Tyler Shatley

Jaguars Exercise TE Marcedes Lewis’ Option

The Jaguars have exercised their 2018 options for tight end Marcedes Lewis, tackle Josh Wells, and guard/center Tyler Shatley, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.Marcedes Lewis

Lewis, 33, has been with the Jaguars ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2006, but the 2017 campaign marked just the second winning campaign he’s experienced during his 12-year career. While he stopped being a prolific receiving threat roughly a half-dozen seasons ago, Lewis is still perhaps the best blocking tight end in the league — indeed, Pro Football Focus graded Lewis first overall in run-blocking with a 87.1 mark, just ahead of Rob Gronkowski.

Given the importance of the run game in Jacksonville (and Lewis’ contributions to that aspect of the Jaguars’ offense), the veteran tight end’s $3.5MM base salary and $500K bonus for 2018 is eminently affordable. The Jaguars could even choose to tack on an extra year to Lewis’ contract later this offseason, as he’s expressed a desire to remain in Jacksonville for the entirety of his career, tweets O’Halloran.

Wells and Shatley, meanwhile, acted as reserves along Jacksonville’s offensive line last season. Both started four games a year ago, with Wells filling in at both tackle spots and Shatley taking over at center for an injured Brandon Linder. Wells will now earn $705K in base salary for the 2018 campaign, while Shatley will collect $790K.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/21/17

  • The Jaguars announced that they’ve re-signed offensive lineman Tyler Shatley, who was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this spring. It’s a one-year deal with a club option in 2018, tweets Ryan O”Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Shatley, 25, started four games for Jacksonville last season, playing on roughly a quarter of the club’s offensive snaps. During his three-year run, Shatley — a Clemson alum — has appeared in 28 total contest. Shatley becomes the second RFA offensive lineman the Jaguars have re-signed this month, joining Josh Wells.
  • The Steelers have signed long snapper Kameron Canaday and punter A.J. Hughes, the club announced today. Canday, 23, won the Cardinals’ long snapping job out of training camp, but was waived following botched snap in Week 3. Pittsburgh already re-signed its longtime LS, Greg Warren, earlier this offseason, so Canaday will likely serve only as offseason depth. Hughes, meanwhile, is an ex-Virginia Tech Hokie who worked for the Bears and Broncos in 2016 but never latched on with a club.
  • The Dolphins announced that they’ve signed long snapper Winston Chapman. Chapman, 24, went undrafted out of Mississippi State in 2015 after tearing his ACL during his senior season. Miami’s incumbent long snapper, John Denney, is an unrestricted free agent.

Sunday Roundup: Long, Wilkerson, Irvin

Let’s have a look at some links from around the league on this Sunday afternoon:

  • After Will Beatty‘s torn pectoral muscle threw the Giants‘ offensive line into a state of confusion, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com has received a number of questions from Giants fans curious about the status of free agent tackle Jake Long. Raanan writes that even though Long tore his ACL two years in a row, there will be a starting job for him somewhere this season if he is healthy. The Giants are still in the mix, but Long appears content to let the market for his services play out.
  • The Patriots have lost a number of big names this offseason, but Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com says tight end is one area where the team may have gotten stronger. Newly-acquired Scott Chandler will team with Rob Gronkowski to create a formidable pair of towers at the position, and Reiss predicts New England will deploy a number of two-tight end sets in 2015, just as they did in 2011 with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
  • Cameron Jordan recently signed a new five-year, $55MM deal with the Saints, and despite the similarities between Jordan and Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes Wilkerson will be aiming even higher. Jordan got $33.5MM in total guarantees, and Cimini thinks Wilkerson is seeking at least $40MM in guaranteed money.
  • Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes that Washington defensive coordinator Joe Barry does not plan on moving any of his cornerbacks to safety in an effort to bolster the team’s long-floundering safety corps.
  • Zach Miller has not played a regular season game since 2011, thanks to a bevy of injuries that have derailed his career. But for the second straight season, Miller is performing well in the Bears‘ offseason workouts, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. And if Miller can remain healthy, he could become a valuable weapon for Jay Cutler and take some pressure off Alshon Jeffery, rookie Kevin White, and first-string tight end Martellus Bennett.
  • When asked if his client had requested a trade, the agent for new Browns and former 49ers punter Andy Lee did not answer directly, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The agent simply said it was an amicable parting that worked well for all involved.
  • Despite recent comments that created a minor controversy in Seattle, Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin said yesterday, “I would love to be in Seattle. That was the team that gave me a chance when nobody else did.” But as Manouk Akopyan of NFL.com writes, given the pending extensions that the Seahawks will undoubtedly hand out to Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson, and considering the amount of money Seattle has already invested in retaining players like Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman, Irvin will likely find greener pastures elsewhere.
  • The Jaguars plan to frequently utilize two- and three-tight end looks this season under new offensive coordinator Greg Olson, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. That scheme will offer plenty of playing time for Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor, who now find themselves behind Julius Thomas on the team’s depth chart.
  • In the same piece, O’Halloran writes that even though Tyler Shatley earned a place on the Jaguars‘ roster as an undrafted rookie guard last season, his task will be even more difficult this year. The team has shifted him over to center, which Shatley has never played, and Jacksonville appears committed to Stefen Wisniewski or Luke Bowanko at the position.

Jaguars Cut Roster To 53 Players

SATURDAY, 4:52pm: As Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union notes (via Twitter), the following players were cut by the Jags today:

Since Ace Sanders is headed for the reserve-suspended list, the team was able to keep guard Tyler Shatley – who was reported below as having been cut – on its 53-man roster, tweets Oehser.

FRIDAY, 4:01pm: In addition to confirming the cuts noted below, the Jaguars have announced a slew of additional roster moves. Via John Oehser of Jaguars.com, here’s the full list, which reduces the team’s active roster count to 57 players:

Cut:

  • Cody Booth, OT
  • Chad Bumphis, WR
  • Deandre Coleman, DL
  • Ricky Havili-Heimuli, DT
  • Craig Loston, S
  • Drew Nowak, G
  • Kasey Redfern, K/P
  • Gerald Rivers, DE
  • Tyler Shatley, G
  • D.J. Tialavea, TE
  • Marcus Whitfield, LB

Waived-injured:

Place on injured reserve:

3:33pm: The Jaguars have started the process of reducing the number of players on their active roster from 75 to 53, as they look to finalize their regular-season roster in time for tomorrow’s deadline. Here are Jacksonville’s Friday cuts, with any additional moves added to the list throughout the day:

Jags To Sign 17 UDFAs, Cut Six Players

10:46am: The Jaguars’ final three cuts were running back Delone Carter, defensive tackle Drake Nevis, and wideout Stephen Williams, according to O’Halloran (via Twitter).

10:02am: Fullback Shaun Chapas will also be among the Jaguars’ cuts, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

9:52am: The Jaguars have cut guard Will Rackley and wide receiver Jeremy Ebert, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). The moves won’t be the last ones for the club today — O’Halloran notes (via Twitter) that with 17 undrafted free agents being added to the roster, six players will need to be released to make room, meaning four more cuts should be on the way.

Rackley and Ebert were both in the final year of their respective contracts, with Rackley set to earn a $1.431MM base salary, while Ebert was on a minimum salary deal. Rackley started 11 games at left guard for Jacksonville last season and his performance ranked 79th out of 81 qualified guards, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Meanwhile, Ebert hauled in three passes in his time with the team.

As for the Jaguars’ undrafted free agent signings, PR coordinator Tad Dickman has the full list (via Twitter):

  • Jeff Budzien, K, Northwestern
  • Terrance Cobb, RB, Cumberland
  • Deandre Coleman, DT, California
  • Damian Copeland, WR, Louisville
  • Trevor Gillette, LS, Rice
  • Ricky Havili-Heimuli, DT, Oregon
  • Allen Hurns, WR, Miami (FL) ($5K bonus and $15K in other guarantees, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Marcel Jensen, TE, Fresno State
  • Reggie Jordan, TE, Missouri Western
  • Craig Loston, S, LSU
  • Stephen Morris, QB, Miami (FL) ($5K bonus and $30K in other guarantees, per Wilson)
  • Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State
  • Tyler Shatley, G, Clemson
  • D.J. Tialavea, TE, Utah State
  • Josh Wells, OT, James Madison
  • Marcus Whitfield, LB, Maryland
  • Chad Zinchini, P, Tennessee Tech