Two Bucs Suffer Season-Ending Injuries
Not only did the Buccaneers drop a crucial NFC South matchup to the Falcons on Thursday, but they also lost running back Antone Smith and defensive end Howard Jones to season-ending knee injuries, head coach Dirk Koetter announced Friday (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times).
Smith, who signed with the injury-ravaged Buccaneers on Oct. 17, is the latest of their rushers to land on the shelf this year. Starter Doug Martin hasn’t played since Week 2 because of hamstring troubles; his primary complement, Charles Sims, went on injured reserve last month – shortly before Jones’ signing – with a knee issue; and Jacquizz Rodgers sat out Tampa Bay’s 43-28 defeat against Atlanta with a sprained ankle.
With their top three options down, the Bucs turned to Peyton Barber and Smith, who combined for 56 yards on 16 carries. Smith, formerly with the Falcons and Bears, saw action in three games this season and picked up 47 yards on 10 rushes.
Jones, 26, contributed solid production as a first-year player in 2015, racking up 43 tackles and five sacks in 12 appearances (five starts). His output was minimal this year, though, partly because he participated in just 15.8 of the Buccaneers’ defensive snaps. Jones totaled only three tackles in eight games, but he did factor in heavily on special teams with a snap percentage of 50.5.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/3/16
Thursday’s practice squad moves from around the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Lou Young
- Cut: LB Brian Blechen
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Troymaine Pope (link via Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle)
Poll: Who Will Win The NFC South?
At the outset of the season, the NFC South wasn’t supposed to look as wide open as it currently does. Back then, the Panthers were the clear-cut favorites after going 15-1 last year and rolling through the NFC playoffs en route to a Super Bowl berth. The 2016 Panthers are a far cry from the 2015 version, though, as reigning NFL MVP Cam Newton and the rest of the team have fallen to earth amid a 2-5 start. Carolina is in last place in the division, trailing two 3-4 rivals (the Buccaneers and Saints) and the 5-3 Falcons. More alarming, perhaps, is that the Panthers have already lost to all three of those clubs this year, giving them that much more ground to make up in the race.
The Falcons, led by MVP candidate Matt Ryan, superstar wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Devonta Freeman, are 2-1 in the division and boast its only positive point differential (plus-31). They’re also facing the Buccaneers, who are 2-0 in the NFC South, on Thursday in a crucial divisional battle. A win would make the Falcons all the more difficult to catch, while a victory for the Bucs would vault Jameis Winston & Co. to .500 and keep them perfect against their closest rivals. A Falcons defeat would also cause flashbacks to last season, when the club collapsed after a 6-1 start to finish 8-8. This year’s Falcons began 4-1 and are now in danger of dropping three of four, though their fifth overall ranking in Football Outsiders’ DVOA seemingly indicates they’re for real. Nobody else in the division is even in the top 20 in that metric.
The Saints are at No. 23, but they’ve come around in the standings after an 0-3 start and will reach the .500 mark for the first time this season if they beat the lowly 49ers on Sunday. In their signature victory of the year, the Saints upset the Seahawks, 25-20, last Sunday. That was already the sixth one-score game of 2016 for the Saints, who have gone 3-3 in those contests. That’s also true of the Falcons, while the Bucs have recorded a 2-1 mark in one-score affairs and the Panthers have logged an 0-3 record.
While Atlanta and New Orleans are defensively challenged, both have tremendous offenses and top-tier quarterbacks in Ryan and Drew Brees. Conversely, Tampa Bay and Carolina haven’t done anything at an elite level this year. Barring offensive or defensive turnarounds, that would seem to put each behind the 8-ball, though Newton showed in 2015 that he’s capable of performing like an unstoppable force. Given their general decline this year, the Panthers will need Newton to resemble his 2015 self over the season’s final nine games if they’re going to win the division for the fourth straight year. If not, one of the other clubs should finally dethrone Carolina atop the NFC South.
Corey Coleman Set To Return Sunday
A broken hand Browns rookie receiver Corey Coleman suffered in practice Sept. 21 has kept the first-rounder out for most of the season, but he’s likely to return Sunday against Dallas.
“He is definitely full go. He did a great job of having a great practice today,” head coach Hue Jackson said Thursday (via Pat McManamon of ESPN.com).
In a season largely devoid of bright spots for the 0-8 Browns, Coleman looked like a find for the club over the first two weeks of the year. The 15th overall pick, an ex-Baylor star, hauled in a combined seven receptions for 173 yards and two touchdowns in those matchups. Both scores came in Week 2, when he amassed five grabs for 104 yards.
In his first couple NFL games, Coleman caught passes from quarterbacks Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown. He might add a third signal-caller to the list in as many contests Sunday, as fellow rookie Cody Kessler could return from the concussion he suffered in a Week 7 loss to the Bengals. Jackson will announce Friday whether Kessler or McCown will be under center against the 6-1 Cowboys.
If the promising Kessler starts Sunday, the rebuilding Browns’ passing game could certainly be worthy of attention with him throwing to two other potential long-term building blocks in Terrelle Pryor and Coleman. Pryor is scheduled to become a free agent after the season, though, so it’s possible he and Coleman won’t comprise the Browns’ starting wideouts for long.
Browns, Jamie Collins Not Talking Contract
Despite trading either a 2017 compensatory third-round pick or a 2018 fourth-rounder to the Patriots on Monday for linebacker Jamie Collins, an impending free agent, the Browns aren’t showing much urgency to lock him up. The team and Collins’ agent, Bus Cook, have not engaged in any substantive contract talks yet, reports CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who adds that it’s possible those discussions won’t take place at all.
While La Canfora ultimately expects the Browns to either re-sign Collins or place the ~$15MM franchise tag on him before free agency opens, one rival executive told him the 0-8 club is content to let the 27-year-old walk after the season and receive a compensatory third in 2018 in return. Should that happen, it would essentially make the Browns’ trade with the Pats a wash. Thanks to the free agent departures of offensive linemen Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz last offseason, the Browns are likely to net a compensatory third for 2017. If they do, it’ll go to New England.
“That tells me the owner still might not be spending any money and they might not sign any UFAs (unrestricted free agents) again. What they’re saying internally is that if we don’t re-sign him we’ll get the pick back the next year,” said the exec.
Collins, a Pro Bowler last year and one of the NFL’s premier linebackers, is reportedly looking to top Panthers standout Luke Kuechly‘s $12.36MM average annual value on his next contract. That’s probably not ideal for Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, but his franchise is nearly $50MM under the salary cap this year and will enter the offseason with upward of $64MM in breathing room. Although the Browns are rebuilding, their spending space has to go somewhere, and it stood to reason at the time of the Collins trade that a sizable chunk of it would go to him. Now, it seems that’s far from a sure thing.
Ben Roethlisberger Likely To Start Sunday
It appears the torn meniscus that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered in the team’s 30-15 loss to the Dolphins in Week 6 will only end up costing him one start. Barring a setback, Roethlisberger is on track to reclaim his place in the Steelers’ lineup Sunday against the Ravens, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
After Roethlisberger and backup Landry Jones shared snaps in practice Thursday, offensive coordinator Todd Haley said the former “looked good out there.” That’s obviously welcome news for the Steelers, who were confident Roethlisberger wouldn’t miss much time after he underwent surgery Oct. 17. The 34-year-old had already tossed 16 touchdowns against six interceptions when he succumbed to injury, also completing over 64 percent of his passes for 1,685 yards.
In the Steelers’ one full game without Roethlisberger, a 27-16 defeat to the Patriots on Oct. 23, Jones completed 29 of 47 passes for 281 yards, a touchdown and an pick in place of the four-time Pro Bowler. The Steelers then had a bye last week. Their upcoming opponent, AFC North rival Baltimore, has lost four straight after beginning the year 3-0. The Steelers are also slumping, having followed a 4-1 start with back-to-back losses, but the return of Roethlisberger bodes well for their chances of picking up win No. 5.
Broncos To Place C.J. Anderson On IR
SATURDAY, 12:40pm: It’s official. The Broncos have place Anderson on the IR (via Klis on Twitter). The team has also officially promoted Thompson to the active roster (via Klis).
FRIDAY, 4:12pm: The Broncos will place running back C.J. Anderson on injured reserve and promote fellow rusher Juwan Thompson from their practice squad, reports Mike Klis of 9News. Anderson will be eligible to come back in eight weeks, and the 25-year-old announced on Twitter that he’s aiming for a playoff return if the 5-2 Broncos make it that far.
Over the Broncos’ first seven games, Anderson easily led the team in carries (110), ground yards (437) and rushing touchdowns (four). He also added 16 catches and another score. Anderson tore his right meniscus in the first quarter of the Broncos’ win over the Texans on Monday and underwent surgery Thursday.
With Anderson down, rookie Devontae Booker will take over as the Broncos’ go-to rusher. The fourth-rounder from Utah is the only back other than Anderson on Denver’s roster who has accrued double-digit carries this year. Booker has averaged an impressive 4.8 yards per attempt and found the end zone once on 51 carries. That score came versus the Texans, against whom Booker notched career highs in carries (17) and yards (83).
Vikings, Colts, Seahawks Seeking O-line Help
With Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline approaching, the Vikings, Colts and Seahawks are looking to bolster their offensive lines for potential playoff runs, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). It’s unclear if any of those teams will offer enough for either of the best offensive tackles potentially on the move – the Browns’ Joe Thomas or the 49ers’ Joe Staley – says Cole, who adds that it would likely take at least a second-round pick to land one of them.
Despite his Hall of Fame-caliber resume, interest in the 31-year-old Thomas is limited, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Friday. Browns head coach Hue Jackson has shot down rumors that the team is shopping the nine-time Pro Bowler, and Thomas has made it clear that he doesn’t want to leave Cleveland, but general managers around the league expect a deal to materialize by the deadline. Any team that trades for Thomas would be on the hook for the cap charges remaining on the seven-year, $84MM extension he signed in 2011. Thomas has a $9.5MM cap number for this year and a $10MM figure in each of the next two seasons, though there’s no dead money left on his deal.
Staley, 32, hasn’t achieved Thomas’ level of success, but the 10th-year man has nonetheless been a terrific and durable lineman throughout his career. Now, there are conflicting stories on whether the five-time Pro Bowler is on the block. Staley’s contract isn’t nearly as club-friendly as Thomas’, with a combined $13.2MM in dead money remaining from 2017-19 and individual cap holds of $8.3MM, $11.15MM, and $7.7MM in both 2018 and ’19.
At 5-1, Minnesota is in a tie with Dallas for the best record in the NFC, but the Vikings’ offensive line has been problematic from a run-blocking standpoint. The group ranks last in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards metrics, and the Adrian Peterson-less running back corps is looking up at the rest of the league with a paltry 2.6 yards per carry. Further, after the team’s 21-10 loss to the Eagles last week, head coach Mike Zimmer called the O-line “soft.” Quarterback Sam Bradford, in whom the Vikings invested a significant amount after Teddy Bridgewater‘s catastrophic injury, took six sacks in Philadelphia, though the Vikings have only allowed 14 this year.
Without left tackle Matt Kalil, who went on injured reserve after Week 2, the Vikings have turned to T.J. Clemmings and Jake Long and received underwhelming results. Either Thomas or Staley would provide a major boost on Bradford’s blind side, but the Vikings are already without a first-round pick in 2017 because of the Bradford trade. Losing another high selection wouldn’t be optimal, as general manager Rick Spielman said earlier this month.
“We’re still going to always build through the draft. You can’t do that without having the draft picks,” he stated.
Unlike the Vikings’, the Colts’ pass blocking has been disastrous. Quarterback Andrew Luck has taken a league-worst 25 sacks this year, and FO ranks the team’s line 30th in adjusted sack rate. Acquiring Thomas or Staley would enable the Colts to shift left tackle Anthony Castonzo to the right side, thereby sending fifth-round rookie Joe Haeg to the bench. However, the 3-4 Colts don’t look like a team that should be parting with valuable draft choices, and picking up Thomas or Staley would add another sizable contract to the ledger on the offensive side of the ball. GM Ryan Grigson said three weeks ago that the Colts are at a disadvantage in building a defense because of Luck’s deal, so it’s difficult to envision them racking up another big-money offensive cog.
The 4-1-1 Seahawks are above average in adjusted sack rate (13th) and sacks surrendered (fifth), but they might have incentive to further strengthen their line with quarterback Russell Wilson playing through multiple injuries and left tackle Bradley Sowell on the shelf with a knee sprain. Plus, unlike in years past, Seattle has struggled to run the ball, ranking 28th in adjusted line yards and 31st in YPC (3.1).
With each of these teams set to play another game before the deadline, this week’s outcomes could affect whether they make a late push for Thomas or Staley. The same goes for the league’s other playoff contenders, as an injury to a left tackle could send a GM scrambling to the phone to call Cleveland’s Sashi Brown or San Francisco’s Trent Baalke about their O-line stalwarts.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bills Promote One, Waive Two
The Bills have promoted tight end Gerald Christian from their practice squad, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. In corresponding moves, Buffalo has waived fellow tight end Manasseh Garner and wide receiver Ed Eagan.
[RELATED: LeSean McCoy Unlikely To Play Sunday]
This is the second promotion of the year for Christian, who has shuffled in and out of the Bills organization since originally joining the practice squad Sept. 7. Christian previously suited up for the Bills’ Week 5 win over the Rams, but he only played five snaps and didn’t record any statistics. The second-year man and former Cardinal will provide depth this week behind Charles Clay and Nick O’Leary as the 4-3 Bills host the AFC East rival Patriots (6-1).
Garner, formerly with the Broncos, signed with the Bills’ practice squad on Oct. 5 and earned a promotion for the club’s game in Miami last week. The 24-year-old didn’t see any action, however, as the Bills fell 28-25.
Eagan was set to suit up for the Bills this Sunday after receiving a promotion (and a comparison to Wes Welker from head coach Rex Ryan), but it turns out that won’t be the case for the undrafted rookie from Northwestern State. Although the Bills are perilously thin at receiver, where they’ve gone without Sammy Watkins for most of the season and are also dealing with injuries to Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin, that wasn’t enough to keep the 5-foot-10, 193-pound Eagan in the fold.
Michael Bennett Could Require Knee Surgery
Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett has a right knee injury that will keep him out Sunday in New Orleans and could require surgery, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters – including the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta – on Friday. Bennett’s Week 8 absence will end a streak of 74 consecutive regular-season games played that dates back to 2011, when he was with the Buccaneers.
Tests on Bennett revealed “a little cartilage deal” that “might be related” to a chop block he took from Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews in Week 6, according to Carroll. Bennett took the field for 81 snaps last Sunday in the Seahawks’ 6-6 tie with the Cardinals, but he felt discomfort that hasn’t subsided this week.
“We’re going to check him on Monday and see if there’s something we can do for him,” Carroll said. “His knee bothered him after the game coming out so we’re going to take care of him. We’ll look into seeing what’s necessary next week.”
Losing a contributor as important as the well-rounded Bennett for an extended period would be a notable blow to a Seahawks defense which is once again among the NFL’s best. During NFC West-leading Seattle’s first six games this year, in which it went 4-1-1, Bennett amassed 24 tackles, three sacks and led the club’s defensive linemen in snap percentage (84.9).
For however long the 30-year-old Bennett is out, the Seahawks will fill his void with Frank Clark and Cassius Marsh, Carroll said. Clark, a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, already has 4.5 sacks this season despite having played less than 50 percent of Seattle’s defensive snaps. Marsh has racked up two sacks in an even more limited role (29.9 percent of snaps).