AFC East Notes: Pats, Groves, Keller
With the NFL unveiling the first member of the Patriots on their Top 100 for 2014 list tonight, Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com looked back at the Pats players who have made the list in previous years. Tom Brady, unsurprisingly, has been a mainstay in the top 5, being named No. 1 in 2011 and No. 4 in 2012 and 2013. Aaron Hernandez made his first top 100 in 2013, but it’s a pretty safe bet that he won’t be featured in this year’s edition. Here’s more out of the AFC East..
- Former Browns linebacker Quentin Groves visited the Patriots today, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (via Twitter). The Redskins are up next for the former Auburn standout and he’ll visit Washington D.C. tomorrow. The 29-year-old was expected to be a menacing pass rusher when he was taken with the 52nd overall pick in the 2008 draft, but he has yet to realize his potential. In six NFL seasons, Groves has recorded just 8.5 sacks for the Jaguars, Raiders, Cardinals, and Browns.
- The Patriots are keeping in touch with tight end Dustin Keller, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Keller suffered a major knee injury during the 2013 preseason with the Dolphins and is still working his way back to football shape. Keller caught 241 passes for 2,876 yards and 17 touchdowns in five seasons with the Jets, including career highs of 65 receptions for 815 yards and five touchdowns in 2011 when he last played a full 16-game season.
- The Bills are working out former Kansas receiver and special-teamer Josh Ford, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Ford recorded 14 special-teams tackles and blocked three kicks during his senior season with the Jayhawks.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Cowboys, Falcons, Pats, Colts
Today’s minor moves include a veteran defender heading to IR, a CFL signing, and other smaller signings and cuts from around the NFL. Let’s dive in and round up Wednesday’s minor transactions, with additional moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Former Bethel cornerback Jocquel Skinner, who signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in May, has been waived-injured by the club, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Per Wilson, the Cowboys have also removed Marvin Robinson from their IR with an injury settlement.
Earlier updates:
- Tight end Andrew Szczerba and punter Matt Yoklic have been cut by the Falcons, according to a team release. Szczerba spent last season on injured reserve, while Yoklic was signed by Atlanta a month ago as a rookie free agent.
- The Patriots have waived offensive lineman R.J. Mattes, the team announced today in a press release. It’s the third time since last May that the former North Carolina State lineman has been cut by New England.
- The Colts have placed defensive end Fili Moala on injured reserve, tweets Craig Kelley of Colts.com. Moala, who missed half of the 2012 season with a torn ACL, has suffered a similar injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Per Rapoport, the 28-year-old’s ACL is only partially torn, but it’s enough to sideline him for the 2014 season. To replace Moala, the Colts have signed former Arizona State defensive end Gannon Conway, who was waived by the Dolphins last month.
- A former Valdosa State wideout with a presidential name has signed with the Dolphins, according the team, who announced today (via Twitter) that Gerald Ford has been added to the roster. Tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi has been cut to clear space on the roster for Ford.
- Offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr. was cut by the Saints recently, has signed with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).
Extra Points: Cardinals, Rams, Orton, Adams
The Cardinals are looking to possibly add some established veterans, but it’ll be a waiting game for those seeking employment, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. The Cards worked out veteran right tackle Tyson Clabo recently but the two sides have been unable to come to an agreement. Urban is reminded of the dance that the Cards did with tackle Eric Winston last season before ultimately signing him to a below asking price deal right before training camp.
- The Rams will not receive their $3MM offset on cornerback Cortland Finnegan‘s signing with the Dolphins until the 2015 cap year, writes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, that bit of news had no bearing on the team’s decision to restructure the contract of center Scott Wells, which created some immediate salary relief. Finnegan signed a two-year deal with Miami in March.
- The Kyle Orton watch will be on when the Cowboys hold their mandatory minicamp June 17-19, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Coach Jason Garrett reiterated that he anticipates Orton to take part in the minicamp, but he has not had any recent conversations with the Cowboys backup and he says he’s not sure Orton has a copy of the playbook to understand the changes implemented by new playcaller Scott Linehan.
- Unrestricted free agent safety Mike Adams tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1 (on Twitter) that the 49ers, Browns, Jets, and Patriots are potential landing spots for him. However, he says the door for re-signing with the Broncos is likely closed.
- Even though there is no long-term deal imminent, Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds is hoping that will change before the start of the season. “I hope so, but it is one day at a time,” said Worilds, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “If I continue with that approach, everything will fall in line.”
- By the time training camp starts in late July, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter) expects Texans GM Rick Smith to sign a veteran offensive tackle to compete for the swing tackle job.
- Browns coach Mike Pettine is already making a strong impression in Cleveland, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports. The 47-year-old has instilled a strong work ethic in his new team and showed wisdom when he said no to HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for this offseason.
Extra Points: Williams, Sheard, Quessenberry
While the free agent market has thinned out considerably over the last several months, there are still players capable of providing value to NFL teams, and one such free agent is veteran defensive tackle Kevin Williams. Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Williams suggested talks have been “picking up” for him lately and that he anticipates signing somewhere in time for training camp. As the longtime Viking confirmed, he has visited the Patriots, Giants, and Seahawks, and has also spoken recently to Minnesota.
Let’s check in on a few more items from around the league….
- Browns outside linebacker Jabaal Sheard said today that he and the club have had some preliminary talks about a contract extension and that he hopes something can be worked out, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
- Texans offensive lineman David Quessenberry has been placed on the NFL’s non-football illness list after being diagnosed with lymphoma, the club announced today in a press release. In a statement, GM Rick Smith expressed confidence in the care Quessenberry would receive. “We look forward to his full and complete recovery,” Smith said. “We will continue to support him and his family and look forward to his return to the team.” Our thoughts and well-wishes go out to Quessenberry and his family as he battles the disease.
- Asked about Colin Kaepernick‘s new contract extension, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said his biggest takeaway from the agreement was simply the fact that Kaepernick and the 49ers were able to get something done (link via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). Dalton, of course, will be looking for an extension of his own very soon.
- Taking an early look ahead to the 2015 NFL draft, Mel Kiper discusses the top senior and underclassmen defensive ends in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com. Texas’ Cedric Reed and Nebraska’s Randy Gregory top Kiper’s lists.
- The Dolphins‘ willingness to shift Jason Fox to left tackle behind Branden Albert in OTAs suggests the club has confidence in rookie Ju’Wuan James‘ ability to hang onto the right tackle job, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
AFC Links: Titans, Ravens, Texans, Browns
A former first-round pick, longtime defensive end Derrick Morgan will be shifting to outside linebacker in the Titans‘ new defensive system this year. As he tells Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, Morgan is hoping to make a smooth transition and have a productive season in what will be the final year of his rookie contract.
“I definitely think about it,” Morgan said of his expiring contract. “But at the same time, you can’t put too much energy into something like that. It is football and I am going to approach things the same way as I always have. I am going to play hard, and at the end of the year I hope everything works out the way it is supposed to.”
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- As the 49ers’ tight ends coach, Eric Mangini will be working closely this season with Vernon Davis, a player that drew his interest during the 2006 draft. “When I was with the Jets I really loved Vernon in the draft,” Mangini said, per Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant. “We were pretty close to drafting him in New York.”
- Longtime NFL receiver Donte Stallworth, who last played for the Patriots in 2012, has joined the Ravens‘ coaching staff as a summer intern, the club announced today in a press release.
- The Texans will be looking to find a fullback during training camp, with rookie Jay Prosch among those competing for the job, head coach Bill O’Brien said yesterday (link via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).
- Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com poses 25 questions for the Browns to consider as the team prepares to begin its mandatory minicamp.
- After an uninspiring rookie campaign, 2013 third-round pick Dallas Thomas will have a second chance to earn playing time on the Dolphins‘ offensive line this season, writes Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- While Kyle Auffray’s primary position is tight end, the newly-signed Patriot also has experience at quarterback and punter, notes Mike Wilkering of Pro Football Talk. Auffray is still a long shot to make New England’s regular season roster, but that versatility could be a plus.
Minor Moves: Steelers, Jags, Browns, Cards, Pats
It’s been a fairly quiet day for transactions around the NFL, but a number of teams have completed minor moves, including signing mid-round draft picks. We’ll round up the day’s minor transactions right here:
- The Steelers now have seven of their nine draftees under contract, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve officially signed fourth-round receiver Martavis Bryant. Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports first reported earlier this afternoon (via Twitter) that Pittsburgh was close to locking up Bryant, who will receive a signing bonus worth about $439K, according to Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com,
- The Jaguars also signed one of their draft picks today, as third-round guard Brandon Linder formally inked his rookie deal, per John Oesher of Jaguars.com (via Twitter). Jacksonville has essentially been working backward through its picks, so first-round quarterback Blake Bortles and second-round receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson remain unsigned.
- 2013 sixth-round defensive back Jamoris Slaughter has been cut by the Browns, the team confirmed today (Twitter link). Slaughter didn’t appear in a game for Cleveland during his rookie season. Meanwhile, the Browns added a couple new players to their roster (Twitter link), signing offensive lineman Alex Parsons and kicker Jake Rogers, who was let go by the Redskins last month.
- Veteran center John Estes, who signed with the Cardinals in March and was cut in May, is back with the team on a new contract, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Offensive lineman Christian Johnson was waived to make room.
- The Patriots have signed former New Hampshire tight end Kyle Auffray and cut undrafted rookie receiver Derrick Johnson, according to a team release.
AFC Notes: Fitzpatrick, Jernigan, Pats, Titans
The Texans waited until the fourth round of last month’s draft to add a quarterback (Pittsburgh’s Tom Savage), so it appears that they will head into the 2014 season with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starting signal-caller. As Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle writes, many members of the Texans coaching staff have previously worked with Fitzpatrick, whom the Texans signed to a two-year, $7.25MM deal. Houston’s defensive unit is expected to be the team’s strength, but new head coach Bill O’Brien is confident in Fitzpatrick to lead the offensive side of the ball. “It’s about decision-making,” said O’Brien. “Not forcing the ball and understanding that you have a really good back out of the backfield in [Arian] Foster that you can always check it down to. … We believe in our system. But at the end of the day, Ryan, he needs to go out there and make good decisions and make sure he is doing what is best for the team.”
More from around the AFC:
- Ravens rookie Timmy Jernigan, who is competing for the left defensive end spot in Baltimore’s defense, is off to a good start, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “…[H]e’s flashing a lot,” said offensive guard Kelechi Osemele. “He’s playing fast, especially for being a young guy, and being thrown in there with the [first-teamers] every now and then and it being a new system and everything. He’s coming along really well.”
- The Ravens might be set at right tackle with Ricky Wagner and Ryan Jensen, per Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. Osemele is probably going to stay at left guard, so barring a veteran addition, the two second-year players will battle it out for the starting position.
- Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis will be playing more man coverage after failing to get comfortable in the Buccaneers’ zone scheme last season, and his presence will allow safety Devin McCourty (who is engaged in extension talks) to roam the defensive backfield, according to ESPN.com’s Jeffri Chadiha.
- Following Alterraun Verner‘s departure, the Titans will hold a competition between 2013 third-rounder Blidi Wreh-Wilson and Coty Sensabaugh, a 2012 fourth-round pick, for the starting cornerback position opposite Jason McCourty, reports the staff of the Daily News Journal.
- Browns head coach Mike Pettine didn’t list a particular reason for releasing linebacker Quentin Groves, writes Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “…[W]hen you have situations like that with a veteran player you are better off doing it sooner rather than later to give them an opportunity to catch on somewhere else,” said Pettine. My guess is the Browns, who are stacked at outside linebacker with the likes of Paul Kruger, Jabaal Sheard, and Barkevious Mingo, simply weren’t keen on paying Groves’ $1MM base salary.
AFC Notes: Shorts, Cameron, Patriots
In addition to having a delightful name, Jaguars‘ receiver Cecil Shorts has been one of the few bright spots on the club over the past couple of seasons. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times Union examines the recent extension that Doug Baldwin signed with the Seahawks, and wonders if a similar contract would make sense for Shorts, who will become a free agent at the end of the 2014 season.
O’Halloran concludes that if Jacksonville were to offer Shorts a contract resembling the one that Baldwin received–the Seahawks added two years to Baldwin’s contract to create a three-year, $13MM with $8MM guaranteed–Shorts should jump at the opportunity. Both players have put up similar numbers during their three years in the league, but considering that the Jaguars drafted highly-touted receivers Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee last month, and given that rookie quarterback Blake Bortles will probably find himself under center at some point this season, Shorts’ stats may take a hit. This is not to mention the fact that Shorts has frequently been able to bolster his numbers in garbage time, when the Jaguars were forced to throw the football and opposing teams were willing to let them eat up big but meaningless chunks of yardage. If the Jaguars are more competitive this season, as they expect to be, those opportunities would decrease.
On the other hand, Shorts is doubtlessly a talented and sometimes electric playmaker, so he certainly could eclipse the 1,000-yard mark and drive up his price, particularly if he is able to stay healthy. As such, both sides would do well to consider an extension, and we will see if they enter into talks as we move closer to training camp.
Now a quick look at the AFC:
- Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com observes that, for the time being, Danny Amendola looks like the player that the Patriots thought they were getting when they signed him to a big free agent deal last year.
- Staying on the subject of the Patriots, Christopher Price of WEEI.com notes that the team is “taking it slowly” with the tackle position. Starters Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer have been limited this spring, so the team has been working out Marcus Cannon on the left side of the line and Jordan Devey on the right. Price notes that New England could be on the lookout for depth at tackle, especially since June 1 has come and gone.
- Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com notes that Browns tight end Jordan Cameron‘s already-impressive numbers stand to improve in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense and in the absence of Josh Gordon, and that improvement–along with Cameron’s recent changing of agents–should make any long-term negotiations between the two parties very interesting.
- Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explains why the Steelers, to the surprise of many, waited until the fifth round of last month’s draft to select a corner. In short, the team believes Antwon Blake and Brice McCain have a great deal to offer should the opportunity arise.
- Mike Klis of the Denver Post reexamines the 2011 draft-day trade between the Broncos and 49ers that landed Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco and Rahim Moore, Quinton Carter, and Julius Thomas in Denver.
Patriots Notes: Revis, Edelman, Anderson
Defense was the cornerstone of the Patriots’ three Super Bowl victories between 2001 and 2004, and stellar play from the secondary had much to do with it. Now, with the addition of Darrelle Revis, arguably the best defensive back in football, coach Bill Belichick has more flexibility than ever to implement his defensive strategy, opines ESPN.com’s Jeffri Chadiha.
Revis’ inclusion to the team means good things for the rest of his defensive counterparts, per Chadiha. Safety Devin McCourty can take more chances, defensive end Chandler Jones could add to his 11.5 sacks last season, and the defense could regain the swagger last seen in the Romeo Crennel days of yesteryear.
More from the defending AFC East champs below…
- The cornerback group has the potential to be the deepest it’s been in Belichick’s 15 years as head coach, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss. A projection places Revis at left cornerback, former Seahawk Brandon Browner at right cornerback, and veteran Kyle Arrington manning the slot. Browner will serve a suspension for the first four games of the season, and Reiss pegs reserves Alfonzo Dennard or Logan Ryan as potential replacements during that span.
- Wide receiver Julian Edelman, loaded with a four-year, $17MM contract and fresh off a 105-catch season, said he’s working to not make the same mistakes twice in an attempt to avoid Belichick’s wrath, reports the Associated Press’ Howard Ulman.
- Linebacker James Anderson, signed by the Patriots earlier this week, undergoes a scrutinous film study by ESPN.com’s Reiss, who surmises that the former Bear excels in pass coverage but is not a stack-and-shed linebacker.
- The transition from Carolina to New England has not been an easy one for wide receiver Brandon LaFell, whose two main goals are learning the offense and not getting embarrassed by Revis, writes The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin and Shalise Manza Young.
- In an impressively thorough writeup, Sports Illustrated’s Doug Farrar breaks down first-round pick Dominique Easley‘s game and how the former Florida defensive lineman could redefine New England’s defensive fronts.
AFC East Notes: Stadium, Tannehill, Pryor
The Dolphins‘ are reportedly very close to landing a $400MM upgrade to Sun Life Stadium, reports Patricia Mazzei and Andres Vaglucci of the Miami Herald. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giminez will attempt to secure the deal over the weekend.
Giminez stated that the stadium will be funded by tourist’s taxes.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC East:
- With Colin Kaepernick‘s new extension, the Dolphins can start to consider their own quarterback’s next contract, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. Walker looks at other $100MM quarterbacks such as Matthew Stafford, Jay Cutler, and Joe Flacco and how they compare to Ryan Tannehill so far.
- Jets‘ first-round pick Calvin Pryor is fitting right in with the team’s mentality, already taking his shots at the team’s biggest rivals, and their arch-nemesis Tom Brady, writes of Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. “We don’t like Tom at all,” Pryor said. “When I first came here, that was one of the first things I heard about: We hate the Patriots and we hate the Giants. So we hate those guys and I look forward to playing them this season.”
- Patriots‘ new corner tandem of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner are bullying the team’s receivers in OTAs, writes Nick Underhill of MassLive.com. The receivers are frustrated by their lack of opportunities against the pair, but are impressed by what their teammates will be unleashing when they first play together in week five. Browner is suspended for the first four games.