Frank Gore - Pro Football Rumors

Frank Gore To Undergo MRI On Monday

December 16th, 2018 at 8:49pm CST by Micah Powell

Dolphins running back Frank Gore left Sunday’s 41-17 loss to the Vikings early with a left ankle injury. The veteran back sprained his foot on the play but avoided a fracture, and is scheduled to undergo an MRI to see if any ligaments were damaged, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.

This means his 122-game starting streak, the longest in the league among running backs, is more than likely to end next week. According to Cameron Wolfe of ESPN, the next-longest starting streak by a running back is just 17, held by Christian McCaffrey and Peyton Barber.

Gore, 35, finished the day with 14 yards on five carries, and was replaced by rookie Kalen Ballage, who exploded for 123 yards on 12 carries and scored on a 75-yard run. The Dolphins will likely return to the Arizona State product and Kenyan Drake to close the season, assuming Gore is to miss time.

It’s been another steady year for the veteran back, who moved into fourth place on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards list, passing Curtis Martin. Set to be a free agent at the end of the season, Gore could seriously contemplate retirement or hope to land with another team to make a run at Barry Sanders — Just 521 yards away — for the No. 3 spot.

Frank Gore Taking It “Year-To-Year”

November 22nd, 2018 at 8:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Gore is heading into the final stretch of his 14th NFL season, but the veteran running back isn’t necessarily ready to hang up his cleats. Gore told reporters that he’s taking it one season at a time as he approaches the end of his career.

“I’m still year-to-year,” Gore said (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m going to really take a look at me after the season. Hopefully, I can try to finish strong and do whatever it takes to help my team be successful and also have individual success. I’m going to just evaluate myself and my body and see if I really want to do it again this offseason. I take it one year at a time.”

The 35-year-old hasn’t shown many signs of decline this season. In 10 games with the Dolphins, Gore has compiled 528 rushing yards on 117 carries, and his 4.5 yards-per-carry is his highest mark since 2012. With three more years of similar production, Gore could find himself jumping Barry Sanders and Walter Payton to rank second on the all-time rushing list.

For the time being, Gore is simply focused on this season with the Dolphins. That includes a matchup with his former team, the Colts, this weekend. With Indy on the rise, the running back was asked if he may have signed with that organization too early.

“I can’t say that, man,” Gore said. “They were coming off the AFC Championship [game]. When you’re looking from the outside looking in, you don’t know what’s in the locker room until you get there. . . . When you’re playing with a bunch of injured guys, that’s tough in this league. It’s already hard to win when you’ve got guys healthy. So imagine when you don’t, especially the main guys who run the show. I had a great three years there. The organization was great. Great people. We were fighting. Things just didn’t go the way I was planning.”

AFC East Notes: Pats, Jets, Crowell, Dolphins

July 12th, 2018 at 8:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Defensive end Trey Flowers has been a solid contributor for the Patriots for the past three seasons, but as he enters his contract year, Flowers isn’t guaranteed to land an extension from New England, as Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston writes. The Patriots, historically, haven’t been willing to invest much cap space in their defensive line, preferring to plug in low-cost veterans or rookies who excel at stopping the run. Chandler Jones, New England’s best edge rusher in recent memory, was traded to the Cardinals in exchange for a second-round pick, as the Patriots presumably had no interest in paying Jones market value. Flowers, 25 next month, played in roughly three-quarters of New England’s defensive snaps a season ago, far-and-away the most among Patriots’ defensive lineman. In that time, Flowers posted 45 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and graded as the league’s No. 14 edge defender, per Pro Football Focus.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

Even after inking a three-year, $12MM contract, Isaiah Crowell is not expected to become an every-down back with the Jets, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The 25-year-old Crowell handled a career-high 206 carries in 2017, but New York has other running backs on its roster that are more capable in the passing game. Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire will likely handle most of Gang Green’s passing work, leaving Crowell early downs. The Jets figure to trail in many of their games during the upcoming season, meaning Powell and/or McGuire may very well see the lion’s share of the offensive snaps as New York throws the ball in attempts to catch up. Former Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls is also on the Jets’ roster, and could conceivably soak up carries if Crowell falters.
Frank Gore turned 35 years old in May, but he’s hoping the move to a grass field with the Dolphins could help prolong his career, as he tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Turf is tough on your body and it’ll have you swollen,” said Gore, who played on turf for the past three seasons with Indianapolis. “Playing on turf, I wouldn’t get my body back until that Friday. But when I’m playing on grass, I’m good after the game. I’m happy that I’m on grass.” Gore isn’t expected to be the lead back in Miami, as he’ll compete with Kenyan Drake and rookie Kalen Ballage for carries. But he’ll conceivably serve as something of a mentor to both of those young players, each of whom is under the age of 25. Gore managed 3.7 yards per carry on 261 totes for the Colts in 2017.
In case you missed it, the Jets are expected to sign former Mississippi State defensive back Brandon Bryant, who was not selected in Wednesday’s supplemental draft.
Here’s the latest on Bills running back LeSean McCoy, who is facing domestic violence accusations from his ex-girlfriend.

Contract Details: Gore, Osweiler, Waddle

March 28th, 2018 at 9:28pm CST by Micah Powell

Some details on recent free agent deals:

Brock Osweiler, QB (Dolphins): One year, $880K ($790K base salary + $90K signing bonus). $630K guaranteed (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9 News Denver).
Frank Gore, RB (Dolphins): One year, $1.105MM. $90K signing bonus (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
LaAdrian Waddle, OT (Patriots): One year, $1.5MM. Includes $800K base salary, $200K signing bonus, $50K workout bonus and $450K in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN).
Tom Johnson, DT (Seahawks): One year, $2.1MM. Includes $950K base salary, $900K signing bonus, $250K in per-game active roster bonuses (Link Via Brady Henderson of ESPN).
Shamar Stephen, DT (Seahawks): One year, $2.1MM. Includes $800K base salary, $1MM signing bonus and $300K in per-game active roster bonuses (Link Via Brady Henderson of ESPN).

Dolphins To Sign RB Frank Gore

March 22nd, 2018 at 2:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins have agreed to sign running back Frank Gore, according to Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal for the veteran.

Gore, a potential future Hall of Famer, now has the opportunity to finish his career where it all began. Gore was born in Coral Gables, Florida and made his name at the University of Miami. After ten seasons in San Francisco and three seasons in Indianapolis, he gets to ply his craft in Miami once again.

The Dolphins project to start Kenyan Drake at running back, but the opportunity is there for Gore to split carries with him. The remainder of the Dolphins’ running back depth chart is decidedly less accomplished than Gore as Senorise Perry, De’Veon Smith, and Brandon Radcliff are all former undrafted free agents with minimal live action on their resume.

Gore, 35 in May, has 14,000+ career rushing yards to his credit, as well as five Pro Bowl selections. He nearly turned in a tenth 1,000 yard season in 2017, but he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. Gore is no longer the star that he was with the 49ers, but he can still be a useful piece in Miami’s backfield. From the Dolphins perspective, it’s a low-risk proposition that they can bail on, if necessary, without any real financial penalty.

[RELATED: Dolphins Depth Chart]

Dolphins To Meet With Frank Gore

March 22nd, 2018 at 8:48am CST by Zachary Links

Frank Gore could finish his football career back where it all started. Gore is slated to visit with the Dolphins on Thursday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Gore was born in Coral Gables, Florida and played his college football at the University of Miami. With the Hurricanes, Gore averaged 5.7 yards per carry and became a third round pick of the Niners in 2005. Thirteen years later, GMs regret allowing him to slip all the way to No. 65 overall. Gore has had a remarkable career and has been shockingly durable throughout as well. He has missed only 12 possible regular season games in his career and has missed none since 2010.

The five-time Pro Bowler is no longer among the very best at his position, but he remains healthy and somewhat productive on the verge of his 35th birthday. Last year, Gore ran for 961 yards off of 261 carries, giving him a 3.7 yards per carry average. That wasn’t terribly efficient, but he did add 29 catches for 245 yards and one score.

It’s possible that Gore can perform better after moving on from the Colts, who finished 18th in run blocking last season, per Football Outsiders. The Dolphins were ranked even lower by FO’s stats, but they do have a new look offensive line that features guard Josh Sitton and Daniel Kilgore and is bookended by a pair of former first round picks in Laremy Tunsil and Ja’Wuan James.

RB Frank Gore Closing In On Deal With Lions?

March 14th, 2018 at 8:46pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Gore may be closing to signing with a new team. Mike Jones of USA Today reports (via Twitter) that the veteran running back is close to reaching an agreement with the Lions. However, both Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press and Josina Anderson of ESPN tweet that Gore just arrived in Detroit, and his visit hasn’t yet started. We learned yesterday that Gore was set to meet with Detroit.

We heard in late February that the Colts were planning to move on from the 34-year-old, and previous reports indicated that the veteran running back intended to keep playing in 2018. Despite getting up there in age, Gore was listed as the sixth-best free agent running back in our positional rankings.

Playing in his 13th NFL season, Gore collected 250-plus carries for the seventh consecutive campaign. The former 49ers star ultimately started all 16 games for Indy last season, compiling 961 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 261 carries. Gore also added another 29 receptions for 245 yards and one touchdown. Pro Football Focus actually wasn’t all that critical of his 2017 performance, as the site ranked him 17th among 58 eligible running backs.

Gore would provide the Lions with another option at running back. The team is already rostering Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, Tion Green, and Dwayne Washington. The Bills have also been connected to Gore.

Frank Gore To Visit Lions

March 13th, 2018 at 9:53pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Gore is set to have his first meeting of the offseason. Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network reports (via Twitter) that the veteran running back is set to meet with the Lions this week.

We heard in late February that the Colts were planning to move on from the veteran running back, and previous reports indicated that the 34-year-old intended to keep playing in 2018. The Bills have already been connected to the Gore, who was listed as the sixth-best free agent running back in our positional rankings.

Despite playing in his 13th NFL season, Gore still collected 250-plus carries for the seventh consecutive campaign. The former 49ers star ultimately started all 16 games for Indy, compiling 961 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 261 carries. Gore also added another 29 receptions for 245 yards and one touchdown. Pro Football Focus actually wasn’t all that critical of his 2017 performance, as the site ranked him 17th among 58 eligible running backs.

Gore would provide the Lions with another option at running back. The team is already rostering Ameer Abdullah, Theo Riddick, Tion Green, and Dwayne Washington.

Top 2018 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

March 5th, 2018 at 10:09pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency will get underway on Wednesday, March 14th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market. The same goes for players who have been franchise tagged or transition tagged.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2018:

Quarterback:

There were many difficult calls when putting this list together, but ranking Kirk Cousins as the No. 1 QB available was not among them. Cousins is the best quarterback to reach free agency in recent history and he’ll become the highest-paid player of all-time – at least, for some period of time – in mid-March. Who will make history with Cousins? That’s anyone’s guess right now. The Browns have more cap room than any other team, but a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com listed the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Vikings as the final suitors for Cousins. Of those four, the Jets have the most money to work with, but they’re concerned about the Vikings winning out and Cousins’ desire to win could point him in another direction. If the Broncos and Cardinals want in on the Cousins sweepstakes, they’ll have to get creative with the books.

Drew Brees is included here, but by his own admission, he’ll be re-signing with the Saints rather than testing the open waters of free agency. Unless the Saints lowball their franchise QB, it’s hard to see him leaving New Orleans.

Case Keenum put together a tremendous season for the Vikings, but he doesn’t have a history of success beyond 2017. There will be plenty of interest in Keenum, but only after QB-needy teams strike out on Cousins. The incumbent Vikings could re-sign Keenum, but right now, it seems like they are intent on exploring the Cousins waters first.

There isn’t a ton of footage on A.J. McCarron, which made his placement on this list awfully tricky. We know this much: McCarron did well in place of Dalton in the home stretch of the 2015 season and his former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was salivating at the chance of landing him before the Browns bungled the trade with the Bengals. McCarron’s relative youth is a plus (he won’t turn 28 until September) and his lack of experience can be looked at as a positive. Unlike some of the other names on this list, he hasn’t run up his NFL odometer.

What will NFL teams make of Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford this offseason? Not long ago, both seemed like quality starting options. However, there are serious injury questions about both players and any team signing them will either look to backstop them with another decent option or ask them to come onboard as a QB2. With that in mind, one has to wonder if Bradford would consider retirement if asked to hold the clipboard for another signal caller. Bradford has earned upwards of $110MM over the years in the NFL, so it’s safe to say that he has enough money in the bank to call it quits if he wants. For now, he’s intent on playing.

Colin Kaepernick‘s placement on this list is sure to draw some strong reactions from his fans and detractors alike. Looking purely at his football ability, there’s no question that he belongs on someone’s roster. At minimum, Kaepernick profiles as a high-end backup, even after a year out of the game.

Quarterbacks coaches have long believed that Mike Glennon is capable of great things, due in part to his height. At 6’7″, he can see over any defensive line, but he hasn’t done much on the field to prove that he is a quality Week 1 starting option. Josh McCown, who is a decade his senior, edges him here for his surprisingly strong performance in 2017 at the helm of a weak Jets offense.

Running back:

We’re in the illegal tampering period which, frankly, is just as active as the legal tampering period. Already, Dion Lewis is attracting attention from a number of teams and it’s speculated (wink wink) that the Jets, Texans, 49ers, Raiders, and Colts will have interest in him when things get underway next week. Le’Veon Bell has a franchise tag coming his way, so Lewis stands as the most attractive RB option out there.

Carlos Hyde didn’t have the kind of platform year he was hoping for, but he’s still just 26 and could headline a running back by committee group.

Jerick McKinnon‘s placement on this list figures to be controversial, but his athleticism and pass-catching ability can blow a game wide open. No one will bank on McKinnon to carry the ball 20 times per game, but he can be a real difference maker for a team out there.

Can Frank Gore outrun father time? History indicates that he can’t and so does his 3.7 yards per carry average in 2017. You have to give credit where credit is due, however. Gore has been ruled out by many for years, but he has not missed a regular season game since the 2010 season. He’s also just one year removed from cracking 1,000 yards and he almost did the same last year.

Wide receiver:

For most teams, Allen Robinson would be a franchise tag candidate. However, that may be too much of a luxury for the cash-strapped Jaguars. He presents a fascinating free agent case. Robinson missed all but three snaps of the 2017 season after suffering a torn ACL, but he’s the most talented wide receiver on the board in the eyes of many. His 2015 season – 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns – makes GMs drool. His quieter year in 2016 (73 catches, 883 yards, and six touchdowns) is less worthy of salivation. His 2017 season, of course, was a lost cause. For all the question marks, you can expect Robinson to see more dollars than any other free agent WR this year, particularly since Jarvis Landry has been held back by the tag.

Some in the football world may prefer Sammy Watkins for his big-play ability, but his down contract year amidst a capable offense is cause for concern. His injury history doesn’t do him any favors either. No matter your feelings on Watkins, there’s no debating that this year’s WR market has a top tier comprised of just two players – Watkins and Robinson. With few quality receivers out there, they’ll both get paid.

Marqise Lee represents a much less sexy option (speaking in football terms, of course), but he had the most receptions of any Jaguars receiver in 2017 (56) and finished second in receiving yards (702). Teams looking for a quality WR2 in free agency could do a lot worse than Lee and he’ll be far cheaper than the two-man top tier.

Danny Amendola hauled in 61 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season and continued his strong play in the playoffs. However, teams will wonder if he can thrive in his age-33 season while playing outside of the Patriots’ offense. It’s also quite possible that he never tests the market as his stated preference is to remain in New England.

After that, you’ll notice a pretty significant drop off. That’s because this year’s WR class isn’t all that deep. Terrelle Pryor had to settle for a one-year prove-it contract last year and, to put it mildly, he did not prove it. Paul Richardson caught 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, but that marked his first NFL season of real note.

Tight end:

Trey Burton spent most of the year behind Zach Ertz on the Eagles’ depth chart, but he emerged late in the season and set himself up nicely for free agency. Given his age and potential, there’s no question that he is the belle of the ball at tight end.

The rest of the tight end crop is not nearly as inspiring. Jimmy Graham has enjoyed back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons with the Seahawks, but he’ll turn 32 in November and he’s no longer the monster playmaker that he was in New Orleans. He had ten touchdowns in 2017, but his 9.1 yards per reception average is a career low.

Odds are, you have Tyler Eifert ranked over Austin Seferian-Jenkins given the fact that Eifert has played just ten games over the last two years. ASJ, meanwhile, rebounded from personal issues to post a 50-catch season for the Jets. Personally, I’m picking Eifert based on upside. Hopefully, we can still be friends.

Virgil Green, Darren Fells, and Lee Smith aren’t exactly fantasy football superstars, but they are quality blocking tight ends that will draw more dollars than expected.

With some uninspiring names towards the backend of the list, you may be wondering where former Ravens notable Crockett Gillmore is on this list. Gillmore is transitioning to the offensive line, so he did not warrant consideration here.

Fullback:

Jon Gruden may go eagerly shopping for fullbacks, but they’re not nearly as popular as they once were.

Offensive tackle:

Offensive line play is down across the board and evaluators around the league have been openly complaining about an increasing dearth of tackles coming out of college. That makes for a generally uninspiring lot in free agency.

Nate Solder battled through injuries in 2017 and did not miss a game. He’s no longer a top-flight option, but he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 32 tackle last year, meaning that he’s starter quality at left tackle. You’ll notice that three of the top five tackles on this list are Patriots. There’s little chance that the Pats let all three get away.

Justin Pugh offers the ability to play both guard and right tackle, though he might not do either one particularly well.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Andrew Norwell is the undisputed king of this category after netting an All-Pro selection in 2017. Norwell also earned a career-high 88.8 overall score from Pro Football Focus, which positioned him third in the entire NFL amongst guards. A team with greater means than the Panthers might have used the franchise tag on him. Fortunately for rival teams in need of interior help (such as the Giants), they won’t cuff him with the one-year placeholder.

Bills Express Interest In RB Frank Gore

March 5th, 2018 at 7:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills have expressed interest in veteran running back Frank Gore, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Gore himself was “eyeing” the Packers, per Barrows, but Green Bay has indicated its comfortable with its current running back depth chart.

The Colts have no intention of re-signing Gore, but the 34-year-old believes he can play for at least one more NFL campaign, reports Barrows. However, he has specific conditions for which he is searching in his next team. First, Gore wants to be a contributor — while it doesn’t sound as though Gore will require a starting role, he clearly wants to be significantly involved in an offense. Second, Gore prefers to play for a contender in what could be his final NFL season.

While Buffalo would meet that second criterion after earning a postseason berth in 2017, the Bills wouldn’t be able to offer Gore anything close to a starting job. LeSean McCoy finished second in the NFL with 287 carries a season ago, and he’s likely to be Buffalo’s offensive focal point in 2018. The Bills might aim to limit McCoy’s touches as he enters his 30s, but Mike Tolbert — Buffalo’s No. 2 running back last year — handled only 66 carries in 2017.

That Green Bay would not be interested in adding Gore shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as the club has several young running backs on its roster. The Packers drafted three running backs in 2017, and two of them — Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones — showed the upside of a long-term starter in their rookie seasons. The other rookie, Devante Mays, is still in Green Bay, as is Ty Montgomery, the wideout-turned-back who was the Packers’ starter to open the year.

Now hoping to play his 14th NFL campaign, Gore averaged only 3.7 yards per carry on 261 rushes while scoring three times last season. While he wasn’t a key part of the Colts’ passing attack, he did manage 29 receptions for 245 yards and one touchdown. If he’s active in 2017, Gore will almost certainly pass Curtis Martin for fourth on the all-time rushing yards list.