Browns, Dez Bryant Not Close On Contract
Now that Josh Gordon has appeared at Browns training camp, Dez Bryant is “no longer on the front burner” in Cleveland, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, who adds the Browns and Bryant did not come close to reaching a contract agreement during the Bryant’s recent visit. While the Browns will keep tabs on Bryant, they’re not expected to sign him in the near future.
The Browns are searching for help at wideout after trading former first-round pick Corey Coleman to the Bills last week, and while Bryant wasn’t initially returning general manager John Dorsey‘s phone calls, the veteran pass-catcher finally agreed to come in for a meeting. Speaking on a conference call earlier today, Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson said Gordon’s presence at camp wouldn’t affect the club’s plans with Bryant (but Cabot’s sources say that isn’t the case).
“No, I think one has nothing to do with the other in my opinion,” Jackson said. “Again, things will unfold as they will. The most important thing we know is that Josh is here, and again, we’ve had a good conversation with Dez and until he’s a Cleveland Brown, I can only worry about the guys that are on this football team.”
Bryant, 29, is reportedly looking for a one-year, “prove-it” deal and wants to play for a contending club. Whether the Browns will fulfill the latter requirement in 2018 is unclear, but Bryant could conceivably wait until a wide receiver injury elsewhere opens a roster spot.
While a number of teams have been tangentially linked to Bryant since he was released by the Cowboys, no clubs aside from the Ravens and Browns have been directly interested in the former first-round pick. In fact, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com has reported many teams are unwilling to consider Bryant even at the minimum salary.
Gordon, for his part, is currently not allowed to practice after the Browns placed him on the non-football injury list earlier today. However, Jackson did allow Gordon could be available for Cleveland’s regular season opener on September 9.
WR Josh Gordon Returns To Browns
Josh Gordon is back. The wideout announced this morning (via Twitter) that he’d be returning to the Browns. Gordon had been absent from training camp and the Browns’ first two preseason games as he worked on his mental and physical health.
“…I would like to thank the NFL, NFLPA, the entire Cleveland Browns organization, the University of Florida, and my friend and business manager Michael Johnson Jr for playing such pivotal roles during this process,” Gordon said. “This has by no means been an easy road and I’m extremely grateful to have all of you in my life.”
“As I humbly return to being a member of this team with an opportunity to get back to playing this game I love, I realize in order for me to reach my full potential my primary focus must remain on my sobriety and mental well-being.”
Gordon had announced back in June that he wouldn’t be attending the early part of preseason as he focused on his treatment program. However, there wasn’t a definitive return date, and the team subsequently placed the receiver on the non-football injury. Gordon, who has had substance abuse issues throughout his career, didn’t sit out due to a failed drug test, and he isn’t expected to be suspended. The team seemed to echo that sentiment in a statement.
“First off, we are pleased for Josh. His overall health and well-being is what is most important. We commend Josh for his hard work, commitment and focus on becoming the best version of himself,” said general manager John Dorsey (via Patrick Maks of ClevelandBrowns.com).
“We are glad Josh has reached a point where he can return to our organization, be in our building and be around his teammates. As he assimilates back to our team, Josh will initially participate in meetings and conditioning and will gradually resume all football activities as deemed appropriate.”
While it may take Gordon a while to get into shape, he’ll surely slide atop the Browns’ depth chart when he’s ready to go. The 27-year-old has only played in 10 games since 2014, but he was productive following his return to the Browns last season. In five games (five starts), Gordon hauled in 18 receptions for 335 yards and one touchdown. The receiver’s best season came in 2013, when he compiled 87 catches for 1,646 yards and nine scores.
After trading former first-rounder Corey Coleman earlier this month, the Browns receiver depth is questionable behind offseason addition Jarvis Landry. If Gordon ends up missing any regular season time, the Browns will have to turn to two of Antonio Callaway, Rashard Higgins, Jeff Janis, and Damion Ratley for starting gigs. Free agent wideout Dez Bryant was recently discussing a deal with the Browns, and it’s uncertain if Gordon’s return will impact negotiations.
A.J. McCarron Fractures Collarbone
A.J. McCarron suffered an injury during his first preseason start with the Bills, and it appears likely it will affect the franchise’s quarterback plans going forward. The free agent addition suffered a hairline fracture in his collarbone, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports (on Twitter). 
McCarron started over Nathan Peterman on Friday night in Cleveland but may have to cede the reins to the younger passer now. Peterman started the Bills’ first preseason game, but McCarron represents the bigger investment, having signed a two-year, $8.1MM deal this offseason. He was viewed as the stopgap quarterback that will provide the bridge to Josh Allen.
Allen figures to see more time as a result of McCarron’s setback, and although the Wyoming product was not viewed as a ready-made NFL signal-caller, his NFL audition could come sooner than previously expected if McCarron misses extensive time.
McCarron’s only relevant NFL work came because of a 2015 Andy Dalton injury, and after a trade to the Browns fell through at the last minute last year, a setback in Cleveland ten months later may deny him a chance at a surefire starting role. Peterman has one game of NFL starting experience, but that start turned out to be one of the worst in NFL history. But he may be the next man up.
Patriots’ Isaiah Wynn Done For Season
Patriots’ first-round pick Isaiah Wynn tore his Achilles in Thursday’s preseason game against the Eagles, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Patriots will be forced to place the offensive lineman on season-ending IR. 
Wynn was pushing for a starting job on the Patriots’ offensive line and, at worst, he was in line for a pivotal rotational job. Now, without the versatile tackle/guard, it appears that the front five is more or less set. The Pats project to start Trent Brown, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, and Marcus Cannon up front with veterans such as LaAdrian Waddle and Brian Schwenke among those pushing for reserve roles. Meanwhile, the injury will improve the odds of another lineman making the final cut, and that could be good news for Ulrich John, Matt Tobin, and Cole Croston.
The Patriots are fortunate to have depth up front, but this is still a tough blow for the offensive line. The Pats pounced on Wynn at No. 23 overall this year because of his technically-sound blocking, above-average athleticism, and ability to play multiple positions. Now, they’ll have to wait until 2019 to see what the Georgia product can do.
Carson Wentz On Week 1: “It’s Going To Be Close”
Carson Wentz is already likely to sit out the entirety of the preseason as he recovers from a December ACL injury, but the Eagles quarterback today admitted that he may not be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, either.
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“I obviously would love to be out there,” Wentz said, per Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “That’s been my goal all offseason ever since the injury. It’s going to be close. It’s going to be close. I’m still eyeing that date. At the end of the day, it’s not just my decision. There’s coaches and doctors that really have the final say. I really like where I’m at and time will tell here.”
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson would prefer Wentz handles a week of 11-on-11 work before playing in a regular season game, tweets Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Wentz, for his part, told reporters he expects to be cleared for 11-on-11 sessions next week, although that won’t entail him being cleared for contact, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
Heading into Week 1 without Wentz, who was playing at an MVP-caliber level in 2017 before injuring his knee, clearly isn’t preferable, but the Eagles do have Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles in tow as a more-than-capable reserve. Other quarterbacks on Philadelphia’s roster include Nate Sudfeld, Joe Callahan and the recently-signed Christian Hackenberg.
Redskins Cut Orlando Scandrick
The Redskins have released cornerback Orlando Scandrick, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Scandrick signed a free agent deal with the Redskins in March, so the move comes as a surprise. 
The Cowboys cut Scandrick after ten years with the club and the cornerback hooked on with the rival Redskins just days later. The deal was supposed to be worth $7MM with incentives that could boost the maximum value to $9 or $10MM. Instead, Scandrick is back out on the market and leaves after earning only his $1MM signing bonus.
A 2008 fifth-round pick, Scandrick played a key role on the past several Cowboys defenses. He started 11 games in 2017 and was signed with the hope that he might start opposite of Josh Norman in 2018. Now, it sounds like 2017 third-round pick Fabian Moreau or Quinton Dunbar will handle that job.
If the Redskins open up their cornerback search again, they could theoretically explore a reunion with Bashaud Breeland. The Redskins didn’t make much of an effort to re-sign him in March, but his asking price should be lower at this stage of the offseason. There’s also Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to consider. The Redskins explored signing DRC before they inked Scandrick, but he wanted too much money at the time.
Raiders Restructure Donald Penn’s Contract
It sounds like Donald Penn will be sticking with the Raiders. Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have agreed to a restructured contract. We heard last week that the organization wanted the offensive lineman to take a pay cut, and they’d consider trading the veteran if he refused.
According to Gehlken, Penn agreed to a deal with “team-friendly parameters.” In exchange, the lineman will receive more guaranteed money over the next two years. The 35-year-old was set to earn a $6MM salary in 2018 (including $3MM in guaranteed money), as well as up to $1.75MM in per-game roster bonuses. These numbers stem from the two-year, $21MM extension he signed last year following a hold out. The deal runs through the 2019 season.
The 12-year veteran appeared in 14 games for the Raiders last season, the first time in his career that he failed to appear in all 16 regular season contests. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked him 23rd among eligible tackles, proving that the veteran still has something left in the tank. The team seemingly selected a successor in first-rounder Kolton Miller during this past year’s draft, but the Raiders are hoping to slot both players into the starting lineup.
Of course, Penn still has to return to the field to make that a reality. He ended last season on the injured reserve with a foot injury, and he’s currently sitting on the Raiders’ physically unable to perform list following offseason surgery.
Bears To Sign Rookie LB Roquan Smith
The Bears and first round linebacker Roquan Smith have finally agreed to terms on his rookie deal, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The agreement means that the longest rookie holdout of 2018 is finally over. 
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Smith stayed away from the Bears as his agents balked at language in the Bears’ proposal. His reps wanted his guarantees protected in the event of league discipline, which spans off-the-field issues as well as late hits and things of that nature on the field. It’s not immediately clear where things landed, but we should know the specifics soon.
Smith, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 draft, is believed by some to have one of the highest ceilings of any player in this year’s class. Smith finished in the top ten of Heisman voting in his final year at Georgia as he tallied 137 total tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, and 6.5 sacks.
The rookie projects to start at outside linebacker for the Bears this year, opposite of Leonard Floyd. Smith may be behind the 8-ball in learning every part of the scheme, but the Bears are hopeful that he’ll be able to get on track quickly.
Per the terms of his slot, Smith’s deal will come in as a four-year, $18MM guaranteed pact.
Redskins RB Derrius Guice Tears ACL
Redskins rookie running back Derrius Guice tore his ACL, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). An ACL tear is an automatic season-ender, so the Redskins will be placing Guice on injured reserve in the coming days. Same goes for tight end Manasseh Garner, who also suffered an ACL tear in Thursday night’s exhibition game against the Patriots. 
It was initially believed that Guice had suffered an MCL sprain, but further tests revealed a much more serious issue. It’s a crushing injury for Guice, who was in line to be the club’s top rusher this year. Considered by some the second-best back in this year’s draft, the LSU product fell largely because of character concerns. However, Guice averaged 7.6 yards per carry in 2016 on nearly 200 attempts and the Redskins were thrilled to land him late in the second round.
The good news here – if there is any – is that the Redskins boast a deep group at running back. Pass-catching specialist Chris Thompson figures to be an integral part of the offense, and the Redskins can draw from a group of more traditional runners including Rob Kelley, Byron Marshall, Kapri Bibbs, and Samaje Perine. Perine was believed to be a trade candidate, but the Oklahoma product may have better odds of making the roster in the wake of Guice’s injury.
If the Redskins feel the need to look for outside help, they could turn to a free agent market that still includes the likes of Orleans Darkwa, Alfred Morris, Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, Eddie Lacy, Branden Oliver, and Andre Ellington. DeMarco Murray may also be an option, if the Redskins can lure him out of his recent retirement.
Patriots Sweeten Tom Brady’s Contract
The Patriots will add up to $5MM in performance-based incentives to Tom Brady’s contract, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), allowing him to make up to $20MM. The move is reminiscent of what the Pats did last year with tight end Rob Gronkowski. 
Brady was scheduled to make $15MM in base salary this season, an absolute bargain for the game’s top quarterback. For reference, Brady’s former backup Jimmy Garoppolo will carry a $37MM cap number in 2018. Of course, even with the potential to earn up to $20MM in 2018, Brady is still an absolute bargain for New England.
The Patriots quarterback abstained from voluntary OTAs this offseason and his absence may have been tied to dissatisfaction with his contract. By amending Brady’s deal, it appears the Patriots have mended fences with their star player.
The five-time Super Bowl winner turned 41 this summer, but he hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down. Last year, he completed 66.3% of his passes for a league-leading 4,577 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Meanwhile, in a recent interview with Oprah, Brady indicated that retirement is not on his mind.
“As long as I’m still loving it,” Brady said. “As long as I’m loving the training and the preparation and willing to make the commitment. But it’s also, I think what I alluded to a lot in the docu-series, there’s other things happening in my life, too. I do have kids that I love, and I don’t want to be a dad that’s not there, driving my kids to their games . . . my kids have brought a great perspective in my life. Kids just want the attention. You better be there. And be available to them.”
Brady’s current deal runs through the 2019 season. Prior to Thursday’s agreement, each season called for Brady to carry a cap number of $22MM.