Saints Could Trade Kenny Vaccaro
The Saints are discussing a Kenny Vaccaro trade with a “handful of teams,” according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. There’s potential for a deal to come together, adds La Canfora, who notes that the Saints are “overloaded” at safety (Twitter link).
Vaccaro was on the field for all 65 of the Saints’ snaps in their loss to the Vikings on Monday, showing that he remains a prominent part of their defense, but the team has heavily invested in his position lately. New Orleans spent second-round picks on safeties in each of the previous two drafts, selecting Vonn Bell in 2016 and Marcus Williams this year. And Vaccaro is scheduled to hit free agency after the season, further calling his future in New Orleans into question. Currently on a $5.68MM salary, Vaccaro has made it known that he wants to stay with the Saints, yet there haven’t been reports of any serious contract talks between the sides.
Now 27, Vaccaro has been one of the few consistently good parts of New Orleans’ defense since the club used a first-round pick on him in 2013. The former Texas Longhorn has started in 56 of 57 appearances and is attempting to build on a 2016 in which he ranked an above-average 38th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 90 qualified safeties. Notably, Vaccaro did miss a quarter of last season on account of a suspension for Adderall use.
AFC Notes: Bengals, Barnidge, Texans, Pats
A “near mutiny” among Bengals players left head coach Marvin Lewis no choice but to fire offensive coordinator Ken Zampese on Friday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. The Bengals’ best offensive player, wide receiver A.J. Green, was part of the unhappy bunch, notes Florio, though Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer disputes the notion that there was anything resembling a “mutiny” (Twitter link). There was a disconnect between Zampese and the players, though, Owczarski adds. The Zampese-led Bengals scored a mere nine points in the team’s first two games, both losses, and the offense racked up just 516 yards in that span. Green posted respectable production along the way, picking up 10 receptions for 141 yards, but new O-coordinator Bill Lazor is going to have to involve him (and the Bengals’ other top skill players) in their attack more, Florio observes. Green agrees, having told reporters after Thursday night’s 13-9 loss to Houston: “We are playing like sh– right now. We got to find a way to get our playmakers the ball. That’s it. It’s a superstar-driven league. You are not going to win without them” (via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Enquirer).
More from the AFC:
- It appears free agent tight end Gary Barnidge‘s stay on the unemployment line will continue. Barnidge worked out for the Texans on Friday, but they’re not going to sign him, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggests (on Twitter). The team opted to add tight end MyCole Pruitt to its practice squad after his own Friday tryout. Barnidge carries a more impressive track record than Pruitt and many other tight ends, of course, having logged quality seasons in Cleveland over each of the previous two campaigns. However, the 31-year-old hasn’t been able to find work since the Browns released him after the draft.
- The Patriots will go without linebacker Dont’a Hightower and wide receiver Danny Amendola in New Orleans on Sunday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Hightower suffered a right knee injury in the third quarter of Week 1 against the Chiefs, perhaps helping to pave the way for a late-game collapse from New England’s defense. The Patriots yielded 21 fourth-quarter points en route to a 42-27 loss. Amendola, who was the Patriots’ leading receiver against the Chiefs (six catches, 100 yards), is dealing with a concussion and a knee injury. Down Amendola, Julian Edelman and Malcolm Mitchell, the Pats look poised to take on the Saints with Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett as their only options in a suddenly thin receiving corps.
- The Luckless Colts have settled on a quarterback for Week 2.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/17
Friday’s practice squad moves…
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Bucky Hodges
- Cut: WR Keyarris Garrett
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB C.J. Smith
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE MyCole Pruitt
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Fred Brown
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/15/17
Friday’s minor moves from across the NFL…
- The Jets will promote linebacker Freddie Bishop from their practice squad in advance of Sunday’s game against the Raiders, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Injuries will keep linebackers Bruce Carter and Edmond Robinson out of action, creating a need at the position. Bishop, undrafted back in 2013, made his NFL debut with the Jets last season and appeared in four games. He started three of those contests, totaling 152 defensive snaps and nine tackles.
- The Cardinals have released linebacker Philip Wheeler, who has been in and out of the organization on multiple occasions since signing with Arizona in July. Wheeler garnered a ton of experience with the Colts, Raiders, Dolphins and Falcons from 2008-16 (133 games, 66 starts), but the 32-year-old hasn’t made much of a defensive impact in recent seasons.
Jets Work Out Howard Jones
Free agent pass rusher Howard Jones auditioned for the Jets on Friday, Howard Balzer reports (on Twitter). Wide receivers C.J. Board and Kenny Lawler also tried out, per Balzer.
The only somewhat known commodity here is Jones, who’s two years removed from a productive first season in 2015. Then with the Buccaneers, Jones piled up five sacks across 12 games, five starts and 386 snaps. That type of output was unexpected, as Jones entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Shepherd University in 2014 and didn’t see any on-field time with his first team, the Steelers.
Jones came back to earth last season, registering a lone tackle and no sacks in eight games (no starts, 84 snaps), before suffering a torn ACL in November. The Buccaneers opted against tendering the then-exclusive rights free agent a contract over the winter, and he has drawn scant interest on the open market. The Jets have been eyeing Jones for a while, though, as they met with him in March. The 27-year-old would likely play a 3-4 outside linebacker role with Gang Green after working as a 4-3 defensive end in Tampa Bay.
Kenneth Dixon Gets Additional Suspension
The NFL has added an extra two games to Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon‘s four-game suspension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Dixon’s latest ban came after he violated the league’s substance abuse policy. The NFL first disciplined him for a performance-enhancing drugs offense.
Given that Dixon’s out for the season because of a torn meniscus, this suspension isn’t going to have an on-field effect for the Ravens. Before his injury, the 23-year-old was slated to compete for carries alongside Terrance West, Javorius Allen and Danny Woodhead. A fourth-round pick in 2016, Dixon managed 4.3 yards per carry on 88 rushes as a rookie last season, and also added 30 receptions out of the backfield.
Already without Dixon and now Woodhead, who’s on injured reserve, the Ravens are down to West, Allen and Jeremy Langford as their RB options. West and Allen were effective in the Ravens’ 20-0 win over the Bengals in Week 1, combining for 151 yards on 40 carries.
Texans Work Out 8, Sign Cobi Hamilton
Fresh off their first win of the season, the Texans worked out a variety of offensive players on Friday, including the previously reported Gary Barnidge, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). Fellow tight ends Larry Donnell, Gavin Escobar, David Johnson and MyCole Pruitt joined Barnidge in auditioning, while wide receivers Cobi Hamilton and Jordan, offensive lineman Jah Reid and quarterback Garrett Grayson were also on hand. The Texans saw enough from Hamilton to sign him to their practice squad, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Houston has an obvious need at tight end, with C.J. Fiedorowicz, Ryan Griffin and Stephen Anderson dealing with the aftereffects of concussions. Fiedorowicz is on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss a significant chunk of time, while neither Griffin nor Anderson dressed for the Texans’ 13-9 win over the Bengals on Thursday. As you’d expect, the tight end position was a non-factor for Houston against Cincinnati, as all 15 of quarterback Deshaun Watson‘s completions went to wide receivers and running backs.
All of the tight ends the Texans looked at Friday come with NFL experience, though only Donnell and Escobar have extensive pro track records. Donnell had a 63-catch, six-touchdown season with the Giants in 2014, but his production has gone downhill since, thanks in part to injuries, and he hasn’t stuck anywhere since becoming a free agent in the offseason. The 28-year-old’s only employment since last season ended came in the form of a short stint in Baltimore, which signed him July 30 and released him Sept. 1.
Escobar, meanwhile, was a high pick in 2013, when Dallas took him in the second round, but he didn’t make much of a mark there behind all-time great Jason Witten. The 26-year-old, who caught 30 passes and eight TDs during his four-year Cowboys run, signed with the Chiefs as a free agent in March but didn’t crack their Week 1 roster.
Reid was a teammate of Escobar’s for a brief period in Kansas City, which released the tackle/guard on the final day of August. A veteran of 61 appearances and 18 starts, he’d provide depth along a Houston line that’s without its left tackle, holdout Duane Brown, and has already yielded 13 sacks in two weeks.
The other fairly notable player on this list is the Texans’ newest addition, Hamilton, who had been looking for work since the Steelers cut him Sept. 1. The Texans are already the sixth organization for the 26-year-old Hamilton, who’s coming off a career season (albeit a modest one) in Pittsburgh. Hamilton started in eight of 11 appearances and caught 17 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He added another four receptions and a TD in three playoff games last January.
As is the case at tight end, Houston’s receivers aren’t the picture of health. Both Bruce Ellington and Will Fuller missed Thursday’s game with injuries (the latter will be out until the fall), leaving the Texans wanting at wideout. Believe it or not, DeAndre Hopkins and Braxton Miller are their only receivers who have caught passes this season. Hamilton could be a factor sometime this year, then.
DeMarcus Ware Nearly Rejoined Cowboys
9:02pm: It appears Ware really is done for good. He wouldn’t seriously consider coming out of retirement, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.
5:13pm: Pass rusher DeMarcus Ware revealed in April that the Cowboys were among those who tried to sign him before he retired in March, but it was unclear whether he came close to inking a deal with anyone. It turns out the nine-time Pro Bowler very nearly returned to Dallas, where he played from 2005-13 and amassed a franchise-record 117 sacks.
“I was one day away from coming back and signing with the Dallas Cowboys,” Ware told Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “But my body just told me it’s time. It’s time to stop playing. Still have the drive to get out there and the want to play, but you’ve got to think about family, think about what’s important and I just decided it’s time to hang up the cleats and put on a suit.”
Only one regular-season game into his retirement, the 35-year-old Ware suggested that he’d at least listen if Dallas were to make him another offer.
“If Jerry calls me, I’ll answer the phone,” he said. “I will answer the phone.”
While the Cowboys’ defense was a major question mark entering the season, the unit was outstanding during a 19-3 win over the Odell Beckham-less Giants in Week 1. Regardless of whether that was a sign of what’s to come from Dallas’ defense, it’s possible the team has enough pass rushers with Demarcus Lawrence, Benson Mayowa, Taco Charlton, Tyrone Crawford, David Irving (who’s serving a four-game suspension), Charles Tapper and Damontre Moore (one game left on a two-game ban) on hand. Still, only two of those players (Mayowa and Crawford) had more sacks last year than Ware, who picked up four during a 10-game slate with the Broncos.
Injuries dogged Ware over his final two years in Denver, limiting him to 21 of a possible 32 games, but he still managed 11.5 sacks during that span and 21.5 in his three seasons with the club. He’s now eighth all-time in sacks (138.5) and would likely climb at least a couple more spots on the list with a 2017 return. It’s unclear, however, whether the Dallas icon would actually come back if the potential Super Bowl contenders were to court him again. For now, he and former teammate and fellow retiree Tony Romo may be potential emergency options for the Cowboys.
Cardinals To Sign Jim Dray
The Cardinals have agreed to sign free agent tight end Jim Dray, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports (on Twitter). The team’s in need of a body at tight end with Jermaine Gresham and Troy Niklas battling injuries, Somers notes.
This will be Dray’s second stint in Arizona. The 30-year-old began his career there in 2010 after going in the seventh round of the draft and was a member of the Cardinals for four years, catching 48 passes in 55 games (18 starts). Dray’s most successful year to date was his final season with the Cards, 2013, when he tallied personal bests in receptions (26), targets (32) and touchdowns (two). He went on to play with the Browns, Bills and 49ers from 2014-16.
While Dray was mildly successful in Cleveland from 2014-15 (32 appearances, 18 starts, 23 catches), he wasn’t a factor at all in Buffalo or San Francisco last year. Dray appeared in six games and, for the first time in his career, failed to record a catch. As a result, he didn’t draw any known interest before rejoining the Cardinals.
NFC Notes: OBJ, Sherman, Barr, Freeman
Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. returned to practice Thursday and is likely to make his season debut this week, which should be a boon to an offense that looked lost on season-opening Sunday. However, OBJ won’t be at full strength for a little while longer. The ankle injury that has bothered him since mid-August comes with a six- to eight-week recovery timeline, he revealed to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com and other reporters Thursday. The Giants’ game against the Lions on Monday will mark exactly four weeks since Beckham suffered the injury, notes Raanan, meaning Big Blue might not see him at his best until the end of this month or sometime in October.
- Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman has missed two straight practices with a hamstring issue, perhaps jeopardizing his chances of playing against San Francisco on Sunday. Watching the game in street clothes would be a first for Sherman, a seventh-year man who has played in 97 straight contests since the Seahawks added him as a fifth-round pick in 2011. Defensive coordinator Kris Richard suggested Thursday that Sherman’s streak will continue, telling reporters (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times) that he’s “not even considering” going without the corner because “it’s never happened here.”
- Like Sherman, Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr has missed back-to-back practices with a hamstring injury. He’s now at risk of sitting out a game this week for the first time since December 2015, per The Associated Press. Barr played all 62 of the Vikings’ defensive snaps in their win over New Orleans on Monday. With or without the two-time Pro Bowler, the Vikings will face a difficult road test in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
- Bears linebacker Jerrell Freeman announced on Instagram on Thursday that he suffered a torn pectoral on the first play of their loss to the Falcons in Week 1, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Tribune relays (on Twitter). Remarkably, Freeman still played roughly 95 percent of the Bears’ defensive snaps and racked up 10 tackles in their 23-17 defeat. The Bears placed Freeman on injured reserve this week and will go without him until at least November.