2018 October - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: Gordon, Melvin, Marshall, Bosa

October 29th, 2018 at 5:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Josh Gordon has run afoul with a new team. The Patriots plan to discipline the oft-embattled wide receiver during tonight’s Bills game, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter), with tardiness at the root of the trade acquisition’s latest issue. New England will play without Gordon for a period of time tonight, around a quarter or “several series,” per Rapoport. Gordon showed up late to the Patriots’ facility on Sunday before the team left for Buffalo, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets. After Gordon rides the bench to start the game, Rapoport adds he’ll return to his normal workload tonight. This benching is part of the team’s effort to manage and work with the 27-year-old wideout, one who had rampant trouble in Cleveland on this and other off-field fronts. If Gordon was on a low-tolerance policy with the Patriots, this doesn’t help his cause.

Here’s the latest from the AFC on trade deadline eve:

Bruce Irvin and Karl Joseph are believed to be on the trade block during the Raiders‘ rebuild, and, perhaps unsurprisingly based on the way his season’s gone, so is cornerback Rashaan Melvin. The recently signed corner was a healthy scratch against the Colts on Sunday, and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (video link) Melvin is available for a trade. Melvin signed a one-year, $5.5MM deal but drew Jon Gruden‘s public scrutiny after complaining about his role on the Raiders and the coaching staff’s style earlier this season. Melvin, 29, was a well-regarded Colts starter at this point last season and almost certainly will not be part of the 2019 Raiders.
Broncos plans to trade Brandon Marshall, if that was ever the case, look to have hit a snag. The longtime Denver starting linebacker now has a bone bruise in one of his knees and will likely miss time because of it, Denver7’s Troy Renck tweets. Marshall, whose contract makes him far from a lock he’ll be on next year’s Broncos, surfaced in trade rumors over the weekend. One of the handful of Denver starting defenders left over from Super Bowl 50, Marshall has been a full-time starter since 2014. He signed an extension in 2016, but that deal includes a $9MM cap number next year. Rookie Josey Jewell has played well in part-time duty as well, and the Broncos could get an early look at the fifth-round pick as a starter if Marshall is forced to miss time.
Joey Bosa could make his season debut on Sunday. At least, the Chargers haven’t ruled it out. Anthony Lynn said it was possible Bosa plays in Week 9, per Eric Williams of ESPN.com. Lynn said Bosa was getting closer. He’s missed seven Bolts games this season because of a bruised left foot, an injury he aggravated before Week 1. Lynn added he’s not ruling Melvin Gordon out, either.
The Texans followed through with their scheduled Brice Butler workout on Monday, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. In addition, Houston auditioned quarterback Brogan Roback, cornerback Craig Mager and wide receivers Amba Etta-Tawo and Steven Mitchell.

Browns Work Out Junior Galette

October 29th, 2018 at 4:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Amid the upheaval in Cleveland today, the Browns are continuing with their scheduled workouts. They hosted free agent pass rusher Junior Galette for a Monday audition, Sirius XM Radio’s Adam Caplan tweets.

Galette’s been a free agent since his Washington contract expired after last season. He turned down a chance to reunite with the Redskins and has expressed regret for doing so. Since, the 30-year-old edge defender has met with the Rams and Colts.

New Browns HC Gregg Williams has a history with Galette. Williams was with the Saints when they added Galette as a UDFA in 2010 and coached him for two seasons before his ignominious New Orleans exit. Galette was a backup with the Saints during Williams’ final two years as their DC but went on to star for future New Orleans defenses.

After missing all of the 2015 and ’16 seasons due to injuries, Galette played in all 16 Redskins games last season. He registered three sacks. Behind starting defensive ends Myles Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah, the Browns have rookie Chad Thomas and veterans Anthony Zettel and Chris Smith.

Lions’ Golden Tate Drawing Trade Interest

October 29th, 2018 at 3:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Could the Lions trade Golden Tate before Tuesday’s deadline? That’s what other teams want to know, as the Lions have been receiving calls of interest in the wide receiver (video link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero).

Pelissero hears that that Lions could be willing to part with Tate if they’re offered a fourth-round draft pick. For all of his accomplishments, Tate amounts to a rental for interested clubs, so his market is somewhat limited.

At the same time, the 3-4 Lions are very much alive in the sardine-packed NFC North, so one has to wonder why Detroit would settle for a mid-round draft pick. The Lions may be tempted to increase targets for Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, but Tate remains a dangerous weapon as evidenced by his two 100+ yard games earlier this year.

Tate is in the final year of his five-year, $31MM pact. If another team acquires him this week, they’ll be on the hook for 9/17ths of his $7MM salary, which amounts to roughly $3.7MM.

Cowboys Fire OL Coach Paul Alexander

October 29th, 2018 at 2:01pm CST by Zachary Links

After the Cowboys’ slow start, there was speculation about the job security of Jason Garrett. Garrett remains in charge, but one of his top lieutenants is no longer with the team. On Monday afternoon, the Cowboys sacked offensive line coach Paul Alexander, according to a team announcement.

Alexander spent 27 season with the Bengals before becoming the Cowboys’ OL coach this year. Less than halfway into the year, he’s out of a job.

The Cowboys gave Alexander the keys to one of the league’s most talented offensive lines, but the unit took a major hit when Travis Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Without Frederick, the offensive line has been inconsistent and unable to provide adequate pocket protection for quarterback Dak Prescott. Apparently, the Cowboys believe that Alexander’s direction and blocking schemes are at least partly to blame for the front five’s struggles.

Already, Prescott has been sacked 23 times, which is tied for fifth-most in the NFL. Last year, he was sacked 32 times all year and was brought down in the backfield just 25 times as a rookie in 2016.

Marc Colombo, who has served as the team’s assistant offensive line coach since 2016, will serve as the team’s primary offensive line coach. If Colombo can’t get the O-Line back on track, more heads could roll in Dallas.

Buccaneers To Start Fitzpatrick, Bench Winston

October 29th, 2018 at 1:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The Fitzmagic is back in Tampa. On Monday, the Buccaneers announced that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start at quarterback in Week 9 over Jameis Winston.

Winston began the year by serving a multi-game suspension and Fitzpatrick made the most of the opportunity. At least, he did for a little while. Fitzpatrick led the Bucs to upset wins over the Saints and Eagles in his first two weeks and nearly got the W over the Steelers in Week 3. Things fell apart for the veteran in Week 4 against the Bears’ top-notch defense, putting Winston back into the lineup.

Unfortunately, the FSU product hasn’t fared well in recent weeks. On Sunday, Winston lobbed four interceptions and the Bucs offense only regained life when Fitzpatrick was called upon to lead the charge. The Bucs scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late as the Bengals won 37-34.

The decision to bench Winston may have ramifications beyond the 2018 season. The former No. 1 overall pick is tied to the team through 2019 through his fifth-year option, but that option is guaranteed for injury only. If the Bucs keep Winston on the pine, they can move on from him this offseason without the specter of a $20MM+ obligation.

Browns Promote Gregg Williams To HC

October 29th, 2018 at 1:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have named defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as their new interim head coach, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Freddie Kitchens has been promoted from assistant to interim offensive coordinator, as Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com tweets.

Williams, 60, has been an NFL coach since joining the Houston Oilers’ staff in 1990. Since then, he has held several defensive coordinator positions, and also served as the Bills’ head coach from 2001-2003. Williams’ Bills teams went 3-13, 8-8, and 6-10 in each of those seasons, resulting in a 17-31 record overall. That .354 mark is far from ideal, but it beats Hue Jackson‘s lifetime 11-44-1 mark (.205).

Kitchens began his coaching career in the college ranks before signing on as the Cowboys’ tight ends coach in 2006. After a ten-year run with the Cardinals, he became the Browns’ running backs coach/associate head coach earlier this year.

On Monday morning, the Browns dropped a pair of bombs on the football world. First, Hue Jackson was told to pack his bags. Moments later, we learned that offensive coordinator Todd Haley was also handed a pink slip. Ultimately, the infighting between the two men left Browns brass with a sour taste and cost both of them their jobs.

“We greatly appreciate Hue’s commitment to the Cleveland Browns organization over the last two and a half years,” the Haslams said in a joint statement. “We understand how critical this time period is in the development of our football team, individually and collectively, and believed it was in the organization’s best interest to make the move at this time, in order to maximize our opportunities the rest of this season. We certainly only wish Hue, Michelle, and his family the best moving forward.”

While the Browns have struggled this year, the defense has been largely solid under Williams’ guidance. The Browns lead the league with 22 takeaways this season and Williams will now be charged with injecting some life into the offense as well.

Bills Offer Contract To Terrelle Pryor

October 29th, 2018 at 1:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have offered Terrelle Pryor a contract that is currently under consideration, a source tells ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). The wide receiver flew into Buffalo for a meeting on Sunday night and he could put pen to paper soon.

The Bills’ offense can use all the help it can get, particularly after last week’s 37-5 drumming at the hands of the Colts. Pryor wouldn’t be able to help the Bills against the Patriots on Monday night, but he could provide them with another weapon starting on Sunday against the Bears.

Currently, Zay Jones, Kelvin Benjamin, and Andre Holmes make up the Bills’ top three receivers. Sixth-round rookie and UDFA Ray-Ray McCloud are also on the roster.

Pryor would add some experience to that group, though he won’t be able to do much about their offensive line woes. The Bills’ OL kept things together for the first month of the season, but the wheels have completely come off in the last two games. There’s also the matter of the quarterback position. Rookie Josh Allen, who was already working to get his sea legs, is out for an undetermined period of time with an elbow injury, leaving veteran Derek Anderson as the team’s temporary starter.

Browns Fire OC Todd Haley

October 29th, 2018 at 12:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Hue Jackson isn’t the only one cleaning out his office in Cleveland. The Browns have also fired offensive coordinator Todd Haley, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

[RELATED: Browns Fire Hue Jackson]

Initially, when Jackson was fired, it sounded as though Browns ownership had chosen Haley over Jackson in the wake of their rift. As it turns out, both men have been told to pack their bags.

Haley delivered results as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, but his brash personality has been both a positive and a negative throughout his career. In Cleveland, his approach clearly did not jibe with Jackson, and his results did not inspire confidence among the Browns’ decision makers. This year, the Browns have averaged 342.4 yards per game, good for just 24th in the league. Meanwhile, their 65 offensive penalties (2nd highest in the NFL) have cost them 511 yards.

To replace Haley, the Browns have promoted assistant Freddie Kitchens to the interim OC role. Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was promoted to head coach, replacing Jackson.

Browns Fire Hue Jackson

October 29th, 2018 at 10:55am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns fired head coach Hue Jackson, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) reports. The decision comes one day after the Browns lost to the rival Steelers, dropping their record to 2-5-1 on the year.

Jackson has gone 3-36-1 as the Browns’ head coach, so his dismissal seemed like an inevitability. New GM John Dorsey (perhaps with some pressure from ownership) gave Jackson a reprieve upon taking over, but the Browns have not been able to capitalize on their stockpile of talent under Jackson’s guidance this year.

It’s possible that Jackson’s rift with offensive coordinator Todd Haley played a role in his midseason dismissal. Their issues were very apparent during the “Hard Knocks” miniseries and, recently, Jackson pushed for more involvement in offensive decision-making.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was promoted to head coach on Monday afternoon, replacing Jackson. Meanwhile, the Browns promoted assistant Freddie Kitchens to the interim OC role to take over for Haley.

Dorsey, owner Jimmy Haslam, and other “power brokers” within the organization met on Monday morning to determine the best course of action going forward, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) hears. At first, it sounded like the team opted to fire Jackson and stick with Haley. Instead, they got rid of both men.

It sounds like we can count Baker Mayfield among those that are in favor of the change. Rapoport (Twitter link) hears the rookie quarterback is not going to miss the 53-year-old coach.

A fun fact from Schefter (on Twitter): the last six Browns⁠ head coaches – Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rod Chudzinski, Mike Pettine, and Jackson – were fired after the second Steelers game of that season.

Jackson had two years remaining on his contract, so the Browns are contractually obligated to pay him through 2019 season. His salary may be offset by another job, however.

Bucs Unlikely To Trade DeSean Jackson?

October 29th, 2018 at 10:20am CST by Zachary Links

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson wants to be traded, but the Buccaneers don’t sound inclined to fulfill his request. When asked about the possibility of a DJax deal over the weekend, GM Jason Licht indicated that Jackson will be a part of the team beyond Tuesday’s trade deadline.

“I’ll say this. DeSean Jackson and I have a great relationship,” Licht said on Sunday (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). “He’s one of my favorite people on the team, and Dirk [Koetter] has a great relationship with him and he’s obviously a terrific player for us. We’re 3-3, we’re headed into big game today, we’ve got a big stretch of games coming up for us, and we don’t like to talk about these stories. But I can say that my job and our job here is to field the best roster that we can to win games, and DeSean is a huge, huge part of that, not just today, but for the rest of the season. Other than that, I don’t have anything else to add.”

Of course, after yesterday’s 37-34 loss to the Bengals, the Bucs are now 3-4, and their offense is chock full of question marks. Jackson was targeted eight times against Cincinnati, but he wasn’t able to do much with those balls outside of his 60-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter.

Jackson is in Year 2 of a three-year deal, $33.5MM deal he signed with the team in 2017. He has yet to develop a rapport with quarterback Jameis Winston, as evidenced by his disappointing 50/668/3 stat line last season. Licht says he wants to hold on to the veteran, but the soon-to-be 32-year-old would rather join a team that can utilize his deep field skills.

For what it’s worth, the Bucs are considering benching Winston in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick, a move that could benefit Jackson. With Fitzmagic on the field for the first the first two games of the season, Jackson had nine receptions for an eye-popping 275 yards and three scores, good for an average of 30.56 yards per catch.