Chargers’ Forrest Lamp Suffers Torn ACL
Chargers guard Forrest Lamp suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during practice on Wednesday, per a team announcement. The rookie second-round pick will miss the season as a result. Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the news (Twitter link).
With Lamp and rookie wide receiver Mike Williams dealing with significant injuries, the Chargers are in real danger of not having either of their top two picks this season. Williams, the Chargers’ first-rounder, is dealing with a back problem that head coach Anthony Lynn recently admitted could keep him out for the year. Lamp’s issue will take the 38th overall selection out of play for 2017. It also continues a string of horrible injury-related luck for the Chargers, who placed a whopping 27 players on IR during a five-win 2016 campaign.
Lamp, formerly with Western Kentucky, looked like a potential first-rounder leading up to the draft. After landing with the Chargers early in Round 2, he seemed poised to serve as an immediate starter at right guard on a line that Football Outsiders ranked among the NFL’s worst last season. Los Angeles does have several interior O-line options on hand even without Lamp, as Roster Resource shows, though losing the rookie still counts as a notable setback.
Texans’ Will Fuller Out 2-3 Months
The broken collarbone Texans wide receiver Will Fuller suffered Wednesday will require surgery and a two- to three-month absence, reports John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
The injury to Fuller will deprive Houston’s Tom Savage-led passing attack of its No. 2 wideout until sometime in the fall, leaving the team with Braxton Miller and Jaelen Strong as its second and third options. Miller and Strong combined for just 29 catches last season, though, while fourth and fifth receivers Wendall Williams and Dres Anderson have a total of four NFL grabs between them.
Having lost Fuller for a while, the Texans could scour the open market to bolster the position, with Anquan Boldin, Vincent Jackson and Steve Johnson among the league’s most established free agent receivers. Of course, more options will come available in the next few weeks as cuts occur, and the Texans may not feel any urgency to add a proven receiver with the strong tight end duo of C.J. Fiedorowicz and Ryan Griffin on hand as weapons.
The speedy Fuller, whom the Texans selected 21st overall last year, emerged as the club’s top receiver opposite the superb DeAndre Hopkins as a rookie. The ex-Notre Dame star, 21, finished second to Hopkins in targets (92) and yards (635), tied for second in touchdowns (two) and fourth in receptions (47). Fuller’s 13.5 yards-per-catch average paced all full-time Texans targets, beating out Hopkins’ 12.2.
Ravens Coach, GM Pushing For Kaepernick?
Both Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and GM Ozzie Newsome support the idea of signing quarterback Colin Kaepernick, sources tell Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Russini hears they have met resistance from owner Steve Bisciotti, but Newsome issued a statement on Wednesday to try and counter those claims:
“We are going through a process, and we have not made a decision. Steve Bisciotti has not told us we cannot sign Colin Kaepernick, nor has he blocked the move. Whoever is making those claims is wrong,” the unusual statement read.
Recently, Bisciotti and team president Dick Cass publicly acknowledged their trepidation in signing Kaepernick, with Bisciotti adding that he wasn’t sure the QB would help the team “win games.” The team’s coach and GM apparently feel that Kaepernick can be a difference maker.
Recently, some of the team’s locker room leaders also voiced their support for adding Kaepernick.
“Hell yeah, if he’s going to help us win,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We have no issues. Not in the locker room. Hell yeah, we want him.”
The Ravens are taking a hard look at their backup quarterback situation as Joe Flacco deals with a back injury and Ryan Mallett struggles in practice. There is some good news on that front, however. A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of PFT that he is feeling better, with the “arrow [pointing] up.”
Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Rams’ Dominique Easley Done For Season
Rams defensive lineman Dominique Easley has suffered another a torn ACL, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He will be out for the 2017 season and placed on injured reserve. 
[RELATED: Rams DT Aaron Donald Does Not Report To Camp]
Easley was carted off the field during practice on Tuesday and a Wednesday morning MRI has confirmed the team’s worst fears. It’s an awful blow for Easley on a personal level as he had seasons cut short in both 2011 and 2013 after suffering torn ACLs. It’s typically challenging to come back from one ACL tear. Returning after three separate ACL tears will be a trying feat for the 25-year-old.
Waived after only two seasons with the Patriots, Easley found a home with the Rams last year. He turned in a strong 2016 as he recorded 3.5 sacks and finished out as the league’s No. 30 interior defender among 125 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. This year, the Rams were planning to give him an increased workload. Now, they’ll have to look elsewhere for reinforcements on the defensive line.
Saints Release OL Orlando Franklin
Orlando Franklin‘s time with the Saints is over after less than one week. The Saints released him on Tuesday afternoon, per the NFL’s transactions wire (Twitter link via Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune). 
Franklin, 29, signed a deal with New Orleans on Thursday. It’s not clear what exactly went wrong, but the team quickly realized that he would not be cut out to make the 53-man roster.
The veteran played in all 16 games last season – something he didn’t do in the previous year – but he also graded out as one of the seven worst qualified guards in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. He was released by the Chargers in May and sat on the market until his late July deal.
Meanwhile, the Saints are presumably still on the hunt for offensive line help. Left tackle Terron Armstead and center Max Unger are both currently injured, meaning New Orleans may not reconfigure its front five to include rookie Ryan Ramczyk.
Redskins TE Jordan Reed Suffers Injury
Redskins tight end Jordan Reed went to Charlotte to see a specialist about his toe injury, head coach Jay Gruden announced. There is currently no timetable for his return. 
[RELATED: Redskins Sign RB Kenny Hilliard]
When he’s on the field and mostly healthy, Reed is one of the game’s most dynamic tight ends. Unfortunately, injuries have set Reed back throughout his career. Most notably, the 27-year-old has dealt with concussion issues as well as a separated shoulder that sidelined him late in the 2016 season. The team was hoping that his toe issue would clear up quickly, but one can’t help but wonder if this latest ailment could cost him time in 2017.
Reed earned his first Pro Bowl nod last year as he recorded 66 catches for 686 yards and six scores. The Redskins are counting on him more than ever this year after losing both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson to free agency.
The Redskins have depth at tight end, but Vernon Davis and Niles Paul do not offer the same kind of elite athleticism as the 6’3″, 237 pound Reed. The presence of fifth-round pick Jeremy Sprinkle also gives the team some additional padding, but they’ll be at a distinct disadvantage if they are without Reed to start the season.
Ravens’ Crockett Gillmore Done For Season
Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore had surgery on his MCL and is likely going to miss the season, the team announced. Gillmore’s recovery timetable is five months, meaning that he cannot realistically think about getting back on the field until 2018. 
[RELATED: Ravens No Longer Considering RG3?]
The Ravens were hoping that Gillmore would only need a “trim” to his meniscus rather than a full repair. A trim could have allowed Gillmore to return mid-season, but the severity of his tear left him with only one option.
The Ravens signed former Giants tight end Larry Donnell earlier this week, giving them a bit of extra padding at tight end. So far this offseason, the position has been ravaged by injuries and other events. Dennis Pitta was cut after suffering a likely career-ending injury and Darren Waller is suspended for the full season. Maxx Williams and Ben Watson, meanwhile, are recovering from injuries of their own.
Gillmore, 25, had 33 catches for 412 yards and four touchdowns in 2015. Last year, back and knee injuries limited him to just seven games.
Ryan Clady Retires From NFL
Ryan Clady is walking away from football. The offensive tackle took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon to announce his retirement. 
“Despite having several teams who are currently interested in signing me, I have made a very difficult decision to retire from my NFL playing career. I have deliberated on this decision thoroughly until now because I wanted to see if the beginning of NFL training camps would inspire the passion that I need to perform at the standards that I established for myself during my nine-year NFL career,” Clady wrote. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family, my friends, and my representation for all of their support through the years. I would also like to thank all of my coaches, teammates, and fans for their support throughout my football career at all levels. I would especially like to thank Mr. Pat Bowlen and the Denver Broncos organization for bringing me into the NFL. I was blessed to experience eight great years, four Pro Bowls, and a World Championship with that organization. I am excited about what life holds for me going forward.”
Clady first entered the league as a first round draft pick of the Broncos in 2008. He went on to earn four Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team All-Pro selections. Unfortunately, a torn ACL suffered prior to the 2015 season sidetracked his career. Clady wound up missing the entire campaign and he was traded to the Jets in the spring of 2016. After a so-so season, Clady has opted to begin the next chapter of his professional life.
Clady’s only known offseason visit was a meeting with the Seahawks in March.
Seahawks, Kam Chancellor Agree To Deal
The Seahawks and safety Kam Chancellor have agreed to a sizable extension. It’s a three-year deal worth $36MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The pact includes $25MM guaranteed, though his full guarantee will almost certainly be less than that. 
Chancellor was scheduled to earn a base salary of $6.8MM and count for ~$8.125MM against the cap in 2017 before becoming a free agent next spring. The safety has been pushing for a better contract ever since 2015 when he held out until Week 3 of the season, but it took a while for the two sides to find common ground this summer. Just six weeks ago, head coach Pete Carroll said that talks were not active between the two sides:
“We would very much like to work something out,” Carroll said. “We’re working at it. And that’s really all we’ll say. But we are working at it with every intention of taking care of business. It takes awhile. Things take awhile. His frame of mind and our frame of mind are in a really good place. And we’re going to work hard to get something done. We’ll see if we can.”
With an average annual value of $12MM on his new deal, Chancellor is now the third-highest paid player on the team, behind only Russell Wilson ($21.75MM per season) and cornerback Richard Sherman ($14MM per season). The Seahawks have done an impeccable job of keeping their core together over the years and they have now bought themselves at least a year before they have to stress over new deals for Sherman and Earl Thomas. Both players are under contract through 2018.
The 29-year-old Chancellor started 12 games in 2016, playing on roughly two-thirds of Seattle’s defensive snaps while grading as the league’s No. 3 safety, per Pro Football Focus. There’s no doubt that he is an elite player at his position and the new deal reflects his standing in the NFL. The deal will also allow him to retire as a member of the Seahawks, something that he has said is extremely important to him.
Raiders’ Gareon Conley Won’t Face Charges
Raiders rookie Gareon Conley will not face charges stemming from his infamous pre-draft hotel romp, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) has learned. A grand jury convened on Monday to discuss Conley’s case and returned with a “no bill.” 
“He is vindicated. He looks forward to contributing in the National Football League,” attorney Kevin Spellacy said.
Heading into the draft, Conley was considered a potential top ten pick. However, days before the big day in late April, he was accused of sexual misconduct in an Ohio hotel room. Some clubs backed away from drafting Conley as they investigated the situation, but the Raiders felt that he was too good of a value to pass up at No. 24 overall. The cornerback has vigorously maintained his innocence throughout the process and the Raiders drafted Conley with the belief that he would not face charges.
Conley will not face a potential suspension from the NFL since the event in question took place before he was drafted. Barring something unexpected, the Raiders will have Conley in uniform for Week 1.