Workout Updates: Seahawks, Patriots, Ravens
The Seahawks, with a below-average rushing attack and Thomas Rawls nursing a shoulder injury, worked out five free agent running backs Tuesday, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Stevan Ridley, Jonas Gray, Dan Herron, LaMichael James and Dominique Williams all auditioned for the club. The most established member of the group is Ridley, who has been available since Atlanta released him Nov. 23. The 27-year-old has just one appearance and three carries to his name this season and has seen his playing time sharply decline since a 1,263-yard campaign with New England in 2012. Gray, also an ex-Pat, has made little impact since averaging 4.6 yards per attempt on 89 carries in 2014, his rookie year. He hasn’t found an employer since the Jaguars waived him Aug. 17.
Along with those rushers, defensive back L.J. McCray visited the Seahawks, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. The Seahawks agreed to acquire McCray from the 49ers back in early September, but the deal fell through after he failed his physical. San Francisco then cut McCray, who hasn’t landed anywhere since.
More workouts from Tuesday:
- The Patriots auditioned linebacker Arthur Brown, according to Doug Kyed of NESN (Twitter link). Both the Jaguars and Jets have cut Brown this month. He entered the league in 2013 as Baltimore’s second-round pick.
- Cornerbacks Tharold Simon and Steve Williams tried out for the Ravens, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). Simon made nine appearances earlier this season with the Cardinals, who cut him last week. He’s better known for his 11-appearance, five-start tenure with Seattle from 2014-15. Williams, meanwhile, moved on and off the Rams’ roster multiple times this year. He has totaled six appearances this season (five with San Diego) after playing in 14 games with the Chargers and intercepting two passes last year.
- The Falcons worked out three tight ends – Orson Charles, Darion Griswold and Joel Ruiz – and defensive end Martin Ifedi, reports Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com (Twitter link). Griswold and Ifedi ended up signing with their practice squad.
- The Dolphins also took a look at the aforementioned Tharold Simon, who joined fellow corner Demetrius McCray and two tight ends – Gabe Hughes and Chris Pantale – tweets Caplan.
- Tight end Rob Housler showcased himself to the Colts, relays Caplan (Twitter link). The five-year veteran has 109 catches, nearly all of which (105) came with Arizona from 2011-14.
- The Eagles auditioned wide receiver Greg Ellingson, cornerback Tay Glover-Wright and Canadian Football League punter Richie Leone, according to Caplan (Twitter links).
- Defensive ends Rufus Johnson and Rakim Cox worked out for the Lions (Twitter links via Caplan and Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Linebackers Deon Lacey and Glenn Love tried out for the Cardinals, per Balzer (Twitter link).
AFC North Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Coaches
Head coach Marvin Lewis revealed earlier this month he’d return to the Bengals’ sideline in 2017 “if asked,” though ex-NFL tight end and current ESPN Radio 980 host Chris Cooley reported Sunday that the 58-year-old was going to retire. However, Lewis isn’t going to walk away, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder. Thus, unless Cincinnati unexpectedly fires Lewis, he’ll remain the league’s second-longest-tenured head coach (behind New England’s Bill Belichick). The Bengals have gone just 5-9-1 this year under Lewis, who previously helped them to five straight playoff berths. Cincy hasn’t won a postseason game in any of Lewis’ 14 years at the helm, though, having posted an ugly 0-7 mark.
More on Cincinnati and one of its AFC North rivals:
- While it’s unclear when exactly Ravens head coach John Harbaugh‘s contract expires, it runs through at least the 2018 campaign, a team source told Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com on Tuesday. At 8-7, the Harbaugh-led Ravens will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season, but his nine-year tenure has nonetheless been a resounding success. Overall, Baltimore has gone 85-58 in the regular season under Harbaugh, made six playoff trips and won a Super Bowl.
- Bengals left tackle Andrew Whitworth, an impending free agent, said last week that he’d be open to playing guard going forward, but the 35-year-old walked back those comments to a degree on Tuesday. “My first choice is to play left tackle in 2017 somewhere,” Whitworth told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Hopefully here. My No. 1 choice is here.” Whitworth shifted to left guard last Saturday in the Bengals’ 12-10 loss to Houston, thereby enabling second-year man Cedric Ogbuehi to protect Andy Dalton‘s blind side. But Whitworth regards his own pass-blocking talent as “rare” for a left tackle and aims to man that spot in 2017, which will be his 12th season.
- The Ravens should fire Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun opines. The Ravens installed Mornhinweg as the interim coordinator to replace Marc Trestman in the middle of this season, but the results haven’t been much different. Preston says the Ravens need someone who is more than an X’s-and-O’s guy and has a dominant personality. In his view, quarterback Joe Flacco doesn’t have that type of personality and that leaves the offense without a clear leader.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Browns, Chiefs, Hackenberg, Jets
Browns cornerback Joe Haden will play the final two games of the season and then undergo surgery to repair both groin muscles in early January, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Haden anticipates a two-month recovery time and will “for sure” be ready for offseason workouts, he told Cabot. The two-time Pro Bowler (and 2016 Pro Bowl alternate) has played through groin injuries for a large portion of the year, which would at least partially explain why his overall performance ranks just 97th among 121 qualifying corners at Pro Football Focus. Haden, 27, also started the year behind the 8-ball after undergoing ankle surgery last March, which prevented him from participating in offseason workouts and delayed his training camp debut until August.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- If the Chiefs hadn’t brought linebacker Justin March-Lillard back from IR on Wednesday, running back Jamaal Charles likely would’ve been cleared to practice next week and play in January, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Charles theoretically could have been a playoff weapon for the Chiefs, though they apparently didn’t think he’d have contributed enough to justify bringing back this season. The four-time Pro Bowler has played in just eight games (three this year) dating back to last season because of knee issues, including a torn right ACL. Further, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star explained Wednesday, the Chiefs’ linebacker corps took a hit when Derrick Johnson suffered a ruptured Achilles earlier this month and March-Lillard could help fill his void.
- “It’s possible” Jets rookie quarterback Christian Hackenberg will dress against the Patriots on Saturday, head coach Todd Bowles stated Thursday (via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). The Jets used a second-round pick on Hackenberg in last spring’s draft, but – despite ugly performances by fellow signal-callers Ryan Fitzpatrick and Bryce Petty – he hasn’t been active this season. Bowles didn’t rule out playing Hackenberg, who would be a third-stringer, but it would take unfortunate circumstances. “If we get down to the third quarterback, we’re probably getting killed in the first place,” Bowles said.
- Jets special teams coach Brant Boyer is only in his first year with the team, but his job is already in jeopardy, writes Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday. New York has the worst special teams unit in the NFL, per Football Outsiders, and gave up a blocked punt that the Dolphins returned for a touchdown in a 34-13 romp over the Jets last week. In their previous meeting with Miami, a 27-23 loss in Week 9, the Jets allowed a 96-yard kick return TD to Kenyan Drake with 5:15 left in the fourth quarter. That proved to be the game-winning score, and it sent the Jets to 3-6 when they had an opportunity to climb closer to the .500 mark. “It has been a frustrating year,” Boyer told Martin. “There have been some injuries, But there is no excuse for me. It’s my job to get these kids ready. We’ll get it done.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
WR Notes: Fitzgerald, Floyd, Jones
Thirteenth-year Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald stated earlier this week that he’s “uncertain” about whether he’ll return in 2017. The future Hall of Famer offered a timeline of when he’ll make a decision Thursday, telling Jim Trotter of ESPN.com that he’ll take a month or two after the season to determine if he’ll keep playing (Twitter links). This season has taken a “tremendous” physical toll on the 33-year-old Fitzgerald, he revealed, adding that the 5-8-1 Cardinals’ failure to meet their lofty preseason expectations hasn’t helped.
More wideout-related notes:
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick implied Wednesday that the club knew the full details of then-Cardinal Michael Floyd‘s Dec. 12 DUI arrest when it claimed him off waivers Dec. 15, but he indicated otherwise Thursday, per Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. The Cardinals released Floyd as a result of his arrest, which came after he registered a blood alcohol level of .21 (more than twice the legal limit of .08), and owner Michael Bidwill said the 27-year-old showed “no remorse” and “was unapologetic.” Floyd responded to that Thursday, saying, “I love that organization. Mr. Bidwell treated me very well. I really don’t have too big of a comment [on him] saying that.” Continued Floyd, who could face a mandatory 45-day jail sentence, “I think right now it is about learning about that mistake. I couldn’t be in a better position right now with this team. The guys that they have around here are keeping me focused and working hard” (via Ryan Hannable of WEEI).
- After missing the past two games with a toe injury, Falcons superstar Julio Jones will play Saturday in Carolina, head coach Dan Quinn announced Thursday (Twitter link). Despite Jones’ multiple-week absence, he still leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,253). He and the 9-5 Falcons can clinch the NFC South this week with a win and a Buccaneers loss in New Orleans.
- In case you missed it, the Bengals’ A.J. Green will return from a month-plus absence Saturday. And Brandon Marshall, whom the Jets could release this offseason, finds the idea of playing for New England “intriguing.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/22/16
The latest minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Falcons waived two defenders – lineman Malliciah Goodman and safety Robenson Therezie – and promoted linebacker Josh Keyes and tight end D.J. Tialavea to the active roster. With the exception of the 2014 season, in which he appeared in all 16 of the Falcons’ games and started 10, Goodman hasn’t seen much action during his four-year career. Therezie, a second-year man, has 25 appearances with the Falcons to his name, though he didn’t make much of an impact with the team before it cut him.
- The Redskins waived wide receiver Rashad Ross, a source tells Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post (on Twitter). To take his place, the team promoted cornerback Dashaun Phillips from the practice squad. Ross has just nine receptions in three seasons (one this year), but he did catch a touchdown and score on a kick return in 2015.
- The Titans promoted cornerback D’Joun Smith to their active roster Tuesday. Smith played in four games as a rookie last year for the Colts, who chose him in the third round (65th overall) of the draft.
- The Rams waived cornerback Steve Williams and placed defensive back Marqui Christian on reserve/injured Tuesday. The club also signed safety Isaiah Johnson from the practice squad. Williams, the most notable member of the trio, has moved on and off the Rams’ roster multiple times this year. He has racked up six appearances this season (five with San Diego) after playing in 14 games with the Chargers and intercepting two passes last year.
- The 49ers signed offensive lineman Andrew Gardner and waived center Josh Allen. Gardner, whom the Dolphins selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft, most recently took the field with the Eagles from 2014-15. During that two-year span, he started in 11 of 19 appearances.
- The Buccaneers promoted wide receiver Bernard Reedy from the practice squad to the active roster and placed fellow wideout Donteea Dye on IR.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Jets’ Brandon Marshall Discusses His Future
Wide receiver Brandon Marshall hopes to return to the Jets for his age-33 season in 2017, but the feeling might not be mutual. The Jets would have dealt Marshall by the Nov. 1 trade deadline had they gotten adequate draft pick compensation in return, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The club was 3-5 at the time, meaning its playoff chances weren’t completely dead, but it’s now 4-10 and likely at the start of a rebuild. As a result, Marshall could be an offseason cap casualty for New York, which would save $7.5MM and incur no dead money in 2017 by releasing him.
If Marshall does hit the free agent market, Mehta floated the idea of the former Bronco, Bear and Dolphin joining the Patriots.
“That’s intriguing, but that wouldn’t be my team. I would be a rental player,” Marshall responded.
By signing with the Patriots, who are perennial contenders, Marshall would likely give himself an opportunity to experience postseason football for the first time. Marshall has played 166 career regular-season games without a playoff trip, which is the longest individual drought in the league, and told Mehta that making the postseason is his “top priority.”
“But there’s two things that make it really difficult,” he added. “One, I love it here. And two, I don’t want to be a rental player for anyone. So, I don’t want to jump ship and take the easy route and go somewhere where I’m just a rental cop for a year or two and I’m not a core guy. I want to do it being a big part of the puzzle.”
Given his age, it could be difficult for Marshall to end up as a long-term core piece anywhere, but he revealed that he expects to play into his “late 30s.”
After torching opposing defenses for 109 catches, 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns last year, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Marshall has taken steps backward this season, though quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Bryce Petty haven’t helped his cause. Marshall has caught only 57 of 124 targets for 760 yards and three scores, and he’s tied for the NFL lead in drops (eight). That’s not a new issue, however, as Marshall ranked toward the bottom of the league in drops (10) during his excellent 2015.
Despite his less-than-stellar year, Marshall would surely end up a sought-after target on the market if the Jets were to release him. He’s just 61 catches from 1,000 and 18 touchdowns from 100 in what could be a Hall of Fame career. Along the way, Marshall has exceeded 100 catches in seven different seasons and 1,000 yards on eight occasions. Not bad for someone who hasn’t exactly played with great quarterbacks during his career, though he could have a chance to join a team with a high-end signal-caller in the offseason.
Spring League To Debut In 2017
We’ll have a spring football league in 2017, but, despite previous reports to the contrary, this particular venture will not be run by the NFL. The same person behind the now-defunct Fall Experimental Football League will spearhead a league which consists of four teams comprised of veteran free agents. The league will conduct practices and play six games from April 5 through April 26. Players who are currently on NFL rosters will not be eligible to participate.
The FXFL kicked off in 2014 and ceased to exist in 2015. It was not a fiscal success, but the minor league football operation did showcase a few players who signed NFL deals, like quarterbacks Josh Freeman and Jake Heaps. At its launch, commissioner Brian Woods said that his goal was for the FXFL to partner with the NFL as a feeder league. That did not happen and it is not clear whether that is the aim of this new spring league.
For its part, the NFL is continuing discussions with coaches, players and the competition committee regarding a developmental league of its own, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link). As of last month, the NFL Players Association was reportedly “lukewarm, at best” on the idea of a spring league, but longtime defensive back Troy Vincent – now the NFL’s head of football operations – has been pushing for one. The concept has also drawn support from fellow heavy hitters like Seahawks general manager John Schneider, Colts GM Ryan Grigson and two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Tom Coughlin, who now works for the NFL.
SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter links here) first passed along the news of the new league. Mike Florio of PFT first reported (via Twitter) that this league is not affiliated with the NFL.
Broncos To Stick With Trevor Siemian In 2017?
Although Denver invested a first-round pick in quarterback Paxton Lynch last spring and has been speculatively linked to soon-to-be former Cowboy Tony Romo, the Broncos are likely to move into the future with current starter Trevor Siemian, reports James Palmer of NFL Network (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com).
“Talking to people within the building, the thought process is that even though they picked Paxton Lynch in the first round, Trevor Siemian is in mind to be the guy moving forward for the next couple of seasons” Palmer said Wednesday.
Palmer added that Broncos defenders, whom Siemian practices against, “have gained an immense amount of respect” for the second-year man because of his toughness. Meanwhile, Broncos coaches admire his calm demeanor.
Siemian didn’t attempt a pass as a seventh-round rookie in 2015, when he sat behind Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler as the Broncos’ defense carried the team to a Super Bowl title. This year’s Broncos are 8-6 and have only a 17 percent chance to make the playoffs, per Five Thirty Eight, as they prepare for season-ending tests against AFC West rivals Kansas City (10-4) and Oakland (11-3).
Siemian’s output in his first taste of NFL action this year has been superior to the production Manning and Osweiler posted last season, but that’s not to suggest Siemian has been great. All told, the 24-year-old (25 on Dec. 26) has completed 61.3 percent of his 416 passes, tossed 16 touchdowns against eight interceptions, and averaged 7.24 yards per attempt in 12 games. His overall performance places him 21st among qualifying signal-callers in DYAR, with now-$72MM Texans backup Osweiler sitting in dead last (32nd). Siemian has been effective relative to his $525K salary, then, and he’s under contract through 2018 at similarly low costs. That’s a plus for a franchise which has big money tied up in cornerstone players like Von Miller, Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Derek Wolfe and Chris Harris Jr., among others.
Lynch is slightly more expensive than Siemian, but his contract is hardly onerous and he’s controllable through the 2020 campaign. The former Memphis star, for whom the Broncos traded up to draft 26th overall, has taken the field in three games this year and started two as Siemian battled injuries. The 6-foot-7, 244-pound Lynch struggled in each of his starts, as he completed a combined 35 of 59 passes for 327 yards, a touchdown and an pick in games against Atlanta and Jacksonville. Now, given that Lynch hasn’t thrived in Year 1, it appears he’ll sit for at least another season.
AFC Notes: Broncos, Raiders, Fins, Bengals
Broncos running back C.J. Anderson, out since going to injured reserve in late October with a torn right meniscus, is unlikely to come back this season, head coach Gary Kubiak said Wednesday (via Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post). “I’d say he’s probably on course (to return) sometime in February,” stated Kubiak. Super Bowl LI is Feb. 5, but it doesn’t appear the reigning champion Broncos will be in position to defend their crown. Denver (8-6) has just a 17 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight. One reason for the team’s slim postseason hopes is a running game that ranks 28th in yards per carry (3.6). Anderson was at 4.0 yards per attempt and five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) before going down Oct. 24. Fourth-round rookie Devontae Booker (3.4 YPC on 155 attempts) hasn’t picked up Anderson’s slack.
More from the AFC:
- As of three weeks ago, the Raiders were in danger of not meeting the NFL’s minimum payroll requirements from 2013-16. That’s no longer the case, though, as the team is now over the threshold thanks to incentive bonuses, general manager Reggie McKenzie told Alex Marvez of Sirius XM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
- Dolphins three-time Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey reiterated Wednesday that his hip issues are not career threatening, per James Walker of ESPN.com. Moreover, despite having landed on season-ending injured reserve last week, Pouncey won’t require surgery. The 27-year-old is optimistic he’ll be ready for the Dolphins’ spring program. “I feel good now. Obviously talking to my doctor made me feel real confident,” he said.
- Bengals left tackle Andrew Whitworth is an impending free agent, but the Pro Bowl alternate declared Wednesday that he would like to return to Cincinnati for a 12th season in 2017. “I know I want to be back. I believe they want me back,” he told Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The 35-year-old also indicated he’d be open to a moving inside, where he has some experience, saying, “If it’s guard, if it’s tackle, if it’s anything else I look forward to the opportunity.” Whitworth has been more than fine at left tackle, as he ranks as Pro Football Focus’ second-best bookend among 79 qualifiers. However, Cincy does have two young tackles – Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher – who were high picks in 2015.
NFC Notes: Panthers, Bears, Eagles, Cards
Multiple concussions have felled superstar Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly this season, though the 25-year-old unsurprisingly told media Wednesday that he isn’t mulling retirement. “I’m holding off that retirement word for a little ways down the road,” he said (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “It’s something you appreciate everybody concerned with how you’re doing, but whenever my opportunity comes back I’ll be back out there.” Kuechly has recovered from the concussion that he suffered Nov. 17, but the Panthers haven’t cleared him to return to action. Considering they’re 6-8 and all but out of playoff contention, it would behoove the defending NFC champions to keep Kuechly out until next season.
More from the NFC:
- The Bears designated cornerback Kyle Fuller to return from injured reserve last month, but it turns out they won’t activate him, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. There’s now a belief within the organization – including from defensive coordinator Vic Fangio – that Fuller wasn’t eager to come back this season from August knee surgery, per Biggs. Head coach John Fox addressed that, saying, “That’s hard to measure. Looking inside people is not real easy.” The likelihood now is that Fuller – a 2014 first-round pick – has played his final game with the organization, suggests Biggs, who notes that the Bears would take a late-round choice for him. Fuller, who appeared in all 32 games (30 starts) in his first two years and racked up six interceptions, is under contract next season for a relative pittance ($1.74MM-plus). He’s also controllable for 2018 by way of a fifth-year option, but it’s likely his employer – whether it’s the Bears or another team – will decline to exercise it by next spring’s deadline.
- After Eagles left tackle Jason Peters earned his ninth Pro Bowl selection Tuesday, head coach Doug Pederson spoke out against the idea that the soon-to-be 35-year-old could be an offseason cap casualty. “I love him,’’ Pederson said (per Paul Domowitch of Philly.com). “I want him on the team. I don’t want him to go anywhere. I want him to be an Eagle for the rest of his career. Once we get through these next two games, we’ll address all of that.” Notably, Howie Roseman – not Pederson – has final say when it comes to the Eagles’ roster. Further, releasing Peters in order to avail the left tackle position for well-compensated right tackle Lane Johnson would free up $9.2MM in cap space against $2MM in dead money next year. Moving on from Peters would also significantly weaken the Eagles’ line, though, evidenced by his ninth-place ranking among 79 qualifying tackles at Pro Football Focus.
- The Cardinals have an impressive class of 2017 free agents on the horizon, and general manager Steve Keim says he’s already touched base with the agents for many of those players, a list that includes Chandler Jones, Calais Campbell, Tony Jefferson, Andre Ellington, and Jermaine Gresham, among others. “One thing public does not generally know, we have spoken to many agents regarding players whose contracts expire after the season and some whose contracts do not expire after the season that we’d just like to try to extend,” Keim told Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “There are several players we’d like to have back, but it takes two sides.”
- The Packers worked out former Aggies punter Taylor Symmank on Wednesday, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The 49ers plan to sign former Texas kicker Nick Rose to a reserve-future deal in the the offseason, tweets Wilson.
Zach Links contributed to this post.