Poll: Who Will Claim RB Ameer Abdullah?
The Lions finally cut ties with running back Ameer Abdullah earlier today, ending a three-plus-year run that included numerous rumors of trades that never came to fruition. Abdullah hasn’t accrued four NFL seasons, so he’ll hit the waiver wire (and would have done so anyway given that every NFL player who is cut after the trade deadline goes on waivers).
Abdullah hasn’t had much pro success since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2015. He’s topped 150 carries just twice, failing to top 4.2 yards per carry in either of those seasons. This year, Detroit has stopped using Abdullah altogether, as he’s only appeared in three games and made one rushing attempt. But for clubs in need of running back/returner help, Abdullah could make for a worthwhile add, especially given that he’s only due ~$413K for the remainder of the 2018 campaign.
So what teams could be interested in making a waiver claim on Abdullah? Let’s run through the options:
New England Patriots
The Patriots are always on the hunt for interesting players, but Abdullah may have made more sense for New England a few weeks ago when fellow running back Sony Michel initially went down with injury. James White has filled in admirably, but Abdullah could have given the Pats another option in their backfield. However, Michel is now likely to return for New England’s Sunday night contest against the Titans (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com), so there may not be room for another runner on the Patriots’ roster. Abdullah’s prowess on kick and punt returns would also be nullified in New England, as the Patriots already boast arguably the league’s best returner in Cordarrelle Patterson.
Philadelphia Eagles
After reportedly being in the hunt to acquire a running back via trade at the deadline, the Eagles instead opted to pursue wide receiver help by picking up pass-catcher Golden Tate from the Lions. But the Philadelphia roster could still use another runner after losing Jay Ajayi for the season, so Abdullah could be a candidate to land with the Eagles. If the Eagles did claim Abdullah, however, they’d likely be forced to waive promising undrafted free agent Josh Adams, something I’m not sure they’d consider doing in order to make room for Abdullah.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are all set at running back with James Conner, and if Le’Veon Bell returns before his deadline next week, Abdullah clearly won’t be in consideration for Pittsburgh. But the Steelers have dangerously little depth behind Conner, as the club has only journeyman Stevan Ridley and rookie Jaylen Samuels behind its workhorse. Abdullah could add another dimension to the Steelers’ backfield in the event Conner went down, and — in the more immediate future — give Pittsburgh a boost on kick returns, where they currently rank 31st in Football Outsiders’ special teams metrics.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
While the Buccaneers are barely on the fringes of contention (just a six percent chance to earn a postseason berth, per FiveThirtyEight.com), they need to do something about their running game. Deploying a combination of Peyton Barber, Jacquizz Rodgers, and rookie Ronald Jones (who is now injured), Tampa Bay ranks 24th in rushing DVOA, 29th in yards per carry, and 30th in yards per game. Given the success of their Air Raid passing offense, the Buccaneers don’t necessarily need to be effective running the ball, but adding Abdullah couldn’t hurt.
Tennessee Titans
There’s no hiding the fact that Dion Lewis is no the Titans’ No. 1 running back. As Adam Levitan of Fantasy Labs pointed out on Twitter today, Lewis’ snap count has increased from 32 to 45 to 59 over the past three games, while Henry has seen his snap count dwindle from 12 to 24 to 14 over the same stretch. Chris Mortensen of ESPN even reported earlier this week that Tennessee attempted to trade Henry prior to last week’s deadline but couldn’t find a taker. It seems unlikely the Titans will simply cut Henry, but if they do, they’ll need another back on their roster, and Abdullah could fit the bill.
Washington Redskins
The Redskins don’t need anyone to usurp Adrian Peterson, but they could use another pass-catching back given that Chris Thompson just can’t seem to stay healthy. Thompson, who’s managed to play a full 16-games slate just once during his six-year career, has been dealing with rib and knee injuries all season, and missed Sunday’s contest against the Saints. If Washington doesn’t think it can rely on Thompson to stay on the field, Abdullah could make for an advisable addition.
So what do you think? Will one of these teams — or a club not listed here — claim Abdullah? Or will he pass through waivers and become a free agent? Vote below, and leave your thoughts in the comment section! (Link for app users).
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/18
Today’s minor moves:
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from physically unable to perform list: LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- Waived: LB Trevon Young
New York Giants
- Waived: WR Quadree Henderson
New England Patriots
- Waived: OL Cole Croston, DE Geneo Grissom
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT T.Y. McGill
- Waived: WR DeAndre Carter
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Kalan Reed
- Waived: LB Emmanuel Ellerbee
Bills Release CB Phillip Gaines
The Bills have released starting cornerback Phillip Gaines, the club announced today. Buffalo has promoted fellow defensive back Levi Wallace from the practice squad to fill Gaines’ vacated roster spot.
Gaines, 27, had started six games for the Bills and was second among Buffalo cornerbacks in defensive snaps with 367, but he hadn’t played especially well. Pro Football Focus graded Gaines as the No. 56 CB among 111 qualifiers, while the ex-Chief had allowed 10.6 yards per pass and a 50% success rate, both of which are well below league average. Buffalo also ranked 19th in pass DVOA against opposing No. 2 receivers, the majority of which were covered by Gaines.
Penalties were also a problem for Gaines. As noted by Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Gaines leads all NFL players with 131 penalty yards. Additionally, Gaines gave up 90 yards via penalty against the Bears on Sunday (both on lengthy pass interference calls), a total which ranks second among all players since 2001.
With Gaines out of the picture, Ryan Lewis — a waiver claim by the Bills earlier this years — figures to start at corner against the Jets on Sunday, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WKBW. Taron Johnson, who has played roughly 55% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps, will continue in his role as the club’s nickel cornerback.
5 Key NFL Stories: 10/28/18 – 11/4/18
Trades! Five trades went down on deadline day, capping a year in which 61 deals were made involving at least one veteran player. The Eagles and Broncos each picked up a wide receiver, acquiring Golden Tate from the Lions and Demaryius Thomas from the Broncos, respectively, while the Ravens also picked up an offensive player by trading for beleaguered Packers running back Ty Montgomery. Green Bay wasn’t done trading, however, as they later shipped safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to the Redskins, while the undefeated Rams also added a defender in ex-Jaguars edge rusher Dante Flower.
Browns gut their coaching staff. Cleveland ownership finally had enough after the Browns fell to the Steelers last Sunday, firing both head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Reports of “internal discord” between the two coaches played a role in the dual decisions, but Jackson’s ghastly 3-32-1 record as the Browns’ lead man didn’t help matters. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has taken over as Cleveland’s interim head coach, while running backs coach Freddie Kitchens was promoted to offensive coordinator.
Buccaneers go with FitzMagic. Tampa Bay benched Jameis Winston after he tossed four interceptions against the Bengals last week, and the club went with Ryan Fitzpatrick again in Week 9. While a Sunday report indicated the Buccaneers could give Winston another chance at the starting job this season, Fitzpatrick played well against the Panthers, throwing four touchdowns against two picks in a comeback effort. Winston has a $20MM+ option for 2019 that’s guaranteed for injury only, so Tampa Bay would risk that figure getting locked in if Winston plays and gets seriously hurt.
Cardinals end Sam Bradford experiment. Arizona gave Bradford a $15MM guarantee this offseason, but they’ve cut the veteran signal-caller befoer the 2018 campaign ends. Bradford collected $15.9MM for 80 passes in the desert, as he fell to third on the Cardinals’ depth chart after the club decided to roll with first-round rookie Josh Rosen. It remains to be seen if Bradford will play again this year, although there’s no chance he’s claimed on waivers due to his contract. The Giants, who employ Bradford’s former offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur as head coach, have already said they’re not interested.
Raiders defense gets even weaker. Oakland’s defense already ranked a bottom-four DVOA unit heading into Week 9, and now it’s lost two of its key contributors. Defensive end Bruce Irvin, who had played 250 defensive snaps thus far, was released on Saturday. The Raiders likely waited until after the NFL’s trade deadline to release Irvin because he’ll now go through waivers, opening the possibility that another team could claim Irvin and — more importantly, from Oakland’s perspective — his contract. Additionally, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who’d ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 58 cornerback, announced his retirement last Tuesday.
Chargers TE Hunter Henry Could Still Return In 2018
Chargers tight end Hunter Henry, who suffered a torn ACL in May, still has a chance to return to the field this season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. While a Henry comeback is a still considered a “long shot,” the third-year pro could give the Los Angeles offense a boost as the postseason nears.
This isn’t the first time a potential Henry return has been discussed, as reports as early as August suggested Henry could be available late in the 2018 campaign. Clearly, Los Angeles wouldn’t bring Henry back unless it had a legitimate shot at the postseason, and following a 5-2 start, the Chargers certainly have that. Per FiveThirtyEight.com, Los Angeles has a 75% chance of earning a playoff berth, although it will almost assuredly be as a wild card team given the success of the AFC West-leading Chiefs.
Henry is currently on the non-football injury list, but because he’s already been sidelined for an NFL-mandated six games, he’s eligible for activation at any time. Per Schefter, Henry has not suffered any recent setbacks while both running and squatting, and Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said Henry has “looked a lot better than I thought he would.”
The Chargers could certainly use Henry, as they’ve received virtually nothing from their current stable of tight ends. Los Angeles re-signed franchise icon Antonio Gates prior to the season and he leads the club’s tight ends in both receptions (12) and yards (123), while Virgil Green is pacing the Chargers’ tight ends in snaps.
Giants Likely To Franchise S Landon Collins
The Giants are likely to use the franchise tag on safety Landon Collins if the two sides don’t work out an extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Collins was available prior to last Tuesday’s trade deadline, but the asking price was high, as the Giants were reportedly seeking a second-round pick in exchange for the All-Pro defensive back. Despite that price tag, New York did receive interest in Collins, and Schefter reports the Packers, Chiefs, and 49ers all made inquiries.
Kansas City would have made sense as a destination for Collins, as the Chiefs nearly dealt for fellow safety Earl Thomas before he went down with a season-ending injury. Green Bay, of course, traded its own safety in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but is still squarely in contention and in need of secondary help. The 49ers aren’t going to make the postseason, but they could have acquired Collins with the intention of using their exclusive negotiating window to hammer out a long-term deal.
As Schefter notes, all three of those clubs would presumably have interest in Collins if he hits the open market, but it doesn’t sound as though the Giants will allow that to happen. Given his age (Collins will be 25 years old when free agency opens) and pedigree, Collins will surely target a $10-12MM annual salary on his next contract. The 2019 franchise tag for safeties will be worth roughly that same amount, but wouldn’t come with the long-term risk of an extension.
Collins, a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, has been a full-time starter for the Giants since entering the league. A two-time Pro Bowler, Collins has 62 tackles, four passes defensed, and a forced fumble this season while grading as the NFL’s 13th-best safety, per Pro Football Focus.
PFR Originals: 10/28/18 – 11/4/18
The original content and analysis produced by the Pro Football Rumors staff during the past week:
- PFR posted its initial list of 2019 NFL Free Agents, detailing every player who projects to reach the open market next spring. Our list, which includes both unrestricted and restricted free agents, which be constantly updated following and extensions and — beginning next year — free agent signings.
- Following last Tuesday’s trade deadline, I asked PFR readers which team made the best acquisition (focusing on clubs that picked up players, not draft picks). Roughly 36% of respondents believed the Eagles’ deal for receiver Golden Tate was Tuesday’s best transactions, while a quarter of voters went with the Redskins picking up defensive back Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
- With half of the 2018 campaign in the books, Sam Robinson queried PFR readers on which sub-.500 team has the best chance of earning a postseason berth. While there were a number of interesting candidates, including the Colts, Lions, and Titans, respondents went with the Falcons, who have a 3-4 record but are currently beating the Redskins.
- The Giants traded away veteran defenders Damon Harrison and Eli Apple before the deadline, but did they do enough? That’s the question Zach Links posed to PFR readers, asking if New York should have also dealt players such as Janoris Jenkins, Landon Collins, or Olivier Vernon. 62% of voters think general manager Dave Gettleman wasted an opportunity and should have made more trades.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/1/18
Today’s workout updates, all courtesy of veteran NFL report Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Detroit Lions
- CBs Dontae Johnson, Horace Richardson
Kansas City Chiefs
- WR Rashard Davis
Jaguars “Poked Around” For QB Before Trade Deadline
The Jaguars ultimately made only one deal — shipping edge rusher Dante Fowler to the Rams — before the NFL’s trade deadline on Tuesday, but they may have been considering other scenarios, as well. Per Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, Jacksonville “poked around” the quarterback trade market but didn’t find an acceptable swap.
No signal-callers were traded prior to the deadline, and it’s not clear that any were truly available. Eli Manning had been linked to the Jaguars given Tom Coughlin‘s presence in Jacksonville, but earlier reports indicated the Jags were not interested in Manning, who theoretically could have blocked any deal with his no-trade clause. Other quarterbacks who may have been had include Tyrod Taylor, Sam Bradford, or Teddy Bridgewater.
The Jaguars already benched starting quarterback Blake Bortles earlier this year, inserting backup Cody Kessler in a Week 7 loss to the Texans. Bortles, whom Jacksonville extended earlier this year, ranks as a bottom-five quarterback in terms of passer rating, and three of the four signal-callers below him are rookies.
In the end, the Jaguars may have decided that the price of acquiring another quarterback simply wasn’t worth it, especially given the club’s record and postseason chances. Jacksonville is now 3-5 and sits in third place in the AFC South, while FiveThirtyEight.com gives the team just a 13% chance of earning a playoff berth.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/1/18
Today’s practice squad updates:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: QB Kyle Allen
- Released: S Dezmen Southward
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Reggie Davis
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Jerome Cunningham
- Placed on injured list: LB Garret Dooley
Green Bay Packers
- Released: FB Joe Kerridge
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: T Antonio Garcia
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Victor Bolden, DB Greg Mabin
- Released: WR Aaron Burbridge
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB Jason Thompson