AFC Notes: Broncos, Douglas, Osweiler
Broncos QB Paxton Lynch did not play particularly well in last night’s preseason contest against the 49ers. He completed 9-of-13 passes for just 39 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions, which culminated in a 72.3 quarterback rating. He also rushed three times for 27 yards. While he showed some promise, he also displayed difficulties reading and reacting to defenses, and he was thoroughly outplayed by Trevor Siemian, leading Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post to believe that Denver’s quarterback competition may be over and that Siemian may have won it for the second straight year. Head coach Vance Joseph said it would be ideal to name a winner prior to next week’s third preseason game, but he added, “The timeframe is not important. What’s important is we get it right, so it could be this week, it could be next week. But we’re going to go back and watch the tape and see where we are.”
Now let’s take a look at a few more notes from the AFC:
- Chiefs running back Charcandrick West is one of the most popular players in the Kansas City clubhouse, but thanks to the emergence of rookie Kareem Hunt and the revival of C.J. Spiller, his roster spot is in jeopardy, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. The Chiefs could keep four running backs, but Paylor suggests that is somewhat unlikely unless the team is confident West or Spiller could also line up as a slot receiver if necessary.
- Titans wideout Harry Douglas managed just 15 catches for 210 yards and no touchdowns last year, and he accepted a $2MM paycut this offseason, which, combined with Tennessee’s revitalization of its WR corps, suggests that Douglas’ days in Nashville could be numbered. But as Jason Wolf of the Tennessean writes, head coach Mike Mularkey considers Douglas “invaluable,” and the coaching staff prizes his vocal and veteran presence, consistent route-running, and capable blocking. As such, Wolf believes Douglas may actually be a lock to make the roster, though his playing time will again be limited.
- Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says the game still looks a little too fast for DeShone Kizer, so she believes Brock Osweiler has the inside track to open the season as the Browns‘ starting quarterback, which is consistent with reports we have been hearing over the past several weeks.
- In a piece discussing Maxx Williams‘ promising performance during the Ravens‘ preseason victory over the Dolphins Thursday night, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun wrote that Williams is competing with Larry Donnell and Vince Mayle for Baltimore’s No. 3 TE job (behind Ben Watson and Nick Boyle). Williams, a 2015 second-round selection, underwent unique and serious knee surgery last year, but he easily has the most promise of any tight end on the roster. Even if he is technically competing for the No. 3 job at the moment, more performances like the one he had on Thursday could catapult him up the depth chart.
- Former Ravens LB Zach Orr, who recently announced he was hanging up his cleats for good, could be rejoining Baltimore in another capacity. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com says head coach John Harbaugh is interested in bringing Orr back as a scout or coach.
East Notes: Jets, Blount, Cowboys
It has been assumed for some time that Josh McCown would at least open the 2017 season as the Jets‘ starting quarterback, but the team needs to give Christian Hackenberg a look this year in order to see what they have in him, and to that end, Hackenberg got a surprise start in last night’s preseason matchup against the Lions.
It did not go well. Hackenberg took a big step backward from his solid outing last week, going 2-for-6 for 14 yards. He was sacked twice, he fumbled once, and four of his five drives were three-and-outs. Although head coach Todd Bowles attempted to take some of the heat off Hackenberg by pointing out that the offensive line did not give him much of a chance, Brian Costello of the New York Post believes McCown won the team’s starting job last night, and he didn’t even have to take a snap to do it.
Now for more from the league’s east divisions, starting with more from Gang Green:
- McCown was initially supposed to take more snaps in last night’s game than he did in the Jets‘ first preseason contest, but Bowles said he changed his mind on Thursday night, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Bowles said McCown “has played in a million preseason games” and therefore elected to give Hackenberg a shot. However, Mehta reports that McCown was told by a media relations advisor to not speak with reporters after the game, even though McCown was apparently open to talking. It is unclear what the team’s motivation in “censoring” McCown would be, but it is an interesting move just the same.
- Unlike Hackenberg, Jets No. 3 signal-caller Bryce Petty performed fairly well last night, going 15-for-24 for 160 yards and leading two field goal drives. Per Mehta, Petty has secured a roster spot unless he suffers a complete meltdown over the next several weeks.
- Mehta also observes that Ross Martin, who made a pair of short field goals last night to go along with a miss from 56 yards, remains the front-runner to win the Jets‘ kicking job over Chandler Catanzaro, who missed a 55-yarder in the preseason opener but did not get an attempt last night.
- Eagles running back LeGarrette Blount is coming off one of his best seasons, but he struggled to find a new home in free agency this offseason, and the short-yardage specialist may be on the roster bubble in Philly, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (citing Matt Lombardo of NJ.com) writes. Although Blount does not really fit the Eagles’ offense, it may not be wise to cut him, as Wendell Smallwood has had difficulty staying healthy, Darren Sproles is 34, and Donnel Pumphrey is a fourth-round rookie.
- Cowboys No. 2 QB Kellen Moore turned in another poor performance during last night’s contest against the Colts, and while the team continues to publicly support him, an unnamed source tells Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that Moore will be the subject of conversation at personnel meetings this week. It is unclear what that means at this point, because the team will certainly not promote undrafted rookie Cooper Rush to the backup job, no matter how well he has played, and the Cowboys have not yet considered adding a proven free agent to compete with Moore.
- It was a different story for Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith, who finally played in a football game last night after 596 days on the sidelines. Smith, who suffered a gruesome knee injury during the final game of his collegiate career on January 1, 2016, saw his draft stock plummet as a result and was ultimately scooped up by Dallas in the second round of the 2016 draft (he was originally considered a top-10, or even top-5, talent). The Cowboys knew 2016 would essentially be a medical redshirt year for Smith, but they also knew that, if Smith could overcome the injury, they could have something special on their hands. The nerve in Smith’s leg continues to regenerate, and as Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News writes, Smith looked solid in last night’s preseason game. He was in for 12 snaps, he moved well, and he was quick to the ball, further solidifying the team;s belief that he will be a significant contributor this year.
Jaguars Sign DuJuan Harris
The Jaguars have signed running back DuJuan Harris, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that the team has waived/injured CB Charles Gaines to make room for Harris.
With Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon both battling injuries, Jacksonville needed depth at the running back position. Harris began his career with the Jags back in 2011, when he signed with the club as an undrafted free agent out of Troy. He has also seen regular season action with the Packers, Seahawks, and 49ers, and he accumulated 38 carries for 138 yards (3.6 YPC) for San Francisco last year, along with eight catches for 115 yards and a score. The 49ers re-signed him to a one-year deal this March but released him just a few weeks later.
Fournette, of course, is expected to anchor the Jags’ offense after being selected with the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft, and O’Halloran reports that Fournette is very optimistic about his chances of suiting up on Week 1. He sustained a foot injury on August 12 but indicated he has made good progress in the last week. And, although the high ankle sprain that he suffered with LSU last year was on the same leg as his current foot ailment, he indicated that the two injuries are not related.
Chris Ivory will be Jacksonville’s No. 2 back this season, so assuming Fournette is healthy, Harris will compete with Yeldon for the team’s No. 3 job, along with the likes of Jonathan Grimes, Corey Grant, and Tim Cook.
In the same piece linked above, O’Halloran reports that wide receiver Marqise Lee, who is dealing with an ankle injury that initially looked severe, also plans to be ready by Week 1.
Jaguars Not Pursuing Free Agent QBs
Although the Jaguars intend to open their starting quarterback job to a competition between Blake Bortles and Chad Henne, there’s no indication the club is examining free agent signal-callers, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. Indeed, Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone says he hasn’t discussed external quarterback additions with the team’s front office, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link).
Even if the Jaguars were open to signing a free agent quarterback, they’d enter a market that is extremely lacking in options. Colin Kaepernick is the only available passer who may represent a clear upgrade over Bortles and/or Henne, but the former 49er is a tough sell in some NFL markets due to his social activism. Other quarterbacks who remain unsigned include Robert Griffin III, Shaun Hill, and Zach Mettenberger.
Bortles hasn’t lost the Jaguars’ quarterback job just yet, per Pelissero, who cautions that Jacksonville is running a true competition between the former No. 3 overall pick and Henne. However, the club’s decision won’t be based solely on production — finances are involved, too. The Jaguars have already exercised Bortles’ 2018 option worth north of $19MM, and that total will become guaranteed if Bortles suffers a serious injury and can’t pass a physical next spring.
As such, Jacksonville could potentially bench Bortles for the season in order to keep him healthy, ensuring that they’ll be able release him in 2018. The Redskins used the same tactic in 2015, placing RG3 on the sidelines so that he wouldn’t suffer an option-guaranteeing injury. Of course, the Jaguars wouldn’t be in this precarious position had they declined Bortles’ option earlier this year, a move Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap argues would have been correct.
Giants OL Michael Bowie Charged With DV
Giants offensive lineman Michael Bowie has been charged with domestic assault and battery and two counts of malicious injury or destruction of property following an incident in Oklahoma earlier this summer, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. A warrant for Bowie’s arrest was issued on Friday, reports Raanan.
Bowie was reportedly involved in an argument with his girlfriend when the disagreement became physical, leading Bowie to allegedly grab his girlfriend by the neck and throw her to the ground, per Tulsa County assistant district attorney Kenneth Elmore. Subsequently, Bowie broke two televisions and punched a hole in a wall.
“We were made aware of the Michael Bowie situation Saturday afternoon,” the Giants said in a statement. “We immediately notified NFL security. Michael will not make the trip for our game in Cleveland as we gather more information on the issue.”
The Giants, of course, are no strangers to dealing with domestic assault allegations against their players, as the club infamously dealt with abuse complaints levied at former kicker Josh Brown. New York didn’t handle the Brown situation correctly, re-signing him to a new contract even after having learned of his ex-wife’s assertions.
Bowie’s episode is unlikely to reach the national level that did Brown’s, if only because Bowie is a reserve lineman fighting for a back-end roster spot. That’s not to dismiss the allegations against Bowie, of course, but the Giants should have a relatively easy time parting with him if they so choose. Bowie, 25, started eight games for the Seahawks in 2014 but hasn’t appeared in a contest since.
Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last year’s Buccaneers didn’t break the club’s decade-long streak of sitting at home during the postseason, but they did post their best record since 2010. Under first-year head coach Dirk Koetter, quarterback Jameis Winston showed marked improvement, while Tampa Bay’s defense also posted better results under new coordinator Mike Smith. With an eye towards earning a playoff berth for first time since the Jon Gruden era, the Buccaneers entered the offseason with clear goals in mind.
Notable signings:
- DeSean Jackson, WR: Three years, $33.5MM. $20MM guaranteed.
- William Gholston, DE: Four years, $27.5MM. $7MM guaranteed. $9MM available via incentives.
- Chris Baker, DT: Three years, $15.75MM. $6MM guaranteed.
- J.J. Wilcox, S: Two years, $6.5MM. $3.125MM guaranteed.
- Josh Robinson, CB: Two years, $5MM. $3MM guaranteed.
- Chris Conte, S: Two years, $5MM. $2.5MM guaranteed.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB: One year, $3MM. $1.25MM guaranteed. $2MM available via incentives.
- Joe Hawley, OL: Two years, $6MM. $1MM guaranteed.
- Nick Folk, K: One year, $1.75MM. $750K guaranteed.
- Jacquizz Rodgers, RB: Two years, $3.3MM. $600K guaranteed.
- Sealver Siliga, DT: One year, $1.1MM. $200K guaranteed.
- Garrison Sanborn, LS: One year, minimum salary benefit. $50K guaranteed.
- Ryan Griffin, QB: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.
- Jacquies Smith, DE: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.
- Robert McClain, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Justin Trattou, DE: One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Marqueston Huff, S: One year, $690K.
- Tavaris Barnes, DE: One year, $540K.
While the Buccaneers passing offense ranked a respectable 12th in DVOA last season, the unit didn’t post many explosive plays, as Tampa Bay finished 24th in 20+ yard receptions and dead last in 40+ yard catches. Mike Evans, Adam Humphries, and Cameron Brate formed the foundation of a solid passing game, but a new dimension was clearly needed. Enter DeSean Jackson, who lead the league in yards per reception in 2016, the third time he’s done so in his nine-year career. Among receivers with at least 40 receptions last season, Jackson ranked third with 12.82 air yards per catch, meaning he’s able to get open down the field and not simply rely on yards after the catch. He also accounted for 145 yards and four first downs by drawing pass interference penalties, an underrated facet of his game. Although he’s on the wrong side of 30, Jackson is exactly what the Buccaneers offense needs, and he should be worth of every penny of a contract that makes him the ninth-highest-paid wideout in the NFL.
Joining Jackson as an offensive starter (at least for the first three games of the season) will be running back Jacquizz Rodgers, who earned the first multi-year contract of his career after averaging 4.3 yards per carry on 129 rushes a season ago. Rodgers, 27, touched the ball more than he had in any prior season, and was a workhorse for Tampa Bay in Weeks 5-7, rushing the ball 75 times during that span. He’ll be the Buccaneers’ lead back to begin the campaign while Doug Martin finishes a suspension, and Rodgers could keep the starting job for even longer, as general manager Jason Licht recently indicated Martin won’t be handed a role when he returns.
While the Bucs are comfortable rolling with Rodgers until Martin comes back, they surely won’t feel the same way if they’re forced to use new backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick for any extended period of time. That being said, Fitzpatrick isn’t a disaster as a reserve option, especially at a price of only $3MM. Yes, Fitzpatrick posted the worst statistics of any starting quarterback not named Matt Barkley or Jared Goff in 2016, but he’s not being asked to start in Tampa Bay. If Jameis Winston is sidelined next year, Fitzpatrick should at least be able to keep the club’s offense afloat.
On defense, the Buccaneers acted quickly to re-sign defensive end William Gholston, who was said to be a priority for the team in free agency. At first glance, Gholston’s five-year contract appears to be a massive overpay, as his $5.5MM annual salary is exorbitant for a run-stuffer who ranked as a bottom-20 edge defender in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. But because Tampa Bay rarely employs signing bonuses, Gholston’s deal is essentially a one-year pact. All of his $7MM guarantee comes in 2017, and the Buccaneers could cut ties after the season without any dead money incurring on their cap. If Tampa is able to land a top-notch pass rusher in next year’s draft, I’d expect Gholston to be on the chopping block.
New defensive tackle Chris Baker will be lining up next to Gholston after the Bucs lured him away from the nation’s capital with a three-year agreement, and he should be able to help out a Tampa Bay run defense that took a major step backward under first-year defensive coordinator Mike Smith. While the Buccaneers’ pass defense improved from 26th in DVOA to sixth, the club’s prowess against the run slipped from ninth in DVOA to 26th, while Tampa’s defensive line ranked 24th in adjusted line yards. Baker is a stud in the run game, but he’s also adept at getting after opposing quarterbacks, as he ranked 11th among defensive tackles with 16 hurries last season.
Chris Conte keeps getting chances despite grading as one of the least capable safeties in the league for the duration of his career. Last season, PFF ranked Conte as the second-worst safety in the NFL, but the Buccaneers still re-signed him to a two-year pact. Thankfully, Tampa Bay isn’t asking Conte to play a full complement of snaps in 2017, as they’ve signed former Cowboy J.J. Wilcox and drafted Justin Evans in the second round. Wilcox, 26, only played half of Dallas’ defensive snaps a season ago, but had significant starting experience in 2014-15. Josh Robinson is back to help out in the secondary, as well, but most of his time will be spent as a gunner on special teams.
Tampa Bay signed kicker Nick Folk to hedge against Roberto Aguayo‘s struggles, and the move now seems prescient following Aguayo’ release. Although Tampa handed Folk a $750K guarantee, the club was only nominally on the hook for that money — had Folk been cut, he likely would’ve been picked up by another team, and the offset language in his deal would have freed the Bucs from his commitment. The Jets, Folk’s former employer, ranked dead last in special teams DVOA last season, but that wasn’t Folk’s fault, as he converted 87.1% of his kicks (including 50% from 50+ yards) and gave New York 0.3 points of field position. He didn’t do well on kickoffs, however, as he ranked just 23rd among kickers with 39 touchbacks.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/19/17
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: OL Marquis Lucas
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived from IR: S Cedric Thompson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Terran Vaughn
- Waived/injured: LB Deiontrez Mount
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Carlos Davis
- Waived: WR C.J. Germany, WR Justin Thomas
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Mariel Cooper
- Waived: FB Quayvon Hicks
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Darrius Sims
- Waived/injured DE Kourtnei Brown
West Notes: Veach, Mahomes, Raiders, 49ers
Andy Reid credited recently hired GM Brett Veach of alerting him to the likes of DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Fletcher Cox during the duo’s time together with the Eagles. The new Chiefs GM’s latest pet project was a player who figures to have a big say in whether the franchise can challenge for a Super Bowl title in the years to come. Reid said Veach was “all in on” Patrick Mahomes during the franchise’s draft preparation and brought the Texas Tech prospect onto he and then-GM John Dorsey‘s radar.
“If he brings you (a player) and he’s that sold on him, you better take a look at him,” Reid said, via Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star. “He’s brought to me (guys) like DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Fletcher Cox — all these guys, and it was early, before anybody really had a beat on it. And (back then) … I’m going, ‘Wow, he’s got kind of a knack for this thing.”
The Chiefs have brought in several cornerstone players during Dorsey and Veach’s time as top execs, with Travis Kelce, Marcus Peters and Tyreek Hill becoming first-team All-Pros in 2016. Mahomes recently commandeered Kansas City’s backup quarterback job.
Here’s the latest out of the Western divisions.
- Viewed as the AFC West favorite despite the Chiefs’ sweep in this rivalry last season, the Raiders have seen their backup quarterback picture clear up to some degree in recent days. Jack Del Rio said (via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle) said E.J. Manuel has outperformed Connor Cook so far and is in the No. 2 spot behind Derek Carr. A former Bills first-rounder, Manuel signed a modest one-year deal with the Raiders early in free agency.
- The Raiders’ current depth chart has two recent Day 3 draft picks as starters at the non-rush linebacker spots, with second-year sixth-rounder Cory James stationed as Oakland’s first-team weakside ‘backer and fifth-round rookie Marquel Lee in the middle. Lee’s spot may be less certain, per Tafur, who adds the Raiders will likely look to the waiver wire to add another inside linebacker if the Wake Forest product falters. The Raiders signed Perry Riley midway through last season, and the former Redskins starter became a quality performer for the Silver and Black. Still a free agent, the 29-year-old Riley would seemingly be an option. Reggie McKenzie said the 2016 starter was a consideration, but that was back in May. The Dolphins passed on Riley as a Raekwon McMillan replacement, choosing to sign Rey Maualuga instead.
- The 49ers entered camp uncertain if they had one starting-caliber guard on their roster, let alone two, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes. Brandon Fusco will play right guard, but the 49ers are on the lookout for outside help opposite the longtime Vikings cog, Maiocco reports. Zane Beadles is penciled in on the other side, with Joshua Garnett sidelined due to knee surgery.
- Jimmie Ward will return to safety this season after a lengthy cornerback experiment, but the 49ers have yet to see him work at that spot during camp. Maiocco reports the 49ers expect the fourth-year defensive back to be cleared this week. He suffered a hamstring injury during San Francisco’s conditioning tests.
- Maiocco adds recently signed corner K’Waun Williams is in position to function as the 49ers’ top nickel back. He’s in the lead over 2016 third-rounder Will Redmond for that job. Neither Williams nor Redmond played last season. A torn ACL during his final college season led to Redmond missing 2016, and a controversial injury ended Williams’ time with the Browns. Cleveland’s two-year slot corner was not on a team last season but participated in a lengthy visit tour before deciding on a one-year, $765K deal with the 49ers.
- The Seahawks will have a decision to make on Luke Joeckel‘s position after starting left tackle George Fant tore his ACL Friday night.
Latest On “Certain” Work Stoppage Before Next CBA
The back and forth between the league and NFLPA regarding the Ezekiel Elliott case ahead of the appeal continues the sides’ icy relationship. But rather than represent merely the Cowboys running back’s eligibility this season, this conflict looks like another step in a contentious process taking shape before the next CBA negotiations commence, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com notes.
“That is exactly what it is,” an NFL player who’s his team’s union rep told Robinson. “[The] league is trying to slander the image of the [players association] ahead of the battle. … This is exactly what happens. We will win if they continue this approach. [The NFL is] losing the public trust and empathy.”
Other player representatives told Robinson nothing consequential can be achieved in the next CBA negotiations without a “significant” work stoppage. Said strategy has already become a cornerstone discussion point as the union makes incredibly early preparations for the 2021 standoff. The current CBA has four seasons remaining on it.
Goals like removing the franchise tag from teams’ arsenals and finding a way to ensure contracts have more guaranteed money, or even moving toward the fully guaranteed contracts prevalent in the NBA or MLB, are being discussed, Robinson reports.
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith fully expects a work stoppage come 2021. The NFL hasn’t seen any games missed due to a labor impasse since 1987. The 2011 lockout ended up simply truncating the offseason.
Although it’s interesting players in the league now are bracing for this work stoppage, when it will affect many players who are in college and many in high school presently, Robinson writes and argument can be made this is the earliest and most serious preparations for CBA talks in NFL history.
Some at the NFLPA are calculating how much money will be needed in reserve to executive a work-stoppage strategy. One union source told Robinson as much as $500MM or $600MM would need to be saved for the purposes of compensating players by the time the strike/lockout comes.
Dolphins Sign Veteran LB Rey Maualuga
Following rookie Raekwon McMillan‘s season-ending knee injury, the Dolphins have added a veteran replacement. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, the team has signed linebacker Rey Maualuga. According to the writer, Maualuga will earn the ninth-year veteran’s minimum base salary of $900K, and he’ll earn another $80,000 via a guaranteed bonus. Salguero notes that the linebacker will ultimately count $695K against the team’s cap.
The 30-year-old worked out for the Dolphins earlier this week, as he competed with several free agents for the opportunity to fill the team’s hole at linebacker. As Salguero writes, the team’s decision to sign Maualuga could be attributed to his experience with defensive coordinator Matt Burke, who previously served as the player’s linebackers coach in Cincinnati. The linebacker had received interest from the Chiefs earlier this offseason, but he ultimately left his audition without a contract.
The 2009 second-round pick had spent his entire eight-year career with the Bengals before he was released by the organization in March. Last season, Maualuga appeared in 14 games, setting career-lows in starts (six) and tackles (27). Pro Football Focus wasn’t fond of his performance, as he ranked as the third-worst linebacker in the league. Of course, he’s only two years removed from a productive 75-tackle campaign. Plus, as Salguero explains, the Dolphins will only be counting on the veteran to play 25-30 snaps per game, serving primarily in “run-stuff situations.”
With second-rounder McMillan out for the season and veteran Koa Misi failing to recover from his spinal fusion surgery, the Dolphins were struggling for linebacker depth. Behind starters Lawrence Timmons, Mike Hull, and Kiko Alonso, the team is only rostering four reserves in Neville Hewitt, Trevor Reilly, Brandon Watts, and Deon Lacey.