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Koa Misi

East Notes: Cowboys, Dolphins, Bromley

February 2nd, 2016 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard that the Cowboys were set to talk to former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan about their defensive backs coach position, but Nolan isn’t the only candidate for the opening. According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter), the Cowboys will also interview Tim Lewis, lost his job as the Niners’ defensive backs coach last month.

Alex Marvez of FOX Sports adds a few more names to the Cowboys’ list of possible targets, tweeting that the team has already interviewed Titans assistant secondary coach Steve Brown, former Colts assistant Mike Gillhamer, and former Miami Hurricanes head coach Al Golden, who has since been hired by the Lions. Even with Golden off the table, it certainly seems that Dallas has no shortage of candidates to replace Jerome Henderson.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • It’s only been a few hours since word broke that the Browns are expected to cut Johnny Manziel when the 2016 league year officially begins, but that’s plenty of time for the speculation about Manziel landing with the Cowboys to rev up. As Todd Archer of ESPN.com and David Moore of the Dallas Morning News observe, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wanted to select Manziel during the 2014 draft, but was talked out of it by other members of the team’s front office, and the quarterback has shown little since then – on or off the field – to make the club regret that decision. Still, Jones may still harbor some optimism for Manziel’s potential, and as Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider link) writes, the team hasn’t shied away from signing players with character red flags.
  • The linebacker position “will be of particular interest” for the Dolphins throughout this offseason, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who writes that the club will be looking for two starting-caliber linebackers. Salguero suggests Miami will likely try to replace middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and outside linebacker Koa Misi this winter, if possible.
  • A police source tells Ryan Sit and Rocco Parascandola of the New York Daily News that investigators have uncovered “significant discrepancies” in the story told by the woman who accused Giants defensive tackle Jay Bromley of assaulting and attempting to rape her. Bromley has steadfastly denied his accuser’s allegations.

Extra Points: Dolphins, Bears, Vikes, Lions, Draft

January 2nd, 2016 at 9:56pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Dolphins’ front office and coaching staff apparently aren’t the only areas they’re going to overhaul during the offseason. The team will also make big changes to its 27th-ranked defense, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Miami ranks 24th in passing yards allowed and 25th in rating against (98.8), so it plans to strengthen its secondary in the coming months. That means adding two new cornerbacks, asking veteran corner Brent Grimes ($9.5MM cap hit in 2016) to restructure his contract, and finding another safety to complement Reshad Jones. Free agent-to-be Eric Weddle, a three-time Pro Bowler with San Diego, would be open to an offer from the Dolphins, Jackson writes. He and Jones would form an excellent tandem, but it will cost the Dolphins (or anyone else) a lot to land Weddle.

Along the front seven, the Dolphins want to keep end Cameron Wake, who tore his Achilles’ tendon in October. Doing so might require the soon-to-be 34-year-old to restructure his deal, as he’s set to count nearly $10MM against the club’s cap next season. The Dolphins hope to continue pairing Olivier Vernon with Wake to generate a pass rush, but Vernon is a free agent and retaining him might be unrealistic.

“I only get one shot [at free agency], so I’m not [doing] a hometown discount,” said Vernon.

Miami also needs to upgrade at linebacker, where Jackson believes the team will look to add one or two new starters. They could either cut Koa Misi or move him back to the middle if they’re unable to find a better outside solution than MLB Kelvin Sheppard.

More from around the NFL:

  • The Bears are open to a long-term deal with receiver Alshon Jeffery, CSNChicago.com reports. The 6-foot-3, 216-pounder landed on injured reserve Wednesday after totaling 54 catches, 807 yards and four touchdowns this year in just nine games. The soon-to-be 26-year-old is primed to cash in soon, be it with the Bears or someone else, having accumulated 228 receptions, well over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns over the last three years (41 games).
  • Like Jeffery, Vikings right guard Mike Harris is also a pending free agent. His ideal scenario includes re-signing with Minnesota rather than testing the open market. “That’s the hope,” Harris said, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “It’d be wonderful. It’d be a dream come true.” The fourth-year man has made a career-best 15 starts this season and earned a positive assessment from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which ranks him 24th out of 81 qualifying guards.
  • Continuing the soon-to-be free agent theme, Lions safety Isa Abdul-Quddus is scheduled to hit the market in the offseason. That’s good timing, notes Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, as Abdul-Quddus is in line for a payday thanks to a career year. Abdul-Quddus, whom PFF ranks an impressive 20th out of 87 qualifying safeties, is hoping that payday comes in Detroit. “I love it here,” the 26-year-old told Meinke. “I love the coaching staff. I love Coach (Jim) Caldwell. I love everything here man, and I’d love to come back.”
  • Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee will enter the 2016 draft, Chase Goodbread of NFL.com tweets. Lee, a redshirt sophomore, is following the same path as teammates Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott and Cardale Jones – all of whom declared for the draft earlier this week.

Dolphins Place Koa Misi, Chris McCain On IR

December 22nd, 2015 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of Dolphins linebackers will see their seasons come to an early end, with the team announcing today (via Twitter) that it has placed Koa Misi and Chris McCain on the injured reserve list. To get the roster back up to the 53-man limit, the Dolphins have signed linebacker James-Michael Johnson, center/guard Jacques McClendon, and guard Shelley Smith (Twitter link).

Misi, who turns 29 next month, is the more notable of the two Miami linebackers headed to IR, having started 13 games for the team this year. The Utah product has been with the club since being selected in the second round of the 2010 draft, starting 70 games and playing in a total of 81 contests during that stretch. Misi remains under contract with the Dolphins for two more seasons.

McCain, meanwhile, has contributed a little on both defense and special teams, recording a sack and a forced fumble for the Dolphins this season.

The new additions will help provide depth not only at linebacker, but on the offensive line, where the team has injuries mounting as well. Veteran stalwarts Mike Pouncey and Branden Albert both left Sunday’s loss to the Chargers with injuries.

Dolphins Rumors: Tannehill, Misi, Taylor

March 28th, 2015 at 10:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the May 3 deadline looms in the near future for the Dolphins to pick up Ryan Tannehill‘s fifth-year option, which they will do barring an unlikely extension in the next five weeks, the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero doesn’t think a new contract is necessary for the improving quarterback.

The Dolphins’ most reliable 21st-century quarterback, Tannehill is due $16.1MM in 2016 once the Dolphins use that option. He’s also the 17th-highest paid player on the team, excluding dead-money anchors Mike Wallace and Dannell Ellerbe, that just signed Ndamukong Suh to a $114MM deal.

Using the Andy Dalton contract as an example of a premature splurge on a player who hadn’t yet warranted it, Salguero argues the Dolphins’ best course of action is to let Tannehill play under this deal ($4MM cap number in 2015) while he attempts to ascend further as a fourth-year player and take Miami to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Tannehill’s average salary on the rookie contract he signed in 2012 ($3.17MM per season) is 34th in the league, according to OverTheCap.

For some additional Dolphins notes …

  • A debate is ongoing in the organization about what to do with the middle linebacker position, reports Adam H. Beasley. Koa Misi‘s future, in the minds of Joe Philbin and DC Kevin Coyle, remains at the middle spot he played last season, while new front office exec Mike Tannenbaum views the 28-year-old as a better fit on the outside where he played the previous four seasons. Misi’s graded positively on Pro Football Focus’ metrics the past three campaigns, topping out as the 12th-best inside backer last season (subscription required).The front office, per Beasley, eyes the younger Kelvin Sheppard to have a shot to start inside in the Fins’ 4-3 alignment.
  • With the youngest wideout stable in the league at 23.3 years old, the Dolphins look to supplement the Jarvis Landry– and Kenny Stills-fronted corps with a high draft pick and veteran free agent. Beasley mentioned Greg Jennings or Michael Crabtree to potentially be added to balance out a unit that lost 2014 starters Wallace and Brian Hartline.
  • Also from Beasley: despite the signing of Brice McCain, third-year player Jamar Taylor will probably have a chance to start across from Brent Grimes. The 2013 second-rounder started three games in two seasons.

AFC Notes: Carr, Sheard, Canty, Williams

June 14th, 2014 at 10:52am CST by Matt Feminis

Since being drafted last month, Raiders second-round quarterback Derek Carr has drawn continued praise. Now, offensive coordinator Greg Olson says the rookie might not need to “redshirt.” Olson spoke to Vic Tafur at sfgate.com, saying, “We are accelerating the learning curve of Derek Carr.”

Here’s some more AFC news and notes:

  • Earlier this week, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweeted that the Browns and 2015 free agent Jabaal Sheard have had preliminary talks on a long-term contract extension, then elaborated in article form. Entering the final year of his four-year, $5.1MM rookie deal, the 2011 second-rounder is poised for an impact (Read: productive) season and lucrative payday thanks to his projected role as the team’s primary pass rusher in Mike Pettine’s hybrid, attacking scheme.
  • Prompted by a fan question as part of a mailbag chat, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley addresses the possibility of Ravens veteran defensive lineman Chris Canty being cut at the end of training camp. “There’s no guarantee that defensive end Chris Canty makes this team,” says Hensley. “He was a disappointment last year, and the Ravens can create cap room by cutting him ($2 million this year and $2.6 million in 2015). The Ravens, though, need to make sure someone is ready to step up in his spot. Kapron Lewis-Moore and rookie Brent Urban are the ones who play Canty’s position, so they have to convince the Ravens in the preseason that they’re ready.”
  • Bills receiver Mike Williams, acquired from Tampa Bay for a sixth-round pick, does not have a “particular skill that he brings to the table that is different from the rest of the receiver group” and is not a lock to make the roster in the eyes of ESPN’s Mike Rodak.
  • Despite struggling last season, Derek Newton is the Texans’ starting right tackle, per Brian Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
  • The odds of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger starting all 16 games for the second consecutive season “aren’t good,” says Triblive.com’s Mark Kaboly, who examines the competition for the backup job between veteran Bruce Gradkowski and second-year pro Landry Jones.
  • Previewing the Dolphins upcoming minicamp, the Sun-Sentinel’s Omar Kelly hits on several roster notes, including competition for slot receiver reps, Koa Misi transitioning to inside linebacker and Dion Jordan‘s increased bulk and strength.

East Rumors: Giants, Dolphins, Misi, Redskins

May 2nd, 2014 at 7:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants‘ roster is still a work in progress, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. GM Jerry Reese has signed more free agents than anyone else in the NFL, but he says there’s still more heavy lifting to be done.

“We had a lot of work to do in free agency, so we worked hard in free agency, and after that, I actually liked the couple of weeks’ extra time to get ready for the draft,” Reese said. “The draft stands alone. We try to take the best players we can in the draft. In free agency, you try to fill some holes.”

Here’s the latest from the AFC and NFC East:

  • The Dolphins hoped to move Koa Misi over to inside linebacker, but Misi now says he doesn’t want to, a source tells Andrew Abramson and Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post. The move could have a ripple effect on Miami’s draft plans. If the Dolphins aren’t confident with Dannell Ellerbe in the middle, that could make it more likely they draft an inside linebacker like Alabama’s C.J. Mosley, or possibly target a linebacker like Wisconsin’s Chris Borland later in the draft.
  • James Walker of ESPN.com has the highlights from Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey‘s pre-draft news conference earlier today. When asked if it’s better to have more picks or higher picks in this year’s draft, Hickey said “I always like more picks. I always want more picks.” Hickey went on to say that he’s open to trading up and down next week (Twitter link) and has been in contact with other GMs regarding that.
  • John Kelm of ESPN.com looks at Washington State safety Deone Bucannon as a draft candidate for the Redskins. Kelm is high on Bucannon, who figures to be a second round pick and is regarded by some as the fourth-best safety in the draft.

Dolphins Notes: Kouandijo, Hartline, Linebackers, Draft

April 19th, 2014 at 10:00am CST by Matt Feminis

With the obligatory, pre-draft, take-with-a-grain-of-salt disclaimer in mind, the Dolphins reportedly have eyes for Alabama right tackle prospect Cyrus Kouandijo with the 19th overall pick, according to Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post.

Abramson’s piece included a few Dolphins news nuggets:

  • The team is not as high on Virginia tackle prospect Morgan Moses because of work ethic and off-the-field concerns. This is noteworthy because offensive coordinator Bill Lazor coached Moses for three seasons at UVA (2010-12).
  • The team is likely to go offense with its second-round pick, too, be it a guard or receiver.
  • According to a source, a second-round receiver “would likely mean the departure of receiver Brian Hartline after the 2014 season.” Releasing Hartline after next year would save $4MM.
  • Abramson quelled speculation the team will take Alabama inside linebacker C.J. Mosley: “Miami is planning to move Koa Misi from strong-side linebacker to middle linebacker. Dannell Ellerbe, who struggled last season, would move from the middle to the weak side. Philip Wheeler, who also had a sub-par year, would move from weak-side to strong-side linebacker.”
  • Ellerbe ($7.4MM cap hit) and Wheeler ($4.4MM) are candidates to be cut after the season with “minimal cap consequences if they don’t perform well in 2014.”
  • The team is high on Alabama defensive lineman Ed Stinson, a stout run defender who would be a mid-round option.