Latest On Dominique Easley
When news broke on Wednesday that the Patriots had decided to waive defensive tackle Dominique Easley, it came as a surprise — although Easley had been plagued by injuries during his first two years in the NFL, his stock certainly hadn’t fallen as far as that of Johnny Manziel, the only other 2014 first-rounder to be cut by his team already.
[RELATED: Patriots waive Dominique Easley]
According to Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com (Twitter link), there wasn’t one incident that led to Easley’s release. However, it does seem as if there were a few factors beyond the lineman’s play on the field that played a part in the decision.
Curran alludes to “philosophical differences on following injury programs,” while Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (all Twitter links) notes that Easley is facing a lawsuit in Palm Beach County from a man alleging that he was bit by Easley’s dog. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe hears that Easley – who has a fondness for pit bulls and other aggressive dogs – may be bracing for two more similar lawsuits.
Meanwhile, multiple sources tell Volin that the 24-year-old is “unreliable and immature,” and an unnamed former teammate referred to him as a “locker room cancer.” Said one source to Volin: “I think he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. He comes across as an entitled kid. He reneges on everything. He thinks he’s invincible.”
Despite whispers about possible poor off-field behavior, Easley remains a talented contributor on the field when he’s healthy. He didn’t see enough snaps to earn a spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings for interior defensive linemen last season, but his +81.5 grade would have placed him 24th at the position if he had played a little more.
New agent Drew Rosenhaus, who admits he was surprised by the move, said on Wednesday that he expects Easley to be on another team soon, per Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link). It’s possible that the former first-rounder won’t even reach free agency — teams have the opportunity to place a waiver claim on him, to assume the final two years of his rookie contract from the Pats.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Patriots Waive Dominique Easley
3:11pm: Easley’s knees are in “pretty bad shape,” a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com adds (via Twitter) that off-field issues factored into the Patriots’ decision to part ways with Easley.
2:57pm: As the Patriots prepare to enter the 2016 draft as the only NFL team without a first-round pick, the Pats have removed their 2014 first-round pick from their roster. According to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com, defensive lineman Dominique Easley has been waived by New England.
Easley, 24, was selected 29th overall in the 2014 draft by the Patriots, despite the fact that he was recovering from a torn ACL at the time. Although he made it back to the field for his rookie season, he was limited to just 11 games, and played in only 11 more in 2015, having been plagued by hip, knee, and ankle issues.
Before he landed on injured reserve in December of 2015, Easley picked up 15 tackles and two sacks in his sophomore NFL season, and received a solid Pro Football Focus grade. Given his decent play when he was healthy, his first-round pedigree, and the fact that he still has guaranteed money remaining on his contract, Easley’s release comes as a bit of a surprise, despite his injury woes.
Teams will have the opportunity to roll the dice on Easley and place a waiver claim on him before he becomes a free agent — a club that claims him off waivers would assume the final two years of his rookie contract. If Easley goes unclaimed, he would count for about $2.9MM against the Patriots’ cap in 2016, which is about $900K more than his cap hit would have been if he had remained on the team’s roster.
A Monday report indicated that Easley had hired agents Drew Rosenhaus and Michael Katz of Rosenhaus Sports for representation, so it’s possible that he was aware of the Patriots’ decision well before today and was preparing for the possibility of hitting the open market.
Easley is the second 2014 first-rounder to be cut by his team this offseason. The other, of course, was former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Justin Coleman Signs Tender
- The Patriots announced that cornerback Justin Coleman has signed his ERFA tender, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. Coleman made 21 tackles in 10 games (two starts) last season.
Patriots Interested In David Hedelin
- Purdue offensive lineman David Hedelin is drawing interest from the Chiefs, Lions, Falcons, Broncos, Patriots, Washington, and Dolphins, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
Patriots Re-Sign LeGarrette Blount
3:56pm: The Patriots officially announced the deal.
12:52pm: Blount’s one-year pact with the Patriots features a minimum base salary ($760K), plus a $100K signing bonus, a $100K roster bonus, and up to $1MM in incentives, a source tells Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
11:07am: A familiar face will return to the Patriots’ backfield for the 2016 season, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, who reports (via Twitter) that New England has re-signed running back LeGarrette Blount. It’s a one-year deal for Blount, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Blount, 29, had a brief stint in Pittsburgh in 2014, but has otherwise spent the majority of the last three seasons with the Patriots. In 2015, he ran for 703 yards on 165 carries (4.3 ypc), picking up six touchdowns on the ground and adding one more through the air. Blount missed New England’s playoff run, having been placed on injured reserve in December due to a hip injury.
The Patriots’ backfield is filling up for training camp, with free agent signee Donald Brown joining the mix and Dion Lewis returning from a season-ending injury of his own. James White, Brandon Bolden, and Joey Iosefa remain under contract as well, and it’s possible New England will use a draft pick on a running back.
Still, assuming Blount earns a spot on the 53-man roster, he’s a good bet to see a decent workload. Blount’s 378 carries for New England from 2013 to 2015 are easily the most for any Patriots running back during that three-year span.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Taveze Calhoun Visits Patriots
- Mississippi State cornerback Taveze Calhoun has or had workouts with the Cowboys, Lions, Jaguars, 49ers, and Buccaneers, and is visiting the Patriots and Dolphins (Twitter link).
Steven Daniels Visiting Patriots
- Having already worked out for New Orleans and Philadelphia, Boston College linebacker Steven Daniels is paying a visit to New England to meet with the Patriots, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net, who tweets that the Pats would be a good fit for Daniels.
Patriots To Meet With Booker, Lee
- Utah running back Devontae Booker will visit with the Dolphins on Tuesday and also with the Patriots later in the week, Rapoport tweets.
- Baylor wide receiver Jay Lee has visits lined up with the Ravens, Browns, and Seahawks plus private workouts for the Patriots, Cowboys, Lions, Seahawks, and Jaguars, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
Patriots Rumors: J. Williams, Easley
- Arkansas running back Jonathan Williams is visiting with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium today, sources tell Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter). The Pats previously met with the tailback at the combine. Williams, 22, missed the 2015 regular season after undergoing foot surgery. In 2014, he racked up 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground despite splitting carries.
- Arkansas running back Jonathan Williams is visiting with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium today, sources tell Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter). The Pats previously met with the tailback at the combine. Williams, 22, missed the 2015 regular season after undergoing foot surgery. In 2014, he racked up 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground despite splitting carries.
- Patriots defensive lineman Dominique Easley has hired agents Drew Rosenhaus and Michael Katz of Rosenhaus Sports for representation, as Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. Easley, 23, has been plagued by injuries since being selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. In December of last season, he was placed on IR with a leg injury. In his injury-shortened sophomore year, Easley totaled 15 tackles and two sacks as a part-time player.
Patriots Cut RB Tyler Gaffney
- The Patriots cut running back Tyler Gaffney, as Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald tweets. Gaffney was injured throughout his two seasons with New England, though he was not waived with an injury designation today.