Bengals’ Cedric Peerman Fractures Arm
The Bengals have confirmed that running back Cedric Peerman suffered a fractured left arm during tonight’s preseason game against the Jaguars, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Latest On Injured TE Tyler Eifert]
While Cincinnati didn’t announce a recovery timetable for Peerman, it’s likely that such an injury will be a season-ender. Peerman will probably go on injured reserve, and while the NFL’s new IR rules would allow the Bengals to bring Peerman back in the middle of the season without designating him to return immediately, the club has other candidates for that spot. As Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com tweets, Cincinnati is likely saving its IR/return slot for first-round corner William Jackson III, who suffered a torn pectoral during training camp.
Peerman, 29, is a running back in-name-only, as he didn’t rush the ball a single time in 2015. In six NFL seasons, in fact, Peerman has seen only 64 carries, with the majority of those coming in two seasons. But Peerman is still an extremely valuable player, as he’s probably the most important member of Darrin Simmons‘ special teams unit in Cincinnati. Perrman played on nearly two-thirds of the Bengals’ ST snaps last year, and was named to the Pro Bowl for his efforts.
Peerman is entering the final year of his current contract with the Bengals, and will count $1.21MM on the salary cap this season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
5 Key Stories: 8/21/16 – 8/28/16
Down goes Romo. The Cowboys are dealing with another injury to quarterback Tony Romo, as the veteran signal-caller suffered a broken bone in his back and is expected to miss 6-10 weeks. Rookie QB/preseason legend Dak Prescott is now set to take over for Dallas, although the 
Cowboys are looking to acquire a veteran backup (2015 UDFA Jameil Showers is the club’s No. 2 at present). While Romo should be able to return this season, this latest injury could have an effect on Romo’s future in Dallas.
Trades, trades, trades! We’ll never see the amount of trades in the NFL that we see in MLB, but you wouldn’t know that if you followed the league this week. The Patriots were involved in two deals, as they shipped center Bryan Stork to the Redskins before picking up former sixth overall pick Barkevious Mingo from the Browns. The 49ers, too, completed multiple trades, as they sent cornerback Kenneth Acker to the Chiefs, then acquired receiver Jeremy Kerley from the Lions in exchange for offensive lineman Brandon Thomas. Meanwhile, clubs are inquiring on wide receiver Josh Gordon, but the Browns aren’t inclined to trade him.
Bosa vs. Chargers turns ugly. It’s nearly September and No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa still hasn’t hammered out a deal with the Chargers, so San Diego took the unprecedented step of issuing an accusatory public statement on the 
situation. Bosa’s agent predictably retaliated, while Chargers owner Dean Spanos called Bosa’s holdout “absolutely asinine.” Meanwhile, rival GMs are reportedly “laughing” at San Diego’s handling of the situation, as execs believe the club has essentially thrown its first-round pick’s rookie season down the drain.
No quarter for Mark Sanchez. Although it isn’t yet official, Trevor Siemian looks like the Broncos’ Week 1 starter at quarterback, meaning Sanchez’s role with the club is unclear. Denver has yet to ask him to take a pay cut, but that option has been bandied about, and there’s virtually no way Sanchez can stay on the roster at his current salary. A trade remains a possibility, but it’s likely that Sanchez is released in the coming days.
A flurry of transactions. Teams have until 3pm CT on Tuesday to reduce their roster to 75 players, and many club got a head start today. Rueben Randle, Chris Givens, Erik Pears, and Ropati Pitoitua were among the veterans cut today, and there will be more in the coming days and weeks. You can follow all the latest news by bookmarking PFR’s Transactions Page.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Broncos Haven’t Yet Asked Mark Sanchez To Accept Pay Cut
The Broncos haven’t asked quarterback Mark Sanchez to accept a pay cut as of yet, reports Troy Renck of Denver7. However, the idea of doing so has “surfaced as a possibility,” according to Renck.
[RELATED: Broncos Shopping Punter Britton Colquitt]
Although Denver hasn’t yet announced its starting quarterback, it’s become apparent that Trevor Siemian will be under center when the Broncos open the season in Week 1. As such, it’s unlikely that Sanchez is a fit for the Denver roster unless he’s the backup signal-caller. With first-round pick Paxton Lynch pushing him for that role, Sanchez could soon find himself released, as his cap hit isn’t palatable for a No. 3 QB.
While Siemian is only due to earn a minimum salary during the upcoming season, Sanchez is scheduled to count $4.5MM on Denvers’ salary cap, $1MM of which is guaranteed. Sanchez can also earn another $3MM through incentives, but the Broncos could clear $3.5MM off their books by releasing him before the start of the season.
Sanchez is likely to accept any pay cut overture, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, who notes that no outside quarterback option would be more familiar with head coach Gary Kubiak‘s system. Other scenarios include outright release or a trade, and Klis lists the Cowboys and Seahawks as potential suitors. A deal is unlikely however, because an acquiring club would not only have to take on Sanchez’s salary, but ship a seventh-round pick to the Eagles as a condition of the trade that originally sent Sanchez to Denver.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/16
The NFL has seen a flurry of transactions today, as clubs make cuts in preparation for Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline. Let’s round up a few moves that weren’t announced earlier today:
- The Bills announced that they’ve signed quarterback Austin Trainor, who participated in the team’s rookie minicamp in 2015. As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links), backup Buffalo QB Cardale Jones is currently dealing with a personal issue, and though he’s expected to return soon, head coach Rex Ryan said Trainor will help the Bills get through Thurday’s preseason game if needed.
- The Cowboys have waived/injured defensive end Shaneil Jenkins, the club announced. Jenkins, who was hurt in Dallas’ most recent preseason contest, will revert to the Cowboys’ IR if he clears waivers.
- The Packers have waived receiver Ed Williams, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Broncos have waived wide receiver Nathan Palmer, Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post tweets.
Injury Notes: Dixon, Pead, Harris, Gilbert
Ravens rookie Kenneth Dixon is expected to miss four weeks with an MCL tear, but the running back won’t require surgery, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Dixon, a fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech, wasn’t going to play a large role on offense (at least early in the season), but this injury means it will take him even longer to ingrain himself into Baltimore’s offense behind Justin Forsett, Javorius Allen, Terrance West, and Lorenzo Taliaferro.
Let’s take a quick look at the latest NFL injury news as teams prepare their rosters for the start of the regular season:
- Baltimore isn’t the only AFC club dealing a running back injury, as the Dolphins‘ Isaiah Pead will be sidelined at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, head coach Adam Gase told reporters, including Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Pead, a former second-round pick, had been drawing rave reviews in recent weeks, if it’s unclear if Miami will hold a roster spot for him while he gets healthy.
- An MRI has revealed that Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert is dealing with a “significant” hyperextended elbow, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Gilbert, however, vowed that he won’t miss any action, telling Fowler that he’ll play in the regular season opener “no matter what.” Just last week, the 28-year-old offensive lineman agreed to restructure his contract and give Pittsburgh some financial breathing room.
- The Jets can rest easy after an MRI showed that linebacker David Harris is merely dealing with a shoulder bruise, tweets Schefter. Harris won’t play in New York’s final preseason game (and probably woudn’t have even barring injury), but he’s expected to be ready for Week 1.
- Elsewhere in New York, Giants tight end Matt LaCosse will require knee surgery and is out indefinitely, a source tells Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. The 23-year-old LaCosee, an undrafted free agent in 2015, could potentially miss the season, per Raanan.
PFR Originals: 8/21/16 – 8/28/16
The original content, analysis, and reporting produced by the PFR staff this week:
- In PFR’s new series The Beat, Zach is conducting interviews with beat writers, columnists, and TV personalities about the team that they cover. Zach spoke with five writers last week:
- Will Leitch of Sports on Earth and New York Magazine discussed the Cardinals, Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, and Chandler Jones.
- Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com talked about the Rams, Jeff Fisher, Les Snead, Jared Goff, and Trumaine Johnson.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union covered the Jaguars, Greg Hardy, Malik Jackson, Tashaun Gipson, and Jalen Ramsey.
- Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald and Morning-Journal answered questions abut the Browns, Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown, and Josh Gordon.
- Troy Renck of Denver7 discussed the Broncos, Ronnie Hillman, Trevor Siemian, Mark Sanchez, and Vance Walker.
- PFR has continued to go over each team’s rookie class with the assistance of scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas, who has served as a consultant to NFL teams for multiple decades. Dave covered two clubs last week:
- PFR has also continued to look back at the offseasons for all 32 clubs, examining the major signings, departures, trades, and other notable offseason events for each team. We covered two clubs over the past week:
- After the Bills waived Karlos Williams, I looked at 10 teams that might claim the running back off waivers. Williams surprisingly went unclaimed, but that list still stands as a record of what clubs might look to sign the talented, yet perhaps unmotivated, running back.
- The Patriots traded for former No. 6 overall pick Barkevious Mingo this week, and I wondered if New England might be up to something more than simply acquiring talent. Bill Belichick and the rest of the Patriots’ front office has traded for players nearing the end of their contracts before, so they might be grabbing Mingo with an eye towards a compensatory pick in 2018.
- PFR was the first to report that veteran cornerback Cary Williams worked out for the Bears recently. Williams, who has spent eight years in the NFL, has seen action with the Ravens, Eagles, Seahawks, and Redskins.
Chiefs Waive Eight Players, Roster At 81
The Chiefs’ roster is now at 81 players after they waived eight today, the club announced. Therefore, Kansas City will need to make six more cuts before Tuesday’s 3pm CT deadline.
The following players were waived by the Chiefs:
- Bryce Cheek, DB
- Niko Davis, DL
- Curtis Feigt, OL
- Malcolm Jackson, CB
- Seantavius Jones, WR
- Jonathan Massaquoi, LB
- Kashif Moore, WR
- Drew Nowak, C
Massaquoi, 29 had spent 2012-2014 with the Falcons but did not appear in a game last season. Massaquoi, who signed with the Chiefs in March, has appeared in 39 career games, starting four, posting 45 tackles and six sacks during his career.
Broncos Shopping Britton Colquitt
6:39pm: The Broncos are now gauging trade interest in Colquitt, according to Klis, who lists the Vikings, Cardinals, Panthers, and Bears as plausible suitors for Colquitt.
5:56pm: The Broncos have asked punter Britton Colquitt to accept a pay cut, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. Vic Lombardi of Altitude Sports (Twitter link) was the first to report that Denver was discussing a restructure with Colquitt.
[RELATED — Gary Kubiak: Experience will have “zero” impact on Broncos’ QB competition]
Colquitt, 31, is scheduled to earn a $3.75MM base salary, and will count $4MM against the Broncos’ salary cap. If Colquitt refuses a pay decrease and is released, Denver would take on $750K in dead money on its 2016 cap. For what it’s worth, Colquitt told Lombardi (Twitter link) that expects the Broncos to cut either him or sixth-round rookie Riley Dixon today or tomorrow, as Colquitt doesn’t think the club would carry two punters into the final preseason game.
Colquitt didn’t play in Saturday night’s preseason game against the Rams, as the Broncos told him before the contest that Dixon would handle punt and holding duties. “Usually they tell you a little sooner but I knew all week that could be a possibility,’’ Colquitt told Mike Klis of 9NEWS. “I’ve only punted six times (in the first two preseason games), he had only punted five times. You can’t take a chance on somebody if you haven’t seen him punt. I had a feeling that would probably happen, which is fine.’’
After accepting a pay cut prior to last season and lowering his base salary by about $1.4MM, Colquitt proceeded to appear in all 16 games, averaging 39.7 net yards per punt, good for only 20th in the NFL.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Titans Cut Ropati Pitoitua, 11 Others
The Titans have made 12 roster moves today, moving their roster to 77 men, the club announced. Tennessee has until 3pm CT Tuesday to get to 75 players.
The Titans have made the following transactions:
Cut:
- Lamarcus Brutus, S
- Will Campbell, OL
- Donte Foster, WR
- Amarlo Herrera, LB
- Reece Horn, WR
- Deiontrez Mount, LB
- Tyler Patmon, CB
- Ropati Pitoitua, DL
- Nick Ritcher, G
- Mike Smith, DE
- Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB
Waived/Injured:
- Andy Gallik, C
Pitoitua, 31, seemed liked one of the likeliest cuts in the entire NFL. Pitoitua only played 31 defensive snaps last season, but was scheduled to count more than $3.8MM on the Titans’ salary cap. By releasing him, Tennessee will save $3.078MM.
Gallik, meanwhile, will revert to the Titans’ injured reserve list if he clears waivers.
Eagles Cut Rueben Randle
The Eagles have announced a series of roster moves today, and the most surprising transaction is the release of wide receiver Rueben Randle, who was signed to a one-year deal over the offseason. Randle, who is still only 25 years old, was thought to be a clear starter for Philadelphia after averaging 56 receptions, 782 yards, and six touchdowns over the past three seasons with the Giants.
But after the Eagles acquired Dorial Green-Beckham, Randle’s roster spot became tenuous, especially given his lackluster performance during the preseason. Philadelphia handed Randle $500K in guarantees plus a $25K roster bonus, so the club will incur $525K in dead money. Because he’s a vested veteran, Randle will not have to clear waivers and will become a free agent immediately.
The Eagles also made the following transactions:
Cut:
- John DePalma, LS
- Randall Evans, CB
- Andrew Gardner, OL
- Chris Givens, WR
- Mike Martin, DT
- Nick Perry, S
- Denzel Rice
Placed On Injured Reserve:
- Alex McCalister, DE
- Joe Walker, DE