Tag: Takkarist McKinley

‘McKinleys ain’t no quitters!’ – Takkarist McKinley has a strong showing in the Jets preseason finale

Takk McKinley takes a big step forward to making the Jets roster.

Don’t call it a statement game for Takkarist McKinley, even though Saturday’s preseason win was just that for the New York Jets defensive lineman.

McKinley had four total tackles and 2.5 sacks for the Jets in a 10-6 win over the New York Giants.

A first round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 2017 NFL draft, McKinley has been through quite the ringer in terms of injuries, including a torn Achilles in 2021. He now has seven total tackles in three preseason games, fully looking the part for the Jets in the absence of Haason Reddick.

And with a strong final preseason game, McKinley has put a bow on a training camp and preseason that impressed head coach Robert Saleh.

“I think he’s helped himself – I don’t think this game really…I think he helped himself with regard to everyone noticing, but it’s not nothing that we haven’t noticed already,” Saleh told reporters after the game.

“He’s had an awesome training camp and he’s one of those guys that we’re going to have to make decisions on. It’s a really good d-line group and it’s good to have guys like him who can rush the passer.”

With Reddick holding out for a new contract, McKinley and second-year edge Will McDonald have seemingly taken advantage of the extra reps.

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Only once in his seven NFL seasons has McKinley played a full schedule (that was in 2017 as a rookie with the Falcons where he had 20 total tackles and six sacks). He last played in 2022 with the Los Angeles Rams, appearing in just four games.

Last spring, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys but was cut in June.

“I think for me just my faith and just the people that believe in me. Knowing I didn’t have a mom or dad growing up, I was raised by my grandma and my auntie and they could have easily given up on me but they didn’t give up on me,” McKinley said during an in-game interview.

“So, for me it was like I can’t give up on myself. Like I’m speechless right now, but I’m just grateful to be in front of you guys and just have the interview. McKinleys ain’t no quitters man, I got two kids and they look up to me. I’d be quitting on them if I quit on myself.”

 

Jets sign Takkarist McKinley following minicamp tryout

The Jets signed DL Takkarist McKinley following his minicamp tryout

The Jets signed defensive lineman Takkarist McKinley, the team announced Thursday. McKinley was on a tryout with the team during minicamp this week and earned a roster spot heading into training camp.

The Jets could use some extra depth along the defensive line and McKinley reportedly had a nice showing during the two-day minicamp.

McKinley is a former first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons who had 17.5 sacks in three-plus seasons in Atlanta and has 20 career sacks.

He last appeared in a game in 2022, playing in four games with the Los Angeles Rams and also spent time on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad.

McKinley has also played for the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns.

Former Falcons first-round pick Takkarist McKinley among Saints free agent tryouts

Former Falcons first-round pick Takkarist McKinley was among a crowd of Saints free agent tryouts on Tuesday, along with five cornerbacks and a 6-foot-7 tight end:

The New Orleans Saints hosted seven free agents for a round of tryouts on Tuesday, including five cornerbacks — and former Atlanta Falcons first-round pick Takkarist McKinley, a pass-rushing defensive end. With a third spot soon opening up on the 53-man roster once Payton Turner goes on injured reserve, as is expected, the Saints will have room for some new faces after elevating other players from the practice squad.

All of these players look like practice squad candidates, which isn’t unusual. The Saints churn the bottom of their depth chart often throughout the season looking for the right blend of young pros and experienced veterans. It’s interesting that there are so many defensive backs in the building but there haven’t been any major injuries to explain the interest, so maybe they’re just after improved depth or more help on special teams. Here’s what you need to know about each free agent who tried out Tuesday:

9 best free agent pass rushers after Jadeveon Clowney joined Ravens

The Jaguars showed brief interest in Jadeveon Clowney, but now he’s off the market. Could anyone else catch the team’s eye?

The pass rushing market was already thin Friday morning, but got it a little thinner when Jadeveon Clowney decided to join the Baltimore Ravens.

Clowney, 30, previously visited the Jacksonville Jaguars, but left without a contract. The team’s interest in a free agent pass rusher made sense given the Jaguars finished 26th in the NFL in sacks last season and didn’t make many changes at the position in the offseason.

Given the brief interest in Clowney, it’d make sense if the Jaguars peeked at the rest of the market.

Here are the best edge rushers still available with three weeks left until the regular season begins:

DE Takk McKinley released by Cowboys

From @ToddBrock24f7: The former first-round draft pick was signed back in November and re-signed in March; he never got on the field as a Dallas Cowboy.

The Cowboys’ veterans have departed on a six-week break before training camp in Oxnard, but one of them won’t be making the trip to California after all.

The team released veteran defensive end Takk McKinley on Friday, according to numerous reports.

McKinley, a first-round draft pick of Dan Quinn and the Atlanta Falcons in 2017, was signed to the Dallas practice squad back in November. He did not get into any games for the remainder of 2022, but the club re-signed him to a one-year deal in March.

The 27-year-old’s release follows the addition this week of free agent end Ben Banogu, formerly with Indianapolis, and the recent selection of Junior Fehoko out of San Jose State in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.

Dallas also has DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Chauncey Golston, Dante Fowler, and second-year rising star Sam Williams already at the position.

The Cowboys roster now stands at 88 players, two shy of the 90-man limit.

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Cowboys re-sign former 1st-round draft pick Takk McKinley

The ex-Falcon was reunited with Dan Quinn in Dallas last season but never made it into a game; he’ll return on a one-year deal. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Takk McKinley played exactly zero snaps for the Cowboys in 2022. But the veteran defensive end proved valuable enough in his two months on the practice squad that the team has re-signed him for 2023.

The team website announced the agreement to a one-year deal on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old was a first-round selection by the Falcons in 2017, when Dan Quinn was the head coach in Atlanta. Waived late in the 2020 season after logging 79 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, and 17.5 sacks over 49 games, McKinley spent 2021 with Cleveland but suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 14 of that season. He started 2022 as a member of the Rams, but played only sparingly.

The Cowboys inked the former UCLA Bruin to a practice squad role on November 16. He was elevated to the gameday roster once, but never made it onto the field with what remained of the season.

Dallas traditionally loves to collect players who were first-round draft picks. McKinley’s return now gives the current Cowboys roster 11 of them.

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Cowboys sign veteran DE Takk McKinley to practice squad

The former first-round draft pick played three-plus seasons under Dan Quinn in Atlanta, but was a Cowboys target coming out of UCLA in 2017. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Another Dan Quinn alum is coming back for more.

Free agent defensive end Takk McKinley has signed with the Dallas Cowboys and is set to join the practice squad. McKinley was a first-round pick of the Falcons in 2017 under Quinn’s tenure as head coach and saw 25 starts during his four-plus seasons in Atlanta. The UCLA product played in just four games last season with Cleveland.

Under Quinn once more, he’ll look to regain some of the form he showed in his first three seasons. From 2017 to 2019, the California native recorded 48 tackles and 16.5 sacks while playing in 45 games.

McKinley, who turned 27 earlier this month, has endured a handful of injuries in his brief NFL career. A shoulder injury ended his sophomore season prematurely. The following year, after being waived during the season, he failed physicals with both the Bengals and 49ers and never got off the injured reserve list upon joining the Raiders. A torn Achilles tendon spoiled his 2021 comeback campaign with the Browns, and he spent just a matter of days this fall with the practice squads of both the Titans and Rams.

A spot on the Cowboys practice squad means the team did not have to make any moves on the active roster to get McKinley. Now he can be a gameday call-up three times before the Cowboys officially ink him to the 53, making this an extended tryout if need be.

As Patrik Walker of the Cowboys website points out, Dallas had strong interest in McKinley during the first round of the 2017 draft, but got beaten to the punch two picks prior by Quinn and the Falcons. Jerry Jones & Co. selected Taco Charlton instead. (Charlton, coincidentally, also signed a new deal Wednesday, joining the Bears.)

McKinley joins a defensive end group in Dallas that includes DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Chauncey Golston, Sam Williams, Tarell Basham, Carlos Watkins, and Dante Fowler Jr.

The Cowboys defense currently leads the NFL with 35 sacks.

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Titans sign Christian DiLauro to practice squad, lose Takkarist McKinley to Rams

The Titans made a pair of moves on their practice squad on Wednesday.

The Tennessee Titans made a few moves on their practice squad on Wednesday after having one of their players poached from it.

The Los Angeles Rams have signed outside linebacker Takkarist McKinley off the Titans’ practice squad. McKinley joined Tennessee’s practice squad late last week.

With an open spot, Tennessee inked offensive tackle Christian DiLauro to the practice squad. DiLauro appeared in two games for the Titans last season but failed to make the initial 53-man roster out of training camp in 2022.

The Titans may need more help at the tackle position after left tackle Taylor Lewan suffered what is reportedly feared to be a season-ending injury.

Tennessee is already being ravaged by injuries much like they were in 2021, with nine players currently on the injured reserve list after the Titans placed two more players on it Wednesday.

The Titans also have two players on the PUP list and a lengthy injury report.

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Titans add Takkarist McKinley to practice squad, promote Chris Jackson

The Titans made a pair of roster moves on Friday.

The Tennessee Titans made a pair of roster moves on Friday, one of which included adding a former first-round pick to their practice squad.

The team announced it has signed edge rusher Takkarist McKinley to the practice squad. He will be taking the place of defensive back Chris Jackson, who has been promoted to the 53-man roster.

McKinley was the No. 26 overall pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2017. The 26-year-old showed promise over his first two seasons, notching 13 sacks in 31 games (eight starts).

However, after a lackluster season in 2019, the Falcons declined McKinley’s fifth-year option in 2020, which was his final season in Atlanta. He played just four games that year due to injury.

In 2021, McKinley played in 11 games for the Cleveland Browns, tallying 2.5 sacks, but saw his season end early due to a torn Achilles.

Tennessee has been dealing with a few injuries at the outside linebacker position in 2022. Ola Adeniyi has been limited in practice this week, and Harold Landry is out for the season with a torn ACL.

The Titans also lost 2022 UDFA David Anenih, who was poached off the practice squad by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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7 free agent pass rushers the Eagles could consider after Derek Barnett suffers torn ACL

Seven free agent pass rushers the Philadelphia Eagles could consider after Derek Barnett suffers torn ACL

The Eagles are down a pass rusher after Nick Sirianni confirmed that Derek Barnett suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s win over the Lions.

Barnett, the Eagles’ 2017 first-round pick is out for the season after re-signing with the team on a two-year deal this offseason.

“Derek will be out and he tore his ACL, and obviously that’s a big blow for us,” Nick Sirianni said Monday. “I love the way Derek Barnett comes to work every single day and plays with grittiness and toughness and (plays) nasty. “I am a huge Derek Barnett fan and he’ll be missed, so that sucks. I hate that for him, I hate that for this team. I can’t tell you how much I think of Derek.”

Barnett exited the game midway through the third quarter and he’s among the top edge rushers in the league when it comes to applying pressure to opposing quarterbacks.

Philadelphia has Tarron Jackson on the roster and could elevate from within, but we’re provided seven free agent options as well.