Browns To Trade Jamar Taylor To Cardinals
The Cardinals are finalizing a trade for Browns cornerback Jamar Taylor, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Cardinals have long had a glaring need at cornerback and Taylor figures to step in as the team’s new No. 2 CB alongside Patrick Peterson. Arizona will send a 2020 sixth-round pick to Cleveland in the deal, according to Nate Ulrich of the Beacon-Journal (on Twitter). The deal is expected to be finalized after 4pm ET/3pm CT on Friday. 
The belief before the draft was that the Browns would look to unload Taylor if they selected a cornerback early on. After the Browns selected Ohio State’s Denzel Ward with the No. 4 overall pick, his fate was all but sealed. The Browns have moved on from both of their starting cornerbacks from last year after trading Jason McCourty to the Patriots for a late draft pick. The Browns’ revamped secondary will see free agent pickup T.J. Carrie start opposite of Ward with newcomers E.J. Gaines and Terrance Mitchell among those in support at cornerback.
Taylor had the best year of his career in 2016 as he hauled in three interceptions and 57 total tackles, but he was not quite as sharp in 2017. If he can revert to his old form, then the Cardinals will be getting a quality starter in the trade. In ’16, Taylor ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 19 ranked overall cornerback in the NFL and excelled in the slot, where he played 32% of his snaps.
The acquisition of Taylor could impact the Cardinals’ pursuit of free agent Bashaud Breeland. Then again, the Cardinals have signed the majority of their draft class and they still have upwards of $16MM in cap room, so there could be room for both players. Theoretically, Breeland could be signed to start at outside corner while Taylor mans the slot with occasional snaps on the outside.
Taylor restructured his contract in order to make a trade more palatable for the Cardinals, Rapoport hears (Twitter link), so there should still be plenty of breathing room for GM Steve Keim & Co. Originally, Taylor was slated to take up $5.25MM in cap space this year and $5.1MM in 2019. The revised terms of his deal are not yet known.
The Cardinals’ release of Tyrann Mathieu left them with a glaring need for slot help this offseason. The acquisitions of cornerbacks Bene Benwikere, Marcus Williams, Louis Young, and sixth-round pick Chris Campbell may provide depth, but that leaves much to be desired in Arizona’s secondary.
Reuben Foster’s Accuser Says She Lied
Reuben Foster’s accuser recanted her claims in court on Thursday, as Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets. The ex-girlfriend of the 49ers linebacker says he did not hit her once and adds that she actually struck him. 
“I was threatening Reuben. … that I was going to [expletive] up his career,” Foster’s ex-girlfriend Elissa Ennis said.
When asked about why she dialed 911 three times, she responded, “I wanted to be extra. I wanted him to go down. I was pissed.” She went on to explain that she falsified claims about Foster as a part of “a money scheme.”
“It was all a money scheme. I didn’t want to get this far in the news. It was about money,” said Ennis on the stand.
After Foster’s arrest in February, Ennis says she bolted home for Louisiana and took Foster’s money and jewelry with her. Ennis’ injuries from around that same time were submitted as a part of the prosecution’s case against Foster, but she now says those were caused by a fight with another woman or two women in a road rage incident in San Francisco (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area). A portion of the road rage fight was posted on Instagram, but has since been flagged and deleted.
Recently, 49ers GM John Lynch said that Foster would be released if it was found that he struck Ennis. However, if Foster is cleared of the charges without conclusive evidence of abuse, he’ll remain in SF. Right now, the odds of a conviction are looking slim.
“We do feel like patience is the right approach right now, that we are going to learn things through this legal process,” Lynch said. “But I do want to be very clear, abundantly clear, that if these charges are proven true, that if Reuben did indeed hit this young lady, he won’t be part of our organization going forward.”
Breeland To Meet With Colts, Cardinals
Free agent cornerback Bashaud Breeland will visit the Colts on Wednesday and the Cardinals on Thursday, a source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Demovsky hears his foot issue is healed and he is expected to be able to pass all medical tests. 
Breeland was one of the top cornerbacks on the market this offseason and agreed to a three-year, $24MM deal with the Panthers in March. Days later, the Panthers 86’d the deal due to an infected cut on his foot that prevented him from passing a physical.
Freak accident aside, Breeland has been largely healthy over the course of his four-year NFL career. The 26-year-old appeared in all but one of the Redskins’ games last season and has missed just four possible regular season games since entering the league in 2014.
Last year, Breeland tallied 47 tackles and one interception, which was returned 96 yards for a touchdown against the Chargers. Pro Football Focus bestowed a middling grade on Breeland as he played opposite of star Josh Norman, but he did improve from 2016 to ’17, per the advanced metrics.
The Cardinals’ need for a quality partner alongside Patrick Peterson has been well documented. This offseason, the Cardinals brought in free agents Bene Benwikere and Marcus Williams to compete with Brandon Williams for the second starting role. If healthy, Breeland would be their clear CB2.
The Colts, meanwhile, project to start Quincy Wilson and Kenny Moore at cornerback after losing Rashaan Melvin to free agency.
Randy Gregory To Apply For Reinstatement
Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory will formally apply for reinstatement on Thursday, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Reinstatement rulings are typically delivered within a 60-day window, so Gregory could be cleared in time for training camp. 
Gregory recently spent more than six weeks in intensive rehab for drug and alcohol use and has also received counseling to combat his issues. Teammate Tyrone Crawford has told the league that it would be best for Gregory’s recovery if he is allowed back in football and Gregory’s camp is likely to make a similar argument.
The Cowboys are hopeful that Gregory will be allowed to play in 2018, but they are not banking on his return either.
“I am not confident [in Gregory being reinstated], but I do see where his heart is,” owner Jerry Jones said recently. “He is one the smartest people to have played this game. This is a tremendous step. He has had that same IQ since he has had these issues. That’s an issue. This is definitely a medical issue. There is no doubt in my mind about the medical. That is another campaign. It’s a pretty circuitous route. It has a lot of discretionary things to determine. There is a lot of subjectiveness. But he is doing very well. He’s got a lot to play for. He has a new baby. He has a lot going for him. He is very astute about knowing that. He has to do what a lot of us have had to do and that is to do better at 24 and 25 than when you were 20.”
Some felt that Gregory had top 10 talent heading into the 2015 draft, but he slid to the Cowboys in the second round following a positive test for marijuana at the combine. So far, the Nebraska product has notched just 15 career tackles. He has one sack to his credit, which came in Dallas’ 2016 season finale. He has not taken the field since.
Reuben Foster’s Ex-Girlfriend To Testify Thursday
Reuben Foster‘s ex-girlfriend is prepared to recant her allegations against the 49ers linebacker in court on Thursday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
Elissa Ennis had previously maintained that Foster hit her 10 times and dragged her down stairs, but changed her story in late April, indicating that her injuries were the result of a fight with another woman. Ennis suffered a swollen lip and ruptured eardrum as a result of said fight, and Foster was subsequently charged with three felonies. Foster pleaded not guilty to all charges, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
The Santa Clara Count District Attorney’s office had previously vowed to forge ahead with its original charges, but that course of action would presumably become much more difficult if its victim publicly retracts her claims against Foster. The 49ers, for their part, have been adamant that if the allegations are proven true, Foster will be quickly released.
Per Barrows, Foster could still be in hot water in given that he was in possession of an assault rifle, and prosecutors could choose to go forward with gun charges even if the domestic violence charges are dismissed. However, a judge may also choose to reduce those gun charges from a felony to a misdemeanor.
Packers Not Pursuing Dez Bryant
Former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten thinks the Packers would be a logical landing spot for Dez Bryant, but we shouldn’t expect to see the wide receiver land in Green Bay. At this point, the Packers are not engaged with Bryant’s camp and nothing is imminent on that front, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) hears. 
Shortly after Bryant’s release from the Cowboys, league sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that the Packers were one of four potential destinations for the veteran. Some would argue that the Packers could use more firepower in the WR department, but Packers decision makers do not agree – or, at the very least, they do not see Bryant as a fit at this time.
Bryant turned down a multi-year offer from the Ravens earlier this offseason, a proposal that would have paid him roughly $21MM over three years. Bryant turned down Baltimore as his preference is to play on a one-year deal and cash in next year. Given the lack of league-wide interest in Bryant at this time, he may already be regretting that decision. Since then, the Ravens have moved on by signing restricted free agent Willie Snead.
Bryant’s lack of production in 2017 is obviously at the root of his employment problems, but one has to imagine his perceived attitude issues are also a factor.
David Tepper To Purchase Panthers
Steelers’ minority owner David Tepper is expected to sign the deal today to buy the Panthers, league sources tell Seth Wickersham and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal will be finalized upon the NFL’s approval at the league meetings on Tuesday, May 22.
The $2.2 billion sale marks a new NFL record, though it was not necessarily the highest bid. During the process, there have been rumblings of bids in the $2.5 billion range. Late last year, there was some talk of a sale in the neighborhood of $3 billion, but that never came to pass.
However, Tepper’s purchase comes mostly in cash, which gave him a leg-up over the competition. He’s also a slam dunk to pass the NFL’s vetting process since he already owns a piece of the Steelers and the Panthers likely wanted to move on from the Jerry Richardson situation as quickly as possible.
The sale is indicative of the continued growth and health of the league, despite some fretting in 2017 over sagging television ratings. It’s also likely a product of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow states to legalize gambling. The decision from the country’s highest court is expected to open up new revenue streams for sports league, boost overall interest, and bring new fans into the fold.
In terms of football operations, it remains to be seen how the purchase affects the team. What we do know, per Schefter, is that Tepper will keep the team in Carolina. Meanwhile, Tepper is hoping to bring the Steeler way to Charlotte as he will emphasize “continuity, stability, progressive thinking on player contract extensions, and not setting the market on free agents,” per Schefter (Twitter link).
Redskins’ DeAngelo Hall Retires From NFL
DeAngelo Hall is calling it a career. The Redskins defensive back says he’s “done” playing football (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com). Hall has yet to make it official, but the 34-year-old is considering offers to join a front office or work in television. 
The Falcons brought Hall into the league as the No. 8 overall pick in the 2004 draft and he went on to earn two Pro Bowl nods in Atlanta. Prior to the 2008 season, he was shipped to the Raiders and signed a seven-year deal worth up to $70MM with the club. That deal was terminated after just eight games, leading him to the Redskins.
Over the last ten seasons, Hall has appeared in 106 regular season games for the Redskins with 97 starts. In recent years, however, he has been limited by injuries. Hall has played in just eight games over the last two seasons and hasn’t turned in a full season since 2013, so this is probably the right time for him to hang ’em up.
Hall leaves the game with three Pro Bowl selections (2005, 2006, 2010) as well as a place in the record books. In 2010, Hall picked off Bears quarterback Jay Cutler four times, including a 92-yard pick six, which ties him for the single game record along with 13 other players in league history. Only two players – Hall and Deltha O’Neal – have hit that watermark since 2001.
Colts Meet With Tre Boston, Kenny Vaccaro
The Colts are taking a look at two of the best safeties left on the free agent market. Tre Boston and Kenny Vaccaro will meet with the Colts on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
The market has been slow to develop for veteran safeties this year as many clubs opted to go for younger and cheaper alternatives in the draft. The Colts already have one high-potential safety in Malik Hooker and either Boston or Vaccaro would provide them with another quality starter in the secondary. Last week, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ranked both players in the top 10 of the remaining free agents on defense.
The Cardinals, Raiders, Browns, and Giants expressed interest in Boston back in March, but we haven’t heard much on that front in recent weeks. Needless to say, it has been a frustrating offseason for the former Charger.
“It’s kind of unbelievable to me,” he said. “We’re talking about a position that’s needed more and more on the field in today’s game. “There are about five or six valuable starting safeties in free agency right now. But I guess it’s just trying to get us to take peanuts like the rest of them have. That’s just the business of the game.”
Vaccaro, meanwhile, met with the Dolphins in April, but left Miami without a deal. The lack of interest has been surprising given Vaccaro’s starting experience and ability to play slot cornerback, but he is coming off of a down season in New Orleans.
Neither player is without warts, but the Colts may have an opportunity to add one or both of them at an extremely discounted rate.
Bengals Sign 10 UDFAs
The Bengals have signed 10 undrafted free agents. Here’s the complete list:
- Devonte Boyd, WR (UNLV)
- Gaelin Elmore, DE (East Carolina)
- Austin Fleer, T (Colorado Mesa)
- Quinton Flowers, RB (South Florida)
- Jordan Franks, TE (Central Florida)
- Trayvon Henderson, S (Hawaii)
- Junior Joseph, MLB (UConn)
- Ray Lawry, RB (Old Dominion)
- Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, DE (Arkansas State)
- Chris Worley, OLB (Ohio State)
Worley started 50 games at Ohio State and joins offensive lineman Billy Price and defensive end Sam Hubbard as Buckeyes rookies on the Bengals roster. Flowers may be the most intriguing of the group as he’s prepared to make the switch from quarterback to running back. Flowers had 71 touchdown passes and 41 rushing touchdowns in his three seasons as South Florida’s starting quarterback. Boyd finished his career at UNLV as the schools second all-time leading receiver.
Though Fleer comes from Division II Colorado Mesa, his 11-inch hands are bigger than any of those measured from offensive tackles at the Scouting Combine. Franks is the brother of Florida quarterback, Feleipe Franks, and started 21 games at tight end at UCF over the last two seasons after making the switch from the defensive side of the ball.