Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/18
Today’s minor moves:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: S Eddie Pleasant
- Waived: LB Korey Toomer
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Jakeem Grant (story)
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Isaiah Ford
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: CB David Rivers
Redskins QB Colt McCoy Could Become Free Agent In 2019
Colt McCoy took over as the Redskins’ starting quarterback after Alex Smith suffered a gruesome leg injury last week, and while the veteran signal-caller is technically under contract through 2019, he’s on pace to become a free agent if he stays under center for the rest of the season. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com explains, McCoy’s deal will void if he plays 30% of Washington’s offensive snaps, an easily attainable figure providing the McCoy stays healthy.
However, if McCoy does exercise his option to become a free agent, the Redskins have the right to buy back the 2019 season while giving McCoy a raise. The details of that raise aren’t exactly clear, but Rapoport says it would be worth anywhere from $750K to $4MM, depending on how McCoy performs for the rest of the year.
Rapoport does pass along one example for reference: if McCoy starts the rest of the season and plays in two playoff games, he’d be entitled to a $2MM buyback, a figure that would be fully guaranteed. So instead of earning a $3.5MM and $2MM guaranteed (which is what his contract currently calls for), McCoy could collect $5.5MM in total and $4MM guaranteed.
Whether the Redskins have interest in using their buyback clause will likely rest on two factors: how well McCoy plays, and their optimism regarding Smith’s health. Per Rapoport, Washington would have been comfortable deploying McCoy as its starter this season had it not been able to acquire Smith from the Chiefs, so the club clearly has confidence in the 32-year-old. As far as Smith goes, the Redskins are optimistic that he’ll be ready for the 2019 campaign, but his recovery timeline is uncertain.
Injury Notes: Vikings, Packers, Colts, Bucs, Falcons
The Vikings received some excellent news on Monday when an MRI revealed cornerback Xavier Rhodes suffered a “very, very mild” hamstring injury, head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters, including Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link). While Minnesota does have depth in its secondary (Mackensie Alexander, Holton Hill), the club had already lost rookie first-round corner Mike Hughes for the season. And missing Rhodes, who was named All-Pro in 2017, for any amount of time would have been devastating. After beating the Packers on Sunday night, the Vikings now have a 63% chance of earning a postseason berth, per FiveThirtyEight.com.
Let’s take a look at more injury news from around the NFL:
- Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari suffered two knee injuries and an ankle injury against the Vikings last night, but there is still hope he’ll be able to play against the Cardinals in Week 13, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. After being defeated by Minnesota, Green Bay will almost surely need to win out to have any chance at making the playoffs, and losing Bakhtiari certainly wouldn’t help matters. Arguably the league’s best pass-blocking tackle, Bakhtiari missed six games over his first five seasons in the NFL. If Bakhtiari’s not able to play against Arizona, former second-round pick Jason Spriggs would take over on Aaron Rodgers‘ blindside.
- After going down with a concussion against the Dolphins, Colts running back Marlon Mack is “iffy” for Week 13, tweets Mike Chappell of Fox59. Mack missed three games with a hamstring injury earlier this year, but has averaged 16.5 carries per game since as Indianapolis’ lead back. The 6-5 Colts face a winnable game against the Jaguars next Sunday as they fight for a playoff spot, and would turn to Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines to play more snaps if Mack can’t go.
- Buccaneers receiver DeSean Jackson is headed to New York to get a second opinion on his thumb injury, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jackson was originally injured in Week 11, and while he played against the 49ers in Week 12, it still sounds as though the issue is bothering him. Elsewhere in Tampa Bay, tight end O.J. Howard — who is already on injured reserve — is facing a four-to-six week recovery timeline for his ankle ailment, tweets Laine. Given that the Bucs are already out of postseason contention, Howard isn’t a candidate to return this year.
- Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said linebacker Deion Jones looks excellent but stopped short of saying Jones will be ready for Week 13, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jones was activated off injured reserve in advance of Week 11, but he still has yet to see the field. After originally suffering a foot injury in Week 1, Jones hasn’t played since, and his — and other key defenders’ — absences have contributed to Atlanta’s disappointing 4-7 record.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/26/18
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Montay Crockett
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DB John Franklin III
Detroit Lions
- Released: DB Horace Richardson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Teo Redding
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Je’Ron Hamm, QB Phillip Walker
- Released: DE Anthony Winbush
New York Giants
- Released: K Marshall Koehn
Oakland Raiders
- Released: CB Arrion Springs
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB James Onwualu
Washington Redskins
- Released: T Jarron Jones
Steelers Designate LB Olasunkanmi Adeniyi For Return
The Steelers have designated rookie outside linebacker Olasunkanmi Adeniyi to return from injured reserve, according to Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk.
Adeniyi played three seasons as Toledo before entering the 2018 draft with a year of eligibility remaining. Last year, Adeiniyi played in 14 games for the Rockets and posted 8.5 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles on the way to being named second team All-MAC. In his pre-draft profile of Adeniyi, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com called the now-21-year-old a “high effort player” who nonetheless lacks exceptional athletic talent.
Pittsburgh thought enough of Adeniyi’s work during the preseason to keep him on its initial 53-man roster, a move that now makes him eligible to return from injured reserve. Now that Adeniyi is back at practice, the Steelers have a three-week window during which they must either activate Adeniyi, or leave him on IR for the remainder of the season.
The Steelers don’t necessarily need any help on the edge, as they rank first in the NFL in sacks and second in pressure rate. Adeniyi, if activated, would likely serve as depth behind T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, and Anthony Chickillo while also playing on special teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/26/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Claimed off waivers (Seahawks): TE Darrell Daniels
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DB Darian Thompson
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Garrett Dickerson
- Placed on injured reserve: WR Quadree Henderson
Oakland Raiders
- Signed off Ravens’ practice squad: TE Darren Waller
- Waived: WR Johnny Holton
- Placed on injured reserve: DE Jacquies Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DE Demone Harris
- Waived: S Godwin Igwebuike
NFL Suspends Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette
The NFL has handed Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette a one-game suspension after he took a swing at Bills defender Shaq Lawson on Sunday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Specifically, Fournette — who was ejected from yesterday’s matchup along with Lawson — will be banned for violating the league’s unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness rules. Fournette has already appealed the suspension and will hear back on Wednesday, tweets Rapoport.
Jacksonville will now head into its Week 13 matchup against the Colts with a new offensive coordinator (quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich, who replaces Nathaniel Hackett), quarterback (Cody Kessler), and running back. Carlos Hyde, whom the Jaguars acquired from the Browns earlier this year, figures to see split time with T.J. Yeldon in a makeshift Jaguars backfield on Sunday. Both backs will run behind an offensive line that’s now without its best player in Andrew Norwell, who was placed on injured reserve earlier today.
At 3-8, the Jaguars have no shot at a playoff berth, so missing Fournette for one game won’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. However, Fournette — who had returned in Week 10 from a lengthy injury-related absence — will be penalized financially. The former fourth overall selection will be now forfeit 1/17 of his $1.699MM base salary, which amounts to roughly $99K.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains, Fournette could potentially be subject to an even greater financial loss. If Fournette’s rookie contract contains void language regarding suspension, the remaining $7MM in guaranteed money left on his deal could be removed. If the Jaguars were to attempt to release Fournette and not pay him those remaining guarantees, he’d surely take his case to an arbiter.
49ers DB Jimmie Ward Done For Season
49ers defensive back Jimmie Ward will miss the remainder of the season after breaking his forearm on Sunday, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
Ward hasn’t been able to avoid injury over the past year-plus, as he also missed the second half of the 2017 campaign with a broken arm. A former first-round pick, Ward had played both safety and cornerback this season, displaying versatility when injuries elsewhere on the San Francisco roster forced him to move between positions. He’d started the past four games at corner in place of Adrian Colbert, who was placed on injured reserve in late October.
“I wanted to finish the season off,” Ward said, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. “Safety is easy for me. It’s natural. Corner, I just started playing corner when I got in the league so each play, each game, I just started getting better, just like I was getting better at safety. So, I’ll be all right. I’ll bounce back and I’ll ball.”
Ward is currently playing on his fifth-year option, on which he’s collecting $8.526MM before hitting free agency next spring. The 49ers could conceivably re-sign Ward before he reaches the open market, but given that he was at least mentioned in trade rumors in November, it’s possible San Francisco is ready to move on.
Ward, 27, will end the 2018 season having appeared in nine games while making seven starts. He played 62.9% of the 49ers’ defensive snaps and roughly a third of the club’s special teams snaps, managing 24 tackles in that time.
North Notes: Ravens, Flacco, Lions, Bengals
Lamar Jackson will likely start at least one more game for the Ravens, as Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that Joe Flacco will be hard-pressed to return from injury in Week 12, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (Twitter link). Flacco has been dealing with a hip issue since Week 9, and while he’s not expected to require surgery, the veteran signal-caller did see a specialist in New York last week. Further complicating matters is Jackson’s performance in Sunday’s win over the Bengals, which vaulted Baltimore back into wild card contention. Jackson, the 32nd overall selection in this year’s draft, attempted only 19 passes against Cincinnati, but rushed 27 times for 117 yards in a 24-21 victory. Harbaugh and the rest of the Ravens’ decision-makers could opt to roll with Jackson as the club finishes out the season against the Raiders, Falcons, Chiefs, Buccaneers, Chargers, and Browns.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Although he’ll undergo an MRI before getting any official diagnosis, Lions running back Kerryon Johnson isn’t believed to have torn his ACL on Sunday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Instead, Johnson is believed to have suffered a knee sprain. While a sprain wouldn’t knock Johnson out for the remainder of the season, it could put his availability for Week 12 in serious doubt. That’s especially true given that Detroit is facing a short turnaround, as they’ll face the Bears in a Thanksgiving Day matchup. Johnson has managed 5.4 yards per carry on 118 attempts so far during his rookie season, and also ranks seventh in Football Outsiders’ success rate, meaning he’s effective at keeping the Lions’ offense on schedule. If Johnson is out on Thursday, Detroit would use a committee of LeGarrette Blount, Theo Riddick, and Zach Zenner.
- The Bengals are paying former Browns head coach Hue Jackson $250K while he serves as a special assistant to head coach Marvin Lewis for the rest of the season, per Rapoport (Twitter link). However, Jackson had offset language in his contract with Cleveland, so Cincinnati will essentially get his services at no cost, while the Browns will see their bill lessened. Jackson is expected to focus on the defensive side of the ball in Cincinnati, and reports on Sunday indicated he could even take over defensive play-calling later this year.
- In case you missed it, the Bengals are expected to see the return of receiver A.J. Green in Week 12. Green suffered a toe injury against the Buccaneers in Week 8 and hasn’t played since.
Current 2019 NFL Draft Order
With nearly 11 full weeks of NFL action in the books, the 2019 draft order is beginning to take shape. Here’s the rundown of where things would stand if the 2018 season ended today:
1. San Francisco 49ers (2-8)
2. Arizona Cardinals (2-8)
3. Oakland Raiders (2-8)
4. New York Jets (3-7)
5. New York Giants (3-7)
6. Buffalo Bills (3-7)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-7)
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7)
9. Cleveland Browns (3-6-1)
10. Detroit Lions (4-6)
11. Atlanta Falcons (4-6)
12. Philadelphia Eagles (4-6)
13. Denver Broncos (4-6)
14. Green Bay Packers (4-5-1)
15. Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
16. Miami Dolphins (5-5)
17. Dallas Cowboys (5-5)
18. Tennessee Titans (5-5)
19. Seattle Seahawks (5-5)
20. Cincinnati Bengals (5-5)