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Laviska Shenault Jr.

Seahawks To Sign WR Laviska Shenault

April 2nd, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

After showing promise with the Jaguars, Laviska Shenault could not establish much momentum with the Panthers upon being traded. But the former second-round pick has secured another opportunity.

The Seahawks are signing Shenault, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Twice a 600-plus-yard receiver, Shenault combined for less than 400 during his two Carolina slates; the second of those seasons featured nine missed games due to injury. The big-bodied target, who has been used in the backfield at points, will attempt to catch on in a crowded Seahawks receiving corps.

Chosen 42nd overall during Dave Caldwell‘s final Jaguars GM year, Shenault mixed in regularly with the Doug Marrone– and Urban Meyer-led Jacksonville teams. He caught 58 passes for 600 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie and added 63 grabs for 619 yards in 2021. Of course, these showings came for Jags teams that each finished with the NFL’s worst record. As Doug Pederson arrived, the Jags traded Shenault to the Panthers for sixth- and seventh-round picks.

Shenault, 25, has played for an astonishing seven head coaches in four seasons. Both the Jags and Panthers made HCs (Meyer, Matt Rhule, Frank Reich) one-and-dones as Shenault played out his rookie contract. Both teams attempted to use the 220-pound performer as a gadget-type weapon in the run game. Despite his wide receiver status, the Colorado alum has 50 career carries for 252 yards and a touchdown. The former high-end prospect has some experience as a kick returner, totaling nine returns with Carolina from 2022-23. That skill is soon set to become relevant again, with the NFL approving the XFL-style kickoff on a trial basis.

The Seahawks may well view the inconsistent target as a player in need of some stability, given the historically unusual run of HC turnover that occurred on the teams that employed him. The team has its top three — Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba — locked in, barring a trade. The Seahawks also still employ 2021 second-rounder Dee Eskridge, though he has not produced much as a pro. UDFA Jake Bobo delivered some interesting work as a rookie last season, and 2022 seventh-round pick Dareke Young remains on the roster.

Shenault produced a 1,000-yard season in just nine games with the Buffaloes in 2018, elevating his draft stock. A groin injury limited him as a junior in 2019, when he accumulated just 764 yards. After delivering more inconsistency as a pro, Shenault will still have a chance to showcase his skills elsewhere.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/30/23

November 30th, 2023 at 6:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

  • Promoted: TE Princeton Fant

Philadelphia Eagles

Laviska Shenault Jr. missed a handful of games earlier this season thanks to a high ankle sprain, but he was able to avoid an IR stint. He wasn’t as lucky this time around, as a new ankle injury will keep him off the field for at least the next four games. Shenault has hauled in 10 receptions this season for 60 yards, and he’s added another 55 yards on 12 carries. The former Jaguars second-round pick has also returned six kickoffs.

NFC Injury Rumors: 49ers, Shenault, Knight

October 15th, 2023 at 8:13pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers saw two big offensive pieces suffer injuries in today’s loss to the Browns. Star offensive tackle Trent Williams had to leave the game for a bit with an ankle injury, while wide receiver Deebo Samuel was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury and didn’t return to the field.

Luckily, Williams, after sustaining a right ankle sprain, was able to return to play and stayed in for most of the remainder of the game. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, Williams was wearing an orthopedic walking boot after the game. It’s a good sign that he was able to return, so the boot is likely just to minimize movement and help get the healing process going for a return to play next week.

Samuel, on the other hand, after failing to return to the game, had X-rays done to determine if their was any bone damage in his shoulder. The X-rays were negative, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, but San Francisco still felt the need to hold Samuel out from further activity. He will undergo MRI scans tomorrow to determine if there is any further damage to his shoulder.

Here are a couple of other injury rumors from around the NFC:

  • Panthers wide receiver Laviska Shenault was carted off the field today in Miami with what appeared to be a leg or ankle injury. Augusta Stone, a team staff writer, later clarified that Shenault had suffered “a fibula injury.” The specification of the exact bone that was the focus of the trauma is not a great sign. At best, it sounds like Shenault could have suffered a painful bone bruise that could keep him off the field for a week or two. Mentioning the bone, though, could indicate a more severe injury like a fracture or even a break, which could necessitate a much longer recovery.
  • The Lions placed backup running back Bam Knight on injured reserve yesterday with their Week 6 transactions. Knight, who saw time as an undrafted rookie with the Jets last season after Breece Hall went down with a torn ACL, was brought to Detroit in order to fill in for an injured David Montgomery last month. Unfortunately, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the shoulder injury that sent Knight to IR will be a season-ending shoulder injury.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Saints, Shenault

July 18th, 2023 at 5:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

A 16-game starter as a rookie in 2021, Jalen Mayfield missed all of last season due to injury. The Falcons designated the former third-round pick for return but let his practice period expire without an activation. Prior to the injury, Mayfield lost a competition for the team’s left guard gig last summer. They have since moved in another direction at guard, both sliding ex-center starter Matt Hennessy to that post and drafting Syracuse’s Matthew Bergeron in Round 2. As a result, Mayfield spent this offseason primarily at tackle, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes.

Mayfield started 15 of the 18 games he played at Michigan at right tackle. He struggled at guard as a rookie; Pro Football Focus rated him as one of the NFL’s worst O-linemen that year. Guard does not appear to be in Mayfield’s past, however, with Arthur Smith suggesting a swing backup role is likely. The Falcons re-signed right tackle Kaleb McGary this offseason and look to have a fairly set O-line, with Chris Lindstrom, longtime left tackle Jake Matthews and center Drew Dalman rounding out the unit.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

  • Calais Campbell is expected to play a true edge role in Atlanta, to the point Ledbetter slots the 300-pound defender as an outside linebacker in the Falcons’ defense. It should not be expected Campbell will spend much time in a standup position outside, but it is interesting the career-long D-lineman is even mentioned as a candidate to do so. Campbell is aiming to play around 60% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps, per Ledbetter. That would be in line with the veteran’s Ravens role; he respectively logged 64% and 62% snap rates over the past two seasons. Campbell, who signed a one-year deal worth $7MM, will turn 37 in September.
  • On the topic of positional adjustments, the Panthers are giving Jordan Thomas a shot as an edge rusher. Formerly a sixth-round Texans pick in 2018, Thomas was a tight end during his previous NFL run. He caught 20 passes as a Houston rookie. Thomas, however, saw some time as an edge rusher in the XFL, and Joe Person of The Athletic notes he will attempt to make the Panthers’ 53-man roster as an outside linebacker (subscription required). This is a somewhat unusual transition, as Thomas still primarily played tight end in the XFL. He caught three TD passes this season.
  • Through two seasons, the Saints have not seen much from first-round pick Payton Turner. The 2021 draftee should not be considered a lock to make New Orleans’ 53-man roster, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football writes. While Turner will be expected to make the team, due to his draft status and contract, the defensive end has three sacks in two seasons and was a healthy scratch at points last year. The Saints used a second-round pick on a D-end (Isaiah Foskey) and re-signed Tanoh Kpassagnon, but the team also let Marcus Davenport leave in free agency. The Saints would eat $3.2MM in dead money by waiving Turner; the Houston alum showing belated development would obviously be the best-case scenario for the team.
  • New Orleans also did not re-sign Jarvis Landry this offseason, leaving some competition for the receiver spots alongside Chris Olave and Michael Thomas. James Washington is not a lock to make the Saints’ roster, but Underhill adds the ex-Steelers second-rounder impressed during the offseason program and will be in the mix to snag one of the backup jobs. The Saints signed Washington to a league-minimum deal with nothing guaranteed.
  • The Panthers are still determining the best way to deploy Laviska Shenault, but Person notes a bigger run-game role will likely be in the cards. A fourth-year wide receiver, Shenault totaled nine carries last season. One of them went for a 41-yard touchdown. The former second-round pick worked in a hybrid capacity at points in Jacksonville as well and has logged 38 career carries.

AFC South Rumors: Jordan, Titans, Shenault, Radunz

June 23rd, 2022 at 7:58pm CST by Ely Allen

After allowing tight end Jordan Akins to walk in free agency, the Texans are expected to turn to second-year tight end Brevin Jordan to lead the position-group in 2022, according to ESPN’s Sarah Barshop.

Pharaoh Brown started the most games of any tight end on the roster last year but mostly serves as the team’s primary run-blocking tight end. Jordan, though, has seemingly passed Brown on the depth chart in the passing game as he looks to make a big leap during his second year in Houston.

Last season, Jordan caught 20 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns, comparable with Brown’s 23 receptions for 171 yards. Jordan will look to improve those numbers in his sophomore season. The former Miami Hurricane is set up nicely to do so as the newly re-signed Antony Auclair and newly drafted Oregon State rookie Teagan Quitoriano are, like Brown, both well-known for their blocking abilities.

Here are a few more rumors from around the AFC South, starting with a rumor out of Nashville:

  • In a report on the future of Titans linebacker David Long Jr., Terry McCormick of Titan Insider made an interesting claim that, after claiming linebacker Zach Cunningham off of waivers from the Texans in December, Tennessee didn’t feel pressed at all to re-sign former first-round pick Rashaan Evans. This may be mainly due to how Tennessee values the inside linebacker position. Evans, now with the Falcons, had started 39 games, only missing one week of football in his first three seasons, when the Titans declined his fifth-year option. Evans’ best season came in 2019 with his stats falling slightly in 2020. An injury-affected 2021 season sealed his fate in Tennessee as they let him walk in free agency.
  • After bringing in wide receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones on big money deals, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco reports that Jacksonville still has wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. in their plans. Shenault has stayed consistent over his first two years in the league catching 58 balls for 600 yards as a rookie and 63 passes for 619 yards in his second season. The big difference was in his touchdown totals as he went from five touchdown catches in 2020 to zero in 2021. The Jaguars also like to use Shenault sparingly in the running game, which might be where Shenault’s role lies in the future: as a dual-threat offensive weapon alongside running back Travis Etienne. If not, he’ll be competing for snaps with Kirk, Jones, and Marvin Jones Jr. in the receiving game.
  • According to Turron Davenport of ESPN, rookie offensive lineman out of North Dakota State Dillon Radunz is expected to earn the starting right tackle job in Tennessee. While the position group still has some question marks, the second-round rookie is set to bookend the line opposite veteran Taylor Lewan. This leaves Jamarco Jones, Ben Jones, Nate Davis, Aaron Brewer, and others to compete over the three inside positions over training camp and the preseason as the Titans look to cement their offensive line.

Injury Updates: McCaffrey, Minshew, Biadasz

November 9th, 2020 at 2:22pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Christian McCaffrey finally made his highly anticipated return from his ankle injury yesterday against the Chiefs, but unfortunately the Panthers superstar picked up another minor ailment toward the end of the game. McCaffrey hurt his shoulder on the final drive of the game, and head coach Matt Rhule is labeling him day to day moving forward. But McCaffrey is apparently in a great deal of pain and his status for this Sunday’s game against the Bucs is “very much in doubt,” reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter video link). It doesn’t sound like anything long-term, but this could once again become Mike Davis‘ backfield, at least for this weekend.

Here are more health updates from around the league:

  • The Jaguars nearly picked up an upset win over the Texans in Jake Luton‘s NFL debut, and he’ll get another crack at it in Week 10. Head coach Doug Marrone told the media that Gardner Minshew is unlikely to be available this weekend due to his thumb injury, and that Luton will likely start once again. Luton had a pretty impressive debut for a sixth-round rookie, passing for 304 yards and a touchdown with an interception while coming very close to leading a comeback. It’s no guarantee Minshew gets his job back even when he’s healthy.
  • Speaking of the Jaguars, they at least did get some good news back on rookie receiver Laviska Shenault. Shenault left yesterday’s game with a hamstring injury and was ruled out, but Rapoport tweets that he received good news from his MRI, and a source told him Shenault has a good chance to play this week against the Packers. The 42nd overall pick of April’s draft has been a consistent contributor, with at least three catches in every game that he’s finished.
  • The Cowboys on the other hand weren’t quite as fortunate. Rookie center Tyler Biadasz hurt his hamstring during pregame warmups, and EVP Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan this morning that he’ll be out 2-3 weeks with the injury. It’s another brutal blow to a Dallas offensive line that has been decimated by injuries. The fourth-round pick from Wisconsin had been the Cowboys’ center for the past 5.5 games. Joe Looney started the first few games, and he’ll now get his starting job back for the time being.
  • Colts tight end Jack Doyle is in the concussion protocol and likely won’t be able to be cleared in time for Indy’s Thursday Night Football AFC South showdown with the Titans, head coach Frank Reich announced Monday. Doyle had touchdowns in back to back weeks before going down on Sunday, and his absence will limit Indy’s ability to run the multi-tight end sets they like so much with Mo Alie-Cox and Trey Burton.

Jaguars Sign Laviska Shenault

July 9th, 2020 at 4:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jaguars have agreed to terms with second-round wide receiver Laviska Shenault, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Shenault’s explosive abilities were often on display during his three seasons at Colorado, and Joe Marino of The Draft Network points to Shenault’s run-after-the-catch talent as his most promising trait. Sub-par quarterback play at Colorado meant that Shenault didn’t always post eye-catching numbers, but he did top the 1,000-yard mark in 2018 (before falling back to just 764 yards a season ago).

In Jacksonville, D.J. Chark and Dede Westbrook are virtually assured of commanding two of the Jaguars’ starting receiver roles in three-wide sets. Shenault, then, will likely compete with the likes of Chris Conley and Keelan Cole to become Jacksonville’s third pass-catcher.

As the 42nd overall pick, Shenault’s four-year contract will be worth something in the neighborhood of $7.696MM, according to Over the Cap. He should receive a signing bonus of $3.157MM and have a 2020 cap charge of $1.399MM.

Jacksonville now has five members of its 12-man draft class under contract. Here’s the full list:

1-9: C.J. Henderson, CB (Florida)
1-20: K’Lavon Chaisson, DE (LSU)
2-42: Laviska Shenault, WR (Colorado): Signed
3-73: Davon Hamilton, DT (Ohio State): Signed
4-116: Ben Bartch, OT (St. John’s (MN))
4-137: Josiah Scott, CB (Michigan State)
4-140: Shaquille Quarterman, ILB (Miami): Signed
5-157: Daniel Thomas, S (Auburn)
5-165: Collin Johnson, WR (Texas): Signed
6-189: Jake Luton, QB (Oregon State)
6-206: Tyler Davis, TE (Georgia Tech): Signed
7-223: Chris Claybrooks, CB (Memphis)

Jaguars Take WR Laviska Shenault At No. 42

April 24th, 2020 at 7:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

A pre-draft injury helped Laviska Shenault tumble out of the first round, but he did not fall too far. The Jaguars used their No. 42 overall pick on the Colorado wideout.

The third wide receiver taken in Friday’s second round, Shenault was long expected to be a first-round talent. But as the Combine revealed a deep wideout class, Shenault’s core muscle injury resulted in a drop into Round 2.

Shenault will join a Jaguars team that houses 2018 second-rounder D.J. Chark as its top wide receiver. At Colorado, Shenault totaled 1,011 yards in just nine games as a sophomore in 2018. The 227-pound talent will be expected to play a key role in helping the Jags determine if Gardner Minshew is a long-term answer at quarterback.

At first, Shenault’s groin issue was not believed to require surgery. However, a slower-than-expected 40-yard dash time preceded the talented prospect undergoing a procedure.

Draft Notes: Shenault, Wirfs, Simmons

April 18th, 2020 at 12:55pm CST by Ben Levine

After undergoing core muscle surgery earlier this year, Colorado wideout Laviska Shenault Jr. is almost fully recovered. In a letter sent to all 32 NFL teams, Dr. William Meyers stated that the receiver will be back to 100% by next week.

“I watched Laviska go through regular football drills yesterday at 5 1/2 weeks postop and he looked terrific,” the doctor stated (via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter). “I believe by April 25, 2020, he will be at 100% for full football activities.”

The receiver decided to undergo surgery following an underwhelming 40-yard dash time. Shenault went under the knife in early March, and recovery was expected to take at least one month.

The 6-foot-1, 227-pound wideout has been on the draft radar for a while, beginning with a 1,011-yard, nine-touchdown 2018 sophomore season. His stats dropped a bit in 2019, but the receiver could still be taken towards the end of the first round.

Let’s check out some more draft notes…

  • The Giants are among the teams in the top-10 that have done extensive research on Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter). Wirfs seems like a logical target for New York if they end up trading back, but Fowler hints that the Giants could also simply take the lineman with the fourth-overall pick. We previously heard that Dave Gettleman “loves” the 6-5, 322-pound lineman. Our own Zach Links profiled Wirfs earlier this week.
  • Isaiah Simmons made his name as a linebacker at Clemson, but many teams have told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that they see his future at the safety position. Simmons certainly has the versatility, as he played both positions (along with defensive end and cornerback) during his time in college. Simmons finished last season with 67 tackles, seven sacks, and three interceptions, and there’s a good chance he’ll be a top-10 pick in next week’s draft.
  • The Colts may target a signal caller in the draft, but GM Chris Ballard says he won’t “force the quarterback position,” (Twitter link Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). “It’s got to be the right guy, the right fit,” Ballard continued. “I don’t know when that’s going to happen. Maybe this year, maybe next year, maybe two years from now.” The Colts inked veteran Philip Rivers to a one-year contract this past offseason, and they’re still rostering Jacoby Brissett.

NFL Draft Rumors: Reagor, WRs, Dantzler

April 12th, 2020 at 5:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite his lack of size, Jalen Reagor is making a name for himself in this year’s uncommonly deep crop of wide receivers. And, at his recent workout, Reagor boosted his stock even further. The TCU standout ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.28 and 4.22 seconds, according to the stopwatches of two observers, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. The hand-timed accuracy may be called into question, but no one is questioning Reagor’s speed as the draft draws near.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound receiver turned in a 1,000-yard campaign in 2018, then dipped to a 43/611/5 line in 2019. Still, he stands as one of the more intriguing WRs up for grabs.

Here’s more on the NFL Draft, including this year’s WR market:

  • The Raiders, Titans, Vikings, Colts, Packers, 49ers, Jets, Eagles, and Broncos are all in the hunt for wide receivers in the first three rounds, Adam Caplan of NFL.com tweets. Even after the likes of Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs III, and Tee Higgins are off the board, there will be plenty of high-caliber talents available for them.
  • The top four receivers figure to go inside of the Top 20 this year, but several receivers are in play for the back-end of the first round, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Pelissero lists Reagor, Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk, Baylor’s Denzel Mims, and Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr. as players who could make the first round cut.
  • After a disappointing 4.6-second 40-yard-dash at the combine, Mississippi corner Cameron Dantzler ran a 4.38-second 40-yard-dash this past week and backed it up with video proof (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). Meanwhile, Dantzler’s agent tells Calvin Watkins of the Dallas News (on Twitter) that his combine time was slowed by an injured hamstring. Most projections have Dantzler going somewhere in the first two rounds.
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