Tag: caleb johnson

Browns waive LB Caleb Johnson and sign DE Jeremiah Martin on Wednesday

More moves for the Browns to start camp

Earlier in the day Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns announced that several players were heading onto the PUP and NFI list as the players gathered in Berea for the start of training camp. Now, the team has waived linebacker Caleb Johnson and signed defensive end Jeremiah Martin.

The team originally signed linebacker Caleb Johnson to a futures deal in January of this year. Johnson was undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft before he signed with the New York Jets as a UDFA. Last year, he spent time with the Jets, Steelers, and Cardinals on each club’s respective practice squads.

Defensive end Jeremiah Martin will begin his second stint with the team after he went undrafted last year and the Browns signed him as a UDFA. Martin spent some of last year with the New York Giants on their practice squad.

Just a couple of roster moves at the bottom of the roster as the team gets ready to head to West Virginia to begin camp.

Devin Duvernay was a wise investment for Jaguars with new kickoff rule

Devin Duvernay stands to get a ton of opportunities to make big plays for the Jaguars thanks to the NFL’s new kickoff rules.

Just a couple weeks ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars wasted no time signing former Baltimore Ravens return specialist Devin Duvernay to a two-year, $8.5 million contract. It wasn’t exactly a costly addition, but it already looks like a wise and prescient investment.

On Tuesday, the NFL passed a new kickoff rule with two key goals: less injuries and more returns. Here’s everything you need to know:

  • The kicking team will kick off from its own 35-yard line.
  • 10 members of the kicking team will line up on the receiving team’s 40-yard line (25 yards in front of their kicker).
  • A minimum of nine members of the receiving team will line up between their own 30- and 35-yard lines (five-to-10 yards in front of the 10 members of the kicking team).
  • The receiving team can have zero, one or two players inside their own 30-yard line to receive the kickoff.
  • The play begins when the ball is either caught, hits the ground in the landing zone (inside the 20-yard line before the goal line) or is returned from the end zone. That’s when players can begin moving.
  • Any kick that hits the landing zone must be returned.
  • Any kick that bounces from the landing zone into the end zone must be returned or kneeled for a touchback (with possession going out to the 20-yard line).
  • If a kick doesn’t reach the landing zone, the receiving team gets possession at its 40-yard line.
  • If the ball enters the end zone in the air, the receiving team can return it or kneel it for possession at its 30-yard line.
  • If the ball is kicked out of bounds, the receiving team gets possession at its 40-yard line.
  • There are no fair catches.
  • Onside kicks are only permitted in the fourth quarter and must be declared to officials.

All of that translates to a play that looks a little something like this:

There’s not much incentive for kicking teams to boot it into the end zone and there’s every reason to expect Duvernay to get a ton of opportunities to make plays.

In Baltimore, Duvernay twice earned Pro Bowl honors and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. For the relatively low cost of $4.25 million per season, the Jaguars added arguably the best player in the NFL at a position that suddenly looks significantly more valuable.

Jacksonville’s moves to bring back special teamers Daniel Thomas and Caleb Johnson also aged well, as it’ll be important to have gunners capable of getting down the field and bottling up opposing returners.

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Updated list of Jaguars set to become 2024 free agents

The Jaguars have re-signed a handful of their impending free agents, but there are still several players set to hit the open market.

In addition to the six new Jacksonville Jaguars set to be added to the roster, the team has been working to bring back a few of their own free agents.

Ezra Cleveland, Jeremiah Ledbetter, and Daniel Thomas all signed new contracts with the Jaguars and both Blake Hance and D’Ernest Johnson will reportedly soon follow. Jacksonville also used the franchise tag to keep Josh Allen from hitting the market.

While the Jaguars hope they can add Calvin Ridley to that list, for now he and several of his 2023 teammates are set to hit the market when free agency officially begins Wednesday. Here’s every Jaguars player with an expiring contract who is still set to become a free agent:

With the Ravens’ Devin Duvernay set to join the Jaguars’ roster, Agnew’s time with the franchise is clearly over. He even said his goodbyes on social media Tuesday. In three seasons with the team, he earned a trip to the Pro Bowl, scored two return touchdowns, caught five touchdown passes, and recorded a rushing touchdown.

It was a quick hi and bye for Barkley, who signed with the Jaguars a day after Christmas in 2023 amid a string of injuries for Trevor Lawrence. He was active for Jacksonville’s Week 17 game against the Carolina Panthers and took six snaps in garbage time.

Blackson signed with the Jaguars just before the start of the 2023 season and had a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Despite being on the field for just 30 percent of the Jaguars’ defensive snaps, he managed to fall on three fumbles.

The Jaguars seemed to remain optimistic about the 2020 first-round pick all the way to the bitter end. But after four seasons, Chaisson has just five career sacks.

Claybrooks missed the entire 2023 season due to a domestic battery court case that’s still ongoing. While there was some confusion about whether his contract would toll over due to the lost year, Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union reports that Claybrooks will be an unrestricted free agent as of Wednesday.

After signing a three-year contract with the Jaguars as an undrafted rookie in 2018, Herndon re-signed with the team on one-year deals in 2021, 2022, and 2023. For the fourth straight offseason, he entered this March as an impending free agent. In six seasons with Jacksonville, Herndon has appeared in 83 career games and has three interceptions, nine tackles for loss, and 32 passes defended.

The Jaguars reportedly decided not to tender Johnson, who was set to be a restricted free agent this offseason. That’ll allow the special teams ace to hit the market after spending two seasons in Jacksonville.

McManus spent one season with the Jaguars and is reportedly headed elsewhere. The veteran kicker agreed to a one-year deal with the Commanders on Monday night.

Moore joined the Jaguars in 2022 and spent the entire year on the practice squad, then he spent all of 2023 on the team’s injured reserve. As an exclusive rights free agent, it’d cost next to nothing for Jacksonville to keep him, but there’s been no indication yet that they’ve extended a qualifying offer.

Quarterman, a fourth-round pick in 2020, played out the final year of his rookie contract in 2023. In four seasons with the Jaguars, he 54 career tackles, one tackle for loss, and one very consequential forced fumble.

Ridley is easily the biggest name on this list and the top receiver on the free agent market. In his first season with the Jaguars following a 2022 trade from the Falcons, Ridley recorded 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. Jacksonville is reportedly working to bring back the receiver and he “currently prefers to return” to the Jaguars, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

No player in Jaguars history has played more consecutive games with the team than Shatley. After signing with the team as a free agent in 2014, he signed new contracts with the Jaguars in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Shatley started six games for the Jaguars in 2023.

The Jaguars picked up Van Lanen in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2022, but he’s appeared in just 71 snaps over two years with the team. As a restricted free agent, the Jaguars could tender the lineman, but there hasn’t been an indication that they’ve decided to do so.

Jaguars reportedly not tendering RFA LB Caleb Johnson

The Jaguars are allowing special teamer Caleb Johnson to hit the market.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will allow special teamer Caleb Johnson to hit the free agency market, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

While Pelissero wrote that the Jaguars “couldn’t come to terms” with Johnson, the route to retain the 25-year-old linebacker was pretty simple. As a restricted free agent (RFA), Jacksonville could’ve put a right-of-first-refusal tender on Johnson which would’ve been set to pay him $2,985,000 in 2024.

That would’ve allowed Johnson to become a free agent, but given the Jaguars the chance to match any deal he signed on the open market. In most cases, though, a tender is enough to deter other teams from showing much interest at all.

While Pelissero’s report suggests the Jaguars had some interest in retaining Johnson, it seems the nearly $3 million price tag for a tender was deemed too steep.

Johnson appeared in 34 games for the Jaguars after he was claimed off waivers just before the 2022 season. All 558 snaps he played were on special teams where he was praised by coordinator Heath Farwell as someone who “exceeded expectations.”

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Browns sign LB Caleb Johnson to reserve/futures contract

The young linebacker will enter the offseason program with Cleveland

The Browns have added another young player for the offseason program, signing linebacker Caleb Johnson to a reserve/futures contract. Johnson just completed his rookie season and was on the Jets, Steelers, and Cardinals practice squads for 2023.

Johnson did not appear in any regular-season games as a rookie but during the preseason, he registered five stop tackles and an 80.1 run defense grade. In college, he played for UCLA for two years before playing his final year with Miami. Across those three years, he registered 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles.

This time of year, teams are looking for diamonds in the rough that they might be able to develop into solid players. Johnson has an interesting athletic profile and for a team that will need to add to the linebacker room, giving him a shot isn’t a bad idea. Expect more moves over the coming days as the Browns look ahead to the 2024 season.

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Cardinals work out pair of linebackers on Tuesday

They had JoJo Domann and Caleb Johnson, both linebackers with only special teams experience in the NFL, for a workout on Tuesday.

The Arizona Cardinals were off on Tuesday but held some tryouts. Per the league transaction report, they brought in a pair of linebackers.

They had JoJo Domann and Caleb Johnson in.

Both are off-ball linebackers.

Domann was an undrafted free agent out of Nebraska last year who played in 16 games for the Indianapolis Colts, logging 264 special teams snaps. He had eight tackle for the Colts. He is listed at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds.

He played safety in college before moving to linebacker.

He was waived from injure reserve back in September.

Johnson was recently released by the Jacksonville Jaguars after appearing in six games, logging 96 special teams snaps and two tackles.

He was with the New York Jets before the season but played for Jacksonville in 2022 and the Chicago Bears in 2021 after signing with them as an undrafted rookie out of Houston Baptist.

The 6-foot-2, 220-lb linebacker has appeared in 37 games over two and a half seasons, playing only on special teams.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Browns workout five others in addition to Erik Harris during Steelers week

The Browns had six in for workouts on Friday.

This is standard procedure for the Cleveland Browns to bring in multiple players per week for a workout. They have done it every year under the era of general manager Andrew Berry. Yesterday it was reported that veteran safety Erik Harris was in town for a workout, but it turns out five others were as well as they prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Last year, players like safety Mike Brown and Chester Rodgers were signed by the Browns after successful workouts in Cleveland. Brown is now on the 53-man roster of the Tennessee Titans as he was a gameday elevation three times for the Browns in 2022 as a special teamer. The team could be looking for more surprises like Brown this year to stash on their practice squad this season.

Here is the full list of players the Browns had in the building for a workout on Friday as they could be looking to churn their practice squad a bit.

Jaguars 2023 roster review: LB Caleb Johnson

Caleb Johnson was a star special teamer for the Jaguars in 2022 after getting picked up off waivers in September.

The brunt of the offseason is in the books and training camp is still off on the horizon. Join us in the NFL’s dead zone with a player-by-player review of the Jaguars roster ahead of the 2023 season.

When the Jacksonville Jaguars scooped up Caleb Johnson off waivers just before the start of the 2022 season, they hoped he’d be a productive special teamer. They got that and much more from the linebacker.

By the end of the year, he was the Jaguars’ leading tackler on special teams and earned an 88.2 grade from Pro Football Focus, easily the highest for any player on the unit.

While Jacksonville has no shortage of linebackers with Foye Oluokun, Devin Lloyd, Chad Muma, and Ventrell Miller, Johnson’s value on coverages and returns could make him close to a lock for a roster spot in 2023, as well.

Contract (2023): $940,000 base salary, $940,000 cap hit.

Acquired: Jaguars claimed Johnson off waivers from the Chicago Bears on Sept. 1, 2022.

PFF grades (Special teams):

  • 88.2 (2022)
  • 65.2 (2021 – CHI)

Statistics:

  • One forced fumble, 16 tackles (2022)
  • One fumble recovery, eight tackles (2021)

Quote: “When he became available from Chicago, he was a guy that we targeted. He’s exceeded expectations. We knew he was going to be a good player but he’s been even better. He has great hands, good physicality, good instinct and a good feel to get to the ball. His ability to get off blocks, he has good length and he’s just always around the football.” – Jaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell on Johnson

Calvin Ridley (No. 0) Travis Etienne Jr. (No. 1) Rayshawn Jenkins (No. 2) C.J. Beathard (No. 3) Tank Bigsby (No. 4) Andre Cisco (No. 5)
Chris Claybrooks (No. 6) Zay Jones (No. 7) Logan Cooke (No. 9) Parker Washington (No. 11) James McCourt (No. 12) Christian Kirk (No. 13)
Kendric Pryor (No. 14) Tim Jones (No. 15) Trevor Lawrence (No. 16) Evan Engram (No. 17) Nathan Rourke (No. 18) Sammis Reyes (No. 19)
Daniel Thomas (No. 20) Latavious Brini (No. 21) JaMycal Hasty (No. 22) Foyesade Oluokun (No. 23) Snoop Conner (No. 24) D’Ernest Johnson (No. 25)
Antonio Johnson (No. 26) Divaad Wilson (No. 27) Tevaughn Campbell (No. 29) Montaric Brown (No. 30) Darious Williams (No. 31) Tyson Campbell (No. 32)
Devin Lloyd (No. 33) Gregory Junior (No. 34) Ayo Oyelola (No. 35) Christian Braswell (No. 36) Tre Herndon (No. 37) Qadree Ollison (No. 38)
Jamal Agnew (No. 39) Erick Hallett (No. 40) Josh Allen (No. 41) Andrew Wingard (No. 42) Kaleb Hayes (No. 43) Derek Parish (No. 43)
Travon Walker (No. 44) K’Lavon Chaisson (No. 45) Ross Matiscik (No. 46) De’Shaan Dixon (No. 47) Chad Muma (No. 48) Shaquille Quarterman (No. 50)
Ventrell Miller (No. 51) DaVon Hamilton (No. 52) Willie Taylor III (No. 53) DJ Coleman (No. 54) Dequan Jackson (No. 55) Yasir Abdullah (No. 56)
Caleb Johnson (No. 57) Raymond Vohasek (No. 59) Darryl Williams (No. 60) Samuel Jackson (No. 62) Coy Cronk (No. 64) Chandler Brewer (No. 67)
Brandon Scherff (No. 68) Tyler Shatley (No. 69) Cole Van Lanen (No. 70) Walker Little (No. 72) Blake Hance (No. 73) Cam Robinson (No. 74)
Cooper Hodges (No. 75) Anton Harrison (No. 76) Josh Wells (No. 77) Ben Bartch (No. 78) Luke Fortner (No. 79) Kevin Austin Jr. (No. 80)
Seth Williams (No. 81) Elijah Cooks (No. 84) Brenton Strange (No. 85) Gerrit Prince (No. 86) Jaray Jenkins (No. 87) Oliver Martin (No. 88)
Luke Farrell (No. 89) Henry Mondeaux (No. 90) Jordan Smith (No. 92) Tyler Lacy (No. 93) Folorunso Fatukasi (No. 94) Roy Robertson-Harris (No. 95)
Adam Gotsis (No. 96) Nick Thurman (No. 97) Michael Dogbe (No. 98) Jeremiah Ledbetter (No. 99) Brandon McManus Jacob Harris
Josh Pederson

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Notre Dame offensive lineman enters the transfer portal

Good luck young man!

The second transfer portal windows opened on Saturday and up until today, [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] has not really been bitten by the transfer bug.

It is inevitable in this era of college football, the Irish have been on the better end of it recently, quarterback Sam Hartman as a prime example.

The other end of the portal is seeing players exit, and the Irish saw offensive lineman [autotag]Caleb Johnson[/autotag] entered the portal today. This should come as no surprise as last month it was announced that he was no longer with the team.

As the 22nd overall player at his position in the 2021 recruiting cycle according to the 247Sports composite, the Floridian had trouble seeing the field as a member of the Irish. Johnson played in just one game over the course of two seasons.

Hopefully Johnson can find somewhere to find the field and live out his dreams.

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Bears injury updates following preseason win vs. Seahawks

The Bears avoided injuries to their starters, but there were some injury updates following Thursday’s preseason win vs. Seahawks.

The Chicago Bears defeated the Seattle Seahawks 27-11 in their second preseason game. But they didn’t escape without some injuries.

While Chicago avoided injuries to their starters, there were some notable players who were banged up on Thursday night. Rookie running back Trestan Ebner, who had 9 carries for 29 yards, suffered an ankle injury in the first half that sidelined him for the remainder of the game.

Linebacker Matt Adams, who’s competing for the starting SAM linebacker job, suffered a shoulder injury that also kept him out of the game. Linebacker Caleb Johnson (knee) was also sidelined.

There were also some apparent injuries near the end of the game as rookie cornerback Jaylon Jones and defensive end Charles Snowden went out with apparent injuries. But there weren’t any updates provided.

One injury that didn’t happen in the game but bears monitoring is fullback Khari Blasingame, who was spotted in a cast on the sideline.

While players who returned to practice made their preseason debuts, including tight end Cole Kmet, there were others who were held out Thursday. That includes running back David Montgomery, cornerback Kindle Vildor, defensive tackle Justin Jones and defensive lineman Mario Edwards. Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker was also held out with an undisclosed injury.

The Bears return to the practice field Saturday for their final open practice of training camp.

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