Jets Place Brandon Shell, Jeremiah Attaochu On IR
The Jets have placed offensive tackle Brandon Shell and linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu on injured reserve, the club announced today. To fill its two newly-opened roster spots, New York claimed linebacker Emmanuel Lamur off waivers from the Raiders and promoted linebacker Anthony Wint from the practice squad.
Shell, 26, was a fifth-round pick in the 2016 draft and become a full-time starter along the Jets’ offensive line in 2017. While New York’s front five ranks 31st in pass protection and 32nd in run blocking according to Football Outsiders‘ metrics, Shell hasn’t been to blame. Pro Football Focus‘ grades don’t label Shell as an All-Pro, but he ranks a middling 55th among 83 qualifying tackles. He’ll be back in 2019 at a minimum salary.
Attaochu, for his part, has been long on talent but short on production during his five-year NFL career. Drafted out of Georgia Tech as the 50th overall pick in 2014, Attaochu managed only one season as a starter for the Chargers from 2014-17. Injuries have been a problem, as Attaochu played in just 12 total games over his final two years with Los Angeles, but he’s never posted results even when on the field. In 10 games with Gang Green, Attaochu played 22% of the club’s snap and put up two sacks.
Lamur, 29, followed defensive coordinator Paul Guenther from Cincinnati to Oakland this offseason, inking a one-year deal for the minimum to join the Raiders. In nine games (four starts) with Oakland, Lamur registered 13 tackles while playing on roughly a quarter of the team’s defensive snaps. He’ll offer depth and special teams prowess in New York.
Saints Designate WR Ted Ginn Jr. For Return
The Saints have designated wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. to return from injured reserve, according to Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link).
Ginn was placed on IR in October after suffering a knee injury. Because he’s already missed eight weeks of action, Ginn is eligible to return to the active roster at any time. Now that Ginn has returned to practice, New Orleans has opened a three-week window during which it must either place him on its 53-man roster, or leave him on injured reserve for the rest of the season.
Each NFL team is allowed to bring two players back from IR, and the Saints have already done that with one player (return man Tommylee Lewis). As such, New Orleans had only one IR/return spot left, and the club was said to be deciding between Ginn and reserve offensive lineman Josh LeRibeus.
The Saints have evidently decided adding a veteran presence to their wide receiving corps is more critical than bolstering their offensive line depth. Since Ginn went down, New Orleans has been using a rotation opposite Michael Thomas, with Tre’Quan Smith, Keith Kirkwood, and Austin Carr all seeing time.
Ginn, 33, inked a three-year, $11MM deal with the Saints in 2017, and posted 53 receptions for 787 yards and four touchdowns in his first season in New Orleans. In four games this season, Ginn had managed 12 catches for 135 yards and two scores.
5 Key NFL Stories: 12/9/18 – 12/16/18
Eagles shut down Carson Wentz. Philadelphia no longer has a shot at winning the NFC East, but the club still has roughly a 15% chance of getting into the postseason via the NFC’s No. 6 seed. The Eagles aren’t taking any chances with their franchise quarterback, however, as they’ve reportedly decided to shut down Wentz for the rest of the season. While Wentz hasn’t officially been placed on injured reserve, he’s not expected to play again in 2018 as he recovers from a fracture in his back. Instead, Philadelphia will turn to Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, who is likely to become a free agent in 2019 after the Eagles decline his $20MM option.
Changes in Oakland…Reggie McKenzie‘s days with the Raiders appeared numbered as soon as head coach Jon Gruden was given a 10-year contract earlier this year, but the two men insisted they’d be able to work together. That stance lasted only until December, as McKenzie was relieved of his general manager duties last week. Director of college scouting Shaun Herock has been installed as Oakland’s interim GM, but the team is expected to search for a new personnel chief this offseason. Undoubtedly, the Raiders will look for a GM that will work more closely with — or perhaps, take orders from — Gruden.
…and in Minnesota. McKenzie and Gruden never seemed like an ideal pairing, and neither did Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and first-year offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. Zimmer, of course, won that battle in Minnesota, and DeFilippo — who was viewed as a rising head coach candidate — now finds himself out of job. DeFilippo’s pass-happy offense never seemed to complement Zimmer’s defense-first style, so new OC Kevin Stefanski will now attempt to implement a more run-heavy approach. Don’t look for DeFilippo to return to the Eagles (at least in 2018), but he could be in line for a new coaching gig next year.
Eric Berry returns in Kansas City. The Chiefs didn’t make any moves for a defender at the trade deadline (despite rumors that they were looking for a safety), but KC will now see the return of a former All-Pro. Berry hadn’t seen the field since Week 1 of the 2017 campaign, when a ruptured Achilles ended his season prematurely and kept him out until last Thursday. Berry’s return will help a middling Chiefs pass defense, but the unit took another hit against the Chargers when starting cornerback Kendall Fuller went down with a fractured wrist, leaving his availability for the playoffs in doubt.
NFL bans Martavis Bryant indefinitely. Rumors of a Bryant suspension had been making the rounds since September, but the league never made a formal announcement until last week, meaning Bryant will be out of football for the foreseeable future due to a substance abuse ban. Oakland shipped a third-round pick to Pittsburgh for Bryant during the draft, then released him and re-signed him just before Week 2. All told, the “White Tiger” managed only 19 receptions and 266 scoreless yards on the year.
Dolphins Owner Undecided On 2019 Changes
The Dolphins are now in the midst of another middling season after falling to 7-7 with a defeat against the Vikings today, but franchise owner Stephen Ross is undecided whether to make changes to Miami’s decision-making structure at the end of the year, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
After losing to the Vikings, the Dolphins now have just a nine percent chance to earn a postseason berth, according to Five Thirty Eight, meaning they face far steeper odds than the other contenders for the AFC’s No. 6 seed. The Ravens have a 62% chance to make the playoffs (although that figure includes Baltimore’s still-realistic shot at taking the AFC North crown), while the Colts and Titans have roughly 42% and 33% odds of securing the sixth seed, respectively.
Assuming they don’t make the playoffs this season, the Dolphins will have missed the postseason in two consecutive campaigns following a 10-6 record and wild card berth in head coach Adam Gase‘s debut in 2016. As Florio notes, effort doesn’t seem to be a problem in South Beach (a definite plus for Gase), while the third-year coach has been effective in his quest to change the locker room culture in Miami. But without a sustained record of on-field success, a change at the top could be possible.
Gase, presumably, wouldn’t be the only Dolphins leader who could be out of job this offseason, as vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum and general manager Chris Grier could also be on the chopping block. However, as Florio indicates, Miami has had trouble adding top-shelf talent at both the executive and coaching level, so the club may not want to move on from its current staff only to find it can’t replace them with superior individuals.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/18
Today’s minor moves:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted from practice squad: DE Lyndon Johnson
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Leon Jacobs
NFC Notes: Saints, Seahawks, Lions, 49ers
The Saints cut Brandon Marshall on Wednesday, but head coach Sean Payton says New Orleans could still re-sign the veteran wideout, tweets Nick Underhill of the Advocate. Marshall, 34, has miraculously never made a postseason appearance during 13-year NFL career, but that could change if he ends up back with the Saints. Meanwhile, another mid-30s pass-catcher might be close to returning to the field in New Orleans, as Payton told reporters Ted Ginn Jr. could be nearing activation. Ginn, who underwent knee surgery in October, is reportedly one of two candidates under consideration to be activated from the Saints’ injured reserve list, the other being offensive lineman Josh LeRibeus.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- The Seahawks will likely have interest in re-signing linebacker Mychal Kendricks after he serves a sentence for insider trading, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). “He wants to be part of this thing so badly, but he doesn’t get to this time around,” head coach Pete Carroll said of Kendricks after the latter was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. “We’ll look forward to getting him back next time and keep him with us.” Kendricks will face sentencing in January, but as Henderson notes, Carroll’s comments could be an indication Seattle doesn’t expect Kendricks to serve a lengthy term. Technically, Kendricks could be facing 30-to-37 months in prison.
- Ezekiel Ansah has likely played his final down for the Lions after going on IR Tuesday, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Ansah, 29, played the 2018 campaign under a one-year, $17.1MM franchise tag, but it’s extremely unlikely Detroit will use that tender again next season. While he’s historically been limited by nagging injuries, Ansah typically didn’t miss many games until this year, when he’s only managed seven appearances. Ansah may need to take a one-year, pillow contract in 2019 to re-establish his value, but it doesn’t seem like that deal will come from the Lions.
- The 49ers are already armed with the eighth-most projected cap space in 2019, and they could create even more by parting ways with several veterans this offseason, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Sunday was a pointed example of exactly which aged players could be on the chopping block: wideout Pierre Garcon missed a fourth consecutive game with injury, while linebacker Malcolm Smith and defensive tackle Earl Mitchell saw their snaps either reduced or eliminated altogether. With their quarterback of the future already locked into a long-term deal, San Francisco could spend the upcoming offseason re-tooling other parts of its roster.
Latest On OU QB Kyler Murray
Although Oklahoma quarterback — and Oakland Athletics first-round pick — Kyler Murray has committed to pursuing a career in MLB, there are signs he could be positioning himself for an NFL tenure, as well. For one, Oklahoma recently submitted Murray’s name to the Collegiate Advisory Committee for draft feedback, according to Kalyn Kahler of Sports Illustrated.
Typically, per Kahler, schools will only submit their players’ names at the request of said player, but Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley declined to give any specifics about his team’s process. And asking the CAC for feedback doesn’t tie Murray to the NFL — it’s simply a request for scouts to evaluate his chances of becoming an early pick in 2019.
Still, the mere fact that Murray is still — at least tangentially — poking around in NFL circles is notable, especially given his agent Scott Boras’ recent comments at the MLB Winter Meetings. “When you win the Heisman Trophy, you’re going to have a lot of information come to you and be looked at,” Boras said, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. “All I know is that Kyler has a tremendous opportunity to be a great baseball player. He knows that.”
That’s a notably softer tone from Boras, who previously — and strongly — indicated Murray would only pursue an MLB career. On top of that that, Murray’s contract with the A’s includes a provision that would require him to pay back or forgo a large part of his signing bonus if he decides to play in the NFL, tweets Jon Morosi of MLB Network. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, such a clause is hardly surprising, but Murray could make much more via a rookie NFL contract that he will under his $4.6MM deal with the Athletics.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/13/18
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Xavier Woodson-Luster
- Placed on injured reserve: TE Orson Charles
Bruce Arians Doesn’t Expect Browns Interview
Appearing on the Rich Eishen Show (Twitter link) on Thursday, Bruce Arians reiterated his interest in landing the Browns’ head coaching position, but also noted he doesn’t expect to be interviewed.
Arians also indicated he would not call offensive plays were he to be hired as a head coach. That’s in concert with Arians’ previous statements regarding the Cleveland job, as he’s said he’d keep Freddie Kitchens — who coached under Arians with the Cardinals — in place as the Browns’ OC. Arians, a cancer survivor, said he’s received a “clean bill of health” from doctors, tweets Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan.
Although Arians had been expected to be a hot name in NFL head coaching searches this offseason, Arians himself recently said it’s probably a “99-to-1” chance that he’ll be back on the sidelines in 2019. If Arians does take another position, the Cardinals could theoretically attempt to seek draft pick compensation from his new club. Arians still had time left on his contract when he retired in January, so Arizona still holds his rights.
Arians, 66, served as an offensive coordinator for several teams before taking over as the Colts’ interim head coach in 2012. He served in that capacity while Pagano dealt with a cancer diagnosis, leading Indianapolis to nine wins while taking home Coach of the Year honors. Arians subsequently landed in the desert, and posted a 49-30-1 regular season record with the Cardinals over five seasons.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/13/18
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OL Justin Evans
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Ashton Lampkin
- Placed on injured list: DB Robert Jackson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: G Oni Omoile
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: DT DeShawn Williams
- Released: DE Anthony Winbush
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR C.J. Board
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Martez Carter
New York Giants
- Signed: DL Woodrow Hamilton
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Roubbens Joseph
- Placed on injured list: OL Casey Dunn