Former Titans LB Derrick Morgan Retires
Former Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan is retiring from the NFL, as Turron Davenport of ESPN.com writes. In his post-football life, the 30-year-old says that he’ll shift his attention to helping those in need. 
“My purpose in life is bigger than the game,” Morgan said. “What football taught me was the power of influence. My goal is to create better and more meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities to break the cycles of generational poverty and build greater wealth and economic mobility. I feel a deep responsibility to leverage my platform for this.”
Morgan entered the league as the No. 16 overall pick in the 2010 draft and spent his entire nine-year career with the Titans. He walks away from the game after compiling 44.5 sacks, 305 tackles, and earning upwards of $40MM. He’ll also get to heal up from a series of knee and shoulder injuries that held him back in his final season.
We here at PFR wish Morgan the best in retirement.
Latest On Falcons, Grady Jarrett
The Falcons and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett are unlikely to reach an agreement before the franchise tag extension deadline, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com hears (on Twitter). If that is indeed the case and nothing is signed today, Jarrett will play out the 2019 season on his one-year, $15.35MM tender. 
[RELATED: 49ers Sign Robbie Gould To Extension]
Jarrett’s six sacks in 2018 were impressive for an interior lineman, but he’s shown that he has even more to offer. Last year, Jarrett tied with Michael Pierce for the No. 5 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings for defensive tackles. Over the course of 463 pass rush snaps and 245 run defense snaps, Jarrett proved that he is one of the best at his position.
A new deal for the 26-year-old likely would have given the Falcons some additional breathing room this year, but they’re also working on new deals for wide receiver Julio Jones and linebacker Deion Jones. It’s a delicate balancing act, though owner Arthur Blank had said he expects all three players to be “Falcons for life.”
49ers Sign Robbie Gould To Extension
The 49ers’ long saga with Robbie Gould has a happy ending. On Monday, the 49ers agreed to sign the kicker to a four-year, $19MM deal, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. 
The deal includes $10.5MM fully guaranteed at signing, representing locked in salaries for the first two seasons of the deal. After that, the Niners must decide whether to fully guarantee half of his $4.5MM salary for 2021 before Week 16 of 2020 season, and the other half by the following April.
It’s rare for the 49ers to give fully guaranteed salaries through year two, which shows how much they value Gould. The 36-year-old has nailed 72 of 75 field goal tries since joining the 49ers in 2017, positioning him as one of the very best kickers in the game.
Gould requested a trade in April to bring him closer to his family, which many read as a push to return to Chicago. The 49ers, however, held firm and refused to deal him.
Before the deal, Gould was scheduled to play the 2019 season on his one-year, $5MM franchise tag tender.
Release Candidate: Ravens’ Brandon Williams
At 337 pounds, Brandon Williams has been a force on the interior for the Ravens. However, with a $14.1MM scheduled cap hit in 2019 and other options, the Ravens could consider releasing the veteran before the start of the season.
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Williams was once among the best defensive tackles in football, but his production has slipped in recent years. Last season, Williams graded out as just the No. 33 ranked interior defender in the league, according to Pro Football Focus, a major drop off from his 2014 and 2015 form.
Moving on from Williams could open up more opportunities for Michael Pierce, who is four years younger at the age of 26. Pierce is a quality pass rusher, a stronger defender against the run, and finished out as PFF’s No. 5 ranked DT in 2018. There’s also fifth-round rookie Daylon Mack to consider. The Texas A&M product is undeniably green, but he has a lot of potential as a run stuffing nose tackle.
Historically, the Ravens haven’t been big on using the post June 1 designation for release, but employing that with Williams would save them $6.25MM for the coming season.
NFL Suspends Raiders’ Richie Incognito
Richie Incognito will have to wait a little while before making his Raiders debut. On Friday, the league suspended the offensive lineman for two games, per an NFL press release. 
The suspension was long anticipated. This ban, in particular, stems from Incognito’s funeral home incident of last year. Incognito pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct stemming from the August 2018 arrest.
According to the arrest report, funeral home employees say the former Pro Bowler wanted his father’s head cut off for research purposes and walked through the funeral home punching caskets and throwing objects. Incognito also made a gun gesture towards an employee and told him that he had guns in his truck. When police searched Incognito’s car, they found a tan Glock 17 9mm handgun, a black Glock 35 .40-caliber handgun, three rifles and four magazines.
Incognito’s off-the-field behavior has been troubling, to say the least, but he could prove to be a strong addition to the team’s offensive line if he stays on the straight and narrow. If he sticks on the roster, he’ll be eligible to debut in Week 3 when the Raiders face the Vikings.
Jets’ Chris Herndon Suspended By NFL
Jets tight end Chris Herndon has been suspended for four games by the NFL. Herndon’s ban stems from a drunk driving arrest and subsequent guilty plea. 
Ordinarily, Herndon would be facing a two-game ban for the violation. However, a woman at the scene of the crash later claimed bodily harm, raising the suspension to four games.
As a rookie, Herndon tallied 39 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns across a full 16-game slate. This year, he won’t be eligible to play until Oct. 13, but can participate in preseason contests.
It’s a bad blow for the Jets as Herndon is among their most promising young offensive players. They’ll have to get by without him for games against the Bills, Browns, Patriots, and Eagles before he can return to face the Cowboys.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/11/19
Saints’ Carl Granderson Sentenced To Jail
Saints rookie defensive end Carl Granderson has been sentenced to six months in jail, according to The Casper Star-Tribune. Initially, Granderson was set to serve a year of probation, but a Wyoming judge went against the plea deal reached by prosecutors and Granderson’s attorney. 
The Saints signed Granderson as an undrafted free agent despite his pending trial, but this sentence will completely rule him out for the 2019 season. It’s likely that Granderson will be released soon, with another player replacing him on the 90-man roster.
The Wyoming product is a talented player who almost certainly would’ve been drafted if not for his legal situation. Many analysts gave Granderson a mid-round grade and the Saints gave him a hefty $85K to sign this offseason.
NFL Suspends Buccaneers CB Ryan Smith
Buccaneers cornerback Ryan Smith has been suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2019 regular season for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances. Smith will be eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games, but will not begin regular season action until September 30, following the team’s Week 4 game against the Rams. 
“We are disappointed that Ryan will be unavailable for the first four games of the season,” GM Jason Licht said in a statement. “We do extensive training and education for our players regarding the league’s polices, but ultimately each individual is responsible for what they put in their bodies.”
The ban could have a major impact on Smith’s future with the club. After earning a proven performance escalator last year, Smith is slated to earn a $2MM base salary in 2019. But, if the Bucs cut him, they’ll be on the hook for just $148K in dead money, resulting from his original rookie signing bonus.
The 2016 fourth-round pick has started 16 games over the last two seasons, but he was on shaky ground even before the suspension. After taking corners in the second and third round of this year’s draft, the Buccaneers could be poised to move on from him and allocate his slated salary elsewhere.
Jaguars To Sign WR Marcus Simms
Marcus Simms went unselected in Wednesday’s supplemental draft, but he does have an NFL deal. The former West Virginia wide receiver has agreed to sign with the Jaguars, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). 
Simms was viewed as the second-best talent in this year’s second-chance draft, behind Washington State safety Jalen Thompson, who was the only player taken in the fifth round when the Cardinals called his name (or, more accurately, emailed his name to the NFL’s offices.) Some off-the-field issues interrupted his run in West Virginia, but Simms flashed some potential over the last two seasons.
Between 2017 and 2018, Simms reeled in 81 passes for 1,362 yards and seven touchdowns. He also contributed as a kickoff and punt returner, which should help his cause as he tries to stick at the pro level.
Now, Simms will focus on trying to make the Jags’ 53-man cut, joining Keelan Cole, Chris Conley, Marqise Lee, Dede Westbrook, Terrelle Pryor, and others on the WR depth chart.