Redskins To Sign K Nick Rose
The Redskins have agreed to terms with free agent kicker Nick Rose, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Rose will replace fellow kicker Dustin Hopkins, whom Washington placed on injured reserve earlier today. Hopkins, who is dealing with a strained rotator muscle in his right hip, is potentially a candidate to return later this season. However, NFL rules require Hopkins to miss at least eight weeks, meaning he wouldn’t be allowed to return until Week 15.
Rose, meanwhile, has yet to appear in an NFL game since entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Texas in 2016. He has spent time on the offseason rosters of both the Falcons and 49ers, however. Rose, 23, worked out for the Redskins today alongside Mike Nugent, Andrew Franks, and Marshall Koehn.
Injury Notes: Tate, Jameis, Sanders, Texans
After suffering an AC joint sprain on Sunday, Lions wide receiver Golden Tate is expected to miss a few weeks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Luckily for Detroit, the club is heading into a bye week before taking on the Steelers in Week 8, so Tate will get a bit of extra time to recover. If he is forced to miss time, Tate will be a large absence for the Lions’ 21st-ranked DVOA offense, as he’s posted 36 receptions for 363 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Detroit would turn to T.J. Jones, Jared Abbrederis, and — if he’s healthy following a hamstring injury — Kenny Golladay to play more snaps alongside Marvin Jones.
Here’s more from the injury front:
- Like Tate, Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is also dealing with an AC joint sprain, and his is all the more serious given that it’s in his throwing shoulder, per Rapoport (Twitter link). Winston attempted only 10 passes before going down with injury in a game Tampa Bay ultimately lost to Arizona. The Buccaneers are set to face the Bills in Week 7, and though Winston has vowed to play through the sprain, it’s not certain that he’ll be available on Sunday. If Winston can’t go, backup Ryan Fitzpatrick will start after throwing for 290 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions yesterday.
- Broncos wideouts Emmanuel Sanders and Isaiah McKenzie will each miss at least Week 7 with sprained ankles, reports Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). While McKenzie, a fifth-round rookie, has barely contributed on offense, the loss of Sanders will undoubtedly hurt the Broncos, as the club has little depth behind its starting wide receivers. Bennie Fowler and Jordan Taylor are candidates to see increased usage alongside Demaryius Thomas, as is Cody Latimer if he can return from a knee injury. Denver is also discussing whether to add more bodies at the wideout position, tweets Troy Renck of Denver7.
- Cornerback Kevin Johnson is expected to return to action following the Texans‘ Week 7 bye, head coach Bill O’Brien told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Johnson went down with a sprained MCL in mid-September, but Houston’s depth in the secondary has managed to keep its defense afloat, and the team currently ranks 11th in pass defense DVOA. Injuries have ruined each of Johnson’s past two seasons (he managed only six games in 2016), but the former first-round pick has been extremely effective when on the field.
Saints LB Nathan Stupar Done For Season
Saints linebacker Nathan Stupar will miss the remainder of the 2017 season after tearing his ACL on Sunday, according to Herbie Teope of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Saints Audition RB Khiry Robinson]
Stupar injured his knee while covering a punt, and special teams were a key area of focus for him during his time with New Orleans. In fact, Stupar hadn’t played a single defensive snap this year. He’d seen action on nearly half the club’s special teams plays, however, and helped the Saints to the No. 17 ranking in ST DVOA, a massive improvement from 2016.
Stupar has plenty of NFL experience under his belt, as he’s appeared in 63 games and made nine starts during his five-plus year pro career. He’s under Saints control through 2018, but given his age (29) and his cap number ($2.125MM), it wouldn’t be surprising to see New Orleans cut ties this offseason, as doing so would save the club $1.725MM in cap space.
Not much should change on the Saints’ defense as a result of Stupar’s injury, as Craig Robertson, A.J. Klein, and Manti Te’o will continue to see the most snaps. On special teams, the newly-signed Gerald Hodges and/or Adam Bighill — who was promoted from the practice squad over the weekend — could be deployed more frequently.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/16/17
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted to active roster: QB Garrett Gilbert
- Waived: DB Dezmen Southward
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted to active roster: LB Hardy Nickerson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: WR Marcus Kemp
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: LB Josh Keyes
- Waived: LB Nigel Harris
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT John Hughes
Oakland Raiders
- Waived: LB Tyrell Adams
Colin Kaepernick Wants To Terminate CBA
Although Colin Kaepernick has filed a collusion lawsuit against NFL owners, his ultimate goal may not simply be gaining entrance into the league. Instead, Kaepernick is attempting to end the current contractual bargaining agreement that exists between the NFL and the NFLPA, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
The CBA can dissolved if an arbitrator determines that a single player was the victim of collusion, as Florio writes. However, the CBA clearly states that the “proceeding must be brought by the NFLPA,” per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap (Twitter links). Kaepernick has reportedly filed the suit on his own and without the assistance of the union, which would seem to violate the preliminary conditions required for the dissolution of the CBA.
If Kaepernick were to precipitate the end of the current CBA, however, he’d be handing a large amount of leverage to current players, as Florio details. The CBA is not set to expire until the conclusion of the 2020 season, but terminating the agreement now would force league owners to immediately negotiate with the NFLPA, likely resulting in more favorable terms for the union.
The lawsuit is likely to end any chance Kaepernick ever had at returning to the NFL, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, as the grievance “all but assures” that no club will offer Kaepernick a contract while he’s fighting the owners legally. But given that Kaepernick very well may have been ostracized from the NFL already, he has little to lose by filing suit against the league.
A source tells Florio the Titans’ rejection of Kaepernick following an injury to Marcus Mariota was the “final straw” for the embattled quarterback. Kaepernick reached out to Tennessee after Mariota went down with a hamstring strain, but the Titans expressed no interest and ultimately signed journeyman Brandon Weeden instead.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/16/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- DT Shakir Soto; S Maurice Alexander (link)
Baltimore Ravens
- LB Steven Johnson (link)
Detroit Lions
- QB Taylor Heinicke; WR Kenny Lawler; TE Jason Croom (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- WRs Corey Brown, Noel Thomas (link via Mark Long of the Associated Press); G Thomas Evans; OTs Javarius Leamon, Storm Norton; DBs Ronald Martin, L.J. McCray (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- WRs Daniel Braverman, Frankie Hammond, Tim Patrick (link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
New England Patriots
- QB Garrett Grayson; WRs Tim Patrick, Deonte Thompson; DE Jhaustin Thomas; LBs Boseko Lokombo, Marcus Rush (all Twitter links via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New Orleans Saints
- RB Shaun Draughn (link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
- P Brock Miller (link)
49ers DL Arik Armstead To Undergo Surgery
49ers defensive end Arik Armstead will undergo surgery after suffering a broken hand in Sunday’s game, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, including Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Armstead is a candidate for injured reserve, per Shanahan.
Armstead, a first-round pick in 2015, has been excellent on the edge in first-year coordinator Robert Saleh‘s 4-3 scheme. Through five weeks, Armstead had played the second-most defensive snaps of any 49ers defender and posted eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, 5.5 pressures, and one pass defensed. Overall, the 23-year-old has graded as the NFL’s No. 33 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.
Elvis Dumervil and Aaron Lynch are now candidates to see increased usage along a defensive line that also includes DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas, and Earl Mitchell. While the 49ers could theoretically add an external option for depth while Armstead is sidelined, they should be getting two defensive ends back in the near future, as Ronald Blair and Tank Carradine are both eligible to return to the field soon.
If Armstead is placed on injured reserve, he’ll face a minimum eight-week absence, meaning he won’t be able to come back until Week 15.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/16/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Peli Anau
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Brian Hill
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Nelson Spruce
- Released: LB Jason Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: TE Scott Orndoff
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DB Charlie Miller
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: LeShun Daniels
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Jalin Marshall
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: S Jordan Dangerfield
- Released: S Jacob Hagen
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Josh Forrest
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Andreas Knappe
- Released: OL Jerry Ugokwe
Packers Unlikely To Add Veteran QB
The Packers are unlikely to sign a veteran quarterback to their active roster after losing starter Aaron Rodgers to a broken collarbone, head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
McCarthy had already committed to Brett Hundley as Green Bay’s starter during Rodgers’ absence, and that’s perhaps unsurprising given that Hundley — a 2015 draft pick — has now been in the Packers’ system for nearly three years. Joe Callahan, promoted from Green Bay’s practice squad earlier today, will serve as Hundley’s backup going forward.
That’s not to say the Packers won’t add a quarterback, but it isn’t expected to be a veteran. McCarthy did allow that Green Bay is open to placing another signal-caller on its active roster, while Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) reports the Packers’ personnel department is searching for a quarterback to add to the team’s practice squad. Indeed, Green Bay is likely to audition passers this week, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
An experienced quarterback such as Colin Kaepernick is not a likely option for the Packers, and McCarthy “bristled” at the notion of signing the ex-49er. However, McCarthy would have had the same reaction to the idea of adding any veteran signal-caller, per Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link), as the head coach’s ire wasn’t directed at Kaepernick, but merely the thought of adding a player with no ties to the Packers’ offense to the QB room.
While the idea of sticking with Hundley as Rodgers’ replacement makes sense from a continuity standpoint, the Packers are certainly pushing forward with little experience under center. Prior to Sunday, Hundley had attempted just 11 passes, while Callahan has never appeared in a pro contest.
Cowboys To Host LB NaVorro Bowman
The Cowboys will host free agent linebacker NaVorro Bowman following his visit with the Raiders, which will take place on Monday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, the Saints have also emerged as a possible suitor for Bowman, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
Dallas recently witnessed linebacker Anthony Hitchens return from injury, but All Pro Sean Lee missed Week 5 with a hamstring issue and could potentially be sidelined going forward. Former second-round pick Jaylon Smith, meanwhile, has struggled in his first live action since suffering a devastating knee injury in his final collegiate game. The Cowboys rank just 29th in defensive DVOA and are dead last in rush defense DVOA, so adding a free agent of Bowman’s caliber should be able to improve those marks.
New Orleans’ defense isn’t much better than the Cowboys’, as the Saints ranks 30th against the run per DVOA. They’ve dealt with injuries at linebacker as well, as rookie Alex Anzalone was recently placed on injured reserve, while the team lost a bit of depth by trading Stephone Anthony to the Dolphins earlier this season. A.J. Klein and Craig Robertson are currently garnering most of the second level snaps for New Orleans.
Given the level of interest he’s generated, Bowman is expected to sign quickly — he hopes to have a new deal in place by Wednesday, reports Florio.