49ers Sign Two CBs; Mike Davis To IR-DTR
The 49ers have placed running back Mike Davis on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, the team announced today in a press release. Davis may be the last player this season to get that designation, since anyone placed on IR-DTR after this week wouldn’t be eligible to return in the second half of the regular season.
In addition to moving Davis – who can return for Week 17 – to IR-DTR, the Niners also placed safety L.J. McCray on season-ending injured reserve. To fill the two newly-opened spots on the 53-man roster, San Francisco promoted a pair of cornerbacks, Marcus Cromartie and Chris Davis, from the team’s practice squad.
As Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle points out (via Twitter), it makes sense for the 49ers to promote multiple cornerbacks to their active roster due to the injury problems they’re having in the secondary. Cornerbacks Tramaine Brock (shin), Kenneth Acker (concussion), and Keith Reaser (ankle) are all listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Atlanta.
The Niners have also seen their backfield ravaged by injuries, having placed Davis on IR-DTR after sending Reggie Bush to the IR list earlier this week. The team signed veteran backs Shaun Draughn and Pierre Thomas to fill in for this weekend’s contest.
Latest On Greg Hardy, Cowboys
7:42pm: Jerry Jones has issued a statement in light of today’s events (Twitter link via ESPN’s Todd Archer):
“While we did not have access to the photos that became public today, we were and are aware of the serious nature of this incident. We as an organization take very this seriously. We do not condone domestic violence. We entered into the agreement with Greg fully understanding that there would be scrutiny and criticism. We have given Greg a second chance. He is a member of our team and someone who is grateful for the opportunity he has been given to move forward with his life and his career.”
4:09pm: Sources tell David Moore of the Dallas Morning News that the photos published today by Deadspin were not made available to the Cowboys. However, those sources stressed that the team was aware of those photos and “had an understanding of what they showed.”
2:34pm: Approximately a year and a half after Greg Hardy was arrested on misdemeanor charges of assault and communicating threats in Charlotte, Deadspin’s Diana Moskovitz has an in-depth report on the events of that night, citing police reports and photos that had not previously been made public. The details – and the photos – are ugly, and raise more questions about how much Jerry Jones and the Cowboys knew before signing Hardy to a one-year contract this offseason.
According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter), Cowboys officials are aware of the photos that have surfaced of Nicole Holder’s injuries, and have no comment. Given how often Jerry and Stephen Jones speak publicly about the Cowboys, it should only be a matter of time until they have to address the latest Hardy report in some form or another, but there has been no statement from the club yet.
Although they haven’t spoken yet today, both Jerry and Stephen Jones have publicly voiced a desire in recent weeks to extend Hardy beyond the 2015 season, despite his continued questionable behavior both on and off the field. It’s hard to imagine the Joneses doubling down on that sentiment now, but they’ve given no indication yet that their stance on Hardy has changed.
As a result of the NFL’s own investigation into the Hardy situation, the league had access to all the photos of Holder’s injuries published today by Deadspin, and viewed seven additional photos, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links). The NFL took that evidence into consideration when making the decision to suspend Hardy for 10 games, though that penalty was reduced to four games after the defensive end appealed it.
As for the Cowboys, they signed Hardy before the NFL announced a suspension, and it’s not clear whether or not they’d seen the same photos the league did. Of course, as Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets, if the Joneses hadn’t been aware of the extent of the evidence against Hardy before today, it’s likely because they chose not to look too closely.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/15
Here are Friday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL, as teams prepare for Week 9 action….
- The Falcons have waived cornerback Dezmen Southward, replacing him on their 53-man roster by promoting defensive back Akeem King from their practice squad, the team announced today (via Twitter). Southward, the 68th overall pick in the 2014 draft, becomes the second third-round pick from last year to be cut by his team this week – along with former Steelers RB/KR Dri Archer – and is now the fourth member of Atlanta’s 2014 draft class no longer with the club.
- With a few defensive lineman banged up, the Rams have elevated defensive end Matt Longacre from their practice squad to the active roster, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis had an opening on its 53-man roster after moving running back Trey Watts to the reserve/suspended list due to his indefinite suspension.
NFC Notes: Cowboys, Stafford, Cardinals
With the work week winding down, let’s round up some Friday news items and notes from around the NFC….
- Appearing on 105.3 FM in Dallas this morning, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that Tony Romo has offered to help identify his own eventual replacement, adding that Romo has put in time studying what he’d look for in a college quarterback. Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the story, with the quotes from Jones.
- Examining Matthew Stafford‘s future in Detroit, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press makes the case that the only way it makes sense for the Lions to part with their quarterback after the 2015 season is if they end up with the first – or perhaps second – overall pick, to give a new coach and GM a chance to groom a new QB. A Thursday report suggested that Stafford’s future beyond 2015 with the Lions is uncertain, with GM Martin Mayhew out of the picture and head coach Jim Caldwell a good bet to follow him out the door.
- In addition to the kickers and punters we heard about yesterday, the Cardinals also worked out several other players, including defensive backs Shaun Prater and Cassius Vaughn and long snappers Brandon Hartson and Andrew East, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link).
- The Bears also brought in a few players for tryouts today, auditioning offensive linemen Aaron Adams, James Brewer, and Martin Wallace, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Within his latest NFL.com column, Albert Breer of the NFL Network touches on several topics of notes, exploring the Lions‘ organizational changes, Geep Chryst‘s job status with the 49ers, and the Rams‘ decision to draft Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick in the spring.
AFC South Notes: Texans, Titans, Mariota
Through eight weeks of the NFL season, AFC South teams have a combined 9-21 record, with five of those wins coming in intra-divisional contests. The dismal division-wide performance has Texans owner Bob McNair looking at the silver lining of Houston’s disappointing first half as his team heads into its bye week, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com.
“We knew our offense was not going to be a high-powered offense, but we felt our defense would be one of the top-five defenses, and we’ve been far from that,” McNair said, speaking to KRIV and the Houston Chronicle. “The good news is that this is a new season, and we’re tied for first. The Colts have to play Denver next week, and we might be in first place by ourselves.”
As the Texans hope that a week off will move them into the AFC South’s top spot, let’s check on a few more items from across the division….
- Titans wide receiver Harry Douglas has nothing but positive things to say about new interim head coach Mike Mularkey, telling Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com that the former Falcons offensive coordinator is one of the main reasons he signed with Tennessee.
- Mularkey got some good news as he prepares for his first game as the Titans‘ head coach, telling reporters today that Marcus Mariota will start at quarterback this week for the club (Twitter link via Wyatt).
- Here’s one more from Wyatt, who spoke to Titans GM Ruston Webster about Mularkey, former head coach Ken Whisenhunt, and retooling Tennessee’s offensive line, among other topics.
- A Sunday date with Peyton Manning and the Broncos is right around the corner for the Colts, so Mike Wells of ESPN.com revisits Indianapolis’ decision to part ways with Manning three years ago, concluding it remains the right call for the franchise.
- The city of Jacksonville and Jaguars owner Shad Khan have announced $90MM in planned upgrades for EverBank Field, according to an Associated Press report.
2016 Cap Outlook: New England Patriots
Through the 2015 NFL season, Pro Football Rumors will be looking ahead to the 2016 offseason, gauging the salary cap situation for each of the league’s 32 teams. The cap for 2016 hasn’t been set yet, but we can still assess the salary commitments made by a club and determine whether or not that club will be in good financial shape going forward.
In addition to evaluating each team’s overall cap situation, we’ll focus in on a few key players who may be candidates to be extended, restructured, or released by their current teams. These lists aren’t comprehensive, and depending on a player’s 2015 performance and health, he could drop off one of these lists – or be added to one – as the season goes on. For now though, these are some players to watch.
Using data from Over The Cap, we’re making our way through the 32 NFL teams in order of total salary commitments for 2016. Today’s team is the Patriots, who currently have the third-most money on their ’16 cap.
Let’s dive in….
Top 10 cap hits for 2016:
- Tom Brady, QB: $15,000,000
- Jerod Mayo, LB: $11,400,000
- Nate Solder, LT: $10,697,666
- Devin McCourty, S: $8,000,000
- Chandler Jones, DE: $7,799,000
- Dont’a Hightower, LB: $7,751,000
- Jabaal Sheard, DE/OLB: $7,000,000
- Danny Amendola, WR: $6,866,666
- Rob Gronkowski, TE: $6,650,000
- Sebastian Vollmer, RT: $6,270,834
Current 2016 cap number for top 51 players: $145,244,259
Much has been made of Brady’s team-friendly contract structure, and the fact that he has a 2016 cap hit of $15MM rather than $25MM certainly allows the team the flexibility to spend a little more elsewhere. Despite Brady’s relatively modest cap number, New England still has the fourth-highest total of cap commitments for 2016, since the club has plenty of moderately priced players on its books. In total, the Pats are carrying 10 cap charges of $6MM+, and 14 of $4MM+.
Candidates for extension:
- Marcus Cannon, T
- Dont’a Hightower, LB
- Chandler Jones, DE
- Brandon LaFell, WR
- Rob Ninkovich, DE
- Jabaal Sheard, OLB
- Sebastian Vollmer, RT
This list of Patriots extension candidates is far from complete, but even so, it’s still a lengthy one, with plenty of players set to have their contracts expire after the 2016 season.
The club may ultimately have to decide between Cannon and Vollmer, rather than extending both. After Nate Solder went down with a season-ending biceps injury in October though, both tackles have stepped up and performed well, proving their worth. Vollmer has the larger 2016 cap charge, at $6.27MM, so if New England wants to extend one of the two, it could be easier to do a deal with him to reduce that number.
On the other side of the ball, Hightower and Jones both had their fifth-year options for 2016 picked up earlier this year, and have played very well since then, making them logical extension candidates. Jones, in particular, is someone New England will look to lock up long-term, given his contributions to the club’s pass rush — he’s tied for the NFL lead with 8.5 sacks so far this season. On the other side of the defensive line, Ninkovich isn’t quite the force that Jones is, but he recorded eight sacks in each of his last three seasons, so if the price is right, the Pats would presumably like to have him back.
LaFell and Sheard, meanwhile, are hardly slam-dunk extension candidates — depending on how the rest of this season plays out, it’s possible that both players are released in the offseason, since doing so would create a total of $7.8MM in cap savings.
Still, both players have produced when they’ve been healthy, with Sheard racking up four sacks in five games this season, while LaFell totaled 953 receiving yards and seven TDs a year ago. Sheard has been sidelined by an ankle injury in recent weeks, and LaFell has struggled with drops since coming off the PUP list, so we’ll probably have to wait and see how they finish the season to get an idea of whether the Pats will be more inclined to extend or release them this winter. The team may also simply let them play out the final year of their respective contracts in 2016.
Candidates for restructure:
- Nate Solder, LT
Prior to suffering his season-ending biceps injury, Solder signed a modest two-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2017 campaign. That new deal ensures that there would be plenty of dead money on the Patriots’ cap if they were to cut him in 2016 and rely on Vollmer and Cannon, so Solder figures to return to his starting role on the offensive line if and when he makes a full recovery.
Having said that, his $10.7MM cap hit for 2016 is the third-highest on the roster, so restructuring his deal to lower that number is a possibility if the Pats need some wiggle room next season. If that flexibility isn’t required, the club will probably keep Solder’s contract as is, to avoid pushing more potential dead money to the 2017 season.
Candidates for pay cut or release:
- Danny Amendola, WR
- Scott Chandler, TE
- Jerod Mayo, LB
Amendola has been effective for the Patriots, but with several other receivers, tight ends, and running backs vying for targets, the veteran wideout isn’t always a consistent part of the passing game — although he has been targeted at least nine times in two games this season, he has just 14 total targets in his other five games. He’ll have two years left on his contract after this season, but with a base salary of $5MM owed to him in 2016, the Pats could create more than $4MM in cap savings by cutting him.
Chandler, like Amendola, is something of a luxury in the passing game for the Patriots. He only plays about a third of the team’s offensive snaps, and has been targeted 15 times through seven games. He’s a useful piece, but New England may be inclined to free up $2MM+ in cap room by releasing him and identifying a younger, cheaper alternative.
As for Mayo, he currently projects to have the Patriots’ second-highest cap number in 2016 behind Brady. He won’t be back at that price. The final two seasons of Mayo’s contract are option years, and the Pats figure to turn down their option this winter, allowing the linebacker to hit free agency unless he’s able to work out a significantly-reduced salary to remain in New England.
Contract information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post.
North Notes: Browns, J. Thomas, Lions
With Josh McCown bothered by a painful rib injury, second-year quarterback Johnny Manziel got the nod for the Browns on Thursday night. The returns weren’t great, with Manziel struggling in the second half, completing less than 50% of his passes as the Browns fell 31-10 to the division-rival Bengals.
Still, there were some positive signs for the former 22nd overall pick, who threw for 128 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Was it enough for the Browns to give him another start? Head coach Mike Pettine wasn’t ready to commit to that following the game, as Pat McManamon of ESPN.com writes.
“When we get in and get back from this time off, we will assess what pool of players are available and go ahead and make those decisions from there,” Pettine said. “This will be a good time to step away and reassess where we are moving forward.”
As the Browns figure out who their starting quarterback will be the next time they take the field, let’s check in on some other items from out of the NFL’s North divisions….
- All-Pro Browns left tackle Joe Thomas was nearly dealt to the Broncos at the trade deadline on Tuesday, and while he admitted he would have been “really crushed” to leave Cleveland, he added that he’s not upset the team considered moving him. “It doesn’t really bother me that they listened to people that offered things,” Thomas said, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “It’s kind of like you’re walking down the street and somebody says, ‘Hey, nice watch. You want to sell it?’ You say, ‘Well, it’s not for sale.’ But then you think and go, ‘Well, what will you give me?’ It’s just a matter of what the price is. Obviously, from the sounds of it, it was close but no cigar.”
- Having watched Dwayne Bowe outperform Taylor Gabriel in Thursday’s game, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk wonders why the Browns have been playing Gabriel over Bowe for most of the season. In Smith’s view, the fact that Bowe hasn’t seen much playing time after Cleveland gave him $9MM in guaranteed money speaks to a possible disconnect between GM Ray Farmer and head coach Mike Pettine.
- After seeing GM Martin Mayhew and president Tom Lewand get axed yesterday by the Lions, Detroit players acknowledged that major changes to the roster could be the next shoe to drop. “When new people come in, they obviously feel like the people who were here weren’t getting the job done, so they try to bring in their own guys,” safety Glover Quin said, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. “Everybody, at least for me, I feel like everybody’s on the chopping block. Everybody’s job is on the line.”
NFC North Notes: Patterson, Bennett, Lions
With Stefon Diggs emerging as the Vikings‘ top explosive young receiver, a role that Cordarrelle Patterson had previously been expected to occupy, Patterson tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he’s not worried about his future in Minnesota.
“I don’t need to worry about my future,” Patterson said. “I’m here. I’m here for a reason. If they wanted to let me go, they would have let me go when the trade [deadline] was here. I’m not worried about anything.”
Although Patterson isn’t sure why he’s barely seen the field this year, he says he just wants “to control what I can control,” and is trying to make the most of his limited snaps. Here’s more from around the NFC North:
- Bears tight end Martellus Bennett doesn’t sound thrilled by his role in the Bears’ offense, but tells Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times he’s not going to complain about not getting more looks. “That’s a bad employee,” Bennett said. “I just kinda keep my head down and go to work. Because when you say something, you become the a–hole, even if it’s a valid point. So I just avoid drama.”
- Bears GM Ryan Pace has scouted Cal’s Jared Goff and Michigan State’s Connor Cook in person this season, and will constantly be on the lookout for the type of elite franchise quarterback he had in New Orleans with Drew Brees. Still, as Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes, Jay Cutler has shown positive signs under new offensive coordinator Adam Gase, and the guaranteed salary left on his contract suggests he’s likely to be Chicago’s quarterback again in 2016.
- While Sheldon White is taking over for Martin Mayhew as the Lions‘ general manager on an interim basis, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com identifies five potential candidate for the permanent GM job in Detroit.
Steelers Claim Jacoby Jones Off Waivers
The Steelers have claimed wide receiver and return man Jacoby Jones off waivers, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). According to La Canfora, Pittsburgh is hoping the former Raven can give the team a spark in the return game. In a press release, the club confirmed the move, noting that Dri Archer has been waived to create room on the roster.
Jones was released by the Chargers earlier this week, less than eight months after signing a two-year, $5.5MM deal with the Bolts back in March. After averaging 30.6 yards per kickoff return and 9.2 yards per punt return for Baltimore last season, Jones saw those averages dip to just 21.4 and -0.8 for San Diego in 2015. The Steelers will be hoping for something closer to those ’14 numbers from Jones once he arrives in Pittsburgh.
By claiming Jones on waivers rather than waiting for him to clear and attempting to sign him, the Steelers will take on his old contract. The structure of the deal won’t be bad on his new team though, since his overall base salary for 2015 is just $900K, as opposed to $3MM in 2016. Unless Jones has an incredibly second half in Pittsburgh, he’s unlikely to return at that price next season.
Since waiver order is determined by current records, with the league’s worst teams getting a higher priority, the Ravens had an opportunity to claim the 31-year-old before the Steelers did, but it appears Jones’ old team passed on him. Prior to the trade deadline, Jones would have immediately been free to sign with another team if he had been cut, but from now until the end of the season, all players – including veterans – must pass through waivers before becoming free agents.
As for Archer, the Steelers’ third-round pick from 2014 hasn’t seen much action since joining the franchise, with all 17 of his offensive touches coming in his rookie year. He had been Pittsburgh’s primary kick returner this season, averaging 25.3 yards on 14 attempts. Archer should be a candidate to join the Steelers’ practice squad if he clears waivers.
Community Tailgate: NFL Trade Deadline
As the NFL season reaches its halfway point, there are plenty of topics and storylines to discuss, and PFR’s Community Tailgate is designed to address those stories. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. We’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.
Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.
The NFL’s trade deadline came and went this week without much fanfare, unless you happen to be a fan of the Broncos. General manager John Elway pulled off a trade for 49ers tight end Vernon Davis on Monday, and nearly landed Browns left tackle Joe Thomas in a last-minute deal on Tuesday. Otherwise though, things were mostly quiet around the league, with a handful of rumors and whispers not amounting to much.
That inactivity is nothing new in the NFL, where teams are typically hesitant to try to incorporate an incoming player into a new system or scheme halfway through the season, without that player having the benefit of a full training camp to get up to speed.
Still, occasionally teams are willing to roll the dice, as the Broncos did with Davis. The veteran tight end may not have the same rapport he’d have with Peyton Manning if the two players had been working together all year, but Denver is betting that the longtime Niner will still be able to make an impact down the stretch.
So what might make more teams willing to take a chance like that? Moving the trade deadline back a little is one option. The NFL moved the deadline from Week 6 to Week 8 a few years back, but many teams that might be sellers are still reluctant to write off their seasons in late October. Moving the deadline back several more weeks to late November might be one way to encourage activity.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk took the idea a step further this week, arguing that there’s no reason to limit trades at all before Week 17. As long as a team is still playing games, it should still be able to make trades, in Florio’s view. That means a playoff team couldn’t make a trade with a club whose season has ended, but up until the end of the regular season, deals should be permitted, Florio argues.
Such a format would allow teams who have been eliminated from the playoffs to move players for future assets. Meanwhile, a team that has clinched a playoff berth, or perhaps a club that is vying for a Wild Card spot, might be more likely to bring in a potential missing piece, with the finish line in sight.
What do you think? Is the NFL’s trade deadline fine as is? Should the league consider moving it back a few more weeks, or abolishing it altogether? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!