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NFL notebook: NFLPA files grievance on Reid's behalf

[May 08, 2018] Less than a week after free agent safety Eric Reid filed a collusion grievance against the NFL, the NFL Players Association announced it has filed a non-injury grievance on Reid's behalf.

Like Reid's collusion grievance, the NFLPA's grievance is filed as a system arbitrator case. The case will be adjudicated per the terms of the NFL collective bargaining agreement.

In its statement Monday, the NFLPA stated that prior to the offseason, it directed player agents representing free agents "who had participated in peaceful on-field demonstrations to collect, memorialize and report any relevant information about potential violations of the collective bargaining agreement by teams."

The crux of both grievances is that Reid believes he has not been signed because of his participation in protests during the national anthem. Reid was among the first players to kneel alongside Colin Kaepernick during the national anthem in the 2016 preseason to protest police brutality and racial inequality. Both were with the San Francisco 49ers at the time and remain unsigned free agents.

--Earl Thomas remained a no-show for voluntary workouts with the Seattle Seahawks, skipping the entire three-day minicamp concluded Sunday.

Head coach Pete Carroll said the Seahawks are optimistic Thomas will report soon, but the team has no definitive commitment from the All-Pro free safety. Thomas wants a new contract and is expected to skip voluntary workouts until the team attempts to address his status. He is entering the final season of a four-year, $40 million deal signed in 2014.

Thomas was discussed in trades, reportedly including the Dallas Cowboys, during an offseason overhaul during which the Seahawks moved on from cornerback Richard Sherman and defensive end Michael Bennett. Defensive end Cliff Avril was released over the weekend with a failed physical designation and strong safety Kam Chancellor's future remains up in the air due to a neck injury.

--The Carolina Panthers have signed former Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson to a one-year contract, the team announced. No terms have been reported, but according to 9News Denver, the sides had been discussing an incentive-heavy deal.

The Panthers released veteran Jonathan Stewart earlier this offseason, leaving 2017 first-round pick Christian McCaffrey atop the depth chart. They did not take a running back in this year's draft. Anderson topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career last season, finishing with 1,007 yards (4.1 average) and three touchdowns.

Anderson, 27, was released by the Broncos in April, two years into a four-year, $18 million deal, after the team failed to find a partner in a trade. Denver reportedly was close to a deal with Miami earlier this offseason to send Anderson in exchange for tackle Ja'Wuan James, but the Dolphins backed out.

--The New Orleans Saints are releasing tight end Coby Fleener two years into a five-year deal. Fleener is expected to be designated as a post-June 1 release, which would save New Orleans $3 million in cap room this season while leaving dead-money charges of $5 million in 2018 and $3.2 million in 2019.

Without that designation, his release would actually cost the Saints more in dead money ($8.2 million) this year than his original 2018 cap hit ($8 million).

Fleener, 29, joined the Saints on a five-year, $36 million contract with $18 million guaranteed in March of 2016. He caught 50 passes for 631 yards and three touchdowns across 16 games (eight starts) in his first year in New Orleans but was relegated to coming off the bench in 2017. He finished with 22 grabs for 295 yards and two scores last season in 11 games (no starts).

--With quarterback Matt Ryan now locked up long term, Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the team will turn its focus to extensions for defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and left tackle Jake Matthews.

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Jarrett, who turned 25 last month, is scheduled to make about $1.9 million in base salary in 2018. The former fifth-round pick started all 16 games last season, totaling 4.0 sacks and 55 tackles, including 15 for loss. Other nose tackles coming off of their rookie contracts have netted double-digit annual averages on recent extensions.

Matthews, 26, is entering the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and will make just under $12.5 million in 2018. He has started 63 of a possible 64 games since being taken sixth overall in the 2014 draft, allowing 19.5 sacks and committing 24 penalties over that span. He allowed 3.0 sacks and committed four penalties in 2017, equaling the lowest marks of his career.

--Georgia Southern University honored late Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson with a posthumous college degree.

Jackson's parents accepted the honorary diploma during a graduation ceremony in Statesboro, Ga., over the weekend. Jackson, 26, was killed by a drunken driver in February along with his Uber driver.

Jackson walked on at Georgia Southern and signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2015. The Colts signed Jackson after he was released by the Cardinals.

--Chicago Bears rookie linebacker Roquan Smith's team-issued iPad, Georgia helmet and College Football Playoff jerseys were among several items stolen from his car in Athens, Ga. over the weekend.

Smith reported the theft, which he believes happened Friday evening or early Saturday, to Athens-Clarke County police on Saturday morning. Per the police, there were no signs of forced entry to Smith's BMW X5, which was parked in the garage of an apartment complex, and there are currently no suspects. Several fingerprints were taken from the car.

The items stolen included an iPad issued by the Bears, Smith's regular-season Georgia helmet and jersey, his 2017 Rose Bowl and 2017 national championship jerseys, his Georgia "Athlete of the Year" trophy, two watches, sunglasses, shoes, four pairs of headphones and a bluetooth speaker.

--Two-time Pro Bowl safety Michael Griffin signed a one-day contract with the Tennessee Titans to retire with the team he spent nine years of his 10-year career with.

Griffin, 33, was out of the NFL last season after spending 2016 on a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. He played his first nine seasons with the Titans, who drafted him 19th overall out of Texas in 2007.

Griffin played 141 of a possible 144 games (133 starts) during his time in Tennessee, racking up 763 tackles, 25 interceptions and 59 passes defensed, including seven picks and 11 PDs during a Pro Bowl campaign in 2008. His other Pro Bowl nod came in 2010, when he intercepted four passes and broke up 11.

--The San Francisco 49ers have released guard Zane Beadles, the team announced.

The move saves the Niners $3.5 million against the cap in 2018. Beadles, 31, joined the 49ers on a three-year, $9.75 million contract in 2016. He started all 16 games that season, primarily at left guard but also filling in at left tackle and center.

A second-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2010, Beadles started 62 of a possible 64 games through his first four seasons before signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, starting all 32 games for the team in his two seasons before being released.

--Field Level Media

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