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Devin Smith (WR)

Devin Smith Goes Unclaimed On Waivers

July 18th, 2018 at 8:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Former Jets wide receiver Devin Smith went unclaimed after being placed on waivers earlier this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

It’s perhaps unsurprising that no other NFL club decided to take a chance on Smith, as he’s suffered two torn ACLs since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2015. He first injured his ligament during his rookie campaign, and then tore his ACL again during New York’s first team workout in 2017.

Any team that had acquired Smith via a waiver claim would’ve been responsible for his $1.236MM base salary for 2018. None of that figure is guaranteed, and the Jets still have Smith’s signing bonus proration on their books, but it probably wasn’t viewed as worthwhile for many teams to take on his salary, even if on a tryout-type basis.

Because he was not claimed, Smith is now a free agent and allowed to sign with any club. It’s unclear if any team will now be willing to give Smith an opportunity, but as of May, he still wasn’t practicing, a poor indication of his recovery (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). Any new deal that Smith lands will surely be of the non-guaranteed variety.

Viewed as a deep threat coming out of Ohio State, Smith has only managed to appear in 14 games (three starts), and hasn’t played since 2016. In those 14 games, Smith posted 10 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown.

Jets Release WR Devin Smith

July 16th, 2018 at 12:37pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are releasing former 2015 second-round pick Devin Smith, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The wide receiver has suffered two torn ACLs in his career and has struggled to recover from them.

The Jets were already set with their top four wide receivers thanks to the presence of Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Terrelle Pryor, and Quincy Enunwa. After that, last year’s draft picks Chad Hansen and ArDarius Stewart are fighting for their jobs along with kick return candidates Andre Roberts, Charone Peake, and Lucky Whitehead. Simply put, there was no room left for Smith, especially since he was a holdover from the old regime.

Smith tore his ACL in the first team workout of 2017, ending his season before it could begin. He tore the same ligament during his rookie season in 2015, meaning that the former second round pick has been on the field for just 14 games in total. It’s fair to wonder whether Smith will be able to get back on track after suffering the same serious injury twice. In his limited action, Smith caught ten passes for 135 yards and one score.

Jets Notes: Bridgewater, Woody Johnson, Wilcox, Smith

June 9th, 2018 at 2:01pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Teddy Bridgewater has only been a Jet for a couple of months now, but trade rumors have been swarming pretty much non-stop since Bridgewater first signed with the team. Many have speculated that the New York could look to move Bridgewater if he shows he’s healthy during the preseason but the Jets decide to roll with Josh McCown and Sam Darnold as their quarterbacks.

But what kind of compensation could the Jets expect to get assuming he plays well in the preseason? The team could expect “maybe a third-rounder or fourth-rounder in a trade” according to Darryl Slater of NJ.com. Slater thinks that’s the maximum the team could get because Bridgewater is only on a one year deal. As for which teams may inquire about Bridgewater, Slater thinks it will come down to which team suffers a “quarterback injury in the preseason.”

Here’s more on the Jets:

  • When Jets owner Woody Johnson accepted an ambassadorship to the United Kingdom, he ceded control of the team to his brother Chris. Whenever Woody returns from his appointment, it’s unlikely that Chris goes away quietly, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN (Twitter link). Cimini says “I can’t see Chris just walking away. He’s really invested in the team.” Cimini goes on to speculate that the Jets may work out a situation where “both are involved.”
  • Slater thinks the recently signed J.J. Wilcox has an inside track at a roster spot. Among the safeties currently competing for the backup roles behind Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, Slater thinks Doug Middleton “could be the odd man out.”
  • Slater thinks both 2015 second-rounder Devin Smith and 2016 seventh-rounder Charone Peake are on the roster bubble as the team’s wide receiver depth chart sorts itself out. Smith has been plagued by injuries since entering the league as the 37th overall pick.

Jets Waive Injured WR Devin Smith

May 22nd, 2017 at 3:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets announced that they have waived/injured wide receiver Devin Smith. In related news, the team re-signed receiver Deshon Foxx. "<strong

Smith tore his ACL in the first team workout of the year, ending his 2017 season before it could begin. He tore the same ligament during his rookie season in 2015, meaning that the former second round pick has been on the field for just 14 games in total. It’s fair to wonder whether Smith will be able to get back on track after suffering the same serious injury twice.

In his limited action, Smith has caught ten passes for 135 yards and one score. If he clears waivers – and he probably will – then he will revert to the Jets’ IR.

Even with Smith out of the picture and Jalin Marshall facing a four-game ban, Foxx still faces long odds of making the 53-man roster. The Jets have 13 receivers on the 90-man roster, including Eric Decker, Quincy Enunwa, free agent pickup Quinton Patton, and 2017 draft picks ArDarius Stewart and Chad Hansen.

Jets WR Devin Smith Suffers Torn ACL

April 29th, 2017 at 5:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Awful news for Jets wide receiver Devin Smith. Smith tore his ACL in the first team workout of the year, GM Mike Maccagnan told reporters moments ago. He already had surgery for the tear and will miss the entire 2017 season. Devin Smith (vertical)

Smith, 25, suffered an ACL tear in the same knee in his rookie season. All in all, the 2015 second round pick has seen just 3 games of action in total since entering the league. Smith was one of Maccagnan’s first draft picks as Jets GM and we’ll have to wait another year to find out whether he can bring anything to the table in New York.

The Jets now have seven wide receivers on the roster as they look ahead to the 2017 season. Eric Decker, Quincy Enunwa, and Robby Anderson lead the way with free agent pickup Quinton Patton, third round rookie ArDarius Stewart, Charone Peake, and Jalin Marshall in support. One has to imagine that Smith’s injury and Marshall’s four-game ban played into the team’s decision to draft Stewart.

East Notes: Taylor, Cowboys, D-Jax

December 11th, 2016 at 9:38am CST by Rory Parks

We heard several days ago that Bills GM Doug Whaley was unwilling to commit to Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starting quarterback of the future until after the season, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that no talks regarding who will be the team’s 2017 quarterback have taken place. The Bills’ decision-makers appreciate that Taylor has just 26 career starts to his name, and they will evaluate his entire body of work–including the final four or more games of 2016–with that in mind.

If they decide Taylor is their man, the Bills could pick up his 2017 option, thereby kickstarting a new five-year, $80MM+ deal, or they could redo his contract to make it more palatable, which Rapoport believes is the more likely option. If Buffalo moves on, Rapoport expects the team to be active in the veteran quarterback market with a possible eye on Tony Romo. Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick also could be on the Bills’ radar.

Now for more from the league’s east divisions:

  • We learned last night that the Cowboys would be without return specialist Lucky Whitehead for tonight’s game against the Giants, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Whitehead was indeed left home in Dallas for missing a team meeting, which has been a recurring issue for him.
  • Even if the Cowboys reach a point in the regular season when they have nothing to play for, they do not plan to rest their starters, according to Rapoport. Dak Prescott would be a logical exception to that rule, though Tony Romo may not be the replacement if Prescott comes off the field. As Rapoport writes, Dallas would want to keep Romo safe in case Prescott should suffer an injury in the playoffs (Twitter links).
  • Despite recent reports that the Eagles will pursue Redskins wideout DeSean Jackson at season’s end, and despite reports that the interest is mutual, Jackson himself says that free agency is not on his mind at the moment, per John Keim of ESPN.com. Jackson said, “Who knows what happens in free agency? If I’m a free agent, I might seek some options and wherever it takes me, it takes me. It’s not my focus now. We have four games left here. Whatever happens, happens at the end of the season.”
  • Jets wideout Devin Smith is expected to finally get back on the field Sunday, and as Mark Cannizarro of the New York Post writes, the embattled former second-round pick is embracing a new beginning even in the midst of a lost season for the Jets. Smith said, “I just have to continue to [prepare] and we’ll see come Sunday. I’m going to continue to keep working hard and my chance is going to come.’’
  • We learned earlier today that Jets head coach Todd Bowles is expected to keep his job, but that Chan Gailey might not be so lucky, Nick Mangold may be considering retirement, and that Woody Johnson might not be the one in charge of the team’s day-to-day operations in 2017.

Jets Place Ryan Clady On IR

November 9th, 2016 at 12:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Ryan Clady‘s season is over. The Jets announced that Clady is being placed on injured reserve with what is believed to be a torn rotator cuff. Also, defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins has been waived and wide receiver Devin Smith has been activated from the PUP list. The Jets also confirmed that they have signed defensive lineman Anthony Johnson from the Patriots’ practice squad. Ryan Clady (vertical)

[RELATED: Jets Sign Anthony Johnson Off Of Pats’ P-Squad]

The Jets landed Clady in an April trade with the Broncos. Clady was due to earn $19.5MM between 2016 and 2017 on his old contract, but he agreed to rework his deal in order to start fresh on the east coast. His new deal still covers 2017, but it’s unlikely that the Jets will retain him with a ~$10MM cap charge.

Gang Green dealt for Clady with the hope that he could stay healthy and achieve his potential. That obviously didn’t happen as Pro Football Focus ranked Clady as the No. 54 tackle in the NFL out of 74 qualified players. Clady had middle-of-the-pack run blocking scores this year coupled with dreadful evaluations on his pass blocking. The Jets’ tackle woes went far beyond Clady too as Brent Qvale has fared only slightly better and Ben Ijalana has actually done worse. Ijalana now projects to take over on the left side.

The Jets signed Jenkins to a two-year deal this past offseason worth $6MM with $3MM guaranteed. After registering a career-best four sacks in 2015 with Chicago, it’s conceivable that he could circle back to the Bears. There’s no way around it: Jenkins’ deal was a terrible miscalculation by GM Mike Maccagnan & Co. The advanced metrics indicated that Jenkins was not far above replacement level as an interior defender last year but the Jets and other clubs were likely blinded by his traditional stats.

Smith, a 2015 second-round pick, has now recovered from his torn ACL. In ten games last year, Smith posted nine receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown.

Jets Place Devin Smith On PUP, Cut 11

August 28th, 2016 at 4:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets have announced a series of roster moves that moves their roster to 78 players, three over the 75-man limit. New York will need to make three more cuts before Tuesday at 3pm CT.

The Jets have announced the following transactions:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Cut:

Smith, a 2015 second-round pick, is still recovering from a torn ACL, and won’t be eligible to play during the first six weeks of the season. The Jets will then have a three-week window during which they can activate Smith. In 10 games last year, Smith posted nine receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown.

AFC Notes: Jets, Bengals, Broncos, Titans

July 2nd, 2016 at 11:19am CST by Ben Levine

Former Jets second-round pick Devin Smith is confident that he’ll be able to contribute to the team in 2016, according to Zac Jackson of ProFootballTalk.com. The wideout was banged up for most of training camp last year, and his season ended following a torn ACL in December.

“Physically, I feel great,” he said. “My weight is up. I feel healthy. The trainers have pushed me in the right direction. The trainers at the Jets have been great. I feel totally comfortable that they’ll have me back when the right time comes. They watch me closely and we have great communication.

“It’s one day at a time. I really do feel better most days than I did the day before, the week before. They haven’t told me much about a timetable because the focus is just on me getting better. I know when camp starts, [how much time] we have, and I’m just glad I’m making the progress I’m making now. Hopefully we keep going in the right direction.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the AFC…

  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com explores some of the Bengals best and worst contracts. Quarterback Andy Dalton‘s six-year, $96MM contract (with $17MM guaranteed) is rated as the best, while defensive tackle Domata Peko‘s two-year, $9MM contract (with $4.4MM guaranteed) is named the worst.
  • Broncos safety Shiloh Keo had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. The 28-year-old was arrested in February in Idaho.
  • The Titans made quarterback Matt Cassel a priority in free agency, writes Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. General manager Jon Robinson and coach Mike Mularkey were both fans, and Robinson was familiar with Cassell due to their Patriots roots.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/15

December 18th, 2015 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, as teams get their rosters set for this weekend:

  • Defensive tackle C.J. Mosley will become a free agent if and when he clears waivers — per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), the Dolphins have cut Mosley from injured reserve. Since there’s no word of an injury settlement, the former Lion should be healthy, so another team may decide to sign him for the stretch run.
  • The Buccaneers have waived linebacker Orie Lemon, tweets Wilson. The move leaves Tampa Bay with an open roster spot, which the club will have more than a week to fill, having played on Thursday night.

Earlier updates:

  • The Jets have placed rookie wide receiver Devin Smith on injured reserve due to the torn ACL he suffered in last week’s win over the Titans, the team announced today in a press release. Smith, the 37th overall pick in this year’s draft, was one of many receivers selected in the top 50 whose rookie season was unspectacular — he caught just nine of 28 targets, for 115 yards and a TD. To replace Smith on their roster, the Jets have promoted linebacker Taiwan Jones from their practice squad.
  • The Falcons have also elevated a linebacker from their practice squad, announcing today in a press release that outside linebacker Tyler Starr has received a promotion. In a corresponding move, the club placed center James Stone on the injured reserve list. Per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link), Stone – who started nine games last season but just one this year – has a torn ACL.
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