Packers DL Mike Pennel Facing 10-Game Ban
Packers defensive lineman Mike Pennel has filed suit against the NFL and the NFLPA as he faces punishment for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, according to Eric Heisig of Cleveland.com. Pennel has already served a four-game ban this season as a result of a failed drug test, so a second positive test would equal a 10-game suspension, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes.
[RELATED: Green Bay Packers Depth Chart]
Pennel received notice of a second failed drug test earlier this month, and appealed his punishment three days later — that appeal is currently set for the beginning of December. But Pennel isn’t content with the appeal process, as his filing contends that the league only intends on providing two neutral arbitrators instead of the standard three-to-five. In his complaint, Pennel also asks that the entire appeal hearing is put on hold until the NFL appoints a third arbitrator.
Pennel, 25, has played in seven games since returning from the suspended list. He’s notched 95 defensive snaps as a rotational lineman behind starters Mike Daniels, Letroy Guion, and Datone Jones. Pennel is signed through 2016 at the minimum salary, and would stand to lose quite a bit of income if the 10-game ban is upheld.
Pennel becomes the second NFL player in recent days to file a lawsuit against both the NFL and the NFLPA, joining Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson, who is complaining of “unfair labor practices” while serving his own 10-game suspension.
Cowboys Expect Claiborne To Return This Year
Appearing on 105.3 The Fan today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that he “absolutely” expects cornerback Morris Claiborne to return to the field during the 2016 regular season, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Jones said he wasn’t sure if Claiborne would be able to play in Dallas’ December 11 game against the Giants, but cautioned that the scenario shouldn’t be ruled out, according to Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
[RELATED: Jaylon Smith Won’t Play This Year]
Disparate reports emerged last week regarding Claiborne’s status, as some information indicated that Claiborne was ahead of schedule in his recovery from a strained groin, while other sources relayed that Claiborne was “nowhere close to returning” given that he reportedly tore the bone off his pelvis. It’s possible — and perhaps likely — that Claiborne is awaiting the results of another MRI that will help gauge his progress, but Jones, for one, seems to believe that the veteran defensive back is somewhat close to playing again.
Claiborne, 26, has transformed from a former draft bust to a legitimate top corner in his fifth NFL season, ranking as PFF’s ninth-best corner on the year. Re-signed to a one-year deal worth only $3MM, Claiborne has seven games thus far in 2016 and posted one interception. He’s scheduled for unrestricted free agency after the season, so his ability to return to the field is critical not only for the Cowboys’ secondary, but for Claiborne’s bottom line.
With Clairborne sidelined, Dallas has turned to Orlando Scandrick — who recently returned from his own injury — and rookie Anthony Brown to take more playing time. And while the Cowboys will be without Claiborne for a few more weeks at minimum, they are expected to see the return of safety Barry Church, who fractured his right forearm last month, on Thursday night against the Vikings.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/29/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Kevin Graf
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Chris Hubert
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Asa Jackson
- Cut: LB James Burgess
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T Jake Rodgers, T Tyrus Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Tony McRae
New England Patriots
- Signed: TE Kennard Backman, RB D.J. Foster
New York Jets
- Cut: OL Zach Sterup
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Wynton McManis
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Kevin Smith
- Cut: RB Zac Brooks, RB Malcolm Johnson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB D’Joun Smith
Saints Plan To Hire Extra Special Teams Coach
After struggling with special teams play for most of the season, the Saints are expected to hire another coach to aid its ST unit, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported this morning (link via Larry Holder of NOLA.com). Glazer did not name a specific coach that New Orleans — which already employs two special teams coaches in Greg McMahon (coordinator) and Stan Kwan (assistant) — will add.
[RELATED: Saints Waive James Laurinaitis From IR]
Heading into Week 11, the Saints ranked 24th in special teams DVOA, according to Football Outsiders, and had made a number of high-profile mistakes in recent weeks. On the season, New Orleans has allowed three field goals to be blocked (two of which were returned for touchdowns), and rate poorly in nearly every aspect of special teams play outside of Thomas Morstead‘s punts. Kicker Wil Lutz ranks 28th in average kickoff distance, while the Saints as a team are averaging only 16.3 yards per kick return, 31st in the NFL.
As Holder notes, the Saints have given several players a chance to return kicks and/or punts, but haven’t been able to find a reliable returner as of yet. So far this year, Travaris Cadet, Marcus Murphy, Tim Hightower, and Tommylee Lewis have handled at least one kickoff, while Lewis, Murphy, Jairus Byrd, Brandin Cooks, and De’Vante Harris have all been given a chance on punt return duty.
Browns May Shut Down Cody Kessler
Browns head coach Hue Jackson said his club may shut down rookie quarterback Cody Kessler after he suffered his second concussion of the season today, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Cleveland Browns Depth Chart]
If Cleveland does opt to stash Kessler for the rest of the season, the club might have the chance to get another look at Robert Griffin III, whom the Browns signed to a two-year contract during the offseason. Griffin went down with injury during the season opener, but is on track to return and will begin practicing next week. If Cleveland opts to activate from injured reserve, it could use the rest of the season to determine if Griffin should be in the club’s plans for 2017. If Griffin isn’t healthy enough to go, the Browns would turn to either veteran Josh McCown or rookie Kevin Hogan.
Kessler, a third-round pick, has certainly been serviceable after being thrust into the starting role — through seven starts, he’s completed 67% of his passes 1,241 yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception. However, the Browns still look increasingly likely to select a quarterback in next year’s draft, and a report earlier today indicated the Cleveland is extremely interested in UNC QB Mitch Trubisky.
Bears TE Zach Miller Done For Season
Bears tight end Zach Miller broke his right foot in today’s game against the Giants and will miss the remainder of the season, head coach John Fox told reporters, including Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Chicago Bears Depth Chart]
Miller, 32, was a breakout performer during the 2015 season after spending three years out of the NFL, hauling in five touchdowns as Chicago’s second tight end. Following the trade of Martellus Bennett in the offseason, Miller became the Bears’ primary TE, and had followed up last year with another solid season. Through nine games, Miller had managed 44 receptions for 425 yards and three scores. Miller agreed to a two-year contract this spring, so he’s signed through the 2017 campaign, during which he’ll have a cap charge of $3MM.
With a record of 2-8, the Bears are going nowhere fast, but they could ill afford another loss on the offensive side of the ball after wide receiver Alshon Jeffery got hit with a four-game PED suspension last week. Chicago already has three other tight ends — Logan Paulsen, Ben Braunecker, and Daniel Brown — but each is more of a blocker/special teamer than a receiving threat.
A.J. Green Has “Significant” Hamstring Tear
Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green left today’s game against the Bills in the first quarter after suffering an injury, and a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that Green is dealing with a “significant” hamstring tear, and the Bengals fear Green may be lost for the season, according to Geoff Hobson of the team’s website (Twitter link). Green will undergo an MRI tomorrow to determine the extent of the damage, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, but Rapoport says that the situation is “not good.” 
[RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals Depth Chart]
Losing Green for any amount of time could signify a death knell for the Bengals, who now sit at 3-6-1 after narrowly falling to Buffalo earlier today. By any indication, Green is Cincinnati’s best offensive player, as he ranks second in the league with 964 receiving yards while adding four touchdowns. With Green sidelined, the Bengals will be forced to turn to an uninspiring set of wide receiver options, a list that includes Brandon LaFell, James Wright, and rookies Tyler Boyd, Alex Erickson, and Cody Core. If forced to add a pass-catcher from its practice squad, Cincinnati could look at either Jake Kumerow or Alonzo Russell.
Despite the Bengals’ unimpressive record, the club is still in playoff contention thanks to the poor play of the rest of the AFC North. A wild card berth is probably out of the question, but even after today’s loss, Cincinnati sits only 1.5 games behind the Ravens and Steelers in the division standings. The Bengals will have the opportunity to close that gap as the season closes, as four of the team’s final six games come against AFC North foes.
Redskins Explored Trading RB Matt Jones
The Redskins considered trading running back Matt Jones in advance of the NFL’s trade deadline earlier this month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on NFL Insiders this morning.
[RELATED: Washington Redskins Depth Chart]
While Schefter’s report didn’t include what sort of compensation Washington was targeting, or what clubs may have expressed interest, it’s difficult to imagine that the Redskins could have asked for much in return for Jones. After beginning the season as Washington’s starting running back, Jones has since ceded his job to Robert Kelley and, after overcoming a knee injury, has been a healthy inactive on gameday.
In seven 2016 starts, Jones has averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 99 rushes while scoring three touchdowns, and he’s also ranked well according to advanced metrics such as Football Outsiders‘ DVOA and DYAR. However, Jones has struggled with ball security, having put the ball on the ground three times. He’s signed through the 2018 campaign with base salaries under $800K in each of the next two seasons.
If Jones continues to be a healthy scratch on gamedays — head coach Jay Gruden has said Jones will have to “earn his way back” — the Redskins will rely on Kelley, Chris Thompson, and Mack Brown in the backfield.
Browns Focusing On UNC QB Mitch Trubisky
The Browns have high grades on North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky and are strongly interested in him as they search for a franchise signal-caller, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. “They love him,” said one NFL scout. “Trust me, they love him.”
[RELATED: RG3 To Practice Next Week]
Cleveland does have already have three quarterbacks under contract for the 2017 season, but that won’t prevent the club from evaluating every option available in next year’s draft. Veterans Josh McCown and Robert Griffin III are candidates for release next year, and while third-round rookie Cody Kessler has been serviceable through seven starts, the Browns are still extremely likely to select a passer in 2017.
Trubisky, an Ohio native, will almost certainly be drafted in the top half of the first round, as he ranks as the sixth and 11th overall player on CBSSports.com and Matt Miller of Bleacher Report‘s respective big boards. Per La Canfora, the Browns staff was in attendance at UNC’s game on Saturday, and has done “extensive work” on Trubisky, who has completed nearly 70% of his passes this year for 25 touchdowns and four interceptions. Trubisky hasn’t been universally lauded, however, as one longtime former GM recently dismissed the North Carolina QB as simply a “one-year starter” who is buttressed by statistics.
The Browns aren’t the only team with a projected top-five pick that is looking into quarterbacks, as a recent report indicated that the Bears are researching Miami signal-caller Brad Kaaya.
Dolphins’ Pouncey Likely To Return Next Week
SUNDAY, 9:38am: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms (via Twitter) that the Dolphins do not believe Pouncey’s hip injury will be a long-term concern. The latest report that he should be ready to go next week still appears accurate.
SATURDAY, 8:48pm: Although Dolphins center Mike Pouncey will be forced to miss tomorrow’s game against the Rams while dealing with a hip issue, he should be able to return next week against the 49ers, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, Pouncey did meet with a specialist this week to go over his injury, per La Canfora.
[RELATED: Miami Dolphins Depth Chart]
Conflicting reports have emerged this week regarding the severity of Pouncey’s hip condition — while some sources have indicated that Miami is worried about Pouncey’s long-term health status, other reports have said the hip issue is not a career-threatening injury. La Canfora’s report doesn’t necessarily contradict either of those previous stories, and Pouncey’s play throughout the rest of the season will likely determine how the Dolphins handle his injury going forward.
Reserve interior lineman Anthony Steen will start tomorrow in Pouncey’s absence, and Miami also made a move to add center Jake Brendel from its practice squad, waiving veteran cornerback Chris Culliver in the process. The Dolphins’ offensive line has steadily improved this season and now ranks 10th in Football Outsiders‘ adjusted line yards, though it still places near the bottom of the league in pass protection. With Pouncey and left tackle Branden Albert both sidelined, the club’s front five could have its hands full against an excellent Rams defensive line on Sunday.