Browns Send DE Jadeveon Clowney Home Following Remarks About Usage, Cleveland Future
Jadeveon Clowney has signed one-year contracts with the Browns in each of the past two offseasons, waiting weeks into free agency to do so on each occasion. While a recent report indicated another such scenario should not be ruled out, events of the past two days certainly point Clowney out of town.
The former No. 1 overall pick told cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot there is roughly a 5% chance he returns to the Browns in 2023. These comments do not look to have gone over well with Browns brass. The team sent Clowney home Friday, Cabot reports, adding his status for Sunday’s season finale is uncertain.
“Ninety-five percent sure I won’t be back,” Clowney said, via Cabot. “But there’s still that 5%. You never know what can happen. I just feel like I need to be around somebody that believes in me and my ability. [It can’t] just be me believing in myself. I believe in myself more than anybody.”
Clowney, 29, played well opposite Myles Garrett in 2021, staying mostly healthy and registering nine sacks. This season, Clowney has been less productive. He has posted just two sacks in 12 games, totaling just four QB hits — his lowest total since a rookie season that ended after four games. While a 13-game season would represent a fairly decent participation rate for the injury-prone talent, he is displeased with how the Browns have used him. During the 12 games in which he has suited up, Clowney has played 63% of the team’s defensive snaps.
The three-time Pro Bowler said he believes the Browns, at certain points, have opted to showcase Garrett by aligning him opposite beatable tackles. Garrett, the team’s top player who is pushing for another All-Pro nod, has 15 sacks this season and is continuing on a Hall of Fame trajectory. Garrett’s 15 sacks lead the team by a staggering margin; no other Browns performer enters Week 18 with more than three.
“You’re all trying to get somebody into the Hall of Fame when all that matters is winning,” Clowney said. “Everybody got here for a reason, and we can all make plays. I know I am. I don’t even think [Garrett] notices [the position switches]. I ain’t trying to say it’s him. I try to get along with everybody I play with. Me and him don’t have a problem. It ain’t his fault, and it’s B.S., and I don’t have time for it.”
Clowney’s status as Garrett’s sidekick has been fairly clear since he signed with Cleveland, but his comments regarding the team prioritizing Garrett stats over wins obviously have not gone over well. Clowney pointed toward DC Joe Woods‘ potential departure as a reason he could be back. Woods is on the hot seat, Cabot adds, and said Thursday he is uncertain on whether he will be asked back for a fourth season. The Browns, who have played better defensively as of late, rank 18th in points allowed and 12th in yards yielded.
The former Texans, Seahawks and Titans pass rusher is finishing out a one-year, $10MM deal; he played for $8.25MM in 2021. Clowney, who played on both the fifth-year option and franchise tag, never secured the long-term deal that once seemed certain. Injuries intervened, and he has not quite lived up to expectations despite displaying versatility during his pro career. Interest will come his way again in 2023, but his comments ahead of the Browns’ season finale could throw a wrench in a third Cleveland campaign.
NFL Cancels Bills/Bengals, Will Consider Neutral Site AFC Championship Game
The NFL has announced that the Bills/Bengals Week 17 contest will not resume and has officially been cancelled, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero passes along (on Twitter) the NFL’s logic for not resuming the game:
- “Not playing the Buffalo-Cincinnati game to its conclusion will have no effect on which clubs qualify for the postseason. No club would qualify for the postseason and no club will be eliminated based on the outcome of this game.”
- “It would require postponing the start of the playoffs for one week, thereby affecting all 14 clubs that qualify for postseason play.”
- “Making the decision prior to Week 18 is consistent with our competitive principles and enables all clubs to know the playoff possibilities prior to playing the final weekend of regular season games.”
“This has been a very difficult week,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement (via Pelissero). “We continue to focus on the recovery of Damar Hamlin and are encouraged by the improvements in his condition as well as the tremendous outpouring of support and care for Damar and his family from across the country. We are also incredibly appreciative of the amazing work of the medical personnel and commend each and every one of them.”
We learned earlier tonight that the NFL’s owners would be meeting tomorrow to discuss the AFC playoff picture. Pelissero has passed along the scenario recommended by Goodell and the league’s Competition Committee, which met earlier tonight. Considering the “potential competitive inequities in certain playoff scenarios,” the AFC Championship Game will be played at a neutral site if the participating teams played an unequal number of games and could have been the top seed had they played an entire 17-game schedule. This would require the Bills or Bengals to qualify for the AFC Championship as a road team, and it would also be dependent on one of three scenarios heading into the final weekend:
- Buffalo, Kansas City both win or both tie this weekend: Bills vs. Chiefs AFC Championship is at neutral site
- Buffalo, Kansas City both lose, Baltimore wins or ties: Bills vs. Chiefs AFC Championship is at neutral site
- Buffalo, Kansas City both lose, Cincinnati wins: Bills/Bengals vs. Chiefs AFC Championship is at neutral site
If Buffalo wins on Sunday and the Chiefs lose, no neutral sites will come into play and the Bills will have the No. 1 seed, as Schefter clarifies (on Twitter). If a neutral site does come to into play, it’s uncertain where the game will be played. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets that the NFL is still working through what city would host the game.
There’s a second issue surrounding the Ravens’ and Bengals’ spots in the playoff standings. If Baltimore beats Cincinnati this weekend, the Bengals would still have the higher winning percentage (and higher seed) by virtue of having played less games, but the Ravens would still have won both of these divisional matchups. If the Ravens win this weekend and the two teams meet up in the Wild Card round, then a coin toss with determine the home site. Still, with Bengals owning the better winning percentage, they’d still be crowned division champs, per Pelissero (on Twitter).
“As we considered the football schedule, our principles have been to limit disruption across the league and minimize competitive inequities,” Goodell said. “I recognize that there is no perfect solution. The proposal we are asking the ownership to consider, however, addresses the most significant potential equitable issues created by the difficult, but necessary, decision not to play the game under these extraordinary circumstances.”
For what it’s worth, Jones tweets that the NFL never considered adding an eighth playoff team. We learned earlier that such a drastic change would require collective bargaining with the NFL Players Association.
Latest On AFC Playoff Picture; Owners To Meet On Friday
Earlier this evening, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reported that the NFL’s Competition Committee was set to vote on the league’s approach to the AFC playoffs. It sounds like the decision will now come down to the owners. Florio reports (on Twitter) that the league’s owners will meet on Friday regarding seeding in the AFC. ESPN’s Dianna Russini echoes that latest development (on Twitter), adding that there will likely be a resolution before the weekend.
[RELATED: NFL Considering Adding Eighth Playoff Team Amid Bills-Bengals Fallout?]
With the NFL likely eyeing a scenario where the Bills and Bengals complete the regular season having only played 16 games (vs. the 17 played by the rest of the league), the Competition Committee was expected to come up with a solution. Considering the unprecedented event, it was uncertain if the Competition Committee’s decision would be binding, and Florio expected the final decision would ultimately lie with commissioner Roger Goodell, who would have the ability to veto any scenario.
Instead, it’s sounding like the final decision will likely come down to the league’s owners. A source told Florio that the owners will have to “resolve some “controversial” aspects of finalizing the plan.” It’s uncertain if the vote will require majority or supermajority.
Among the possibilities that have been floated around are a neutral-site AFC Championship game or the No. 1 seed’s ability to choose either a first-round bye or home-field advantage over the No. 2 seed. One scenario that probably won’t happen is the addition of an eighth seed. Florio notes that revamping the postseason “would require collective bargaining with the NFL Players Association.” Indeed, NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith told Ari Meirov that the NFL hasn’t approached the Players Association about this scenario (Twitter link).
In his initial report, Florio mentioned that the Bills/Bengals game has a “small theoretical chance” of still being played, especially following the good news with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. This scenario would require the NFL to reconfigure the postseason schedule.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/5/23
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: DL Antwaun Woods
Washington Commanders
- Signed: RB Reggie Bonnafon
Woods appeared in 46 games for the Cowboys and Colts between 2018 and 2021. He joined the Cardinals this offseason, and after being among the team’s final preseason cuts, he caught on with the organization’s practice squad. He only got into one game with the big-league club this season.
Bonnafon is taking the practice squad spot previously held by Jaret Patterson, who joined the active roster today. After getting into 16 games as a rookie in 2019, Bonnafon was limited to only six combined games in 2020 and 2021.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/5/23
Today’s minor moves:
Washington Commanders
- Placed on IR: RB Antonio Gibson
- Signed to active roster: RB Jaret Patterson
Gibson missed Week 17 with a knee injury, and the issue will also force him to miss the regular season finale. Despite an uncertain role with Brian Robinson and J.D. McKissic on the roster, Gibson still managed to put up solid numbers, finishing the campaign with 899 yards from scrimmage and five scores. Of course, this was a far cry from his first two seasons when he collected 21 touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage.
Patterson will be taking the open spot on the depth chart. After collecting more than 300 yards in 17 games for Washington last season, the RB has only seen time in a pair of games in 2022.
Cardinals WR A.J. Green Considering Retirement
After 12 years in the NFL, A.J. Green is considering hanging up his cleats. The Cardinals receiver admitted to Darren Urban of the team’s website that he’s considering retirement following the season.
[RELATED: J.J. Watt Addresses Retirement Decision]
“It’s a decision I have to make with my family, but whatever the decision is, I’m at peace with it,” Green said. “I feel I’ve been true to this game my whole career, I did everything the right way, so if it’s my time to walk away, I’ll be ready.”
As Urban notes, Green doesn’t have any interest in moving his sons to another school, with the family eventually planning to settle down in Georgia. That makes it sound like Green would only continue his career if he was going to stick around Arizona, but there’s no guarantee that the front office will look to retain the 34-year-old wideout.
Green’s numbers have dropped during his second season with the Cardinals. After finishing with 54 catches for 848 yards in 2021, the wideout has only hauled in 21 receptions for 145 yards this year. Green, of course, earned seven-straight Pro Bowl nods to start his career with the Bengals, with the receiver averaging more than 1,100 receiving yards and eight touchdowns per season during that stretch.
The Cardinals are facing a number of potential retirements this offseason. J.J. Watt, who was selected seven slots after Green during the 2011 draft, has already announced his plans to retire. Urban adds that offensive linemen Rodney Hudson and Justin Pugh considered calling it a career last offseason.
Dolphins Place T Eric Fisher On IR, Claim T Geron Christian
It does not look like Eric Fisher will play any Dolphins games. Signed last month, the veteran left tackle is now on injured reserve. The Dolphins placed Fisher on IR and claimed tackle Geron Christian off waivers from the Chiefs on Thursday.
Although Fisher agreed to terms with the Dolphins on Dec. 5, he did not seen any game action. The former No. 1 overall pick will be shut down for a minimum of four games. Considering Miami is not a lock to reach the playoffs, Fisher’s season is almost certainly done.
Fisher, 31, missed the past two Dolphins games because of a calf issue. While he returned to practice in a limited capacity Thursday, the Dolphins will move him off the 53-man roster to make room for Christian. A two-time Pro Bowler with the Chiefs, Fisher made 15 starts for the Colts last season. Indianapolis opted not to bring back the veteran this offseason.
The Dolphins signed Fisher on the same day they placed right tackle Austin Jackson on IR for a second time this season. Jackson has only played two games this season — Weeks 1 and 12. The former first-round pick can be activated from IR again, but he has not given the Dolphins much to count on this season. The Dolphins have tried Jackson at guard and left tackle as a pro. Fisher was unable to provide insurance behind Terron Armstead or new right tackle starter Brandon Shell, who was also an in-season addition. Armstead has not practiced this week, being listed on Miami’s injury report with four separate maladies. The high-priced free agent missed Week 17.
A former third-round Washington draftee in 2018, Christian has spent this season in Kansas City. Despite the Chiefs being without right tackle Lucas Niang for much of the season, Christian has seen action on just 11 offensive plays this year. He has 16 career starts on his resume, however, including a career-high eight for the Texans last season.
NFL Considering Adding Eighth Playoff Team Amid Bills-Bengals Fallout?
3:52pm: No NFL-NFLPA discussions have taken place regarding an eighth playoff team per conference this year, union executive director DeMaurice Smith said (via the Washington Post’s Mark Maske, on Twitter).
2:50pm: The NFL is giving more consideration to a neutral-site AFC title game, and Albert Breer of SI.com notes Indianapolis has surfaced in the discussions (Twitter link). The league has informed relevant teams of the Lucas Oil Stadium concept. The league has not talked with the Colts yet, but CBS4’s Mike Chappell notes (via Twitter) the venue would be available on Jan. 29.
12:47pm: Bills and Bengals players are not behind making up the game, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, and the NFL appears to be discussing off-radar solutions to limit the impact Monday’s postponement would have on the AFC’s playoff bracket.
The league is understandably concerned calling Monday’s game a no-contest would unfairly punish the Bills or Bengals, considering both had a shot at home-field advantage. The prospect of the NFL adding an eighth playoff team for this season is now being discussed, Florio adds. Should the NFL attempt to go forward with this emergency approach, the NFLPA would need to approve it as well.
This would be a rather radical solution, but it would partially prevent the Chiefs — who would be a Las Vegas win away from earning home-field advantage — from both reaping the spoils of both an all-Missouri playoff docket and having an extra week of rest. The frightening Damar Hamlin scene leading to that sounds like something the league is trying to avoid, but the prospect of changing the bracket days ahead of Week 18 is a rather unexpected development.
The Chiefs winning Saturday and improving to 14-3 would give them the No. 1 seed, in the likely event Monday’s game is canceled, based on win percentage. However, an NFL half-measure would be to take the bye away. The Chiefs losing Saturday and the Bills winning Sunday, thus giving Buffalo the top seed, would guard against the AFC East champions having extra rest — effectively, as less than 10 minutes of Monday’s game elapsed — as well. The Bills did not have a bye week, of course, but should the NFL declare Monday’s game a no-contest, they will end their regular season with 16 games played. Ditto the Bengals, who will clinch the AFC North with a no-contest but will see their path toward the No. 1 seed close.
If eight teams are added to the AFC bracket, the NFC playoffs would need to be expanded as well. Major League Baseball changed its playoff bracket amid the COVID-19-truncated 2020 season but did so just before that shortened season began. The NFL has also made late changes to its calendar in recent years, moving the start of the league year back multiple times during CBA talks in 2020 and rescheduling several games during the 2020 and ’21 seasons due to COVID-19 outbreaks. In 1982 — a season altered by a players’ strike that wiped out seven games — the league also agreed to expand its playoff brackets to 16 teams. That is the only time in NFL history 16 teams qualified for the postseason.
An idea floated around proposing the NFC playoffs begin next week, along with a Bills-Bengals makeup event, and the AFC starting a week later — with the conferences synching up ahead of their respective divisional rounds — has not gained traction, Florio adds. However, discussions are continuing regarding the AFC championship game being played at a neutral site. When NFL executive VP Troy Vincent said everything was on the table, it appears he was serious.
TV Networks Interested In Sean McVay
Amazon and FOX made pushes for Sean McVay last year. McVay passed and signed a new Rams deal, but networks are circling again.
NFL TV intend to pursue McVay as an in-game analyst or a studio presence, according to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports. This comes near the end of a Rams season that skidded off track quickly. Last week, the Rams became the first defending Super Bowl champion to lose 11 games.
Networks have eyed McVay for years, per McCarthy. The 36-year-old coach has a relationship with Al Michaels, who left NBC to lead Amazon’s Thursday-night coverage this year. The streaming service went with Kirk Herbstreit to team with Michaels this season, but it offered McVay a $20MM-per-year deal to jump to the booth. At the time, that was more than double McVay’s Rams contract. 49ers GM John Lynch also turned down a massive raise to move to Amazon.
Sean Payton did leave and join FOX. Though, the longtime Saints coach appears ready to re-enter his former profession. FOX also reached an agreement with Tom Brady — a 10-year, $375MM accord — for the Buccaneers quarterback to step into the network’s lead analyst role when he retires. Brady said recently a second retirement will be his last, but he is not certain to be ready for the booth venture this year.
A year later, McVay may be more receptive to a booth sabbatical. The Rams battled incessant injury problems this season, which will end with Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford on the sidelines. The defending Super Bowl champs rearmed themselves for a repeat, bringing Donald back into the fold via a landmark raise and extending both Kupp and Stafford. McVay called the Rams’ 2022 season “very humbling” this week.
Networks intend to roll out a red carpet for McVay, per McCarthy, even if the sixth-year Rams HC would want to join a three-person booth — a la Bruce Arians in 2018 — or work part-time as a studio analyst. Since Tony Romo‘s whopping CBS extension (worth $17.5MM per year) moved the goal posts for TV analysts, certain coaches are facing more complicated decisions on staying in the game or stepping into the media realm. McVay would certainly not be the first young-ish coach to leave football, though he is much younger than Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden or Dick Vermeil were when they left the profession initially.
The Rams ranked as the NFL’s worst passing offense in 2016; the McVay hire revived the team and did plenty for the league’s latest Los Angeles foray. The Rams are 4-for-6 in playoff berths under McVay and have qualified for two Super Bowls, but the perennially all-in team’s injury problems and perpetual lack of a first-round pick — this year’s goes to the Lions — will test McVay and GM Les Snead‘s ability to pick up the pieces this time around. If McVay walks, Snead will be tasked with replacing one of this era’s top offensive minds. That could set the Rams back significantly.
Doctors: Damar Hamlin Has Made ‘Substantial Improvement’
More good news is coming out regarding Damar Hamlin‘s recovery. Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center confirmed the Bills safety has made “substantial improvement” after being hospitalized due to cardiac arrest.
Hamlin’s neurological condition and function appear intact, Dr. Timothy Pritts said Thursday (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter). Hamlin has not regained the ability to speak and is using a breathing tube, but he asked his nurse, via pen and paper on a clipboard, who won Monday night’s Bills-Bengals game, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Hamlin remains critically ill, according to the doctors, but he has resumed the use of his hands and feet.
Both doctors and the Bills addressed Hamlin’s neurological functions, and Dr. William Knight said the Pittsburgh-area native has been holding many people’s hands in his room over the past several hours (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). While Hamlin will need to progress to breathing on his own, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds (via Twitter) doctors are now discussing him being sent home.
Doctors are still determining the cause of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, with commotio cordis — an extremely rare condition that emerges after chest trauma produces waves of electricity that can alter heart rhythm — being one of the possibilities, Garafolo tweets. Hamlin will need to resume breathing on his own to be upgraded to stable condition, the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski tweets.
The doctors have informed Hamlin it is far too soon to know if he will be able to play football again, via ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini (on Twitter), but considering where this situation was as recently as Wednesday, that is a secondary concern. Dr. Knight confirmed Hamlin had a pulse and then lost it while surrounded by medical personnel. The CPR performed at Paycor Stadium resuscitated Hamlin, who suddenly fell backward after making a first-quarter tackle on Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Doctors said Hamlin has been made aware his charity — the Chasing M’s Foundation — has received more than $7MM in donations, Skurski tweets. Numerous NFL players and coaches have made donations. The developments of the past 24 hours have revitalized the Bills, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who adds (via Twitter) the team erupted with applause after Damar’s father, Mario Hamlin, informed the team of his son’s progress. We will continue to provide updates on Hamlin’s condition as news develops.