Neville Gallimore

Dolphins To Sign DL Neville Gallimore

Neville Gallimore is heading to Miami. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the defensive lineman is expected to sign with the Dolphins. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes it’s a one-year deal, adding Gallimore turned down slightly better offers from other teams.

Gallimore spent his entire four-year career in Dallas after being selected in the third-round of the 2020 draft. Once rated the top Canadian draft prospect, Gallimore got an extended look on defense as a rookie, starting nine of his 14 appearances. After an elbow injury limited him to only five contests in 2021, the defensive lineman has mostly seen a backup role over the past two seasons.

Gallimore started one of his 33 appearances between 2022 and 2023, with the lineman playing in 691 defensive snaps between the campaigns. He collected 16 tackles and one sack in 17 games this past season, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 69th among 130 qualifying interior defenders.

In Miami, the defensive lineman will work with defensive line coach Austin Clark, with Rapoport noting that the two have trained together during the offseason. Gallimore will be part of the team’s answer to replace Christian Wilkins, with the team having also added Isaiah Mack and Daviyon Nixon for reinforcement on the defensive line.

Restructured Contracts: Garoppolo, Bills, Wilson, Reed

Jimmy Garoppolo continues to help the Raiders carve out cap space. After reworking his deal earlier this offseason, the quarterback has once again restructured his deal, per ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).

The move will create $17MM in cap space for the organization, making them cap compliant. As Vince Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes, the team previously converted an $11.25MM signing bonus into base salary, increasing Garoppolo‘s salary from $11.25MM to $22.5MM in the process. Bonsignore assumes the front office did some work today to reduce that newfound 2023 number.

Shortly after Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75MM deal, he underwent surgery to repair the fractured foot he sustained in early December. The Raiders’ first restructuring helped protect the organization in case the QB’s foot injury lingers into the regular season.

More financial notes from around the NFL…

  • The Bills opened a chunk of cap space today. The team opened $4.5MM in cap space by restructuring the contracts of guard Ryan Bates and cornerback Taron Johnson, per Yates. Bates turned into a full-time starter for the Bills in 2022, while Johnson has started 41 games for Buffalo over the past three seasons.
  • Cedrick Wilson Jr. reworked his contract with the Dolphins prior to cutdown day, per Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS. The veteran wideout lowered his base salary to $2MM while receiving a $3MM signing bonus, equaling his $5MM in guarantees from last season. With incentives, Wilson can earn up to $7.25MM on his reworked contract.
  • The Vikings recently reworked the contract of guard Chris Reed, according to ESPN’s Ben Goessling. The offensive lineman’s base salary is now fully guaranteed at $1.165MM, an increase from the $1.4MM ($600K guaranteed) pact he was previously attached to. This was the second time this offseason that Reed agreed to a reworked contract.
  • Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills restructured his deal recently, converting $2.28MM of his base salary into a signing bonus, per Yates. The new deal also has three new void years, opening around $1.8MM in cap space.
  • The Cowboys restructured Neville Gallimore‘s contract, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. The defensive tackle’s salary was reduced from $2.7MM to $1.5MM, and he can now earn $750K via incentives.

Cowboys Activate Randy Gregory, Neville Gallimore From IR

The Cowboys will have their starting defensive ends in uniform together for the first time since Week 1. Dallas moved Randy Gregory back onto its active roster Saturday.

Both Gregory and defensive tackle starter Neville Gallimore are back from IR. Gregory missed time because of a calf injury, while Gallimore has seen a more severe injury shelve him for the entire season. The second-year defensive tackle has missed all of the 2021 slate due to a dislocated elbow.

Gallimore, a 2020 third-round pick who started nine games as a rookie, returned to practice last week. Gregory’s IR-return window opened ahead of Week 14. The Cowboys will have both in uniform when they face Washington on Sunday. They will team with DeMarcus Lawrence, who returned in Week 13 after having missed 10 games, on a suddenly healthy defensive front.

Gregory has missed time for both this calf ailment and a COVID-19 contraction this season, but he has avoided more off-field trouble. The former 2015 second-rounder has been quite productive in his seven games this season. The oft-unavailable pass rusher has five sacks and 12 QB hits, setting himself up potentially for a payday in 2022. Gregory is due for free agency in March. The Cowboys are not planning to finalize any deals with their 2022 UFAs until season’s end.

Dallas being able to deploy its preferred Lawrence-Gregory defensive end duo will allow rookie dynamo Micah Parsons to spend more time at linebacker. The Cowboys’ edge unavailability has forced Parsons to play up front extensively, though the Penn State product has thrived pretty much wherever he has lined up.

Cowboys’ Randy Gregory Returns To Practice

An important piece to the Cowboys’ defensive front may be on the way back. Randy Gregory returned to practice Wednesday, according to NFL.com’s Jane Slater (Twitter link). 

The pass rusher had been placed on IR with a calf injury he suffered in a practice drill one month ago. That was a major blow to an improved Cowboys defense, and an interruption in Gregory’s most successful season to date. In seven games, he has recorded five sacks to go along with 12 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles.

The news is the latest welcome sign for Dallas’ defensive line, as two-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence was activated from IR last week. If Gregory is able to return for Sunday’s game against Washington, it would mark the first time since Week 1 that both of the Cowboys’ starting defensive ends were available.

With second-year nose tackle Neville Gallimore also returning to practice, the potential for a healthy defensive line would have an impact on standout rookie Micah Parsons. An off-ball linebacker by trade, the No. 12 overall pick in this year’s draft has been forced to play on the edge for long stretches this year, recording 10 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Cowboys Designate Neville Gallimore For Return

The Cowboys have designated Neville Gallimore for return, per a club announcement. The move opens up a 21-day practice window for the defensive tackle, paving the way for his eventual return. 

[RELATED: Cowboys Place Steele On Reserve/COVID-19 List]

Gallimore, a 2020 third-rounder, started nine games in his rookie campaign and was expected to serve as a starter again this year. Unfortunately, a dislocated elbow has shelved him all year. Now, at minimum, he’ll serve as a valuable rotational piece on the interior.

In theory, Gallimore can suit up for Thursday night against the Saints, but it’s not clear if he’ll be ready in time. Ditto for Randy Gregory and two-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence, who is aiming to return from his foot fracture.

The Cowboys would like to have all three linemen back in action ASAP. After dropping their last two, the Cowboys are 7-4 and still in danger of losing the NFC East lead.

Latest On Cowboys’ D-Line Injuries

The Cowboys should be getting a major boost to their front seven within the month. Defensive ends DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory, both currently on IR, could be back in action in the next three to four weeks, per club VP Stephen Jones (Twitter link via Jon Machota of The Athletic). DT Neville Gallimore is on the same timeline.

Dallas responded to its surprising loss at the hands of the Broncos in Week 9 by administering a thorough dismantling of the Falcons last week, and the 7-2 outfit has the makings of a legitimate championship contender. Getting back two of their top pass rushers would, of course, go a long way towards a deep playoff run.

Lawrence played in the Cowboys’ season opener but then suffered a broken foot in practice, which has kept him on the sidelines ever since. The 29-year-old has not been producing the type of gaudy sack totals that he amassed over the 2017-18 seasons — which helped earn him a five-year, $105MM contract in March 2019 — but he is still a key piece of Dallas’ defensive front.

Gregory, after missing a great deal of time due to suspensions over his first few seasons in the league, had posted five sacks and 12 QB hits through seven games this year before suffering a calf injury in practice earlier this month. He is out of contract at season’s end, and if he continues to play well when he returns, he could be in line for a nice payday. The current expectation is that the club will explore a long-term pact with him this offseason.

Gallimore, a 2020 third-rounder, started nine games in his rookie campaign and was expected to serve as a starter again this year. A dislocated elbow has kept him on the shelf all season, but if nothing else, he could be a useful rotational piece on the interior of the D-line. Third-round rookie Osa Odighizuwa and veteran Carlos Watkins have not been especially effective as the Cowboys’ starting DT tandem in 2021.

Cowboys Place DT Neville Gallimore, CB Kelvin Joseph On IR

Two young Cowboys contributors will miss at least the team’s September portion of the season. Both defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and rookie cornerback Kelvin Joseph will begin their seasons on IR.

Gallimore is recovering from a dislocated elbow, while Joseph suffered a groin injury during Dallas’ preseason finale last week. While each is expected to return this season, neither can do so before Week 4. Gallimore’s timeline lines up with that return date.

The Cowboys made Joseph one of their top additions this offseason, one in which numerous resources went to a defensive repair effort. Dallas selected Joseph 44th overall. The 20-year-old defender who played at LSU and Kentucky was unlikely to begin the season in the Cowboys’ starting lineup, but this represents a setback to start his pro career.

Dallas also placed tackle Josh Ball, wide receiver Malik Turner and tight end Sean McKeon on IR. This batch of moves will free up roster spots for a few players coming off the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list. CeeDee Lamb, safety Damontae Kazee and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins are coming off the coronavirus list Thursday.

Cowboys DT Neville Gallimore To Miss Time

Neville Gallimore left the Cowboys’ second preseason game early with what looked like a significant injury. While the second-year defensive tackle will be out for a while, it looks like he will have a chance to return early in the regular season.

The Dallas starter is expected to be out four to six weeks after suffering a dislocated elbow Friday night, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. No tear took place, though ESPN.com’s Todd Archer notes this injury could sideline Gallimore for up to two months (Twitter link). The structural damage to Gallimore’s elbow being minimal will increase his chances of coming back at some point in September.

The Cowboys used Gallimore as a nine-game starter last season, turning to the rookie inside during a brutal defensive season for the team. Despite Dallas changing defensive coordinators, the Oklahoma product is still expected to start upon returning from this setback. However, Gallimore’s injury may well create a need at this position for the time being.

Dallas used a third-round pick to acquire him last year and also bolstered the position in this year’s third round, selecting Osa Odighizuwa. Fellow D-tackle Trysten Hill, a 2019 second-round pick who started five games in 2020, remains on the team’s active/PUP list due to the ACL tear he suffered against the Giants last October.

NFC East Notes: Redskins, Smith, Cowboys, Prescott

With graphic details and graphic images, ESPN.com’s Elizabeth Smith and Stephania Bell bring us the story of Alex Smith‘s gruesome injury and his road to recovery.

“Our first priority is we’re going to save his life,” a hospital worker said to Alex’s wife, Elizabeth, just days after the injury. “And then we’re going to do our best to save his leg. And anything beyond that is a miracle.”

Smith said that he feels “very much lucky to be alive” after the horrific injury and ensuing sepsis infection. And, after celebrating his 36th birthday in May, the Redskins quarterback is working towards an NFL return. Mrs. Smith, meanwhile, is conflicted.

When I think about Alex returning to football, there’s part of me that wants him to do whatever he has the inner drive to do. If that means stepping back on the football field and throwing on those pads, then I want him to prove that to himself. But obviously there’s part of me asking, “‘Is it worth ever doing that again? Do you know what we just went through?'”

Here’s more on the Redskins, the Redskins’ quarterback situation, and the rest of the NFC East:

  • Talk of Tua Tagovailoa going to the Redskins didn’t bother starter Dwayne Haskins.“Throughout the whole process Ron [Rivera] was just telling me to trust him,” Haskins said (via JP Finlay of NBC Sports). “I did so it worked out.” The Redskins were long expected to take Chase Young with the No. 2 pick, but there were Tua rumblings on draft week. Ultimately, they took the Ohio State edge rusher and passed on the Alabama star.
  • If the Cowboys can’t work out an extension with Dak Prescott by July 15th, they’ll have to wait until after the 2020 season to resume negotiations. That deadline puts some serious pressure on the team to get something done with their beloved QB, but COO Stephen Jones says he won’t break the budget. “There’s all sorts of analytics out there that show if your quarterback takes up too big a percentage of your salary cap, it decreases your chances to win,” Jones said (via PFT). “We’re just trying to figure out the right fit. No one wants to sign Dak to a longer term deal more than Jerry and myself. We’re on the record time and time again on what we think of him as a leader. He has the ‘it’ factor. He’s a fierce competitor. He wants to win as well, and it’s just gotta be right for him and right for us.”
  • The Cowboys are feeling really, really good about their Day 2 and Day 3 haul in the draft, Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Before the draft, they had a “high-second-round” grade on cornerback Trevon Diggs – they landed him at No. 51 overall. They assigned a second-round grade to defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, and snagged him in the third. In the fourth round, they see yet another steal – the scouting department gave center Tyler Biadasz a high-third-round score and snagged him with the last pick of the fourth round. Time will tell, but the Cowboys are doing cartwheels over their 2020 middle-round choices.
  • Carlos Hyde, who racked up 1,000+ yards rushing in Houston last year, is still available. The Eagles are interested, but they only want him at the right price.
  • Recently, the Giants reworked Cooper Rush‘s contract to dial down his base pay but also give him a chunk of guaranteed money. That may bode well for his odds of making the roster, but he’s got lots of competition.