NFL Aiming To Expand London Schedule
The NFL remains intent on gauging whether or not a franchise could function as a full-time London operation. To measure this, the league wants a team to play in multiple London games during a season.
NFL executive VP of international Mark Waller said more games coming to London in subsequent seasons, with as many as eight regular-season contests potentially on tap for England in the near future. Along with that, Waller told CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora he would like to see a team play in more than one England contest in a season.
“I’d like to do both of those. I don’t think you have to go four games, five games, six games, seven games, eight games,” Waller said, indicating the league could soon see a multi-game jump for future London itineraries instead of a one-game increase like this season brought.
“I think we’ve shown by the strength of the foundation that the demand is there, and I definitely think you could play across a full season [eight regular-season “home” games] and slate the games and I definitely agree you’d want to see a team coming over and playing two or even three games, and then going back to the States and seeing how that works.”
Waller, though, told Albert Breer of SI.com an increase beyond four London games is unlikely to occur next season. But it’s clear bigger plans are in the works.
As far as the effort to simulate a team playing in London full-time, Waller said he would like to see a team play in England in back-to-back weeks. He appears to envision that happening this decade.
“I don’t think you could expect a team to travel backwards and forwards every week,” Waller said, via La Canfora. “So we’d like to see what it’s like to play here back-to-back weekends, and I’m sure we’ll get to that in the next couple of years.”
Winners over the Ravens on Sunday, the Jaguars lead the pack in terms of London participation. They’ve played an England game in each of the past five seasons. And Waller expects the team to extend its agreement — one that stipulates the franchise plays at least one game in London per season — past 2020. Naturally, this would lead to speculation the Jags would be the guinea pigs for the multi-London-game experiment and loom as the franchise most likely to relocate to England down the road.
“Obviously, they’ve still got three years to run on that agreement,” Waller told La Canfora, “and I’m sure after this year we’ll start the conversation there. I’d be very surprised if they didn’t want to continue. It’s worked, I think, incredibly well for them in London, and I believe it’s really helped the city of Jacksonville gain visibility and exposure, and even inward investment into Jacksonville as a result, and it’s work fantastically for us. So I’d be disappointed if there wasn’t an extension to that arrangement at a minimum.”
Regarding a potential timetable for a London relocation, Waller told Breer the goal when the NFL began the International Series in 2007 was to have a team stationed in London by 2022. Waller believes that date remains realistic, also noting that giving the London franchise a second base of operations in the Eastern part of the U.S. would be under consideration to help with logistics.
“If the team had a second base on the East Coast, and when they came over to the States they were going back to a familiar place, there’s a general feel [among teams] that it would solve a vast number of the operational issues,” Waller said, via Breer. “Whether it’s transportation issues, talent issues and making sure week-in, week-out, you have the talent you need on hand, increasingly there’s belief that’s the right solution.”
Raiders Discussing Lease Extension With Oakland Coliseum
The Raiders are signed to play home games at Oakland Coliseum through the 2018 season, but with their Las Vegas venue not set to be ready by 2020 at the earliest, the team is tentatively expected to stay in the Bay Area in 2019 as well.
However, this franchise may go by the “Oakland Raiders” for longer than expected. The Raiders and Bay Area authorities are discussing an extension to the current lease, with Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reporting these talks are about staying in Oakland past the 2019 season.
Issues about stadium construction and with the new arrangement with UNLV, which will share the stadium, have induced the Raiders to consider a fourth season as a lame-duck tenant in Oakland. Unlike the Rams and Chargers in Los Angeles, the Raiders aren’t at the point where a delay their stadium’s unveiling is a certainty, per La Canfora. But talks are commencing with Oakland about a post-2019 partnership. Although, it’s still unclear if the sides have an agreement in place for 2019.
“They’re talking about adding on at least one more year in Oakland,” a source informed La Canfora about a possible 2020 season in northern California.
La Canfora reports the director of the Coliseum Commission is open to such an arrangement. However, we heard earlier this year Oakland was considering concluding the sides’ relationship after the 2018 lease expires.
The NFL insider adds the Raiders might be using a lease extension in their current city as leverage in the UNLV talks — which have become somewhat contentious, prompting the university to hire a pricey lawyer to handle negotiations with the relocating NFL team — but at the same time are coming to grips with the fact they may need a stadium solution for the 2020 season.
East Notes: Dolphins, Giants, Patriots, Eagles
The Dolphins still haven’t offered contract year wide receiver Jarvis Landry a new deal, but 24-year-old slot weapon isn’t worried about the lack of negotiations. “The number I may want may not be the number the team is willing to give me,” Landry told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “It’s about finding that negotiating price that works for both parties. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten offers. But when the process starts, I want nothing less than what I deserve.” Landry ackowledged he would accept the franchise tag in 2018, although Miami is unlikely to extend an offer — even over one year — of $15MM+ for a slot receiver.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Head coach Ben McAdoo intends to retain control of the Giants‘ offensive play-calling, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Of course, that report was filed before New York fell to 0-3 with a loss to the Eagles today, but Big Blue’s offense played well in the second half, as Eli Manning completed three touchdown passes (two to Odell Beckham Jr. and one to Sterling Shepard). However, the Giants coaching staff is “turning up the temperature” on the New York players, and that intensity only figures to increase now that the club remained winless today.
- Veteran linebacker David Harris had played all of three defensive snaps heading into today’s game, and that’s largely due to the Patriots‘ defensive formations, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. New England used mostly nickel and dime looks against the Chiefs and Saints in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively, and given that Harris is behind Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts on the defensive depth chart, he didn’t see much action. That could conceivably change if the Patriots use more base looks, but Harris is mostly a run-stopper at this point in his career.
- The Patriots signed former Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke to their practice squad last week, a sign that New England wants to develop him for the long haul, as Reiss details in a separate piece. New England didn’t have a quarterback on its practice squad in either 2014 or 2015, so the addition of Heinicke likely speaks about the prospect himself, per Reiss. From Heinicke’s point of view, the opportunity to learn under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady was “too enticing to pass up,” a source tells Reiss.
- As part of the 2016 trade that sent cornerback Eric Rowe to New England, the Eagles will see their fourth-round return upgraded to a third-round pick if Rowe plays in 50% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps in 2017. Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice examines where that deal stands, and whether the possibility of acquiring a third-rounder lessened the pain of sending a 2018 third-round pick to Buffalo for fellow corner Ronald Darby earlier this year.
5 Key NFL Stories: 9/17/17 – 9/24/17
Injuries, injuries, injuries. Several contenders lost key players to health issues last week, including the Ravens, who saw All Pro guard Marshal Yanda join a ever-growing list of Baltimore contributors that is done for the year. Tight end Greg Olsen is done for at least eight weeks after suffering a broken foot, but there’s hope he could return to the Panthers later in 2017. Elsewhere in the NFC South, Falcons edge rusher Vic Beasley is expected to miss at least a month with a hamstring ailment, but he won’t go on injured reserve. And the Chargers’ string of poor injury luck continued, as No. 1 corner Jason Verrett decided to undergo season-ending knee surgery.
Adversaries get new deals. The NFL is still expected to extend commissioner Roger Goodell through the 2021 season, although the contract has taken a bit longer than expected to get done. That may have been because Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reportedly attempted to influence the process in the hopes of expanding the field of candidates. The NFLPA, meanwhile, re-elected DeMaurice Smith as executive director, although civil rights lawyer Cyrus Mehri is expected to contest the results.
Andrew Luck possibly nearing return. While the Colts are without Luck during Week 3 (but still winning), Indy could see its franchise quarterback back on the field in the near future. Week 6 is looking like a realistic date for Luck’s return, meaning the Colts would need to get through only two more games — against the Seahawks and 49ers — with Jacoby Brissett under center. If Indianapolis can hold onto against the Browns today, the club would be in a much better position if/when Luck comes back.
Dolphins’ linebacker room shaken up. Free agent addition Lawrence Timmons went AWOL prior to Miami’s Week 2 game, and has since been suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. Not only that, but Timmons took a bizarre trip to visit his old team — the Steelers — during the Dolphins’ Week 1 bye. Miami has since acquired former first-round linebacker Stephone Anthony from the Saints, although that deal was reportedly in the works before the Timmons saga began.
Su’a Cravens won’t play in 2017. The Redskins officially placed Cravens — who considered retirement earlier this year — on the reserve/left squad list, ensuring that he won’t suit up this season. Cravens had been planning to report to Washington, but that won’t happen now. He wants to continue his career in 2018, but it’s unclear if that will happen with the Redskins.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/24/17
Today’s practice squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Austin Duke
- Placed on injured list: WR Keyarris Garrett
Bears Notes: Glennon, Trubisky, Howard
The Bears have not yet had a discussion about replacing starter Mike Glennon with fellow quarterback Mitch Trubisky, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Through two games (both Chicago losses), Glennon has completed 67.1% of his passes for 514 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He currently ranks 21st in quarterback rating and 25th in adjusted net yards per attempt, while the Bears’ passing offense is just 26th in DVOA.
Here’s more from the Windy City:
- Running back Jordan Howard is playing through a sprained AC joint, tweets Rapoport, who adds the injury could help explain why some scouts believe the Bears second-year back is running “tentatively.” Howard, who topped 1,300 yards on the ground in 2016 after entering the league as a fifth-round pick, has seen his snap percentage decrease this season as rookie Tarik Cohen takes on more passing game responsibility. Heading into today’s game Howard had managed just 2.7 yards per carry, but he’s already managed 46 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers in Week 3.
- While the Bears originally believed Nick Kwiatkoski was done for the year after suffering a pectoral injury last week, the linebacker’s health issue may not be season-ending, per Rapoport (Twitter link). While Kwiatkoski will miss several games, he’s likely to be available later this year. That’s an extremely positive development for Chicago, which had already placed starting linebacker Jerrell Freeman on injured reserve.
- Can the Bears rebound from their 0-2 start? Not according to PFR readers, who ranked Chicago as one of the least likeliest winless teams to perform better down the stretch. Check out the rest of the poll results and add your own thoughts here.
Reggie Bush To Retire If Not Signed In 2017
Longtime NFL running back Reggie Bush will retire if he isn’t signed during the 2017 season, as he tells TMZ Sports. Bush is still working out in the hopes of landing a deal, but he hasn’t generated any known interest at this point.
“Going into year 12, I still feel like I have a lot left to prove, a lot left to give this game before I’m done,” Bush said earlier this year when indicating his desire to continue his career. “I don’t want to put a number on how many years I have left. I think once you get past year 10, you just gotta take it one year at a time and go from there. I’m still excited, still looking forward to playing football again this season, still staying in shape, still working out.”
Bush, 32, appeared in 13 games for the Bills last season but didn’t post much in the way of results. On 12 carries, Bush actually finished with negative three yards but still scored a touchdown, and also added seven receptions for 90 yards. He also chipped in on special teams, returning 13 punts and three kickoffs.
If this is it for Bush, the former second overall pick will have finished his 11-year NFL career with 5,490 yards rushing, 3,598 yards receiving, and 54 total offensive touchdowns. Bush, who’s spent time with the Saints, Dolphins, Lions, 49ers, and Bills, was also a dynamic returner for much of his career (four punt returns for touchdowns, including three in 2008 alone).
PFR Originals: 9/17/17 – 9/24/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- More than a quarter of the NFL is still winless as the league enters Week 3 of the 2017 season, leading Zach Links to ask PFR readers which 0-2 (and in the case of the 49ers, 0-3) club is likeliest to rebound as the season progresses. So far, the Giants, Saints, and Chargers have been the favorites, as each of those three teams have received at least 15% of the vote.
- In our latest PFR Glossary entry, Zach explained the NFL’s waiver process, which undergoes important changes beginning in Week 4 and then again after the trade deadline passes.
Andy Dalton To Remain Bengals’ Starting QB
The Bengals are 0-2, have yet to score a touchdown, and have already fired their offensive coordinator, but Cincinnati isn’t considering a change under center, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports Andy Dalton is not in danger of losing the club’s starting quarterback job.
Backup signal-caller A.J. McCarron is well-regarded by both the Bengals and the rest of the NFL, per La Canfora, an unsurprising sentiment given that the Bengals were reportedly offered a second-round pick in exchange for McCarron this offseason. And while Dalton isn’t on a “short leash,” Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis recently indicated changes could come to the Bengals’ roster following the ouster of offensive-play caller Ken Zampese.
“This is not magic,” Lewis said, per Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “You have to do the work. Offense, defense and special teams all alike. Changing; I said we got Kenny out of here. Not Kenny. We did. And they gotta understand that. They’re part of that. And the next time, look around, there will be different guys sitting there. And they realize that, too.”
Through two games, Dalton has posted a quarterback rating that’s nearly half that of his career average while throwing four interceptions against zero touchdowns. Cincinnati’s offense has struggled as a whole, as the running game has sputtered while the club’s beleaguered offensive line ranks 29th in adjusted sack rate. All told, the Bengals are dead last in Football Outsiders’ DVOA ratings.
Franchise owner Mike Brown isn’t necessarily blaming the Bengals players for the team’s poor start, however — prior to Zampese’s firing, Brown told the Cincinnati staff that on-field talent wasn’t the club’s problem, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Andrew Luck Could Return By Week 6?
Colts quarterback Andrew Luck could potentially return to the field for Indianapolis’ Week 6 matchup against the division-rival Titans, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link).
Indianapolis opted not to place Luck on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, as that designation would have forced the 28-year-old signal-caller to miss the first six weeks of the year. Luck hasn’t given anyone in the Colts’ organization any doubt that he’ll be able to play in 2017, per Rapoport.
Indeed, Luck is expected to begin practicing as soon as this week, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com, who adds there is “zero thought” that Luck will remain sidelined for the entire season. Luck will likely require a two-to-three week ramp-up period, meaning he could target Weeks 5-7 as possible return dates, per Mortensen.
Already sitting at 0-2 on the season, the Colts face the Browns, Seahawks, and 49ers over the next three weeks before heading to Tennessee.