saints are interested. Meyer, at least publicly, has not expressed the same kind of support for Henderson compared to Strong. When asked if Henderson will be able to move past this string of absences, the first-year Jags HC offered an “I don’t know.” It is also unknown if Henderson will play in Jacksonville’s preseason opener this week. Shaquill Griffin, Sidney Jones and rookie second-rounder Tyson Campbell have been the Jags’ primary corners thus far in camp.
Saints Pursuing CBs, Interested In Jaguars’ C.J. Henderson
After their efforts to trade up for a cornerback in the first round failed, the Saints are trying another upgrade avenue months later. They are exploring trade options at corner, Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com tweets.
This includes C.J. Henderson, whom the Jaguars may well be dangling in trades. The Jags are believed to be open to moving last year’s No. 9 overall pick, and Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed adds that Jacksonville’s new Urban Meyer-led regime is not as high on the Florida alum (Twitter link).
New Orleans returns Marshon Lattimore, but previous starter Janoris Jenkins became one of the team’s cap casualties this offseason. Interestingly, the Saints did acquire multiple corners — in third-rounder Paulson Adebo and veteran slot defender Brian Poole — this year. Adding Henderson or someone else on this level would certainly change the equation for the reigning NFC South champs, who made efforts to trade up for Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II this year.
Lattimore is under contract for just one more season, but the Saints are believed to prioritize the former first-round pick over franchise-tagged safety Marcus Williams. A trade for Henderson would be pricey; the Jags are likely making him available only for a major return. But, like Minkah Fitzpatrick at the time he was dealt, Henderson would be attached to three more seasons of rookie-deal money. With Lattimore perhaps on the cusp of securing a top-market cornerback contract, a high-end rookie-deal complementary piece would make sense.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/8/21
Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: DT Xavier Williams
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived/injured: DT Deadrin Senat
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DE Kendall Donnerson, DB LaDarius Wiley
- Waived: OL David Moore
- Waived/injured: DE Austin Larkin
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Gage Cervenka
Denver Broncos
- Claimed (from Ravens): LB Barrington Wade
- Signed: DT Lorenzo Neal
- Released: S Tedric Thompson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Graham Adomitis
- Waived/injured: WR Gary Jennings
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Claimed (from Cardinals): CB Lorenzo Burns
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: OL Bryan Witzmann
- Placed on reserve/retired list: TE Nick Keizer
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DT Chris Okoye, CB K.J. Sails
New England Patriots
- Re-Signed: LB Cassh Maluia
- Placed on IR: TE Dalton Keene
New York Giants
- Claimed (from Jets): WR Matt Cole
- Signed: DB Chris Johnson
- Waived: WR Andy Jones
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Pete Guerriero
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on active/PUP list: S Jaquiski Tartt
Washington Football Team
- Waived: OL Cole Boozer
Jags CB C.J. Henderson Available Via Trade?
The Jaguars used the No. 9 overall pick last year on cornerback C.J. Henderson. Although the young defender saw his rookie season cut short, he was viewed as a foundational piece for the franchise. Jacksonville’s new regime may not feel the same way.
Multiple NFL executives believe Henderson is now available via trade, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Buzz around the league has surfaced that the Jaguars are shopping the second-year corner, Fowler adds. This would certainly be a surprising development, but new decision-makers are running the show now in north Florida.
Henderson, the second corner off the board last year, just came back off the Jags’ reserve/COVID-19 list. While the ex-Florida Gator and the Jags are believed to have a good relationship, Fowler tweets, the prospect he will be traded after one season now appears to be in play.
The Jags’ Dave Caldwell–Doug Marrone regime drafted Henderson and plugged him into the starting lineup in Week 1 of last season. Henderson arrived as the centerpiece of the team’s new-look cornerback group, following the trades of Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Henderson played in eight games in 2020 but landed on IR in November. Henderson subsequently underwent shoulder labrum surgery. Pro Football Focus graded him as a middle-of-the-pack corner in 2020.
Urban Meyer and GM Trent Baalke have added some notable cornerback pieces this offseason, signing Shaquill Griffin and drafting Tyson Campbell in the second round. Henderson would seemingly still have a starting job in Jacksonville, should the team stand pat, but he would also generate interest. After a rookie season in which Henderson played just half the Jags’ games, however, his trade value may not produce a first-round pick. But given that the Jags covered Henderson’s rookie-contract signing bonus, he will obviously fetch the franchise a notable trade haul. The 22-year-old cover man is signed through 2023, with a fifth-year option covering 2024, and a team that trades for him would only be responsible for his rookie-scale base salaries.
Jaguars To Sign WR Tavon Austin
The Jaguars have agreed to sign wide receiver/kick returner Tavon Austin (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s likely a low-cost, one-year deal. 
Austin signed with the 49ers in August of 2020, but was placed on injured reserve before the season started. After his release, he hooked on with the Packers. At the time of signing, the Packers didn’t seem to have much depth at WR beyond Davante Adams, but Austin didn’t see a ton of action on offense. All in all, he finished with five catches for 20 yards across four games.
Austin, the eighth overall pick of the 2013 draft, has been used more as a gadget player and returner than a true receiver in recent years. He may still offer big play ability, although at 31 he’s not quite as explosive as he used to be. Austin may get a chance to return punts for the Jaguars, but he’ll have to solidify his roster spot over the next few weeks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/21
We’ve got a bunch of minor moves to report from what turned out to be a pretty busy Saturday in the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: LB Tuzar Skipper
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on reserve/retired list: WR Derrick Willies
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Danny Isidora
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: QB Brett Hundley, DT Joey Ivie
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Tevin Jones
- Cut: LB Leon Jacobs, K Aldrick Rosas
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Jerald Hawkins
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Damion Willis
New York Jets
- Signed: K Matt Ammendola
- Cut: K Sam Ficken
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: QB Sean Mannion
Washington Football Team
- Claimed off waivers from Dolphins: OL Ross Reynolds
Hundley is the biggest signing on this list. The Colts adding him is a pretty good sign they expect Carson Wentz to miss some significant time. Assuming Wentz misses games, Hundley will battle it out with second-year pro Jacob Eason.
A couple of kickers who have started a bunch of games both found themselves sent packing in Ficken and Rosas. Mannion latched on with the Seahawks. He’s familiar with new Seattle OC Shane Waldron from their time together with the Rams, explaining why the Seahawks added him as an option behind Russell Wilson.