Gators in the NFL: McGee tears achilles in OTAs, injury updates

Steelers tight end Jake McGee will likely be out for the entire 2018 season after he suffered what is believed to be a torn achilles tendon during an OTA session on Wednesday. The second-year player was hoping to make the 53-man Steelers roster this upcoming season after spending all of last season on the practice squad. On Friday he announced via his twitter account that his surgery to repair his achilles went according to plan.

surgery went great! positive vibes are in the air. #newachillieswhodis

— Jake McGee (@JakeOvaTheWorld) June 1, 2018

Around the NFL, Saints linebacker Alex Anzalone was a full participant in OTAs last week and the shoulder he had surgically repaired last season isn’t expected to be an issue going forward. Anzalone finished last season on the Injured Reserve list after earning a starting role in the Saints’ first four regular season games. Anzalone is part of a Saints’ 2017 rookie class that included studs like Alvin Kamara, Marshon Lattimore and Ryan Ramczyk.

Redskins tight end Jordan Reed appears to be doing well in his recovery from toe surgery this offseason. He was seen doing some agility drills this week during some OTA sessions.

Free agent defensive lineman Joey Ivie reached an injury settlement with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday. Ivie was subsequently waived by the team and is now a free agent, able to sign with any team. He joined the Falcons in October of 2017 as a practice squad player and never played a snap for the dirty birds.

Patriots running back Mike Gillislee was reportedly not as quick or fluid as the other New England running backs at OTAs this past week. Gillislee scored three touchdowns in the season opener against the Chiefs last year, then was used sparingly throughout the rest of the season. The Pats may decide to move off Gillislee or just tap him if another back gets injured but the signs don’t bode well for Gillislee as New England used a first-round pick to add Georgia’s Sony Michel to the backfield. The Pats did trade a third-round pick in order to acquire left tackle Trent Brown from the San Francisco 49ers to fill a Nate Solder-sized hole. Brown was recovering from shoulder surgery but is expected to start for the Pats in 2018.

RB drills at #Patriots OTA’s yesterday:

#28 James White
#34 Rex Burkhead
#35 Mike Gillislee
#33 Jeremy Hill
#51 Sony Michel pic.twitter.com/tuK07OzXYs

— PirateLife Football (@PirateLifeFF) May 24, 2018

The Los Angeles Chargers added three Gators to their roster in moves this offseason. Former Dolphins center Mike Pouncey signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the Bolts after Pouncey refused to take a pay cut to stay with the club (Miami) that drafted him. The Chargers also picked up a backup safety in Jaylen Watkins and a new starting kicker in Caleb Sturgis, both of whom were Super Bowl Champions last year with Philadelphia. Sturgis and Pouncey will likely start, while Watkins will be a backup. Backing up Sturgis will be former Seminole Roberto Aguayo.

Tight end Trey Burton continued the exodus of Gators from the City of Brotherly Love, choosing wind over brotherhood, as he left for Chicago to sign a four-year, $32 million deal with the Bears.

Linebacker Jon Bostic left fellow Gator linebacker Antonio Morrison behind in Indianapolis to play for the Steelers where he signed a two-year, $4 million contract that includes a $1.4 million signing bonus.

To round out the offseason moves for former Gators, former Bills wide receiver Deonte Thompson signed a $1.8 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys to catch passes from Dak Prescott. The deal includes a $1 million signing bonus.

Also be on the lookout for Gators returning from injuries. Rams defensive lineman Dominique Easley will look to bounce back after he sat out all of last season with knee tears in his ACL and LCL. Easley will likely be a rotational player behind a stacked Rams defensive line that will feature Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh.

Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries will also be looking for a strong return this year as he will most likely be a starter and be charged with protecting the fragile Sam Bradford after sitting out most of last season with a dislocated kneecap. If Humphries shines this year, he could be looking at a huge payday in the future as the Cardinals will no doubt look to keep incoming quarterback Josh Rosen upright for years to come.

On a sad note, Vikings defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd may see his career cut short due to an arthroscopic surgery gone wrong in 2016. During the surgery, a nerve in his right knee was disrupted and set his recovery back. The Vikings decided to put him on the Non-Football Injury list for the 2017 season, which allowed the Vikings to pay him an amount of their choosing rather than his $6.76 million salary. Floyd is currently awaiting a ruling in a case he brought against the Vikings. Most experts agree that his playing career is likely over and is not listed on the Minnesota Vikings roster of the official team website.

NOTE:

Arizona Cardinals
D.J. Humphries (T)
Earl Okine (DE) — Practice Squad
Atlanta Falcons
Keanu Neal (SS)
Brian Poole (DB)
Joseph Putu (DB) – Rookie
Baltimore Ravens
Mark Thompson (RB)
Carolina Panthers
Bryan Cox Jr. (DE)
Chicago Bears
Jonathan Bullard (DE)
Trey Burton (TE)
Cincinnati Bengals
Carlos Dunlap (DE)
Cleveland Browns
Caleb Brantley (DT)
Antonio Callaway (WR) – Rookie
Kelvin Taylor (RB)
Dallas Cowboys
Chaz Green (T)
Deonte Thompson (WR)
Denver Broncos
Max Garcia (G)
Detroit Lions
Jarrad Davis (LB)
DeAndre Goolsby (TE) – Rookie
Brandon Powell (WR) – Rookie
Teez Tabor (CB)
Houston Texans
Chris Thompson (WR)
Jelani Jenkins (LB)
Indianapolis Colts
Quincy Wilson (CB)
Antonio Morrison (ILB)
Jacksonville Jaguars
Taven Bryan (DT) – Rookie
Dante Fowler Jr. (DE)
Lerentee McCray (DE)
Kansas City Chiefs
Demarcus Robinson (WR)
Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Pouncey (C)
Caleb Sturgis (K)
Jaylen Watkins (DB)
Los Angeles Rams
Dominique Easley (DT)
Minnesota Vikings
Mack Brown (RB)
Sharrif Floyd (DT) — Injured Reserve
New England Patriots
Duke Dawson (DB) – Rookie
Mike Gillislee (RB)
Trent Brown (T)
New Orleans Saints
Alex Anzalone (LB)
New York Giants
Jon Halapio (G)
New York Jets
Jonotthan Harrison (C)
Marcus Maye (S)
Oakland Raiders
Reggie Nelson (DB)
Eddy Pineiro (K)
David Sharpe (OT)
Johnny Townsend (P)
Nick Washington (DB) – Rookie
Philadelphia Eagles
Matt Jones (RB)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jon Bostic (LB)
Marcus Gilbert (T)
Maurkice Pouncey (C)
Joe Haden (CB)
Jake McGee (TE) — Practice Squad
San Francisco 49ers
Louis Murphy (WR)
Marcel Harris (DB) – Rookie
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Drew Ferris (LS)
Vernon Hargreaves (CB)
Justin Trattou (DE)
Washington Redskins
Quinton Dunbar (CB)
Alex McCalister (DE)
Jordan Reed (TE)