HEADLINES

Rodney McLeod

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/20

December 16th, 2020 at 5:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

  • Placed on IR: S Saquan Hamilton

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles’ Rodney McLeod Done For Year

December 14th, 2020 at 12:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Eagles safety Rodney McLeod is done for the season. On Monday, the Birds announced that McLeod has been diagnosed with a torn ACL.

[RELATED: Eagles To Stick With Hurts]

McLeod exited early from the Eagles’ win over the Saints, capping his season just as the Eagles playoff hopes were renewed. Unfortunately, this marks the second ACL tear of his pro career. His 2020 will end with starts in all 13 games, 66 stops, one interception, and two fumble recoveries — including the one he took to the house against the Cowboys in November.

McLeod remains under contract for 2021 thanks to the two-year, $12MM deal he signed last offseason. He won’t have to stress over security as he rehabs, since his $3.75MM base salary is guaranteed.

The good news is that McLeod already knows the ropes after bouncing back from his previous ACL tear. Upon returning last year, the safety started in all 16 regular season games and notched two interceptions, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one sack, and 76 total stops.

Eagles Re-Sign Rodney McLeod

March 17th, 2020 at 3:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have re-signed Rodney McLeod to a two-year contract, per a club announcement. The new deal will be worth $12MM in total, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) hears. 

McLeod has been a starter since the 2013 season, when he was still with the (St. Louis) Rams. That streak continued in 2016 when he hooked on with the Eagles, though he was interrupted by a knee injury in 2018 that limited him to just three games. After that, the Eagles asked him to adjust his deal and he obliged.

Last year, he was able to return and start in all 16 of the Eagles’ regular season games. He came away with two interceptions – bringing his career tally to 13 picks – along with six passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one sack, and 76 total stops.

McLeod is currently slated to return to his starting position. This time around, he’ll be paired with Jalen Mills on the first-string unit. Earlier today, the Birds re-upped Mills on a one-year deal and declined their option on locker room leader Malcolm Jenkins.

Extra Points: Wilson, Vikings, McLeod, AAF

April 19th, 2019 at 9:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

More details of Russell Wilson‘s landmark extension are emerging. Wilson’s 2020 and ’21 base salaries — $19MM apiece — will become fully guaranteed if he is on the Seahawks roster five days after Super Bowls LIV and LV, respectively. With that a near-certainty, Wilson’s $107MM in total guarantees are practically full guarantees. Wilson will earn a $19MM base salary in 2022 and ’23, according to OverTheCap. This deal leaves Wilson with cap numbers of $26.29MM (2019), $31MM (2020), $32MM (’21), $37MM (’22) and $39MM (’23). The eighth-year quarterback’s base salary was slated to be $17MM this year; the new deal converted much of that money into a signing bonus, with Wilson now attached to a $5MM base in 2019. The new contract raised Wilson’s 2019 cap number by just $1MM. Additionally, the contract includes a $6MM escalator clause — which would bring the total dollar figure up to $146MM — for Wilson’s 2023 salary, per CBS Sports’ Joel Corry (on Twitter). Unspecified performance-based incentives from 2020-22 can bump the Pro Bowler’s $21MM salary in 2023 to $27MM.

Here is the latest from around the American football landscape:

  • The Vikings are considering moving left tackle Riley Reiff to left guard, but it appears that is contingent on how the draft goes. Reiff will likely only move inside if Minnesota selects a first-round tackle, per Dave Campbell of the Associated Press. Reiff has only played tackle in the NFL. The Vikings “wouldn’t hesitate” to move center Pat Elflein to guard, Campbell adds, but that will also be contingent on the draft. Minnesota failing to add a center worth relocating Elflein would presumably nix that move. Either way, the Vikings’ embattled line will likely look a bit different post-draft.
  • Rodney McLeod will not participate in the Eagles‘ offseason program. The veteran safety, who tore his ACL in Week 3 of last season, is aiming for a training camp return, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Les Bowen notes. McLeod took a major pay cut this offseason, slashing his 2019 salary from $7.5MM to $1.5MM. That can become $4MM, should McLeod play in all 16 Eagles games, Bowen adds. He played in 16 games in each season from 2012-16 and had missed just two in his career prior to the 2018 injury. McLeod signed a five-year deal in 2016, but the contract is now a four-year pact. The restructure voided the 2020 season.
  • No last-ditch effort will save the Alliance of American Football. The league filed for bankruptcy this week. “Pursuant to the bankruptcy laws, a trustee will be empowered to resolve all matters related to the AAF’s remaining assets and liabilities, including ongoing matters related to player contracts,” the league said in a statement. The AAF abruptly halted operations earlier this month, leaving a messy trail of financial turmoil after an eight-game season.

Eagles Rodney McLeod Takes Big Pay Cut

February 1st, 2019 at 12:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The details are in on Rodney McLeod’s reworked deal with the Eagles. McLeod’s 2019 base salary will drop from $7.5MM to $1.5MM under the revised terms, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In total, the move creates $7.469MM in new cap room for Philly. 

Under the old terms of his deal, McLeod’s contract meant that he was likely a goner in Philadelphia. McLeod has been a starter since the 2013 season and started the first three games of 2018 for the Eagles, but a knee injury ended his season in September. Given the Eagles’ limited cap room and the awful market for free agent safeties over the last year, McLeod probably didn’t have much leverage in this round of negotiations with Howie Roseman & Co.

On the plus side, McLeod has done well for himself over the course of his career. He joined the Eagles on a five-year, $35MM deal prior to the 2016 season and is still young enough to cash in again down the line. He’ll turn 29 in June, just before training camp begins for his eighth NFL season.

Eagles Rework S Rodney McLeod’s Contract

January 31st, 2019 at 8:20pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Eagles have agreed to rework Rodney McLeod‘s contract, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

McLane doesn’t have details on the revised contract yet, but he notes that it’ll keep him with the team for 2019. As McLane wrote in a follow-up tweet, a lot of people thought the team might move on from McLeod this offseason, but this move apparently guarantees his return. His cap number had been set to be $9.9MM for this year, although that’s presumably been reduced.

McLeod signed a deal that went through the 2020 season back in 2016, but he tore his ACL in Week 3 of this year. McLeod signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent back in 2012, and blossomed into a nice player in St. Louis. His strong play landed him a five-year, $37MM deal with Philly.

McLeod is a key part of the defense and his injury was a large part of the reason the Eagles’ secondary collapsed this year, so it’s not surprising they figured out a way to keep him.

Eagles Place Rodney McLeod On IR

September 29th, 2018 at 8:51am CST by Ben Levine

Eagles safety Rodney McLeod‘s season is presumably over. The team announced on Twitter that they’ve placed the safety on the injured reserve. The Eagles have promoted wideout DeAndre Carter to take the open roster spot.

McLeod underwent knee surgery earlier this week after suffering a torn MCL, and many assumed he’d ultimately land on the IR. However, Doug Pederson initially refused to comment about whether the safety would end up missing the remainder of the season. Instead, the head coach simply said the defensive back would be out for “a while.” Considering these comments, perhaps the Eagles are optimistic that McLeod could return to the field towards the end of the season.

McLeod signed a five-year, $35MM deal with the Eagles prior to the 2016 season. He’s proven himself to be worth the expenditure, as he has notched three interceptions in each of the last two years. After compiling 10 tackles and four passes defended through the first three weeks of this season, Pro Football Focus ranked McLeod as a top-20 safety in the NFL.

With McLeod sidelined, the Eagles will likely turn to Corey Graham as the replacement in the starting lineup. Otherwise, the team is rostering only two other healthy safeties: starter Malcolm Jenkins and recent trade acquisition Deiondre’ Hall. As our own Dallas Robinson notes, the safety market is starting to dry up, with Mike Mitchell, T.J. Ward, Lardarius Webb, Tyvon Branch, and Jairus Byrd among the top available free agents.

Carter has bounced around the league since going undrafted out of Sacramento State in 2015, spending time with the Ravens, Raiders, Patriots, and 49ers. He has one catch for 10 yards this season with Philly, and he could temporarily serve as a returner. The Eagles decision to promote Carter instead of practice squad safety Tre Sullivan could be an indication that Alshon Jeffery won’t be ready to go for tomorrow’s game against the Titans (as noted by Jeff McLane of Philly.com on Twitter).

Eagles’ Rodney McLeod Undergoes Surgery

September 28th, 2018 at 9:50am CST by Dallas Robinson

Eagles safety Rodney McLeod recently underwent knee surgery, head coach Doug Pederson told reporters, including Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94 WIP (Twitter link). However, while a recent report indicated Philadelphia would place McLeod on injured reserve, Pederson refused to confirm McLeod is out for the season, indicating simply that the defensive back will be out for “a while,” per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

McLeod, 28, suffered the injury in the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the Colts. He’s just the latest starting safety to succumb to injury, joining Da’Norris Searcy of the Panthers, Chris Conte of the Buccaneers, and Ricardo Allen of the Falcons. Eric Reid, the most notable free agent safety at this stage, was just picked up by the Panthers, so the Eagles are looking at a thin group of available players if they choose to go out-of-house for reinforcements, with options such as Mike Mitchell, T.J. Ward, Lardarius Webb, Tyvon Branch, and Jairus Byrd headlining the free agent market.

Veteran Corey Graham will likely step into the Eagles’ starting lineup in place of McLeod, but Philadelphia had been playing a good deal of three-safety sets (Graham has posted 55% playtime this season). As such, the club will need someone to replace Graham’s role in the defense. While Pederson admitted looking for outside help is an option, the Eagles could also search internally, where reserves such as Deiondre’ Hall could be asked to play more snaps. Philadelphia might also consider moving a cornerback like second-year pro Rasul Douglas to safety.

McLeod joined the Eagles on a five-year, $35MM deal prior to the 2016 season. He’s proven himself to be worth the expenditure as he has notched three interceptions in each of the last two years. Through the first three weeks of this season, Pro Football Focus has ranked McLeod as a top-20 safety in the NFL.

Extra Points: Agholor, Eagles, Steelers, Robinette

May 27th, 2017 at 12:40pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

  • The Eagles signed free agent wideouts Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith this offseason, putting former first-rounder Nelson Agholor‘s spot on the depth chart in doubt. However, the 24-year-old made it clear that he embraces the competition. “I think I was worried about taking such a large leap in a day. It’s all about getting better consistently each day, even if it’s just a little bit,” Agholor told ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. “Some of the best players in this league, they didn’t just become really great the first day they’re there. It took a process and continuous progression every day, so that’s my focus right now.” In 28 career games, Agholor has collected 59 receptions for 648 yards and three touchdowns.
  • Earlier this offseason, the Eagles signed safety Rodney McLeod to a five-year, $37MM deal ($17MM guaranteed). The team has apparently slightly altered the contract to open up some cap space, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com tweets that the team saved $2.4MM by converting $3.225M of his salary into a bonus.
  • There have been whispers that the Steelers could convert William Gay to safety or even release the veteran. However, as Chris Bradford of the Beaver County Times notes, the 32-year-old is seemingly still the team’s slot cornerback ahead of Senquez Golson and Cameron Sutton. Gay has spent 10 seasons with the Steelers, and last year was the first time since 2010 that he started less than 10 games.
  • We learned yesterday that The Air Force Academy had barred wideout Jalen Robinette from graduating, putting both his Air Force and NFL future in doubt. Following the announcement, the player’s agency released a statement to Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post: “Jalen Robinette is currently awaiting a determination on a non-criminal disciplinary proceeding. Jalen continues to look forward to serving the country that he loves and remains committed and loyal to the United States Air Force.” Robinette finished his collegiate career as the team’s all-time leader in receiving yards.

Extra Points: Colts, McLeod, McCown

June 4th, 2016 at 12:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

  • There were questions surrounding the relationship of Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano, but ESPN.com’s Mike Wells writes that the two have seemingly resolved their issues ever since receiving extensions. With the pair being under contract for the same amount of years, the duo has made sure that they’re “on the same page when it comes to the makeup of the roster.”
  • Before settling in on a five-year, $37MM contract with the Eagles, safety Rodney McLeod received similar offers from other teams. Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice tweets that McLeod heard from the Jaguars, Browns, and Buccaneers.
  • Josh McCown would prefer that the Browns make their starting quarterback decision sooner than later, the signal-caller said on 850 WKNR in Cleveland (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m a human being and there’s no doubt, you want things mapped out,” McCown said. “I don’t like it, but I think it helps me get better.”
  • Former Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman was charged with vehicular assault following a car crash last October (via the Associated Press). The 25-year-old appeared in 14 games with Seattle in 2015, compiling 32 yards on eight rushing attempts.

 

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