2017 December - Pro Football Rumors

Colts Waive RB Matt Jones

December 2nd, 2017 at 4:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Matt Jones is back on the waiver wire. The Colts parted ways with the third-year running back on Saturday, ending a two-plus-month stay on their 53-man roster.

Indianapolis cut Jones to make room for wide receiver K.J. Brent, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

The Colts waived Jones in early September, only to bring him back via practice squad invitation. That could again be the move the franchise has planned, but the former Redskins starter is now unattached.

The Redskins cut Jones after the preseason concluded, and the Colts claimed him on waivers. He played in just three games this season and recorded five carries for 14 yards. The Colts have Frank Gore, Marlon Mack and Josh Ferguson as their active-roster running backs.

Jones averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2016, but the Redskins benched him primarily because of fumbling problems. He’s yet to re-emerge as a coveted ball-carrier.

Saints Move Coby Fleener To IR

December 2nd, 2017 at 4:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The concussion Coby Fleener sustained against the Rams last week induced the Saints to place their starting tight end on IR, Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported this week Fleener’s concussion could linger. He was declared out for this week. To replace Fleener on the 53-man roster, the Saints promted tight end Garrett Griffin from their practice squad, Rapoport tweets.

The Saints also waived cornerback De’Vante Harris, per Herbie Teope of NOLA.com (on Twitter), and promoted cornerback Arthur Maulet from the practice squad.

Fleener has not missed a game since his rookie season, suiting up for all 16 of the Colts’ contests from 2013-15 and each of the Saints’ games last season. He played in 11 New Orleans tilts this year prior to a nasty Blake Countess hit in Los Angeles.

The former second-round pick has become a lower-end target for Drew Brees this season, averaging 26.8 yards per game, but still leads the Saints’ tight ends by a healthy margin. Fleener caught two touchdown passes this season, but it will mark by far his lowest receiving output since his rookie year. He finished with 631 air yards last season. Josh Hill, Michael Hoomanawanui and now Griffin comprise the tight end contingent on New Orleans’ active roster.

Fleener is under contract through the 2020 season.

Harris played in all 11 Saints games this season, starting one. The 2016 UDFA recorded 15 tackles and deflected two passes. Maulet played in one career game, against the Panthers in Week 3. He may well have a chance to play a second against the Panthers on Sunday.

Patriots Waive Ricky Jean-Francois

December 2nd, 2017 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots’ pre-Week 13 roster rearrangement included more Ricky Jean-Francois transactions in what’s been a busy 2017 for the veteran defender.

New England waived Jean-Francois on Saturday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Pats also cut offensive lineman Jason King. These moves will clear roster spots for defensive end Geneo Grissom and wide receiver Bernard Reedy, both of whom will join the 53-man roster from the Pats’ practice squad.

Three teams have now cut Jean-Francois in 2017. The Patriots acquired him after the Packers parted ways with him, with Jean-Francois only making his way to Green Bay after his Washington tenure concluded with an offseason release.

He’s now on waivers. The 31-year-old defensive lineman played in two games for the Patriots after seeing time in just one contest with the Packers this season. He has three tackles this year, one that’s featured far less participation compared to his age-30 campaign. Jean-Francois played in 16 Redskins games in 2016 and started in seven.

Reedy caught on with the Patriots’ practice squad last week after the Bucs ended his lengthy Tampa Bay stay earlier this month. Despite being with the Bucs since the 2015 season, the former 2014 UDFA only saw action in 2017. A 2015 third-round Pats pick, Grissom’s played in four games this season after serving as a backup presence for most of the 2015 and ’16 slates.

Chargers Place Nick Novak On IR

December 2nd, 2017 at 3:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers won’t go with a two-kicker setup on Sunday, choosing instead to place Nick Novak on IR.

The team announced the move, one that will make room on the roster for practice squad promotion Travis Coons, who begin his Bolts game tenure by kicking against his former team. Coons’ upcoming Browns work will make him the fourth kicker to participate for the Chargers this season, with Novak replacing YoungHoe Koo and punter Drew Kaser stepping in for an injured Novak on Thanksgiving.

Novak aggravated a back injury against the Cowboys, and it will almost certainly end his season. Coons has not kicked in a game since the 2015 season. Novak finished his 13th NFL campaign going 9-for-13 on field goal tries and making 17 of his 18 extra points.

Novak spent training camp with the Texans, with whom the 36-year-old specialist kicked for the previous two seasons. But the Texans cut him. Once Koo’s struggles became too much for the Bolts, they turned to Novak — their kicker from 2011-14.

Chargers To Promote K Travis Coons From Practice Squad

December 2nd, 2017 at 1:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers will see yet another kicker suit up for them in a game this season. They made the decision to promote Travis Coons from their practice squad, according to agent Brett Tessler (on Twitter).

Tessler added his client will be kicking for the Bolts against the Browns. Nick Novak aggravating a back injury on Thanksgiving led to the Chargers signing Coons to their taxi squad earlier this week, and it looks like the team will be giving him another week to recover.

The Bolts are set to carry two kickers on their active roster, and Coons would be their fourth this season. YoungHoe Koo beat out Josh Lambo in training camp, but after early-season struggles, the Chargers reacquired Novak. Punter Drew Kaser then filled in for the kicker on Thanksgiving.

Coons hasn’t kicked in a regular-season game since the 2015 season, when he served as the Browns’ kicker for 16 games.

Aaron Rodgers Returns To Practice

December 2nd, 2017 at 1:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Aaron Rodgers waiting game progressed to another checkpoint on Saturday after the Packers’ franchise quarterback returned to practice, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

He’s officially been designated as a player who will return off IR, but hurdles remain toward the All-Pro passer suiting up in another game this season.

Rodgers has not been cleared medically and, per Rapoport, won’t be scanned until after the Packers’ Week 14 game against the Browns. He did not practice with the first team, per Rapoport (on Twitter). As Rapoport notes, the Packers designating him as their second IR-return player doesn’t mean he will come back. It means he’s progressed without any setbacks. He could return as early as Week 15 and now can’t return any later than Week 16.

A Rodgers return will depend on Green Bay’s standing in the NFC playoff race. The Packers will almost certainly have to beat both the Buccaneers and Browns at home to make it a Rodgers re-emergence practical. Mike McCarthy said the possibility of getting their quarterback back “definitely” can inspire his currently undermanned team, so it appears — barring a setback or Rodgers’ impending medical reports showing troublesome signs — the longtime coach is on board with this plan.

The Packers are 5-6 and currently two games behind the Falcons for the second wild-card spot, so their performance — along with the 7-4 Seahawks’ — could well have bearing on the Packers’ decision. But if Green Bay can get to 7-6 with Brett Hundley, a Rodgers return is starting to appear very possible.

Bears Activate DB Deiondre’ Hall

December 2nd, 2017 at 11:40am CST by Ben Levine

Deiondre’ Hall is set to make his season debut this weekend. Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune reports (via Twitter) that the Bears have activated the safety from the injured reserve. To make room on the roster, the team has placed linebacker Isaiah Irving on the IR.

After injuring his hamstring during the preseason, the 23-year-old finally returned to practice in late November. A fourth-round pick in 2016, Hall spent most of his rookie campaign on the Bears’ special teams unit, compiling nine tackles (he also added three passes defended) in eight games. During the offseason, the organization decided to switch the Northern Iowa product to safety, and Hall could end up starting at the position on Sunday. Campbell notes that either Hall or Chris Prosinski, who was signed by the organization earlier this week, are expected to get that starting nod.

Meanwhile, Irving suffered a knee injury during practice earlier this week. The undrafted rookie out of San Jose State ended up appearing in five games for Chicago, compiling five tackles. This is just another hit to the team’s embattled linebacker corps, as the Bears are already without Leonard Floyd, Willie Young, Jerrell Freeman, and potentially Danny Trevathan.

Jaguars Release S Calvin Pryor

December 2nd, 2017 at 10:48am CST by Ben Levine

Calvin Pryor‘s brief tenure with the Jaguars has come to an end. John Oehser of Jaguars.com reports (via Twitter) that the team has released the veteran safety. The team has promoted defensive end Carroll Phillips from the practice squad to take the open roster spot.

Pryor was claimed off waivers from the Browns in September, although he was placed on the injured reserve shortly thereafter. The 25-year-old was activated in mid-November, and he proceeded to play in two games for the Jaguars, compiling a single tackle. It was always going to be an uphill battle for Pryor to carve out anything more than a reserve role in Jacksonville, as both Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson are listed in the top-20 of Pro Football Focus‘ rankings of the NFL’s 91 eligible safeties. On the flip side there’s reason to believe that Pryor still has something left in the tank, as he finished the 2016 campaign with 62 tackles and six passes defended in 15 games for the Jets. With Pryor now out of the picture, Peyton Thompson and Jarrod Wilson will resume their roles as the first safeties off the bench.

Phillips, an undrafted rookie out of Illinois, joined the Jaguars during the offseason, and he caught on with the practice squad after being waived in early September. The defensive end showed plenty of pass-rushing ability during his collegiate career, as he finished the 2016 campaign with nine sacks and 19 tackles for loss.

Eagles, Alshon Jeffery Agree To Extension

December 2nd, 2017 at 9:43am CST by Ben Levine

Alshon Jeffery will be in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future. The Eagles announced (via Twitter) that they have signed the wideout to a four-year extension. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Facebook) that the deal is worth $52MM, with another $1MM worth of incentives each season. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes (via Twitter) that the deal includes $27MM in guaranteed money.

“Alshon has been a tremendous addition to this organization on and off the field,” the team said in a statement. “We place a priority on making sure we are able to build the team around quality players like Alshon who embrace this team and this city the way he has. We are excited about his future here.”

Following a tumultuous 2016 campaign with the Bears that included a four-game ban for performance-enhancing drugs, Jeffrey signed a one-year “prove-it” deal with the Eagles during the offseason. The 27-year-old has had a bounce-back campaign in Philadelphia, hauling in 43 receptions for 619 yards and seven touchdowns. While the wideout is unlikely to match his two-straight 1,000-yard campaigns between 2013 and 2014, he’s still proving to be one of the more productive receivers in the game. Pro Football Focus has been relatively fond of his performance in 2017, ranking Jeffrey 34th among 116 eligible receivers.

Perhaps more importantly, Jeffrey has provided quarterback Carson Wentz with another reliable target, and the Eagles’ receiver has played a significant role in the team’s 10-1 record. Jeffrey has played 100 more snaps than number-two wideout Nelson Agholor, and he added some much-needed experience to a receivers corps that includes a pair of rookies. While Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com believes the wideout could have seen an even bigger payday following a productive postseason, he ultimately believes Jeffrey was smart to take the big-money deal now. With a $13MM average annual salary, Jeffrey will now be tied with T.Y. Hilton for seventh on the list of the league’s highest-paid wideouts.

With Jeffrey now locked up, the team may focus their attention to extending some of his teammates. Last week, we heard that the organization was working on an extension with defensive end Brandon Graham.

Panthers Place OT John Theus On IR

December 2nd, 2017 at 9:33am CST by Ben Levine

John Theus‘ season is over. Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer reports (via Twitter) that the Panthers have placed the young offensive lineman on the injured reserve. Defensive end Zach Moore has been promoted from the practice squad to take his spot on the roster.

Theus, a 2016 fifth-round pick by the 49ers, was claimed off waivers by the Panthers earlier this season. The Georgia product didn’t end up getting in a game for Carolina, although he did make four appearances (one start) for San Francisco during his rookie campaign. The 24-year-old seemingly sat at the bottom of the team’s offensive line depth chart behind fellow bench-warmers Ryan Kalil, Amini Silatolu, Taylor Moton, and Greg Van Roten.

Moore also joined the Panthers following a brief stint with the 49ers, as Carolina claimed him off waivers from San Francisco back in May. The former sixth-rounder was subsequently waived prior to the start of the regular season, but he quickly caught on with the team’s practice squad. Moore has also had stints with the Vikings, Cowboys, and Patriots, where he earned a Super Bowl ring in 2014. In 10 career games, the defensive end has three tackles, 0.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. With Charles Johnson and Daeshon Hall both out, Moore will presumably slide behind reserves Wes Horton and Bryan Cox Jr. on the depth chart.