Seahawks Acquire OT Duane Brown
The Seahawks have acquired offensive tackle Duane Brown from the Texans, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Houston will receive cornerback Jeremy Lane, a 2018 fifth-round pick, and a 2019 second-round pick.
Seattle had been considered an ideal landing spot for Brown in recent weeks, so while the deal doesn’t come as a complete surprise, the trade still represents a massive talent shift of talent from the Texans to the Seahawks. Acquiring an offensive lineman was perhaps the most obvious move Seattle general manager John Schneider could make before tomorrow’s deadline, as the Seahawks’ front five ranks in the bottom half of the league in both adjusted line yards and adjusted sack rate.
Brown will take over at left tackle for Seattle, a position that’s been bereft of a solid starter for some time. Rees Odhiambo, a third-round pick in the 2016 draft, had been serving as the Seahawks’ blindside protector following a season-ending injury to George Fant, but Odhiambo has graded as the NFL’s second-worst offensive tackle through eight weeks, per Pro Football Focus.
Brown, 32, should represent a massive upgrade over Odhiambo — the former first-round pick offers 133 starts worth of experience, and has consistently earned positive marks from PFF. He’s also been remarkably durable, with only 12 injury-related missed games over nine seasons in the NFL. And of course, Brown should be well-rested after missing the first seven weeks of the 2017 campaign in a contractual holdout.
That holdout was the primary driver behind Houston’s decision to trade Brown, as the Texans and general manager Rick Smith gave no indication they were willing to give Brown a new deal. Brown is due roughly $4.7MM for the rest of the season, and that will require cap space the Seahawks don’t currently possess (hence the inclusion of Lane). Brown is signed through the 2018 season with a cap charge of $9.75MM next year, though Seattle will presumably rework his contract.
Lane is earning a fully guaranteed $4MM base salary in 2017, so the Texans are now responsible for roughly $2MM for the remainder of the year. He’s also under contract through 2019 with base salaries of $6MM in each season. While acquiring Lane will help Seattle offset Brown’s salary, he’s also a much-needed piece for a beat up Houston secondary.
Although he had recently lost his starting role in Seattle, Lane has starting experience, including all 16 games in 2016. Lane, whom the Seahawks were shopping during the preseason, is probably best utilized as a slot corner, but he can also play outside. He’ll be valuable for the Texans in either role, as Houston is currently relying on two age-29+ corners in Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson (plus a recovering Kevin Johnson).
The Texans also picked up two draft picks in this trade, selections that will help them defray the cost of deals they’ve pulled off in the past year. Houston is already without its two top picks in 2018, having dealt them to Cleveland in order to move up for Deshaun Watson and rid itself of Brock Osweiler, respectively. While they won’t receive Seattle’s second-rounder until 2019, the Texans still managed to pick up draft assets while bringing in a possible starter in Lane.
On a macro level, the trade of Brown represents the first domino to fall in the offensive line trade market. The Eagles, who are now without veteran Jason Peters for the rest of season, were “monitoring” the Brown situation, and could now look elsewhere in their search for offensive line help, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
Seahawks Willing To Trade Jimmy Graham?
Texans LT Duane Brown is expected to suit up for Houston for the first time this season as the club takes on the Seahawks in Seattle today. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, though, today might be Brown’s last day in a Texans uniform.
Per Rapoport (Twitter links), the Seahawks are continuing their attempts to acquire a veteran left tackle, and Seattle and Houston have engaged in talks involving Brown. Brown, of course, has held out all season to express his dissatisfaction over his current contract, and he has only reported to the team in order to accrue a year of service time; if he missed any more game action, he would not receive any credit for the 2017 season and would remain under club control for two more years instead of being eligible for free agency at the end of the 2018 campaign.
Seattle, though, is pretty strapped for cap space, and as Rapoport points out, if the Seahawks were to trade for a left tackle like Brown — they are also interested in the Bills’ Cordy Glenn and the Colts’ Anthony Castonzo — they would need to cut or trade other players to remain under the salary cap. One player who could be moved is TE Jimmy Graham, who is earning $7.9MM in base salary this year and who is counting for $10MM against the cap. Rapoport says Seattle would be willing to move Graham if such a move would allow them to acquire a left tackle.
However, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll strong denied that Graham would be available before Tuesday’s deadline, calling any reports to that effect “total bull—-“, as Michael Silver of NFL.com tweets. Similarly, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) has been told Seattle has no plans to trade Graham.
Graham, 30, is averaging a career-low 9.6 yards per catch through six games this season, which comes on the heels of an excellent 2016 season, his best in Seattle. The Seahawks continue to believe Graham is a critical part of the offense, but they feel acquiring a quality left tackle is more important.
For what it’s worth, Rapoport says it is unlikely that the Seahawks and Texans agree to a one-for-one swap involving Brown and Graham, but it could be a possibility (Twitter link). Houston, however, is probably more interested in acquiring draft capital than a 30-year-old tight end on an expiring contract.
Seahawks Compensating McDowell And Jordan
Tight end Eric Ebron is the biggest name being floated around by the Lions with the trade deadline looming, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. General manager Bob Quinn has been aggressive since assuming the job nearly two years ago, and even pulled off a midseason deal in 2016 when he traded Kyle Van Noy to the Patriots, Meinke notes. A first-round pick out of North Carolina in 2014, the athletic tight end was expected by many to have a breakout campaign following a career year in 2016 but that has not been the case. Ebron has tallied more than two catches in a game just once this season but still possesses freakish physical traits that could lead a team to take a shot on the fourth-year pass catcher. Ebron is signed through 2018 and is due to earn $8.25MM next season.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Jameis Winston reinjured his shoulder against the Bills in Week 7, Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter confirmed in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). “[Jameis] was doing better, he played very well, especially in the second half against Buffalo,” Koetter said. “We did have that one sack-fumble in the first half, and he did kind of reinjure it, and so that’s what led to him not throwing on Wednesday or Thursday this week.” Despite missing two days of practice, Winston took all reps on Friday and will start vs. Carolina in Week 8.
- The Cowboys are not looking to move any of their receivers, team vice president Stephen Jones said in a radio interview with 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link). Jones added the team has not specifically been asked about Cole Beasley‘s availability in a trade. After posting a career-high 75 catches in 2016, Beasley has hauled in just 16 grabs in the team’s first six games this season. It also doesn’t bode well for the slot receiver’s future in Dallas that the team drafted Ryan Switzer, a near carbon copy of Beasley, in the 2017 NFL Draft. Beasley is signed through 2018 and is due to make $3.25MM next season.
- The Seahawks are paying Dion Jordan $7.2K and Malik McDowell $5K per week while the two are on the NFI list, tweets Joel Corry of CBS Sports. Though a team doesn’t have to pay a player on the NFI list since the injury occurred away from the field, Seattle was able to come to terms with the two defenders. Jordan returned to practice this week, so the team has three weeks to activate him to the 53-man roster or he will not be eligible to play again this season. McDowell is still out indefinitely.
DE Damontre Moore Visits Seahawks
It might not take that long for free agent Damontre Moore to find a new gig. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the defensive end visited the Seahawks today.
Moore, who had joined the Cowboys during the offseason, was released by the organization earlier this week. The 25-year-old’s tenure in Dallas certainly wasn’t memorable, as he sat out a pair of games due to suspension before compiling only five tackles in three games. The 2013 third-round pick had showed some promise early in his career, including a 2014 campaign with the Giants when he tallied 32 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Moore has bounced around the league since, and he’s only made seven appearances over the past two years.
The Seahawks are still in the hunt for defensive line help, even after signing Dwight Freeney earlier this week. Our own Dallas Robinson explained the unit’s struggles this season, and those problems have only been made worse following the season-ending injury to Cliff Avril (as well as Michael Bennett‘s reoccurring plantar fasciitis issues). Veteran names like Paul Kruger, Mario Williams, and Armonty Bryant are other options that are currently on the market.
NFC West Notes: 49ers, Staley, Seahawks
There’s trade talk surrounding Joe Staley as the deadline approaches, but the left tackle says that he wants to stay put with the 49ers.
“I’ve always wanted to play for the Niners, and the facts don’t change now,” Staley said (via Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group). “I’m just here to be better at my job. That’s where my focus is.”
The Eagles became a speculative suitor for Staley after after Jason Peters suffered a season-ending knee injury, particularly since Staley carries a reasonable salary all the way through 2019. The Niners say it would “take a whole lot” to part ways with him, but that just might happen with so many teams looking to strengthen the offensive line.
Staley, meanwhile, says he hasn’t gone to general manager John Lynch or coach Kyle Shanahan for clarification on his status.
“They know I want to be here,” Staley said. “What I’m concerned with is coming off a game where we didn’t do a good job in pass protection. We’ve got a hell of a challenge this week against the Eagles.”
Here’s more from the NFC West:
- We have details on Dwight Freeney‘s deal with the Seahawks, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The veteran will earn $1MM in base salary, plus $8K for each game he is on the 53-man roster. All in all, the deal carries a maximum value of $1.08MM. Freeney, 37, is expected to suit up on Sunday when the Seahawks host Houston.
- Don’t expect Seahawks teammate Michael Bennett to play as long as Freeney. When asked if he sees himself on the field at the age of 37, Bennett replied, “Hell no,” (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times). Bennett turns 32 in November, so that doesn’t mean retirement is necessarily coming anytime soon. The defensive end is under contract through the 2020 season, his age-35 campaign, so that could be the cutoff he has in mind.
- The Cardinals formally placed Carson Palmer on IR, ruling him out for the next two months.
- The 49ers are changing Eric Reid‘s position in the midst of his contract year.
Jamaal Charles Hopes To Play 2 More Years
After knee injuries threatened to end his career, Jamaal Charles has resurfaced as a quality complementary part for the Broncos this season. And he doesn’t plan on making it his last.
The 30-year-old running back said Thursday (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post, on Twitter) he wants to play two more seasons.
Charles signed a one-year deal with the Broncos in April but mentioned (via James Palmer of NFL.com, on Twitter) two teams told him he should retire after examining him. Jhabvala mentioned the Seahawks and 49ers examined his knees prior to the Broncos doing so (Twitter link). This is the first reported 49ers interest in the former All-Pro running back.
The Broncos have deployed Charles as an off-the-bench complement to C.J. Anderson, and the NFL’s career yards-per-carry leader is averaging 4.7 per tote through six games. Denver’s offense has struggled lately, but Charles has done well to show he can still contribute after receiving just 12 carries for the Chiefs last season. He underwent procedures on both of his menisci in 2016 after a second ACL surgery stopped his 2015 season. Palmer notes the Broncos are set to increase Charles’ workload soon after maxing him out at 10 touches on three occasions this season.
Charles is playing on an incentive-laden contract this season and stands to be a 2018 free agent. Even as running backs continue to be devalued as UFAs, the soon-to-be 31-year-old runner would seemingly generate interest regarding a possible 11th season in 2018 if he can make it through this year healthy. Despite being in Year 10, Charles only has 1,373 career carries. That’s eighth among active running backs, despite several players ahead of Charles on that list having begun their careers after his began in 2008.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/25/2017
Today’s practice squad updates:
Carolina Panthers
- Released: WR Austin Duke
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Victor Salako
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DE Stansly Maponga
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed off waivers: C Dillon Day
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Mike Purcell
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: OL Nate Theaker
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DE Jhaustin Thomas
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Don Cherry
- Released: DE Alex McCalister
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Rodney Coe
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Isaiah Johnson, DE Marquavius Lewis
Details On Dwight Freeney Signing
- Conversations between the Seahawks and edge defender Dwight Freeney were initiated after fellow defensive lineman Cliff Avril suffered an injury, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter links). Avril is done for the season as he deals with a neck issue, and could possibly contemplate retirement. Freeney, who says he turned down other offers, will likely serve in a rotational capacity, and is expected to be active when Seattle faces Houston on Monday night. Even after adding Freeney, the Seahawks are still looking for more pass rushers.
Seahawks Still Looking For Pass Rushers
Although the Seahawks last night agreed to terms with free agent defender Dwight Freeney, Seattle is still searching for more pass rush help, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Projected to field one of the NFL’s best defensive lines in 2017, the Seahawks’ front four has disappointed thus far, as the unit ranks just 15th in adjusted line yards and 24th in adjusted sack rate. Veteran Cliff Avril is now on injured reserve and could be flirting with retirement following a neck injury, while fellow lineman Michael Bennett is playing through plantar fasciitis.
While the open market isn’t typically flush with options at any position at this point in the season, there are a few free agents who could potentially help the Seahawks going forward. Former Browns defensive lineman Desmond Bryant offers the versatility Seattle covets, and worked out for the team earlier this year. Veteran such as Paul Kruger, Mario Williams, and Armonty Bryant are still available, while younger players like Owa Odighizuwa and Devin Taylor could also serve as reinforcements.
Putting together a trade for an edge defender also isn’t out of the question, although parity in the NFL means few teams may be willing to deal. Bears outside linebacker Pernell McPhee could probably be had for little in the way of draft pick compensation, but his contract ($21MM in non-guaranteed base salary over the next three years) could present an issue. Kerry Wynn (Giants), Barkevious Mingo (Colts), Aaron Lynch (49ers), and Elvis Dumervil (49ers) are all on expiring deals and playing on non-contenders.
Help could also be on the way for Seattle in the form of internal options. Second-round rookie Malik McDowell — who could see time at either tackle or end — may be able to return this season after suffering a severe concussion in a July ATV accident. And Dion Jordan, the former No. 3 overall pick who inked a one-year pact with the Seahawks earlier this year, returned to practice today.
Hawks, Bills Discussed Cordy Glenn Trade
As part of their ongoing search for offensive line help, the Seahawks approached the Bills about left tackle Cordy Glenn, but those talks “fizzled,” according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
Glenn returned to Buffalo’s lineup on Sunday having been sidelined by injuries since Week 2, and despite some questions as to whether Glenn would regain his starting job over rookie Dion Dawkins, Glenn did indeed play a large role in the Bills’ victory (85% of offensive snaps). But Buffalo clearly is pleased with Dawkins’ production thus far, creating an opportunity to possibly move Glenn.
General manager Brandon Beane isn’t afraid to deal veteran assets, as evidenced by his preseason trades of wide receiver Sammy Watkins and cornerback Ronald Darby. And the Bills probably wouldn’t mind getting Glenn’s contract off their books as they retool their roster in the mold of head coach Sean McDermott over the next few years. An acquiring club would take on the rest of Glenn’s $9MM salary for 2017, plus base salaries of $9.25MM, $7.25MM, and $7.25MM over the next three seasons (Glenn also has $2MM roster bonuses in each year).
Like Beane, Seattle general manager John Schneider has shown a willingness to trade, and he recently said the Seahawks are “constantly in talks” with other teams regarding possible swaps. Seattle’s front five once again ranks as one of the NFL’s least productive, and several of the club’s projected starters — George Fant, Luke Joeckel — are now sidelined with injuries. Rees Odhiambo, the Seahawks’ current blinside protector, has graded as the league’s worst tackle, per Pro Football Focus.
Other options to help the depleted Seattle line have been discussed. The Seahawks reportedly focused on disgruntled Texans offensive tackle Duane Brown in recent weeks, but Brown has since ended his holdout and Houston may not have any inclination to deal their best offensive lineman during a competitive season. Free agent Branden Albert, meanwhile, turned down Seattle’s contract offer last week and is still on the open market.