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Cam Robinson Injured, Expected Back for Playoffs

December 25th, 2017 at 12:20pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Jaguars suffered a surprising defeat at the hands of the 49ers on Sunday, but it looks like the AFC South champs avoided what would be a critical blow to their offensive line. Rookie offensive tackle Cam Robinson was forced to leave the game with an abdominal injury, but it will likely not keep him out for the team’s first postseason appearance in ten years, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

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Rapoport further describes the injury as more of a “nuisance”, so it is something the young offensive lineman can play through in January. Jacksonville will be locked into the three seed in the AFC should the Steelers win one of their final two games. If Pittsburgh were to win today vs. Houston, the Jags could rest Robinson to make sure that he is as healthy as possible heading into the Wild Card round.

Robinson, 22, has not been graded kindly by the likes of Pro Football Focus, as he ranks as the 79th best tackle in football, according to the website. Although, Robinson has only given up two sacks on the season as the blindside protector of quarterback Blake Bortles.

The Jaguars invested highly in the former Alabama lineman when they selected him in the second round of last year’s draft. The team has veteran Josh Wells available as the immediate backup should Robinson miss time. He would join what’s been a productive offensive that includes Patrick Omameh, Brandon Linder, A.J. Cann and Jermey Parnell.

Extra Points: Pack, Favre, Jags, Steelers

June 29th, 2017 at 9:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois signed with the Packers in March, and he spoke about that decision Thursday, telling Stu Courney of PackersNews.com: “To get that phone call that the Green Bay Packers want you is rare. It’s rare that you see them go outside and pick guys up and if they do, it’s for a reason.” Jean-Francois is right that the Packers typically aren’t the most aggressive team in free agency. They aren’t averse to signing released players, however, because adding them doesn’t cost compensatory draft picks. That was the case with the 30-year-old Jean-Francois, whom the Redskins cut loose a week before he caught on with Green Bay for $3MM. His decision came down to the Packers and Seahawks, and it seems Aaron Rodgers‘ presence tipped the scales in the former’s favor. “Just seeing a quarterback like him year in and year out be so successful … he’s been so consistent getting to the playoffs,” commented Jean-Francois.

More from Green Bay and two other NFL cities:

  • After Branden Albert ended his holdout and reported to Jaguars minicamp earlier this month, vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin told the left tackle that he looked heavier than before, according to Roy Cummings of Florida Football Insiders. Moreover, the out-of-shape Albert failed to impress the team’s coaches on the field, per Cummings, who notes that he’s far from a lock to start. Albert, whom the Jaguars acquired via trade from the Dolphins over the winter, will have to beat out second-rounder Cam Robinson. For now, Robinson is the front-runner for the job, suggests Cummings. At right tackle, Jacksonville has Jermey Parnell – a 16-game starter last year who ranked 31st among Pro Football Focus’ 78 qualified tackles (Albert was 65th).
  • We may not have seen the last of Brett Favre in a notable NFL role. The Hall of Fame quarterback told ESPN Wisconsin’s Wilde & Tausch on Thursday that he’s interested in working as a coach or a general manager down the line (via Richard Ryman of PackersNews.com). “I would say I’d never say never,” Favre said. “I believe that would be a dream job, working as a coach there or in some form of administration.” Favre would prefer to serve in some capacity with the Packers, with whom he starred from 1992-2007.
  • One of Arthur Moats or Anthony Chickillo could be in jeopardy of losing his roster spot with the Steelers, writes Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. With those two, T.J. Watt, James Harrison, Bud Dupree and seventh-rounder Keion Adams, the Steelers will enter training camp with six outside linebackers and only four or five spots. Watt, Harrison and Dupree are shoo-ins to make the roster, and whether both Moats and Chickillo will join them will come down to if the Steelers decide to deploy a five-OLB rotation. Meanwhile, Adams will likely head to the practice squad. Moats and Chickillo were both somewhat prominent members of Pittsburgh’s defense last year. Moats played 396 snaps, started in five of 16 appearances and picked up 3.5 sacks, while Chickillo amassed 316 snaps and 2.5 sacks in 15 games (seven starts).

Jaguars Sign Rookie OL Cam Robinson

May 31st, 2017 at 12:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jaguars have agreed to terms with second-round offensive tackle Cam Robinson, the club announced today."<strong

In need of offensive line help, Jacksonville moved up in the second round in order to acquire Robinson. Having already drafted LSU running back Leonard Fournette fourth overall, the Jaguars shipped the No. 187 pick to the Seahawks for the right to move up one spot, shifting their selection from No. 35 to No. 34.

For now, Robinson is Jacksonville’s starting left tackle while veteran Branden Albert sits out team activities. The Jaguars acquired Albert from Miami in March, but he’s not attending practice session as he holds out for a new contract. As such, Robinson would likely line up on Blake Bortles‘ blindside if the season began today. If Albert does report, Robinson could see time at right tackle or guard.

The Jaguars have now inked six members of their seven-man draft class, with only third-round cornerback Dawuane Smoot remaining unsigned.

AFC South Notes: Albert, O’Brien, Hooker

May 13th, 2017 at 4:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Doug Marrone was emphatic today when declaring he still hasn’t heard from recently acquired left tackle Branden Albert, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. The new full-time Jaguars coach seemed to indicate Tom Coughlin and Dave Caldwell have checked in with him about the situation involving the AWOL trade acquisition.

“I just want to know so when you ask me, I can answer it or when [Coughlin or Caldwell] asks, I can answer them,” Marrone said, via O’Halloran. “They ask me, ‘Have you talked to him? Is he going to come? Is he going to play?’ I don’t know. I’ve been in situations where I’ve had a player on the [franchise] tag and they would say, ‘Hey, I’m not signing the tag, I’m not going to [show up], but I’m going to be working out and training.’ … You just want to know where everyone is at and that’s all I was expecting [from Albert].”

Albert cannot be fined until June 13, when the Jags convene for their mandatory minicamp. O’Halloran reports that when Albert came to Jacksonville for a post-trade press conference in March, a source indicated a new contract wasn’t coming for the 32-year-old blocker. The tackle market then exploded, with less proven players like Matt Kalil, Riley Reiff and Russell Okung all signing for at least $11MM per year and each receiving at least $24MM in guarantees. This leads O’Halloran to believe Albert had a change of heart about playing on his Dolphins-constructed contract this season. Albert is now the 15th-highest-paid left tackle, in terms of AAV. The two-time Pro Bowler’s deal has no guaranteed money remaining.

Here’s the latest from the AFC South.

  • The Jaguars are lining up Cam Robinson exclusively at left tackle, O’Halloran tweets. Arriving as a second-round pick from Alabama, Robinson was believed to be viewed as either a tackle or guard. The Jags have some uncertainty at left guard despite re-signing Patrick Omameh, so an ideal setup may be Albert at left tackle and Robinson at left guard. With Albert’s status unknown, the franchise is not arranging its pieces this way.
  • After the Texans again sputtered on offense in 2016, the team parted ways with OC George Godsey without bringing in a new coordinator. Bill O’Brien confirmed he’s running the offense and will continue to do so. “I’ve been probably doing more coaching myself in the last four or five weeks than I’ve done in the three years that I’ve been here,” O’Brien said, via Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. “I’m really involved in the offense and I’m having a lot of fun.” O’Brien categorized last season’s stretch-run arrangement as he and Godsey splitting up the play-calling duties. Barshop notes O’Brien will call plays this season.
  • Malik Hooker will not participate in the Colts‘ rookie minicamp this weekend and will likely be held out until training camp, according to Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. The first-round safety underwent surgeries in January to repair a torn labrum and address a hernia issue.
  • The Jaguars are expected to give Leonard Fournette a fully guaranteed contract like the Panthers did for Christian McCaffrey, O’Halloran notes. McCaffrey’s $17.24MM deal as the No. 8 overall pick will be well shy of what O’Halloran expects to be a fully guaranteed pact for the No. 4 overall choice, who would earn $27.15MM. That amount would exceed the league’s top guarantee for a running back. Ezekiel Elliott‘s $24.97MM guarantee leads this position by a healthy margin presently, with LeSean McCoy having the top veteran-contract guarantee at $18.25MM.

Draft Fallout: Kizer, Abdullah, Butt, Jags

April 30th, 2017 at 11:28am CST by Rory Parks

The Browns were the club most frequently connected to new Bears’ QB Mitch Trubisky prior to the draft, but Chicago made the surprising decision to trade up to the No. 2 overall pick and nab the former UNC signal-caller, and then Patrick Mahomes came off the board before Cleveland could nab him with the No. 12 overall selection. So the Browns dealt that pick and waited until the the second round to get a quarterback, selecting Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, whose stock slipped over the last few months but who certainly has first-round ability.

As Tony Grossi of ESPN.com writes, the Browns are open to having Kizer start right away. Head coach Hue Jackson said, “If he can handle [starting], great. We are not going to say, ‘No, you can’t play,’ if he is ready to play.”

Now for more fallout from the 2017 draft:

  • The Lions did not select a running back in this year’s draft, and as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes, GM Bob Quinn stated afterwards that Ameer Abdullah, who missed almost all of 2016 with a foot injury, will be the team’s starting back going into 2017.
  • The Packers drafted three running backs over the past several days, but head coach Mike McCarthy said that converted wideout Ty Montgomery will “absolutely” be the team’s starting back (via Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal).
  • The Cardinals landed guard Dorian Johnson in the fourth round of this year’s draft, even though his talent level should have made him a Day 2 selection. Johnson has a liver condition that made a number of clubs wary of making him a second- or third-round choice, and Johnson’s agent, Joe Panos, took exception to his client’s slide, saying, “I had GMs tell me they couldn’t risk a 2nd or 3rd on Dorian due to the recent discovery of a liver condition he’s had since birth, even though his heptalogist said his condition will in no way affect his ability to play. Teams couldn’t risk a high pick on him. Yet every year I see teams risk high picks on guys with serious character issues. Bad guys. They’ll take risks on those guys because his coaches ‘vouched’ for him. [A coach’s] word is gold. But Dorian’s heptalogist, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about?” (all links go to Twitter via ESPN’s Adam Caplan).
  • New Broncos tight end Jake Butt slipped to the top of the fifth round of this year’s draft due to an ACL injury he suffered in his final collegiate game (prior to the injury, he was projected to be picked at the top of the second round). But before the 2016 college season, Butt purchased a loss-of-value policy that partially compensated him for the money he lost due to his draft slide, as Darren Rovell of ESPN.com writes. Had Butt been selected at the top of the second round, he would have earned $4MM guaranteed, but as an early fifth-rounder, he is guaranteed only $380K. The insurance policy paid out roughly $900K (pre-tax), so the injury ended up costing Butt a little shy of $2.8MM. These loss-of-value policies have become increasingly popular over the last few years, and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Jaylon Smith are two of the more notable recent beneficiaries of such policies.
  • The Jaguars acquired Branden Albert earlier this offseason, but GM Dave Caldwell said second-round draft pick Cam Robinson will compete with Albert for the starting left tackle job (via Hays Carlyon of 1010XL). Albert has been absent from voluntary workouts as he seeks a new contract, though if he proves to be the best man for the job, Caldwell did indicate that Robinson could move, at least temporarily, to guard.
  • The Jaguars selected Oklahoma wideout Dede Westbrook in the fourth round yesterday despite his two domestic violence arrests that caused some teams to remove him from their boards completely. As Albert Breer of TheMMQB tweets, one AFC area scout said of Westbrook, “No thoughts. It is what it is. He’s a degenerate.”

Extra Points: Jets, Pryor, Steelers, Lewis

April 29th, 2017 at 9:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets were said to be looking for a Calvin Pryor buyer, but the team now may be backing off that pursuit. GM Mike Maccagnan said he “doesn’t see any reason” why the Jets can’t retain Pryor, despite having selected safeties in each of the first two rounds of this draft (Twitter link, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News). Pryor is entering his fourth season and the Jets have until Wednesday to decide if they will pick up his fifth-year option. The selections of Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye certainly make that unlikely. A 2014 first-rounder, the hard-hitting safety is set to make a guaranteed $2.74MM this season.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • A Steelers/Keenan Lewis reunion does not look to be in the works. A visit to Pittsburgh concluded with Lewis leaving the team’s facility. As Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette puts it (Twitter link), the cornerback doesn’t have “any further interest” in a Steelers deal. That is somewhat interesting since the soon-to-be 31-year-old Lewis hasn’t played in the NFL since 2015 and hasn’t played a season without major injury trouble since 2014. But it appears the former Steelers and Saints corner will continue his comeback hopes elsewhere.
  • Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell sees Cam Robinson as a left tackle, as Hays Carlyon of 1010XL writes. It’s an interesting statement considering that the Jaguars acquired Branden Albert in a trade with Miami earlier this offseason. So far, Albert has not shown up for voluntary workouts and has not touched base with coach Doug Marrone, so the team could be trying to send him a message by slotting Robinson for the outside.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Jaguars Acquire Seahawks’ No. 34 Pick

April 28th, 2017 at 6:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jaguars announced that they’ve acquired the No. 34 pick from the Seahawks in exchange for No. 35 and No. 187.

Jacksonville will use the selection to draft Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson. While the Jaguars acquired veteran left tackle Branden Albert during the offseason, he has yet to report. If that holdout continues, Robinson could conceivably step in on the blindside. Otherwise, he can also play right tackle or guard.

Albert Breer On Foster, Trubisky, Watson

April 26th, 2017 at 9:47am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz from Albert Breer of The MMQB. All links go to Twitter:

  • Teams were aware of some drug history for linebacker Reuben Foster at Alabama and that wasn’t considered a big deal until his watered down combine test (link). Now, however, that history has taken on a different context. Depending on who you ask, Foster could be in for a draft day slide similar to Myles Jack in 2016.
  • Breer envisions a run on offensive linemen Ryan Ramczyk, Cam Robinson, Forrest Lamp, and Garett Bolles, and that may trigger some teams to trade up into the late teens (link). This year’s draft is thin on OL help and those four players are considered to be the best available.
  • Though it’s not a likelihood, there’s a chance that quarterbacks Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, and Patrick Mahomes go in the Top 15 (link).
  • The NFL at large likes Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey and USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson more than the public realizes (link). To date, most prognostications have them going late in the first round or early in the second. In yesterday’s dueling mock draft, I took Humphrey at No. 13 overall on behalf of the Cardinals.

Pauline’s Latest: Webb, Bolles, Robinson

April 25th, 2017 at 9:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cal quarterback Davis Webb is expected to be selected at some point in the middle of Round 2 of the draft, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Webb has been mentioned as a possible first-round pick, and the dearth of quarterback options could certainly push him up the board. But Day 2 looks more likely, per Pauline, who adds the Jets, Saints, Chargers, and Cardinals have shown the most interest in Pauline thus far. Those final three teams, notably, currently employ veteran signal-callers, which would allow Webb at least one year of development.

Here’s more on the 2017 draft, all courtesy of Pauline:

  • While Garett Bolles is reportedly considered the top offensive lineman by some clubs, the Utah product may ultimately slip into the second round, reports Pauline. That would certainly be surprising, especially given that the 2017 offensive tackle class is considered especially weak (meaning top options such as Bolles should come at a premium). The clubs most heavily linked to Bolles are the Broncos, Giants, Raiders, and Texans, says Pauline. Bolles’ age is the one key factor working against him, as he’ll already be 25 years old when the upcoming season begins.
  • If the Ravens don’t trade down from No. 16, Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson is expected to in consideration, per Pauline. After losing right tackle Ricky Wagner during the free agent period, Baltimore could use another offensive lineman to help protect Joe Flacco. Given the presence of 2016 first-rounder Ronnie Stanley, Robinson would presumably play on the right side for the Ravens (though he could conceivably play guard, as well). Meanwhile, if Baltimore does trade down, the team would probably target UCLA edge rusher Takkarist McKinley, whom Pauline says is a favorite of general manager Ozzie Newsome.
  • The Packers are gearing up to select Wisconsin pass rusher T.J. Watt in the first round, a team source tells Pauline. Zach Links sent Watt to Green Bay in at pick No. 29 in PFR’s live mock draft earlier today. Watt, who managed 11.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in 2016, is a local product, as he hails from Pewaukee, Wisconsin and spent three seasons with the Badgers. The Packers re-signed edge defender Nick Perry last month, but could still use another outside linebacker, especially if the move Clay Matthews Jr. back inside.

PFR’s 2017 Live NFL Mock Draft

April 25th, 2017 at 9:47am CST by Dallas Robinson

The 2017 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night, and Pro Football Rumors is back with its second mock draft of the year. While our initial mock attempted to project what will happen in Round 1, we’ve taken a different approach for mock draft 2.0.

PFR editor Zach Links and I conducted this live mock draft on Tuesday morning, rotating picks and breaking down what we would do were we in charge of these selections. We posted each pick on Twitter, followed by a short explanation of our thought process on this page.

Here’s the complete mock:

1. Cleveland Browns (Zach) – Myles Garrett, LB, Texas A&M

I suspect this is the easiest pick either one of us will make all day. Garrett is the best pure talent in this year’s draft and the Browns would be foolish to go in any other direction at the top of the draft.

2. San Francisco 49ers (Dallas) – Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State

Reports that the 49ers are considering a quarterback with the second overall selection stand out as a potential smokescreen, and instead San Francisco uses the No. 2 pick to bolster its defense. Hooker, who recently earned a full medical clearance following combine rechecks, has been commonly linked to the Chargers as a perfect fit for Los Angeles defensive coordinator Gus Bradley‘s scheme. But the 49ers are running the same defensive look as the Chargers under new DC Robert Saleh, and Hooker would give the team a centerfielder with the upside of an Earl Thomas. San Francisco’s plan to convert nickel cornerback Jimmie Ward to safety won’t stop it from adding Hooker, who is possibly the draft’s No. 2 overall prospect.

3. Chicago Bears (Zach) – Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford 

Dallas’ bold pick left my Bears with a golden opportunity. The Bears could go safety or cornerback in this scenario, but the talent of Thomas is too good to pass up. Thomas can be used on both the inside and outside of the Bears’ defensive line and I see him as one of the safest talents on the board.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (Dallas) – Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State

No, we didn’t forget the Jaguars used a top-five pick on Jalen Ramsey in 2016 and then handed a $67.5MM contract to A.J. Bouye in free agency last month. But one of Ramsey’s key selling points last year was his versatility: while he’s a shutdown corner at his best, Ramsey can man the slot, cover tight ends, and dabble at safety. As such, adding Conley doesn’t mean Jacksonville is facing cornerback overload, especially given that NFL clubs are in the nickel more than two-thirds of the time. Conley is viewed as a safer prospect than his Ohio State teammate Marshon Lattimore, and he’d give the Jaguars a Broncos-like secondary.

5. Tennessee Titans (Zach) – Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State

The Titans, arguably, get the best cornerback available in the draft even though they are the second team to address the position. No, we don’t have a ton of film to go on for Lattimore, but his combine numbers indicate that he could be a megastar. Few teams in the NFL would have a young cornerback duo like the Titans if they can pair Logan Ryan with Lattimore.Mitch Trubisky Instagram

6. Cleveland Browns (projected trade with Jets) (Dallas) – Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

In need of a franchise quarterback, the Browns send the No. 12 and No. 52 pick to the Jets in exchange for No. 6 with the intention of drafting Trubisky. It’s a slight overpay for Cleveland (at least, based on Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, which is likely what the Browns front offices uses), but it does the deal anyway to land a long-term option under center. Given that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is reportedly pressing the club to select a quarterback early — and the fact the Cleveland may still be considering Trubisky with the first overall selection — landing the UNC signal-caller at No. 5 for the cost of a mid-second-round pick is a move the Browns can’t pass up.

7. Los Angeles Chargers (Zach) – Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama

In this scenario, it seems like Allen’s subpar workouts have led to a bit of a drop. His size (6’3″) is a bit of a concern, but he has the ability to be an effective defensive end while spending some time on the inside as well. Allen would look great lining up on the opposite end of Joey Bosa.

8. Carolina Panthers (Dallas) – Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

Sitting at pick No. 8, the Panthers certainly have options. General manager Dave Gettleman & Co. could go after a running back like Leonard Fournette or Christian McCaffrey, bring in a young edge rusher to play alongside veterans like Charles Johnson and Julius Peppers, or even reach for an offensive tackle given Michael Oher‘s health questions. With Ted Ginn Jr. and Corey Brown having defected via free agency, the Panthers need another wideout to pair with Kelvin Benjamin. Enter Davis, who topped 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (Zach) – Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama

Foster’s stock, by all accounts, is slipping after he turned in a diluted urine sample and got into an argument with a hospital worker at the combine. However, with other teams in the market for an inside linebacker (like the Jets at No. 12, for example), it would be somewhat risky to trade down into the teens and expect Foster to still be there. The Bengals have been willing to overlook character concerns in the past, so I see no reason why they can’t do the same here and land the Alabama star.

10. Buffalo Bills (Dallas) – Jamal Adams, S, LSU

While the Bills gave Jordan Poyer a four-year deal with $6MM in guarantees earlier this offseason, I’m still not convinced Buffalo views him as a definite starter. Those questions come to the forefront with Adams still on the board, and the Bills don’t hesitate to take the LSU defensive back. With ex-Packer Micah Hyde also in the fold, Buffalo can field one of the more diverse and flexible safety tandems in the league. Adams is viewed as a leader in the locker room, and has been favorably compared to former Cowboys All Pro Darren Woodson by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

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