Jets Searching For OT Help
The Jets are down a pair of offensive tackles, and the team is naturally in the market for some reinforcement. Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus writes that the Jets have recently been looking around for depth at offensive tackle, with one source describing the team as “desperate for help.”
[RELATED: Jets Place LT Duane Brown On IR]
The team lost their starting right tackle when Mekhi Becton went down with a knee injury. The Jets later inked Duane Brown to a two-year, $20MM deal to play LT, with George Fant sliding over to RT. Brown later injured his shoulder and landed on injured reserve, knocking him out for at least the first four games of the season. Even backup Conor McDermott was inactive during Week 1 while he nursed an ankle injury.
As a result of the injuries, Fant moves back to left tackle, with fourth-round rookie Max Mitchell starting at right tackle. Neither player performed all that well during the season opener based on PFF’s grades; Fant ranked 45th among 64 qualifying tackles while Mitchell was ranked 62nd.
So, the team is sniffing around for some help on their offensive line, and Kyed writes that the organization struck out on one player they had been pursuing. As Kyed writes, the front office may be a bit wary of investing even more money at the position, and there are no clear upgrades available on the market. So, for the time being, the Jets will rely on an OT tackle grouping that includes Fant, Mitchell, McDermott, and practice squad tackles Grant Hermanns (who was promoted for Week 1) and Eric Smith.
Latest On Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne
Kendrick Bourne was one of the Patriots’ most productive wide receivers in 2021, but he was limited to only a pair of offensive snaps during the team’s Week 1 loss. While coach Bill Belichick said Bourne’s lack of playing time wasn’t a disciplinary measure, Doug Kyed of ProFootballFocus.com writes that the wideout may still be paying for a few preseason incidents.
Bourne was ejected for fighting during a joint practice with the Panthers, and he was late to a meeting later that same week. Bourne didn’t see the field during that week’s preseason contest, but you’d assume he’d be out of the doghouse almost one month later.
As Kyed writes, part of Bourne’s role could simply be attributed to his spot on the depth chart. DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, and Nelson Agholor soaked up the majority of the snaps at wide receiver, and the team also relied on two tight-end sets with Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith on the field. Someone was going to have to be the odd man out on offense, and for the first game, it was Bourne.
However, he should get a longer look this weekend. Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets that the receiver’s playing time is expected to increase this weekend against the Steelers.
Bourne had a career year during his first season in New England, finishing with career highs in receptions (55), receiving yards (800), and touchdowns (five). Despite only playing two offensive snaps last weekend, the 27-year-old still pulled off the offense’s biggest play of the game when he hauled in a 41-yard reception.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Javon Wims
- Released: WR JaVonta Payton
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB B.J. Baylor
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Chris Lacy
- Placed on IR: WR Dillon Stoner
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: RB Ronnie Rivers
- Placed on IR: RB Trey Ragas
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DE Gerri Green
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/15/22
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: G Tommy Kraemer
Green Bay Packers
- Released from IR: WR Malik Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: K Matt Ammendola, CB Dicaprio Bootle
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: R Jason Moore, TE Richard Rodgers
Chargers CB J.C. Jackson To Play Tonight
J.C. Jackson will make his Chargers debut tonight. James Palmer of NFL Network reports (on Twitter) that the cornerback will play tonight against the Chiefs.
Jackson was considered a game-time decision coming into Thursday. The offseason acquisition missed Week 1 while recovering from late-August ankle surgery. Palmer notes that the cornerback looked good during practice this week, and he’ll give it a go tonight against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
The 26-year-old joined Los Angeles this offseason on a five-year, $82.5MM contract. He’s expected to slide in opposite former second-round pick Asante Samuel Jr. at cornerback. Michael Davis, who got into 100 percent of the Chargers’ defensive snaps in Week 1, will likely see a backup role with Jackson in the lineup.
Jackson spent the first four seasons of his career in New England, evolving from an undrafted rookie into a second-team All-Pro. The cornerback has 25 career interceptions in 62 career games, including 17 picks over the past two years. He also led the league with 23 passes defended in 2021.
Elsewhere on the injury front for Thursday Night Football, Chiefs offensive lineman Trey Smith will play tonight, according to Palmer (via Twitter). The lineman suffered an ankle injury during Kansas City’s Week 1 victory, leading to a questionable designation heading into tonight’s game. After being a limited participant in practice on Tuesday, he was a full participant on Wednesday.
Latest On Ravens QB Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens didn’t agree to an extension before their self-imposed deadline, and we later learned that the QB turned down a final six-year, $290MM offer. Jackson is pushing back on that notion, telling reporters that “there’s no truth” to the report, per Armando Salguero of Outkick.com.
[RELATED: Lamar Jackson Rejected Six-Year, $290MM+ Offer]
The QB is presumably talking about the financial aspects of the reported offer. When we initially learned of Baltimore’s $290MM offer, it was reported that less than half that amount was guaranteed. However, Jackson later acknowledged to ESPN’s Dianna Russini that the Ravens were actually offering between $160MM and $180MM in guaranteed money (Twitter link).
Jackson’s assertion that there was “no truth” to the weekend report would seem to imply that Baltimore’s offer was lower than what was reported, but his later comments to Russini would actually make that reported offer sound even better for the QB. Perhaps he was pushing back at the $290MM total contract value, but that’d also mean that a higher percentage of his total contract value would have been guaranteed.
The quarterback also hinted that he’d reconsider his stance against negotiating an extension during the season. While the former MVP may still be open to discussing a new deal with the Ravens, he has no desire to discuss his potential deal with the media. Speaking to reporters today, Jackson said he’s done talking about his negotiations.
“Respectfully, I’m done talking about it,” Jackson said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). “I told you guys before, I was going to be done with it Week 1. Week 1 is over with. We’re done talking about it. I’m focused on the Dolphins now.”
Jackson continues to push for a fully guaranteed contract, a request that the Ravens front office has been willingness to accomodate. When asked why he’s holding firm on his desire for a full guarantee, the quarterback reiterated that he’s done discussing the matter publicly.
AFC Injury Notes: Ravens, Watt, Bengals
J.K. Dobbins returned to practice today, with the running back hoping to make his long-awaited return to the field this Sunday. The Ravens running back admitted that his injury “wasn’t just a normal ACL,” with Dobbins explaining that he tore his ACL, LCL, hamstring, and meniscus at the end of the 2021 preseason (per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on Twitter). It’s been just over a year since Dobbins suffered his injury.
“It would mean the world to me if I can go out there this Sunday and play well in front of a full house,” Dobbins said (via Hensley).
Fellow running back Gus Edwards also missed the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL, but thanks to his placement on PUP, he’ll have to sit out the first four games of the season. Still, Edwards took to Instagram to tell fans that he continues to progress in his recovery and eventual return to the field.
“For everybody wondering about my recovery I’m doing great and I’m very close,” Edwards wrote.
More injury notes from around the AFC…
- The news keeps getting better for T.J. Watt and the Steelers. The star linebacker could recover from his partially torn pectoral muscle within five weeks, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com. There was initial fear that Watt had completely torn his pec, which would have ended his season. The news quickly got better; we learned yesterday that Watt wouldn’t need surgery and could be back within six weeks.
- Bengals long snapper Clark Harris is expected to miss an extended amount of time after tearing his biceps, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). While Zac Taylor didn’t want to rule out the LS for the season, he did acknowledge that the 38-year-old will miss at least a few months (via ESPN’s Ben Baby on Twitter). Harris, a one-time Pro Bowler, has been with the organization since 2009. Cal Adomitis will get the first shot to replace Harris at long snapper.
- J.C. Jackson has been listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Chiefs, and Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said earlier this week that the cornerback has a “50-50” shot at playing (per NFL Network’s James Palmer on Twitter). Jackson previously suffered an ankle injury that forced him to miss the team’s Week 1 victory over the Raiders. After earning a second-team All-Pro nod with the Patriots in 2021, Jackson joined Los Angeles this offseason on a five-year, $82.5MM deal. Meanwhile, both Chargers wideout Keenan Allen (hamstring) and Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (ankle) have been ruled out for Thursday’s showdown.
- Mac Jones dealt with back spasms following the Patriots‘ Week 1 loss to the Dolphins, but the quarterback continues to improve, according to NFL Network’s Mike Giardi (on Twitter). A source told Giardi that the QB is “doing everything he needs to” in order to be on the field for this weekend’s matchup against the Steelers. Jones and the Patriots offense struggled during the season opener, with the second-year QB guiding New England to only one touchdown.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/14/22
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Jeff Cotton Jr., OL Koda Martin, WR JaVonta Payton
- Placed on IR: WR Victor Bolden Jr., OL Rashaad Coward
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DL Prince Emili
- Released: WR Tanner Gentry
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OT Darrin Paulo
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: S Mike Brown
Indianapolis Colts
- Released (non-football illness): G Arlington Hambright
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Chris Garrett
New York Jets
- Signed: P Ty Long, CB Jimmy Moreland
- Released: WR Diontae Spencer
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Willie Snead, CB Kary Vincent Jr.
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Christian Jones, S Scott Nelson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE David Wells
- Released: TE JJ Howland
Ravens Add CB T.J. Carrie To Practice Squad
The Ravens have added a veteran defensive back to their taxi squad. According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley (on Twitter), the Ravens have signed cornerback T.J. Carrie to their practice squad.
Baltimore is already down a cornerback with Kyle Fuller having suffered a torn ACL, ending his season after only one game. Carrie obviously can’t replace the Pro Bowl cornerback, but he’ll provide the organization with some experienced depth.
A seventh-round pick in 2014, Carrie has managed to stick around the NFL for eight-plus seasons. He spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Colts, starting two of his 26 appearances. Following a 2020 campaign where he was graded as a starting-caliber cornerback by Pro Football Focus, his grades took a significant step back in 2021. Carrie ultimately finished his Indy career having collected 55 tackles and a pair of interceptions.
Besides Marcus Peters, Marlon Humphrey, and nickelback Brandon Stephens, the only other healthy CBs on Baltimore’s active roster are rookie fourth-round picks (Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis). The Ravens also have Daryl Worley and Kevon Seymour stashed on the practice squad.
Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As a competitive team with an older roster, the Buccaneers have seen plenty of turnover in recent years. However, heading into the offseason, the team was facing the biggest departure of all: Tom Brady. The QB’s retirement and subsequent decision to unretire ended up working out for the Buccaneers, but it also highlighted how reliant the organization is on the future Hall of Famer. So, it wasn’t a huge surprise when most of the team’s offseason moves seemed to be an attempt to pacify Brady, especially with Bruce Arians stepping down as head coach in favor of Todd Bowles.
Despite these significant changes (and non-changes), the Buccaneers were able to maintain continuity this offseason, and that should set them up for another deep postseason run in 2022.
Trades:
- Acquired G Shaq Mason from the Patriots for a 2022 fifth-round pick
The Buccaneers have welcomed in a number of former Patriots players since Tom Brady first joined Tampa Bay. This year, they acquired the QB’s former right guard in Shaq Mason for a fifth-round pick. This was a low price to pay for a lineman with Mason’s experience, especially a lineman who Brady trusts. Mason has missed at least one game in each of the past four seasons, but he’s been plenty productive when he’s on the field. Pro Football Focus ranked Mason fourth among 82 qualifying guards in 2021, the sixth-straight season he’s finished with a top-1o score. Mason will lead a new-look guard corps in 2022.
Notable signings:
- Russell Gage, WR. Three years, $30MM.
- Akiem Hicks, DL. One year, $10MM.
- Fred Johnson, G. One year, $1MM.
- Julio Jones, WR. One year, $6MM.
- Keanu Neal, S. One year, $1.18MM.
- Kyle Rudolph, TE. One year, $2MM.
- Logan Ryan, CB. One year, $1.12MM.
Tom Brady has never had an issue attracting wide receivers to his squad, and that was certainly the case this past offseason. The Buccaneers first stole a receiver from a division foe when they inked former Falcons wideout Russell Gage to a three-year deal. The 26-year-old has finished each of the past two seasons with 700 receiving yards, and he was expected to slide in third on the depth chart behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Later in the offseason, the Buccaneers managed to add another former Falcons wideout in Julio Jones. The former All-Pro receiver hasn’t compiled more than 1,000 yards since 2019, and his numbers dropped off during his only season in Tennessee in 2021, as the veteran finished with career-lows across the board (31 receptions, 434 yards, one touchdown). Still, his track record should give him the nod on the depth chart ahead of Gage. Either way, when considering Godwin’s ongoing recovery from his ACL tear, it’s clear why the organization wasn’t going to deny too much depth at the position.
Elsewhere on offense, the Buccaneers needed to find at least one body to replace the departed Rob Gronkowski (retirement) and O.J. Howard (left in free agency). In came Kyle Rudolph, who should be able to soak up some of those offensive snaps. The veteran had a three-year stretch between 2016 and 2018 when he averaged more than 660 receiving yards per season, but since that time, he’s seen that number drop to 319 yards per year. Of course, the 32-year-old tight end won’t be expected to pick up a ton of yardage, and he’ll provide Brady with another big TE target (in addition to Cameron Brate) to throw to in the end zone. On the offensive line, Fred Johnson has only started eight of his 23 games, but his ability to play both tackle and guard earned him a spot on Tampa Bay’s 53-man roster.
Defensively, the team did some work to add to their defensive line when they inked Akiem Hicks to a one-year pact. The former Pro Bowler has battled injuries recently, missing 20 games over the past three seasons. His versatility makes him an asset on any defensive line, and he’ll likely see some time at defensive tackle in 2022. Regardless of his role, he’s good for at least a handful of sacks. Otherwise, the team added a few veterans to their secondary, with both Keanu Neal and Logan Ryan expected to play depth roles in 2022. After starting 14 games for the Falcons in 2020, Neal started only five of his 15 games in 2021, but he still finished the campaign with 72 tackles. Ryan, who made a name for himself as a cornerback with the Patriots, has transitioned into more of a safety role in recent years, including a 2021 campaign where he finished with a career-high 117 tackles in 15 starts for the Giants.
Notable losses:
- Antonio Brown, WR
- Alex Cappa, G
- Pierre Desir, CB
- Rob Gronkowski, TE (retired)
- O.J. Howard, TE
- Ronald Jones, RB
- Travis Jonsen, WR (waived)
- Ali Marpet, G (retired)
- Jason Pierre-Paul, LB
- Bradley Pinion, P (released)
- Ndamukong Suh, DT
- Jordan Whitehead, S
Whlle Tom Brady and his top two receivers will be back in 2022, the offense will look a bit different. The biggest loss comes at tight end, as future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski decided to call it a career. After returning from a brief retirement to appear in 16 games for the Bucs in 2020, Gronk once again dealt with injuries in 2021. Despite sitting out five games, the tight end still managed to finish the season with 802 receiving yards, his highest total since the 2017 season. Gronk also continued being a force in the end zone, hauling in six touchdowns. While O.J. Howard never really clicked with Brady, he’s another notable loss at the position, and the Buccaneers will be hoping some newcomers (primarily veteran Kyle Rudolph and rookie Cade Otton) can pick up some of the slack in 2022.
Antonio Brown‘s tenure with the Buccaneers truly came to an end during his sideline outburst in Week 17. The wideout was officially released in early January. Brown was productive in 15 games across two seasons with the Buccaneers, collecting 1,208 yards and and eight touchdowns. Tampa Bay already added Russell Gage and Julio Jones to their WRs room, and the duo should be able to replicate Brown’s production without the headache. Another notable offensive loss was in Ronald Jones, who started 25 games for Tampa Bay over the past three years. After leading the Buccaneers with 978 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 2020, Jones found himself behind Leonard Fournette on the depth chart in 2022. The Bucs will now pair Fournette with rookie third-round pick Rachaad White.
On the offensive line, Brady will have to get used to a pair of new starting offensive guards. Despite earning his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2021, Ali Marpet decided to retire after seven NFL seasons. The offensive guard started each of his 16 games in 2021, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the NFL’s seventh-best guard. Alex Cappa, who started 17 games last season, was 19th on that same list, and that’s a big reason why the former third-round pick was able to secure a $35MM deal from the Bengals. Trade acquisition Shaq Mason will slide into one of the starting guard spots, with rookie second-round pick Luke Goedeke also getting a nod.
Defensively, the Buccaneers chose not to re-sign a pair of big-name players. Ndamukong Suh hasn’t missed a start for Tampa Bay over the past three seasons, collecting 14.5 sacks in 49 games (including six sacks in each of the past two seasons). However, he already saw a reduced role in 2021, with the defensive lineman getting into a career-low 63 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. He also didn’t earn the highest praise from Pro Football Focus, with the site ranking him 73rd among 108 qualifying interior defenders. It’s a similar story with JPP. Jason Pierre-Paul started each of his 12 games in 2021, but after averaging more than 10 sacks per season through his first three years with the organization, he was limited to only 2.5 last year. Both veterans remain free agents.
Jordan Whitehead was a fourth-round pick by the Buccaneers in 2018, and he’s started 55 of his 59 appearances since entering the NFL. That includes a 2021 campaign where he started 14 games while compiling 73 tackles, eight passes defended, and a pair of interceptions. He also graded as PFF’s 27th-best safety (among 92 qualifiers), earning him a two-year contract from the Jets.
Re-signed:
- Giovani Bernard, RB
- Carlton Davis, CB
- Leonard Fournette, RB
- Blaine Gabbert, QB
- William Gholston, DE
- Chris Godwin, WR
- Ryan Jensen, C
- Breshad Perriman, WR
- Aaron Stinnie, G
- Josh Wells, OT
While the Buccaneers let a lot of players walk, they also made sure to maintain some continuity on both sides of the ball. The most notable re-signing was wideout Chris Godwin, who has transformed into one of the NFL’s most consistent receivers and one of Tom Brady‘s preferred targets. Despite an ACL tear that ended his 2021 season prematurely (and could end up lingering into the 2022 campaign), the organization still felt comfortable giving him a three-year deal worth $60MM, including $40MM guaranteed. Assuming Godwin fully recovers from his injury, that contract could prove to be a bargain in later years.
The Buccaneers also re-signed Leonard Fournette to a three-year, $21MM deal. This was a significant investment after the RB was cast off in Jacksonville, but following a so-so first season in Tampa, Fournette came into his own in 2021. The running back finished last year with 1,266 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns, and he’ll continue to be an important part of Tampa Bay’s offense for the foreseeable future.
Elsewhere on offense, the team re-signed some depth pieces. Breshad Perriman‘s return to Tampa Bay during the 2021 season saw him finish with only 167 receiving yards in six games, and the veteran will provide the team with an experienced end-of-the-depth-chart piece. The same goes for veteran running back Giovani Bernard. The former Bengals pass-catcher finished his first season in Tampa Bay with only 181 offensive yards, but he’ll stick around for the time being as some extra depth. Blaine Gabbert is back for another season as Brady’s backup, with the veteran having attempted 27 passes over the past two seasons.
