Tag: Keanu Neal

PHOTOS: Buffalo Bills 1st-round pick Kaiir Elam’s summer workouts

Take a look at some highlights from Kaiir Elam’s first summer with the Buffalo Bills.

When the [autotag]Buffalo Bills[/autotag] selected cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, it marked the third-straight year that Florida football placed one of its players in the opening round of professional football’s biggest offseason event.

In fact, save for the 2019 edition that saw UF shut out, the Orange and Blue have had first-round representatives dating back to 2013, when Elam’s uncle Matt was taken with the final pick of the round along with Sharif Floyd. The previous defensive back to go in the first round was [autotag]CJ Henderson[/autotag] in 2020, and before him, it was both [autotag]Vernon Hargreaves III[/autotag] and [autotag]Keanu Neal[/autotag] who got the first-round call in 2016.

Elam comes into his rookie campaign with sky-high expectations, as many believe he will make an immediate impact on the field for the Bills. Buffalo took a bit of a risk on him as a player obviously gifted with athletic talent but simply did not put up first-round numbers in his time at Florida. He will have every chance to make his mark at the highest level of the sport this coming season.

Take a look below at a handful of highlights from the past few months as Florida’s latest claim to DBU gets ready for his highly-anticipated rookie campaign.

Seahawks hosting free agent safety Damontae Kazee today

The Seahawks are hosting free agent safety Damontae Kazee for a visit today, according to a report by Jeremy Fowler at ESPN.

The Seahawks are hosting free agent safety Damontae Kazee for a visit today, according to a report by Jeremy Fowler at ESPN.

Kazee comes equipped with a knowledge of Seattle’s defenses, having previously played for former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn with the Falcons and with the Cowboys.

A fifth-round pick by Atlanta in the 2017 NFL draft, Kazee (5-foot-11, 174 pounds) is one of the league’s most underrated safeties. He has excellent speed, range, ball skills and physicality. In 69 career games he’s posted 12 interceptions and 17 pass breakups. Think of him as a Diet Coke Earl Thomas.

Along with his twice-former teammate Keanu Neal (who recently joined the Buccaneers) Kazee was one of several free agent DBs we identified as worthy targets for the Seahawks earlier this offseason.

If the team does wind up signing Kazee, he would project as the backup behind Quandre Diggs at free safety. Adding Kazee probably rules out them picking any safeties in the draft outside Kyle Hamilton.

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Cowboys LB Keanu Neal to sign with Tampa Bay, return to safety

The former safety switched to LB when he joined the Cowboys; now he’ll go back to safety as he joins the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Keanu Neal made headlines by switching positions when he came to Dallas in 2021. Now the safety-turned-linebacker will be switching back to safety… and changing teams to boot.

The former first-round draft pick is signing with Tampa Bay, it was announced Wednesday. The Buccaneers will be Neal’s third club in the past three seasons; he spent his first five campaigns in Atlanta before reuniting with Dan Quinn in Dallas last year.

As a Cowboy, Neal played in 14 games, making five starts. He did miss time due to COVID but was in on 72 tackles (four of them for a loss) and logged a sack for the season.

His move to linebacker put him alongside Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons and Leighton Vander Esch, a switch designed to make use of his tackling abilities.

The Cowboys plan to use second-year linebacker Jabril Cox in that role in 2022, while the re-signed Jayron Kearse also has hybrid skills as both a defensive back and linebacker.

It was widely expected that Neal would not return to Dallas for a second season. As recently as last week, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones notably spoke of the 26-year-old in past tense as he talked about the team’s defensive plans for 2022.

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3 Cowboys free agents whose future impacted by Dan Quinn’s return

Dan Quinn is returning as defensive coordinator, and that may help persuade Cowboys free agent defenders to stay with Dallas. | From @AsaHenry_55

Despite speaking with half a dozen NFL teams about filling their head coaching vacancy, Dan Quinn decided to stay on with the Dallas Cowboys as the defensive coordinator.

Quinn played a part in revamping the Dallas defense schematically and personnel wise, helping transform the unit from one of the league’s biggest liabilities in 2020, to a fiery group that led the NFL in takeaways and was just seventh in total scoring defense.

Judging by the reaction when it was announced Quinn was coming back to Dallas, it’s clear the majority of Cowboys defenders thoroughly enjoyed working with the former Falcons’ head coach, and his return may give the club an inside track on retaining the following free agents.

Mike Glennon says Kadarius Toney is a ‘special’ talent, Cowboys agree

New York Giants QB Mike Glennon believes rookie WR Kadarius Toney is “special” and several members of the Dallas Cowboys completely agree.

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New York Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney was ejected in Week 5 for throwing a punch at a Dallas Cowboys defender. Unfortunately, that will overshadow his stellar performance.

Toney hauled in 10 passes for 189 yards prior to his disqualification on Sunday afternoon, which broke Odell Beckham Jr.’s record for most yards in a game by a rookie (185).

It was an eye-opening performance for both his teammates and his opponents.

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“He’s special. I think he showed what he is capable of doing. That was fun to see. I think as a quarterback, when you get the ball in a guys hands and you throw it to him behind the line of scrimmage, and he ends up getting 12 yards — I don’t know how many he got — that was just one. There are plenty of examples,” quarterback Mike Glennon told reporters after the game. “You throw him a short pass and he takes it, you just don’t see that at the NFL level very often, making guys miss like that. He’s got a unique skill set that we are all finally seeing. I’m glad he is on our team.

“You just don’t see guys make people miss like that in the NFL very often. There’s just not many guys who can do this, be that quick. To have the day he had, hopefully it is just the beginning of what he is capable of doing.”

Despite physically fighting with Toney in the fourth quarter, members of the Dallas Cowboys were inclined to agree with Glennon’s assessment.

“He’s a great players. He’s extremely shifty,” Cowboys linebacker Keanu Neal said. “He stops on a dime. That’s one thing I noticed playing him today. Watching him on film, he gets open, he’s a great route runner, and I think he’s going to be a great one.”

“I think he’s someone that jumped out on the film. We were conscious of him coming in here,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said. “You could see last week his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. I like the whole perimeter group. I thought it was a big challenge for our perimeter.”

Although head coach Joe Judge was furious with Toney for throwing a punch and being ejected, he was pleased with his production on the field.

“I think he’s being very productive. He’s a very talented player,” Judge said. “He’s building a lot of technique, a lot of savvy. He’s really understanding what the other teams are giving him. He’s making plays. He was highly productive for us today in terms of making plays, getting down the field. He’s a tough dude, I don’t think there’s any question about that and I think he’s a very smart football player.”

Toney is electric. There’s really no other way to put it. He’s an extremely dangerous talent — one capable of changing the entire course of the game in the blink of an eye. However, like OBJ before him, Toney is going to need to learn to control his emotions.

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McCarthy: Cooper, Neal could play for Cowboys; Armstong, Watkins, Nsekhe out for MNF

Dorance Armstong, Carlos Watkins, and Ty Nsekhe have been declared out for Monday’s game with Philly. Amari Cooper is limited Thursday. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy delivered updates on several players as the team gets into their prep for the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. Three line players have already been ruled out of the Week 3 matchup, while the team’s top wide receiver and the linebacker who last week led the team in snaps both have a chance to be ready, with four full days to go before kickoff.

During his pre-practice press conference Thursday, McCarthy revealed that wide receiver Amari Cooper would be limited in the day’s work. Cooper left the field during the offense’s game-winning drive on Sunday. McCarthy classified the injury then as bruised ribs, a re-aggravation of a hit he took in Week 1 versus Tampa.

Defensive end Dorance Armstrong sustained a high ankle sprain in the Week 2 game against the Chargers, and defensive tackle Carlos Watkins suffered a knee injury. Neither will play Monday in the Cowboys’ home opener. McCarthy confirmed.

Of Watkins, McCarthy told reporters that he had just seen the former fourth-round pick in the weight room, and that “he feels good and he’s making progress.”

Armstrong may be out, but McCarthy was not ready to say whether that would mean another week subbing on the edge for rookie linebacker Micah Parsons.

“I’m not going to really get into that,” the coach said. “There’ll be more opportunities playing different combinations. I think, really, the true focus is: this [Eagles] offense is different than the first two teams we played. This offense is about speed and space. Their offensive line is- they just had the one injury last week- but this is the healthiest they’ve been in some time. A big athletic offensive line with five perimeter players that can really, really go. So we’re really focused on speed and space and what we need to do to combat that.”

Randy Gregory has been re-activated from the Reserve/COVID list and is back fully with the team; he is expected to start Monday night at defensive end.

Linebacker Keanu Neal was just placed on the COVID watchlist on Wednesday, but apparently has not tested positive. McCarthy explained, “There’s definitely a chance” he could be cleared to face the Eagles.

Safety Donovan Wilson remains a non-participant in practice as he nurses a groin injury.

And of offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe, who was taken to a Dallas hospital last week with what was termed heat exhaustion, McCarthy says he will not play in Week 3. “It’s an illness,” the coach shared. “There’s a plan to bring him back. Just got to be smart. This is a long year.”

It’s already been an epic adventure for the Cowboys, with players moving to and from the Reserve/COVID list and the La’el Collins suspension adding to the complications of regular football injuries. It’s made for a delicate dance with the club’s practice squad players to keep them ready for action.

“That’s the beauty of this new roster setup,” McCarthy explained. “It gives you the ability to move guys up; you have potentially a COVID exempt also. So all those things factor into it. You have a projected 48 [players] each week, but you never just work 48 players.”

McCarthy went on to say that the whole goal is to not let various injuries paint the coaching staff into a corner when it comes to assigning positions for gameday.

“I think it’s clearly why you play chess the whole week,” he concluded. “You play the different combinations. You want to have foresight on what move you want to make next, because, really, when you get into the game, you want to be playing checkers.”

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Report: Cowboys LB Keanu Neal placed on Reserve/COVID list

The safety-turned linebacker took over 70% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps in Weeks both 1 and 2; his status for Week 3 is up in the air. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The toughest opponent the Cowboys have faced so far in 2021 seems to be the Reserve/COVID list. The team has placed another player on the watchlist, leaving his status for Monday night’s home opener against the Eagles in serious doubt.

Linebacker Keanu Neal is entering the protocol, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. That news comes the same day that defensive end Randy Gregory rejoins the team after missing Week 2’s game in Los Angeles.

Gregory is expected to play Monday night. Neal’s availability is not yet known.

The veteran in his sixth pro season (but his first in Dallas) has logged six solo tackles over the team’s first two games. A former safety under Dan Quinn in Atlanta, Neal made the switch to linebacker this offseason upon reuniting with Quinn in Dallas.

Neal played nearly 77% of the team’s defensive snaps against Tampa in Week 1. Against the Chargers, he was on the field for almost 72%.

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Keanu Neal’s new home suits him well, at linebacker and with the Cowboys

The conversion to linebacker has gone well for Neal, who looks to be an integral part to the reshaping of Dallas’ defense in 2021. Keke has a new home. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys were in a weird spot when it came to the linebacker position during 2021 free agency. Leighton Vander Esch had just concluded another injury-laden season. Jaylon Smith was being defiant to calls for improvement in his play by telling fans and media to watch his tape; as if people were just making up things to complain about. Sean Lee was clearly on the verge of retiring even if he didn’t admit it to himself yet. The club had several free agents down roster who weren’t much consideration to be primary parts of a rotation. The group had generally looked lost after a season under Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator and Scott McCurley.

In came Dan Quinn, who assigned assistant head coach George Edwards to the linebacker group. As the free agency bonanza began, the Cowboys reached out to a former Quinn draft pick at the safety position; but to play linebacker. Keanu Neal, come on down.

The player profile countdown continues with No. 42.

Cowboys News: Prescott playing in preseason? La’el Collins hurt in practice, Amari to suit up

Wednesday’s Dallas Cowboys news includes excitement for the LB room, returning stars, and the recap of the second episode of Hard Knocks.

The Cowboys are back in Dallas. After spending the first half of training camp in Oxnard, they’ve returned to The Star to get things ramped up as the season approaches. With wide receiver Amari Cooper and quarterback Dak Prescott returning to full speed at practice, will either see the field against Houston? What to make of La’el Collins leaving Wednesday’s practice early with a possible injury?

Questions surround the kicker position with a CFL veteran in town to compete for the role while Greg Zuerlein is out. The defense is warming up to new coordinator Dan Quinn, and the offensive coordinator has set the highest of bars for his unit.

Fresh faces in the linebacker room have been an attention-grabber for the Cowboys. Keanu Neal’s transition has worked well and Leighton Vander Esch detailed what it means to have all the new guys around, including rookie Micah Parsons. And after the first roster cut, things are heating up in camp, which you can see up close in the new episode of Hard Knocks, recapped by our KD Drummond.

Here are the most recent news and notes.

Vander Esch on Cowboys’ new LB rotation: ‘It’s going to be sweet on the field’

Micah Parsons and Keanu Neal bring new size and skills to a Cowboys LB unit that Leighton Vander Esch thinks will be a problem for offenses. | From @ToddBrock24f7

It was just three years ago that Leighton Vander Esch was the rambunctious rookie, eager to take the league by storm as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. A first-round draft pick, he lived up to the billing by earning a Pro Bowl nod in his debut pro season, stepping into a starting role after veteran Sean Lee went down with an injury.

Now at just 25 years old, Vander Esch is suddenly playing the role of the battle-worn mentor to Micah Parsons, the club’s new first-round linebacker phenom.

“It’s been fun having him in our room,” Vander Esch said of Parsons in an interview on the team website. “Just helping him along, knowing that Sean and Jaylon [Smith] helped me when I was a rookie, and being that guy there for him: if he has anything that he needs, knowing that I’m going to be there to help him.”

Vander Esch served as a sounding board early during Parsons’s preseason debut. When coaches pulled the Penn State product from the Hall of Fame Game after just a handful of plays, Parsons complained that he wanted more snaps.

A bemused Vander Esch preached patience to the rookie that night in Canton. He was still laughing when asked about it this week.

“I remember my rookie year; I didn’t get a lot of preseason action. Being that young guy, you’re confident that you want to go, want to go, want to go. All the credit to him,” Vander Esch snickered, “but he’s got to realize the coaches have a plan for him and to trust what they have in store for him and not get too far ahead of himself. You love the attitude, you love the go-getter; he’s not going to lose that.”

Parsons has been getting a lion’s share of work so far in training camp. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn seems ready to turn the youngster loose and stretch the traditional textbook definitions of what a linebacker’s job should be.

“I really think he’s got more on his plate than what I did. It was a plug-and-play for me when I was a rookie. We pretty much ran the same exact thing that I ran at Boise; that’s why they drafted me,” Vander Esch recalled. “I think with Micah’s skill set and how athletic he is and his speed, you can play him pretty much anywhere on the field. I think the coaches are utilizing that very, very well. I’m glad he’s on our team and not somebody else’s.”

Injuries have slowed down Vander Esch over the past two seasons. Smith’s production has dropped drastically since his breakout year. With the retirement of 11-year-veteran Lee, the linebacker position in Dallas went from a team strength to a glaring weakness.

Quinn and the Cowboys addressed that need by drafting Parsons twelfth overall. But they also brought in Keanu Neal, a former Falcons safety trapped in the body of a linebacker. Reunited in Dallas with Quinn, Neal is making an official position switch more in keeping with his size and talents.

“The kid’s crazy athletic,” Vander Esch said of Neal. “He obviously has that DB skill set, and he’s built like a fricking linebacker. The dude’s crazy-looking. You can see his arms, you can see the way he’s built that he can be a linebacker. And the things that he’s shown on the field, he can definitely do it.”

Parsons playing multiple linebacker roles. Neal bringing a ballhawk’s mentality to go with his massive size. Both figure to play predominantly in a Dallas linebacking corps- along with Vander Esch, Smith, talented rookie Jabril Cox, and others- that could have the heads of fans and opposing offenses on a swivel as they try to keep track of who’s playing where.

“We’ve got a crazy rotation going,” Vander Esch admitted. “But that’s what’s going to be sweet on the field, because we can play all the positions. It doesn’t matter who it is: we all have the potential to play any position it is that DQ wants us to play at linebacker whether it’s on the edge, off-the-ball, whatever, stack, doesn’t matter.”

The hope is that all that multitasking raises the level of play for a defense that was historically poor across the board last season. For Vander Esch, he has the added pressure of this being a contract year, after the Cowboys declined to re-sign him in the offseason. Vander Esch, though, shrugs off that notion.

“It’s always been ‘prove-it.’ You’ve got to go out there and prove yourself every day in the National Football League.”

For now, he’s proving he can still be the on-the-field force in his fourth season that he was in his first. But he’s also taking a more all-encompassing view, striving to provide crucial off-the-field leadership, too.

“My goals are just to be the best teammate I can be, to be able to communicate on a high level, lead this defense, be someone that the guys can lean on, come to with questions if they need, help the young guys get along the way that I was helped when I was a young guy.”

Said the 25-year-old.

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