Tag: 2021 NFL offseason

Browns Week 1: New additions mostly impress

How did the Browns new additions fare in their opening week?

The Cleveland Browns lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1. The problems were clear: Jamie Gillan’s gaffe, Nick Chubb’s fumble, Ronnie Harrison’s ejection and a general inability to cover Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce.

Now that we got the negative truths out of the way, there are a lot of positives to take away from the game. The positives are not “moral victories” but assessments of the play on the field that showed promise and are encouraging looking forward.

Cleveland controlled the majority of the game with a crisp, balanced offense and a defense that stepped up at just the right time. Baker Mayfield was sharp the majority of the game and the offensive line was able to stay, mostly, solid despite the loss of Jedrick Wills early.

What about all the new additions that Browns fans were looking forward to finally seeing on the field? We saw a lot of good out of them as well but not from everyone.

NFL analyst Greg Cosell on Eagles WR Travis Fulgham and his potential for a breakout season in 2021

NFL analyst Greg Cosell on Eagles WR Travis Fulgham and his potential for a breakout season in 2021

NFL Analyst Greg Cosell had some nice things to say about Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Travis Fulgham during a recent podcast appearance.

During an appearance on the “Inside the Bird Podcast”, Cosell sounded off on the former Old Dominion wide-out, praising Fulgham’s potential at wide receiver despite him fading away as the second half of the season wore on.

“I liked what I saw. I can’t speak to work ethic, I can’t speak to professionalism, I can’t speak to any of that … but Fulgham is a big kid, runs well, I thought he showed good cutting ability, I thought he made contested catches. There were traits there to like. I can’t speak to what happened after [those four weeks], but there is talent there, clearly.”

Fulgham joined the Eagles after initially being waived by Howie Roseman, but upon his return, he exploded onto the scene.

Fulgham made his debut against the 49ers on Sunday Night Football where he had his first reception and scored his first touchdown. The following week Fulgham had 10 catches, 152 yards, and a touchdown against Pittsburgh.

He ended the season with 38 catches, 539 yards, and four touchdowns before seeing limited playing time with the return of Alshon Jeffery.

With DeVonta Smith on the roster and Jalen Reagor having a full offseason to improve, the physical wideout could find more room working from the slot and in open space.

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Jags’ acquisitions of Shaquill Griffin, Marvin Jones Jr. mentioned with the NFL’s top upgrades

Though Jacksonville largely avoided splashy signings, opting instead for tactical, value pickups, a couple of those players were among the best upgrades in the league this offseason, according to ESPN.

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered the offseason with the most cap space in the NFL after going 1-15, which set them in a direct path towards Trevor Lawrence. That said, with a generational talent on the way, it was clearly time to spend in free-agency.

Though Jacksonville largely avoided splashy signings, opting instead for tactical, value pickups, a couple of those players were among the best upgrades in the league this offseason, according to ESPN.

Though neither cracked its top 25 offseason upgrades, cornerback Shaquill Griffin and receiver Marvin Jones Jr. were listed as honorable mentions.

Griffin replaces Sidney Jones IV, who remains on the team, in the starting lineup. Though he wasn’t massively productive in his first four seasons in Seattle, he’s been very solid and immediately becomes the clear top corner in this secondary.

As far as Jones (the receiver) goes, he’s a seasoned veteran coming off a 978-yard season in 2020. He will likely replace Keelan Cole, who played alongside D.J. Chark and started in five games, most of which came at the end of last season. Cole signed with the New York Jets as a free agent this offseason.

With 18 touchdowns in the last two seasons, Jones is a solid veteran addition to a talented and young receiving corps. Griffin, meanwhile, will be just 26 when the season starts, and if he continues to develop, he should be in Jacksonville beyond his three-year contract.

Laviska Shenault named Jags’ biggest offseason standout

Shenault can’t be overlooked, and whether or not he’s the top option, he will play a major role in the Jacksonville offense in 2021.

Laviska Shenault Jr. continues to add to his list of believers. The second-year wide receiver had 58 catches for 600 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie despite the team’s offensive struggles in 2020, and now that first-overall pick Trevor Lawrence is on the team, expectations are high for Shenault.

He impressed the coaching staff during organized team activities, and it seems that has now spread to the national media. On his list of the standout players of the offseason so far for each NFL team, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski chose Shenault for the Jags.

New Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer caused a stir when this year’s 25th overall pick, running back Travis Etienne, spent all of rookie minicamp playing wide receiver.

Meyer and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell are searching for a hybrid to fill the H-back role in the team’s new scheme. Etienne shouldn’t be the only choice.

Second-year wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. showed out during the offseason program as a true playmaker.

“He’s a guy that’s right, in the right position, at that age gap. I love who he is, I love the way he practices, he’s been there every day,” Meyer told reporters. “He’s a great puzzle piece for us to have on offense, plus his attitude every day is fantastic.”

Etienne can stay in the backfield since Shenault is a wide receiver with running back capabilities after catching the ball.

Though, like Shenault, Etienne has a lot of versatility and can be used both in the rushing and passing game, they aren’t very similar players aside from that. Shenault is much bigger in both height and frame, having three inches and 17 pounds on Etienne.

The latter will likely see some reps at receiver, but he’ll likely see most of his playing time at running back. Likewise, Shenault should mostly contribute on the outside, as he did last season. Though he’s a major threat with the ball in his hands, totaling 298 yards after the catch last season, he only saw 18 rushing attempts.

The Jaguars have a No. 1 receiver candidate in D.J. Chark, whose tantalizing ball skills made him a favorite target of Gardner Minshew II the last two years. But Shenault can’t be overlooked, and whether or not he’s the top option, he will play a major role in the Jacksonville offense in 2021.

Was RB James Robinson a “loser” this offseason?

Jacksonville running back James Robinson finished fifth in rushing last season, but the running back room just became a bit crowded.

Second-year Jacksonville running back James Robinson was one of the league’s biggest surprises in 2020. An undrafted rookie out of Illinois State, Robinson won the starting job heading into Week 1 and never looked back, finishing fifth in the league in rushing with 1,070 yards.

The Jaguars rewarded him by drafting a running back with the 25th pick in the first round in Travis Etienne, as well as signing free agent back Carlos Hyde and Tim Tebow, who could see carries in an H-back role (if he makes the team). It’s for these reasons that Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton lists Robinson as one of the biggest losers of the NFL offseason.

Even though James Robinson tied for fifth in rushing with 1,070 yards last year, he’ll likely accept a lesser role in 2021.

Under a new regime, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Carlos Hyde, who played for head coach Urban Meyer at Ohio State between 2012 and 2013, and selected Travis Etienne in the first round of the draft, which creates a crowd in the backfield.

Etienne took reps at wide receiver during rookie minicamp, but he’ll likely handle a good chunk of carries during the regular season. The Clemson product rushed for 4,952 yards and 70 touchdowns through four collegiate terms.

According to ESPN’s Dianna Russini, the Jaguars may use tight end Tim Tebow in a Taysom Hill-like role. In other words, he could take direct snaps in the Wildcat formation and handoffs for short-yardage rushing attempts.

Despite Robinson’s ascension from an unknown undrafted free agent out of Illinois State to a top-five rusher, he’s one component of a three-man committee in an offense that may not feature a dominant ball-carrier.

Robinson will likely see a drop in his second-year rushing numbers with Etienne, Hyde and perhaps Tebow splitting the carries.

But does this evaluation hold water? The Jags staff has made it abundantly clear that it doesn’t intend to use Etienne in a normal running back role. He’s been described as a “slash” player and has taken a lot of reps at receiver during minicamp. He will likely see some carries in a third-down running back role, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Robinson. In fact, it could work to his benefit.

He shouldered an unsustainable load in 2020. He carried the ball 240 times, which led the league in carry percentage. He was productive, but he won’t be for very long if the Jaguars ask him to bear that much of a burden every year. Already, you could see the effects of his workload start to take place at the end of the season, as he missed the final two games with an ankle injury.

Etienne possesses a very different skillset than Robinson, allowing him to serve as a change-of-pace back with more capabilities in the passing game. This should allow Robinson to do what he does best without being expected to be on the field for almost every offensive snap.

The addition of Hyde only provides further depth. Though he broke 1,000 yards in 2019, he totaled just 356 yards on 81 carries with San Francisco last fall. The 30-year-old returns to the Jags after playing with them in eight games during the 2018 season, but it seems unlikely he will be a major factor in the run game.

As far as Tebow goes, it seems a bit earnest to assume he’ll be able to fit into a role similar to the one Hill held in New Orleans after nine years away from a 53-man roster. Even if he makes the team, he’ll struggle to see action at tight end, let alone as a featured player in a gadget role.

Robinson’s role on the team undoubtedly diminished a bit this offseason as the team added more pieces to the run game, and it will likely cause his carry share to drop a bit. But as previously mentioned, that may not be a bad thing.

He’s still the clear top running back option and should be the team’s leading rusher in 2021. Now, he’ll just be able to do it while also preserving his long-term health.

Jags come in near the bottom of ESPN’s NFL power rankings

Despite a busy offseason, Jacksonville still finds itself at No. 30 in ESPN’s power rankings, the same place it was after free agency.

It was quite an active offseason for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In addition to landing a potential superstar quarterback with the first overall pick in Trevor Lawrence, the team addressed many of the areas of need that resulted in its 1-15 season in 2020.

Despite these improvements, as well as the addition of an exciting new coach in Urban Meyer (albeit one who’s inexperienced at the NFL level), ESPN’s NFL staff doesn’t think all of those changes will result in a significant Year 1 impact.

In its post-offseason power rankings, ESPN has the Jaguars ranked at No. 30, the same spot they found themselves in prior to the draft. According to Jags reporter Michael DiRocco, the offseason additions will help their passing offense (especially rising star D.J. Chark) even though the team may not be vastly improved as a whole.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

Post-free-agency ranking: 30

Player who benefited most from draft: WR DJ Chark Jr.

Really, all the receivers will benefit from the addition of Trevor Lawrence, but Chark is trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2020 (53 catches, 706 yards, 5 TDs). He made the Pro Bowl and was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2019, and the upgrade in QB play over Gardner Minshew II, Jake Luton and Mike Glennon — all of whom started games last season — gives him a chance to surpass 1,000 yards again. The addition of vet Marvin Jones Jr., helps, too, because defenses can’t just focus on Chark any longer. — Michael DiRocco

Unsurprisingly, the usual suspects find themselves atop the power rankings. Kansas City takes the top spot despite a loss in the Super Bowl, and reigning champion Tampa Bay comes in at No. 2.

Expecting Jacksonville to be among that class of the league’s teams this season is certainly unrealistic. With that being said, though, this franchise has never had a player like Lawrence before. If he lives up to the expectations, the sky’s the limit, and Jacksonville could take a bigger leap forward in 2021 than many are expecting.

What do the Texans hope to get out of phase two of the NFL offseason?

Houston Texans coach David Culley outlined what he expects to get out of phase two of the NFL offseason program.

The Houston Texans commence phase two of the 2021 NFL offseason program Monday.

Coach David Culley shared with reporters on a Zoom call on May 15 what he hopes to get out of the second part of the offseason workout program.

“I’m excited to be able to get out there with them for the first time,” Culley said. “We’ve had the veterans now for about four weeks, strength and conditioning on Zoom meetings, putting installs in — our coaching staff has. Starting on Monday, we get to do the same thing, but we get to get some field time with them.”

Culley says that they will start with their minicamp schedule and start off with the veteran group and “get them into the culture.”

Said Culley: “We’ve got 30 new guys on this team right now. It’s a brand new football team, so we want to make sure that they understand from day one what we’re all about and where we’re going and what we’re trying to get accomplished. That’s what we want to do for the rest of the offseason.”

The Texans’ offseason program concludes with a mandatory minicamp in June.

Instagram post hints at three Texans participating in voluntary workouts

Three Houston Texans players appear to be taking part in voluntary offseason workouts, according to an Instagram post from TE Kahale Warring.

The NFL began Phase I of their offseason program by allowing teams to hold voluntary workouts on Monday. With a number of players across the league opting out due to COVID-19 concerns, the Houston Texans possibly had a significant turnout.

According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, multiple players participated in the Texans’ voluntary offseason conditioning program on the first day.

The names of the players that were in attendance have remained anonymous, but a social media post by one of the Texans’ tight ends hinted at three players who could be participating: tight end Jordan Akins, tight end Kahale Warring, and cornerback Keion Crossen.

The photo of three players likely attending workouts at NRG Stadium appeared on Warring’s Instagram story on Thursday.

Phase I of the NFL’s offseason program will run for four weeks from April 19 to May 14. The first of four phases will include a two-hour virtual Zoom meeting with the facility open for conditioning. As of now, all on-field workouts with coaches are prohibited until Phase II beginning on May 17.

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WR Jeff Smith signs tender to return to Jets

The backup receiver is sticking around New York for another season.

Another member of the Jets’ 2020 receiving corps is returning.

Jeff Smith signed his one-year tender Tuesday, according to multiple reports. This comes a month after the Jets placed the tender on him as an exclusive rights free agent. Smith will earn the league minimum salary of $660,000.

Smith caught 17 receptions for 167 yards in 12 games last year. His best performance came in Week 4 when he tallied seven receptions for 81 yards against the Broncos. The 23-year-old Smith likely won’t see much of the field with Corey Davis, Jamison Crowder, Denzel Mims and Keelan Cole as the likely starters, but he’ll be a solid depth piece that can play in a pinch.

Multiple Texans participating in voluntary offseason workouts

Multiple Houston Texans players have begun participation in the voluntary offseason workouts, according to a report.

The Houston Texans do have a semblance of continuity going after a rollercoaster of an offseason.

According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, multiple Texans players began participation in the team’s voluntary workouts Monday. April 19 was the first day of the first phase of the nine-week program, which is strictly voluntary until the last week of mandatory minicamp.

Texans players originally voted with the NFLPA and other clubs to not attend the workouts. However, players that did choose to attend the workouts would be supported.

According to Texans general manager Nick Caserio, players were already using the team facilities for workouts.

“We’ve had a multitude of players that have been in here,” Caserio told Houston reporters on a Zoom call April 16. “They come in the building, they test, they go in the weight room, they work out, they go through their process. So, again, whatever players are here that choose to participate, like that’s their choice and we are going to create as good of a working environment for the players as possible. So when they come here, they feel comfortable, and they feel like they are improving as a Houston Texan football player, so that’s what our focus is going to be on.”

Coaches and players will not be allowed to participate in on-field work during this four-week phase. However, there will be an opportunity for at least two hours a day of virtual meetings.