Tag: Isaiah Dunn

Seahawks awarded two players off waivers after cut-down day

The Seahawks have been awarded two players off waivers, according to a report by Brady Henderson at ESPN.

The Seahawks have been awarded two players off waivers, according to a report by Brady Henderson at ESPN.

Defensive back Isaiah Dunn (six-foot, 193 pounds) was claimed from the Jets. He played his college ball at Oregon State and went undrafted. He played 12 games with the Jets last season, totaling eight tackles and two pass breakups.

Seattle also claimed defenive end Darryl Johnson (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) from the Panthers. He was picked in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Bills and played 31 games in Buffalo, but earning no starts. Last season he appeared in three games with Carolina, playing a total of 50 snaps.

Update:

To make room for these two new faces on the 53-man roster, the Seahawks have waived outside linebacker Joshua Onujiogu and placed cornerback John Reid on the injured reserve list. Reid will have to miss at least the first four weeks of the regular season.

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Projecting the Chargers’ initial 16-man practice squad

Here’s our best guess at which 16 players will be back as members of the Chargers practice squad heading into the regular season.

With the 53-man roster set, the Chargers’ next task will be to build their practice squad. The squad has steadily increased in size in recent years, with up to 16 players allowed on the 2022 version. Up to four of those players can have less than two seasons of NFL experience, and up to six of them can be NFL veterans of any experience level. The rest must be players who have less than nine games of active roster experience in their career.

Let’s take a stab at a possible group Los Angeles could bring in for their squad:

RB Leddie Brown

While Brown didn’t receive many reps in the preseason, I do believe he made a bigger impression on the coaching staff than Kevin Marks Jr. did. Brown ran for 1,000 yards multiple times during his career at West Virginia, but his issue has always been speed. He’s a potential developmental option behind the four running backs on the 53 thanks to his pass-catching ability.

RB Tyler Goodson

Goodson was left off Green Bay’s initial 53-man roster, and while it’s likely that the Packers keep him on their practice squad, running backs coach Derrick Foster is familiar with the rookie. Foster was the running backs coach at Iowa from 2018-20. In the last year of that tenure, Goodson was named first-team All-Big Ten at running back, Iowa’s first such honoree since 2008. If he slips through waivers and isn’t immediately signed to Green Bay’s practice squad, Foster could campaign for him to make the move to Los Angeles.

WR Michael Bandy

Bandy’s preseason performance was phenomenal, but his size would always limit him to the slot, where the Chargers have a lot of flexibility with the receivers on the 53. If the 2020 UDFA gets through waivers, he should be the first player LA calls when building the practice squad. Bandy is an NFL route runner, full stop. The only reason he’s not on a roster is his lack of inside/outside versatility.

WR Trevon Bradford

Bradford seems the likeliest of the next tier of wide receivers to stay on the squad, as he had plenty of moments in practice. He also had a nice stop-and-start move in the second preseason game against the Cowboys. The rookie undrafted free agent has some traits to work with and I think he’s worth being kept him around.

WR Joe Reed

There’s still something to unlock with Reed, who flashed the ability to play on the outside this preseason before getting injured and missing the last preseason game. Before the preseason, it seemed like Reed was purely a slot and kick return guy. But perhaps his flashes will encourage the Chargers to keep him around for a healthy season in 2022 to see if he can push for a roster spot next offseason.

TE Hunter Kampmoyer

While Kampmoyer may not have done enough to make the 53, I’m sure LA will try to keep him around for his special teams value. Kampmoyer worked with the first team kickoff unit throughout training camp, a role that will now mostly be taken by Tre’ McKitty. The former undrafted free agent is a likely candidate to use up his three call-ups to provide some extra help on special teams, especially if the team gets off to a slow start.

TE Jace Sternberger

Another former Packer, Sternberger was cut by the Steelers on Monday as they trimmed their roster down to 53 as well. Tight ends coach Kevin Koger worked as an offensive quality control coach in Green Bay for Sternberger’s first two seasons, presenting another potential opportunity for LA’s position coaches to petition for a player they’re familiar with. Sternberger is another special teams value addition who could also fill the fourth tight end spot on the active roster if the Chargers feel they need one.

OT Foster Sarell

As of right now, it seems like Sarell will be brought back to the practice squad instead of Zack Bailey, who seems like a waiver claim candidate elsewhere around the league. Sarell split the second team left tackle duties with Bailey this preseason, and I thought Sarell was the better player. Bailey does have side versatility as someone that can play the left and right sides, whereas Sarell is locked in on the left side. But he’s worth putting more developmental time into as a potential backup.

G Ryan Hunter

Whether Hunter comes back or not at this point seems like a coin flip. In my opinion, the 27-year-old played well enough to earn a roster spot somewhere but ultimately lost his spot to Brenden Jaimes. If he’s amiable to returning, he’d be an excellent depth piece from the practice squad with call-up potential if either Jaimes, Will Clapp, or Jamaree Salyer go down with injuries.

DL Andrew Brown

Brown made a few plays for the Chargers this preseason, but he was always on the outside looking in with a locked and loaded top 5 and a tight competition between Breiden Fehoko and Christian Covington for IDL6. He could be a waiver claim candidate or move on to greener pastures if given the opportunity, but if he decides to return, he’d be a valuable addition a la Fehoko last season.

EDGE Jamal Davis II

I thought Davis did nearly enough to make the initial roster, but his lack of refinement as a pass rusher is likely what kept him off the 53. He’s a great run defender on the edge, and the Chargers did invest in him a little bit by signing him out of the CFL. I think he’ll be back to work on his pass rush arsenal and push for a roster spot in 2023.

EDGE Carlo Kemp

It’s hard to nail down what combination of Davis, Kemp, and Emeke Egbule will end up on the practice squad, but ultimately I think LA will keep Kemp as well. Although he wasn’t a standout in practice, Kemp flashed some real tools during the preseason. A former undrafted free agent who spent the spring in the USFL, Kemp’s football journey has already been arduous. Keeping him around and giving him some stability could unlock something.

CB Isaiah Dunn

The Jets acquired Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed this offseason, which ultimately pushed Dunn off the roster this week. The UDFA out of Oregon State got the largest contract for an undrafted cornerback in 2021 and played in 12 games as a rookie. Like Goodson, Dunn’s preseason team will almost certainly want him back. But if Dunn wants a change of scenery, moving from New York to Los Angeles could be the answer. 

CB Kemon Hall

Hall has steadily improved this offseason and closed out the preseason with a few strong performances, but the depth of the Chargers roster dictated his release on Tuesday. He’d be another valuable special teams addition to the practice squad after spending 2021 on the active roster. As a corner that knows the scheme, keeping him around at least early on while JC Jackson recovers from ankle surgery as emergency depth seems like a good idea.

S Raheem Layne

Layne should be an easy practice squad addition if he’s willing to return. He had an excellent training camp, and while the preseason games weren’t at that same level, he still looked like a competent depth piece. The rookie UDFA was one of the most pleasant surprises of the offseason, but he may feel as though his effort has gone underappreciated by the Chargers. If they can convince him to return, I’d expect him to have a role when he does get called up for his three games this season.

S Mark Webb Jr.

Probably the most surprising cut of the offseason for the Chargers, Webb missed this roster primarily because of his inability to stay on the field. A knee injury ended his season prematurely last year, with a calf issue holding him out of action this preseason. Webb is still injured, and leaving him off the 53 feels like the Chargers trying to sneak him through to the practice squad to rehab in-house without spending a roster spot. It’s no secret that LA is high on Webb’s potential. If he can stay healthy, I expect him to be one of the first permanent call-ups if other players get injured.

Other Names to Consider

RB Darrynton Evans

RB Kevin Harris

RB Justin Jackson

OT AJ Arcuri

OT Tyler Vrabel

G Michael Schofield

DT Tyler Shelvin

EDGE Emeke Egbule

LB Cole Christiansen

S Will Parks

Jets want to add ball-hawking No. 1 cornerback

The Jets could be in the market for a lockdown cornerback this offseason – either in the draft or free agency.

The Jets’ secondary could get a major facelift this offseason.

Not only could Joe Douglas find two new starting safeties, but multiple reports indicate the Jets want a true No. 1 cornerback.

The Daily News’ D.J. Bien-Aime II recently told the Badlands podcast that the team wants to acquire a lockdown cornerback this offseason, either in free agency, the draft or via the trade block. Bien-Aime added that teams targeted second-year CB Bryce Hall, New York’s No. 1 corner in 2021, because of his lacking ball skills.

Hall’s lone career interception came in 2020.

That aligns with what The Athletic’s Connor Hughes reported as well. Hughes said the Jets like the trio of Hall, Brandin Echols and Isaiah Dunn on the outside but don’t view any of them as ball-hawking, No. 1 cornerbacks. Echols finished the 2021 campaign with two interceptions, but he and Dunn were both suspect in coverage at times during their rookie seasons.

There are a lot of different avenues the Jets could go down if they truly want to add a shutdown cornerback. A few big names will likely hit the open market – some of which the Jets should and shouldn’t target – as well as some intriguing options early in the draft. The Jets could easily use the fourth or 10th pick on a cornerback such as LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr., Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner or Washington’s Trent McDuffie. They could also throw a lot of money at veterans like J.C. Jackson or Stephon Gilmore.

Either way, there’s no shortage of options for Douglas and Robert Saleh as they try to bolster one of the weakest units on the Jets’ defense. New York allowed the fourth-highest completion percentage, the third-most passing yards and tied for the second-fewest interceptions in 2021.

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Jets’ high-priced undrafted free agents offered little in 2021

Joe Douglas swung and missed on two pricey undrafted free agents last offseason, as Isaiah Dunn and Kenny Yeboah contributed little in 2021.

Joe Douglas’ work with the 2021 rookie class wasn’t done when the Jets made their final pick in the sixth round. There were two more novices he wanted to bring to Florham Park that he was willing to break the bank for.

CB Isaiah Dunn and TE Kenny Yeboah received handsome salaries to pick the Jets over other suitors. Neither was deemed worthy of a pick in the draft, but both were hot commodities on the undrafted free agent market. Dunn received $185,000 from the Jets, while Yeboah inked a contract worth $200,000.

Those contracts swell in comparison to the millions draft picks and traditional free agents make, but they were still top of the UDFA market for two sought-after players.

High expectations accompanied Dunn and Yeboah’s paydays. Some undrafted free agents don’t come close to receiving six digits. The salaries the two received indicated that they were expected to produce as if they were late-round draft picks.

Unfortunately for the Jets, that didn’t come close to happening.

Dunn was an offseason sweetheart of New York’s coaching staff. His work in coverage was praised on a near-daily basis, and he made a strong case for a spot on the 53-man roster in the spring. The only questions being asked about Dunn entering training camp were how high he could potentially climb on the depth chart.

Yeboah, on the other hand, lost his luster early in the offseason. He struggled with drops throughout rookie minicamp and OTAs, quickly falling down a thin tight end depth chart. The hope was that Yeboah would turn things around in training camp, but his performance during the spring was concerning nonetheless.

The Jets were faced with reality once the summer rolled around. Dunn managed to break camp with the team, but he spent the preseason getting torched in coverage. Yeboah continued to struggle with drops, and while he starred in New York’s preseason finale against the Eagles, he started the regular season on the practice squad.

It didn’t get any better for either of Gang Green’s prized undrafted free agents once the games started to count. Dunn was a liability in coverage and spent most weeks as a healthy scratch. Yeboah worked his way up to the active roster here and there, but didn’t do much to take advantage of a putrid tight end room. He caught just two passes for 36 yards.

Douglas went all-in on these undrafted free agents, but they produced next to nothing. Nobody is expecting an undrafted free agent to develop into a starter right off the bat, but the high-quality ones are thought to have the ability to become rotational players. Dunn and Yeboah couldn’t even manage that.

Douglas won’t catch a ton of criticism for it because there are bigger issues at hand than the performance of two undrafted free agents, but it is discouraging that two players he deemed worthy of lucrative contracts under the circumstances flopped as hard as Dunn and Yeboah did.

Perhaps the duo will get another chance to make major strides in 2022.

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Jets Rookie Power Rankings: Michael Carter, Elijah Moore score in loss to Bills

Michael Carter and Elijah Moore found the end zone in the Jets’ loss to the Bills. The duo leads our Week 10 Rookie Power Rankings:

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The Jets scored just 17 points in their blowout loss to the Bills on Sunday afternoon. Two of their rookies accounted for 14 of the 17, though, as Michael Carter and Elijah Moore both found paydirt in the fourth quarter.

Carter scored from one yard out with 11:58 left to play, while Moore got into the end zone with a 15-yard catch on New York’s final possession of the game. Their efforts were too little, too late, but Carter and Moore have provided the Jets with a major spark in recent weeks and that continued to a degree against Buffalo.

Here is a look at how all of New York’s top neophytes fared in Week 10.

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Jets Rookie Power Rankings: Zach Wilson steals the show in thrilling Week 4 win

Zach Wilson orchestrated the Jets’ win over the Titans with a strong second half. How did the rest of New York’s neophytes play?

Zach Wilson entered Week 4 in the midst of struggles he has never experienced before.

Wilson looked like a shell of himself against the Patriots and Broncos, throwing a combined six interceptions and zero touchdowns in two blowout losses. That changed after the first half against the Titans, as Wilson flipped a switch and put the Jets on his back and help lead them to their first win of the season.

Wilson was not the only rookie to play a role in New York’s triumph over Tennessee. Here is a look at how the group fared against the Titans before they head overseas to take on the Falcons in London.

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The Jets’ 4 most surprising roster keeps

Some of the players the Jets decided to keep on roster cutdown day came as a surprise.

The Jets set their initial 53-man roster Tuesday after spending the afternoon trimming down from the 80 players they had in the building at the end of the preseason.

The roster New York unveiled is likely to change, as Joe Douglas will work the waiver wire, and potentially the trade market, to give Robert Saleh the best possible team to take with him to Carolina in Week 1.

Roster cutdown day featured a healthy dose of unexpected moves coming out of One Jets Drive. Here are four of Gang Green’s most surprising keeps.

Predicting the Jets’ 16-man practice squad

The Jets will have a 16-man practice squad filled out soon. Here is our crack at predicting the group.

The Jets began their roster purge on Monday afternoon, making multiple cuts to begin the process of trimming down from 80 to 53 players by Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh are going to have to make some excruciatingly tough decisions on Tuesday, but not all of the players they cut are necessarily done with the Jets. New York still has a 16-man practice squad to fill out and while some of its young talent isn’t ready to be part of the active roster, there is still a place for players to develop and potentially contribute down the road.

Here is Jets Wire’s crack at predicting which 16 players will land on the Jets’ practice squad, which will start to take shape Wednesday afternoon.

6 takeaways from Jets’ preseason finale against the Eagles

Takeaways from the Jets’ thrilling preseason Week 3 tie against the Eagles.

The Jets turned their preseason finale against the Eagles into a thriller, as Kenny Yeboah caught a Hail Mary from James Morgan as time expired in the fourth quarter. Josh Adams converted the subsequent two-point conversion attempt to end Friday night’s action in a 31-31 tie.

The Jets opted not to play the majority of their starters after the sky. That was probably for the best after the sky opened up pregame in East Rutherford, soaking MetLife Stadium’s turf and pushing kickoff back a half hour. As such, New York’s preseason finale featured players fighting for their spot on the 53-man roster.

Here are six takeaways from Gang Green’s last game of the preseason — one the Jets survived without a loss.