- Michigan State offensive tackle and prospective first-rounder Jack Conklin has met with or worked out for the Titans, Bills, Chargers, Steelers, Falcons, Jets, Colts, Buccaneers and Lions, he told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
- Texas A&M cornerback Brandon Williams has been busy during the pre-draft visit, making five visits and taking part in 14 private workouts, according to Aaron Wilson, who tweets that Williams is meeting with the Steelers today. Utah running back Devontae Booker and Michigan safety Jarrod Wilson are also in Pittsburgh to visit the Steelers, Wilson adds (via Twitter).
MONDAY, 4:32pm: Hoyer’s release is now official, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
SUNDAY, 7:21pm: The Jets are likely to schedule a visit with Hoyer soon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. Gang Green showed interest in the eighth-year passer last year and have been the most discussed suitor for Hoyer in 2016.
3:47pm: The Texans have released quarterback Brian Hoyer, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). As a vested veteran, Hoyer won’t have to pass through waivers, so he’s now a free agent and can sign with any club.
The news doesn’t come as much of a shock, as reports last month indicated that Houston was likely to part ways with Hoyer, either through trade or release. After the signing of Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal, there wasn’t much of a role for Hoyer on the club, especially after the Texans also inked backup quarterback Brandon Weeden to a two-year deal.
Houston had reportedly been searching for a trade partner in an effort to deal Hoyer, and had been doing so right up until releasing him, tweets Rapoport. Reports indicated that Hoyer could be had for minimal compensation, but apparently no other club was willing to part with assets in order to land the veteran quarterback.
Hoyer won’t be without suitors now that he’s a free agent, however, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter link) that the Steelers have expressed interest. Additionally, the Jets had inquired on Hoyer while he was still on the Texans’ roster, and they’re sure to still be intrigued even as they negotiate with Ryan Fitzpatrick. And the Broncos, who were said to be considering a run at Hoyer last month, make sense as a landing spot as they try to replace Osweiler and Peyton Manning.
The 30-year-old Hoyer posted the best season of his career in 2015, completing 60% of his passes for more than 2,600 yards while throwing 19 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. After leading the Texans to a 5-4 record in his nine starts, Hoyer’s streak of good play ended in the first round of the playoffs, when he threw four interceptions as Houston was shut out by the Chiefs.
Hoyer was entering the final season of a a two-year deal he signed with Houston prior to the 2015 season. He had no guaranteed money remaining, so the Texans will clear the entirety of his 2016 cap hit — about $4.86MM — off their books.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
A key fixture in last year’s tepid quarterback class, Hoyer has drawn interest from the Jets, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). In addition to Gang Green’s interest in Hoyer, something which the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson corroborates (Twitter link), the Steelers also could be in on the 30-year-old as Ben Roethlisberger insurance.
Pittsburgh’s interest in Hoyer is interesting since the Cleveland-area native will be targeted for starting positions, with the Jets and Broncos having expressed interest. But Roethlisberger’s injuries harpooned the Steelers’ offense last season, with Big Ben missing four games and five starts in 2015. Neither Michael Vick nor Landry Jones proved to be up to the job of keeping Pittsburgh’s attack in high gear.
- Willie Colon is debating whether or not to return for an 11th season, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports. The veteran lineman played the past three seasons with the Jets, starting 38 games, but remains an unrestricted free agent. The 33-year-old guard attended D’Brickashaw Ferguson‘s retirement ceremony at the Jets’ facility but isn’t sure he’s ready to commit to another year after missing 10 games in 2015 with a season-ending knee injury. “I’m getting in shape, trying to figure it out,” Colon told Cimini. “If my knee doesn’t respond, I’m just going to hang it up. Right now, it’s about me just getting in the best shape I can and see how it goes.” The former Steelers blocker graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 68 guard during his six games last season, and replacement Brian Winters — a former third-round pick now entering his fourth season — came in at No. 58.
- The Steelers have not drafted a cornerback in the first round since 1997, and as Mark Kaboly of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review observes, no team has gone longer without drafting a first-round CB; indeed, half the league picked a corner in the first round during the past five years alone. But with a shaky secondary and as many as six corners with first-round potential in this year’s draft class–all of whose pro days were attended by the Steelers–2016 could be the year that Pittsburgh finally breaks that streak, injecting some much-needed talent in its defensive backfield in the process.
- Before releasing him, the Steelers asked cornerback Cortez Allen to take a pay cut, tweets Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. However, it seems the two sides couldn’t find common ground on a reworked contract.
The Steelers have made a notable roster move today, announcing in a press release that they have released veteran cornerback Cortez Allen. Because Allen has more than four years of NFL experience, he’ll immediately become a free agent without having to pass through waivers.
Allen, a fourth-round pick in 2011, showed some promise during his first three years in Pittsburgh, particularly in 2013, when he started eight games and picked up a pair of interceptions to go along with 13 passes defended. That performance prompted the Steelers to lock up Allen to a four-year extension worth $24.6MM in 2014.
Since then, however, the 27-year-old has regressed and struggled with injuries, appearing in just 12 total games over the last two seasons. By acknowledging their mistake with Allen and cutting him, the Steelers will reduce his cap number from $5.75MM to $4.05MM for 2016, creating $1.7MM in cap space.
The secondary, and cornerback in particular, is expected to be a primary area of focus for GM Kevin Colbert and the Steelers in this month’s draft. Pittsburgh has done its homework on top cornerback prospects, and may even go in that direction in round one.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
- Gannon quarterback Liam Nadler is drawing interest from the Texans, Steelers, Chargers, Jets, Eagles, and Seahawks, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Wilson also reports (via Twitter) that the Texans, Buccaneers, Dolphins, Patriots, and Bears are among the teams to show interest in South Florida edge defender Eric Lee.
- Duke safety Jeremy Cash had more than 10 teams at his pro day, including the Panthers, Steelers, Falcons, Cardinals, and Saints, tweets Rand Getlin of NFL.com.
- The Steelers have yet to make a decision on the fifth-year option of outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Pittsburgh has until May 2nd to reach a verdict on the 2013 first-round pick. Last year, 12 of 32 selections did not get their options picked up.