Tag: Darqueze Dennard

3 remaining free agents who make sense for Chargers to sign

The Los Angeles Chargers could fill the offensive line, defensive line or secondary with one of these three options.

The Chargers added some key players in the 2020 NFL draft, followed by 19 undrafted free agents. Even though they don’t have many glaring holes on the roster, Los Angeles could look to add more talent for the upcoming season to increase their chances of making a deep run.

Unrestricted free agents no longer count toward the compensatory pick formula. This means that general manager Tom Telesco and company aren’t risking losing a potential draft pick, making it more enticing to look to the free agency pool.

With that, here are three veterans Los Angeles could bring in:

OT Jason Peters

The Chargers did a nice job adding two veterans earlier this offseason with guard Trai Turner and tackle Bryan Bulaga. While the right side of the offensive line is shored up, the left side could benefit from another proven player.

Peters, 38, would be the perfect solution. The nine-time Pro Bowler allowed just three sacks and 25 total pressures in 602 pass-blocking snaps for the Eagles. Peters said that he’d be willing to join a team to mentor a young tackle before he’s ready to take over.

With the team seeing Trey Pipkins as the long-term answer, Peters would be the ideal candidate to help enhance his game before he takes the reins. The price to acquire him shouldn’t be all that much, either.

CB Darqueze Dennard

The Chargers have a talented cornerback room which features Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. However, they could benefit from the service of another established corner opposite of Hayward to boast one of the league’s top secondaries.

Dennard, 28, was limited to only 290 coverage snaps in 2019, but he still put up a career-high and 15th best coverage grade on those snaps. Dennard allowed only four catches of 10-plus yards, as well, per Pro Football Focus.

Even though the majority of those snaps came from the slot, he has shown that he has the versatility to play on the outside. With six years of NFL experience, Dennard would be ideal for Gus Bradley’s defense.

DT Damion Square

Should the Chargers run it back with Square for another stint? I believe so. After choosing not to draft a nose tackle, the depth at the position behind Linval Joseph is nearly nonexistent. Square has proven his worth with the Bolts to garner another contract.

Square has been a valuable rotation piece along the defensive line, playing at least 300 defensive snaps for four consecutive seasons. In 2019, Square recorded 27 tackles (15 solo), a tackle for loss and two passes defended. Whether it’s against the run or pass, Square makes his presence known.

3 free agents the Texans should sign post-draft

The Houston Texans can now sign free agents and not have it impact their compensatory formula. Here are the three free agents they should target.

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As of 3:00 p.m. Central Time Monday, free agents that the Houston Texans sign won’t count against their compensatory pick formula for 2021. That means the second wave of free agency is here.

The Texans are still filling out their 90-man roster, and coach and general Bill O’Brien believes that 2020 will be an offseason that favors veterans. Here are three free agents the Texans should sign.

1. CB Darqueze Dennard

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati decided to go in a different direction with their cornerbacks. The former 2014 first-round pick from Michigan State played in nine games last year, starting in five of them, and producing 37 tackles and five pass breakups. Dennard could add a veteran presence to the Texans’ secondary, and the ability to play inside or outside. Even with a crowded cornerback room, there could be a place for Denanrd, and he would bring experience.

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The best available free agents after the 2020 NFL draft

With the comensatory pick factor coming to a close in the new league year, expect an uptick in second-level free-agent signings.

On Monday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. EST, the formula for free agency changes. That’s when the window closes for compensatory picks to be awarded to teams whose former players, now unrestricted free agents, are signed by other teams. With that in mind, you can expect a flurry of signings for the players still on the open market. It’s likely why the Saints, who have all but agreed to terms with former Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston, haven’t officially announced the deal.

Here are the best free agents left on the open market, and whose agents should be seeing an uptick in their minutes once the comp pick equation comes to a close.

QB Cam Newton

(Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

From Week 1 through Week 12 of the 2018 season, Cam Newton completed 69.6% of his passes for 2699 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Only eight quarterbacks had more touchdown passes in that span. Only five had a higher completion percentage. Only six had a higher passer rating than Newton’s 103.7.

And then it all fell apart. Injuries limited Newton’s effectiveness when he was on the field, and in 2019, he managed just 89 attempts. But if it’s true that Newton has recovered from the shoulder and foot injuries that stood in his way over the last two seasons, he’s an outstanding mid-priced option for any team in need of a quarterback who can still get it done in the right system.

WR Taylor Gabriel

(Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

The Bears released Gabriel in February following an injury-plagued season in which he saw action in just nine games, catching 29 passes in 48 targets for 353 yards and four touchdowns. But in a vertical, multi-receiver system with a quarterback that has a better GPS than Mitchell Trubisky does, Gabriel has a lot of potential as an outside and slot weapon who can test defenders up the seam.

OT Jason Peters

(Getty Images)

Last season, Peters was what he has been through most of his career — one of the strongest and most consistent tackles in the game. At age 37, he allowed just three sacks and 25 total pressures in 62 pass-blocking snaps for the Eagles. Philadelphia chose to let Peters hit the free-agent market, and he’s a short-term option at this point, but any team in need of a plug-and-play starter right now at the left tackle position (and that’s a lot of NFL teams) should be highly interested in the nine-time Pro Bowler.

EDGE Jadeveon Clowney

(Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

Based on comments from Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, it appears that Seattle is ready to move on from Clowney, who excelled for them in 2019 when healthy following a trade with the Texans. Clowney has seen his projected market collapse in a relative sense, but as the Seahawks proved, he’s still a force multiplier when he’s tasked to put his hand on the ground from the edge and hunt for the quarterback. This may come down to Clowney’s side understanding what his market is at this point.

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NFL Draft: Michigan State’s first round draft picks since 1999

Recapping all of the first round Spartans of the last 21 years.

The NFL Draft has finally arrived and sports fans across the country as salivating for video of Roger Goodell in his basement. (Imagine if I pulled you aside three months ago and read you that sentence.)

Michigan State has a long tradition of sending players to the NFL Draft, with a Spartan being selected in 79 (soon to be 80) straight drafts. There is an absolutely microscopic chance a Spartan goes in the first round of this year’s draft, but the program does have a nice history of players getting selected in the top 32.

A total of eight former Spartans have heard their names called in the first round of the NFL Draft since 1999 and that includes a couple of rough years during the Bobby Williams and John L. Smith days.

Before we start the list, can you name all eight?

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CBS Sports lists Vikings’ best defensive back options as drafting one in first round, signing Darqueze Dennard

The Vikings need to add corners and CBS Sports thinks the team’s best options to do so are through the first round of the draft, or in signing Darqueze Dennard.

Minnesota has 12 draft picks for the 2020 NFL Draft, two of which are in the first round.

CBS Sports thinks that the best way for the Vikings to solve their problems in the defensive back core is to use one of those first round picks on a corner, or sign Darqueze Dennard in free agency.

Dennard played for the Bengals last season and would give the Vikings good value for this late in free agency.

Here’s what CBS Sports said about the two options for the team:

“Sorry, but even in this historic WR draft, there’s no excuse for the Vikings not to add a CB early — and perhaps often — in April. Kristian Fulton, A.J. Terrell or Jeff Gladney would all be welcome additions to a barren cupboard, as would Trevon Diggs, even though the broken family connection would be weird. Dennard, meanwhile, makes all the sense in the world as a stopgap plug-and-play option in the slot, where Alexander no longer resides. Return the favor to Cincy by getting their former first-rounder.”

I think it makes sense to draft a corner at this point, but currently the Vikings do have enough space where signing one to a smaller deal also makes sense.

Report: Jags, CB Darqueze Dennard deal doesn’t fall through

After agreeing to terms last week, cornerback Darqueze Dennard and the Jacksonville Jaguars won’t be making it official after all. According to John Reid of the Florida Times-Union, the agreement between the two sides is off. Wow category: Jaguars …

After agreeing to terms last week, cornerback Darqueze Dennard and the Jacksonville Jaguars won’t be making it official after all. According to John Reid of the Florida Times-Union, the agreement between the two sides is off.

Talk about a weird turn of events.

With COVID-19 causing limitations for the NFL during the free agency period, it appears Dennard never put pen to paper and wants to seek a better opportunity. Per coach Doug Marrone, he was expected to compete to start as an exterior cornerback but now the competition for the two spots will come down to Tre Herndon, new addition Rashaan Melvin, Parry Nickerson, Brandon Watson, and whoever the Jags add in free agency or the draft.

Dennard was a former first-round pick (2014) for the Cincinnati Bengals out of Michigan State. He was able to accumulate 408 total tackles and three picks over the span of six seasons with the team while predominantly playing nickelback.

Doug Marrone says Jags will let Darqueze Dennard compete for outside CB spot

Heading into free agency, it was evident the Jacksonville Jaguars would add some help at cornerback as both Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye are no longer with the team. The player they ended up snagging was former Cincinnati Bengals first-round …

Heading into free agency, it was evident the Jacksonville Jaguars would add some help at cornerback as both Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye are no longer with the team. The player they ended up snagging was former Cincinnati Bengals first-round selection, Darqueze Dennard, to a three-year, $13.5 million deal guaranteeing six million.

With Dennard’s addition, the Jags brought in a player with six years of experience, which is what the young group needs at the moment. After being placed on the physically unable to perform list, he was able to accumulate 37 tackles last season (in the span of nine games) and had five pass breakups. That was good enough to get him a grade of 72.2, per Pro Football Focus. However, while with the Bengals, he was extensively used as a nickelback, but per coach Doug Marrone, that will change this year.

“We felt really good about his skill level to play outside,” Marrone said of Dennard. “We’re bringing him in here to compete for the outside. Obviously, we had to make some decisions on the outside and revamp, really, that group.”

This means Dennard can be penciled in as the Jags second starting cornerback alongside Tre Herndon for the moment. With D.J. Hayden playing at a high level as a nickelback, it isn’t shocking that the team will let him stay put, while Dennard, Herndon and perhaps a rookie battle it out for the two outside jobs.
Unless the Jags make a trade, it’s unlikely they will land a veteran corner who could beat out Dennard for a spot, so the draft will be the key to watch for the  cornerback position. Prospects like Jeff Okudah, Kristian Fulton, Jeff Gladney, Trevon Diggs, and several others are possible options early in the draft. Whatever brought they go, that new addition will undoubtedly have to deal with a scrappy Dennard who has been waiting a while to prove that he has the skill set of a top-32 selection, too.

Darqueze Dennard agrees to terms with Jaguars as Bengals roster turnover continues

The Bengals lost a notable player in free agency.

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While the Cincinnati Bengals were busy making major splashes with D.J. Reader and Trae Waynes on the second day of free agency, Darqueze Dennard was off signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Dennard, Cincinnati’s first-round pick in 2014, got a three-year deal from the Jaguars.

A year ago, Dennard re-upped with the Bengals on a one-year deal of the prove-it variety after injuries and an odd market pushed him back to the team. He ended up getting in nine games.

Dennard’s tenure with the Bengals was a solid, albeit inconsistent one from an attendance standpoint. He had problems staying on the field but was consistently one of the NFL’s better slot corners and was uber-aggressive against the run.

We’ll see if Dennard finally gets to play some boundary corner in Jacksonville. This new Bengals coaching staff certainly wasn’t interested, as Waynes is a boundary guy who throws into question the future of Dre Kirkpatrick.

Dennard isn’t the first notable Bengals player to find a new home — Clayton Fejedelem has agreed to sign elsewhere too.

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Report: Jags agrees to terms with CB Darqueze Dennard

The Jags add some help for their secondary after picking up Darqueze Dennard in free agency.

The Jacksonville Jaguars began their free agency additions with the acquisition of linebacker Joe Schobert with a five-year deal (in principle) and now have a new cornerback on the way. Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Jaguars have agreed to terms with former Cincinnati cornerback Darqueze Dennard.

Dennard, 28, was a former first-round pick for the Bengals in 2014 and started in a total of 24 games for them. He was able to accumulate 408 total tackles and three picks over the span of six seasons with the team while playing in various spots in the Bengals’ secondary.

With the Jags trading Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye, there was an obvious need at corner for the Jags. Dennard’s addition gives them a veteran they can pencil in at starter alongside cornerback Tre Herndon or even put at safety. However, that still doesn’t mean they won’t target a starting cornerback in the upcoming draft.

Per Pro Football Focus, Dennard accumulated a grade of 72.7 in 2020. According to them he posted the league’s 15th best coverage grade in 2019 and allowed only four catches of 10-plus yards.

Jacksonville Jaguars sign former Michigan State Football CB Darqueze Dennard

The Cincinnati Bengals have traded former Michigan State football CB to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Read more details here.

Ah, the NFL never stops! The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed former Michigan State football CB Darqueze Dennard was taken with the 24th overall pack in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. The deal will be for three-years and worth $13.5 million with $6 million guaranteed.

Check out Ian Rapoport’s tweet below:

Darqueze played three years at Michigan State, winning two Big Ten Championships and a Rose Bowl Championship. He was a Unanimous All-American in 2013, First Team All-Big Ten in 2012 & 2013. Dennard was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 as well. He is definitely a beloved former Spartan football player.

In 77 career NFL games, Dennard has tallied up 200 solo tackles, 274 combined tackles, 74 assists on tackles, and three interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus, Darqueze Dennard was the 22nd highest-graded CB in 2019. Dennard will certainly help Jacksonville with stellar coverage in the slot.

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