HEADLINES

Shelley Smith

Extra Points: Brooks, Johnson, Spiller

March 11th, 2015 at 10:22pm CST by Ben Levine

There have been whispers that 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks could be a cap casualty, but general manager Trent Baalke made it clear that the player would be back next season.

“There has never been an indication from me otherwise,” Baalke told Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “While all that was being written, I just sat back and looked at it because it was speculation based on our cap number and the cash flow that we had leading into free agency. A lot of assumptions were made, but wrongly.”

More notes as we wrap up this Wednesday evening…

  • The Buccaneers met with Stefen Wisniewski earlier today, but Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune tweets that the center left Tampa without a deal. In another tweet, Cummings says the team never intended to sign Wisniewski today.
  • In the meantime, Wisniewski will meet with the Seahawks, reports Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). Seattle would be in the market for a center after dealing Max Unger yesterday.
  • We heard previously that the Saints were in the mix for free agent running back C.J. Spiller. That interest is real, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the former Bills weapon will meet with the organization in New Orleans on Thursday.
  • Despite the reported interest in the defensive end, Michael Johnson‘s camp won’t start talking to teams until Thursday, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (on Twitter).
  • Yahoo’s Rand Getlin reports (via Twitter) the former 49ers defensive back Perrish Cox will meet with the Titans on Friday. The Browns and Washington have previously shown interest.
  • Offensive guard Shelley Smith will visit with the Seahawks on Thursday and the Broncos on Friday, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com says (via Twitter) the Falcons are also interested, but haven’t set up an interview.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Notes: Bradford, Eagles, Seahawks, Saints

March 10th, 2015 at 10:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Before the Eagles finalized their acquisition of Sam Bradford, there were other teams in the mix for the former first overall pick, says Peter King of TheMMQB.com (via Twitter). Per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), the Browns may have been one of those teams. However, no other club was willing to give up as much as Chip Kelly and the Eagles, who had eyed Bradford for weeks and believe he has the goods to be a franchise quarterback, according to Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

As we recover from what’s been a surprising and hectic day of action around the NFL, let’s round up a few more leftover NFC items….

  • Former Dolphins guard Shelley Smith, who was just cut by the team earlier today, already has a visit lined up with the Seahawks for Wednesday, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Seattle is in the market for some interior line help after trading Max Unger and losing James Carpenter in free agency.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis acknowledged that the team will “obviously” look to add another tight end after trading Jimmy Graham, and added that he never asked Drew Brees to restructure his contract this offseason because it “wasn’t necessary for us” (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
  • The 49ers aren’t in the running for their own free agent cornerback Perrish Cox, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
  • Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter link) suggests keeping an eye on linebacker Akeem Ayers as a potential free agent target for the Rams, and Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link) agrees that the club has interest.

FA Links: Forsett, Royal, Melton, Cameron

March 10th, 2015 at 7:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest free agent rumors on Day 1 …

  • Justin Forsett will be Ravens‘ the primary backfield target after they cleared some cap room, Baltimore Sun reporter Aaron Wilson said via Twitter. The runner’s also drawn interest from the Falcons, Colts and Washington. The Colts’ signing Frank Gore today should limit their interest, however.
  • Contrary to earlier reports, there is no agreement in place or visit scheduled between Eddie Royal and the Bears, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken on Twitter.
  • The Bucs set up three more visits, with the team set to bring in Henry Melton, Stefen Wisniewski and Bruce Carter, Sports Talk Florida’s Jenna Laine reports.
  • The Browns remain interested in bringing Jordan Cameron back to be their tight end, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports on Twitter. But ex-Bengals veteran Jermaine Gresham‘s drawn interest from the eastern Ohio team as well. Despite not having a season like Cameron’s 80-catch, 917-yard 2013 on his resume, Gresham’s made two Pro Bowls. But he saw his yards per reception drop drastically to 7.4 last season.
  • Leonard Hankerson will visit the Falcons tonight, Yahoo! Sports’ Rand Getlin tweets. Missing all but one game in 2014 to injury, Hankerson played for current Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan with Washington.
  • Despite cutting Shelley Smith earlier today, the Dolphins aren’t dismissing the chance at bringing him back at a reduced cost, the Miami Herald’s Adam Beasley notes via Twitter. The Dolphins like backup tackle Billy Turner, however.
  • The Cardinals will host center A.Q. Shipley, ESPN’s Adam Caplan said on Twitter. The Colts did not tender Shipley, their starting center in 2012 and 2014, a contract offer, sending him to the market.

Dolphins Release Shelley Smith

March 10th, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

5:15pm: The team confirmed Smith’s release on its Twitter account.

4:21pm: The Dolphins have released offensive lineman Shelley Smith, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Smith was due to make $2.75MM in 2015.

Smith did not have a banner year in 2014. The guard, 28 in May, graded out as a being rather below average according to the advanced metrics compiled at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), turning in an overall score of -10.1. Smith finished the year ranked as the 54th best guard in the league out of 78 qualified players. That’s a step back from 2013, when Smith finished with a grade of 7.2, good for 25th amongst all qualified guards.

Jets Notes: Marrone, Ryan, Pace

January 3rd, 2015 at 2:54pm CST by Rob DiRe

If the Jets do hire former Bills coach Doug Marrone, that would mark a huge difference in philosophies from former coach Rex Ryan, writes Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. Myers notes that Ryan was the ultimate players’ coach, but Marrone is tonally opposite, with a reputation as a strict disciplinarian. This would not be a surprise to the organization, as he was the team’s offensive line coach between 2002 and 2005.

  • Ryan could land a tremendous job this offseason after being fired by the Jets, writes Bob Glauber of Newsday.
  • The Jets have requested permission to interview Saints director of player personnel Ryan Pace to be their next general manager, reports Kristian Dyer of Metro New York (via Twitter). The team is still in the process of interviewing coaches and general managers for their open positions.
  • The Saints did not allow the Dolphins to interview Pace for their opening last year, so it remains to be seen whether the Jets will have the opportunity to speak with him, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter).
  • While the Jets are casting a wide net in terms of their general manager search, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com wonders if some of these candidates will stay away from the job if a head coach is already in place (via Twitter).

More Injury Updates: Monday

September 15th, 2014 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

We passed along one round of Monday injury updates earlier today, and since then we’ve learned that the Bears will be placing Charles Tillman on their injured reserve list with a season-ending triceps injury. There are still plenty of items to round up this afternoon though, so let’s dive right in….

  • Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis sustained a high ankle sprain yesterday and is expected to miss six to eight weeks of action, the team announced today (Twitter link). That recovery timeline could make Lewis a candidate for the injured reserve list with the designation to return.
  • Jamaal Charles also appears to have suffered a high ankle sprain, though Chiefs head coach Andy Reid indicated today that it “doesn’t look to be a real severe one,” according to B.J. Kissel of KCChiefs.com (via Twitter). The timetable for Charles’ return isn’t yet clear, but it looks like Knile Davis will probably get the nod for Kansas City in Week 3.
  • Per Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network (Twitter link), Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said today that it’s too early to predict a return date for Robert Griffin III, but Gruden expects the signal-caller to return this season and says he isn’t an IR candidate.
  • Rams wideout Tavon Austin has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL and is expected to miss a couple weeks, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • Dolphins guard Shelley Smith will also be sidelined for two to four weeks due to a grade two knee sprain, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).

AFC East Links: Babin, Bills, Gronk, Dolphins

July 25th, 2014 at 8:10pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets inked Jason Babin to a two-year deal on Wednesday, but the veteran defensive end wasn’t around the team’s facilities until the next day. So what was with the delay? ESPNNewYork.com’s Jane McManus found out…

“It was probably more my fault in signing,” Babin said. “I had to clean up some things back home.”

General manager John Idzik also addressed the delay…

“We just wanted to make sure it was right from both ends, to bring Jason in, get a nice full day so he can gain a feel for us our staff, our approach, and talk it through for a day,” Idzik said. “And sometimes it’s good for the player to go home, stew on it, talk to his family back in Jacksonville, and then if it’s a fit then you go forward and that’s what happened.”

With Babin now at practice, everyone is happy. That includes Rex Ryan, who likes what he’s seen from Babin…

“I think the first things that jumps out about Babin is the production he has as a pass-rusher,” Ryan said. “[He] has a relentless motor, so that part of it we’re excited about. The way he’ll fit in with the guys we already have is going to give us great depth. We brought him in to play.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC East…
  • There has been “no movement” towards a new deal for Jets defensive Muhammad Wilkerson, writes CBSSports.com Jason La Canfora. Still, an extension isn’t on the former first-rounder’s mind. “I don’t worry about it,” he said. “That’s what I have an agent for. I let him handle the business side of it and I just try to focus on being a leader of this team and try to better myself as a player.”
  • It’s not often that you’ll hear a coach gush about a seventh-round pick. However, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Bills offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson has really impressed, with one coach saying that “he can be special.”
  • Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski told reporters that he may have been cleared medically, but he is still not 100 percent. Nonetheless, ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss writes that Gronk isn’t intending on changing his playing style, with the tight end saying that he’ll “keep smashing and dashing.”
  • Even though the Dolphins could be playing without Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey for half the season, his teammates aren’t too worried. As ESPN.com’s James Walker writes, Pouncey’s probable replacement, Shelley Smith, is confident in his teammates’ talent. “I think we have a lot of potential and we’ve got a good group of guys in the room,” Smith said “We have a good coaching staff and I feel like we’re working our butts off to fulfill our potential.”

Dolphins, Shelley Smith Reach Two-Year Deal

March 14th, 2014 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Dolphins have agreed to sign offensive lineman Shelley Smith to a two-year contract, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter). The deal will be worth $5.5MM, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), while Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports notes (via Twitter) there’s a $1.5MM guarantee.

Smith, 26, has been a part-time guard in St. Louis for the last two seasons, playing 360 offensive snaps in 2012 and 371 in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He received a +7.0 grade from PFF last season, which placed him 23rd out of 81 qualified guards, despite his lack of playing time. Smith was particularly effective as a run blocker.

The signing represents the next step in a rebuilding process for Miami’s offensive line following last year’s bullying scandal. The team also signed Branden Albert this week to play left tackle, so assuming Smith occupies one of the two guard positions, the Dolphins now have at least three starters in place, with Albert and Smith joining incumbent center Mike Pouncey.

Smith had been visiting Miami today, and we heard earlier today that the club was hoping to lock him up before he left town. The former sixth-round pick also reportedly met with the Giants and Patriots.

Florida Notes: Bucs, Thurmond, Dolphins

March 14th, 2014 at 12:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Friday afternoon items on Florida’s NFL teams….

  • The Buccaneers aren’t in play for cornerback Walter Thurmond, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). We heard earlier today that Thurmond’s visit with the Redskins had been canceled as well, so it sounds as if he may be close to making a decision. He has reportedly visited the Jaguars, as well as the 49ers.
  • The new deals with the Buccaneers for quarterback Josh McCown and offensive tackle Anthony Collins include plenty of incentives, as Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com details.
  • Free agent right tackle Zach Strief declined an offer to visit the Dolphins, with no explanation given, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
  • Within the same piece, Jackson says the Dolphins hope to get a deal done with offensive lineman Shelley Smith today, and that owner Stephen Ross never met with Jonathan Martin before the team sent him to the Niners, despite repeatedly saying he would.

OL Rumors: Dolphins, Oher, Titans, Giants

March 14th, 2014 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

As rumors continue to trickle in on the fourth day of free agency, let’s check in on a few offensive lineman who remain on the market:

  • The Dolphins have extended a contract offer to offensive lineman Shelley Smith, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). However, Beasley cautions that Smith has other offers on the table, adding that the situation remains fluid. According to Beasley (via Twitter), Smith and cornerback Cortland Finnegan are at the Dolphins’ headquarters this morning.
  • Free agent tackle Michael Oher is visiting with the Titans today, reports Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun adds (via Twitter) that Oher will meet with the Raiders tomorrow. With Eugene Monroe back in the fold in Baltimore, the subject of The Blind Side appears likely to land with a new team this offseason.
  • As of late yesterday, the Giants still had interest in re-signing veteran offensive lineman Kevin Boothe and pairing him with J.D. Walton at center, tweets Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.