Extra Points: Jets, Long, Randle, Bears
Jets head coach Todd Bowles expressed concern Friday over the well-being of defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who was charged Thursday with resisting arrest and traffic violations after a July 14 incident in Missouri. “Clearly, he needs some help,” said Bowles, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Richardson, who was clocked going 143 mph, tried to avoid police apprehension. It was discovered that he had a gun and a 12-year-old in the vehicle, and there was a “very strong odor of marijuana” in the car.
“I let (the organization) down, simple as that,” Richardson said. “I’m not afraid to say that. … This is a wake-up call.”
This “wake-up call” comes less than a month after the NFL suspended Richardson for marijuana use. He’ll face further discipline for this incident.
More on the Jets and the rest of the league:
- Jets rookie wide receiver Devin Smith, a second-round pick, suffered broken ribs in practice Friday and will miss the majority of training camp, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports (via Twitter). He’ll stay at a local hospital overnight as a precaution. Cimini tweeted that Smith was getting a lot of first-team reps prior to the injury.
- There’s concern from some people around the NFL that Jake Long’s career may be over, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Long, who visited the Falcons, Giants and Broncos this week, is coming off his second torn ACL, and it doesn’t sound like he’s back to 100%.
- Browns free safety Tashaun Gipson said contract negotiations are ongoing and he plans to be with the franchise long term, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron-Beacon Journal (Twitter link). Gipson is entering the final season of his rookie deal after piling up a career-best six interceptions last season, giving him 12 for his three-year career.
- The Cowboys view their starting running back job as Joseph Randle‘s to lose, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The team loves his vision and explosiveness, Rapoport tweeted. Randle, a fifth-round pick in 2013, is coming off a season that saw him average a prolific 6.7 yards per carry on just 51 attempts while backing up now-Eagle DeMarco Murray. Randle finished 2014 with with 343 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His main competition for the No. 1 job is oft-injured veteran Darren McFadden, who is currently on the physically unable to perform list with a pulled hamstring.
- Bears cornerback Tim Jennings, who was arrested in January on charges of speeding, DUI, and reckless driving, pleaded guilty to reckless driving and speeding today. His DUI charge was dismissed, the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Wiederer tweeted.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Giants Sign James Jones
The Giants have officially signed free agent wide receiver James Jones, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News reports (Twitter link). Details of the contract have not yet been disclosed, though Jones told Fallon Smith of CSNBayArea.com on Thursday that he’d be getting a one-year deal (via Twitter).
Jones, who visited the Giants on Thursday, set a career high with 73 receptions with the Raiders last season before they released him in May. Prior to signing a three-year, $10MM deal with Oakland in 2014, he spent 2007-13 with the Packers and caught 310 passes and 37 touchdowns. His best individual output came in 2013, when he hauled in 64 passes for 784 yards and a career-best 14 TDs.
Besides the Giants, the Seahawks and Chiefs previously expressed interest in Jones after the Raiders cut him.
NFC Notes: Mincey, Eli, Bennett, Saints, Pack
Here’s a look at the latest from around the NFC:
- Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said the team and defensive end Jeremy Mincey, who is holding out from training camp over a contract dispute, have had some back and forth regarding a new deal, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). The 31-year-old Mincey started all 16 games last season and totaled 46 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He’s due to earn $1.5MM this year.
- Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who is entering the final year of his contract, hasn’t set a deadline on getting an extension done, tweeted the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacchiano.
- Bears tight end Martellus Bennett said in June that he’s “always working on a new contract,” but he changed his tune Thursday, per ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson. “I’m not even worried about a contract right now,” he said. “It’s just business. I have no hard feelings against anybody.” Bennett, who caught 90 passes and made his first Pro Bowl trip in 2014, has two years left on his contract and is set to earn a base salary of $4.9 million this season.
- The NFL suspended Saints tight end Orson Charles for one game without pay for violating its personal conduct policy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The league’s discipline process is confidential, meaning it’s unclear what Charles was suspended for, but Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com wrote that Charles received diversion in February for a 2014 “road rage” incident. The 24-year-old has appeared in 29 NFL games, all with the Bengals (none since 2013), and caught nine passes.
- Friday was rough for Washington cornerback Bashaud Breeland: The league suspended him one game for a past incident involving marijuana possession and he suffered an apparent right leg injury during practice. ESPN’s John Keim reports (via Twitter) that it’s an MCL injury and Breeland will miss 4-6 weeks.
- The Packers worked out ex-Sacred Heart running back Keshaudas Spence on Friday, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette (via Twitter).
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/15
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- Ravens: Signed former Army quarterback Trent Steelman, who tried out as a receiver this week, and cut rookie QB Jerry Lovelocke (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson).
- Bears: Signed G Tyler Moore (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune).
- Cardinals: Signed CB Shaquille Richardson (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com).
- Chiefs: Signed DT Hebron Fangupo and RB LaVance Taylor; waived RB Keshawn Hill (Twitter links). Taylor was signed after tweeting his highlight reel to the team.
- Cowboys: Re-signed LB Keith Smith (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today). Smith, who played 10 games for the Cowboys last season, was cut by the team in May.
- Giants: Waived WR Ben Edwards and T Troy Kropog (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Both players received a failed physical designation.
- Seahawks: Signed S Tyrequek Zimmerman (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Titans: Signed WR Tebucky Jones, waived T Terren Jones, and placed TE Dorin Dickerson on injured reserve (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com; link via AP).
NFC East Notes: JPP, Giants, Gallette
When asked whether he had any idea when Jason Pierre-Paul might report to training camp, Giants co-owner John Mara said that he has no clue, as Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger writes.
“I don’t know how many fingers he has,” Mara said. “We know what we’ve read and what we’ve been told, but until we actually see him and the extent of the damage, it’s hard to make any sort of prediction as to what kind of condition he’s in.”
As the Giants wait to learn more information about their star defensive end, let’s take a look at more from the NFC East..
- When asked about a new deal with quarterback Eli Manning, the Giants owner once again expressed optimism, but also said that it will take some time as Manning’s agent is asking for an unreasonable amount of money in negotiations, Raanan tweets.
- Former Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette, who is meeting with Washington tonight, has also drawn interest from six other teams, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. However, Galette would prefer Washington over his other suitors and feels like it’s a good fit, Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets.
- Interestingly enough, Zac Boyer of The Washington Times (on Twitter) hears that Washington is the only team that has reached out with interest in Galette. The Bucs no longer seem to be in the mix, he adds.
Giants To Sign James Jones
The Giants will sign James Jones to a one-year deal, the wide receiver tells Fallon Smith of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). Jones will head east and arrive in the New York area tomorrow.
Jones probably won’t ever approach his high-water mark season of 2012, when he led the league with 14 touchdown receptions while catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. But, he’s still only 31 years old, and has remained remarkably durable, missing just eight of a possible 128 career games. He has also proven to be consistent, averaging 48 receptions for roughly 620 yards and five scores each year.
After spending seven seasons in Green Bay, Jones established a new career high in 2014 with 73 receptions in Oakland, easily the most catches for any player currently available. Given the conservative nature of the Raiders’ offense though, Jones averaged just 9.1 yards per catch, significantly below his career mark, for a total of only 666 yards.
The Seahawks and Chiefs also reportedly made inquiries on Jones since he was released by the Raiders on May 4th, but it’s the Giants that have wound up with him.
Giants Hosting James Jones
Veteran wide receiver James Jones is visiting the Giants, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The hope for both sides is that the powwow will turn into a signing, he adds.
Jones probably won’t ever approach his high-water mark season of 2012, when he led the league with 14 touchdown receptions while catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. But, he’s still only 31 years old, and has remained remarkably durable, missing just eight of a possible 128 career games. He has also proven to be consistent, averaging 48 receptions for roughly 620 yards and five scores each year.
After spending seven seasons in Green Bay, Jones established a new career high in 2014 with 73 receptions in Oakland, easily the most catches for any player currently available. Given the conservative nature of the Raiders’ offense though, Jones averaged just 9.1 yards per catch, significantly below his career mark, for a total of only 666 yards.
The Seahawks, Giants, and Chiefs have also reportedly inquiries on Jones since he was released by the Raiders on May 4th.
Free Agent Rumors: Bengals, Cherilus, Long
The Bengals are considering adding a veteran receiver to compete in training camp for a roster spot and playing time, and they worked out a couple interesting names today, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Getlin reports that, in addition to Greg Little, Santonio Holmes and David Nelson also auditioned for Cincinnati. Holmes, a longtime Jet, played for the Bears in 2014, while Nelson has accumulated 138 receptions in five seasons with the Bills and Jets. So far, none of the three wideouts have signed with the Bengals.
Here are a few other notes, rumors, and updates on free agency around the NFL:
- Having visited the Bills and Lions, offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus headed home today without a deal in place, and will assess his options, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. If Cherilus is deciding between Buffalo and Detroit and doesn’t plan on making any more visits, I’d expect him to sign soon.
- Another veteran offensive lineman who made some visits this week also remains on the market, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, who writes that Jake Long‘s meeting with the Broncos ended without the club signing the former No. 1 pick. Long is also said to be drawing interest from the Falcons and Giants.
- The Cowboys have been linked to free agent running backs most of the offseason, but executive VP Stephen Jones says the team doesn’t have any plans to bring in another one at this point. The team will, however, add a couple linebackers, according to Jones (Twitter link via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
- Free agent cornerback Josh Victorian, who last played a regular season game for Houston in 2013, tried out for the Titans, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link).
NFC East Notes: JPP, Mincey, T. Williams
Giants co-owner John Mara has “no idea’” when Jason Pierre-Paul will report to training camp, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes. Mara acknowledged it was “very disappointing” to him that Pierre-Paul refused to see two team officials who traveled down to Florida to check on his physical condition. Mara also said that no one from the organization has seen JPP’s damaged right hand, and he fears the defensive end is not “receiving very good advice right now.”
As Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes, Pierre-Paul continues to rehab and get his own medical care near his home in South Florida. Here’s more on JPP, along with a couple other NFC East updates:
- Within Graziano’s story, he cites a source who says that Pierre-Paul expects to be healthy and to return to the field for the Giants this season “sooner than a lot of people think.”
- With defensive end Jeremy Mincey preparing to hold out from Cowboys camp, it sounds like the team is preparing to play hardball. According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link), Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said today that Mincey will be fined for each day of camp he misses, and the team won’t discuss a new deal as long as he’s absent.
- Having locked up linebacker Ryan Kerrigan to a long-term extension, Washington figures to focus on left tackle Trent Williams next. Head coach Jay Gruden confirmed today that Williams, who is entering the final year of his current deal, is in talks with the team about a new contract, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times.
Jake Long Visiting Giants, Broncos
2:24pm: It does not appear that Long will be signing with the Giants today, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News tweets. The tackle is now planning to leave tonight to visit the Broncos.
10:00am: Former No. 1 overall pick Jake Long will visit the Giants after completing his visit with the Falcons, a source tells Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). Long touched down in Atlanta on Tuesday to take a physical and audition for Atlanta brass.
Long, 30, visited the Giants earlier this offseason and while he didn’t come away with a deal, the door remained open for a signing. The veteran, who spent the past two seasons in St. Louis after spending the first five in Miami, saw time in just seven games for the Rams last season thanks to a torn ACL. There was some talk that Long could play on the right side with 2014 No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson taking his place on the left, but that never came to fruition.
Long has torn his ACL in each of the prior two seasons, playing in just 22 games during that stretch. Last season, Pro Football Focus as (subscription required) ranked him as just the No. 36 tackle out of 84 qualified players. In 2013, however, Long graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the league with a strong 22.5 overall score, based on PFF’s advanced metrics. Yesterday, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap expressed skepticism that Long will land anywhere, tweeting that a contract would probably have to be heavy on incentives for games played and overall playing time given his health issues.