Colts Place Andrew Luck On IR
The Colts are placing Andrew Luck on IR and commencing a shutdown of their franchise quarterback, the team announced.
Luck told the team’s website he’s “very optimistic” about his future, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets Luck’s being shut down on the recommendation of several doctors. He adds this is not being viewed as a career-ending injury.
“I wish I was better and 100 percent this season, but that’s not the case,” Luck said. “I know I’ll be better from this. I know I’ll be a better quarterback, teammate, person and player from this, and I’m excited for the future.”
Luck had a cortisone injection done in his shoulder to help the pain he began experiencing after resuming workouts, and he hadn’t practiced since. Although Luck’s timetable was murky for most of this season, Chris Ballard said (via Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral, on Twitter) the team did not attempt to mislead and called this a fluid situation. Ballard said Luck’s soreness did not calm down after the injection, but the rookie GM did not say another surgery was on tap (Twitter links, via Chappell).
However, Ballard won’t put a time frame on when Luck will again resume throwing (Twitter link, via Chappell).
Ballard also said (via Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, on Twitter) he hasn’t heard from one doctor that this is a career-ending injury. The Colts as of now are planning on Luck being ready for the 2018 season, per Ballard (via Chappell, on Twitter).
“We’re going to exhaust all resources because the best interest is the player,” Chuck Pagano said. “It’s long-term, and we said that. It’s for the next 10, 12 years for this guy and for any player. Before we put anybody out there, we’re going to make sure he’s right so we’re going to stick to that process.”
Luck’s injury could have affected Pagano significantly. It’s unlikely he’ll get to coach Luck again. The Colts are 2-6 after consecutive seasons without playoff berths, and given that Ballard did not hire him, the sixth-year Indianapolis coach looms as an obvious Black Monday candidate.
Ballard confirmed the Colts attempted to sign quarterbacks during the summer when it looked like Luck was not going to be ready in time for this season, but the recent GM hire said (Twitter links, via Holder) the team didn’t find anyone it liked and the situation ended up being stabilized once Jacoby Brissett arrived. Ballard did say (via Chappell, on Twitter) he regrets waiting until September to trade for Brissett. Although, it’s uncertain if the Patriots would have pulled the trigger much earlier since he was a candidate to make their roster — one that housed a deeper wideout corps prior to Julian Edelman‘s injury, one that induced the Pats to acquire Phillip Dorsett — during training camp. Brissett is signed through the 2019 season.
The Colts attempted to sign Nate Sudfeld off the Eagles’ practice squad this week, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets, but they worked out four other quarterbacks late last month. The Eagles promoted Sudfeld to their active roster on Wednesday. Rapoport notes (on Twitter) Josh Johnson is likely to be the player signed to fill Luck’s roster spot.
Indianapolis’ brass continued to push back Luck’s timetable after his January surgery, much like the Bill Polian-led regime did with Peyton Manning‘s in 2011, and this will end up being the second time in seven seasons the team will have had to redshirt its franchise quarterback.
Luck, though, is obviously in no danger of being cut after this season. However, this shoulder problem lingered for two years, with Albert Breer of SI.com noting (on Twitter) he played through injury for two years and is paying for it now. Luck missed nine games in 2015 but missed just one last season, and the 2016 absence was because of a concussion. The Colts have not advanced to the playoffs since Luck’s third season.
The Colts will now turn things over to Brissett as Luck’s rehab shifts toward the long-term.
Latest On Ezekiel Elliott Appeal
In the middle rounds of what’s been a lengthy fight, the NFLPA and NFL have fired additional salvos this week after Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension was restored on Monday.
The NFLPA’s requested an emergency motion for an injunction with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in hopes of expediting this process so Elliott can play either this week or shortly thereafter, legal analyst Daniel Wallach reports (Twitter links). But the NFL has fired off a counter effort in hopes of squashing this.
The league filed a motion arguing against the emergency injunction, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk reports. The NFLPA’s 14-page argument for the injunction, which would allow Elliott to play while the case continues, is Southern District judge Katherine Polk Failla ignored “numerous cases” of courts allowing athletes to play while their post-suspension appellate efforts proceed, Mike Florio of PFT reports. Florio adds Failla’s husband is a partner at the firm that helped craft the CBA’s labor agreement, one that gives Roger Goodell full autonomy to levy discipline, but the NFLPA’s motion did not mention this.
Conversely, the NFL is arguing Failla’s ruling denying Elliott the preliminary injunction he sought wasn’t “a close call.” Should nothing come down on the Elliott front by Saturday, he will not play against the Chiefs this week. He stands a good chance of missing that game. As of now, Elliott is suspended through Week 14.
The NFLPA is arguing by Elliott missing games, he will suffer irreparable harm by this suspension beginning without the 22-year-old’s full due process being afforded to him. Because once the suspension includes games missed, Elliott’s effort only becomes about recouping game checks and restoring his reputation.
Multiple courts have denied this assertion in the past month, so this is looking like a last-ditch effort for the running back to see the field before mid-December.
Jaguars To Bring DB Calvin Pryor Off IR
The Jaguars have designated safety Calvin Pryor to return from injured reserve, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link). Pryor becomes the second Jacksonville player scheduled to come off IR, joining rookie wideout Dede Westbrook.
Pryor is now eligible to practice immediately, although he isn’t able to return to game action until Week 10. The NFL’s IR/designated to return rules stipulate an eight-week absence, so Pryor will have to wait one more week to come back, even if he’s fully healthy after suffering an ankle injury earlier this year. Jacksonville has a three-week window in which it can place Pryor on its active roster, or else he must stay on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
If he is activated, Pryor will come to the Jaguars’ roster as a clear backup. The Jaguars rank first in DVOA against the pass, and the club’s safeties — Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson — are a large part of that effort, as both rank among the NFL’s top 25 defensive backs, per Pro Football Focus. As such, Pryor will become a reserve safety (or, given his playing style, perhaps a dime linebacker) and special teams contributor.
The Jaguars claimed Pryor off waivers from the Browns in September after the former first-round pick secured his ouster in Cleveland by getting into a fight with wide receiver Ricardo Louis. In Jacksonville, he reunites with executive John Idzik, who originally drafted Pryor as the Jets’ general manager in 2014.
Panthers’ Marty Hurney Signed Through June
Panthers interim general manager Marty Hurney‘s contract runs through June of 2018, sources tell Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. However, Hurney isn’t a lock to stay in his position until that time, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer.
Hurney, who previously served as Carolina’s top decision-maker from 2002-12, was hired to replace ex-GM Dave Gettleman in June of this year, meaning his contract is for one calendar year. While part of Hurney’s duties as interim GM are to help identify the Panthers’ next general manager, the timeline of his deal indicates he’ll be around for the 2018 draft. Indeed, Hurney has been spotted on college campuses this fall, per Gantt, meaning he’s preparing for next offseason as if he will still be in charge.
In five months as general manager, Hurney has put his own stamp on the Panthers roster. He extended the contract of linebacker Thomas Davis, added incentives to tight end Greg Olsen‘s deal, and — most recently — traded No. 1 wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to the Bills in exchange for third- and seventh-round picks.
Browns Ownership Goes “Nuclear” On Front Office After Trade Mishap
The biggest story from a loaded trade deadline is looking like it was a deal that didn’t happen. Both of Ohio’s NFL teams are dealing with the fallout, one far more than the other.
A disconnect between the Browns’ front office and the coaching staff has long been reported, but now ownership has stepped in after the front office appears to have bungled a trade for Bengals backup quarterback A.J. McCarron. Specifically, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Dee Haslam went “nuclear” on the Browns’ front office on Wednesday.
The Bengals would have sent McCarron to Cleveland for second- and third-round draft choices, but several reports have noted the Browns did not send in the necessary paperwork in time. McCarron remains a Bengal, and this latest report lends further weight to the Browns having made a seminal mistake on Tuesday.
Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports the Browns contacted the Bengals on Tuesday morning about McCarron’s availability, and the Bengals lowered their asking price to second- and third-round picks. Mike Brown and Sashi Brown were on the phone at around 2:10pm CT, with the latter attempting to convince the Bengals boss to drop the asking price. Mike Brown, per Terrell, held firm by saying this was a good price for an intra-division trade. Terrell adds the Browns then pointed out the 49ers’ deal to acquire Jimmy Garoppolo — who was viewed as a higher-end Cleveland target than McCarron this offseason — only took a second-round pick, prompting Mike Brown to repeat his stance about not being in business of assisting a division rival.
Mike Brown, per Terrell, told Sashi Brown to call back in a few minutes after thinking over the deal. But a call from the Browns saying they would accept the deal didn’t come until 45 minutes later, with around five minutes to the deadline.
The Bengals scrambled to get the paperwork in but managed to send their documentation to the league, with Terrell adding an email coming from Sashi Brown’s assistant — the unfamiliar name on the email adding to the confusion — went unnoticed during this frenzy. Noting teams often check with each other to see if they receive pivotal emails of this sort, Terrell adds this did not happen during the accelerated process.
However, Terrell notes the Bengals having seen this email wouldn’t have mattered since the Browns needed to send signed documentation to the NFL as well.
“All you have to do is notify the league office you are making a deal. That’s an easy thing,” Marvin Lewis said, via Terrell, who reports the Bengals did have a league rep on the phone while they were completing the agreement. “We spoke to a person in there.”
A league source informed Terrell there’s uncertainty about the Browns’ intent on making this trade, adding that there might have been a disconnect between the front office and coaching staff regarding this transaction. The source pointed out how much time elapsed between Mike Brown-Sashi Brown phone conversations as evidence. This comes after cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported Hue Jackson was on board with this trade Tuesday.
Florio reports seven teams have told PFT the Browns and Bengals should have separately contacted the NFL about the terms of this trade.
“Only requirement is for both clubs to separately notify the league office via email of trade terms. If trade terms match, deal done,” a source emailed Florio. “No need to sign paperwork and submit prior. Have 15 days to submit trade papers (with terms that identically match emails).”
These latest revelations figure to add to what’s been one of the more dysfunctional setups in recent NFL memory. And with the 0-8 Browns (1-23 since this new regime began work) considering personnel changes, this will not help convince ownership this arrangement can continue as is.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Brenton Bersin
New York Giants
- Signed: DE Jordan Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: QB Nate Sudfeld
- Waived: DT Justin Hamilton
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: T Bryce Harris
- Signed: CB Greg Mabin
Washington Redskins
- Placed on IR: S Stefan McClure
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/17
Here are today’s practice squad transactions.
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Jason Croom
- Cut: TE Ryan O’Malley
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: RB Elijah Hood
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Tyvis Powell
49ers Won’t Guarantee Jimmy Garoppolo Plays This Season
Jimmy Garoppolo‘s contract expires at season’s end, but it doesn’t sound like the 49ers are planning to exclusively use his in-game work for this year’s team as an audition. In fact, the team isn’t certain its prized trade acquisition will play this season.
Prefacing his statement by noting it can take until quarterbacks’ second years in his system for them to learn it, Kyle Shanahan said he can’t promise Garoppolo will play in 2017. C.J. Beathard has been announced as San Francisco’s Week 9 starter, but Garoppolo — as the only other quarterback on the active roster — will be the backup.
“I know it’s going to take some time before he has an opportunity to play,” Shanahan said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “We didn’t bring Jimmy here to save our season. We brought Jimmy here to improve this organization.
“I can’t promise you guys that he won’t play this week. I can’t promise you guys that he’ll play this year. I know we have a guy that we’re excited about and I know he has the ability to really help us and help the team in the future. …I’m not going to put someone out there who I don’t think has a chance to be successful.”
The 49ers face the Giants in Week 10 and have a Week 11 bye. A somewhat logical Garoppolo debut date exists in Week 12, when the 49ers host the Seahawks. But Shanahan made it clear that Garoppolo is not a short-term fix.
Garoppolo is not tied to the 49ers after this season, but he can be franchise-tagged at a reasonable price (for a team projected to hold more than $61MM in cap space before any roster moves are made) of around $23MM. The 49ers certainly sound like this is a long-term arrangement, and while it would be a surprise if he didn’t debut for the team this season, it would stand to reason they’re hesitant about deploying their new quarterback on a winless outfit.
“Regardless of what happens [should Garoppolo play this season], I know it’s not the finished product,” Shanahan said.
Rams RB Lance Dunbar Returns To Practice
While the Rams’ resurgence has been one of the NFL’s top stories this season, the team hasn’t been operating quite at full strength on offense.
Expected to play an auxiliary role in Los Angeles’ offense, Lance Dunbar has yet to debut for his new team. But the veteran running back returned to practice this week, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets.
The Rams have three weeks to activate Dunbar from the PUP list or place him on IR. Sean McVay said a decision on that could come soon despite the three-week window available to the team.
Signed to a one-year deal in March, Dunbar began experiencing knee pain and was placed on the PUP list. The Rams have used Todd Gurley as a three-down back to much success in McVay’s offense, and Tavon Austin has taken on some of the responsibilities Dunbar was to possess. ESPN.com’s Alden Gonzalez isn’t certain if the sixth-year veteran will have a role, so an IR trip or a release could be in play here.
The Rams, though, don’t have an abundance of backfield depth, with UDFAs Malcolm Brown and Justin Davis stationed behind Gurley on the depth chart. Dunbar played in 13 Cowboys games last season but missed most of Dallas’ 2015 season due to a torn ACL.
Latest On Bungled A.J. McCarron Trade
The Bengals and Browns had a deal in place to send A.J. McCarron to Cleveland, but the trade did not go through. More came out as to why McCarron is still in Cincinnati on Wednesday.
Ohio’s NFL teams discussed this deal throughout the day, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports, with a source informing the Browns-embedded reporter it wasn’t certain the Browns wanted to complete the deal — one that would have sent McCarron to Cleveland for second- and third-round picks.
The Browns agreed to the Bengals’ terms just before the deadline, but several sources confirmed to Cabot Adam Schefter of ESPN.com’s report of the Browns not getting the necessary paperwork to the league in time. Separate emailed agreements to the league constitute a trade, and Cabot reports the Browns’ signed document didn’t go to the league in time. (The Browns’ subsequent request to get the NFL to allow the trade failed.)
A source also informed Cabot the Browns emailed a signed trade agreement to the Bengals, expecting them to sign it and send it to the NFL. But a Bengals spokesman said, per Cabot, the team never received said email.
This stands to add to the discord between the front office and the coaching staff, because Hue Jackson pushed for this trade, Cabot reports. The second-year Browns coach made McCarron a priority target in the offseason after he realized his team wasn’t going to offer enough to pry Jimmy Garoppolo away from the Patriots. And Jackson was again behind a McCarron deal on Tuesday, with Cabot reporting the head coach wanted a veteran capable of winning games while mentoring DeShone Kizer.
McCarron, who went 2-1 as a starter in 2015 before starting in a wild-card loss to the Steelers, is under team control for two more years. But the fourth-year player is fighting for UFA status in hopes of reaching the market and becoming a potential starting option for a team in 2018. The 27-year-old quarterback has thrown just 119 NFL passes, but he worked with Jackson for two years prior to the coach leaving for the Browns’ HC job.
This certainly sends a signal the team doesn’t believe it can be in position to win many games with its current quarterback setup, which is understandable for a Browns operation that’s 1-23 since the new regime took over.
A McCarron addition would seemingly help the Jackson-led team win games this season, but it would not exactly be in line with the front office’s way of thinking. The Browns have made acquiring draft choices a priority, and the team giving up two Day 2 selections for a stopgap-type quarterback would seemingly constitute a change in organizational philosophy.
As it stands now, McCarron will be an RFA this offseason. He has an obvious known suitor but one whose interest level in employing the passer might not be fully known as a result of this saga.