2016 October - Pro Football Rumors

Packers’ Damarious Randall To Have Surgery

October 24th, 2016 at 2:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Bad news for the Packers as cornerback Damarious Randall underwent surgery over the weekend to repair a groin injury, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. After going under the knife, Randall will be out for several weeks.

An exact timetable for his return is not yet known. However, the surgery is not expected to be season-ending for the 2015 first-round pick. Had they lost Randall for the year, the Packers would have been in some serious trouble. Already, they have been forced to place Sam Shields on IR with concussion symptoms while Quinten Rollins is dealing with a groin injury of his own (though, Rollins’ injury is believed to be less serious).

The injuries have left Green Bay with LaDarius Gunter and Demetri Goodson as their top cornerbacks. With any luck, the Packers will get Rollins back in time for Sunday’s game against the Falcons, but it sounds like they’ll still need reinforcements at the position.

In other Packers injury news, safety Chris Banjo is headed to the IR with an undisclosed injury, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Banjo will be healthy in three or four weeks, but the team wanted to free up a roster spot so that they could properly address their issues at cornerback.

Wide receiver Jared Abbrederis is also headed to IR with a thigh contusion, as Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel tweets.

Browns Shoot Down Joe Thomas Trade Talk

October 24th, 2016 at 2:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are winless through seven games and there’s next no chance of them reaching the postseason this year. It would stand to reason that they would entertain offers for their best veterans, but coach Hue Jackson says that Joe Thomas is not available via trade, despite reports to the contrary.

“We. Are. Not. Going. To. Trade. Joe. Thomas,” Jackson told reporters today (via the Browns on Twitter).

Of course, we’ve seen coaches and GMs deny trade talk in the past only to deal the player in question. Thomas, in his tenth season, could be a valuable piece for a contending team and he could bring in a quality return for a Cleveland team that is (once again) playing for next year. According to yesterday’s report, the Browns are looking for a second-round pick in exchange for the veteran. Thomas is under contract for another two seasons after this one and is slated to make $10MM in 2017 and 2018. However, there is no guaranteed cash remaining on his contract.

Thomas, a six-time All-Pro lineman and lifelong member of the Browns, has never been to the playoffs. If Jackson is telling the truth, then that won’t change anytime soon.

Geno Smith Suffers Torn ACL

October 24th, 2016 at 1:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Jets quarterback Geno Smith has suffered a torn ACL, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The injury is, of course, a season-ender.

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After Ryan Fitzpatrick got off to an atrocious start this season, the Jets turned things back over to Smith who has mostly struggled since entering the league. Early on in Sunday’s game, Smith was sacked hard and fell awkwardly, leaving him with a major knee injury. The West Virginia product is slated for free agency this year and has likely played his last down as a member of the Jets.

Last year, Smith lost the majority of the season when a locker room fight with teammate IK Enemkpali left him with a broken jaw. Now, Smith’s season is over after less than one half of action.

It’s not immediately clear what the Jets will do at quarterback for the time being. Fitzpatrick looked capable when he was subbed into the game on Sunday, but the Jets already took the job away from him this month and they have reportedly decided against bringing him back for next season. The Jets may opt to see what they have in the younger Bryce Petty.

Latest On Bears QB Brian Hoyer

October 24th, 2016 at 10:26am CST by Zachary Links

After going under the knife, Bears quarterback Brian Hoyer will be out for a while. The good news is that he might not be done for the season. The veteran’s updated timetable for recovery is now 6-8 weeks, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. After a few days, the Bears will evaluate Hoyer and make a roster decision.

If he’s placed on IR, Hoyer will be out of action until Week 16 at the earliest. However, if he is left on the roster and his radius heals up quickly, he could return to action in Week 14 to face the Lions in Detroit.

Hoyer was thrust into the lineup during Week 2 when Jay Cutler went down with a sprained thumb. On the year, Hoyer completed more than 68% of his passes for 1,396 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions. Unfortunately, his injury will sideline him for much of the season.

As of this writing, Matt Barkley stands as the Bears’ only certifiably healthy quarterback. With no QBs on the practice squad, they are likely to sign another signal caller this week if Cutler cannot go against the Vikings on Monday night. If Cutler is healthy, he is expected to start.

Josh Brown Unlikely To Appeal

October 24th, 2016 at 9:42am CST by Zachary Links

Last week, Giants kicker Josh Brown was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, which effectively sidelines him with pay while the investigation into his conduct continues. Brown could theoretically appeal that decision, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that he is unlikely to do so.

While on the list, Brown will still collect his ~$1.15MM base salary. At some point, Brown will probably be cleared to play football again, but it’s hard to imagine him landing another NFL job given the public relations firestorm surrounding him. The Giants, meanwhile, have moved on after signing veteran kicker Robbie Gould.

The NFL has been criticized for only giving Brown a one-game suspension at the start of the season but a recent report indicated that the union was pressured the league office into rendering a decision in September rather than allowing the matter to drag on. Had the league waited, they could have given Brown a more appropriate punishment and avoided a PR nightmare.

49ers Won’t Shake Up Defensive Staff

October 24th, 2016 at 8:34am CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers’ defense is struggling and the upcoming bye week would be the optimal time to make a mid-season change. However, coach Chip Kelly told reporters that he is sticking with Jim O’Neil and the rest of the team’s defensive staff (via USA Today).

On Sunday, the Niners fell 34-17 to the Buccaneers. Jacquizz Rodgers, who started the year as the Buccaneers’ No. 3 running back, ran for 154 yards, becoming the second straight back to gain at least 100 yards against the Niners in the first half. The Niners’ struggles aren’t limited to the defensive side of the ball, of course, but there has been speculation about O’Neil as the team sits at 1-6.

Last year, the 49ers ranked 29th in the NFL in yards allowed and placed 18th in the league in points allowed at 24.2 points per game under the watch of Eric Mangini. So far this year, they aren’t showing any improvement under their new DC.

Eagles CB Ron Brooks Ruptures Quad

October 24th, 2016 at 7:04am CST by Zachary Links

Eagles cornerback Ron Brooks suffered a ruptured quadriceps tendon in Sunday’s win over the Vikings, a source tells Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Brooks will require surgery and he likely will not be fully healthy until training camp in July. Needless to say, the corner will be shut down for the season and placed on IR.

Brooks, 28, joined the Eagles as a free agent in March, following defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz from Buffalo along with Nigel Bradham and Leodis McKelvin. Prior to this season, Brooks started just three games in his career. This year, he started in five of six games as the team’s slot cornerback.

Meanwhile, the Eagles are meeting with cornerback Aaron Grymes today, according to Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic (on Twitter). Grymes was a standout for the Eagles over the summer but was waived after suffering a shoulder injury. Grymes will take a physical at the team’s Novacare Complex and, if everything checks out, he could rejoin the team this week.

Brooks is in the first year of a three-year, $5.5MM deal, though the pact only includes $1.55MM guaranteed.

49ers Make Joe Staley Available For Trade

October 24th, 2016 at 5:26am CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have made left tackle Joe Staley available via trade, sources tell Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. San Francisco wants a first-round pick in order to part with the five-time Pro Bowler.

While there are a number of teams that could have interest in a left tackle like Staley, it remains to be seen whether any of those clubs are willing to meet SF’s asking price. Florio writes that Staley has been “tied” to the Vikings, Giants, Cardinals, Seahawks, and Patriots. A Pats deal would only be feasible if the Niners are willing to lower the price tag, however.

Word of Staley being on the trade block comes after news that several teams are showing interest in Browns left tackle Joe Thomas. In terms of interested clubs, there’s predictably a big overlap on that Venn diagram. However, the Browns are reportedly seeking a second-round pick for Thomas and that could hurt the Staley market.

Staley, 32, is signed through the 2019 season. This season, he has a $5.4MM base salary but that climbs to $8.25MM in 2017. In the final two years of the deal, Staley’s base drops back down to $4.8MM in each season.

So far this season, Pro Football Focus has Staley rated as the 14th best tackle in the league with an overall grade of 81.8. Staley’s pass blocking grade is rather pedestrian, but his run blocking score of 84.6 is the third-best in the NFL, putting him ahead of notables like the Broncos’ Russell Okung and suspended Eagles tackle Lane Johnson.

Extra Points: Brown, Gould, McCoy, Trades

October 23rd, 2016 at 9:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest coming out of the Josh Brown saga features a dispute between the NFL and NFLPA regarding the handling of this case. The NFL is under fire for its one-game suspension of the Giants kicker, but a source informs Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk the league received pressure from the NFLPA on this matter.

Brown’s suspension for Week 1 came down more than 14 months after the domestic abuse arrest occurred, and the league acted before the King County (Wash.) Sheriff’s Office finished its investigation — one that produced the confession Brown had abused his ex-wife. The source informed Florio the NFLPA was putting pressure on the league to reach a decision quickly. That wouldn’t be a good look for the union considering the details unearthed by the legal investigation would have likely triggered a longer suspension. Brown is now on the commissioner’s exempt list, and the 37-year-old’s prospects of kicking again in light of these revelations are slim.

The NFLPA denies this claim, a source familiar with the union’s thinking told Florio, and dismisses the notion union-generated pressure would have mattered since the league has full autonomy regarding the application of the personal conduct policy. The NFL waited 14 months to render its tame verdict, and waiting until the police concluded their investigation could have saved it from some more bad PR optics.

Here’s more from around the league as the Sunday-night NFC West battle awaits its first touchdown.

Brown’s placement on the exempt list is expected to clear a path for Robbie Gould to become the Giants’ full-time kicker, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Gould likely does not sign with the Giants if he wasn’t going to have the opportunity to win the job and have a chance to finish the season with the team, per Rapoport. The longtime Bears kicker worked out for the Browns earlier this season in what would have been for a shorter-term fix, but this unfortunate circumstance opened the door for another regular gig.
The initial plan for LeSean McCoy was to miss Sunday’s Bills-Dolphins game, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. Anderson initially reported McCoy was facing a potential multi-game absence, but the Bills’ top ball-carrying weapon said postgame he felt fine during pregame warmups, per Josh Alper of PFT. Rex Ryan added he wouldn’t have put McCoy out there if he wasn’t 100 percent, though McCoy leaving the game early could delay his timetable and place his status for next week’s key Patriots tilt in question. Shady characterized the injury as minor, but hamstring maladies are particularly troublesome for skill-position talents.
Cameron Erving left the Ohio showdown, and the Browns‘ starting center will undergo tests Monday, Hue Jackson said (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com). Jackson categorized this as an illness, but Cabot notes if this is related to the bruised lung he sustained against the Ravens earlier this season then the second-year blocker could be lost for the remainder of 2016. The Browns removed him at halftime. Cleveland’s line, which moved on from Mitchell Schwartz and Alex Mack after free agency defections, already lost Joel Bitonio for the season earlier this month. Reserve center Austin Reiter also tore his ACL in Week 4.
In advance of their 27-21 victory over the Saints, the Chiefs worked out guard Kadeem Edwards, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Edwards failed to make the Jaguars’ roster out of training camp.
We heard earlier about the Joe Thomas trade market heating up again, but Florio notes trade-related chatter hasn’t been plentiful so far. If it does ignite in advance of the 3pm CT deadline on Nov. 1, Florio lists the Jets and Bears as potential sellers, with Sheldon Richardson, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery as logical trade chips. Richardson has incurred multiple suspensions and saw the Jets award Muhammad Wilkerson with a lucrative extension, while Jeffery is playing this season on a franchise tag worth $14.599MM. Marshall, of course, has been traded three times. He’s under contract through the 2017 season, but the 32-year-old receiver doesn’t have any guaranteed money left on a deal that would slot him with a $7.5MM cap number next season.

Goodell May Exert Influence In Las Vegas Vote

October 23rd, 2016 at 8:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Roger Goodell still prefers the Bay Area as the Raiders’ long-term locale to Las Vegas, and the commissioner may wield enough power to swing the Raiders’ upcoming relocation vote, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports.

Ownership sources told La Canfora the commissioner’s ability to rally support behind causes he feels strongly about shouldn’t be underestimated regarding the seminal vote set likely for early 2017. A matter as significant of a team relocating from a top-five market to the No. 40 market could meet Goodell’s standard for exerting influence.

“Even if this came to a vote early next year,” one source told La Canfora, “I wouldn’t at all discount Roger’s ability to garner 9-12 votes against [a move] if he believes firmly that Oakland is in the best interest of the league.”

The Raiders need 23 additional votes to green-light their long-rumored Vegas move. This news comes after a report earlier this week appeared to see owners softening their stances on a team trying to set up shop in the nation’s gambling mecca. Although most owners’ beliefs on this would-be seminal venture aren’t yet known, Goodell feeling the need to play a key role here could be a sign support is growing.

Mark Davis is also seeking to have this vote as early as possible, but the league looks set to delay it. Davis secured the $750MM in public money quicker than owners expected, and the NFL is trying to catch up in this process. Davis still wants the Raiders to play at the Oakland Coliseum in 2017-18 before hopefully relocating to Vegas in ’19.

The owner is no longer interested in discussing a future in Oakland or Los Angeles, La Canfora writes, but Goodell maintains the league needs to look into what can be salvaged in Oakland as well as research what a Las Vegas move would entail for the league.

“I would expect the league to delay any vote for as long as possible,” one ownership source said. “Mark is adamant that they are gone, but the league isn’t in any rush to bring this to a head.”

The vote that sent the Rams to L.A. and kept the Chargers and Raiders in their longtime markets occurred in January, and Davis wants this expected vote to take place in January 2017, when he’s expected to file for relocation. But that doesn’t look to be on course right now.

Goodell and the NFL have been linked to having discussions with Oakland civic leaders, talks in which Davis is not currently participating. The league is exploring “several stadium options” in the Bay Area, per La Canfora, who continues the theme of pointing out how the NFL is more attracted to the Bay Area’s business infrastructure advantages compared to Las Vegas’.