Extra Points: Gase, 49ers, Cards, Bortles
With Miami set to face San Francisco on Sunday, first-year Dolphins head coach Adam Gase revisited the 49ers’ past pursuit of him on Wednesday (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). After the 49ers and head coach Jim Harbaugh parted ways at the conclusion of the 2014 season, the club replaced him with Jim Tomsula. But it also interviewed a slew of other candidates – Gase included. It turns out Tomsula tried to hire Gase as his offensive coordinator, the latter revealed Wednesday. Gase instead took the same role with the Bears, with whom he fared well, and is now atop a 6-4 Dolphins team. Since passing on Gase, the 49ers have gone 6-20 under the since-fired Tomsula and his replacement, Chip Kelly.
Although they went in a different direction in 2015, Gase harbors no ill will toward the 49ers. “Spending all the time with (general manager) Trent (Baalke) was a really valuable experience for me and it was extremely helpful for me when I went through that next round of interviews,” Gase said. “The dos and don’ts of what to do. Just kind of the expectations. I owe those guys a lot just for the fact that they did give me that second interview … Nobody else gave me that second interview.”
In other NFL news…
- Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians was frank in explaining why first-round defensive end Robert Nkemdiche was inactive for the club’s previous two games, telling Darren Urban of the team’s website, “Talent, not an issue. Maturity is. It’s just maturing.” Arians also took a shot at Nkemdiche’s work ethic (or lack thereof), saying that 2015 first-rounder D.J. Humphries – who was inactive his entire rookie season – put in more of an effort last year. Nkemdiche was a highly regarded talent at Ole Miss, but character concerns helped him fall to 29th in the draft, and several scouts opined beforehand that he’d bust in the pros. It’s early, but with just three appearances and one tackle thus far, Nkdemiche certainly hasn’t made those scouts eat their words.
- A disappointing season from Blake Bortles has led to speculation that the Jaguars will decline his fifth-year option for 2018 in the offseason, but team management still believes he’ll be a franchise quarterback, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Bortles is tied for the league lead in interceptions (13), though that isn’t a new problem – he tossed 17 picks in 14 games as a rookie and 18 in 16 contests in 2015. The third overall pick of the 2014 draft otherwise showed promise last year with 37 touchdowns (35 passing, two rushing) and over 4,700 total yards. While Bortles is on pace to throw for a fairly prolific 29 scores this year, his completion percentage (a career-high 60.2), yards per attempt (6.32 – down from 7.31 last season) and passer rating (80.0) rank toward the bottom of the league. Worse, of course, is that the Jags have stumbled to a 2-8 mark after entering the season with playoff aspirations.
- Ravens tight end Nick Boyle practiced Wednesday for the first time since the preseason, as Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets. Boyle, whose 10-game suspension ended this week, has now served two bans since he entered the league as a fifth-round pick in 2015. He earned a four-game suspension last year for performance-enhancing drugs, which prematurely ended an 18-catch rookie campaign.
- The Chargers tried to sign wide receiver Paul Turner before the Eagles promoted him to their 53-man roster this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Latest On Tony Romo’s Future
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declared last week that he does not intend to move on from quarterback Tony Romo after the season, but the belief around the NFL is that Dak Prescott‘s backup will be in another uniform in 2017, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.
While some expect the soon-to-be 37-year-old Romo to bring back a healthy return in a trade, general managers Schefter spoke to indicated otherwise. In the opinion of those GMs, Romo would net anywhere from a mid- to late-round conditional pick. One reason is that the Cowboys wouldn’t hold much leverage in trade talks because Jones, who’s close with Romo, would enable the four-time Pro Bowler to choose his next team. If that’s the case, the to-be-determined club wouldn’t have much incentive to surrender a significant pick for Romo, who’s due base salaries of $14MM, $19.5MM and $20.5MM over the final three years of his contract.
A high-end starter from 2006-14, Romo has played in just four games since the beginning of last season because of various injuries – including a broken bone in his back that left him inactive the first nine contests this year. When Romo went down during the preseason, the assumption was that he’d reclaim the starting job upon returning. But Prescott, a fourth-round rookie, had other ideas. The 23-year-old has gone from caretaker to star over the course of the season, having accounted for 21 touchdowns (17 passing, four rushing) against a meager two interceptions in the first 10 games of his career. Prescott also ranks third in the NFL in yards per attempt (8.35) and passer rating (108.6), and has helped the Cowboys to a league-best 9-1 record. The team hasn’t lost since dropping a 20-19 decision to the Giants in Week 1.
In the near term, Prescott’s brilliance has pushed Romo to the bench (he returned last Sunday in a No. 2 role). Down the line, it could lead Romo out of Dallas in the offseason. One potential suitor is the Broncos, who have gone 7-3 with roughly average play under center from Trevor Siemian.
The 24-year-old Siemian addressed the Romo rumors on Wednesday, telling Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post, “Not too worried about it, truthfully. This is a really important game for us. We have plenty of focus toward this coming Sunday. You can’t worry about that stuff too much.”
Denver does indeed face a crucial matchup Sunday against AFC West rival Kansas City, which is also 7-3. While the Broncos and Chiefs currently hold playoff spots in the AFC, they’re looking up at the division-leading Raiders (8-2), and the reigning Super Bowl champions will likely need more from Siemian if they’re going to overtake Oakland. In his first year as a starter, Siemian has completed 60.1 percent of throws, averaged 6.97 yards per attempt and tossed 12 scores against seven picks. With Romo likely to hit the market after the season, Siemian could be playing for his job over the next several weeks.
East Notes: Forte, Gronk, Pats, Fins, Eagles
Before signing a three-year, $12MM deal with the Jets in free agency last March, running back Matt Forte also drew interest from the AFC East rival Patriots, he told Connor Hughes of NJ.com Wednesday. The Pats’ attempt to woo him came too late, however. “My agent told me they called. I asked if they talked about anything, and he said they just wanted me to come for a visit,” said Forte. “I said I’m already here about to sign, so, I didn’t feel like that would be right.”
Forte has been productive in his age-30 season (911 total yards, eight touchdowns), but the 3-7 Jets are out of playoff contention and the 8-2 Patriots are the division’s top team. Statistically, New England’s No. 1 back, bargain signing LeGarrette Blount, is having a better season on the ground than Forte. Blount has piled up 802 rushing yards (compared to Forte’s 732) to go with a slightly superior per-carry average (4.0 to 3.9) and 12 scores.
More from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is not expected to play Sunday against Forte’s Jets, per Dianna Russini of ESPN (Twitter link). Gronkowski suffered a perforated lung Nov. 13 in a loss to the Seahawks and missed the Patriots’ win over the 49ers last week as a result. The all-world weapon has sat out a total of three games this year, but New England hasn’t yet lost without him.
- Eagles receiver Nelson Agholor admitted he’s fighting a “mental battle,” and head coach Doug Pederson won’t commit to playing him Monday against Green Bay, writes Tim McManus of ESPN.com. A reduced role for Agholor is a “real possibility,” Pederson said Wednesday, adding that Agholor has seen a sports psychologist recently. “Every team has them and I think it’s good, whether they’re going through stuff or not, to keep talking through some issues,” stated Pederson. Agholor hasn’t lived up to his first-round draft status on the field since going 20th overall in the 2015 draft. Plus, as of late October, he was under league investigation for an offseason rape accusation that didn’t lead to charges.
- Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan practiced Wednesday for the first time in almost two years and “felt good,” but whether he’ll play this season is up in the air. “I don’t know,” Jordan told Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald. “It’s kind of hard to tell. It’s my health, man. It’s my body. If my body tells me I’m not ready to go out there and perform with the best athletes, I’m not going to put myself out there. The way everything’s been going, it’s been going well. I’ve got high hopes for myself to go out and compete before the season ends.” Jordan, whom the Dolphins chose third overall in the 2013 draft, has missed 32 of 58 regular-season games – 22 because of various suspensions – and has been out all of this year after undergoing two knee surgeries in the summer.
- The Eagles signed special teamers Donnie Jones (punter), Chris Maragos (safety) and Jon Dorenbos (long snapper) to contract extensions last week. Details on the deals Jones and Maragos inked are now out, via Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter links): Jones’ three-year pact is worth $5.5MM ($1MM fully guaranteed) and maxes out at $5.8MM with Pro Bowl incentives. Maragos’ extension, also for three years, is worth $6MM ($2.25MM fully guaranteed) and carries a $6.3MM max with Pro Bowl incentives.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC North Notes: Diggs, Packers, Rudock
The Vikings are unlikely to have their top wide receiver, Stefon Diggs, for their Thanksgiving showdown with the NFC North rival Lions, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link). Diggs, who’s dealing with a knee injury and hasn’t practiced this week, easily paces the Vikings in receptions (67), targets (87) and yards (747). Minnesota defeated the Texans in its only game without Diggs this season, but the Vikings have lost four of five since and now have the same record (6-4) as first-place Detroit.
More from the division:
- At 4-6, the Packers have been among the NFL’s most disappointing teams this year, but club president Mark Murphy gave votes of confidence to general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy in an interview with WTMJ Radio (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com). “I do hear from a lot of fans. And I tell fans: Like them, I’m disappointed,” Murphy said. “Certainly, the season hasn’t gone the way we had all hoped, but there’s a lot of football left to be played. And the other thing I tell people is, you’ve got to look at Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy’s track record.” Green Bay is currently in danger of missing the playoffs for just the third time since 2006, the year Thompson hired McCarthy. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported Sunday that both Thompson and defensive coordinator Dom Capers could be in trouble at year’s end. The Packers then lost in resounding fashion, 42-24, in Washington.
- Before the Lions elevated quarterback Jake Rudock to their active roster Wednesday, the division-rival Bears tried to sign the sixth-round rookie away, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) adds that Chicago wasn’t the only team looking to pluck him.
- Green Bay won’t get injured running back Eddie Lacy or concussed cornerback Sam Shields back this season, which will surely make its uphill climb all the more difficult. Jay Cutler, on the other hand, might return this year for Chicago.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/23/16
Wednesday’s practice squad changes:
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: CB Troy Hill (via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Aaron Grymes
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: OLB Chris McCain (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Malcolm Johnson (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
Colts’ Andrew Luck Out Thursday
As expected, the Colts will be without quarterback Andrew Luck when they face the Steelers on Thanksgiving in a battle of 5-5 AFC playoff contenders. Luck suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of the Colts’ 24-17 win over the Titans last Sunday and hasn’t practiced since.
With Luck on the shelf, the Colts will turn to backup Scott Tolzien as their starter and promote Stephen Morris from the practice squad to serve as their No. 2 signal-caller. The 29-year-old Tolzien has two NFL starts under his belt – both with the Packers in 2013 – and has completed 56 of 91 passes (61.5 percent) for 721 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions in his pro career.
Luck, who missed nine games last year with various injuries and posted underwhelming numbers, had bounced back this season prior to his latest ailment. The fifth-year man has hit on 62.9 percent of his attempts (up from 55.3 in 2015), thrown for 2,827 yards and added 19 scores against eight picks. With a Thursday game this week and a Monday night matchup against the Jets in Week 13, Luck will have extra time to work his way back for the Colts’ next contest. In the meantime, the Colts won’t have the face of their franchise against a Steelers team that crushed them, 45-10, a year ago.
Latest On Futures Of Chargers, Raiders
It’s conceivable that either the Chargers or Raiders could relocate to Los Angeles in the coming years, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday the “ideal” scenario is for the two teams to stay where they are (Twitter link via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com). Goodell was in attendance when the Rams broke ground on their $2.6 billion stadium in Inglewood, Calif., where the Chargers have the option of sharing the soon-to-be built facility with the Rams. They must decide by Jan. 15 whether to do it, and while an extension is possible, the Chargers haven’t asked for one, Goodell revealed (Twitter link via Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News).
Chargers owner Dean Spanos said last week that he’s tabling relocation thoughts until the end of the season, which wouldn’t leave him much time to negotiate a deal with the Rams’ Stan Kroenke. His organization would gladly team with Spanos’ franchise, though, with Rams chief operating officer Kevin Damoff saying, “We’d welcome [the Chargers] with open arms” (Twitter link via Gonzalez).
If the Chargers stay in San Diego – which is possible for at least 2017 – and the Raiders’ Las Vegas plans fall through, there’s “growing support” within the league for the Silver and Black to return to LA, per Bonsignore. Although an October report indicated the NFL could force Raiders owner Mark Davis out, a high-ranking league official told Bonsignore that notion is “total BS.” On the contrary, there’s “growing admiration” for the job Davis has done since taking over the Raiders after his father, Al Davis, died in 2011.
While the league would be OK with the Raiders going back to LA, where they played from 1982-94, or staying in Oakland, Bonsignore writes that Las Vegas remains the likeliest option. The Raiders aren’t interested in remaining in Oakland, relays Bonsignore, as the city hasn’t made much known progress toward a new stadium to replace the 50-year-old Coliseum. Meanwhile, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has already signed off on $750MM in public money toward a potential $1.9 billion Raiders facility.
Davis will file for relocation in January, and once that happens, he’ll need 23 approval votes from the league’s other 31 owners to make his Las Vegas dream a reality. Goodell isn’t fully on board with the Raiders going to Vegas, but Bonsignore doesn’t expect Davis to have difficulty garnering the necessary number of votes.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/17/16
Thursday’s practice squad changes:
- The Buccaneers have signed defensive end Channing Ward to their practice squad and cut defensive tackle Rodney Coe, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Ward is quickly rejoining the Bucs, who waived him Wednesday to make room for the newly signed Sealver Siliga. An undrafted rookie from Ole Miss, Ward has appeared in four of Tampa Bay’s games this year and logged one start. Coe, also undrafted this year, hasn’t seen any regular-season action.
AFC Notes: Chiefs, Carr, Raiders, Dolphins
Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles landed on injured reserve Nov. 1 because he needed surgery on his right knee, in which he tore his ACL last season. It turns out Charles also underwent surgery on his left knee Thursday, but it actually increases the odds of a return this year, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Charles has now had the meniscus in each knee trimmed, not repaired, and could be a factor for the Chiefs if they make the playoffs. Despite having only gotten 12 carries from the four-time Pro Bowler this year, the 7-2 Chiefs are currently the AFC’s second seed and look bound for the postseason.
More from the AFC:
- With Oakland and Houston set to meet this week, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr revealed Thursday that the Texans never talked to him in advance of the 2014 draft (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle). Of course, Carr’s brother, the now-retired David Carr, was the Texans’ first-ever draft pick as an expansion franchise in 2002. David flamed out in Houston, though he had little help, while Derek has become one of the NFL’s best signal-callers since going 36th overall in his class. The Texans could have taken Carr at No. 33, but they chose guard Xavier Su’a-Filo instead. Su’a-Filo has started in 19 of 33 appearances, including all nine this year, and currently ranks 61st in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 81 qualified guards.
- Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert underwent left wrist surgery Thursday and is now week-to-week, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Another integral Dolphins O-lineman – center Mike Pouncey – aggravated the hip injury that has kept him out of four games this year, putting his status in doubt, per Salguero. It’s not a career-threatening issue for Pouncey, who has undergone three hip surgeries since 2014, but it’s unknown how much time he’ll miss. The resurgent Dolphins, winners of four straight and owners of a 5-4 record, are likely to start Laremy Tunsil at left tackle and Anthony Steen at center against the Rams on Sunday.
- Now eligible to return from his one-year ban, Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith says he “won’t be defeated,” as EastBayTimes.com’s Jimmy Durkin writes. “I won’t take no for answer,” Smith said. “I won’t be defeated. You’ve got to understand that it’s your life. You control it. You can’t let nobody else control it. It doesn’t matter what they try to do to you. And most importantly, God put you here for a reason so make the best out of your life, your situation and be a blessing to somebody else and show the world what you’re worth.” Smith got the ball rolling on his reinstatement late last month.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Latest On Bears’ Jay Cutler
After Chicago’s 36-10 loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday, multiple Bears told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report via text that quarterback Jay Cutler‘s teammates have given up on him. Head coach John Fox, tight end Zach Miller and defensive lineman Akiem Hicks shot down that notion, and Cutler said Thursday that “I don’t feel like the locker room has ever [given up on me]. I’ve never felt like that in the locker room with those guys.” He also cast doubt on the veracity of the report.
“Unnamed source, I’m guessing?” Cutler asked Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. “The source could be a lot of people. It could be a made-up source. It could actually be guys in there. If people actually start putting their names on it, we can have a discussion about it.”
While it’s unknown if some of Cutler’s teammates have indeed quit on him, it’s likely the Bears will at the end of the season. Cutler has been somewhat disappointing since joining Chicago in a blockbuster trade with Denver in 2009, and he and the 2-7 Bears are in the midst of a nightmarish campaign. Cutler, who has only appeared in four games because of a thumb injury, has completed just 59.8 percent of his 107 passes and tossed three touchdowns against four interceptions. Backup Brian Hoyer outperformed Cutler enough in relief that it appeared he’d start if both were healthy, but it became a moot point when Hoyer landed on injured reserve Oct. 24 with a broken left arm.
Hoyer is set to become a free agent after the season, and Cutler looks primed to join him on the open market. While Cutler’s scheduled to count $16MM against the Bears’ cap next season, releasing the soon-to-be 34-year-old would leave the team with just $2MM in dead money in 2017. With the playoffs already out of reach, the draft-minded Bears are doing “extensive research” on Miami quarteback Brad Kaaya and have surely studied other possible Cutler successors as they look toward the future.