No Major Trades Expected For Browns
1:47pm: The Browns continue to discuss possible trades involving Mingo and Kruger, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
1:35pm: Within the last few days, the Browns have emerged as one of the most fascinating teams to watch at the trade deadline, with names like Joe Thomas, Alex Mack, and Barkevious Mingo emerging as potential trade candidates. However, despite all the rumors and speculation, Cleveland isn’t expected to participate in any major deals at this afternoon’s deadline, says ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
As I noted earlier today, there was a chance of the Browns becoming the day’s biggest seller if their asking prices were met, but those prices sounded quite steep. Several reports indicated the team was seeking more than a single first-round pick for Thomas, while one report suggested Cleveland wanted a third-round pick for either Mack or Mingo.
General manager Ray Farmer still has nearly 90 minutes to make a trade, and it remains possible he’ll make a move or two. It doesn’t sound like a player as notable as Thomas will be involved in any deal, however.
Here are a couple more Browns-related notes, as the deadline nears:
- If the Browns do make a move, outside linebacker Paul Kruger is another player worth keeping an eye on. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the team is willing to pay some of Kruger’s remaining salary to complete a deal.
- While Josh McCown hasn’t been ruled out yet, the Browns are preparing for Thursday’s game as if Johnny Manziel will start, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network. The short week doesn’t allow for a banged-up McCown to get much in the way of recovery time.
Titans Notes: Mularkey, O-Line, Whisenhunt
Earlier today, the Titans became the second NFL team to fire a head coach this season, with Ken Whisenhunt going the way of Joe Philbin, replaced in in the interim by Mike Mularkey. With changes afoot in Tennessee, let’s check out a few of today’s Titans-related updates….
- While Mularkey holds the title of interim head coach for now, the team’s interim CEO Steve Underwood said today that the former Jaguars head coach will have a chance to audition for the permanent role in Tennessee, and Mularkey wants it, per Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com (Twitter link).
- According to Underwood, the team would need to see measurable improvement – in wins and losses – in the second half for Mularkey to earn the full-time job (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com).
- When it comes to hiring a new permanent head coach, Underwood and GM Ruston Webster will be involved and will have a say, according to Underwood himself (Twitter link via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com). However, the CEO added that controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk will have the final say. As Wyatt tweets, Strunk had been considering making a coaching change for multiple weeks.
- With Whisenhunt out of the picture, Titans offensive coordinator Jason Michael will call plays for the offense, while Arthur Smith will become the team’s new tight ends coach, replacing Mularkey in that role (Twitter links via Wyatt and McCormick).
- Mularkey said today that the Titans need to make roster changes on the offensive line to help protect Marcus Mariota (Twitter link via McCormick).
- Whisenhunt, who would like to remain involved in the NFL in some capacity, tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter links) that he wasn’t given a reason for his dismissal, or given the option of making changes to his staff in order to remain head coach.
NFC Notes: Eagles, Panthers, Packers, 49ers
After rounding up several AFC notes earlier today, let’s shift our focus to the NFC and check out the latest….
- Eagles head coach Chip Kelly doesn’t expect his team to make any deals before today’s trade deadline, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Asked specifically about defensive end Vinny Curry, Kelly said he hasn’t come up in trade discussions (Twitter link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
- Another NFC contender, the Panthers, will likely stand pat as well, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Carolina could use a wide receiver, but as Person points out, general managers typically don’t want to risk upsetting the chemistry of a 7-0 team.
- Before the 49ers sent him to Denver, the Packers didn’t inquire on tight end Vernon Davis, says Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Green Bay has been searching for consistent production from the tight end position since Jermichael Finley‘s days with the team, but apparently didn’t have real interest in Davis.
- Speaking of that Davis trade, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains how the 49ers were able to trade the same seventh-round pick twice within two months.
- Free agent running back Ben Tate, whose workout with the 49ers was scheduled before the team signed Shaun Draughn and Pierre Thomas, will still audition for San Francisco today, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). It seems unlikely that Tate would get an offer from the Niners at this point, but he could be added to the club’s emergency list for later in the season.
Broncos Offered First-Rounder For Joe Thomas?
12:19pm: According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS (via Twitter), the Broncos talked to the Browns about Thomas some time ago, but didn’t make a firm offer — the two sides “talked conceptually,” says Klis. Of course, it’s possible that just means the Broncos indicated they’d be willing to give up a first-round pick, even if they didn’t officially put that offer on the table.
10:12am: According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Browns were asking for two first-round pick for Thomas. While reports on Cleveland’s asking price for Thomas have varied slightly, it seems clear that a lone first-rounder won’t get it done.
9:15am: After the Broncos’ starting left tackle, Ryan Clady, went down earlier this year, the team engaged in trade talks with the Browns, offering Cleveland a first-round pick for Joe Thomas, reports Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. However, according to Grossi, the Browns also asked for second-year linebacker Shaquil Barrett, and the Broncos balked.
Those trade discussions reportedly occurred early in the season, before the Broncos’ lost another left tackle, Ty Sambrailo, to a season-ending injury of his own. As such, it’s possible Denver will increase its offer for Thomas as today’s trade deadline approaches. Still, Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald tweets that he’d be shocked if Cleveland moves its standout left tackle, adding that a club would have to overpay to land Thomas.
Jason Cole of Bleacher Report and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com have also weighed in with the latest on the Browns’ asking prices, with Cole tweeting that an NFC GM told him Cleveland wants a first- and second-round pick for Thomas. Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that Cleveland wants a third-round pick for either Alex Mack or Barkevious Mingo, so none of the club’s trade candidates will come cheaply.
If those asking prices are met, the Browns could become the NFL’s biggest seller at today’s deadline, but it’s also possible the team ends up simply standing pat — GM Ray Farmer and company have less than six hours to make decisions on Thomas, Mack, and others.
Pats Have Interest In Jason McCourty
Apparently not satisfied with having just one McCourty on the roster, the Patriots have some interest in acquiring cornerback Jason McCourty from the Titans and pairing him with his twin brother Devin McCourty, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, Rapoport adds that the two sides aren’t expected to make a deal for now, with less than three hours to go until the trade deadline.
Jason McCourty, selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft by the Titans, is one of Tennessee’s more effective defenders, racking up 85 tackles to go along with three interceptions a year ago. After missing the first month or so of the season with a groin injury, McCourty has been active for the team’s last four games. He has two more years left on his contract beyond the 2015 season, and is owed a $7MM annual salary in 2016 and 2017.
As for the Patriots, Bill Belichick‘s club is always willing to discuss trades as the deadline nears, having consummated deals on – or a little before – deadline day in each of the last three years. The Pats could use some help at cornerback, but it would be a surprise if the team did anything too splashy in the next few hours.
AFC Notes: D. Brown, Pats, Whisenhunt
Chargers running back Donald Brown had been viewed as a potential trade candidate heading into this week, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), teams had been calling about the veteran back. However, with Branden Oliver nursing an injury, Brown figures to remain in San Diego, per Rapoport.
Here are a few more items from around the AFC, with the trade deadline just hours away:
- The Patriots are welcoming back two players – linebacker Dane Fletcher and defensive tackle Chris Jones – to practice today after they spent the first eight weeks of the season on the PUP list, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links). New England will now have three weeks to either activate Fletcher and Jones or to rule them out for the rest of the season. The Pats had a league-high three players on PUP to start the year, with Fletcher and Jones joining wideout Brandon LaFell.
- While most reports have pegged the value of Ken Whisenhunt‘s five-year contract with the Titans at $5MM annually, ESPN’s Ed Werder tweets that it’s actually worth closer to $30MM, or $6MM per year. Tennessee parted ways with Whisenhunt today despite the fact that he had more than three years remaining on that deal, so the club still owes him a significant chunk of money.
- Although Le’Veon Bell‘s knee injury has ended his 2015 season, his ACL remains intact, and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said today that his running back should be ready for the start of the 2016 campaign (Twitter link via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review).
- Dolphins rookie running back Jay Ajayi is hoping to be activated this week after spending eight weeks on IR with the designation to return, as James Walker of ESPN.com writes.
NFL To Play Games At Twickenham Stadium
The NFL continues to add more games to its upcoming London slate, with Chris Lehourites of The Associated Press reporting that the league will begin playing games at Twickenham Stadium, the home of England’s national rugby team, during the 2016 season. The NFL has since confirmed the agreement with the Rugby Football Union.
The partnership is for three years, and it’s a good bet that if it goes well, the two sides will extend it beyond 2018. For now, the NFL is scheduled to play one game per season at Twickenham Stadium from 2016 through 2018, though the agreement gives the league the opportunity to stage two additional games there over that period.
“We are committed to continuing to grow our sport in the UK and believe that adding Twickenham Stadium to our roster of host venues in London is further evidence of that commitment,” said Mark Waller, the NFL’s executive vice president of international, in a statement. “We are very excited to give our fans the opportunity to enjoy NFL action at another world-class venue famous for attracting loyal and passionate fans from across the globe.”
In addition to the games at Twickenham Stadium, the NFL will also play at least two games per season at Wembley Stadium through at least the 2020 season, and will begin playing at least two games per year at Tottenham’s new soccer stadium in 2018.
In 2018 then, there will be at least five London games on the NFL’s schedule, with a good chance for more. The league has also indicated a desire to play games in countries beyond the U.K., such as Mexico and Germany, as early as next season.
Titans Fire Ken Whisenhunt
On the heels of a weekend loss to Houston that dropped their record to 1-6, the Titans have relieved Ken Whisenhunt of his head coaching duties, the team announced today in a press release. Mike Mularkey, who had been Tennessee’s assistant head coach and tight ends coach, will take over for Whisenhunt on an interim basis.
“After thoughtful consideration, the decision has been made to relieve Ken Whisenhunt of his head coaching duties,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. “We have expected more progress on the field, and I felt it was time to move in a different direction. I would like to thank Ken for his efforts with our team, as he worked very hard to try to move us forward.”
Whisenhunt, who took over as the Titans’ head coach after the 2013 season, led the team to a disappointing 3-20 record during his brief tenure in Tennessee. The club tied for the league’s worst record in 2014, with a 2-14 mark, and had matched Detroit so far this season with an NFL-worst one win through eight weeks.
As for Mularkey, the veteran coach has a pair of head coaching jobs on his resume, having held the role in Buffalo in 2004 and 2005, then again in Jacksonville in 2012. He figures to hang onto the job for the Titans through the end of the 2015 season, and a strong finish this year could put him in the running for the permanent job, though I imagine the team will conduct a full-fledged search this winter.
According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, Whisenhunt’s five-year deal, which was set to run through 2018, is believed to be worth about $5MM per year. Whisenhunt should continue to earn that money, though some can be offset if he finds a job elsewhere during that time.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
QB Rumors: RGIII, Glennon, Kaepernick
Major in-season NFL trades aren’t all that common, and deals involving quarterbacks are particularly rare, since it’s not easy to plug in new signal-callers to an offense halfway through the season. Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few QBs around the league who are in the news today, with this afternoon’s trade deadline looming. Let’s round up the latest….
- Washington hasn’t received any trade inquiries so far on Robert Griffin III, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Any team that acquired RGIII would have to take on his $16MM+ option for 2016, which is guaranteed for injury, so it seems unlikely that any club would want to take that risk.
- The Buccaneers aren’t fielding calls from other teams wanting to acquire Mike Glennon, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. According to Stroud, Bucs GM Jason Licht isn’t willing to move Jameis Winston‘s backup for a mid-round pick. Glennon remains under contract with Tampa Bay through the 2016 season, so if the Bucs keep him through this year, they could still consider a deal in the offseason.
- Examining the Colin Kaepernick situation in San Francisco, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report says he heard from a 49ers player on Monday who said that Kaepernick had “pretty much lost” the locker room recently. Still, Freeman places some of the blame for Kaepernick’s regression on San Francisco’s management and coaching staff, arguing that the signal-caller “could have been much better served.”
- With their top two quarterbacks injured, the Jets are exploring a possible trade or free agent signing, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com wonders if the team might consider trading for Kaepernick. As Cimini observes, GM Mike Maccagnan isn’t afraid of high-profile moves, but there are a handful of roadblocks that would have to be overcome for such a deal to be consummated by 3:00pm CT today.
Broncos’ Ty Sambrailo Out For Season
4:01pm: Sambrailo revealed today that he sustained a torn labrum, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
2:58pm: After battling with a shoulder injury for several weeks, offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo will be shut down for the season and will land on injured reserve, Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said today (Twitter link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post). Sambrailo, who began his rookie season as the team’s left tackle, will undergo surgery on the troublesome shoulder, per Kubiak.
While Sambrailo’s absence will hurt the Broncos’ offensive line depth, the group has managed to do a decent job keeping Peyton Manning upright since the rookie first went down. Over the last several weeks, Ryan Harris has slid over to the left side to protect Manning’s blind side, with Michael Schofield stepping into the starting lineup as Denver’s right tackle.
With Sambrailo heading to IR, the Broncos will open up a roster spot and could use that opening on an offensive lineman. Asked today if his club would pursue external help at left tackle, Kubiak said the Broncos are still considering their options (Twitter links via Renck).
Browns left tackle Joe Thomas would appear to be a logical trade target for Denver, but the Broncos aren’t considered one of the teams with interest in the Pro Bowler, according to Renck (via Twitter). It’s also not clear yet if Cleveland would seriously consider moving Thomas.