NFLPA, Brady Won’t Push Deflategate Further
The NFL’s defining saga of the mid-2010s will conclude its relevancy once Tom Brady returns from his four-game suspension Monday. Brady and the NFLPA decided to decline to pursue the Deflategate case any further, Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports (on Twitter).
“After consultation with Tom Brady and our appellate counsel, we have decided to not pursue additional appeals in this matter,” the NFLPA said, regarding what would have meant taking the case to the Supreme Court.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk categorizes the move as a surprise after the NFLPA and Brady’s decision to bring aboard former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson to the legal team. However, Florio also notes the high court accepting this petition may have been a long-odds proposition that could have still featured it ruling against Brady in what ended up being a 21-month saga. Sunday’s step, though, represents a win for Roger Goodell‘s discipline power.
Nevertheless, the 39-year-old quarterback already served his suspension. He will be back to stabilize a chaotic Patriots quarterback position next week in Cleveland.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cardinals To Be “Very Careful” With Palmer
The odds of Carson Palmer returning in time for what’s looking like a pivotal Thursday-night game aren’t looking good. The Cardinals plan to be “very, very careful” with their franchise quarterback, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (on Twitter), who does not put Palmer’s odds at suiting up against the 49ers as very good.
Palmer left Sunday’s game after being sacked by Aaron Donald and Eugene Sims during the fourth quarter of what turned out to be Arizona’s third loss this season. He’s in the concussion protocol, per Bruce Arians. The fourth-year Cardinals coach does not expect to play Palmer if he can’t practice this week, per Mike Jurecki of FoxSports 910 (via Twitter).
The defending NFC West champions are now two games behind both the Rams and Seahawks after being a surefire playoff pick by most experts. Arizona would turn to Drew Stanton, as they did after Palmer exited tonight, against San Francisco if their fourth-year starter can’t go.
Following the trip to the Bay Area, the Cardinals will return home in Week 6 to face the Jets in Monday-night tilt. Palmer played all 16 games for the Cardinals in 2013 and ’15 but missed more than half of 2014 due to his second ACL tear. The 36-year-old quarterback hasn’t gotten off to a splendid start, having thrown five interceptions and just one touchdown pass the past two weeks, but is coming off a standout showing in 2015 and represents the team’s best option.
Stanton re-signed with the Cardinals this offseason and led them to a 5-3 mark in eight starts in 2014. He only completed 55% of his passes that season and has never connected on more than 58% in his career.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
49ers Fear NaVorro Bowman Tore Achilles
49ers cornerstone linebacker NaVorro Bowman left Sunday’s game against the Cowboys, and he’s scheduled to undergo an MRI Monday, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
The team’s fear is a torn Achilles’ tendon for the seventh-year linebacker, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Bowman told Maiocco his MRI will be on the Achilles in question, which caused Bowman to leave the game after sustaining the injury on a non-contact sequence.
While it’s the same left leg Bowman damaged against the Seahawks nearly three years ago, Maiocco notes this injury is not related to what happened in the 2013 NFC title game.
Bowman has played 20 games since returning from the gruesome malady that sidelined him throughout 2014. The 49ers underwent significant changes while he was shelved, but the 28-year-old inside linebacker still returned and garnered first-team All-Pro acclaim last season. The 49ers then signed Bowman to a four-year, $44MM extension that stands to keep him in San Francisco through the 2022 season.
The former third-round pick and Patrick Willis‘ longtime running mate during the 49ers’ run to NFC championship games, Bowman has four first-team All-Pro honors to his credit despite playing in just five full seasons, giving him one of the greatest such ratios in NFL history for any position. Bowman earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2011, ’12, ’13 and ’15. After missing the entire 2014 campaign, he made 154 tackles and 2.5 sacks last season for a rebuilding San Francisco operation.
Bowman registered eight tackles and a sack, his first of the season, Sunday before leaving the game.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
5 Key Stories: 9/25/16 – 10/2/16
Down goes J.J. Texans pass rusher J.J. Watt, the best defensive player in the league, is out for the season after aggravating a back injury. While Watt could technically return from injured reserve thanks to the NFL’s new IR rules, 
head coach Bill O’Brien ruled out that possibility. Watt underwent surgery earlier this seek, and should be a full go for the 2017 campaign. To replace Watt (using “replace” in the loosest sense of the word), Houston signed free agent defensive end Antonio Smith, who spent a good portion of his early career with the Texans.
And Sammy too. The Texans weren’t the only club to lose a playmaker this week, as the Bills are now dealing with the absence of wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who was placed on IR as he continues to deal with a foot injury. It’s the same issue that’s hindered him dating back to May, and though a report back then labeled the ailment “minor,” it’s clearly been anything but. Watkins will meet with a specialist this week and is likely to require another surgery — if that happens, he’ll miss the rest of the year for sure.
Josh Gordon won’t be returning. The Browns are not only winless, but won’t be getting their young receiver back in the fold as was supposed to happen. Josh Gordon, 
set to return from a four-game ban, is entering rehab as he tries to recover from an alcohol addiction. Clearly, any move to clean up his life should be lauded, but Cleveland has apparently seen enough, and is ready to part ways. The club had been trying to trade Gordon as recently as last week, but that likely won’t occur now.
What’s going on with Dez? Dez Bryant missed an MRI and team meetings last week, as he was reportedly fearing the worst in regards to his knee injury. The final report isn’t that bad — he has a bone bruise and will miss a little time — but a report today indicated that this occurrence is the latest episode in Bryant’s “pattern of irresponisble behavior.” Both the Cowboys and Bryant’s agents have tried to help him organize his life, but he’s been repeatedly late or absent throughout his career in Dallas.
The last straw. Speaking of Cowboys (or rather, former Cowboys) with off-field problems, former Dallas defensive end Greg Hardy has likely ended any chance he ever had of returning to the NFL by being arrested on a drug charge. Interest in Hardy had dwindled to nearly nil, and now that he’s been caught with a “group 1 controlled substance, he won’t be back in the league. And given his previous transgressions, perhaps that’s for the best.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
PFR Originals: 9/25/16 – 10/2/16
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- We posted our master list of 2017 NFL Free Agents. Every player that is currently on a roster and doesn’t have a contract for next season is listed, as well as a few other notable names that aren’t on a team at the moment. Be sure to bookmark the list so you’re well prepared when the offseason begins.
- Zach Links rounded up the best of the football blogs in the latest edition of Pigskin Links.
Giants Won’t Sign Safety Before MNF
The Giants have extremely thin at safety thanks to a multitude of injuries — so much so that they’ve been using offensive players in the secondary during practice — but the club won’t make a free agent addition until Tuesday at the earliest, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.
[RELATED: New York Giants Depth Chart]
With Nat Berhe and Darian Thompson already listed as out for Monday night’s contest against the Vikings, the Giants will roll with undrafted rookie Andrew Adams opposite Landon Collins in the defensive backfield. Veteran Leon Hall, a cornerback by nature, could also help out at safety, while wide receiver Dwayne Harris could also be called on to play in the back end if the situation becomes dire, per Vacchiano.
New York wants to see how Adams plays on Monday night, as well as give their injured safeties a chance to heal before adding an outside option, a source told Vacchiano. But with Thompson already looking doubtful for Week 5, it seems likely that the Giants will need to sign a free agent. Over the past week, they’ve worked out Donte Whitner (link), Shamiel Gary (link), Will Allen (link), and Jeron Johnson (link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Eagles Originally Wanted Second-Rounder For Sam Bradford
The Eagles surpassed even their own expectations when they dealt quarterback Sam Bradford to the Vikings earlier this year. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, Philadelphia had originally hoped to acquire a second-round pick in exchange for Bradford. But once Minnesota lost Teddy Bridgewater for the year, the Eagles were able to exert enough leverage to extract a first-round pick, as well as a conditional fourth-rounder.
[RELATED: Appeal Date Set For Lane Johnson]
Philadelphia and general manager Howie Roseman structured Bradford’s deal with an eye towards potentially trading him during the 2017 offseason, per La Canfora. The Eagles absorbed Bradford’s $11MM signing bonus when they traded him, but the Vikings took on his guaranteed base salaries of $7MM and $4MM in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Of course, if the Eagles had some inkling that they might trade Bradford during the 2017 offseason, they must have given at least some thought to trading up to acquire a franchise quarterback like Carson Wentz. Bradford was re-signed in early March, and Philadelphia didn’t make the deal to move up to No. 2 overall until late April.
As noted, the Eagles were able to secure a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional 2018 fourth-round pick for Bradford. The fourth-rounder becomes a third-round pick if the Vikings advance to the NFC Championship Game, and a second-round pick if Minnesota wins the Super Bowl.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dez Bryant Exhibiting “Irresponsible Behavior”
Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant missed an MRI and team meetings earlier this week because he feared the worst on his injured right knee, but those absences were just the latest in a “pattern of irresponsible behavior,” according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Bryant has been late or completely missed between 20 and 40 meetings and or medical sessions during his career in Dallas, per Schefter.
[RELATED: Tony Romo Targeting Week 8 Return]
The Cowboys organization and his agents at Roc Nation have helped him become more accountable, and Bryant has even hired a driver to ensure that he attends team functions on time. But one source told Schefter that Dallas can be accused of enabling Bryant, issuing him fines for his behavior instead of handing out more significant penalties. Another source, per Schefter, is concerned about Bryant’s career longevity, as his poor sleep and dietary habits could limit his staying power.
Bryant, however, doesn’t believe his actions to be a serious issue, according to Schefter, and the Cowboys have publicly supported their star receiver. As one Cowboys player said, Bryant is perhaps being treated differently because of his talent level. “If you were hoping for him to come to a scheduled meeting, he may or may not be there, but if you need a first down on third-and-14, throw it to Dez,” said the anonymous player.
On the field, Bryant may be able to return sooner than originally thought. A source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com that Bryant has a bone bruise, and that he should be able to play in less than three weeks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sammy Watkins Likely To Have Second Surgery
Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins is expected to require a second surgery on his injured foot, and having that operation would end his season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported Thursday, Watkins will travel to North Carolina this week and meet with specialist Dr. Robert Anderson before making a final decision.
[RELATED: Bills Discussed Advisory Role With Tom Coughlin]
Buffalo officially placed Watkins on injured reserve earlier this week, and although the league’s new IR rules would allow him to return after eight weeks, that avenue is looking increasingly unlikely. If, by chance, Watkins opts against surgery, he’ll need rest and recovery to have any shot to come back later in the season. At that point, the Bills’ record would likely play a large role in deciding whether to activate Watkins.
Watkins, 23, has been dealing with his foot issue since May, when he had a screw inserted following what was termed a “minor” fracture. The ailment has kept him extremely limited this season, and he’s recorded only six catches for 63 yards in two games. To attempt to make up for Watkins’ absence, Buffalo claimed fellow pass-catcher Justin Hunter off waivers from the Dolphins.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Teams Assessing Potential Joe Thomas Trade
Rival clubs are determining the cost of possibly acquiring left tackle Joe Thomas from the Browns, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Cleveland’s new regime has been reluctant to deal Thomas — and Thomas himself didn’t request a trade over the offseason — but withe Browns off to a winless start, it’s possible they could be open to a move.
[RELATED: Browns Had Shopped Josh Gordon]
The Broncos were among the teams interested in Thomas last year, and the Browns turned down an offer of edge rusher Shane Ray and a second-round pick in exchange for the future Hall of Fame tackle, according to La Canfora. Other reports at last year’s deadline indicated that Denver was willing to ship a first- and second-round pick to Cleveland for Thomas and a fourth-rounder.
Some NFL executives believe that the Browns could end up getting a first-round pick for Thomas, per La Canfora, who lists the Cardinals, Seahawks, and Panthers among the clubs that could express interest in Thomas. All three teams rank in the bottom-half of the league in adjusted sack rate, Football Outsiders’ pass-blocking metric.
Thomas, 31, has no prorated bonus money remaining, so an acquiring team would be on the hook for all of his future cap charges. He’s signed through 2018, with cap hits of $10MM in each of the next two seasons.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.