West Rumors: 49ers, Kaep, Broncos, Raiders
The NFL should seek to end the Colin Kaepernick collusion grievance via settlement, if only for its own good, opines Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The league has indeed broached the topic of a financial settlement with Kaepernick and his team, but those talks have reportedly gone nowhere, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com indicated earlier this week. A 2019 hearing now appears likely, but as Florio writes, the NFL has a lot to lose by allowing a hearing to take place. League personnel would likely be deposed, internal communications could be made public, and — in a worst-case scenario — Kaepernick could prove collusion did indeed take place. Of course, the former 49ers quarterback would have to be amenable to a settlement, and given that a) he’s earned more than $43MM during his career and b) his grievance and interests don’t appear to be financially motivated, it seems unlikely he’d agree to be paid for his silence.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- The Broncos are “doing a lot of homework” on collegiate tight end prospects in advance of the 2019 draft, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.net (Twitter link). Denver has spent consecutive fifth-round picks on tight ends, but both of the club’s selections have fallen victim to injury. 2017 draft choice Jake Butt missed his entire rookie year while recovering from an ACL tear; he played in three games this season before suffering yet another torn ACL (the third of his football career). Meanwhile, 2018 selection Troy Fumagalli has been on IR since August after going down with a thigh injury. Per Gavrino Borquez of USA Today’s Draftwire, the top draft-eligible tight ends include Noah Fant (Iowa), Kaden Smith (Stanford), and T.J. Hockenson (Iowa).
- In his latest mailbag for The Athletic, Matt Barrows writes — perhaps unsurprisingly — 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is in no danger of losing his job despite a disappointing 2018 campaign. Shanahan and general manager John Lynch signed dual six-year contracts prior to the 2017 season, so he presumably has plenty of leeway to execute his vision in San Francisco. Additionally, the 49ers lost both quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Jerick McKinnon before September ended, making it difficult to evaluate the club’s offensive talent.
- More from Burrows, who adds three-game starting quarterback Nick Mullens‘ “leash was shortened” following his lackluster performance against the Buccaneers in Week 12. After tossing three touchdowns in his first NFL start, Mullens — whom the 49ers signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017 — has regressed over the past two weeks, throwing just two scores against four picks while posting a 68.5 passer rating during that time. C.J. Beathard, who’s managed a 81.8 quarterback rating in six appearances this season, is now healthy and could get another shot under center if Mullens struggles against the Seahawks on Sunday.
- Former Raiders/49ers edge rusher Aldon Smith turned himself into San Francisco police on Tuesday after being accused of domestic violence, reports Evan Sernoffsky of the San Francisco Chronicle. Smith, of course, has been no stranger to off-field incidents since being selected in the first round of the 2011 draft. The Raiders quickly released Smith following another domestic violence episode earlier this year, and it’s obvious Smith will never play in the NFL again.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/28/18
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Chris Jones
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Cyril Grayson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Michael Dunn
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Troymaine Pope
- Released: LB Jonathan Celestin
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: WR Malachi Dupre
Washington Redskins
- Signed: LB Josh Carraway
Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky Out For Week 13
The Bears will once again turn to quarterback Chase Daniel when they face the Giants on Sunday, as starter Mitchell Trubisky will sit out with an ongoing shoulder injury, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Per Garafolo, Trubisky is healthy enough that he could play if Chicago allowed it (although he’s still not throwing, tweets James Palmer of NFL.com). But playing it safe is probably the right decision for the Bears, especially given their playoff position and their opponent in Week 13. Not only does Chicago have a 96% chance of earning a postseason berth and an 83% chance to win the NFC North (per FiveThirtyEight.com), but the club is a four-point favorite on the road against New York.
Making his first start since the 2014 campaign, Daniel completed 27-of-37 attempts against the Lions in a Thanksgiving Day victory. Daniel, who inked a two-year, $10MM contract with the Bears during the offseason, tossed two touchdowns against the Lions, and while he certainly doesn’t offer the upside of Trubisky, he is capable of managing wins, especially with the NFL’s top defense supporting him.
The Bears don’t believe Trubisky’s injury is a long-term issue, and given how close he was to playing this week, it stands to reason he’ll be available when Chicago takes on the Rams in Week 14. After that pivotal matchup, the Bears will close out the season against the Packers, 49ers, and Vikings.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/29/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: QB Chad Kanoff
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived from injured reserve: TE DeAndre Goolsby
Broncos To Work Out QB Nathan Peterman
The Broncos are planning to workout former Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman early next week, according to Ryan Talbot of New York Upstate (Twitter link).
Denver currently has only two quarterbacks on its roster: starter Case Keenum and backup Kevin Hogan. The Broncos also have another signal-caller — former Saint Garrett Grayson — on their practice squad. None of those passers are necessarily in danger of losing their job, as Peterman is simply part of a large group of free agents Denver will look at in advance of signing players to offseason futures contracts, tweets Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
Peterman, 24, was released by the Bills earlier this year after posting arguably the worst results of any quarterback in NFL history. Pro Football Reference produces “indexed” statistics which adjust for era, therefore allowing for comparison between players in today’s pass-happy league and –for example — those who starred in 1980s run-based offenses. By those indexed metrics, Peterman is dead last among all quarterbacks since 1970 in passer rating, yards per attempt, interception percentage, and numerous other passing statistics.
North Rumors: Bears, Nagy, Ravens, Vikings
It’s still unclear if Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky will be available to face the Giants on Sunday, but Chicago is confident Trubisky’s shoulder injury won’t turn into a long-term issue, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com tweets. Trubisky missed the Bears’ Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Lions, but Chicago was still able to manage a victory with backup Chase Daniel under center. The Bears have a 98% chance of earning a postseason berth and an 83% chance to win the NFC North, so they may not want to risk Trubisky’s health in what could be another easy win against New York. Trubisky did practice on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), although it was in a limited fashion.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- While Trubisky might be healthy enough to play on Sunday, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco almost certainly won’t be ready for Week 13. Flacco, who is still dealing with a hip issue that has cost him two games, didn’t practice on Wednesday and appears likely to sit out Sunday, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com (Twitter link). First-round rookie Lamar Jackson, who has led Baltimore to two victories in his first two starts, figures to be under center again when the Ravens take on the Falcons. Meanwhile, offensive lineman James Hurst returned to practice on Wednesday after being sidelined since mid-October, reports Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- Matt Nagy will lead the Bears against the Giants on Sunday, but New York never showed any interest in hiring him as a head coach during the offseason, as he told reporters — including Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com (Twitter link) — on Wednesday. That’s in line with PFR’s 2018 Head Coaching Search Tracker, which shows Nagy only interviewed with the Colts and Bears. The Giants, meanwhile, met with Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia, Steve Wilks, Eric Studesville, and Steve Spagnuolo before hiring Pat Shurmur. Nagy, for his part, could take home Coach of the Year depending on how Chicago’s season ends.
- Speaking of current Bears coaches, Chicago is worried it could lose defensive coordinator Vic Fangio this offseason, as Jay Glazer of The Athletic writes. Fangio has interviewed for two head positions in the past, but both have been with clubs that already employed him (Bears in 2018, 49ers in 2015). While he didn’t land either of those gigs, Fangio could be in line to move into a head coaching role after that’s currently ranked first in DVOA by a relatively wide margin. As Glazer writes, however, Fangio’s age (60) could work against him as many clubs are searching for younger coaches.
- By going over the 100-catch mark on Sunday, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen triggered an escalator in his contract, tweets Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Thielen, who inked an incredibly team-friendly extension last spring, will now see his 2019 base salary increase from $3.85MM to $5.85MM. If he tops 90 receptions in 2019, Thielen will boost his 2020 salary from $5.35MM to $7.35MM.
Steelers WR Eli Rogers Returns To Practice
Steelers wide receiver Eli Rogers — who is currently on the reserve/physically unable to perform list — returned to practice today, according to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (Twitter link).
Rogers, 25, has certainly had an eventful 2018 to this point. After tearing his ACL in the divisional round of the playoffs, Rogers was non-tendered as a restricted free agent. He subsequently worked out for multiple teams — including the Chiefs, Browns, and Raiders — before re-signing with the Steelers in July. The NFL suspended Rogers for the first game of the season following a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, but he was able to serve that ban while on PUP.
Rogers has been a part-time player since entering the NFL in 2016, topping out at 62% playtime during his rookie campaign before dipping to 40% last season. The Steelers already have two top-tier wideouts in Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, so Rogers will have to compete with Ryan Switzer and James Washington for snaps.
Because he’s already missed the NFL-mandated six weeks of action, Rogers can be activated at any time. If the Steelers don’t place him on their 53-man roster in the next three weeks, he’ll remain on the PUP list for the rest of the season.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/28/18
Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Arizona Cardinals
- TE Billy Brown; Ss Harold Jones-Quartey, Fish Smithson
Cleveland Browns
- WR Bug Howard; TEs Tim Semisch, Clive Walford
Poll: Who Will Win The NFC East?
From a divisional perspective, the NFL playoff race isn’t all that exciting in 2018. While there is certainly intrigue regarding the No. 6 seed in the AFC, and the NFC wild card race still needs to shake out, there is only one divisional race that is truly up for grabs. The NFC East is still wide open at the moment, with three clubs still realistically in the hunt to take the division crown.
Let’s take a closer look at each contending team in the NFC East, along with their odds of winning the division via the New York Times, FiveThirtyEight.com, and Football Outsiders:
Dallas Cowboys
- NYT: 52%
- 538: 60%
- FO: 49.4%
Two weeks ago, I asked PFR readers which team that wasn’t at first place at the time still had a shot of winning its division. The Cowboys had roughly a 10% chance of taking the NFC East, and only nine percent of PFR readers believed Dallas was the most likely non-first place club to end up as division champions. Oh, how things have changed. The Cowboys have won two consecutive games since (bringing their current win streak to three), first defeating the Falcons before winning a critical matchup over the Redskins on Thanksgiving. Dallas has topped 130 yards rushing in each of its last three contests, while Dak Prescott has remained interception-free during the same period.
Washington Redskins
- NYT: 31%
- 538: 39%
- FO: 29.9%
The Redskins looked to be in the NFC East driver’s seat as recently as two weeks ago, but they’ve since lost two straight games and their starting quarterback. Alex Smith was certainly limited as a passer, but Colt McCoy is perhaps even more restricted under center. Additionally, the interior of Washington’s offensive line has been absolutely decimated, which could present even more problems for the 6’2″ McCoy. The Redskins will face the easiest remaining schedule of the three NFC East contenders (indeed, the third-easiest remaining slate in the league, per FO), but they’ll go up against the Eagles in two tough matchups, the first of which comes this Monday night.
Philadelphia Eagles
- NYT: 16%
- 538: 24%
- FO: 20.5%
Back in August, PFR readers deemed the Eagles as the least likeliest 2017 division winner to miss the postseason in 2018. But if the season ended today, they’d be one of only two 2017 division champions (along with the Jaguars) to not make the playoffs this year. Philadelphia’s fate certainly isn’t sealed — they’ll get to play Washington twice more, and face a pivotal Week 14 game against Dallas. But the Eagles’ other two contests are against the Rams and Texans, two clubs who can certainly take advantage of Philadelphia’s secondary woes. The Eagles can likely only afford one more loss over the remainder of the season.
So what do you think? Which one of these teams is going to win the NFC East crown? Vote below, and leave your additional thoughts in the comments section.
Lions Designate CB Jamal Agnew For Return
The Lions have designated cornerback/returner Jamal Agnew to return from injured reserve, the club announced today.
Agnew was originally placed on IR on October 15, and given the NFL’s requirement that IR/return players miss six weeks, the earliest Agnew can return is Week 15. He was allowed to return to practice today, however, opening a three-week window during which the Lions must decide whether to activate Agnew to their 53-man roster, or leave him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
Agnew, 23, earned All-Pro honors as a specialist during his rookie season in 2017 after leading the NFL in punt return yardage and average, and also scored two touchdowns on special teams. His prowess in the kicking game had continued into this season, but Agnew had also been asked to play more on defense, where his playtime percentage had jumped from just 7.8% a year ago to 36.3% in 2018. Pro Football Focus gave Agnew poor marks for his coverage abilities, however, grading him as a bottom-10 cornerback.
Detroit has no chance at making the postseason, so it’s fair to wonder why the Lions would risk Agnew’s health in a lost year. But as Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes, Agnew could use the final three weeks of the 2018 campaign to get more experience playing cornerback. Detroit can certainly use all the help it can get, as the club has been deploying lackluster options Nevin Lawson and Mike Ford (an undrafted rookie free agent) alongside Darius Slay. The Lions currently rank 31st in both pass defense DVOA and opposing passer rating allowed.