Mike Pouncey - Pro Football Rumors

East Rumors: Pouncey, Elliott, Pats, Eagles

October 1st, 2017 at 9:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Pouncey has played in each of the Dolphins‘ three games this season after missing 11 2016 contests. But he gave a sobering glimpse into his future in the NFL, with the hip injury he suffered last season looking like a seminal setback. The perennial Pro Bowl blocker said the length of his career will be determined by how his hip holds up, adding that he will need hip-replacement surgery in the next “five to 10 years.””

“[My hip] always feels tight. … I don’t have a normal hip,” Pouncey said, via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. “We’ll see. I can’t predict the future. I’m listening to a doctor tell me. I feel right now; I don’t need [a replacement]. But we’ll see.”

This process would end Pouncey’s career, but for now, the 28-year-old blocker continues to anchor Miami’s line. He spent the offseason recovering from the hip malady and continues to operate on a partial practice schedule, taking Thursdays off — a pattern Pouncey sees continuing for the foreseeable future. The seventh-year player is signed through the 2020 season.

Here’s the latest from several East Coast teams (and the Cowboys).

Monday’s Ezekiel Elliott-vs.-NFL battle is expected to produce a decision within the next two weeks, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports. While the Cowboys running back isn’t sure he will venture to New Orleans where his legal team and the NFLPA will represent him in this saga’s latest courtroom chapter, the Fifth District Court of Appeals could free him up to play the rest of the season or reinstate his six-game suspension. Neither side is interested in a settlement, however.
The Patriots have given up the most points through four games thus far. Usually supporting Tom Brady with an upper-echelon defense, the Pats should be discussing a Jimmy Garoppolo trade to bring in some help to capitalize on the 40-year-old starter’s closing dominance window, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. New England held onto its backup quarterback despite interest this offseason, and La Canfora notes a Malcolm Butler trade wouldn’t bring in what a Garoppolo shipment would. That said, the Pats have just $5.4MM in cap space — so any defender help they could be targeting would probably have to be on a rookie contract, as Garoppolo ($1.17MM cap figure) is. La Canfora suggests the 49ers, armed with several rookie-deal defenders and no long-term quarterback answer, as a fit for this hypothetical scenario. A deal of this sort would also need to involve a Garoppolo extension, since he’s months away from free agency.
Jake Elliott is making a strong case to supplant the injured Caleb Sturgis as the Eagles‘ full-time kicker, Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com writes. Signed off the Bengals’ practice squad, Elliott hit four more field goals in the Eagles’ win over the Chargers after his 61-yard game-winner last week. Frank notes Elliott already has two 53-plus-yard field goals in two games. Sturgis has three in 30 Philly contests. A fifth-year veteran, Sturgis remains on the Eagles’ 53-man roster and is rehabbing a hip flexor strain.
Jim Tomsula‘s impact is already being observed in Washington, John Keim of ESPN.com notes. Redskins defenders have told Keim about the former 49ers head coach’s presence leading to an improved defensive line. Washington hired Tomsula as its D-line coach this year, and he’s helped a unit that lost starters Chris Baker and Ricky Jean-Francois in the offseason. Tomsula spent eight seasons as the 49ers’ defensive line coach before his one-season stay as the franchise’s HC. He did not coach last season.

Dolphins Rumors: Tannehill, Pouncey, LBs

August 12th, 2017 at 4:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adam Gase expects Ryan Tannehill to “absolutely” be ready for the 2018 season, the second-year coach said Saturday (via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald). Tannehill made the decision to undergo reconstructive knee surgery to repair a partially torn left ACL. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported the Dolphins expect Tannehill to be back by the time they convene for training camp next summer. Gase said the sixth-year quarterback told him of the surgery decision in the past few days; it became final on Friday night. Tannehill will rehab with the Dolphins and at other facilities, Gase said. He was at Dolphins practice Saturday aiding Jay Cutler‘s assimilation, per Beasley.

Here’s the latest coming out of south Florida.

The Dolphins are monitoring the UFA linebacker market after Raekwon McMillan was lost with a torn ACL, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. This study will continue for a few weeks, Jackson said, until it’s determined if backup middle linebacker Mike Hull can handle the job. Jackson notes the Dolphins would also be open to adding a ‘backer via trade. Jackson adds Hull or an outside addition will be summoned for base-defense duty, since Lawrence Timmons and Kiko Alonso will be the Fins’ second-level cogs in nickel sets. This is Hull’s third season with the Dolphins. The ex-UDFA played in 16 games last season and started one. Gase said he likes the trio of Alonso, Timmons and Hull together. But that’s not set yet, it appears.
Mike Pouncey returned to 11-on-11 work for the first time since suffering the hip injury that shelved him for all but five games last season, Jackson reports. The three-time Pro Bowler had done individual work leading up to the return to team drills. A decision hasn’t been made if Pouncey will play in the preseason, but the 28-year-old snapper said he has no doubt he’ll return for Week 1.
Jay Ajayi suffered a concussion on July 31 and hasn’t returned to practice. The third-year running back remains in concussion protocol, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk reports. Smith notes the Dolphins would like to have Ajayi play some with Cutler in the preseason so the duo can begin to develop a rapport, but it’s uncertain when Ajayi will return. Miami did not make any major additions to its backfield corps this offseason. The team has Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams behind Ajayi.

Latest On Dolphins C Mike Pouncey

July 26th, 2017 at 4:07pm CST by Zachary Links

3:07pm: Pouncey passed the physical and will not be placed on the PUP list, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

8:57am: Dolphins center Mike Pouncey was cleared by a hip specialist on Tuesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Pouncey will take a team physical today to help assess what he can do on the field.

The Dolphins still plan on being cautious with Pouncey, but the expectation is that he will be ready to go for Week 1. After he missed eleven games in 2016, the Dolphins will be limiting the 28-year-old in practice so that he can play as many games as possible this year.

Pouncey graded out as the league’s No. 11 center in 2015 as he earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod. He didn’t qualify for ranking last year after only being on the field for just 301 snaps, but his 62.7 overall score his worst ever showing at the center position.

If Pouncey is in uniform for Week 1, the Dolphins will be able to keep Kraig Urbik as the starter at left guard. It is expected that the team will start Laremy Tunsil, Urbik, Pouncey, Ted Larsen, and Ja’Wuan James on the offensive line.

Extra Points: Saints, Fins, Cowboys, Ravens

July 21st, 2017 at 8:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Saints have too many linebackers and not enough spots, which could lead to the ouster of either Manti Te’o or Stephone Anthony, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Te’o hasn’t even played a down yet for the Saints, who signed him in May, but his two-year, $5MM deal includes just $600K in guarantees. With that in mind, the former Charger will be easy to jettison if he doesn’t impress Saints coaches in the coming weeks. Anthony’s contract, on the other hand, isn’t so team friendly. Cutting him wouldn’t save the Saints any money this year, yet it would leave them with $2.1MM-plus in dead money. While the 24-year-old was a first-round pick of the Saints not long ago, in 2015, he’s coming off a subpar second season that ended after 10 games on account of a knee injury.

Latest On Dolphins C Mike Pouncey

June 29th, 2017 at 1:03pm CST by Zachary Links

The expectation is that Mike Pouncey will be ready for Week 1, a source “very close” to the Dolphins center tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Although Pouncey has not been cleared by team doctors for action yet, he apparently feels that he is just about ready to play.

Pouncey missed 11 games during the 2016 season thanks to his troublesome hip. Apparently, that problem was compounded by a bacterial infection in his inner thigh. The infection has been treated, however, so Pouncey is almost back to normal.

This is all very good news for the Dolphins since they did not put a ton of resources into a Plan B for Pouncey. If Pouncey is not good to go, then they’ll likely use Kraig Urbik as the starter in the middle with support from free agent addition Ted Larsen and Anthony Steen. Players apparently prefer Urbik over Steen at center because Steen sometimes took too long to make calls last year.

In related news, the Dolphins have not checked in on free agent center Nick Mangold lately. Miami did reach out to Mangold’s team at one point this offseason, but there has been zero movement on that front this summer.

East Notes: Eagles, Jenkins, Pats, Dolphins

April 24th, 2017 at 9:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles reportedly offered veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins to the Saints as part of a package for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, and though Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman later denied dangling Jenkins, the 29-year-old defensive back admitted today he’s known New Orleans wanted him for some time, tweets Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Jenkins of course, spent the first five seasons of his career with the Saints, but he’s indicated to Eagles management that he prefers to remain in Philadelphia, per Berman.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis visited the Eagles and Cardinals during the predraft process, he tells Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Davis also confirmed that he was hosted by the Titans, Ravens, and Browns over the past month or so. After undergoing ankle surgery and missing the combine, Davis says his ankle is now roughly 85% healed, per Laine. Davis comes from a small school, but he’s been extremely productive against lesser production, topping 1,400 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons. He’s expected to be one of the first three wideouts off the board in Round 1.
The Patriots created $4.75MM in cap space by reducing wide receiver Danny Amendola‘s pay for the 2017 campaign, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com. Amendola, 31, has now agreed to a paycut for the third consecutive season. He’ll earn a $100K signing bonus and a fully guaranteed base salary of $1.25MM, and can also bring in a $50K workout bonus and $300K in per-game roster bonuses. Originally $7.791MM, Amendola’s 2017 salary cap charge is now $3.041MM.
Dolphins center Mike Pouncey recently underwent a stem cell procedure on his hip as part of his regular rehabilitation program, reports James Walker of ESPN.com. Pouncey, who missed 11 games during the 2016 season, is now on crutches but hasn’t suffered any setbacks. Yesterday, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald wrote the Dolphins are aware they need to invest in an insurance policy at center given Pouncey’s repeated health scares.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Raiders, Fins, Bengals

December 21st, 2016 at 8:48pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Broncos running back C.J. Anderson, out since going to injured reserve in late October with a torn right meniscus, is unlikely to come back this season, head coach Gary Kubiak said Wednesday (via Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post). “I’d say he’s probably on course (to return) sometime in February,” stated Kubiak. Super Bowl LI is Feb. 5, but it doesn’t appear the reigning champion Broncos will be in position to defend their crown. Denver (8-6) has just a 17 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight. One reason for the team’s slim postseason hopes is a running game that ranks 28th in yards per carry (3.6). Anderson was at 4.0 yards per attempt and five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) before going down Oct. 24. Fourth-round rookie Devontae Booker (3.4 YPC on 155 attempts) hasn’t picked up Anderson’s slack.

Dolphins Shut Mike Pouncey Down For Season

December 13th, 2016 at 9:37am CST by Zachary Links

Mike Pouncey‘s season is over. After wrestling with how to handle their injured center, the Dolphins will place Pouncey on IR following his meeting with a specialist early Tuesday morning, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes.

The Dolphins feared that Pouncey would do further damage to his surgically-repaired hip if he continued to play this year. And, if they left the decision up to him, he probably would have let his competitive nature overrule the long-term view. Miami took the decision out of the Pro Bowler’s hands, which will hopefully allow him to return pain-free in 2017. Right now, the belief is that his injury is not career-threatening, despite previous reports to the contrary.

Now that the Dolphins have an open roster spot, they are likely to use that room to sign a quarterback. With Ryan Tannehill likely out of action this weekend, Miami will need a backup QB behind Matt Moore. In theory, the team could promote seventh-round rookie Brandon Doughty from the practice squad to fill that role, but Salguero hears that they are more likely to go out-of-house.

The Dolphins are taking the long view with Pouncey, but their season is far from over. According to Five Thirty Eight, the 8-5 Dolphins have a 27% chance of making the playoffs.

Latest On Dolphins’ Mike Pouncey

December 5th, 2016 at 10:20am CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins center Mike Pouncey has been out for the last three weeks and he’s not sure whether he’ll be able to suit up over the next four. When asked whether he’ll be able to play again this season, Pouncey said, “I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes,” (link via Adam H. Beasley of The Miami Herald).

Conflicting reports have emerged lately regarding the severity of Pouncey’s hip condition. Some sources have indicated that Miami is worried about Pouncey’s long-term health status. Meanwhile, other reports have said the hip issue is not a career-threatening injury. Either way, it sounds like this injury could potentially end Pouncey’s season. It’s not clear whether he would be available for the playoffs, either, should the Dolphins qualify.

Pouncey, 27, has made the Pro Bowl as both a guard and center in the past. The sixth-year pro graded as the league’s No. 11 center last year, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics. This year, he is just the No. 31 ranked center, putting him 18 spots behind his brother, Maurkice Pouncey.

The Dolphins, 7-5 on the year, are now 3-4 without Pouncey. Anthony Steen again started in his place Sunday as Miami lost 38-6.

Dolphins’ Pouncey Likely To Return Next Week

November 20th, 2016 at 9:38am CST by Dallas Robinson

SUNDAY, 9:38am: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms (via Twitter) that the Dolphins do not believe Pouncey’s hip injury will be a long-term concern. The latest report that he should be ready to go next week still appears accurate.

SATURDAY, 8:48pm: Although Dolphins center Mike Pouncey will be forced to miss tomorrow’s game against the Rams while dealing with a hip issue, he should be able to return next week against the 49ers, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, Pouncey did meet with a specialist this week to go over his injury, per La Canfora.

Conflicting reports have emerged this week regarding the severity of Pouncey’s hip condition — while some sources have indicated that Miami is worried about Pouncey’s long-term health status, other reports have said the hip issue is not a career-threatening injury. La Canfora’s report doesn’t necessarily contradict either of those previous stories, and Pouncey’s play throughout the rest of the season will likely determine how the Dolphins handle his injury going forward.

Reserve interior lineman Anthony Steen will start tomorrow in Pouncey’s absence, and Miami also made a move to add center Jake Brendel from its practice squad, waiving veteran cornerback Chris Culliver in the process. The Dolphins’ offensive line has steadily improved this season and now ranks 10th in Football Outsiders‘ adjusted line yards, though it still places near the bottom of the league in pass protection. With Pouncey and left tackle Branden Albert both sidelined, the club’s front five could have its hands full against an excellent Rams defensive line on Sunday.