Tag: Quinton Jefferson

Browns free agent bust signs with contender after his release

Quinton Jefferson has signed with the Bills one day after his release from the Browns

The Cleveland Browns released defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson, and he has already found a new home with the Buffalo Bills.

Signing with the Browns on a one-year deal this offseason, Jefferson has been a healthy scratch over the last four weeks since rookie Mike Hall Jr. returned from his suspension. Before that, Jefferson was a core member of the defensive tackle rotation but failed to make any impact at all.

After failing to trade him at the NFL trade deadline alongside Za’Darius Smith, the Browns instead opted to release the veteran defensive tackle who could not see the field in Cleveland. And it did not take him long to find a new home.

Now he joins the AFC East-leading Bills and Amari Cooper as he gets the chance to play on a team with Super Bowl aspirations instead of the 2-7 Browns. The Browns still boast a rotation of Dalvin Tomlinson, Shelby Harris, Maurice Hurst, and Mike Hall Jr., however, so they will not be missing him much.

Bills sign defensive tackles Quinton Jefferson, Jordan Phillips

Quinton Jefferson, Jordan Phillips

One key reason why it is so challenging for teams to agree to trades at the deadline is that they have concerns with new players learning their scheme quick enough.

When you bring back old friends, that isn’t much of a problem.

The Bills announced that they signed defensive tackles Quinton Jefferson and Jordan Phillips on Wednesday after standing pat at the trade deadline.

Jefferson was released by the Cleveland Browns and Phillips was released by the Dallas Cowboys. Both releases came this week. Buffalo jumped on the opportunity to get familiarity and depth in the middle of their defensive line.

Jefferson and Phillips have both specialized at pressuring the QB in their long careers.

Jefferson, now in his ninth season, was with the Bills in 2020 when the team went to their first AFC Championship since 1994. He started four games that campaign but was largely misused while trying to fill in for defensive tackle Star Lotulelei who opted out that offseason.

He found much more success over the past three seasons. From 2021 to 2023, he recorded 16 sacks and 42 QB hits across 34 starts with three different teams. Last year with the Jets, he had six sacks and posted a Pro Football Focus pass rush grade of 73.2 which was 32nd-best among all interior defenders.

Jefferson hasn’t performed to that level with the Browns this year, but he hopes to build on what he and the Bills started in 2020.

While Jefferson is back for his second stint in Buffalo, Phillips is looking forward to his third. He was a member of the Bills from 2018-2019 and also from 2022-2023. He is now in his 10th season.

Phillips has had success in the past with the Bills, racking up an impressive 9.5 sacks with the team in 2019. He hasn’t been as productive in recent years, and only appeared in two games while recording one tackle for the Cowboys this year. He started nine games for Buffalo last year, totaling 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks and five passes defensed.

Both Jefferson and Phillips fill a dire need for the Bills after defensive linemen DeWayne Carter and Dawuane Smoot both recently landed on injured reserve.

The two already have a good feel for the defensive scheme in place from their time with the team in the past, and they should be able to get up to speed quickly.

Defensive tackle Eli Ankou has emerged in recent weeks for the Bills after being elevated from the practice squad, but McDermott loves to rotate his defensive linemen and try to keep fresh bodies attacking the opposing QB.

With Ankou, Ed Oliver, Austin Johnson, DaQuan Jones, and Zion Logue, the Bills add a couple veteran interior pass rushers to the mix.

Browns part ways with a second defensive lineman at the NFL trade deadline

The Browns have parted ways with a second defensive lineman

It never clicked for the Cleveland Browns and their free agency addition, defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Browns are releasing Jefferson. On the day of the trade deadline, it’s clear that Cleveland could not find any takers and will release their veteran free-agent addition from the offseason. This is after trading Za’Darius Smith, another defensive lineman to the Detroit Lions.

Jefferson signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Browns in free agency to help solidify interior defensive line depth alongside Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris. He appeared in five games for Cleveland this year but was a healthy scratch for his final four games with the team.

At 2-7, the Browns are using the final day before the trade deadline to move on from players who aren’t in their plans for 2025 and beyond. Moving on from Jefferson and edge rusher Za’Darius Smith opens up snaps to evaluate second-round defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. and defensive end Isaiah McGuire.

Amari Cooper headlines 5 AFC North trade targets Cowboys must ask about before NFL deadline

If the Cowboys are going to contend, they’ll need to reinforce several problem areas. Here’s who the AFC North has to potentially offer. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys have, temporarily, stopped the bleeding. Playing on short rest, it wasn’t a pretty exercise defeating the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football in Week 3. They paid a steep price, too, losing both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence to lower-extremity injuries and likely for multiple weeks.

Beyond those injury issues, the Cowboys have other needs as well. There has been very little contributions to the passing game beyond All-Pro CeeDee Lamb, and although they were able to shut down the Giants’ run game, it’s been less than a week since they allowed 464 combined rushing yards across two games. There is a need to improve the roster and they should consider trading to do so.

The Cowboys extended both QB Dak Prescott and Lamb before the season started, opening up a large amount of 2024 cap space to make in-season moves. If they are so inclined, Jerry and Stephen Jones have over $25 million of space to bring in help from the outside. Blessed with a minibye to sit back and watch other teams operate, it makes sense to identify teams which may be looking to cut bait on players in exchange for draft picks.

Picks are a commodity for the Cowboys moreso than most teams. That makes it unlikely they want to part with any unless the price is in their favor. But with four comp picks on deck for 2025, perhaps the Cowboys would be willing to part for any of these players who could help.

Our first look is at the AFC North, where entering the weekend, three of the four teams are below .500. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0, but both Baltimore and Cleveland are 1-2 and the Bengals are winless. The Ravens aren’t going to stay bad, so the focus of these trade offers will be on Cincinnati and the Browns’ talent.

WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5)

Higgins is currently playing on the franchise tag as he and the Bengals were unable to work out an agreement all summer. Playing on the fifth-year option, he’s earning $21.8 million a year, so he’d cost Dallas a large chunk of their remaining space at $1.2 million for each week left in the season when acquired.

But the Bengals are struggling, already at 0-3 for the year. If they don’t win a few games in a row, the season is lost and it would make perfect sense to give up Higgins for a fourth rounder in 2025. The kicker? The two-time 1,000-yard receiver be a free agent rental that will likely get his next team a 2026 third or fourth-round comp pick.

DT BJ Hill, Bengals

 (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Another potential Bengal to keep an eye on is interior defensive lineman BJ Hill. Hill is the player Dallas was hoping Jordan Phillips was, a 310-plus three-tech with pass-rush and run-stopping ability. The 2018 Giants’ third-round has three different seasons with at least 4.5 sacks.

DE Trey Hendrickson, Bengals

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Likely a non-starter, but the Cowboys have a need at the position. This becomes more true if Lawrence is out for much of the season as the team has been a bit cryptic on exactly what is wrong with his foot.

Hendrickson is a similar build to Lawrence, though a more prolific sack artist and not as good at setting the edge. He’s not the best fit as he has only played on the right side, Parsons’ side, and rarely kicks inside. He’s also signed through 2025 and won’t be a free agent like the others on this list, but he’s too good of a talent to not ask about if the Bengals go Fire Sale.

WR Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns

Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper celebrates after scoring on the team’s first drive during the first half against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland.

Cooper made waves this summer, threatening a holdout and got the final year of his contract (originally written by the Cowboys) guaranteed. But if the Browns continue to flounder, perhaps the Cleveland front office would bite the bullet and send him back down south.

Cooper had a career high in yards in 2024, 1,250, and would make a great compliment to Lamb; they’ve proven what they could be as a duo already.

DT Quinton Jefferson, Browns

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Jefferson is a traveling veteran three-tech who just signed with the Browns for about $4 million in the offseason. A lost season means he should be able to be acquired for little draft compensation and would help in a rotation in Dallas.

 

New York Jets DT Quinnen Williams may increase sack total in 2024

If the New York Jets are able establish scoring leads, DT Quinnen Williams may have more chances to let loose in the pass rush in 2024.

New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams totaled just 5.5 sacks last season. However, a dynamic change in the Jets’ offensive play style may lead to an increase in sack opportunities for Williams in 2024.

The Jets ranked No. 7 in the NFL with 48 sacks last season and Williams wasn’t even the reckoned force leading the team in such category. Defensive end Bryce Huff and linebacker Jermaine Johnson were the catalyst behind the Jets’ pass rush. Williams, often faced with a double team, has however been pivotal setting picks in defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s blitz scheme.

Moreover, with a third-down conversion rate of 25%, the Jets offense practically left its defense out on a limb last season. With an inability to sustain offensive drives, Williams’ and the Jets’ defense spent more time defending the run as last year, as opponents sought to salt games away and dictate time of possession.

Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will be intentional about fixing offensive woes and this may yield an increase in points per game for the Jets. Thus, ff the Jets are able to sustain scoring leads this season, this may force opponents into more passing situations, giving Williams a chance to let loose in the pass rush.

Jets place Quinton Jefferson on injured reserve, sign DL Jalyn Holmes

Jets place Quinton Jefferson on injured reserve, sign DL Jalyn Holmes

The Jets placed defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson on injured reserve Tuesday, ending his season. In a corresponding move, the Jets signed defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.

Jefferson was a bright spot this season in a free-agency group that didn’t completely pan out for the Jets. Jefferson is third on the team with six sacks, behind only Bryce Huff (8) and Jermaine Johnson (6.5). He became a strong running mate to All-Pro Quinnen Williams in the middle of the defensive line.

Jefferson suffered a hip injury early in Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. He played 11 snaps before leaving the game.

Holmes was elevated from the practice squad each of the last two games, recording one tackle. He has spent most of the season on the Jets’ practice squad.

New York also added two players to the practice squad: defensive lineman Stephen Jones and running back Jacques Patrick. Jones has spent time with the Cardinals, Steelers and Patriots, appearing in four games last season for Arizona. He was an undrafted free agent in 2022 out of Colorado State.

Patrick has spent time with the Bengals, 49ers, Panthers, Raven, Broncos and Titans. He appeared in two games in 2021 with San Francisco. He signed with the Bengals in 2020 as an undrafted free agent from Florida State.

Quinton Jefferson (hip) questionable to return

Quinton Jefferson (hip) questionable to return

Jets defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson is questionable to return with a hip injury.

Jefferson went down late in the first quarter against the Dolphins. He was able to walk off the field on his own but clearly was in pain. He went into the medical tent.

He has since come out of the injury tent and is trying to run on the sideline.

Bills vs. Jets: Team connections

Connections between players on both teams:

The Buffalo Bills will host the New York Jets for a Week 11 matchup on Sunday at 4:35 p.m.

It’s a brand new NFL weekend with plenty on the line for both teams. But for some on the Bills (5-5) and Jets (4-5) there is a bit more on the line than some others.

That’s because some players and coaches for both teams could be playing against their former teams. That can create a little bit of extra motivation for them heading into Sunday.

With that, here’s a quick list of connections the two teams have with one another ahead of the upcoming matchup at Highmark Stadium:

6 Jets to watch in Week 2 vs. Cowboys

We have six players to watch from the Jets in their Week 2 road matchup against the Cowboys.

The outlook on the New York Jets has drastically changed entering the team’s Week 2 road matchup against the Dallas Cowboys despite beating the Buffalo Bills in overtime. Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending torn Achilles on his first offensive drive versus the Bills in Week 1, which has seen the Jets go from slight underdogs to nearly double-digit underdogs for Sunday’s meeting with the Cowboys.

Zach Wilson is slated to start under center for New York against an elite Dallas defense that just blanked the New York Giants to open the season. It will be a battle between two of the elite defensive units in the NFL on Sunday.

Ahead of a pivotal matchup versus the Cowboys, we have six players to watch for the Jets in Week 2.

How the Jets beat the Bills and if Raiders have the firepower to do it too

How did the Jets beat the Bills Monday night? Do Raiders have the firepower to do it too? Let’s take a look.

Four plays into the Monday night matchup between the Jets and Bills, the Jets lost their great hope. That when Aaron Rodgers — the biggest acquisition of the 2023 offseason by any team — was lost to an injury.

At that point most of the NFL world thought the Bills would trounce the Jets. You know, the. 13-3, reigning AFC East champion Bills?

And yet, the Jets hung around, took the game to overtime, and then sealed it on a huge punt return for a touchdown.

There are two questions that arise from this.

1. How?

2. Can the Raiders do it too?

The first question is easier to answer than the second one. As to whether the Raiders can do it too, the answer is cliche, but true — anything’s possible.

What we *can* do is lay out how the Jets did it and tell you what the Raiders have to offer should they wish to replicate the Jets’ success.

1. Interior pressure

The Jets sacked Josh Allen five times. No easy task considering how elusive Allen can be. Three of those five sacks came from interior defenders including two from former Raiders DT Quinton Jefferson.

Keep in mind the Bills were without Carl Lawson for the game, so the interior DL did much of this without a strong edge rusher to help out.

Can the Raiders do it?

It’s interesting to note that a former Raiders DT had two sacks in the game, because they never should have let Jefferson walk and they haven’t done a great job of replacing him. The Raiders interior DL is one of the least threatening units on any team, let alone the Raiders.

Like the Bills, the Raiders will be without a pass rusher as Chandler Jones is still away from the team dealing with his personal issues. The Raiders do have Maxx Crosby, but he may be once again going at it with little or no help.

2. Ball hawking safety

Strong safety Jordan Whitehead may as well have been Josh Allen’s VISA card cuz he was everyone he wanted to be. Whitehead had not one. not two, but THREE interceptions in the game! Not many quarterbacks can survive that.

And, sure, Whitehead probably had some help from the aforementioned DL pressure, but you don’t pick off three passes by accident. You have to have some tremendous instincts, smarts, and hands to be that opportunistic.

Can the Raiders do it?

The man lining up at the strong safety spot for the Raiders these days in Marcus Epps. He was one of the team’s priority free agent signings this offseason after his first full season as a starter in Philadelphia.

Can Epps ball hawk like that? If he can, it would be a real first. Epps has as many career interceptions (3) as Whitehead had Monday night alone. And Epps had none of those picks in his 17 starts last season.

In last week’s season opener, Epps would have had a forced fumble, but it was wiped away by a Marcus Peters illegal contact penalty. Epps also gave up a 21-yard catch and one of the Broncos’ two touchdown catches. Fellow safety Tre’von Moehrig gave up the other one. Moehrig has just one career interception and had none last season.

So, the answer, again, is not likely.

3. Big time receiver making big time plays

Garrett Wilson is a certified stud. He made Aaron Rodgers’ replacement Zach Wilson right on a pass with one of the most unreal catches you’ll ever see. Wilson threw for him in the end zone with Pro Bowl cornerback Tre’Davious White all over him. The ball was right at White, but Garrett Wilson reached back and batted the ball away, tipping it to himself to make the TD catch.

Can the Raiders do that?

To answer this question, you need only listen to Aaron Rodgers, who put a post on social media this offseason touting how much he loves his number 17 receivers. Currently that’s Wilson. But for several years that was Davante Adams.

So, yeah, the Raiders can absolutely do that. Adams has often done that. He makes his QB look right a lot and makes their job easier with his ability to get open either via his superb route running or his long speed.

4. Explosive run game

Breece Hall had a big night, first breaking off a 23-yard run and later bursting for an 83-yard run. He finished with 127 yards on 10 attempts. Toss in the 33 yards on 13 carries by Dalvin Cook and the Jets backs put up 160 yards on the ground, while averaging seven yards per carry.

Can the Raiders do that?

Well, the Raiders *do* have the NFL’s reigning rushing title holder. Josh Jacobs easily had the most rushing yards last season. Though, you may not have known it by how he was running last week.

Not to say that was all his fault. He had a few plays where he broke a tackle at or behind the line of scrimmage and made something out of nothing. But after missing all of training camp while refusing to sign the franchise tender, he didn’t really look like he was in the form he was last season.

I would expect Jacobs will be more like the back he was last season now that he’s been hit a few times. After all, he had his great 2022 season after playing significant minutes during the preseason, so we know he does his best work when he’s seen some live game action.

5. Clutch special teams play

The Jets got the win in dramatic fashion. After forcing a punt quickly in overtime, return man Xavier Gipson took it to the house for the walk-off win.

It was a great return, but it’s important not to give *all* the credit to the man with the ball. He had ten guys blocking as well.

The drama on special teams actually started before that. The game made it to overtime on a 50-yard field goal from Tyler Bass that hit the left upright and still went through.

Can the Raiders do that?

The Raiders have arguably the best kicker in the league in Daniel Carlson. And there is no question they have the best kick squad in the league when you factor in punter AJ Cole.

It was lack of clutch special teams play from Broncos kicker Wil Lutz that helped the Raiders escape Denver with a win last week. Lutz missed an extra point and a 55-yard field goal. The Raiders won the game 17-16.

Carlson missed just one field goal inside 50 yards last season and nailed 11 field goals of 50 yards or more. And Cole has averaged at or near 50 yards per punt for the past two seasons.

As for punt and kick returns, the Raiders don’t threaten much. Ameer Abdullah returned 26 kicks last season. He averaged 20.9 yards per return with a long of 33 yards. The longest punt return was Hunter Renfrow for 17 yards.