Browns Targeting Front Office Personnel?
The Browns are now 0-6 and 1-21 since their current regime took over to start last season, and the franchise may be looking to shake things up. The Browns are reaching out to front office personnel with an emphasis on football executives, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Meanwhile, a Browns spokesman tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that the report is “false and erroneous.” 
Currently, Sashi Brown and Paul DePodesta are heading Cleveland’s front office. Neither has an extensive football background, with Brown having previously served as a lawyer before joining the Browns and later ascending to the executive VP job without a scouting background. DePodesta, of course, made his name as a baseball exec prior to becoming the Browns’ chief strategy officer. The Browns don’t have a GM.
It’s unclear what job(s) the team is targeting execs for, but it looks to be an attempt to infuse some football experience with personnel that have unorthodox backgrounds for an NFL front office.
The Browns have two games remaining until their Week 9 bye, making their post-London week a natural time to re-evaluate.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Hundley, Lions
Although John Fox is known for his conservative tendencies, the Bears coach wanted to pull the trigger on starting the Mitch Trubisky era earlier than the team ended up going through with the quarterback switch. Fox raved about the No. 2 overall pick’s upside and was open to the team replacing Mike Glennon earlier than Week 5, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. However, ownership and management, due to Trubisky’s inexperience and the investment the team recently made in Glennon, halted the switch before finally agreeing to turn to the rookie after Glennon’s rough outing in Green Bay. Trubisky picked up his first career win as a starter Sunday, with the Bears beating the Ravens in overtime.
Here’s more from the NFC North, shifting to the division’s highest-profile quarterback situation.
- Mike McCarthy doesn’t sound ready to explore outside solutions to replace Aaron Rodgers after the perennial MVP candidate broke his collarbone Sunday. The Packers coach said postgame (via Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com, on Twitter) Brett Hundley is his starting quarterback and Joe Callahan, who hasn’t played in a regular-season game yet, is the backup. A 2015 fifth-round pick, Hundley entered Sunday with 11 career pass attempts. The UCLA product threw three interceptions in the Packers’ loss to the Vikings. Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III and Matt McGloin are among the UFA options. Wisconsin native Tony Romo has stood out as an analyst in his first season, and the 37-year-old recently retired passer reportedly would only consider a return to the NFL if the Cowboys needed him. However, this would be quite the special circumstance, given the Packers’ recent track record.
- The Lions continue to wait for left tackle Taylor Decker to return to action, and Greg Robinson has yet to prove a capable replacement. But it’s likely the former No. 2 overall pick will continue to function as the Lions’ starter on the left edge due to his experience advantage over Brian Mihalik and Emmett Cleary, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. However, Rothstein notes Decker might be ready to play by the time the Lions return to action in Week 8. A late-October return gels with the last update that emerged on Decker.
- Teddy Bridgewater received good news on multiple fronts. Eligible to come off the PUP list on Monday, the Vikings quarterback is said to be ready to go. Bridgewater’s contract situation also looks to be breaking in a favorable fashion after previously residing in a murky place.
Cowboys To Host LB NaVorro Bowman
The Cowboys will host free agent linebacker NaVorro Bowman following his visit with the Raiders, which will take place on Monday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, the Saints have also emerged as a possible suitor for Bowman, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
Dallas recently witnessed linebacker Anthony Hitchens return from injury, but All Pro Sean Lee missed Week 5 with a hamstring issue and could potentially be sidelined going forward. Former second-round pick Jaylon Smith, meanwhile, has struggled in his first live action since suffering a devastating knee injury in his final collegiate game. The Cowboys rank just 29th in defensive DVOA and are dead last in rush defense DVOA, so adding a free agent of Bowman’s caliber should be able to improve those marks.
New Orleans’ defense isn’t much better than the Cowboys’, as the Saints ranks 30th against the run per DVOA. They’ve dealt with injuries at linebacker as well, as rookie Alex Anzalone was recently placed on injured reserve, while the team lost a bit of depth by trading Stephone Anthony to the Dolphins earlier this season. A.J. Klein and Craig Robertson are currently garnering most of the second level snaps for New Orleans.
Given the level of interest he’s generated, Bowman is expected to sign quickly — he hopes to have a new deal in place by Wednesday, reports Florio.
49ers To Stick With C.J. Beathard At QB
C.J. Beathard will remain the 49ers’ starting quarterback after taking over for veteran Brian Hoyer in today’s game, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, including Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link).
San Francisco made the decision to replace Hoyer with Beathard in the second quarter, and while the Niners still came up short to the Redskins, Beathard made the game competitive, leading San Francisco on a comeback attempt before the club ultimately fell 26-24. Beathard, whom the 49ers selected in the third round of this year’s draft, completed 19 of 36 passes for 245 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Hoyer, meanwhile, had completed 59% of his passes for four touchdowns and four interceptions heading into today’s contest, but was four of eleven for only 34 yards before getting yanked today. The 32-year-old Hoyer is signed through the 2018 season, and a has a base salary guarantee of $2.9MM next year.
Colin Kaepernick Files Collusion Lawsuit
Free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick has filed a lawsuit that alleges collusion by the NFL’s owners to keep him out of the league, according to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (all Twitter links). Kaepernick, who has hired high-profile attorney Mark Geragos, will release a statement on the lawsuit in the near future, per Freeman.
Kaepernick, of course, originated kneeling during the national anthem as a form of silent protest during the 2016 season, and has since been unable to land an NFL contract. While Kaepernick certainly doesn’t fit every offense in the league, it’s difficult to argue that his social activism hasn’t played at least some role in his failure to earn a roster spot.
As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported last week, Kaepernick has been diligent about contacting clubs with potential vacancies at quarterback, but as of yet, no team has been willing to enter negotiations or even met with the former 49ers signal-caller aside from the Seahawks, who ultimately chose journeyman Austin Davis as their backup selection. Kaepernick reportedly reached out to the Titans following Marcus Mariota‘s recent injury, but Tennessee had no interest.
Kaerpernick’s lawsuit wasn’t filed in conjunction with the NFLPA, but the union will still support him in his legal battle, reports Mike Jones of USA Today (Twitter link). Still, proving collusion could prove tough, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explains (Twitter links) simply arguing Kaepernick is a better player that other quarterbacks who have landed contracts may not satisfy the contractual bargaining agreement’s “burden of proof.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/15/17
Ravens Had Interest In Adrian Peterson
The Ravens had interest in trading for running back Adrian Peterson before the Saints dealt him to the Cardinals, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link).
New Orleans ultimately acquired a 2018 conditional sixth-round pick for Peterson, so it’s unclear if Baltimore simply didn’t want to meet that asking price, or if Peterson perhaps indicated he’d prefer to play for the Cardinals. Peterson claims he did not request a trade away from the Saints, but it’s entirely possible general manager Mickey Loomis & Co. allowed him some say on his destination.
Baltimore has dealt with a number of injuries at the running back position, as Kenneth Dixon and Danny Woodhead are both on injured reserve. While Woodhead is eligible to begin practicing again in late October, the Ravens don’t currently have a timeline for his return, reports Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Dixon, meanwhile, will miss the entirety of the season, while Terrance West will be sidelined for a few weeks with a calf injury.
Javorius Allen and Alex Collins have handled the bulk of the Ravens’ carries in recent weeks, and figure to do so going forward. After missing out on Peterson, Baltimore re-signed veteran journeyman Bobby Rainey, who has already earned his paycheck in Week 6 by returning a kickoff for a 96-yard touchdown against the Bears.
5 Key NFL Stories: 10/8/17 – 10/15/17
Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension reinstated: The NFL’s ongoing legal battle with Elliott took another turn last week, as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the league, a decision which resulted in the restoration of the Cowboys running back’s six-game ban. Elliott still has options — he can re-file in either New York or Texas and keep himself on the field — but if he and his team don’t take action, he’ll be suspended until November 24, the day after Dallas’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Chargers. If Elliott decides to accept his ban, the Cowboys will turn to Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden as their primary backs.
Cardinals acquire Adrian Peterson: The Saints quickly abandoned any plans they had to utilize Peterson in 2017, as they shipped the former All Pro to Arizona for a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick. Peterson had lost time to fellow backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara in New Orleans, and had posted only 27 rushing attempts through four games. Peterson says he did not request a trade, but he’ll now have a chance to be the lead back for the Cardinals, who subsequently released veteran Chris Johnson. General manager Steve Keim & Co. didn’t take much of a risk in acquiring Peterson, as Arizona owes him only ~$700K for the rest of the season.
Giants lose all their wideouts: Not only is Big Blue now winless to start the season, but it’s witnessed injuries to their top four wide receivers. Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle), Brandon Marshall (ankle), and Dwayne Harris (foot) are all out for the rest of the year, while Sterling Shepard is expected to miss multiple weeks with a health issue of his own. New York has added several pass-catchers in recent days, but the club is not interested in a reunion with Victor Cruz (despite his best lobbying efforts). As if the Giants’ receiving problems weren’t enough, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has now been suspended indefinitely following multiple incidents.
Texans down their best defenders: J.J. Watt (tibial plateau fracture) and Whitney Mercilus (torn pectoral) are both out for the rest of the year, leaving Houston with only Jadeveon Clowney as the club’s only star along its front seven. For Watt, who is arguably still the NFL’s best defensive player, this latest injury means he’s now been sidelined by health questions in each of the past two seasons. For what it’s worth, the Texans did agree to terms with free agents Lamarr Houston (link) and Kendall Langford (link), but neither of those players can be counted on to replace the production of Watt and/or Mercilus.
End of an era in San Francisco: After unsuccessfully attempting to trade him, the 49ers released veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who had spent his entire career in the Bay Area. San Francisco had actually agreed to ship the former All Pro to New Orleans, but Bowman preferred to become a free agent and pick his next club. Thus far, the Raiders have expressed the most interest, and Bowman will meet with Oakland in the coming days.
Titans QB Marcus Mariota To Start In Week 6
The Titans will see the return of quarterback Marcus Mariota on Monday night, as he’s expected to start against the Colts after recovering from a strained hamstring, according to veteran NFL reporter Paul Kuharsky (Twitter link).
With Mariota sidelined for Week 5, Tennessee turned to veteran backup Matt Cassel, who couldn’t move the offense in a 16-10 loss to the Dolphins. Cassel completed 21 of 32 attempts for only 141 yards and one touchdown while taking six sacks. Brandon Weeden, signed following Mariota’s injury, served as Cassel’s No. 2, but it’s unclear whether he’ll remain on the roster now that Mariota is available.
The Titans, Texans, and Colts all sit at 2-3, one game behind the AFC South leading Jaguars. Football Outsiders currently gives Tennessee a 24.2% chance of making the playoffs, and those odds should only be buoyed by Mariota’s return. Through four starts, Mariota has completed 60% of his passes for three touchdowns and three interceptions while adding 116 yards and three more scores on the ground.
Aaron Rodgers Has Broken Collarbone
Packers Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone in today’s contest against the Vikings and could potentially miss the rest of the season, the club announced. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link) first reported that Rodgers had likely broken his collarbone.
It’s difficult to overstate the potential loss of Rodgers, who was slammed down by Minnesota linebacker Anthony Barr on the offending play. Arguably the best quarterback in the league, Rodgers seemingly single-handedly leads Green Bay to victories, as evidenced by his comeback efforts against the Cowboys in Week 5. This year, Rodgers is among the NFL’s top-10 in both completion percentage and quarterback rating, and has tossed 13 touchdowns against only three interceptions.
While there’s no immediate timeline as to Rodgers’ recovery period, he’s dealt with this injury before. Rodgers broke his left collarbone during the 2013 campaign and missed seven games, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk tweets. In that case, however, Rodgers broke his left collarbone, while this latest injury is to his throwing shoulder, which could further impede a return.
With Rodgers sidelined, the Packers have turned to backup Brett Hundley, whom Green Bay selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. Although he had attempted only 11 NFL passes before today, Hundley had drawn trade interest in the past, and general manager Ted Thompson almost shipped him away this offseason. Hundley has completed four of eight passes the Vikings today for one touchdown and one interception.
Green Bay only has two quarterbacks on its current roster, so the club will be forced to add another signal-caller in the coming days. Former undrafted free agent Joe Callahan resides on the Packers’ practice squad and could be promoted, while Green Bay could also target a veteran free agent. Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, Matt Barkley, and Matt McGloin are among the options on the open market.
Heading into today’s game, the Packers had posted an NFC North leading 4-1 record and had a 69.6% chance of earning a postseason berth, per Football Outsiders. Without Rodgers, those odds certainly figure to decrease, and Green Bay faces the 15th-most difficult schedule going forward, according to FO. Over the next several weeks, the Packers will face the Saints, Lions, Bears, Ravens, and Steelers, with a bye mixed in during Week 8.