Timmy Jernigan

Broncos To Release DT Timmy Jernigan

The Broncos are set to end Timmy Jernigan‘s brief Denver stay. They are planning to release the veteran defensive tackle, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.

Down Jurrell Casey for the season and having placed Dre’Mont Jones on IR, the Broncos signed Jernigan late last month. He ended up playing a small role, working as a backup against the Jets and Patriots. The former Ravens and Eagles starter played just 11 defensive snaps for the Broncos, however.

Denver still has Jones on IR, but he is eligible to return to the active roster after missing the past three games. Vic Fangio said Jones and fourth-year defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker (also on IR) have a chance to play in Week 7. The Broncos used Shelby Harris, Mike Purcell and DeShawn Williams as their D-line starters against the Patriots. With Casey out, Jones would be in line for a bigger role than he had as a rookie.

This has been a complicated year for Jernigan, a full-time starter for the 2016 Ravens and 2017 Super Bowl champion Eagles. His one-year, $3.75MM Texans deal ended up being called off. The Jaguars signed him in mid-August but cut him in September. The 28-year-old defender will be back in free agency after another short stay with a team.

Broncos To Sign Timmy Jernigan

The Broncos are set to sign veteran defensive lineman Timmy Jernigan, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The deal marks a quick turnaround for Jernigan, who was released by the Jaguars earlier this week.

Jernigan made his name as a hard-nosed run-stuffer with the Ravens, before a 2017 trade that sent him to the Ravens. In his first Philly season, Jernigan started 15 games and helped the Eagles on the way to their Super Bowl LII victory. The Birds moved quickly to ink Jernigan to a four-year, $48MM extension, but things didn’t work out as planned.

Back surgery in 2018 limited Jernigan to just three games. After the season, the Eagles 86’d his deal and signed him to a cheaper one-year pact for 2019. He started nine games last season, playing 306 snaps and rating as a middle-of-the-pack interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. After a so-so season, he moved on to the Texans in the spring, only to see them back out in June. That led him to the Jaguars, which ultimately amounted to a cup of coffee.

Now, Jernigan will backstop a Broncos’ defensive line that has been battered by injuries. His first action could come tomorrow night, when the Broncos take on the Jets in a battle of winless teams.

Jaguars Release Timmy Jernigan

The Jaguars are staying busy Monday. Shortly after we heard they’d be signing kicker Stephen Hauschka the team announced a small flurry of roster moves, including the release of veteran defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan.

They also waived/injured kicker Brandon Wright, promoted defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale from the practice squad, and placed linebacker Leon Jacobs on injured reserve. Jernigan signed with Jacksonville in August, and had played a rotational role along the defensive line through the first three games. The 48th overall pick of the 2014 draft, Jernigan spent his first three years in Baltimore.

He was then traded to Philadelphia, and started 15 games for the Eagles team that won Super Bowl LII. He signed a four-year, $48MM extension midway through that year, but was limited to three games the following year following back surgery. He was cut after 2018, then re-signed with Philly on a cheaper one-year deal.

He appeared in ten games with nine starts for the Eagles last season. The Florida State product then inked a one-year, $3.75MM pact with Houston in April, but that deal was called off after a couple of months. He only turned 28 last week, and due to his past starting experience and production, should resurface soon with a team looking for run-stuffing help.

The Jaguars are clearly going all in on their youth movement on defense. Jacobs started seven games last year and two of the three this season, so that’s a significant loss even though he hadn’t been playing super heavy snaps. Ekuale is a 2018 UDFA from Washington State who appeared in seven games with the Browns last year.

Jaguars Expected To Sign Timmy Jernigan

Two months after Timmy Jernigan and the Texans agreed to terms, the veteran defensive tackle looks to have another deal in place. Jernigan visited the Jaguars and is expected to sign with the team soon, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

The free agent defensive tackle’s Houston contract fell through in early June. He looks set to join one of the Texans’ top rivals instead. The former second-round pick went to high school in north Florida and sought a Jaguars deal over other options, per Garafolo (on Twitter).

Free agents have spent much of 2020 in limbo, with the coronavirus pandemic prompting the NFL to restrict teams from meeting with players or working them out. But the league gave the green light for teams to conduct visits and workouts Tuesday, and the Jags will add some depth to their D-line.

Jernigan, 27, lingered in free agency until June and returned to the market following his nixed Houston agreement. The Jags will mark the seventh-year defensive lineman’s third NFL team. Jernigan spent the first three years of his career with the Ravens before playing with the Eagles from 2017-19.

Traded from Baltimore to Philadelphia in 2017, Jernigan was a full-time starter for the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning team. He signed a four-year, $48MM extension to stay with Philly long-term, but the Eagles cut him in 2019. However, Jernigan re-signed with the Eagles for less money shortly after. He started nine games last season, playing 306 snaps and rating as a middle-of-the-pack interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.

Texans Call Off Timmy Jernigan Deal

Timmy Jernigan won’t be joining the Texans after all. Just a couple months after agreeing to a one-year deal, the defensive tackle announced on Instagram that he will not be heading to Houston.

Jernigan, who has had health issues in the past, never passed a physical with the team, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle hears. However, a league source tells Wilson that the defensive tackle has since been medically cleared by Dr. Robert Watkins.

Jernigan missed the bulk of the 2018 season and a good chunk of games last year. In ’18, a back injury and subsequent surgery to fix a herniated disk put Jernigan on the sideline. In ’19, he missed time with a broken foot. Before that, the former Ravens second-round pick totaled 13 sacks and 35 quarterback hits in three years with Baltimore.

Despite the injuries, the Texans saw a value opportunity in the 27-year-old (28 in September). They agreed to a one-year, $3.75MM deal with $1.25MM guaranteed, far less than the four-year, $48MM extension he got from the Eagles in the not-too-distant past. With the Texans, Jernigan could have had a tremendous platform to restore his value – he was slated to play alongside J.J. Watt on a defensive line that saw standout D.J. Reader leave in free agency.

Texans, DT Timmy Jernigan Agree To Deal

After three years in Philadelphia, Timmy Jernigan will head back to the AFC. The veteran defensive tackle agreed to terms with the Texans on Wednesday, Marc Berman of Fox 26 tweets.

Jernigan can earn up to $3.75MM on this one-year contract, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and will receive $1.25MM guaranteed. He will join a Texans team that saw longtime starter D.J. Reader defect in free agency.

This marks another low-level pact for Jernigan, who went from signing a four-year, $48MM Eagles extension to agreeing to back-to-back one-year deals. Last year, the Eagles released him only to re-sign him for one year and $1.25MM. The former Ravens starter will become the second-biggest name on the Texans’ defensive line, which J.J. Watt is in line to lead for a 10th season.

Jernigan, 27, played just 27% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps last season. He missed most of the 2018 campaign due to injury but impressed enough during Philly’s Super Bowl season to sign that lucrative extension. A former second-round Ravens pick, Jernigan totaled 13 sacks and 35 quarterback hits in three Baltimore seasons. With Philly, he posted 5.5 sacks and 12 QB knockdowns. Last season, Jernigan missed extensive time due to a broken foot.

A change of scenery figures to result in increased playing time for the six-year veteran, and this will likely double as a chance for Jernigan to re-establish his value in hopes of landing another big contract.

Injury Updates: Packers, Adams, Cardinals

No surprise here, but Davante Adams will miss another game this week, per the Packers‘ final injury report. This marks the wide receiver’s third-straight missed contest as he rehabs from a toe ailment.

Adams had a strong start to the season with 25 receptions for 378 yards before going down and seemed on his way to matching last year’s 111/1,386 posting. The Packers were able to get past the Lions without him and they’ll aim to do the same against the Raiders.

Here’s the latest on other bumps and bruises from around the NFL:

  • Uh oh – Cardinals running back David Johnson is dealing with a new injury. After tweaking his back against Atlanta, Johnson will be a game time decision thanks to a sore ankle, head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters.
  • The Cowboys will have offensive tackles Tyron Smith and La’el Collins, wide receivers Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb, and cornerback Byron Jones are set to play on Sunday against the Eagles, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. All five are listed as questionable for the game, but they took the practice field and Friday and should be good to go.
  • The Eagles, on the other hand, will try to fly without: linebacker Nigel Bradham (ankle), wide receiver DeSean Jackson (abdomen), defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan (foot), cornerback Avonte Maddox (concussion/neck), tackle Jason Peters (knee), and running back Darren Sproles (quadricep).
  • Wide receiver Kenny Stills is set to return on Sunday against the Colts, per the club’s injury report.

Eagles’ Timmy Jernigan To Miss Time

Eagles defensive tackle Tim Jernigan will miss 4-6 weeks due to a broken foot, PFT’s Mike Florio (on Twitter) hears. Fortunately, Jernigan does not need surgery – an operation would have put his entire season in jeopardy. 

[RELATED: Eagles’ Malik Jackson Done For Year]

It’s yet another blow to the Eagles’ defensive line. Just last week, the Birds lost Malik Jackson for the entire year.

Without Jernigan, the Eagles will need even more out of new pickup Akeem Spence. It’s also possible that they could reach out to old friend Chris Long, though Long would only serve to offer help on the bookends and not on the interior.

The Eagles declined Jernigan’s option in March but brought him back at what turned out to be a substantial discount. After signing a four-year, $48MM extension late in 2017, Jernigan had to settle for a one-year, $1.25MM deal.

The veteran will look to bounce back quickly from injury and capitalize on his opportunity in free agency next March.

East Rumors: Bills, Jernigan, Fins, Giants

Prior to the Giants’ selection of Daniel Jones, the Bills were engaged in talks to move down from their No. 9 spot. In a must-watch piece for Bills fans and draft buffs, Brandon Beane allowed partial access to his team’s draft room (video link). Buffalo scrapped talks to trade down once New York selected Jones, with Beane zeroing in on Ed Oliver shortly after. It appeared the Bills, despite taking Dawson Knox in Round 3, did not have interest in T.J. Hockenson, the Lions’ selection at No. 8. Applause occurred after Detroit left Oliver on the board.

The Bills also offered an undisclosed team picking in the 20s, which initiated the talks, picks 40, 131 and 147. (Beane said multiple teams contacted him to inquire if the Bills wanted to move back into Round 1.) But said team did not believe that was enough to move out of the round. This move was likely for Cody Ford. The Bills attempted to trade up higher than they did in order to land Ford in the second round, with members of their draft room showing relief the Panthers — whom Bills execs assumed were taking the Oklahoma lineman — before striking a deal with the Raiders for No. 38. The Bills also rebuffed a Bears offer to move out of No. 74, which ended up sending running back Devin Singletary to Buffalo.

Moving to an NFCer’s defensive line situation, here is the latest from the East divisions:

  • The Eagles released Timmy Jernigan but brought him back at what turned out to be a substantial discount. After signing a four-year, $48MM extension late in 2017, Jernigan had to settle for a one-year, $1.25MM deal, Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports. This comes with $1MM guaranteed, including a $250K signing bonus. Another $750K is available in incentives, per Frank. Jernigan now enters what will be a significant season for his career trajectory. A full-time starter for the Super Bowl champion Eagles edition, Jernigan will only be 27 by the time free agency opens in 2020.
  • Currently at the Vikings‘ rookie camp, Sean McGuire appears to have another suitor in the event Minnesota does not sign him. The Dolphins are interested in adding the Western Illinois quarterback prospect, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). The Dolphins want to add a quarterback before their rookie camp begins May 10, Jackson continues. Miami now has Josh Rosen, Ryan Fitzpatrick and former Lions backup Jake Rudock on its roster. The Dolphins cut Luke Falk earlier this week. McGuire would seemingly compete for a third-string job or practice squad slot in Miami.
  • The Dolphins are likely to turn to the veteran offensive line market as well, Jackson writes, adding only four players — Laremy Tunsil, Daniel Kilgore, fellow starter Jesse Davis and third-round pick Michael Deiter — are true locks to make the roster. Although Jackson adds sixth-round pick Isaiah Prince and UFA signing Chris Reed will likely make the team as well, he notes the team appears ready to explore some additional help. Jared Veldheer, Donald Penn, Jermey Parnell, Mike Remmers, Andy Levitre and Stefen Wisniewski are some of the notable vets available.
  • Giants sixth-round pick Corey Ballentine did not show for their rookie minicamp this weekend. The team wants the recent gunshot victim to stay in Kansas and be with family, according to SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano (on Twitter). The Washburn-developed cornerback is expected to make a full recovery and attempt to make Big Blue’s 53-man roster — one without many surefire answers at corner.
  • Former Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey is officially listed on the Giants’ roster as a quarterback/tight end, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. Dungey was a dual-threat player for the Orange, finishing his career with 1,993 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns.

Eagles To Re-Sign Tim Jernigan

Timmy Jernigan is back with the Eagles. After the Eagles declined Jernigan’s option in March, the defensive tackle agreed to return on a new one-year deal, according to James Palmer of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

Jernigan signed a four-year, $48MM extension with the Eagles late in the 2017 season. Ultimately, that deal only lasted for one year. This time around, both sides will have their options open after just one campaign.

By declining Jernigan’s option, the Eagles saved $7MM with $6MM left over in dead money. Jernigan’s latest deal will give him a smaller base salary, but he’ll have the opportunity to cash in next March if he can reestablish himself.

The Ravens traded Jernigan to the Eagles in 2017, and he performed well enough for the eventual Super Bowl champions to ink him to a high-end extension. Unfortunately, he played just 100 snaps last season, suiting up for just three regular-season games.