Extra Points: Patriots, Jets, Carson
Denard Robinson is back in the NFL, this time as a coach. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars have hired Robinson as an offensive quality control coach.
Following a standout career as Michigan’s quarterback, Robinson was selected by the Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2013 draft. The organization ended up transitioning him into a running back, and he ultimately spent four seasons with Jacksonville. His best season came in 2014, when he had 706 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.
The 29-year-old spent the 2019 season as an offensive analyst for the Jacksonville University football team.
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…
- While the Patriots would presumably like to sign Joe Thuney to an extension, ESPN’s Mike Reiss opines that the offensive lineman will end up playing next season on the franchise tag. As Reiss explains, Thuney has the leverage in negotiations, as he should be more-than-satisfied with his current one-year, $14.78MM deal. The reporter could see a scenario where the lineman signs a two-year deal that would buy the Patriots a bit of cap space for 2020, and Reiss believes that’s more realistic than Thuney getting traded or signing a long-term pact.
- While Jamal Adams may already be saying farewell to some of his teammates, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport believes the Jets will “stand pat” and let the situation play out (Twitter link). The safety has two years remaining on his contract, and that’s part of the reason why New York hadn’t felt any urgency in signing the former first-rounder to an extension.
- Seahawks running back Chris Carson has signed with Octagon Football for representation, tweets Liz Mullen of Sports Business Daily. “From our perspective, he’s an elite running back in this league,” said agent Casey Muir. After averaging 1,190 rushing yards and eight touchdowns between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Carson is set to hit free agency following the 2020 campaign.
Seahawks TE Colby Parkinson Suffers Injury
Seahawks rookie tight end Colby Parkinson suffered a Jones fracture in his foot, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The fourth-round pick broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot while route running earlier this offseason and had surgery earlier this month to correct the problem. 
Parkinson was slated to push for snaps at tight end, somewhere behind Greg Olsen and alongside vets like Will Dissly, Luke Willson, and Jacob Hollister. No one expected the Seahawks to draft a TE in April, but they saw real potential in Parkinson and couldn’t pass him up. Also, Parkinson offered insurance against Olsen’s age and the medical history of the rest of the bunch.
The Seahawks will probably start the year without the safety net of Parkinson, but he should be able to suit up this year. Beyond that, he could be ticketed for a prime role – Olsen, Hollister, and Willson are all set for free agency after the 2020 season and no one would be surprised if Olsen made this his last NFL campaign.
Parkinson put himself on the map at Stanford with a strong 2018 and seven touchdowns. Last year, he set new career bests with 48 grabs for 589 yards, though he only scored once.
Chiefs, 49ers, Cowboys Among Teams On Jamal Adams’ Preferred Destination List
Jamal Adams has made an official trade request, and although the Jets have yet to grant it, the All-Pro safety has formed a list of teams he would be fine with joining.
Both of the Super Bowl LIV participants — the Chiefs and 49ers — headline the list. The Cowboys — who submitted an offer for Adams last October — are also included among a seven-team contingent that features the Ravens, Eagles, Texans and Seahawks, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Cowboys are the only team on this list that did not qualify for the playoffs last season. Adams, however, is a Texas native. Dallas offered a first-rounder and a Day 3 choice for the Jets standout last year.
As of now, the Jets are not prepared to trade Adams. But the safety may be more amenable to playing the fourth year of his rookie contract with one of the seven teams on this trade wish list than he is with the Jets, who have not made the playoffs since 2010.
The Jets are taking their time on extension talks for their top player, but with Adams signed through 2021 via the fifth-year option, that is not exactly uncommon. Teams often slow-play extensions for former first-rounders because of the option, but Adams is attempting to force the issue.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Elliott, Eagles, Hyde
Ezekiel Elliott is not experiencing any complications after testing positive for COVID-19 (via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News). Assuming Elliott stays healthy and largely symptom-free, that should bode well for the Cowboys‘ star running back in the long haul.
Earlier this week, Elliott was one of four players (two from the Cowboys, two from the Texans) to test positive for the coronavirus. Other players are being tested as a precaution, but no additional positive cases have emerged from either club. Furthermore, quarterback Dak Prescott did not test positive, despite hosting a widely-criticized birthday party earlier this year.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Eagles head coach Doug Pederson admits that he missed out on his top running back target. “We had the opportunity to possibly grab a player and he slipped through our fingers,” Pederson told WIP (via NJ.com). The Birds were connected to a few veteran RBs this summer, including Carlos Hyde, LeSean McCoy, and Devonta Freeman. Of that group, only Hyde has been signed (by the Seahawks) so Hyde is presumably the player he’s referencing. Freeman still seems to be on their radar, though teams have been warded off by his asking price. They’re open to Shady, too, but, at last check, they have not made him an offer.
- Meanwhile, the Eagles are working with the playmakers they already have in-house, including rookie wide receiver Jalen Reagor. They’re planning to groom the former TCU speedster in the mold of fellow deep threat DeSean Jackson, as Jeff Kerr of CBSSports.com writes. “He’s going to come in and he’s going to learn one position and he is going to learn from DeSean Jackson, and learn everything he can,” Pederson said. “Obviously the playbook is extensive and we just have to see what he’s taken from the offseason to training camp, and then once we see his potential and his growth, then we can use him in multiple spots.”
- Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan only has one year to go on his deal, but he’s hoping to stay for the duration of his career – however long that might be.
- In case you missed it, Sam Robinson reflected on the retirement of Giants quarterback Phil Simms, which played out much differently than Eli Manning‘s sendoff.
Seahawks Notes: Hyde, Dunbar, Clowney
Here’s a quick look at the latest from Seattle:
- Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll believes that new running back Carlos Hyde will be ready to go for Week 1 (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). Hyde’s camp is similarly optimistic after the veteran went under the knife to fix a torn labrum. After a rash of injuries at the position, the Seahawks are counting on the 1,000-yard rusher to stay healthy this year. For his part, Carroll says that Hyde’s presence will allow the team to gradually ease Rashaad Penny back into things.
- Carroll told reporters that Quinton Dunbar has rejoined the Seahawks for virtual offseason meetings (Twitter link via Condotta). Beyond that, Carroll offered no comment on Dunbar’s ongoing situation. Dunbar is facing four charges in connection with an alleged armed robbery in Florida. His alleged accomplice, cornerback Deandre Baker, has been kept away from offseason activities by the Giants.
- The chatter of a potential reunion between the Seahawks and Jadeveon Clowney continues, but Brady Henderson of ESPN.com gets the sense that the club is only focused on low-cost additions at this time. Earlier this year, the Seahawks reportedly put a one-year, $15MM offer on the table for the defensive end, but it seems that offer is no longer valid. The Browns saw their offer rebuffed recently and the Titans say that there hasn’t been much movement on the Clowney front.
Pete Carroll Regrets Not Signing Colin Kaepernick In 2017
The only team to invite Colin Kaepernick for a visit since he became a free agent in 2017, the Seahawks remain tied to the quarterback’s lengthy saga. Pete Carroll now regrets not signing the former 49ers passer then, given the information he now possesses.
The 11th-year Seahawks coach said he views a potential Kaepernick addition then as a missed opportunity “knowing what we know now,” per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Carroll said in 2017 he viewed Kaepernick as a starter, and with Russell Wilson in the fold, the Seahawks moved on. It is unclear what salary demands Kaepernick had at that point, and the Seahawks — with Wilson never missing a start — were able to get away with lower-level backup quarterbacks in 2017 and ’18.
Carroll said Thursday he assumed someone else would sign Kaepernick — via Condotta, on Twitter — but until last year’s NFL-organized (then Kaepernick-rearranged) workout, the free agent quarterback did not receive another opportunity.
While the Seahawks’ Wilson-fronted QB structure remains the same three years later, Carroll said the team is not interested in Kaepernick now, Condotta tweets. The Seahawks re-signed Geno Smith earlier this offseason and added Anthony Gordon as a UDFA. Carroll did say he received a phone call Thursday from another team on Kaepernick. This marks the first such call he’s received, per Condotta (on Twitter).
Although Kaepernick had drifted off the NFL radar after his workout last year, numerous players have pushed for him to receive another chance in recent days. George Floyd’s death continues to ignite protests around the world. Teams across the sports world have issued statements denouncing systemic racism, and Roger Goodell made a speech on the subject last week. While the commissioner did not mention Kaepernick by name, the player who started the protest movement in the NFL has naturally been a frequent conversation topic in light of current events.
Kaepernick, now 32, reportedly continues to train for a potential opportunity. After the quarterback settled a collusion grievance with the league and made last-minute changes to a workout invite, it would probably be the most notable free agent addition in NFL history were the former 49ers starter to catch on with another team.
Seahawks Offered Jadeveon Clowney $15MM/Year?
At one point in negotiations, the Seahawks offered Jadeveon Clowney a one-year, $15MM deal, according to a league source who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT. If that proposal is still on the table, it stands to reason that the defensive end could return to Seattle, but according to veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson, that is not the case (Twitter link). Anderson says that the starting point for negotiations between the two sides would be “very different” than the $15MM figure. 
[RELATED: Seahawks Hire Alonzo Highsmith For Full-Time Role]
Clowney has said that he wouldn’t mind returning to the Seahawks, though he rejected an offer from the team early in the offseason. Since then, the Seahawks have found front seven help elsewhere by adding Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa in free agency. They also found edge help in the draft by selecting outside linebacker Darrell Taylor (Round 2) and defensive end Alton Robinson (Round 5).
When free agency opened, Clowney was said to be asking for $21MM/year. Weeks later, that ask was reduced to around $17-$18MM per annum. The Browns – long believed to be a frontrunner – recently offered Clowney a deal that was worth somewhere around $12MM per year. The former No. 1 overall pick turned them down in hopes of finding a better deal, but some believe that Clowney is overestimating his market.
The Giants, Eagles, and Jets are not in the mix for Clowney, even though they could all use some help on the edge. That leaves the Browns and Titans as the likely frontrunners, though the Titans have also downplayed their level of interest. The Seahawks are still open to bringing Clowney back, per Anderson, but it seems their offer would be closer to the one that the Browns put on the table.
Seahawks Hire Alonzo Highsmith For Full-Time Role
Alonzo Highsmith has gone from a Seahawks consultant to a full-time Seattle employee, as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets. 
Highsmith is now listed as a “personnel executive” on the team website, signaling a larger and more permanent role within the front office.
[RELATED: Carlos Hyde Underwent Shoulder Surgery]
Highsmith was a top lieutenant in John Dorsey‘s front office, up until Dorsey was replaced by Andrew Berry. In February, his Packers ties helped lead him to Seattle, working under John Schneider as a freelancer.
Highsmith hasn’t been afraid to go against the grain of the modern NFL, relying more on game tape than newfangled analytics. The 55-year-old has spent most of his adult life in football, having played in the NFL from 1987 through 1992. Then, he took a brief foray into boxing where he amassed a 27-1-2 record in the heavyweight division. In 2012, he began the third act of his career by joining the Packers in a senior front office role.
Meanwhile, there’s lots of work ahead for the Seahawks, even after the signing of 1,000-yard rusher Carlos Hyde. They may also be in the market for a starting-caliber cornerback, depending on how things go for Quinton Dunbar.
Seahawks Sign Freddie Swain
The Seahawks have signed rookie wide receiver Freddie Swain according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). In accordance with his sixth-round draft slot, Swain is set to earn $3.424MM over the course of his four-year deal.
The Seahawks nabbed Swain with the No. 214 overall pick, adding to the team’s already tight competition at wide receiver. It’s a group headlined by Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, and Phillip Dorsett with two or maybe three spots up for grabs on the 53-man roster. Swain will battle with David Moore, John Ursua – a 2019 pick who topped 1,343 yards in his final year at Hawaii, and a number of UDFAs for a place on the depth chart.
Swain, a Florida product, first made a name for himself as a return specialist. Last year, he showed off his pass-catching abilities, notching 38 catches for 527 yards and a Gators-high seven touchdowns.
With Swain signed, the Seahawks are left with six unsigned rookies from their 2020 draft class. Here’s the full rundown, via PFR’s tracker:
1-27: Jordyn Brooks, LB (Texas Tech)
2-48: Darrell Taylor, OLB (Tennessee)
3-69: Damien Lewis, G (LSU)
4-133: Colby Parkinson, TE (Stanford): Signed
4-144: DeeJay Dallas, RB (Miami)
5-148: Alton Robinson, DE (Syracuse)
6-214: Freddie Swain, WR (Florida): Signed
7-251: Stephen Sullivan, TE (LSU)
Carlos Hyde Underwent Shoulder Surgery
All three of the Seahawks’ top running backs are recovering from injuries. Added primarily because of Rashaad Penny‘s uncertainty, Carlos Hyde is recovering from surgery this offseason.
The six-year veteran back confirmed he underwent shoulder surgery, per the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta (on Twitter). NFL.com’s Michael Silver reported the surgery was to repair a torn labrum. Hyde thinks he will be ready to participate in training camp and said he will be ready to go by Week 1, potentially indicating he might not be full-go when the Seahawks report to camp.
Penny underwent knee surgery in late December and is a candidate to begin the season on Seattle’s PUP list. Starter Chris Carson‘s season also ended early because of injury, but his hip malady did not require surgery. Nevertheless, Seattle’s backfield is not especially healthy entering the summer. Carson is expected to be ready by Week 1.
Hyde played in all 16 Texans regular-season games last year, rushing for a career-high 1,070 yards, and started in each of Houston’s two playoff contests. Hyde confirmed he suffered the injury in Week 2 of last season, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets. Despite interest from the Eagles, Hyde signed with the Seahawks after Devonta Freeman turned the team down. He is expected to supplement Carson while Penny recovers.