Latest On Patriots TE Martellus Bennett
After being waived by the Packers last week, tight end Martellus Bennett told his agent to inform teams not to claim him due to his injured shoulder, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
“It’s not about, ‘Could you play?’ It’s, ‘Should you play?’ It was one of those things,” Bennett said. “Right now, I’m just like, (expletive) it. At first, I told my agent to tell no teams to claim me because I was still trying to get the surgery. So when Bill (Belichick) called and said they claimed me, I was like, ‘No (expletive) way.’ ”
Bennett, who was apparently considering taking a desk job with Netflix for the rest of the season, will attempt to play through his injury as he closes the campaign with New England. Bennett disparaged Green Bay’s medical staff on his way out of town, but current and former Packers have since come to the unit’s defense. The Packers, meanwhile, may attempt to recoup a portion of Bennett’s signing bonus, and they could do so even if Bennett plays the rest of the year, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Bennett’s case is interesting on a number of levels, but its ramifications on the NFL’s compensatory pick system are unclear at the moment. At a base level, Belichick’s claim of Bennett seems designed to test the comp pick formula, as Nick Korte of Over the Cap notes (Twitter links). Players who are cut before Week 10 typically don’t count towards the compensatory process, but Bennett’s situation is unique given that he was claimed off waivers. However, Korte ultimately projects Bennett will not factor into the comp pick formula.
Claiming Bennett was essentially a no-risk move for the Patriots — Bennett is due a $2MM roster bonus on the third day of the 2018 league year, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, and if New England declines it, the club will have no further financial investment in the veteran tight end. The Patriots could also come away with even more windfall if the Packers file a grievance against Bennett. If Green Bay wins such a grievance, the Patriots would be entitled to a $13MM (Bennett’s salaries in 2018-19) credit on their cap next season, per salary cap guru Troy Chapman (Twitter link).
NFL Could Force Jerry Jones To Forfeit Ownership?
Jerry Jones‘ stand against the NFL hasn’t abated in recent days, and the saga has reached enough of a boiling point that several other owners have discussed a “nuclear option” that would force Jones to forfeit the Cowboys franchise, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
According to the league’s bylaws, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can decide an owner has acted in a manner “detrimental to the welfare of the League or professional football” and assess a $500K fine. However, if Goodell decides further punishment is in order, he could pass the case on to the NFL’s Executive Committee, which could then force the “cancellation or forfeiture” of a team, per Florio.
While the option exists, the concept of the league forcing Jones to give up control of the Dallas organization is unlikely to occur, according to Florio, especially because the outcome would likely be lawsuits from both parties. But Jones has certainly done his fair share of harping against the NFL over the past week: he’s not only threatened to sue the league, but insists owners are being “misled” on the details of Goodell’s proposed contract extension.
Jones may have also affected the business of the NFL and its sponsors, as owners reportedly believe Jones convinced Papa John’s owner CEO John Schnatter to blame the league for not only decreased ratings, but a downturn in Papa John’s sales. That Jones took “family business outside the family” could potentially push the NFL’s other owners to their breaking point, per Florio.
5 Key NFL Stories: 11/5/17 – 11/12/17
Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension (finally) takes effect. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Elliott last week, meaning his six-game suspension stemming from domestic violence allegations has been restored. For the time being, Dallas will roll with Alfred Morris, Rod Smith, and Darren McFadden in its backfield, but the saga isn’t over yet. Elliott’s appeal is scheduled for December 1, meaning that while he’ll miss at least four games, he could be back on the field before his full six-game ban tolls. The former first-round pick has since left the country to “clear his head” and train.
Jerry Jones v. the NFL. Elliott isn’t the only member of the Cowboys organization fighting the NFL, as Jones — the club’s owner and general manager — has also gotten in on the action. Jones reportedly feels the league’s owners are being misled on the details of commissioner Roger Goodell‘s contract extension, and has threatened to sue the NFL over the issue. Goodell, for his part, is “furious” over the delay in negotiations and the concept of a proposed performance-based pay schedule.
Martellus Bennett is a Patriot again. What a week it’s been for Bennett — the Packers cut the veteran tight end with a “failure to disclose medical condition” designation, while Bennett claims Green Bay’s medical staff wasn’t helpful in regards to his reported torn rotator cuff. Bennett, who has flirted with a post-2017 retirement, was claimed off waivers by New England, with whom he spent the 2016 campaign, and has since passed a physical. The Packers, meanwhile, will attempt to recoup a portion of Bennett’s signing bonus.
Vontae Davis hits free agent market. Bennett wasn’t the only veteran player to go through waivers this week, as the Colts cut Davis following reports that the defensive back would be placed on injured reserve. It’s been a maddening campaign for Davis, as a groin injury has contributed to his performance struggles, while he’s also had communication disputes with head coach Chuck Pagano. Indianapolis tried to trade Davis before the league’s deadline, and while clubs such as the Bills expressed interest, no deal was made. However, contending teams are now expressing interest in Davis now that he’s a free agent.
Welcome back Teddy. The Vikings now have another quarterback on their roster, and it’s the familiar face of Teddy Bridgewater, who was activated from the PUP list approximately 15 months after suffering a devastating knee injury. Whether Bridgewater will serve as Minnesota’s starter at any point this season is an open question (especially given that Case Keenum tossed four touchdowns against the Redskins today), but he gives the club another option under center. Fellow signal-caller Sam Bradford has been placed on injured reserve.
Steelers CB Joe Haden Has Broken Fibula
Steelers cornerback Joe Haden suffered a broken fibula in today’s victory over the Colts and will be sidelined indefinitely, head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters, including Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). However, Haden only has a “slight” fracture in his leg, and should be able to return following a three-week absence, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
While the most recent news on Haden’s status is positive, his loss will be felt in the Steelers’ secondary no matter how long he’s out. Haden, who agreed to a three-year deal with Pittsburgh after being released by the Browns earlier this year, has played nearly every defensive snap for the Steelers in 2017 while grading as the league’s No. 33 cornerback among 117 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. The 28-year-old Haden has been excellent while defending mostly deep passes, as he ranks fourth in average air yards of passes against, according to Football Outsiders.
With Haden unavailable, the Steelers will likely turn to veteran William Gay to start on the outside opposite Artie Burns, with Mike Hilton remaining in the slot. Coty Sensabaugh, who has yet to play a single defensive snap, could also see more time on defense, while rookie Cameron Sutton — who is close to returning from injured reserve — may contribute down the stretch.
If Pittsburgh wants to look outside the organization for another defensive back, Vontae Davis — recently cut by the Colts — could be one option. Contending teams are reportedly interested in adding Davis for the stretch run, and while the Steelers aren’t known to have contacted Davis, they’d make sense as a potential suitor. Of course, Davis’ injury status and poor play could dissuade general manager Kevin Colbert from inking the veteran.
PFR Originals: 11/5/17 – 11/12/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- With the NFL now past the halfway point of the 2017 campaign, many teams are already peeking ahead to the 2018 offseason, so PFR published our master list of 2018 NFL Free Agents. We’ve included restricted free agents, and will also add franchise- and transition-tagged players as those designations are made available. The list will be constantly updated through next season, so make sure to bookmark 2018 NFL Free Agents to keep track of next year’s player movement.
- One-year deals can often work out for both teams and players (although they typically favor clubs), and I examined the 10 best one-year deals in the league this season. Veteran quarterbacks Josh McCown and Case Keenum have been excellent stop-gaps for the Jets and Vikings, respectively, while lesser-known players such as defensive end Alex Okafor (Saints) and cornerback Nickell-Robey-Coleman (Rams) have also played well on single-season pacts.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on injured reserve: TE Ifeanyi Momah
New York Giants
- Waived from injured reserve: DE Nordly Capi
NFL Workout Updates: 11/9/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account:
New England Patriots
- LB Zach Vigil (link)
Los Angeles Rams
- LB Zach Vigil (Friday) (link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
- WRs Cyril Grayson, Chris Harper, Francis Owusu, Jordan Payton, Domonique Young; CBs Trovon Reed, Damian Swann; S John Boyett (Twitter links)
Washington Redskins
- RBs Kapri Bibbs, Dare Ogunbowale, Denard Robinson, Jahad Thomas; WRs Keyarris Garrett, Francis Owusu; DL Stefan Charles, Caraun Reid, Will Sutton (Twitter links)
AFC South Notes: Colts, Davis, Titans, Texans
Three teams discussed trading for former Colts cornerback Vontae Davis in advance of last week’s deadline, but it’s unclear if Indianapolis ever received a formal offer, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Davis, of course, was released earlier today following reports that he’s likely to undergo season-ending groin surgery. Any team interested in acquiring Davis would have had to not only factor in Davis’ injury, but the fact that he’s played extremely poorly when on the field (No. 94 CB among 117 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus). Plus, a club that picked up Davis would have been responsible for his remaining $4.5MM in base salary, a hefty total for a player who is no longer a star.
Here’s more from the AFC South:
- The release of Davis removed a potential distraction for the Colts for the rest of the season, as Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes. Indianapolis had no plans to re-sign Davis after the season, and given that he was entering the final year of his contract, Davis won’t affect the club’s cap space going forward. The Colts likely would have had to continue answering questions about Davis as the year progressed, but the team’s defensive back room is now a clean state.
- The Titans will next week discuss whether to activate wide Harry Douglas and/or linebacker Aaron Wallace from injured reserve, tweets Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com. NFL clubs are now allowed to bring two players off IR, so Tennessee will be able to see both players return to the field in 2017 if it so chooses. Douglas would become the Titans’ fourth or fifth wideout if activated, but Wallace could potentially play a role down the stretch, as Tennessee currently ranks as a bottom-five team in adjusted sack rate.
- Speaking of returning from injured reserve, Colts tight end Erik Swoope hopes to do just that in the near future, reports Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), who reports Swoope returned to practice on Wednesday. Swoope, a collegiate basketball player, has managed only 15 receptions since entering the NFL in 2014, but the Colts don’t have much at tight end behind starter Jack Doyle. Swoope could hypothetically carve out a role at the expense of backups Brandon Williams or Darrell Daniels.
- Given that head coach Bill O’Brien has claimed that wins — and not off-field events — are the primary driver for the Texans, free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick makes “football sense” for the Texans, opines Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. While O’Brien noted that Kaepernick “hasn’t played football in awhile,” recent signee Josh Johnson has attempted a pass since 2011, which would seem to render O’Brien’s argument moot.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/9/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: TE Scott Orndoff
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Deon King
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR KeVonn Mabon
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Will Redmond
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Anthony Fabiano
- Waived: WR Jake Kumerow
New York Giants
- Signed: DE Jordan Williams
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OL Tyler Marz
- Waived: OL Brad Seaton
Jerry Jones: Owners Misled On Goodell Deal
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has doubled down on his crusade against the NFL, accusing Falcons owner Arthur Blank — head of the league’s compensation committee — of “misleading” NFL owners on the terms of Roger Goodell‘s contract extension, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.
There’s quite a bit to unpack in this story, but Jones’ key complaints revolve around the six-man competition committee, a ownership sub-group that determines Goodell’s salary. Per Jones, Blank previously indicated the specifics of Goodell’s new deal would be “unanimously” approved by the committee before heading to a vote from all 32 of the league’s owners. When two members of the group showed concerns with Goodell’s extension, Blank “backed off” his claims that a unanimous vote was a prerequisite.
Jones also claims he “discovered a number of very concerning issues” regarding Goodell’s deal, including a “discretionary bonus plan” that hadn’t been part of the original contract. Additionally, initial plans for an offer to Goodell contained performance-based incentive language — the new contract was a “departure” from that original concept, per Mortensen.
Whether or not Jones will actually follow through with his intention of suing the NFL is unclear at present, but the league’s competition committee — which recently removed Jones as an “ad hoc” seventh member — has sent a stern reminder to the Cowboys owner, as Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal tweets. The group revealed contract language which requires an owner who sues the league to pay for not only his own legal expenses, but those of the NFL as well.
Also left unresolved is whether the NFL’s decision to suspend Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott for six games — a suspension which will now seemingly take effect at long last — has played any role in Jones’ legal threats. While reports have indicated Jones’ battle is solely on Goodell’s compensation, it’s fair to wonder whether Elliott’s ban, and the ongoing saga surrounding the back, have pushed Jones into his current frame of mind.