DeSean Jackson Intrigued By Being UFA
- After drafting wideouts the past two years, the Redskins figure to let DeSean Jackson walk, Elliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com reports. This would open the door for the deep threat to reunite with former teammates on the receiver-starved Eagles. This would make sense from a need standpoint, and there have been multiple connections between D-Jax and his former team, but Philly is projected to be $800K-plus over the cap in 2017 after signing numerous players to extensions this offseason. The Eagles would need to shed salary to make room for Jackson. For his part, the 30-year-old wideout said he’s “intrigued” about being a free agent.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/28/16
Here are today’s practice squad updates.
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DL Iosia Iosia, WR Hunter Sharp, OL Reese Dismukes
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Cayleb Jones
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Brian Blechen
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Kelvin Taylor, OL Ross Burbank
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: RB Blake Sims, DE Deonte Gibson
- Cut: OL Kyler Kerbyson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Kourtnei Brown, WR K.J. Maye
Washington Redskins
- Signed: LB Rufus Johnson
Redskins To Place Donte Whitner On IR
More turnover at safety will be on tap for the Redskins, with Field Yates of ESPN.com reporting (via Twitter) the team is placing Donte Whitner on IR.
Washington re-signed safety Josh Evans as a result of this move, reuniting after cutting the depth piece earlier this season. Whitner initially reached an agreement with the Redskins in October and played in 11 games for the team, starting nine, after a lengthy stay in free agency.
It’s a quadriceps injury that will end Whitner’s season and send him back to the UFA market.
The former Bills, 49ers and Browns cog received extensive interest as a UFA but opted to wait for a more attractive offer. However, he ended up signing a one-year deal for just $985K. Despite signing in October, Whitner became a key member of the Redskins’ secondary, one that now has Will Blackmon and Duke Ihenacho as its surefire starters going into a must-win Week 17 game against the Giants.
The 31-year-old back-line defender made 66 tackles and forced a fumble this season, his 11th in the league. Washington has seen much turnover at safety in 2016, cutting David Bruton after signing him to a three-year deal, placing DeAngelo Hall on IR, and determining Kyshoen Jarrett‘s injury was too severe for their liking. This could trigger the team to also move Su’a Cravens to safety, where the USC standout could reside long-term. Although, the Redskins may wait until the offseason to make that move for developmental purposes.
Initially a sixth-round Jaguars pick in 2013 who started for three seasons in north Florida, Evans caught on with the Redskins and played two games for the team earlier this season. He will now be looked to as a backup option again.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/16
A rundown of Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: S Christian Bryant (signed from Giants practice squad)
- Placed on injured reserve: S Tony Jefferson, G Taylor Boggs
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: S Travell Dixon, DE Larry Webster
- Placed on IR: S Tre Boston, DE Ryan Delaire
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Jake Kumerow, LB Trevor Roach
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Joe Banyard
- Placed on IR: LB Sean Porter
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: RB Ryan Matthews
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed off waivers: DL Zach Moore
- Placed on IR: RB Carlos Hyde
San Diego Chargers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Andre Williams
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Kasen Williams
- Placed on IR: WR Tyler Lockett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on IR: CB Jude Adjei-Barimah
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Alex Tanney
- Placed on IR: QB Marcus Mariota
Washington Redskins
- Placed on waivers: RB Silas Redd (Twitter link via Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com)
Graham Hints At DJax Eagles Return
Is Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson on his way back to the Eagles this offseason? Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham seems to think so.
Pierre Garcon Eyeing Redskins Return?
Still listed on the “In the Hunt” portion of playoff info graphics, the Redskins have a chance to delay their offseason this weekend by booking a second straight postseason berth. But the recently unseated NFC East champions will have decisions to make regarding their receiving corps soon.
Both DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon could be entering the final games of their Washington contracts on Sunday, but the older — by four months — of the team’s two impending UFA pass-catchers would like to sign a second Redskins contract. “I love playing in Washington, and the fans are amazing. D.C. is home for me,” Garcon said during an appearance on Sirius XM Radio (Twitter link).
Garcon has played out the five-year, $42.4MM contract he signed with Washington in 2012 and is amid the second-best season of his half-decade run with the Redskins. The former Colt is 55 yards away from the second 1,000-yard season of his career, with the chain-moving target’s 75 receptions representing the second-most in his nine-year run as well.
The top statistical season of Garcon’s career came in 2013, when he amassed 1,346 yards and five touchdowns on 113 receptions. Two 700-plus-yard seasons followed in 2014-15 before what’s quietly been a quality 2016 slate.
Washington could lose two of its top three wideouts this offseason, with only Jamison Crowder under contract among the trio for 2017, and likely will not retain both Jackson and Garcon. The latter playing Sunday would give him four straight 16-game seasons. Jackson, though, leads Washington with 971 receiving yards on 18.0 per reception. Both figure to be coveted free agents situated near the top of the 2017 UFA class, one that stands to include Alshon Jeffery, Kenny Britt, Michael Floyd and Terrelle Pryor.
A medium-length deal would probably be what the Redskins would prefer regarding one of these 30-year-old receivers. The team will not have much tied to the wideout position, with Crowder and Josh Doctson still on their rookie deals, and stands to possess upwards of $47MM in cap space.
We haven’t heard much on Garcon’s UFA options, but a report emerged earlier this month about mutual interest existing between the Eagles and a Jackson reunion. In November, a report placed the odds at 50-50 on whether or not the Redskins re-sign Jackson, citing his injury history as a potential road block. Jackson has not played a full 16-game season since 2013, but if the deep threat plays Sunday as he’s expected to, he will have suited up for 15 regular-season games in the past two years. So, the injury history might be a tad overblown in assessing D-Jax’s value.
2017 NFL Draft Order Through Week 16
This weekend, the Browns got the best of both worlds when they won their first game of the 2016 season while the 49ers also found their way to victory. Now, the 1-14 Browns remain in the top spot as we head into the final week of the NFL season.
Here’s where we stand through Week 16. (Note: Ties are broken by strength of schedule):
- Browns 1-14
- 49ers 2-13
- Bears 3-12
- Jaguars 3-12
- Rams (pick belongs to Titans) 4-11
- Jets 4-11
- Chargers 5-10
- Bengals 5-9-1
- Panthers 6-9
- Eagles (pick belongs to Browns) 6-9
- Cardinals 6-8-1
- Bills 7-8
- Colts 7-8
- Vikings (pick belongs to Eagles) 7-8
- Saints 7-8
- Titans 8-7
- Ravens 8-7
- Buccaneers 8-7
- Broncos 8-7
- Redskins 8-6-1
Redskins Swap Out Linebackers
- Signed to the Redskins‘ practice squad earlier this week, linebacker Lynden Trail will make the jump to Washington’s active roster, John Keim of ESPN.com reports. To clear a roster spot, Washington waived linebacker Nick Moody. Trail originally caught on with the Texans as a UDFA last year and has spent time on the Redskins’ practice squad in each of the past two years, also appearing on the Rams’ taxi unit. A sixth-round pick in 2013, Moody has suited up in games for the 49ers, Seahawks and Redskins since. He played in one Redskins game this season.
Redskins Waive Rashad Ross
- The Redskins waived wide receiver Rashad Ross, a source tells Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post (on Twitter). To take his place, the team promoted cornerback Dashaun Phillips from the practice squad. Ross has just nine receptions in three seasons (one this year), but he did catch a touchdown and score on a kick return in 2015.
Redskins Claim Zach Vigil
- The Redskins have claimed Zach Vigil off waivers from Miami, per a club announcement. The Dolphins had hoped to re-sign Vigil to their practice squad, according to Barry Jackson on the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Vigil will take the roster spot of fellow LB Houston Bates, who tore his ACL and is now being placed on IR.