HEADLINES

Jerry Jones

East Links: Cowboys, Redskins, Jets

September 13th, 2014 at 11:09am CST by Ben Levine

Orlando Scandrick is currently serving a four-game suspension, but the Cowboys cornerback will likely be back soon. Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram writes that the 27-year-old will be eligible to play this weekend if a new league drug policy is agreed upon.

The former fifth-round pick expressed his beliefs that a suspension wasn’t necessary, but he’s still happy that the ordeal will soon be behind him.

“I’m relieved,” Scandrick said. “It feels good to be able to join back and play with my teammates and do what I love. It was the toughest two weeks of my life. It truly allowed me to appreciate the NFL, the game of football, my job and my career. I want to thank the Jones family, coach Jason Garrett and my teammates for their support. I want to assure everybody that this will never happen again. I will take the extra step so this never happens again. I’m just thankful the NFL and the union were able to reach a resolution. I’m speechless.

I got to realize I caught a break. When you catch a break you have to learn from it. It’s an eye opener to be banned from something you have done your whole life. I’m thankful and appreciative.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFL’s east divisions…
  • Unless something happens to linebacker Rolando McClain, the Cowboys wouldn’t have a reason to add free agent Pat Angerer, writes ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. However, the writer guesses that the former second-rounder is on the team’s “emergency board.”
  • Archer also makes it clear that Jerry Jones will not be relinquishing his control of the Cowboys. “It’s his team, his money,” Archer writes. “He can do with it what he wants. He will not sell the team. He will not give up the general manager title.”
  • In regards to the Redskins‘ linebacker depth, ESPN.com’s John Keim says the “best-case” scenario would involve Brian Orakpo having a big season and re-signing.
  • Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson could have commanded a huge contract following his dominant 2013 season. The 24-year-old will be making $1.2MM this year, and Mark Canizzaro of the New York Post writes that a holdout was never in the picture. “If people treat me with respect and I treat them with respect then I guess my time will come,” Wilkerson said. “I’ve got to wait. If they respect me and they feel highly of me, then I guess they’ll take care of me, right? Time will tell…I guess I’m just different. I look at things differently. That’s how I was bought up. I’m a patient person. I’m going to just wait. I’ve just got to wait.”

NFC Links: Sam, Scandrick, Hill

September 6th, 2014 at 11:48am CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings finished the 2013 season as the second-worst pass defense in the league. Injuries to Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith certainly didn’t help, and the healthy, matured group is expected to take a big step forward in 2014… even with their daunting schedule, which includes games against Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford in consecutive weeks.

“That’s okay, you want to play the best,” Rhodes said (via Mark Craig of the Star Tribune). “To me, staying healthy is the key. Last year, DBs were going down left and right. We have the weapons. We just need to be healthier.”

Head coach Mike Zimmer has been seeing improvements from his secondary, and he’s thrilled with the presence of veteran defensive coordinator Jerry Gray:

“I’m pretty involved with the defensive backs, so I step in there quite a bit and I tell him exactly what I want because that’s kind of my baby,” Zimmer said. “By about the third day, Jerry was saying things to the players before I could say it. And it was the exact same thing I was going to say, so that made me feel really good.”

Let’s check out some more rumblings from the NFC…

  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com predicts that it will be at least a month until the Cowboys would potentially promote Michael Sam to the active roster.
  • There have been plenty of rumors over the past couple of days that recently-suspended Orlando Scandrick could be reinstated if the NFL and the players’ association agree to a new drug policy. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones isn’t counting on Scandrick to be available on opening day, however. “I’m not planning on it, let’s put it like that,” Jones said on KRLD-FM/105.3 (via Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram). “The quicker we can get him back, the better our team would be because he arguably did have … a great training camp.”
  • Since it will take him at least a couple of weeks to learn the playbook, Stephen Hill likely won’t be on the Panthers active roster any time soon, writes ESPN.com’s David Newton. The writer believes that Hill ultimately will make the team, writing that organizations “don’t keep second-round picks on the practice squad.”

La Canfora On Chiefs, 2011 Draftees, Smith

August 4th, 2014 at 10:59pm CST by Matt Feminis

In his latest edition of training camp notes, CBS’ Jason La Canfora provided an update on negotiations between the Chiefs and Alex Smith, saying talks “are ongoing, with the dialogue maintaining on a regular basis and the team looking for creative ways to secure him for the future, according to several sources. To this point, however, they haven’t been able to bridge a few gaps, but the Chiefs are willing to cut into their considerable cap space to strike a deal, and there are no plans to stop exchanging proposals.”

La Canfora adds talks have “remained cordial” and there is mutual desire to find common ground. Common ground would seem to be a “middle-tier” deal that would place Smith’s contract somewhere between the elite passers and the lower-paid, “bridge starters” group. From the team perspective, the Chiefs don’t want to overpay for Smith in the event a younger QB is ready to vie for the job, especially given Andy Reid‘s ability to develop quarterbacks.

More tidbits from La Canfora:

  • The Chiefs have revived talks with Justin Houston, who is also a priority. La Canfora does not expect a deal to get hammered out before the season, however, since the sides are far apart financially playing out the season could make the most sense for Houston.
  • La Canfora publicized first-year tight end Demetrius Harris as a “deep sleeper” and potentially “the next college basketball player to make the jump to tight end.”
  • Do not expect many more 2011 first-rounders to be extended for a while. This group includes Cam Newton, J.J. Watt, Robert Quinn, Cameron Jordan and Muhammad Wilkerson, among others. La Canfora quoted an agent for one prominent pass rusher, who said, “The money is going to be so high, these teams don’t really have an incentive to do it now. I’m not sure any of these guys get new deals this year. If there’s any movement going on I’m not aware of it.”
  • Some agents are outraged over the Cowboys’ eight-year extension to Tyron Smith because “he essentially gave the Cowboys two contracts for the price of one, locked up until age 32.” Those agents believe Jerry Jones might have used his “father figure” relationship with the young Smith to take advantage of him in negotiations.

 

NFC East Notes: Beckham Jr., Bryant, Mathis

June 7th, 2014 at 2:07pm CST by Peter Sowards

After receiving a $5MM cap credit on June 1 for cutting offensive lineman David Baas in March, the Giants have just over $7MM to spend on fine-tuning the roster, writes Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com. 91 players are currently under contract for the G-Men, with a team cap of $124.98MM.

As Ranaan points out, $7MM might sound like a lot of money, but 20 teams have more room to spend. All seven 2014 draftees except for third-round defensive tackle Jay Bromley have signed their rookie deals, and it’s only a matter of time before the former Syracuse Orange joins the fold.

More news and notes from the AFC East below…

  • Giants first-round wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is being rested for precautionary reasons while recovering from a hamstring injury that sidelined him at OTAs, reports National Football Post’s Aaron Wilson. Beckham told reporters he’s also suffering from a tight back.
  • Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden waxed poetic about his former college and current pro teammate, Dez Bryant, per The Dallas Morning News’ Jon Machota. “He’s unbelievable at what he does,” Weeden said. “It’s the same stuff he did when he was 18 when he came in. I have said it when we came in the same year, he’s just a freak. The guy is probably the most passionate football player. He loves the game more than anyone I’ve ever been around.” Both players arrived at Oklahoma State in 2007. 
  • At a function honoring former Arkansas head football coach and athletic director Frank Broyles, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said nothing has made him prouder than to know the Arkansas Razorbacks — Jones’ Alma mater — will play at AT&T Stadium next season, tweets Robbie Neiswanger of the Arkansas News Bureau.
  • Eagles guard Evan Mathis said the team is light years ahead of where it was compared to this time last year, reports CSNPhilly.com’s Michael Barkann. “This year, you can just see so much more confidence on the field. Everybody’s executing, it’s much more crisp, and that’s what you get with a year under this system.” 
  • Michael Bamiro has been working mainly at right guard on the Eagles‘ second-team offensive line, writes CSNPhilly.com’s Geoff Mosher.
  • According to a tweet by last year’s No. 4 overall pick Lane Johnson, the Eagles‘ rookie dinner totaled nearly $18k, including a $3,495 bottle of wine.
  • Eagles first-round pick Marcus Smith, who will be outside linebacker in Philadelphia’s base 3-4, was tabbed by National Football Post’s Greg Gabriel as one of five players to keep an eye on during the 2014 NFL Season.
  • Niles Paul, the Redskins wide receiver and core special teams player, is optimistic about a potential turnout for the ST unit under Ben Kotwica, the first-year coordinator, writes CSNWashington.com’s Tarik El-Bashir.
  • Training camp practices under new Redskins head coach Jay Gruden will likely start earlier, end later and feature a longer break in between sessions, reports CSNWashington.com’s Rich Tandler.
  • Learning his fifth offensive system in five years, Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy likes the fit in Washington and is eager to learn behind Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III, writes ESPN.com’s John Keim.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

May 19th, 2014 at 9:22pm CST by Rob DiRe

Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones spoke to Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network about the possibility of the NFL expanding their playoff format, and he liked the idea of more playoff teams, reports Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Jones noted that it would help his team get into the tournament, as the Cowboys have barely missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:

  • The Eagles have signed fourth-round pick Jaylen Watkins, fifth-round pick Taylor Hart, and undrafted free agent Devan Morgan, reports Jeff McClane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Hart is a defensive end out of Oregon, while Watkins and Morgan are both defensive backs. The team released defensive back John Fulton to make room on the roster.
  • Eagles’ head coach Chip Kelly drafted two Oregon players this year, and both have found the transition from college to the pros smooth because of the connection, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

    “There’s things in the offense I know already,” receiver Josh Huff said. “It’s just getting things separated from the Oregon offense to the Philly offense. The play calls are different. The hand signals are different. So I have to reboot my whole system and get it in order.”

    Hart also has some familiarity with the system.

  • The Giants have just enough cap room to sign all their draft picks without making any roster move, writes Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com (via Twitter). Ranaan still expects the team to free up about $5MM by cutting David Baas in the near future..

Jerry Jones Talks Garrett, Orton, Coaches

February 24th, 2014 at 8:33am CST by Luke Adams

Jerry Jones spoke to the media yesterday, and while we already passed along his comments on DeMarcus Ware, the Cowboys owner weighed in on several other topics as well. Among the highlights from Jones was a vote of confidence for embattled head coach Jason Garrett, who heads into a contract year in 2014. While the coming season as viewed as a potential make-or-break year for Garrett, Jones suggested that’s not necessarily the case, according to ESPNDallas.com’s Todd Archer.

“Jason should know and I know that he knows that the plan here is and has been for him to be long term,” Jones said. “And long term certainly being beyond this year as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys.”

Here’s more from the outspoken Cowboys owner:

  • Kyle Orton‘s certain with the Cowboys remains uncertain, but Jones is moving forward as if the backup quarterback will return and play out the final year of his contract, according to Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News.
  • Jones on Orton: “If he plays, we want him to play with the Cowboys. I could say to him directly the last time we were together made it very rewarding and worthwhile for you to be on the team, and I hope it was rewarding to you. I can say that. That was a good example of money well spent in my mind, and it shows you where we might be if we need him for an extended period of time.”
  • Jones believes that the Cowboys are capable of competing for a Super Bowl in 2014 in spite of the club’s cap limitations, writes Sabin in a separate Morning News story.
  • As Archer details at ESPNDallas.com, Jones also clarified the roles that Scott Linehan, Bill Callahan, and Jason Garrett will have in the offense for 2014.