Leon Hall - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Working Out CB Leon Hall

September 5th, 2017 at 5:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers are auditioning veteran defensive back Leon Hall today, a source tells Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter link). Hall also worked out for San Francisco in May.

Clearly, two workout sessions in the span three months indicates the 49ers have a relatively serious level of interest in signing Hall. Waiting until September to (potentially) sign Hall means the 49ers were able to give more practice reps to their younger defensive backs during the summer, while holding off on inking Hall until after Week 1 would ensure that his 2017 salary doesn’t become fully guaranteed.

San Francisco is scheduled to field one of NFL’s most youthful secondaries, as starting cornerbacks Rashard Robinson and Dontae Johnson will be backed up by Keith Reaser, K’Waun Williams, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Adrian Colbert. At age-32, Hall would easily become the oldest member of that crew, and add some much-needed experience to the 49ers’ back-end.

Hall, who’s shown the ability to play safety in addition to his natural cornerback position, spent the 2016 season with the Giants after nearly a decade in Cincinnati. In 12 appearances, Hall played on roughly a third of New York’s defensive snaps and managed 30 tackles, one interception, and two sacks.

49ers Working Out Cornerback Leon Hall

May 31st, 2017 at 9:31am CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers are bringing in a pair of veteran defensive backs for work outs today. According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), the team will be auditioning cornerback Leon Hall. We learned yesterday that the team was also bringing in safety Jairus Byrd for a work out.

Following nine seasons with the Bengals, Hall spent the 2016 campaign with the Giants. The 32-year-old ended up appearing in 12 games (two starts), compiling 2o tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception. Hall is clearly a reserve cornerback at this stage of his career, as he’s only started 21 total games since tearing his ACL in 2013.

Hall was ranked as the 14th-best available cornerback in PFR’s positional free agent rankings. However, the veteran has garnered little to no interest this offseason.

The 49ers could certainly use some reinforcement at cornerback. Behind starters Keith Reaser and Dontae Johnson, the team is rostering a number of rookies and journeymen. If Hall is ultimately signed by the team, he’ll be competing with Ahkello Witherspoon, Will Redmond, Rashard Robinson, K’Waun Williams, Prince Charles Iworah, and Adrian Colbert for backup reps.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Defense

March 15th, 2017 at 6:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The initial wave of NFL free agency is now complete, and while many of the league’s top available players are now off the board, there are still plenty of quality options still on the open market.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These 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, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for 2017:

Edge defender:

The pass rushing market has been completely depleted during the first week of free agency, as 14 of our original top 15 edge players have now been franchised, signed, or, in the case of DeMarcus Ware, retired. As such, a 37-year-old with 15 NFL seasons under his belt is now the best pass rusher on the market. Dwight Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. Capable of playing in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme, Freeney can still help out a club on the cheap.

Three players on this list — Elvis Dumervil, Connor Barwin, and Eugene Sims — were released by their respective clubs last week, meaning they won’t count against the compensatory formula if and when they’re signed. Dumervil, now 33, was hampered by injuries last season but still earned strong pass-rushing marks from Pro Football Focus. Barwin, meanwhile, wasn’t a good fit in Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 defense, but he should flourish if he signs with a team running a 3-4 look. So far, he’s met with the Bengals (who use a 4-3) and Rams (3-4).

Chris Long has already indicated he won’t be returning to the Patriots, indicating he wants to join a roster where he’ll earn more playing time. Erik Walden, too, won’t re-sign with his 2016 club (the Colts), but he has taken a visit with the division rival Titans. Further down the list, Howard Jones has also met with at least one club, as he was hosted by the Jets on Tuesday. Jones, 27, is recovering from a torn ACL, but did post five sacks in five starts last season.

Interior defensive line:

Although top-flight players such as Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams have already been signed, the crop of interior defenders remains strong at the top. The buzz around Johnathan Hankins has been virtually non-existent, as the only club that’s been even tangentially linked to the 25-year-old is the Redskins. He’s one of the youngest free agents on the market, and therefore is probably looking for a massive payday. But the lack of interest around Hankins may be an indication that he’s simply asking for too much money.

The same issue could be surrounding Dontari Poe, although he’s not wanting for meetings around the league. He’s visited with the Colts, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins, while the 49ers and Raiders also reportedly have some level of interest. Clubs may have concerns about Poe’s lingering back issues, and he might have to accept a one-year deal in order to prove he’s healthy and willing to provide full effort.

The remaining defensive interior players are mostly over-30 veterans, with names such as Tony McDaniel, Cullen Jenkins, Frostee Rucker, and Tyson Jackson still looking for new deals. While most of these guys can still play, they may have to wait awhile — possibly into the summer — before signing on with their next club. Jared Odrick (Patriots) and Vance Walker (Bears) have both taken visits, but the most intriguing lineman here may be Sen’Derrick Marks, who offers a good amount of pass rush from the interior.

Linebacker:

~~Zach Brown~~
~~Kevin Minter~~
Perry Riley
~~Gerald Hodges~~
DeAndre Levy
Daryl Smith
~~Sio Moore~~
~~Sean Spence~~
~~Manti Te’o~~
Mike Morgan
~~Keenan Robinson~~
~~Nick Bellore~~
D’Qwell Jackson
Erin Henderson
Josh Bynes

While players at other defensive positions have flown off the board, there’s been almost no movement among off-ball linebackers. Only five of PFR’s original top-15 free agent linebackers have signed new contracts, a group that includes Dont’a Hightower, our previous No. 1 ‘backer who re-signed with the Patriots today. Zach Brown, who now holds that honor, broke out in his fifth NFL campaign and played especially well in coverage, a skill that should lead to a handsome reward. Brown, 27, met with the Raiders today, while the Dolphins also hope to schedule a visit.

The Bengals, specifically, are in the linebacker market, as they’ve met with both Kevin Minter and Keenan Robinson in recent days. But the rest of the players on this list aren’t drawing much interest as of yet, a fact that speaks to the devaluation of the linebacker position. Teams will pay up for a three-down linebacker like Hightower, but if a player can be formation-ed off the field, he’s not going to land a hefty deal.

One linebacker who did prove he could stay on the field on third down was Perry Riley, who played 370 coverage snaps for the Raiders last season. Riley is still only 28 years old, but posted awful marks from Pro Football Focus during his previous campaigns with Washington. Whether it was Oakland’s scheme (including its talented pass rushers) that allowed Riley to flourish, or a true breakout coming in the middle of a career, Riley could help a number of clubs. The Raiders are reportedly working to bring him back.

Cornerback:

The top two corners still on the open market are both former Cowboys, and Brandon Carr looks like the surer bet to return to Dallas at this point. Morris Claiborne, meanwhile, has drawn interest from the Ravens, and most opposing clubs believe he’ll end up signing with Baltimore. Clairborne, 27, appeared to be a prime overpay candidate heading into the offseason, but if the Ravens can land him on a short-term deal, they’d be making a wise investment.

Nickell Robey-Coleman was surprisingly cut loose by the Bills earlier this offseason, and the 25-year-old has already drawn interest from numerous teams, with the Vikings, Chargers, Dolphins, Steelers, and Titans all considering a run at the slot man. Like Robey-Coleman, Alterraun Verner, Valentino Blake, and Leon Hall are all probably best sticking to slot duty, while Hall can even offer safety versatility.

Now that all charges have been dropped against Darrelle Revis, he’ll make for an interesting test case in free agency. Clearly, Revis is not the shutdown corner he once was, and may even be mulling a move to safety as he closes his career. But clubs in the market for secondary help could do worse than Revis, and he should be on a roster when the regular season rolls around.

Safety:

Tony Jefferson, Duron Harmon, and Barry Church all came off the board quickly, leaving Darius Butler as the top safety who is still unsigned. Butler is 30 years old, but as a former cornerback, offers the type of coverage skills that NFL teams are looking for in today’s passing league. He’s taken a visit with the Bears (who have already added Quintin Demps), while a return to Indianapolis is still possible.

Most of the safeties on this list are in-the-box types — that’s thanks to the fact that center field-esque safeties are more rare and thus more expensive. Recently-released veterans such as Jairus Byrd, Lardarius Webb, and Corey Graham, however, offer coverage ability and would make for decent signings on short pacts. T.J. McDonald and Bradley McDougald, on other hand, are big hitters that will patrol near the line of scrimmage. McDougald, specifically, will take a visit with the Seahawks this week.

Chris Prosinski is just a special teamer, but he’s a great special teamer. While he only played 173 defensive snaps in 2016, he saw time on more than 80% of the Bears’ special teams plays, and was listed as one of the season’s best special teams players by Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus. Football Outsiders ranked the Cardinals, Jets, and Texans as the bottom-three teams in special teams DVOA, and any of those clubs would benefit from adding Prosinski.

Kicker:

Demand is not high for placekickers at the moment, as only the Giants and Bengals stand out as clubs that immediately need a kicker. Injuries and ineffectiveness are sure to strike the position, however, at which point the specialists on this list will surely receive calls. Dan Carpenter and Mike Nugent missed a combined 11 extra points in 2016, and given that he topped both Carpenter and Nugent in field goal percentage, Nick Folk should be the first kicker on clubs’ emergency list.

Giants Sign Leon Hall

August 6th, 2016 at 9:35am CST by Zachary Links

SATURDAY, 9:35am: ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets that Hall’s contract is actually worth $1.5MM, with up to $500K available in per-game bonuses. Furthermore, the veteran is only guaranteed $115K, allowing the Giants to easily get out of the contract.

THURSDAY, 8:43am: One of the biggest names left on the board in August has found an NFL home. Cornerback Leon Hall has signed with the Giants, the team confirmed via press release. Hall’s one-year deal can be worth up to $2MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

In New York, Hall will join a cornerback depth chart headlined by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and major free agent acquisition Janoris Jenkins. Hall will primarily offer support in the slot, allowing first-round pick Eli Apple to concentrate on playing boundary corner. Though, he’ll also be moved around a bit. The Giants believe Hall can play nickel, corner, and even safety in some packages and help offset the team’s inexperience in the secondary, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.

Until today, Hall spent the entirety of his career with the Bengals, starting 105 games for the club since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2007. Even entering his age-31 season, Hall is still a capable contributor, though he’s mostly limited to the slot these days. Injuries have been a concern over the past few seasons, as Hall has suffered two torn Achilles since 2011, and underwent back surgery over the offseason.

Those health issues could be the reason Hall didn’t land a job until today, despite taking numerous visits with interested clubs. Hall met with or was linked to the Cardinals, Bengals, Falcons, Cowboys, and Dolphins at various points in the offseason. A reunion with the Bengals felt especially likely this week after first-round pick William Jackson III suffered a torn pectoral muscle, but that didn’t take place for one reason or another.

Before adding Hall, Trevin Wade was projected to serve as the Giants’ top slot corner. It now remains to be seen how he’ll fit in to the team’s plans going forward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Leon Hall Down To Two Teams

August 3rd, 2016 at 8:47am CST by Zachary Links

Leon Hall is visiting the Giants today, according to a source who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Bengals are also interested in facilitating a reunion and, at this point, it looks like Hall is going to sign with one of those two teams, Schefter says.

In late June it was reported that although the Giants wanted to address their cornerback depth, Hall was more likely to sign with the Cardinals or Bengals. For one reason or another, the Giants seem to have leapfrogged the Cards as a landing spot for the veteran.

After dealing with a multitude of injuries throughout his career, including two torn Achilles, Hall underwent back surgery this offseason, and that ailment likely hurt his market this offseason. Still, Hall offers a great deal of experience and could be a solid slot corner for any team in need. Aside from the Giants and incumbent Bengals, Hall has also met with or been linked to the Cardinals, Falcons, Cowboys, Giants, and Dolphins. The Dolphins, in particular, could use some help at cornerback, but they are not interested in Hall or fellow veteran corner Antonio Cromartie at this time.

Injuries have been an issue for Hall, but they haven’t shut him down. The former Michigan Wolverine has played in 29 regular-season games over the last two seasons since last tearing his Achilles in 2013, and received solid grades from Pro Football Focus in 2015, ranking 33rd out of 111 qualified corners.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bengals Still Considering Leon Hall

August 2nd, 2016 at 5:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Having potentially lost first-round cornerback William Jackson III for the season due to a torn pectoral muscle, the Bengals have been in communication with old friend Leon Hall, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). Hall, per Dehner, is “clearly still an option” for Cincinnati as they look for veterans to add to their secondary.

Hall, of course, has spent the entirety of his career with the Bengals, starting 105 games for the club since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2007. Even entering his age-31 season, Hall is still a capable contributor, though he’s mostly limited to the slot these days. However, injuries have been a concern over the past few seasons, as Hall has suffered two torn Achilles since 2011, and underwent back surgery over the offseason.

Those health issues could be the reason Hall hasn’t found a job yet despite taking numerous visits with interested clubs. Hall has met with or been linked to the Cardinals, Falcons, Cowboys, Giants, and Dolphins, and though reports have indicated that he’s been close to signing a deal, no agreement has been made official.

In Cincinnati, Hall wouldn’t be asked to play a large role, and would likely play on fewer than the 666 snaps he saw last season. Though possibly losing Jackson is devastating, the rookie was never expected to contribute much outside of special teams, anyway. The Bengals will start Adam Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick at corner, with 2014 first-rounder Darqueze Dennard working his way into sub packages. Hall, then, would serve as the club’s fourth option — at best — at cornerback.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Giants Notes: Monroe, Long, Beatty, Boldin

June 26th, 2016 at 6:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Giants continue to assess their options among offensive line free agents, and still have interest in Eugene Monroe, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Still, the club isn’t willing to offer Monroe a starting spot at left tackle, where they prefer to keep Ereck Flowers in place. Jake Long could be another target for New York, but sources tell Raanan there were questions about Long’s desire and love for the game in 2015. Former Giant Will Beatty, whom the team released earlier this year, would only return to the club if all his options are exhausted, as his relationship with New York is reportedly strained.

Here’s more on what the Giants could be eyeing as training camp approaches, all courtesy of Raanan…

“Barely anybody would blink” if the Giants added a receiver before the season begins, according to Raanan, as the club’s depth chart is largely unsettled behind Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard (the latter of whom is a rookie, meaning he comes with his own question marks). PFR recently listed Anquan Boldin as the best free agent receiver still on the open market, and Raanan recently wrote that the former 49er would make for a solid veteran option for the Giants. Andre Johnson, James Jones (who spent a few weeks on New York’s offseason roster in 2015), Marques Colston, Brian Hartline, and Roddy White are among the other free agent pass-catchers still without homes.
Cornerback is another position that could be addressed in the coming weeks, writes Raanan, but Leon Hall is unlikely to sign with the Giants. Hall, rather, is probably going to re-sign with the Bengals or join the Cardinals, per Raanan. New York has already targeted secondary help this offseason, meeting with Jerraud Powers before he signed with the Ravens. Veteran free agents aren’t ready available at corner, so adding “camp bodies” might be the more likely approach for the Giants.
Finally, the Giants could look to add a veteran along the defensive line, especially at edge rusher, where the club doesn’t have much in the way of depth behind Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul. Rannan points to Darryl Tapp, LaMarr Woodley, and George Selvie as potential targets, while noting that New York is unlikely to sign Dwight Freeney.

Leon Hall Could Sign Next Week

June 20th, 2016 at 6:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran cornerback Leon Hall‘s offseason of free agent visits could finally be coming to an end, as Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 reports (Twitter link) that Hall could make a decision on a new club next week. Hall has been sitting on the open market since March when his contract with the Bengals expired.

PFR ranked Hall as the eighth-best cornerback available this offseason, and the 31-year-old has garnered his fair share of interest over the past several months. Hall took visits with the Cowboys, Cardinals, Giants, and Falcons, and was linked to Dolphins, who now employ his former position coach in Cincinnati, Vance Joseph, as defensive coordinator. Miami reportedly won’t sign Hall, nor will Atlanta, whittling down his options, but if Hall is indeed set to sign a contract next week, both Dallas and Arizona stand out as options, along with several other clubs that haven’t been officially tied to the veteran defensive back.

Hall has spent his entire nine-year NFL career to date in Cincinnati, playing 121 regular-season games since 2007 for the Bengals, and starting 105 of them. However, the Bengals haven’t been overly aggressive when it comes to re-signing their former first-round pick, and used this year’s first-rounder to add another cornerback in Houston’s William Jackson III.

After dealing with a multitude of injuries throughout his career, including two torn Achilles, Hall underwent back surgery this offseason, and that ailment could be limiting his market, as teams might be wary of of his health. But with a new deal seemingly imminent, it would seem that Hall has convinced at least one club that he’ll be ready to go when the regular season begins.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Suisham, Manziel

June 8th, 2016 at 10:52am CST by Zachary Links

Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham is supposed to be in a roster battle with Chris Boswell, but there might not be much of a fight if Suisham doesn’t get healthy soon, as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. Suisham says he has yet to recover from a torn ACL that he suffered last year and he has not attempted a kick since then. Now, Suisham isn’t sure if he will be ready for training camp at the end of July.

“Any sort of a battle is not an issue with me right now because I am not healthy,” Suisham said. “I will continue to work to get there, but I don’t know when that will be. I don’t have a time frame. Hopefully, it is for training camp.”

Suisham signed a four-year, $12.5MM extension in 2014, making him one of the top 10 highest-paid kickers in the NFL. The Steelers would save $2.4MM by releasing him. Boswell, meanwhile, makes the NFL minimum $525K.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Enquirer (Twitter link) suspects that if the Bengals sign Dwight Freeney, it won’t happen until we get “much closer” to training camp, if not August. He adds that a reunion between the Bengals and cornerback Leon Hall is unlikely, but the same parameters apply if it were to happen. Freeney says he’s 95% sure he’ll play in 2016, he’s just not sure where.
In an interview on ESPN, former Browns GM Ray Farmer said that the organization was not ready to handle Johnny Manziel‘s level of celebrity, which hindered the quarterback’s development. “In Johnny’s case, I truly feel like a lot of people piled on the young man,” Farmer said (transcript via USA Today). “He’s done his share of helping everybody get on top of that bandwagon, but the reality is the responsibility is born by both the club, and the player. And when the club doesn’t follow up on its end, it makes it that much easier for players to get off track.”
Former UNLV tight end Jake Phillips worked out for the Steelers on Monday, according to a league source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
Browns defensive end Desmond Bryant says he was absolutely hoping that Cleveland would hire Hue Jackson, whom he referred to as his favorite coach (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal). Bryant played for Jackson in Oakland in 2011.
Former Steelers cornerback Brandon Boykin is reportedly dealing with serious hip issues which could be keeping him from finding a new NFL home.
Recently, the Navy OK’d Ravens rookie Keenan Reynolds to play in 2016.

Dolphins Not Pursuing Hall, Cromartie At This Time

June 5th, 2016 at 11:14am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins traded for Byron Maxwell earlier this offseason just two days after releasing Brent Grimes, and given Maxwell’s disappointing 2015 campaign in Philadelphia–combined with Miami’s largely inexperienced cornerback corps–one would think that the Fins might be one of the primary suitors for veteran corners Antonio Cromartie and Leon Hall. As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes, however, that is not the case. Jackson says that both Hall and Cromartie are on the Dolphins’ radar should the team suffer injuries at the cornerback position or if its young corners do not develop as expected, but so far, the Dolphins are pleased with their young guns and want them to continue taking as many meaningful reps as possible.

Hall, the longtime Bengal, is currently rated as PFR’s second-best defensive player still on the market, while Cromartie received an honorable mention (Brandon Boykin and Chris Culliver, two other veteran corners that the Dolphins could theoretically bring in, rated as the fifth- and seventh-best free agent defenders, respectively). Hall is not the the boundary defender he used to be, but the 31-year-old still figures to be productive in the slot, and his veteran presence and high football IQ would surely be welcome in South Beach. Indeed, the Cowboys, Cardinals, Giants, and Falcons have all expressed varying levels of interest in Hall, suggesting that his services are at least somewhat in demand.

However, he has been plagued by health issues throughout his career, and an offseason back procedure will not alleviate clubs’ concerns about his injury history. Plus, the Dolphins think highly of second-year player Bobby McCain and would like to see him start in the slot (which would also help explain Miami’s apparent lack of interest in Boykin).

Cromartie, meanwhile, has not garnered much, if any, interest from other teams after he was released by the Jets back in February. He had earned three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2012 to 2014, earning him a four-year, $32MM deal with the Jets last March, but he was not as effective as usual during his first season back in New York after a one-year stint in Arizona (Pro Football Focus ranked him 86th out of 111 qualified cornerbacks). He has frequently struggled with getting burned by opposing receivers, but he has largely been able to compensate for those problems with a high level of playmaking ability. As he gets older, though, the interceptions will likely diminish while his coverage deficiencies will be further exploited, so if the Dolphins were to pursue a veteran corner, Cromartie is probably not the best option.

Miami’s present stance on free agent corners may also be influenced by Maxwell’s performance in the early stages of the offseason. As James Walker of ESPN.com wrote several days ago, Maxwell has been one of the most impressive players in the Dolphins’ early workouts, and this morning Walker tabbed Maxwell as one of the team’s two standout players in OTAs (Twitter link). If Miami can get a bounceback year from Maxwell, and if players like McCain, Xavien Howard, and Tony Lippett progress as hoped, the club could have a strong stable of defensive backs.

Nonetheless, that is a lot of “ifs,” and given the importance of strong cornerback play in the NFL, it would not be surprising to see Miami change course and sign a veteran CB or two in the near future (the Dolphins did bring in Greg Toler for a workout several months ago, though that was before they selected Howard in this year’s draft). But for the time being, the team’s young corners will apparently get ample opportunity to prove their worth.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images