Mike Morgan

Seahawks Work Out LB Mike Morgan

By Dallas Robinson | at December 13, 2017 7:13 pm

The Seahawks worked out veteran linebacker Mike Morgan on Wednesday before deciding to promote ‘fellow backer Paul Dawson from their practice squad, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com.

Morgan, 29, was technically the Seahawks’ starting strongside linebacker in 2016, but he didn’t see a ton of snaps since the team spent so much time in the nickel formation. He was also held back by injury, spending eight weeks on injured reserve with a sports hernia. All in all, Morgan played only 138 defensive snaps and posted just ten tackles.

Morgan didn’t land a free agent contract immediately after the market opened, but after auditioning for the Jaguars and Saints, he ultimately landed back in Seattle, inking a deal in July. He didn’t make it past final roster cuts, however, and he hasn’t met with any other known clubs since being released in September.

The Seahawks are dealing with injuries to both Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, so it was imperative that the club added a bit of depth before Sunday’s contest against the Rams. While Dawson was chosen this time around, Seattle could conceivably circle back to Morgan later this year.

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Seahawks Now At 53

By Zachary Links | at September 2, 2017 7:57 pm

The Seahawks made some moves to get down to 53, including the release of last year’s backup quarterback. Here’s the full rundown:

Waived:

QB Trevone Boykin
T Darrell Brown
LB Rodney Butler
RB Alex Collins
RB Mike Davis
CB Pierre Desir
WR Cyril Grayson
DT Tylor Harris
C Joey Hunt
DT Quinton Jefferson
WR Kenny Lawler
DT Jeremy Liggins
DT Greg Milhouse
WR David Moore
LB Kache Palacio
C/G Will Pericak
LB Otha Peters
WR Darreus Rogers
DT Garrison Smith
WR Rodney Smith
TE Tyrone Swoopes
T Tyrus Thompson
CB Mike Tyson

Waived/Injured:

Released:

LB Mike Morgan
FB Marcel Reece

Boykin has lost the backup QB job to Austin Davis and that’s not a huge surprise after Davis’ performance in the preseason. Coach Pete Carroll indicated recently that he would have liked to keep three signal callers, but it just wasn’t realistic.

“It’s a good idea if you can do it,” Carroll said. “They’re so important. It just depends on the rest of the roster.”

Seahawks Sign LB Mike Morgan

By Zachary Links | at July 31, 2017 11:28 am

The Seahawks are bringing back linebacker Mike Morgan, according to his reps at Reign Sports (on Twitter). It is expected that Morgan will join Seattle for practice on Monday.

Morgan, 29, was technically the Seahawks’ starting strongside linebacker in 2016, but he didn’t see a ton of snaps since the team spent lots time in the nickel formation. He was also held back by injury, spending eight weeks on injured reserve with a sports hernia. All in all, Morgan played only 138 defensive snaps and posted just ten tackles.

The Seahawks project to start Cassius Marsh and K.J. Wright at the outside linebacker spots. Seattle also added a pair of free agent OLBs in David Bass and Terence Garvin. Morgan will compete for one of those backup spots, potentially unseating one of the two spring additions.

The Jaguars and Saints were the only teams known to have worked out Morgan this offseason.

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Saints Working Out LB Mike Morgan, DT Tony McDaniel

By Dallas Robinson | at June 14, 2017 9:40 pm

The Saints are are auditioning linebacker Mike Morgan and defensive tackle Tony McDaniel during their minicamp, according to Herbie Teope of NOLA.com and Joel Erickson of the Advocate (Twitter link).

Morgan, 29, was nominally the Seahawks’ starting strongside linebacker in 2016, but because Seattle spent so much time in nickel, Morgan’s defensive snaps were limited. Morgan’s contributions were further restricted by injury last year, as he spent eight weeks on injured reserve while dealing with a sports hernia. All told, Morgan played only 138 defensive snaps and posted just 10 tackles. His only other known interest this offseason came from the Jaguars, for whom he auditioned last month.

New Orleans has already augmented its linebacking corps this offseason, as the club signed free agents Manti Te’o and A.J. Klein while using a third-round pick on Florida’s Alex Anzalone. Those three ‘backers will add to an already crowded unit that also includes Craig Robertson, Dannell Ellerbe, Stephone Anthony, and Nathan Stupar.

Like Morgan, McDaniel also spent the 2016 campaign with Seattle, and has in fact played for the Seahawks in three of the past four years. The 32-year-old McDaniel played on 45% of Seattle’s defensive snaps a season ago, racking up 43 tackles and grading as the league’s No. 52 interior defender in the process, per Pro Football Focus. McDaniel could have a path to playing time in New Orleans alongside Sheldon Rankins, especially if Nick Fairley‘s heart condition restricts his ability.

Other notable players working out for the Saints this week include offensive lineman Chris Watt, kicker Patrick Murray, and long snapper Thomas Gafford, per Teope.

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Jaguars To Work Out LB Mike Morgan

By Dallas Robinson | at May 17, 2017 7:06 pm

The Jaguars will audition free agent linebacker Mike Morgan on Thursday, and Morgan could sign with Jacksonville if the tryout goes well, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com.

Jacksonville is already well-stocked with linebackers in the forms of Myles Jack, Paul Posluszny, Telvin Smith, and fifth-round pick Blair Brown, so Morgan would likely be limited to special teams duty. That’s a role Morgan has played before, as he saw action on more than 60% of the Seahawks’ special teams plays in 2015. The Jaguars ranked a lowly 25th in special teams DVOA last season.

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Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Defense

By Dallas Robinson | at March 15, 2017 6:23 pm

The initial wave of NFL free agency is now complete, and while many of the league’s top available players are now off the board, there are still plenty of quality options still on the open market.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for 2017:

Edge defender:

The pass rushing market has been completely depleted during the first week of free agency, as 14 of our original top 15 edge players have now been franchised, signed, or, in the case of DeMarcus Ware, retired. As such, a 37-year-old with 15 NFL seasons under his belt is now the best pass rusher on the market. Dwight Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. Capable of playing in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme, Freeney can still help out a club on the cheap.

Three players on this list — Elvis Dumervil, Connor Barwin, and Eugene Sims — were released by their respective clubs last week, meaning they won’t count against the compensatory formula if and when they’re signed. Dumervil, now 33, was hampered by injuries last season but still earned strong pass-rushing marks from Pro Football Focus. Barwin, meanwhile, wasn’t a good fit in Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 defense, but he should flourish if he signs with a team running a 3-4 look. So far, he’s met with the Bengals (who use a 4-3) and Rams (3-4).

Chris Long has already indicated he won’t be returning to the Patriots, indicating he wants to join a roster where he’ll earn more playing time. Erik Walden, too, won’t re-sign with his 2016 club (the Colts), but he has taken a visit with the division rival Titans. Further down the list, Howard Jones has also met with at least one club, as he was hosted by the Jets on Tuesday. Jones, 27, is recovering from a torn ACL, but did post five sacks in five starts last season.

Interior defensive line:

Although top-flight players such as Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams have already been signed, the crop of interior defenders remains strong at the top. The buzz around Johnathan Hankins has been virtually non-existent, as the only club that’s been even tangentially linked to the 25-year-old is the Redskins. He’s one of the youngest free agents on the market, and therefore is probably looking for a massive payday. But the lack of interest around Hankins may be an indication that he’s simply asking for too much money.

The same issue could be surrounding Dontari Poe, although he’s not wanting for meetings around the league. He’s visited with the Colts, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins, while the 49ers and Raiders also reportedly have some level of interest. Clubs may have concerns about Poe’s lingering back issues, and he might have to accept a one-year deal in order to prove he’s healthy and willing to provide full effort.

The remaining defensive interior players are mostly over-30 veterans, with names such as Tony McDaniel, Cullen Jenkins, Frostee Rucker, and Tyson Jackson still looking for new deals. While most of these guys can still play, they may have to wait awhile — possibly into the summer — before signing on with their next club. Jared Odrick (Patriots) and Vance Walker (Bears) have both taken visits, but the most intriguing lineman here may be Sen’Derrick Marks, who offers a good amount of pass rush from the interior.

~~Zach Brown~~
~~Kevin Minter~~
Perry Riley
~~Gerald Hodges~~
DeAndre Levy
Daryl Smith
~~Sio Moore~~
~~Sean Spence~~
~~Manti Te’o~~
Mike Morgan
~~Keenan Robinson~~
~~Nick Bellore~~
D’Qwell Jackson
Erin Henderson
Josh Bynes

While players at other defensive positions have flown off the board, there’s been almost no movement among off-ball linebackers. Only five of PFR’s original top-15 free agent linebackers have signed new contracts, a group that includes Dont’a Hightower, our previous No. 1 ‘backer who re-signed with the Patriots today. Zach Brown, who now holds that honor, broke out in his fifth NFL campaign and played especially well in coverage, a skill that should lead to a handsome reward. Brown, 27, met with the Raiders today, while the Dolphins also hope to schedule a visit.

The Bengals, specifically, are in the linebacker market, as they’ve met with both Kevin Minter and Keenan Robinson in recent days. But the rest of the players on this list aren’t drawing much interest as of yet, a fact that speaks to the devaluation of the linebacker position. Teams will pay up for a three-down linebacker like Hightower, but if a player can be formation-ed off the field, he’s not going to land a hefty deal.

One linebacker who did prove he could stay on the field on third down was Perry Riley, who played 370 coverage snaps for the Raiders last season. Riley is still only 28 years old, but posted awful marks from Pro Football Focus during his previous campaigns with Washington. Whether it was Oakland’s scheme (including its talented pass rushers) that allowed Riley to flourish, or a true breakout coming in the middle of a career, Riley could help a number of clubs. The Raiders are reportedly working to bring him back.

Cornerback:

The top two corners still on the open market are both former Cowboys, and Brandon Carr looks like the surer bet to return to Dallas at this point. Morris Claiborne, meanwhile, has drawn interest from the Ravens, and most opposing clubs believe he’ll end up signing with Baltimore. Clairborne, 27, appeared to be a prime overpay candidate heading into the offseason, but if the Ravens can land him on a short-term deal, they’d be making a wise investment.

Nickell Robey-Coleman was surprisingly cut loose by the Bills earlier this offseason, and the 25-year-old has already drawn interest from numerous teams, with the Vikings, Chargers, Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans all considering a run at the slot man. Like Robey-Coleman, Alterraun Verner, Valentino Blake, and Leon Hall are all probably best sticking to slot duty, while Hall can even offer safety versatility.

Now that all charges have been dropped against Darrelle Revis, he’ll make for an interesting test case in free agency. Clearly, Revis is not the shutdown corner he once was, and may even be mulling a move to safety as he closes his career. But clubs in the market for secondary help could do worse than Revis, and he should be on a roster when the regular season rolls around.

Safety:

Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, and Barry Church all came off the board quickly, leaving Darius Butler as the top safety who is still unsigned. Butler is 30 years old, but as a former cornerback, offers the type of coverage skills that NFL teams are looking for in today’s passing league. He’s taken a visit with the Bears (who have already added Quintin Demps), while a return to Indianapolis is still possible.

Most of the safeties on this list are in-the-box types — that’s thanks to the fact that center field-esque safeties are more rare and thus more expensive. Recently-released veterans such as Jairus Byrd, Lardarius Webb, and Corey Graham, however, offer coverage ability and would make for decent signings on short pacts. T.J. McDonald and Bradley McDougald, on other hand, are big hitters that will patrol near the line of scrimmage. McDougald, specifically, will take a visit with the Seahawks this week.

Chris Prosinski is just a special teamer, but he’s a great special teamer. While he only played 173 defensive snaps in 2016, he saw time on more than 80% of the Bears’ special teams plays, and was listed as one of the season’s best special teams players by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. Football Outsiders ranked the Cardinals, Jets, and Texans as the bottom-three teams in special teams DVOA, and any of those clubs would benefit from adding Prosinski.

Kicker:

Demand is not high for placekickers at the moment, as only the Giants and Bengals stand out as clubs that immediately need a kicker. Injuries and ineffectiveness are sure to strike the position, however, at which point the specialists on this list will surely receive calls. Dan Carpenter and Mike Nugent missed a combined 11 extra points in 2016, and given that he topped both Carpenter and Nugent in field goal percentage, Nick Folk should be the first kicker on clubs’ emergency list.

3 comments 2017 NFL Free Agents Miami Dolphins Newsstand PFR Originals Aaron Williams Al Woods Alterraun Verner B.W. Webb Bradley McDougald Brandon Carr Brandon Flowers Chris Long Chris Prosinski Connor Barwin Corey Graham Cullen Jenkins Daimion Stafford Dan Carpenter Darius Butler Darrelle Revis Darryl Tapp Daryl Smith DeAndre Levy Devin Taylor Dontari Poe Donte Whitner Duke Ihenacho Dwight Freeney Elvis Dumervil Erik Walden Erin Henderson Eugene Sims Frostee Rucker Gerald Hodges Howard Jones Jairus Byrd Jared Odrick Jason Jones Jerraud Powers John Jenkins Johnathan Hankins Josh Bynes Keenan Robinson Kendrick Lewis Kevin Minter Lardarius Webb Leodis McKelvin Leon Hall Mike Morgan Mike Nugent Morris Claiborne Nick Bellore Nick Folk Nickell Robey-Coleman Patrick Robinson Paul Kruger Perry Riley Rafael Bush Rashad Johnson Ricky Jean-Francois Roy Miller Sam Acho Sam Shields Sean Spence Sio Moore Sterling Moore Steven Terrell T.J. McDonald Tony McDaniel Tramon Williams Trent Cole Tyson Alualu Tyson Jackson Vance Walker Wallace Gilberry Zach Brown Ziggy Hood

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Defense

By Dallas Robinson | at March 6, 2017 10:59 pm

NFL free agency gets underway on Thursday and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. Here is our updated outlook for each defensive and special teams position.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as franchised players aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for this offseason: