Texans, Seahawks Agree To “Parameters” Of Clowney Trade
It sounds like Jadeveon Clowney will get his wish. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports (via Twitter) that the Texans and Seahawks have agreed to the parameters of a trade. The deal is contingent on Clowney and other traded players passing their physicals. Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets that the Texans are expected to receive a 2020 third-rounder, while Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes that Houston will also be acquiring two players.
Earlier today, Wilson reported (via Twitter) that the Texans and Seahawks have had a “dialogue” about the star edge rusher. Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero (via Twitter) said the two sides were “deep” in trade talks, with Clowney declaring Seattle as his preferred trade spot.
After firing his agent on Tuesday afternoon, it appears that Clowney is serious about landing the long-term deal he desires. We heard that Clowney preferred the Seahawks and the Eagles as trade destinations, and Seattle larer emerged as the front-runner. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Clowney would willingly sign his tag if traded to Seattle. Meanwhile, Wilson tweets that the Seahawks would essentially be renting Clowney, with the organization evaluating a long-term fit throughout the season.
Clowney met with the Dolphins earlier this week after the organization emerged as a potential trade partner. However, it sounds like Clowney isn’t interested in playing for Miami. The front office has also talked trade with the Jets and Redskins.
As an unsigned franchise player, Clowney does have a bit of leverage in this matter. The Texans have been unwilling to commit to the former top-overall pick, and he might have enough juice to force a trade to one of his preferred teams.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Houston will simply give him away. We heard that the Texans would actually like to keep Clowney, and they’ve also established an asking price in trade talks. If the defender ends up sitting out games as he pursues a new contract and/or a trade, he’ll forfeit around $1MM per game. In other words, there are also some negotiating advantages for the Texans.
Bills Release RB LeSean McCoy
A surprise cut out of Buffalo. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Bills have released veteran running back LeSean McCoy.
There had been rumblings of a potential divorce for several months. McCoy was entering the final year of his five-year, $40MM deal, and cutting the veteran would save the organization more than $6MM. While the organization had been touting McCoy as their 2019 starter throughout the offseason, some pundits wondered if the front office was simply trying to generate trade interest.
However, back in January, GM Brandon Beane made it clear that the running back was staying put.
“LeSean will come back in 2019 and we’ll go from there,” the GM said.
Despite their faith in McCoy, the organization still brought in a pair of inexpensive vets in Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon. Third-round rookie Devin Singletary has also emerged as an intriguing piece during the preseason. Considering the financial discrepancy between McCoy and the other three running backs, the team decided to move on from their four-year starter.
While McCoy was productive during his first three years in Buffalo, he struggled in 2018. The 31-year-old finished the campaign with a career-low 3.2 yards per carry, compiling 514 yards and three touchdowns on 161 carries. He also hauled in 34 receptions for 238 yards.
McCoy still offers serious burst and cutting ability, even at his advanced age, so there’s reason to believe that he can get back to his old form in 2019. Several teams will surely kick the tires on the veteran, so he shouldn’t be a free agent for long.
Latest On Texans, Dolphins, Jadeveon Clowney
If the Texans want Dolphins tackle Laremy Tunsil, they’ll have to pay a hefty price for him. The Texans have dangled a first-round pick and Jadeveon Clowney in a proposed deal for Tunsil, but the Fins want even more, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears from two NFL sources. 
One of those sources tells Jackson that the Dolphins are seeking a high draft pick in addition to Clowney and a first-round choice. This could be a classic example of the old business adage, “Don’t tell them ‘no,’ tell them how much it will cost.”
The Dolphins’ interest in Clowney is very real, but so is their attachment to Tunsil, who is a quality tackle in a league that is largely devoid of them. There’s also this to consider – the Dolphins would have to give Clowney a hefty deal upon acquiring him, so they want to make sure the deal is worthwhile in total.
Will the Texans meet the sky-high asking price? That largely depends on exactly how desperate they are for left tackle help and how much other interested clubs will fork over for the former No. 1 overall pick.
Patriots’ Josh Gordon Cleared For Week One
Great news for Patriots fans and nervous fantasy football players – Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon has been cleared to play for Week One by the league office, per an NFL announcement. 
Previously, Gordon received a conditional reinstatement from NFL HQ, granting him permission to play if he satisfied certain terms. Gordon, apparently, has met the requirements, and he has received the green light for the start of the 2019 season.
Gordon appeared in 11 games for the Patriots last year, catching 40 passes for 720 yards and and three touchdowns. Late in the year, he suddenly revealed he was stepping away from the team, and not long after it was announced that he was being slapped with an indefinite ban.
Despite the many hiccups in his career, Gordon continues to hold serious promise. If he stays on the right track, Gordon could be primed for a massive year in New England.
Texans Discussing Jadeveon Clowney Trade With Five Teams
Trade talks involving Texans pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney are rapidly heating up. The Texans have spoken with at least five teams about the former No. 1 overall pick so far: the Jets and Redskins are in communications with Houston brass, in addition to the previously reported talks with the Seahawks, Eagles, and Dolphins. 
[RELATED: Jadeveon Clowney Willing To Miss Regular Season Games]
The Dolphins believe they are the favorites to land Clowney, and that makes sense given that GM Chris Grier and head coach Brian Flores have met with him in recent weeks. At the same time, Clowney is said to prefer the Seahawks and Eagles. Of course, Clowney is not a free agent, but he effectively holds the cards – he has yet to sign his franchise tender and is reportedly willing to miss regular season games until he gets his way.
The Redskins would also make some sense as an interested party, but they’re not in the mix for him at this time, per Wilson. They remain unwilling to trade Trent Williams, and that’s a big barrier when considering the Texans’ need for offensive line help.
The Clowney/Texans beef started sizzling again this week, sometime around when Clowney fired former agent Bus Cook. On that front, Wilson hears that Clowney is willing to represent himself, at least for now.
Dolphins Consider Themselves Favorites For Jadeveon Clowney
The Dolphins believe they are the leaders to land Texans star Jadeveon Clowney, as Armando Salguero and Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald write. We learned earlier today that Clowney has met in person with Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and other members of Miami’s brass, and the team thinks that meeting helped sway Clowney towards South Beach.
As Clowney has not yet signed his franchise tender, he does have some say as to where he gets traded. Sources suggest that Clowney was not initially in love with the idea of coming to the Dolphins, and indeed, today’s report suggested that Clowney prefers the Seahawks or Eagles.
However, the Dolphins believe Clowney is now on board if they can swing a deal with the Texans. Salguero and Beasley say that a potential trade between the two teams would not include a first-round pick heading to Houston, though Miami is also refusing to give up offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.
In addition to offensive line help, the Texans are in need of a running back, and the Dolphins could package Kenyan Drake or Kalen Ballage along with some draft capital to make a trade work.
Texans’ Jadeveon Clowney Wants Trade To Seahawks Or Eagles
Jadeveon Clowney wants the Texans to trade him, and he has a couple of destinations in mind. The standout edge rusher views the Seahawks and Eagles as his preferred destinations, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) hears.
Meanwhile, Clowney has also met in person with Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and other members of Miami’s brass, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Wilson hears the same thing, though he notes that the Dolphins are not his first-choice destination. On the flipside, the Dolphins would be open to working out a lucrative extension with Clowney, once he’s eligible.
As an unsigned franchise player, Clowney does have some leverage in this matter. The Texans have been unwilling to commit to him for the last few offseasons and he might have enough juice to force a trade to the Seahawks, Eagles, or another contender.
The Texans, ideally, would like to keep Clowney, though they’ve previously set an asking price. In the spring, it was believed that Clowney could be had for a second-round pick (Twitter link via Albert Breer of The MMQB).
After firing his agent on Tuesday afternoon, it appears that Clowney is serious about landing the long-term deal he desires.
Rob Gronkowski Leaves Door Open For Return
When Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski retired from the NFL this year, few believed that he would stay off the field. Now, Gronk personally admits that a return to football could be in his future. 
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At a press conference to promote his new partnership with a CBD company, Gronk said that he’ll play football again if he’s feeling better and recovered from his injuries at some point (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN). That could be the case in six months, or two years, he says, though he can’t envision an NFL return in the next week or month.
Gronkowski went on to say that he “didn’t retire from life” and could consider suiting up again if he finds that he has that fire “week-in and week-out,” (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). At the same time, Gronk suggested that he would be alright with never stepping on the gridiron again.
“Physically, I could do it. But mentally, it’s not there. … If I’m just enjoying my life… maybe never,” Gronk said.
With enough cash to support generations of Gronkowskis and opportunities to make money elsewhere, the game’s most talented tight end has plenty of options. Still, he’s not ready to rule out a second act with the Patriots.
Raiders Sign Corey Liuget, Place Doug Martin On IR
The Raiders have signed free agent defensive tackle Corey Liuget, the team announced. Oakland has also placed running back Doug Martin on IR, which contradicts reports that surfaced earlier today indicating that Martin was released.
Liuget has generated plenty of interest on the open market this offseason. He met with the Jaguars, Giants, Seahawks, and Cardinals before signing with Oakland, his former division rival.
Liuget spent the first eight years of his career with the Chargers after the Bolts made him the 18th-overall pick of the 2011 draft. Earlier in his career, Liuget made noise as a defensive end and managed 18 sacks for the Chargers between 2011-2014. His sack totals, predictably, plummeted when he was moved to the interior on a full-time basis, and his 2018 suspension for PEDs further diminished his stock. However, he should serve as a quality rotational piece for Oakland’s D-line.
As for Martin, Oakland may indeed end up releasing him with an injury settlement, as Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network says that Martin will be healthy soon and will be ready to play somewhere (Twitter link). The Raiders, meanwhile, will open the season with rookie Josh Jacobs as their No. 1 RB, with DeAndre Washington serving as Jacobs’ backup.
In addition to those moves, Oakland also signed UDFA linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams and waived long snapper Andrew DePaola.
Antonio Brown Loses Second Grievance
Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has lost his second helmet-related grievance, per Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). AB will wear a league-approved helmet in 2019 and beyond (Twitter link).
This was the expected outcome, and the ruling should resolve this issue once and for all. Brown has been practicing and seems to be past the foot malady he suffered during a cryotherapy mishap, so Raiders fans just have to cross their fingers and hope that Brown has put his off-field matters behind him.
Indeed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that no further proceedings are expected (Twitter link). Pro Football Talk tweets that Brown is close to selecting a new helmet, and that it will be a custom-made model. Brown is also going to get an endorsement deal from the maker, so, once again, AB lands jelly-side up.
The 31-year-old wideout has not played this preseason, though he is expected to be ready to go for Week 1. The Raiders are not favored to make the playoffs this year, but this year’s “Hard Knocks” outfit should at least be interesting to watch.
The club opens the season at home against the Broncos on September 9.