AFC South Notes: Colts, Nicks, Jaguars, Texans
Aside from Andrew Luck, the Colts might have the worst roster in the NFL, opines Rivers McCown of Football Outsiders (in a piece for ESPN Insider: subscription required). Since 2010, Indianapolis draft picks have borne little fruit, as Luck, T.Y. Hilton, and Dwayne Allen are the only above-average players selected during the span. Because of the lack of draft success, general manager Ryan Grigson has been forced to add talent via trade and free agency — a strategy that hasn’t worked well, as the Trent Richardson, Erik Walden, and LaRon Landry acquisitions have yielded substandard results. Finally, effective veterans like Reggie Wayne and Robert Mathis are nearing the end of their careers, meaning the Colts’ lack of roster depth could be a long-term issue.
More from Indianapolis and the rest of the AFC South:
- Despite his struggles last season, Richardson is now feeling more comfortable in the Colts’ offense, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com.
- New Colts receiver Hakeem Nicks hasn’t yet impressed at training camp, Indianapolis offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton tells Tom James of the Tribune-Star (Twitter link). …”I don’t know if I can say that I’ve seen enough. I think he is still working to get himself in game shape…” said Hamilton. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap tweets, the Colts are only paying Nicks as a mid-to-low-tier receiver (~$4MM), so it wouldn’t be a major problem if his performance is lackluster.
- After adding to their defensive line over the offseason, the Jaguars are intent on raising their sack totals in 2014, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Union-Times. Jacksonville got to the quarterback just 31 times last year, tied for last in the league.
- Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick looked to be at his best during Sunday’s scrimmage, and head coach Bill O’Brien tells Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle that he’s pleased with the veteran’s performance. “I think he is getting better every day. He’s more and more comfortable,” said O’Brien. “…[T]here is a lot to this offense. It’s good to have a guy that has been in a few offenses…He loves this offense, as do all the quarterbacks, because it is a quarterback-friendly offense.”
Big Cats Notes: Newton, Suh, Dalton
As Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes, “the seal was broken” on extensions for 2011 first-round draft picks–the inaugural group of first-rounders under the new CBA–when Patrick Peterson and Tyson Smith recently signed new long-term, big-money deals. Given the extensions for those high-profile franchise cornerstones, Person wonders when the Panthers will look to extend quarterback Cam Newton.
Of course, Carolina picked up Newton’s option for 2015 back in April, so they have time to get a deal done. The team might also be wise to wait and see how Newton’s surgically-repaired left ankle responds this year. However, if Newton enjoys the same type of success in 2014 that he did in 2013, he will really drive up his price tag, especially since Newton’s supporting cast appears weaker this season.
Former NFL agent Joel Corry does not believe the new deals for Smith and Peterson will “open the floodgates” for their fellow 2011 first-rounders, and he expects the Panthers and Newton to strike an agreement on an extension after the end of the 2014 campaign but before training camp opens in 2015. It remains to be seen what that extension will look like, but an average annual value of $20MM seems to be the new starting point for signal-callers of Newton’s caliber.
Now for some more links from the league’s Big Cat franchises:
- Former agent Joel Corry believes that the Lions‘ decision to table contract talks with Ndamukong Suh indicates that Suh’s contract demands are “sky-high” and that he was probably asking to be the highest-paid defensive player in the league, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Corry believes that if Suh’s camp was not asking for that type of contract, the two sides probably would have struck a deal.
- Jaguars‘ running back Toby Gerhart was held out of Saturday’s scrimmage, but Gerhart said he was merely experiencing leg tightness and the decision to not participate in the scrimmage was precautionary, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida-Times Union.
- In the same piece, O’Halloran provides a little more detail on the roster moves that the Jaguars made yesterday.
- Coley Harvey of ESPN.com writes that Bengals‘ quarterback Andy Dalton, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, has been “sensational” in training camp thus far.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are some minor transactions from around the NFL on Saturday:
- The Rams have waived wideout Jamaine Sherman from injured reserve with an injury settlement, tweets Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports.
- The Seahawks have waived defensive tackle Jesse Williams with the injured designation, tweets The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. The player has cleared waived and will be placed on the team’s injured reserve.
Earlier updates:
- To make room for new addition Samson Satele, the Dolphins have waived rookie lineman Samuel Longo, the team announced on Twitter.
- The Seahawks have indeed claimed Cory Brandon off of waivers from the Cardinals, tweets Field Yates. Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times reported that the move was likely following the release of Michael Bowie.
- The Texans have released tight end Chris Coyle to make room for Irwin, tweets James Palmer of Comcast Sportsnets Houston. Houston added the rookie tight end in late July.
- Josh Hull‘s contract with the Jaguars will be a two-year deal, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Hull signed earlier today, along with Kenny Shaw and David Carter. The team waived three players to make room for the signings.
- The Patriots have released rookie wide receiver Cole Stanford, according to the team’s official website.
- The Texans have signed offensive guard Bronson Irwin, an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. He was recently released by the Seahawks.
- The Cardinals were awarded linebacker Trevardo Williams off waivers from the Texans, reports Josh Weinfuss of ESPN (via Twitter). The team released cornerback Todd Washington to make room for Williams.
Matt Feminis and Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Jaguars Sign Three, Waive Three
The Jaguars have signed wide receiver Kenny Shaw, defensive tackle David Carter, and linebacker Josh Hull, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN (via Twitter).
Shaw, who was cut from the Browns earlier this offseason, was a standout pass catcher at Florida State University in 2013. He caught 54 passes for almost 1,000 yards and six touchdowns as a senior, while also serving as the main punt returner for the National Champion Seminoles.
Carter has played 32 NFL games with the Cardinals, while Hull has appeared in 28 games with the Rams, according to DiRocco (via Twitter).
In order to make room for the three signings, the team has waived receiver Damian Copeland, defensive tackle Jordan Miller, and linebacker John Lotulelei.
Extra Points: Abraham, Casey, Jags, Bucs
Some assorted to notes to close out this Friday evening:
- Cardinals linebacker John Abraham, who was arrested for DUI last month, has issued a statement through the team’s website. He says, in part, that he is “taking the necessary steps to handle [his] personal business.” A previous report indicated that Abraham was set to join Arizona’s training camp next week.
- Titans defensive lineman Jurrell Casey is coming off of a career season and is seeking a contract that reflects that, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. While he says that he doesn’t want to cause any headaches, Casey is earning just $1.43MM this season and knows that the top performers at his position are earning more than five times that number.
- The Jaguars are working out former Florida State wide receiver Kenny Shaw today, tweets Mark Long of the Associated Press. The Browns cut Shaw, a UDFA, last last month when they signed Rutgers product Jamaal Westerman.
- The Buccaneers will pair new tight end additions Brandon Myers and Austin Seferian-Jenkins with holdovers Tim Wright and Luke Stocker to form a solid position group, writes Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, who notes that Jenkins and Wright have the capacity to line up wide.
- The Texans’ newly-implemented 3-4 defense, lead by coordinator Romeo Crennel, is starting to round into form, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Sunday Roundup: Nelson, Robinson, Browns
Let’s look at some links from around the league as training camp rolls along and ruminations over hot-button issues like the color of Johnny Manziel‘s cleats consume far too much of everyone’s time:
- Jets‘ rookie safety Calvin Pryor does have a concussion, tweets Brian Costello of The New York Post. We learned earlier this morning that Pryor, who suffered the injury Saturday, was absent from practice today.
- Jordy Nelson‘s new deal might be a bargain for the Packers, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
- Saints‘ cornerback Patrick Robinson, who missed most of 2013 with an injury and who has seen Champ Bailey take most of the reps as the team’s No. 2 corner thus far, is flashing the ability that made him a first-round pick in 2010, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
- Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com does not expect the Jaguars to make a play for a veteran receiver, adding that the team’s focus is in developing rookies Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee.
- Newly-signed TE Ed Dickson has shown flashes of his impressive athletic ability in Panthers camp, writes Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer. Dickson, who struggled with drops during his tenure with the Ravens, is looking for a fresh start in Carolina.
- Safety Dashon Goldson, who underwent ankle surgery following the 2013 season, is being brought along slowly by the Buccaneers, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com.
- The Texans worked out former Raiders’ outside linebacker Eric Harper at the same time they auditioned Quentin Groves and Lawrence Sidbury, writes Aaron Wilson of The National Football Post. Houston ultimately signed Sidbury and Groves.
- Texans‘ guard Cody White suffered a torn Achilles tendon during yesterday’s practice, tweets John McClain of The Houston Chronicle.
- Although it seems unlikely that Johnny Manziel will beat out Brian Hoyer as the Browns‘ starting quarterback to open the season, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe believes that Cleveland’s schedule “sets up well” for Manziel to assume the starting role early in the season. The Browns have a bye in Week 4 and then a series of “easy” games against teams like the Titans, Jaguars, and Raiders.
- Speaking of the Browns‘ quarterback dilemma, Lindsay Jones of USA Today Sports tweets that Hoyer will continue to take reps with the first-team offense through Tuesday’s practice, and then Cleveland’s coaching staff will reevaluate the team’s situation under center. Wednesday’s practice, then, may be a telling one.
Extra Points: Saints, Suh, Blackmon
Things got weird between the Saints and tight end Jimmy Graham this offseason but everything has been smoothed over now that Graham has a new deal, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “Look, one of the best phone calls of the summer was he and I having a chance to visit the day of [the signing] and just touch base and kind of get moving towards this training camp,” said coach Sean Payton. Payton went on to praise Graham and his agent Jimmy Sexton for the way they handled the process, an unusual series of events that included an arbitration hearing to determine whether Graham should be considered a tight end or wide receiver for franchise tag purposes. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- The Lions are not optimistic about signing Ndamukong Suh to a new contract, tweets Chris Mortensen of ESPN. Suh enters camp counting $22.4MM against the Lions’ salary cap and Detroit had hoped to gain some cap flexibility in a new deal.
- Marshawn Lynch is holding out for more money from the Seahawks a day after Jamaal Charles reworked his deal with the Chiefs, but it’s hard to compare the two situations, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. For starters, Charles was quite underpaid while Lynch’s deal put him amongst the top five backs in the league. While its understandable that Lynch is holding out, Fitzgerald concludes that Charles was far more deserving of the raise he received.
- Jaguars owner Shad Khan says that he won’t be releasing Justin Blackmon after his latest arrest, but Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com says they should take a stand and do it. The wide receiver isn’t being paid and doesn’t count against the salary cap or roster limit, but releasing him would send a message to the rest of the team that his type of behavior will not be accepted.
AFC Notes: Blackmon, Chiefs, Ross, Dalton
Wide receiver Justin Blackmon, who was already serving an indefinite suspension for violations of the league’s substance abuse policy, was arrested in Oklahoma on Wednesday night for possession of marijuana, as Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union details. The Jaguars say they haven’t considered cutting Blackmon, but there’s no indication that he’ll be reinstated and return to the field anytime soon.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap passes along the details on Jamaal Charles’ new deal with the Chiefs, which includes a roster bonus and reporting bonus for 2014, but no prorated signing bonus.
- Even after signing his extension, Charles also earned the honor of having the best contract on the Chiefs, in Fitzgerald’s view. On the other end of the spectrum, Dwayne Bowe’s deal is the least team-friendly pact on the team’s books, says Fitzgerald.
- Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), that cornerback Aaron Ross tore his Achilles tendon during the team’s conditioning test, and will be out for the season. The injury is an unfortunate one for the veteran defensive back, who was hoping to earn a regular-season roster spot.
- Speaking to the media today, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said he’s not worried about his contract situation, adding that the backing of owner Mike Smith makes him confident the two sides will work something out (Twitter links via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com).
Ace Sanders Suspended Four Games
WEDNESDAY, 4:30pm: The Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran reports (via Twitter) that the NFL has announced that Sanders will be suspended for four games. Coach Gus Bradley spoke about the suspension of Jaguars.com Live (via John Oehser of Jaguars.com)…
“It is unfortunate,” he said. “You hate to lose a player of Ace’s caliber for a period of time. He’s a great teammate, and players really respect him. He’s very talented.
“We’ve talked to Ace and said, ‘When you come back from all of this we’re going to welcome you with open arms and, ‘Let’s get back to work.’ We’ve talked to our guys about, ‘You’ve got to get your world right, then the man becomes right.’
“That’s what he’s doing now. He’s getting himself right.”
TUESDAY, 6:36pm: In a conference call with reporters earlier this evening, Jaguars wide receiver Ace Sanders said that he is facing a four-game suspension and won’t be around for the majority of training camp, according to Mark Long of The Associated Press.
“I made some mistakes I do regret. I’m still dealing with it and trying to be a better person,” Sanders said, according to Long (on Twitter).
This is another tough blow for a Jaguars team that will most likely be without star Justin Blackmon for the 2014 season. Sanders had 51 receptions for Jacksonville in his rookie season, second only to Cecil Shorts‘ 66 catches and ahead of the soft-handed Maurice Jones-Drew. Sanders is undoubtedly bummed about missing one-quarter of the 2014 season, but football probably isn’t the first thing on his mind at the moment. The wide receiver said that he has been down a “tough road” and will seek counseling for his problems.
Minor Moves: Packers, Jaguars, Chargers
It’s been a busy Wednesday in the NFL, with a handful of veteran signings (including Jason Babin), a confirmed suspension and a retirement. Let’s take a look at some of the more under-the-radar moves from this afternoon…
- The Packers have signed linebacker Korey Jones, the player’s agent told Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The former Wyoming player spent 2013 with the BC Lions of the CFL after a brief stint with the Cardinals.
- The Jaguars have announced the signing of rookie defensive back Deion Belue. The team subsequently waived rookie running back Beau Blankenship. Belue, a former standout for Alabama, has already spent time on the Dolphins and Steelers rosters. Blankenship had a 15-touchdown season for Ohio University in 2012 and was signed by the Jaguars in May.
- The Cardinals announced that they have cut rookie wide receiver Kelsey Pope. The former Samford Bulldog broke multiple Southern Conference receiving records during his collegiate career.
- The Chargers have waived (failed physical) former second-round pick Jonas Mouton, the team announced. The linebacker made three appearances in three seasons with the team.
- The Vikings have waived defensive end Spencer Nealy and signed tight end Michael Higgins, the team announced on Twitter. Nealy, a former undrafted rookie, is suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season. Higgins previously spent time with the Saints.
- The Patriots have released wide receiver Tyler McDonald and re-signed wideout Greg Orton, reports the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe (via Twitter). McDonald, a former Maine Black Bear, was signed by New England less than a week ago. Orton spent last season on the Patriots practice squad.