LSUDad Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 LSU and NFL Free Agency: Tigers on the open market by Billy Embody 11 hours ago LSU and the National Football League are synonymous with each other. Come play for the Tigers and you'll have as good of an opportunity as anyone to end up playing on Sundays. On Monday, many former Tigers unofficially hit free agency with the legal tampering window opening in the league. There are double-digit former Tigers on the open market and available to be signed while plenty more are locked into contracts for next season. Head coach Ed Orgeron isn't shy about touting the program's connection to the league, mentioning after the National Championship that the staff shows highlights of the players to the current team, hoping to motivate them a little more to following in their footsteps. "On Tuesday we show highlights of our guys in the NFL and what they do. We just pay tribute to the great job that they're doing," Orgeron said the day after beating Clemson. "It's great to see Tre'Davious White last night, All-Pro and watch these guys make plays every Tuesday, and it's a way to honor the players, but it's also a way to motivate our guys that that's going to be them, too, and then one day their teammates will be watching them in the LSU room and be proud that we're representing. Once you're a Tiger, you're a Tiger for life." Geaux247 takes a look at the former LSU players that are active and available to be signed by any NFL team this offseason, where things stand with them on the market and more notes. DT Michael Brockers Last season, the Los Angeles Rams fell off after losing in the Super Bowl the previous season. After making over $25 million since being drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Rams back when the team was in St. Louis, once again, the organization is looking to bring back Brockers, according to Mike Silver of NFL Media. In 2019, Brockers started every game for the Rams, notching 63 tackles, three sacks and a pass breakup. For his NFL career, he's started 121 of 123 games, making 344 total tackles, 43 tackles for loss and 23 sacks. (Photo: Mike Stobe, Getty) CB Morris Claiborne After future Hall of Famer Patrick Peterson won the Thorpe Award in 2010, another LSU star won the award in 2011, cornerback Morris Claiborne. In the 2012 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys picked him in the first round. After five seasons with the Cowboys, he moved on to the New York Jets before winning a Super Bowl this past season with the Kansas City Chiefs. While he was inactive for the game, he saw action in eight games this season after signing a one-year deal for $2 million in August. In his eight games in 2019, Claiborne notched 14 tackles. For his career, he's played in 85 games with 74 starts, making seven interceptions and 49 pass breakups while making 265 total tackles. OL Dillon Gordon Carolina was the latest team to pick up former LSU tight end Dillon Gordon, who began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent in 2016 with the Philadelphia Eagles. The former three-year starter has played in one career game, back in 2016 against Baltimore. In 2017, the Eagles had him on the practice squad before Kansas City picked him up in Week 14 after the Eagles released him. The past two seasons have been marred by injuries with his shoulder keeping him on injured reserve in 2018 in Kansas City then with the Panthers in 2019. OT Jerald Hawkins After landing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a trade with Pittsburgh in early 2019, Hawkins played in just one game for the Buccaneers this season. According to Greg Auman of The Athletic, he's not expected to receive a new deal from the team. The Baldwin, La. native was drafted in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Steelers, but has played in just six career games. Before he saw action for one game in 2019, he had last played in 2017. (Photo: Winslow Townson, Getty) CB Jalen Mills As a seventh round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Mills emerged as a great value for the Philadelphia Eagles early in his career. After starting two games in 2016 as a rookie, he started all 15 games he played in during the 2017 season, where he notched three interceptions and 14 pass breakups. The 2018 and 2019 seasons have been ones that Mills has been banged up, playing in 17 games over those two seasons, but he did start all 17 games he played in. Over those two seasons, he's grabbed just one interception. Now, it appears the Eagles are going to let him walk while the Detroit Lions are already positioning as a front runner to sign him. OLB Barkevious Mingo While the Houston Texans are prepared to let Mingo hit the open market, they are wanting to bring back the former, according to the Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson. During his one season in Houston, he emerged as a special teams standout as he played in every game this year while making one start on defense. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, he's also made stops in New England in 2016, where he won a Super Bowl, Indianapolis in 2017, and Seattle in 2018. He's coming off a two-year, $6.8 million contract that he signed with the Seahawks, who traded him to Houston in September. (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports) LB Kevin Minter After a somewhat down past two seasons in Tampa compared to his first five seasons in the league, Minter is expected to hit the open market. He's played in 91 career games after being drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft while making 299 combined tackles, six sacks, six pass breakups and a forced fumble in that time. He finished the 2018 season on injured reserve, but played in 16 games with two starts in 2019. During this season with the Bucs, he made 34 combined tackles and two tackles for loss. WR Russell Shepard While the former five-star prospect played all over for LSU, Russell Shepard has settled into the NFL as a wideout and special teamer, making 60 catches for 847 yards and six touchdowns in his seven seasons in the pros. While his production has been limited, he's shown flashes at times both during the 2016 season in Tampa and the 2018 season with the New York Giants. Carolina inked him in March 2017 to a three-year, $10 million deal, but cut him the next spring. This past season, he was placed on injured reserve in September by the Giants. Eventually, Shepard wants to become a "modern day agent" and has spent time interning in the NFL offices during the offseasons. RB Spencer Ware When Kansas City was in a jam and needed a running back that knew its system to step in, the Chiefs looked to Ware in December to shore up its group. Three weeks after being signed, he was on injured reserve with a rotator cuff tear and enters free agency fresh off his second Super Bowl, but with an injury. In the 2013 NFL Draft, Seattle picked him in the sixth round, but he spent only a year with the Seahawks before landing in Kansas City. He was placed on IR his rookie year then cut in camp in 2014. After sitting out 2014, he added over 400 yards in 2015 before racking up 921 yards and three scores in 2016 in 14 starts. After signing with Indianapolis in 2019, he landed on the PUP list before the Colts cut him, opening the door for his return to the Chiefs later this past season. He'll have to show he's healthy before teams likely take a risk by signing him. (Photo: Jim Brown, USA TODAY Sports) OT Andrew Whitworth Former All-Pro offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is a free agent, but the Rams are working to bring him back. His first 11 seasons were spent in Cincinnati, where he started 164 of 168 games played, earning two Pro Bowls and an All-Pro selection. After the 2016 season, the Rams signed him to a three-year, $36 million deal. He went on to start 47 of 47 games played, missing only one contest. DT Al Woods After being drafted by the Saints in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, he never played a snap just down the road in New Orleans. The Saints cut him just before the season then Pittsburgh signed him to its practice squad before the Bucs picked him up, where he played in nine games in 2010. Since then, he's bounced around to Seattle in 2011, Pittsburgh from 2012-13, Tennessee from 2014-16, Indianapolis from 2017-18 and was back in Seattle this past season. For his career, he's played in 125 games with 48 starts. He has 204 combined tackles, 5.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. His best season was back in 2017 for the Titans, where he started every game en route to making 44 tackles, a sack and five tackles for loss. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dachsie Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 I know he's not a Tiger but am pretty surprised Brady is leaving the Patriots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 (edited) On 3/17/2020 at 8:42 AM, dachsie said: I know he's not a Tiger but am pretty surprised Brady is leaving the Patriots Read that the Brady Belichick relationship began to sour before the 2017 season when Belichick allegedly tried to trade him to the 49ers instead of Garoppolo. Edited March 24, 2020 by Hatchertiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 24, 2020 Author Share Posted March 24, 2020 The Chicago Bears are signing free-agent linebacker Barkevious Mingo on a one-year deal, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Sunday night. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported Mingo's deal will be worth $1.187 million, with $887,000 fully guaranteed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 24, 2020 Author Share Posted March 24, 2020 Former LSU lineman Al Woods on the move again, lands new NFL contract Michael Wayne Bratton | 56 minutes ago Very few NFL players have experienced as many stops in the league as Al Woods and the former LSU player is on the move once again after landing a new contract during the NFL free agency period. After spending one season as a contributing member of the Seattle Seahawks, Woods in on to Jacksonville after landing a deal with the Jaguars. Woods’ sports agent announced the news on Monday. If you count the Jaguars for the upcoming 2020 season, Woods is now set to play for his sixth NFL franchise in 10 seasons — which doesn’t even include the New Orleans Saints, which drafted him in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft and only counts one of his two stops in Seattle with the Seahawks. While Woods has spent time all across the league, the defensive lineman has been a productive member at every stop the last several years, appearing in at least 12 games every season dating back to the 2012 season. During his NFL career, Woods has racked up 204 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, 5.5 sacks and recovered two fumbles. Woods started the final 13 games of his LSU career in 2009 and appeared in a total of 41 games for the Tigers and made 16 starts in college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 6 minutes ago, LSUDad said: Al Woods on the move again, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 24, 2020 Author Share Posted March 24, 2020 1 minute ago, Hatchertiger said: The guy has been around. Has a contract with U-Haul, never expires. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 1 hour ago, LSUDad said: The guy has been around. Has a contract with U-Haul, never expires. I applaud his longevity. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 1 hour ago, Hatchertiger said: I applaud his longevity. Seems I recall we were not that impressed with his Sr. season. That he has lasted this long is a surprise to me, if I am remembering the right guy. His brother play for LSU also? Congrats to him though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 24, 2020 Author Share Posted March 24, 2020 3 hours ago, Hatchertiger said: I applaud his longevity. Don’t know for sure, but Howard Green played for 11 different NFL Teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 2 hours ago, houtiger said: Seems I recall we were not that impressed with his Sr. season. That he has lasted this long is a surprise to me, if I am remembering the right guy. His brother play for LSU also? Congrats to him though. You are thinking of Chad Jones and his brother Al Jones now known as Rahim Akir Alem. Al Woods came in highly recruited from Elton. Pretty sure he didn't earn a starting spot until his senior year. Saints drafted him. He obviously continued to develop once he got to the NFL. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 44 minutes ago, Hatchertiger said: You are thinking of Chad Jones and his brother Al Jones now known as Rahim Akir Alem. Al Woods came in highly recruited from Elton. Pretty sure he didn't earn a starting spot until his senior year. Saints drafted him. He obviously continued to develop once he got to the NFL. You are correct, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 Some talk the Saints were looking for a WR in the upcoming draft, now have picked up Emmanuel Sanders. That has them looking for a LB or CB in the Draft. Unless someone falls into their lap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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