Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - Pro Football Rumors

DRC Hopes To Continue Playing

May 22nd, 2018 at 2:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is still without a team, but he hopes to continue his NFL career. The former Giants cornerback also says that he has drawn interest from clubs, though we haven’t heard much about DRC since the Redskins and Saints kicked the tires on him in March.

“I’m good, ya dig? Yeah [I’m going to] play,” DRC told ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). “Teams told me to wait ’til training camp. I can sign, but I will wait. No rush.”

Last year, Rodgers-Cromartie turned in what was arguably the worst season of his career to date. He also clashed with Giants coaches, which probably isn’t helping his market. He was handed an indefinite suspension after an argument with then-head coach Ben McAdoo in 2017, though he wound up missing only one game after a quick reinstatement.

Rodgers-Cromartie earned a 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus last year, which was his lowest since 2012. He graded out the No. 58 cornerback in the league, which indicates he’s on the fringe of starter value.

It’s not clear which teams have reached out to DRC, but the Broncos were not interested in a reunion at the time of his release in March.

Redskins To Sign Orlando Scandrick

March 19th, 2018 at 1:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Orlando Scandrick‘s free agency stay did not last long, and he’ll be seeing his longtime employer twice next season. The Redskins and a the recently released cornerback agreed to terms on Monday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Washington authorized a two-year deal with Scandrick, whom Dallas cut over the weekend after 10 seasons. The contract carries a max value of $10MM. This comes after Scandrick spent the previous two days visiting the Redskins.

The Redskins also looked into recent Giants cut Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, per John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter), but learned that 10-year veteran’s asking price was too high.

The Cowboys made Scandrick a March cut, which was a long-rumored move. Despite the cornerback already having 10 years of NFL experience, 2018 will only be his age-31 season. He functioned as Dallas’ primary slot corner for many years, and after the Redskins included ascending slot stopper Kendall Fuller in their trade for Alex Smith, Scandrick may be set to fill that role.

A 2008 fifth-round pick, Scandrick played a key role on the past several Cowboys defenses. He started 11 games in 2017. He’ll join a Redskins team that lost Fuller and may well see Bashaud Breeland defect as well. Breeland was set to sign with the Panthers, but a non-football injury scuttled that deal to leave him in free agency for the time being.

With only Josh Norman previously locked in as a key contributor, the Redskins were thin at cornerback. They drafted Fabian Moreau in last year’s third round and could address the position further in the upcoming draft. However, the Cowboys making the decision to cut their longest-tenured defender changed the Redskins’ plans at this position.

Extra Points: DRC, Redskins, Maxwell

March 16th, 2018 at 9:58am CST by Zachary Links

Free agent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie says he’s in no rush to make a decision in free agency. Right now, he’s hoping to make a decision “in April sometime” (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson).

Rodgers-Cromartie visited with the Redskins and had a meeting scheduled with the Saints, but it seems that New Orleans lost interest after signing fellow corner Patrick Robinson. The Redskins could still use an addition to their cornerback group, but it’s possible that their offer was not to DRC’s liking. Or, perhaps no offer was made.

Before he was released by the Giants, DRC reportedly agreed to play safety in 2018. That could be a solution for him if his market continues to stall.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

As teams try to hold onto their own players, two to watch: The Redskins are working to keep outside linebacker Junior Galette and the Seahawks are doing the same with cornerback Byron Maxwell, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). We had Galette ranked as a top-12 edge rusher heading into free agency. Maxwell did not make the top 15 at his position due to his decline in performance and the depth of this year’s CB crop.
Linebacker Demario Davis says the Jets didn’t make him an offer before he signed with the Saints. “The shocking thing was the Jets didn’t make me an offer, so that made my decision easy because all I had to do was look at the contenders,” Davis said (via Rod Walker of The Advocate). “It would have been something to weigh. The hardest decision isn’t where to go, but deciding if you want to go or stay. So I didn’t have to make that decision so that was the peaceful thing about it. I was able to just weight my options objectively.” Things worked out just fine for Davis as he signed a three-year, $24MM deal with New Orleans.
The Dolphins have been talking with agent Drew Rosenhaus about re-signing offensive tackle Sam Young, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald tweets. If retained, Young would return as Miami’s third offensive tackle.

Latest On CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

March 14th, 2018 at 12:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie may have found his next home. After meeting with the Redskins, DRC says he’s “not taking anymore visits,” according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Initially, the cornerback was slated to meet with the Saints after his meeting with the Redskins. His change in plans could indicate that a deal with D.C. is in the works.

Last year, Rodgers-Cromartie turned in what was arguably the worst season of his career to date. His clashing with Giants coaches also didn’t help matters. He was suspended indefinitely after an argument with then-head coach Ben McAdoo and wound up missing one game.

Rodgers-Cromartie had a 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus last season, which was his lowest since 2012. He graded out the No. 58 cornerback in the league, which would indicate he’s on the fringe of starter value.

The Redskins could use DRC, particularly after dealing slot corner Kendall Fuller to the Chiefs in the Alex Smith trade. They’ll also be losing Bashaud Breeland, who agreed to a three-year deal with the Panthers on Tuesday. They still have Josh Norman and Quinton Dunbar atop their depth chart at cornerback.

The Saints have already added to their secondary this offseason, signing former Panthers safety Kurt Coleman to a three-year, $16.35MM deal. Fellow safety Kenny Vaccaro is an unrestricted free agent.

The Giants had hoped to move Rodgers-Cromartie to safety and asked him to take a pay cut before eventually releasing him. Rodgers-Cromartie was due to make $6.48MM with the Giants next season with a cap hit of $8.5MM.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie To Visit Redskins, Saints

March 13th, 2018 at 9:18am CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent defensive back Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will meet with the Redskins today, and is scheduled to visit the Saints next, according to Ian Rapoport of NFLcom (Twitter link).

Last year, Rodgers-Cromartie earned a 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus, his lowest showing since 2012. He graded out as the 58th ranked cornerback in the NFL, portraying him as someone who is on the fringe of starter quality. His on-field performance was the least of his issues, however.

Rodgers-Cromartie clashed with former coach Ben McAdoo last week – apparently, on four separate occasions – before being suspended “indefinitely” for conduct detrimental to the team. He was brought back after just one game, but his outbursts were an indicator of a much deeper problem in the Giants’ locker room.

In both Washington and New Orleans, Rodgers-Cromartie would offer immediate improvement in the slot. The Redskins, notably, dealt their slot corner — Kendall Fuller — when acquiring quarterback Alex Smith earlier this year.

Saints Interested In Malcolm Butler

March 12th, 2018 at 11:34am CST by Zachary Links

Once again, the Saints have interest in acquiring cornerback Malcolm Butler. New Orleans is eyeing the Patriots free agent as well as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

The Patriots and Saints discussed a trade last offseason that would have sent Butler to New Orleans, but talks fell apart when the two sides could not agree to the level of draft compensation. After a down year, the Saints now have an opportunity to sign Butler to a cheaper deal and they won’t have to give up draft picks to do it, save for the impact the signing would have on their compensatory formula. Butler ranked just 51st amongst Pro Football Focus’ qualified corners last season and was virtually a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl.

The Giants released Rodgers-Cromartie over the weekend after he rejected a pay cut. DRC was scheduled to make $6.48MM in 2018, a figure that he can likely come close to on the open market. A reunion with the Broncos appeared to make some sense for Rodgers-Cromartie, but Denver does not have interest. Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune tweets that the cornerback does have a connection to the organization, as senior defensive assistant Peter Giunta was the Giants cornerbacks coach back in 2014.

Broncos Not Interested In DRC Reunion

March 11th, 2018 at 9:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

After breaking up the Aqib Talib–Chris Harris–Bradley Roby trio that served as arguably the NFL’s best over the past four years, the Broncos are planning to look for cornerback help this offseason.

Denver has not needed to pursue much assistance here in recent years, with Kayvon Webster jumping from the Broncos’ No. 4 corner to a Rams starter illustrating the depth the franchise was working with, but will pursue it now that Talib is Los Angeles-bound.

However, the player who preceded Talib as a Broncos starter alongside Harris — Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie — does not appear to be piquing the franchise’s interest this time around. Mike Klis of 9News tweets the Broncos will not be in the mix on a DRC reunion but confirms the franchise is seeking outside help behind Harris and Roby.

The Giants cut Rodgers-Cromartie on Sunday, and going into what would be his age-32 season, he might not be too expensive to bring back. The Broncos signed DRC for one year and $5MM in 2013, and he parlayed a strong Denver campaign into a five-year, $35MM pact with the Giants. However, when negotiations with DRC did not produce a Broncos re-up in 2014, Denver turned to Talib. And that decision played a big part in the franchise’s pass-coverage success over the past four seasons.

The Broncos created $11MM in cap space by trading Talib, but the team is expected to target a veteran quarterback and has needs at right tackle, No. 3 pass catcher and at inside linebacker. Considering both Harris and Roby will earn at least $8MM this year, nickel corner seems like an area the Broncos will try to address on the cheap.

Giants Release Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

March 11th, 2018 at 10:17am CST by Rory Parks

Apparently, the Giants and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie could not come to terms on a pay cut, as the club announced that it has terminated DRC’s contract. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com first reported that DRC would be released (Twitter link).

Just yesterday, we learned that New York asked the 31-year-old corner (32 in April) — whom they had already planned to move to safety — to take a significant pay cut. He was owed $6.48MM in 2018 and was scheduled to take up $8.5MM of cap space, which the Giants considered to be too steep of a price. We also heard that the two sides were not close to reaching any sort of agreement on a pay reduction, which makes today’s release fairly unsurprising.

One of the reasons DRC likely balked at accepting a reduction in pay is that he believes he can get at least close to what he was scheduled to earn with Big Blue this year on the open market. Indeed, $6.5MM does not seem to be too steep of a price to pay for a starting corner if a team believes he can effectively line up on the outside, and while he is on the wrong side of 30, he should have a couple of quality years left. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, DRC does, in fact, want to play as an outside CB again (Twitter link).

The Giants were sitting on just $15MM of cap space before making the move, and that number now jumps to roughly $21MM. They are expected to make a push for top free agent guard Andrew Norwell, who could command up to $12MM per year, and they also need to make other reinforcements along the O-line. New York also needs to invest in its running back and outside linebacker positions this offseason, and they may consider replacing DRC with divisional foe Patrick Robinson. As Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com opines, DRC’s release also makes retaining Ross Cockrell, who performed capably last season and who will become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday, more important.

Rodgers-Cromartie entered the league in 2008 as a first-round pick of the Cardinals and has since suited up for the Eagles, Broncos, and Giants. He has two Pro Bowls to his credit to go along with 30 career interceptions and six TDs.

Giants Ask DRC To Take Pay Cut

March 11th, 2018 at 8:49am CST by Sam Robinson

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie signed with the Giants four years ago, but the team has revamped its front office. And the new one doesn’t like how much money the defensive back will earn in 2018.

The Giants have asked DRC to take a “significant” pay cut, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). While it’s uncertain if the 11th-year defender will do so, Garafolo reports the sides are not believed to be close on terms at this point. However, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv expects a resolution to be reached before free agency opens on Wednesday. Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com says the team could also look to trade DRC, as his salary is reasonable for a team that believes he could start on the outside (Twitter link).

Rodgers-Cromartie will turn 32 in April and has just one year remaining on a five-year, $35MM contract he signed in March 2014. That year calls for a $6.48MM base salary — which the team would save by cutting him — and a $8.5MM cap number. DRC could balk at a major pay cut by believing he could fetch at least a per-year offer of close to what he’d make with the 2018 Giants, but he’s one of the players Big Blue could target as a cap casualty.

If the two sides can agree on a pay cut, the team plans to move DRC to safety next season. The Giants are expected to make a big push to sign Andrew Norwell to begin an offensive line overhaul Dave Gettleman has repeatedly hinted at. With Norwell possibly costing more than $12MM per year, and the Giants sitting on less than $15MM in cap space, adjustments will need to be made before a strong offer goes out to the UFA guard.

While the then-cornerback was part of a historically turbulent season for Giants corners, incurring a one-game suspension from then-HC Ben McAdoo, Pro Football Focus still graded DRC as a mid-level player. He would likely receive an opportunity elsewhere if the Giants moved on from him. The rangy defender is on his fourth team but has started 120 games in his career and has made two Pro Bowls.

Giants To Move DRC To Safety

March 3rd, 2018 at 7:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Last fall, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie‘s chances of staying with the Giants seemed slim. He is in the plans for the team’s new regime, but it’ll be at a different position. The Giants are moving Rodgers-Cromartie from cornerback to safety, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. This summer, he’ll compete with Darian Thompson for the starting job at free safety.

Cornerbacks don’t always take well to moving to safety, particularly those of DRC’s caliber. He says he’s on board with the plan, however, according to Kimberly Jones of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The Giants had an opportunity to get out from DRC’s contract this offseason. The 31-year-old (32 in April) is slated to carry an $8.5MM cap hit, but releasing him would save $6.5MM against the cap against just $2MM in dead money.

For now, it sounds like the Giants will stick with him at his current rate, but we have a long way to go between now and the start of the 2018 season. It would not be surprising to see the Giants to ask the veteran to accept a pay cut, nor would it be a shock to see them abandon the cornerback-to-safety plan altogether, either by keeping him at corner or releasing him outright. The Giants have $23MM in cap space, a mere pittance compared to other teams in the NFL, and multiple needs to address such as remaking the offensive line and finding a new lead running back.

Last year, Rodgers-Cromartie earned a 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus, his lowest showing since 2012. He graded out as the 58th ranked cornerback in the NFL, portraying him as someone who is on the fringe of starter quality. His on-field performance was the least of his issues, however. Rodgers-Cromartie clashed with former coach Ben McAdoo last week – apparently, on four separate occasions – before being suspended “indefinitely” for conduct detrimental to the team. He was brought back after just one game, but his outbursts were an indicator of a much deeper problem in the Giants’ locker room.

In 2016, he earned a career-best 89.9 mark from PFF and was as second team All-Pro by both PFF and the Associated Press. That’s the kind of performance the Giants are looking for as DRC shifts his focus to a new position.