Cowboys Won’t Sign Kicker This Week
The Cowboys worked out Kai Forbath, Robbie Gould and Aldrick Rosas on Friday in case Dan Bailey could not prove able in time for Sunday’s Week 5 tilt. But the team will pass on signing one of them after Bailey practiced Friday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Bailey made it through practice on Friday without issues after missing Wednesday and Thursday’s sessions with a back injury, one that he complained about during pregame last week.
So, Dallas evidently feels comfortable enough this injury won’t hinder Bailey’s chances of making it through the game against the Bengals without issue and will avoid cutting a fringe backup to sign a free agent emergency kicker.
Instead, the Cowboys’ emergency option could be safety Jeff Heath, whom the team used as a kicker in practice this week. The backup safety was a high school kicker who received soccer scholarship offers before attending Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) to play football.
Bailey’s kicked for the Cowboys since 2011. The 28-year-old is 8-for-10 on field goals this season and hasn’t missed an extra point. Bailey connected on a career-best 93.8 percent of his field goals in 2015. He’s made at least 93 percent in three of his five seasons. After complaining of the back issue, however, Bailey did miss a 47-yarder against the 49ers but made a 22-yard try in the fourth quarter.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Panthers Rule Out Cam Newton For Week 5
For the third time in the past three seasons, the Buccaneers will face a Panthers team not quarterbacked by Cam Newton. The Panthers ruled out the reigning league MVP for Monday night’s contest after he suffered a concussion during the second half against the Falcons, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Both of the Carolina-Tampa Bay tilts in 2014 featured Derek Anderson at quarterback instead of Newton, and the defending NFC champions will use that arrangement Monday night. The Panthers won both games behind Anderson, but they came against a Bucs team that ended up going 2-14 to be in position to draft current starter Jameis Winston.
A hit from Falcons middle linebacker Deion Jones on a Newton two-point conversion run in the fourth quarter caused the head injury. Anderson then completed 17-of-23 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns. The 33-year-old backup is a 54 percent passer for his career, although he did complete 67 percent of his throws in 2014 in relief of Newton.
Newton, of course, has been at the center of the NFL’s concussion controversy this season. The helmet-to-helmet hits he absorbed in Week 1 didn’t result in a concussion, per Panthers doctors, but brought more scrutiny on the league’s protocol.
The Panthers travel to face the Saints in Week 6 and have their bye in Week 7.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Patriots Release Jonathan Cooper
The Patriots have cut bait with a former first-round pick. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter), the team has released offensive guard Jonathan Cooper. No corresponding move has been announced, but Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets that the Patriots have promoted defensive tackle Woodrow Hamilton to the active roster.
Cooper, the seventh-overall pick in the 2013 draft, was acquired by the Patriots this offseason (along with a second-round pick) in exchange for linebacker Chandler Jones. After having started 11 of his 24 career games in Arizona, the 26-year-old was expected to slide in as the Patriots’ starting right guard. However, the guard suffered a foot injury early in camp and had yet to see the field for the Patriots this season. The team has relied on Shaq Mason and Ted Karras at the right guard spot, and coach Bill Belichick apparently saw enough to make Cooper expendable. Cooper’s $2.39MM base salary was fully guaranteed for this season.
The Patriots ultimately traded Arizona’s second-round pick for a pair of picks. As it currently stands, the team swapped Jones for rookie lineman Joe Thuney and rookie wideout Malcolm Mitchell. Jeff Howe notes that the Patriots weren’t going to re-sign Jones, and Cooper was a throw-in to the initial deal, anyway. Furthermore, the move allowed the Patriots to sign veteran Chris Long, who has had a bounce-back season so far in 2016.
Hamilton, an undrafted rookie out of Mississippi, should provide depth to a banged-up defensive line. Back-up defensive tackle Vincent Valentine may miss this weekend’s game with a back injury, and the Patriots needed some insurance for starters Malcom Brown and Alan Branch. As a senior, Hamilton compiled 30 tackles and one sack.
Colts Activate Arthur Jones
In a bit of a surprising move, the Colts have activated defensive end Arthur Jones from the Exempt/Commissioner Permission list, reports Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter). It was expected that coach Chuck Pagano would wait at least another week to add the veteran to the active roster. Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star wrote earlier this week that Jones wasn’t expected to play this weekend.
“We’ll make the smartest decision that’s best for this team and what’s best for Art,” Pagano said at the time. “I just don’t want to throw him out there without some time to task.”
The 30-year-old was suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the league’s PED policy. This was just the latest setback for Jones, who originally joined the Colts on a five-year, $33MM deal in 2014. Following four productive seasons with the Ravens, the veteran’s first season in Indy was a disappointment. The defense end finished the 2014 season with only 23 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in nine games (three starts). Jones ended up tearing ligaments in his ankle prior to the 2015 season, sitting him out for the entire campaign. The franchise ultimately reworked the defensive end’s contract, reducing his 2016 salary from $4.5MM to $2.5MM.
As Keefer detailed, this may be the final opportunity for Jones to prove that he belongs in the organization… and perhaps even the NFL.
“I just have to do my job,” Jones said. “And by that (I mean) staying on the field. You get hurt. When you play football long enough, things will happen. I never thought it was because of my ability. It just wasn’t my time, I guess. Everything happens for a reason.”
Jones currently doesn’t project to be any more than the Colts’ second-string defensive end. As Roster Resource details, the veteran will presumably compete with rookie Hassan Ridgeway for the opportunity to back up starters Kendall Langford and Henry Anderson.
Ravens Activate Darren Waller
As expected, the Ravens have activated tight end Darren Waller, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The second-year pro will be taking the roster spot of tight end Maxx Williams, who was placed on injured reserve yesterday.
The 24-year-old sat out the first month of the season after having been suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. A sixth-round pick by the Ravens in 2015, Waller hauled in a pair of catches for 18 yards as a rookie. After appearing in six games (one start) last season, some questioned whether the Georgia Tech product would even make the team’s 53-man roster in 2016. The suspension apparently bought Waller some extra time, and injuries may allow him to stay on the roster for the rest of the season. As Zrebiec notes, Waller should also contribute on a struggling special teams unit.
Waller originally violated the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. The tight end was also suspended twice at Georgia Tech after testing positive for marijuana. The tight end recently opened up about his substance abuse issues with Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com.
“There were other personal issues, and [marijuana] was the one thing I always turned to,” Waller said. “It was just about finding more positive outlets for me to do, like talking to people about it and things like that. I’m definitely at a better place with that now.”
As Roster Resource shows, the Ravens now have three tight ends on the depth chart behind starter Dennis Pitta: Crockett Gillmore, Daniel Brown, and Waller.
Is Andrew Luck’s Contract To Blame For Colts’ Struggles?
When the Colts signed quarterback Andrew Luck to a record-breaking six-year, $140MM contract, the team was probably anticipating (at the very least) consistent playoff appearances. They certainly weren’t expecting a disappointing 1-3 start to the 2016 season.
The Colts have struggled mightily through the first month of the season. The offensive line has allowed a league-high 15 sacks, while the defense ranks towards the bottom of the league in both yards and points allowed. Most pundits would attribute the Colts’ problems to their head coach, Chuck Pagano. Perhaps they’d rather blame the architect of the roster, general manager Ryan Grigson. However, in a recent interview on Jay Mohr Sports, Grigson actually placed the blame on Luck’s giant contract.
“On defense, we’ve never come out and said it’s Super Bowl or bust this year,” Grigson said (via Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com). “We have a defense that is a work in progress. … Once we paid Andrew (Luck) what we did, it’s going to take some time to build on the other side of the ball.”
Sure, Luck’s $24.6MM salary for 2016 is the highest in the league, but the contract shouldn’t prevent the organization from building a solid squad around their franchise player. As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com writes, Luck’s contract isn’t a “position buster,” meaning his deal isn’t egregious when compared to the fifth-highest player at his position. Signing a player to such a contract means the team may have to sacrifice “two low level veteran depth guys for younger talent.” However, as Fitzgerald notes, that “should not change the top level composition of the team.”
Futhermore, Luck’s contract shouldn’t restrict the Colts from making moves in the future, either. Over the next six seasons, Luck’s contract will never account for more than 15-percent of the cap. For comparison’s sake, Peyton Manning accounted for a similar amount of the Broncos cap last season, and that team managed to win a Super Bowl behind an elite defense. Plus, the team ranks 19th in total contract value per year, which (if managed properly) shouldn’t prevent the team from building a solid foundation around Luck.
The team’s biggest offseason signings on defense, cornerbacks Patrick Robinson and Antonio Cromartie, haven’t played a significant role in 2016, and the latter was even released earlier this week. Meanwhile, Grigson has only used 16 of his 38 draft picks on defensive players, which
makes it tough to develop a talented and productive unit. Fitzgerald notes that the team has also overspent on free agents Gosder Cherilus, LaRon Landry, and Greg Toler in recent years. They haven’t drafted a Pro Bowler since 2012, and they sent out another first-rounder for running back Trent Richardson. When you look at it that way, it’s especially hard to blame the quarterback’s contract.
When all is said and done, the Colts should have anticipated this “predicament.” Fitzgerald estimates that a team should expect to spend at least $19.5MM a season on a franchise quarterback, and plenty of teams have succeeded despite paying that kind of money. Furthermore, the team failed to take advantage of Luck’s team-friendly rookie contract, another slight on Grigson’s shaky record.
Fortunately, there’s reason for optimism, Colts fans: Grigson isn’t panicking!
“The thing about is, we’re all accountable,” Grigson said. “Myself is accountable. Our coach always brings that up to the team constantly, we’re all accountable in this thing. We’re accountable to ourselves. We’re accountable to our owner, the horseshoe and all that. … Coach and I have a lot of faith in this team. It’s an early season. There are a lot of good 1-3 teams right now. There’s no reason to panic.”
However, if the Colts continue to struggle and Grigson continues to displace the blame, the general manager’s attitude will undoubtedly change.
49ers Restructure Colin Kaepernick’s Deal?
SATURDAY, 9:30am: Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter) has some details on Kaepernick’s new contract.
$2MM in future potential bonuses will now be guaranteed, which is a significant payday for the quarterback. Furthermore, the new contract now features several incentives that are connected to playing time.
FRIDAY, 5:50pm: This is “far from a done deal,” tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Maiocco notes that it could still happen, however.
3:05pm: The 49ers and Colin Kaepernick have reached agreement on a restructuring of his contract, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter links).
The new deal should alleviate concerns regarding the quarterback’s injury guarantees. Meanwhile, it will also give Kaepernick an opportunity to void his deal after this season should he outperform his contract. The deal effectively does away with No. 7’s guarantees in 2017 and could cut off the final three years of the pact. It will also allow the 49ers to receive a compensatory pick if Kaepernick voids the contract and signs elsewhere during the offseason, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).
The reworked deal could signal that the team is benching Blaine Gabbert and installing Kaepernick as the new starter. However, there is no official word on that front.
Gabbert is coming off of a disappointing game against the Cardinals and coach Chip Kelly has left the door open to a quarterback change. Kaepernick, the one-time starter in SF, has been a lightning rod for controversy this year. Now, he has an opportunity to make headlines again for his play on the field and not his actions on the sideline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Vikings GM On Bradford, Mindset, Draft
Ordinarily, if a team lost their starting quarterback and star running back, they’d probably throw in the towel. Not general manager Rick Spielman. The executive was aggressive following the season-ending injury to Teddy Bridgewater, sacrificing multiple draft assets to acquire Sam Bradford.
While the deal wasn’t universally embraced, it’s looked good through the first month of the season. The Vikings are currently 4-0, and Bradford has tossed four touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Spielman recently spoke about the Bradford trade with Brian Murphy of TwinCities.com. The whole article is worth checking out, but we compiled some of the notable quotes below:
On whether he’s willing to declare the Bradford trade “a win” for the Vikings:
“We’ve been happy with the progress Sam’s made and how he’s helped the football team, for sure. Hopefully we’ll continue to do what we’re doing and winning games. But there’s no gratification yet until the end of the season.”
On whether the Vikings would have made a similar trade in 2015 or 2014:
“I don’t know if you’re in the first year with a new coach, you’d go through with it. Where we’re at, the players we have right now, by doing that, it gave us the best opportunity to hopefully have a successful season.”
Would the team sacrifice more future assets to fill a glaring hole?
“That’s a unique position and a unique opportunity.
“You have to keep your eye on what your roster’s going to potentially look like next year, and contracts that you have coming up and guys you may have to potentially replace. We’re still going to always build through the draft. You can’t do that without having the draft picks.
“As we deal with injuries — and we’ve dealt with a lot of injuries — it goes to the testament of this coaching staff, the depth that we have behind these guys. Guys that maybe aren’t well known are stepping in and playing well for us at this point.”
Poll: Which QB Should 49ers Start In Week 6?
In Blaine Gabbert, Colin Kaepernick and Christian Ponder, the 49ers have three quarterbacks who were high picks in the 2011 draft, yet the 1-4 club finds itself in an unenviable position under center. Gabbert and Ponder, both of whom were first-rounders, have never lived up to their respective draft choices. Conversely, Kaepernick has his share of accomplishments since the 49ers used a second-rounder on him, but the 28-year-old’s effectiveness has fallen off in recent seasons.
Just as he did in Jacksonville, where he spent the first three seasons of his career, Gabbert is failing in San Francisco. Gabbert won the starting job over the summer, but he’s now at risk of losing the role thanks to his substandard output thus far. After the 49ers’ 33-21 loss to the Cardinals on Thursday, when Gabbert completed 18-of-31 passes for 162 yards, a touchdown and an interception, head coach Chip Kelly left the door open for a change at quarterback.
The assumption is that Kaepernick will grab the reins if Kelly demotes Gabbert, but multiple 49ers offensive players have told Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com that they’d like Ponder to take over. The 12th selection in his draft class (two picks after Gabbert), Ponder garnered plenty of experience with the Vikings from 2011-14, though he didn’t exactly light it up. In 38 appearances (36 starts), Ponder completed a below-average 59.8 percent of passes, averaged an underwhelming 6.3 yards per attempt, and tossed 38 touchdowns against 36 picks in Minnesota. Those numbers are almost identical to the totals Gabbert has posted during his 42-appearance, 40-start career (56.3 completion percentage, 6.0 YPA, 38 TDs versus 37 INTs).
It’s clear that Kaepernick, who lost his job to Gabbert last year as he battled injuries and a decline in performance, has the best credentials of any 49ers quarterback. But his days as a quality option may have concluded with his season-ending interception in the 49ers’ 23-17 NFC title game loss to Seattle in January 2014. The once-electrifying dual threat has been mediocre to worse since, though it might be worthwhile for the Kelly to see if he can help the sixth-year man recapture the form he showed off in his first season and a half at the Niners’ helm. Of course, it’s questionable whether Kaepernick is physically ready to get back on the field after surgeries to his left knee, left shoulder and right thumb stopped him from experiencing a normal offseason.
The offensive-minded Kelly previously drew career-best performances from Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez and Sam Bradford in Philadelphia, but it doesn’t appear he’ll do the same with Gabbert in San Francisco. Kelly has two other (flawed) choices on hand, though, and with extra time to prepare for the 49ers’ Week 6 visit to Buffalo, a shakeup could happen.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Notes: Doctson, Cards, DGB, Saints
An Achilles issue continues to bother Redskins first-round receiver Josh Doctson, who will miss his third straight game Sunday, and head coach Jay Gruden didn’t rule out an eventual trip to injured reserve Friday. “We’ll have to wait and see if this thing gets any better the next week or so and go from there,” he said (via JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic). “I hate to put him on IR and then he’s better tomorrow, you know what I mean, because he’s such a valuable, big play type guy. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and see what happens.” Doctson is dealing with pain when he “pushes off,” according to Gruden, which Finlay notes is especially problematic for a receiver. The 22nd pick from TCU appeared in the Redskins’ first two games, catching two passes for 66 yards, but he previously missed all of training camp and the preseason.
More from the NFC:
- After going without a catch or a target in the Cardinals’ 33-21 win over San Francisco on Thursday, wideout Michael Floyd is on a career-worst reception pace through five weeks. That led head coach Bruce Arians to posit Friday that Floyd’s status as an impending free agent is a factor in his sagging production. “I’m sure that has a lot to do with it,” Arians said of Floyd, who has caught only 12 of 35 targets through five games. Floyd averaged 52 receptions on 97 targets over his first four years, and the Cardinals remain confident in him, per Arians (Twitter links via Darren Urban of the team’s website).
- Although Eagles receiver Dorial Green-Beckham hasn’t posted gaudy numbers this year (seven catches, 65 yards in three games), the club is pleased with the mid-August trade acquisition. “He’s done a nice job. He’s really grasped the offense and understood his role,” head coach Doug Pederson stated (via Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com). Green-Beckham, whom the Eagles got from the Titans for offensive lineman Dennis Kelly, has seen his offensive snap percentage rise in each of Philly’s games. The 2015 second-round pick participated in 32 percent of the Eagles’ plays in their opener and was on the field for 46 percent and 49 percent in Weeks 2 and 3.
- The Saints were disappointed with high-priced free agent signing Coby Fleener after the first two weeks of the season, but the tight end has turned it around since, writes Herbie Teope of NOLA.com. After picking up a meager three catches on 12 targets in his first pair of games as a Saint, the ex-Colt totaled 10 receptions on 16 targets over the previous two. “I feel like over the last two or three weeks here, he’s really starting to, ‘OK, I got it, I understand what’s going on. I know what Drew’s (Brees) looking for,” assistant head coach/tights ends Dan Campbell told Teope.
- Friday was an eventful day for backup quarterbacks in San Francisco: A contract restructuring is a possibility for Colin Kaepernick, as is a return to the starting lineup in Week 6. Meanwhile, some 49ers want Christian Ponder to take Blaine Gabbert‘s job.