Rams Place Alec Ogletree On IR-DTR
The Rams have placed linebacker Alec Ogletree on injured reserve with the designation to return, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Due to the timing of the move, Ogletree won’t be eligible to practice until after the club’s Week 13 game, and wouldn’t be able to return to the field until Week 16.
Ogletree, 24, suffered a right ankle injury several weeks ago, and underwent surgery to repair the damage. The former first-round pick, who had started each of his first 36 career games for the Rams prior to the injury, was viewed as potentially lost for the season, but the IR-DTR slot will give him an opportunity to return down the stretch, if his recovery moves quickly.
The fact that the Rams waited three weeks to place Ogletree on IR-DTR looks like poor roster management on the surface. However, as Wagoner explains (via Twitter), St. Louis knew the linebacker’s recovery period would be longer than eight weeks, so the team was waiting to see if it would need the IR-DTR slot for anyone else.
It’s still possible that a Rams player could suffer an eight-week injury, but if that were to happen this weekend, any player receiving the IR-DTR spot next week would only be eligible to return for Week 17, so it makes sense now to pull the trigger and use it on Ogletree.
The complete breakdown of how teams have used their IR-DTR slots in 2015 can be found right here.
East Notes: Hardy, Bills, Marrone, Mallett
Cowboys executives Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have each said this week that they’d like to get a deal worked out with Greg Hardy to keep the veteran defensive end with the team beyond the 2015 season. While those comments could simply be interpreted as a public show of support for Hardy, the Cowboys are expressing a similar sentiment privately, having reached out to Hardy’s representatives to make it clear they have no issues with the pass rusher on or off the field, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
A report from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on Monday indicated that there was some confusion about Hardy’s absence from practice last Thursday, but Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com says the 27-year-old’s whereabouts was no mystery for the team. According to Mortensen, Hardy first sent a text message to the Cowboys’ head athletic trainer, Jim Mauer, at 5:30am to communicate an illness. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News has since published a similar report.
While the Cowboys insist no one was caught off guard by Hardy’s absence from practice, it’s hard to know for sure — after all, neither Hardy’s camp nor the Cowboys would be eager to confirm such a report, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to shoot down Rapoport’s report, whether or not it’s accurate. In any case, it’s clear that the Dallas organization isn’t upset about Hardy’s missed practice, or any of his other actions.
Here’s more on Hardy, along with a few other items from around the NFL’s East divisions….
- Hardy and his agents “would love” to begin talks on a long-term extension with the Cowboys, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link), who admits that probably goes without saying.
- In an engaging feature for ESPN, Elizabeth Merrill speaks to former Bills head coach Doug Marrone about his decision to leave Buffalo following the 2014 season.
- Mike Rodak of ESPN.com explains why he has a hard time envisioning the Bills seriously pursuing quarterback Ryan Mallett, who was released by the Texans today.
- The NFL officially filed its appeal of Judge Richard Berman’s ruling that overturned the league’s four-game suspension of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady several weeks ago, as Christopher Price of WEEI.com details. Within the filing, the NFL insisted Roger Goodell and the league acted within the parameters of the CBA, insisting that “the district court’s decision cannot stand.” The Deflategate saga figures to drag on well into 2016.
Louis Murphy Has Torn ACL, Out For Year
TUESDAY, 3:23pm: The Buccaneers have officially placed Murphy on IR, ending his season, the team announced in a press release. No corresponding move was announced, so the Bucs figure to fill the roster opening later this week.
MONDAY, 2:40pm: Murphy has confirmed to ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link) that he has a torn ACL, calling it a “minor setback for a major comeback.”
2:24pm: The Buccaneers fear that wide receiver Louis Murphy has suffered a torn ACL, which would sideline him for the remainder of the 2015 season, reports Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The club has yet to officially make an announcement on Murphy, but it sounds like it could just be a matter of time until an MRI confirms the team’s initial diagnosis.
Murphy, 28, has bounced around from team to team over the course of his seven-year NFL career, spending time with the Raiders, Panthers, and Giants before catching on with the Buccaneers last season. After catching 31 balls for 380 yards and two touchdowns in 2014, Murphy had totaled 10 receptions for 198 yards in six games this season.
Assuming Murphy is done for the year, the Bucs will likely need to make a roster move to replace him, since the team only has four other active wide receivers. An outside free agent is a possibility, but the club is currently carrying three receivers – Rannell Hall, Adam Humphries, and Evan Spencer – on its practice squad, so one of those players could receive a promotion.
Workout Notes: Giants, Dolphins, Chiefs
The Giants are working out a handful of kickers today, including Kyle Brindza, Zach Hocker, Corey Acosta, and Tom Obarski, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Josh Brown has been a little inconsistent on kickoffs, putting one out of bounds on Sunday, but it’s hard to imagine the team making a change, considering he’s perfect on field goals and has missed just one extra point. As Jordan Raanan of NJ.com tweets, the Giants are likely just kicking the tires on free agents.
Let’s round up a few more workout updates from around the NFL…
- Defensive linemen Jerel Worthy, Derrick Lott, Glenn Foster, and Davon Coleman worked out for the Dolphins today, says Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link). Worthy and Foster are the most notable names of the group, having each logged a full season’s worth of regular season contests with the Packers and Saints, respectively.
- Lott was also among the players who tried out recently for the Chiefs, per Wilson (Twitter links). Running back Gus Johnson, defensive end Lawrence Okoye, and linebacker Alex Singleton also got a look from Kansas City.
- According to Wilson (via Twitter), before signing wideout Corey Washington to the practice squad, Washington also worked out receiver Marcus Lucas and tight end Connor Hamlett.
- Offensive lineman Ben Gottschalk, who spent time in the summer on the Niners’ roster, auditioned for the Buccaneers today, tweets Wilson.
- Former USC outside linebacker J.R. Tavai had a tryout with the Packers today, according to Wilson (via Twitter). Tavai signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent in May, but was cut by the team prior to the regular season.
- The Cardinals auditioned cornerback Keith Lewis, who was cut by the Jets back in August, tweets Wilson.
- On the heels of Jason Myers missing his third PAT of the season, Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley noted that Myers’ kickoffs were also a little short, and mentioned the possibility of bringing in kickers for workouts, per Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com. According to Bradley, GM Dave Caldwell will make that call.
Coaching Rumors: Dolphins, Pagano, Texans
A report this weekend indicated that Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley is expected to receive consideration in the offseason for the Dolphins‘ head coaching job. However, asked if there’s any truth to those Haley rumors, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) replied, “None.”
It isn’t the first time that Salguero has shot down a Dolphins-related report from La Canfora — during the 2014 offseason, La Canfora reported that the club was exploring trades involving players like Mike Wallace and Dion Jordan, which Salguero’s sources emphatically denied. It’s not entirely clear if the team was indeed considering deals back then, but the Dolphins ultimately traded Wallace a year later, and probably wish they had moved Jordan as well.
In this case, the performance of the Dolphins and interim coach Dan Campbell down the stretch will play a significant role in what candidates Miami considers after the season — if the club continues to look as good as it has in Campbell’s first two games, it’s hard not to imagine the team hiring him on a full-time basis.
Here are a few more coaching notes and rumors from around the NFL:
- While Chuck Pagano‘s job in Indianapolis isn’t totally safe, it’s highly unlikely that the Colts will make a change this week, tweets Bob Kravitz of WTHR.com. Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star is skeptical that firing Pagano is the answer to turning things around for the Colts.
- If the Colts do decide to make an in-season change, that move is most likely to happen during the club’s Week 10 bye, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Cole identifies offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, assistant head coach Rob Chudzinski, and quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen as the four in-house candidates to replace Pagano.
- In the wake of Monday’s report that head coach Bill O’Brien and general manager Rick Smith disagreed on whether Ryan Mallett should be cut, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk examines the Texans‘ organizational structure, suggesting that it will likely continue to cause problems. In Smith’s view, it may be time for either the head coach or GM – or both – to go. For what it’s worth, following Mallett’s release today, Tania Ganguil of ESPN.com tweeted that Rick Smith was always on board with the decision, but disagreed about the timing of the move, which would’ve left the team with just one active veteran quarterback.
- The Lions‘ firing of offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi should officially put head coach Jim Caldwell on notice, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
- The Eagles are almost certainly giving DeMarco Murray more playing time than Ryan Mathews because of the difference between the two players’ contracts and guaranteed money, and that’s just one example of how Chip Kelly‘s moves as a GM are hampering him as a head coach, says Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Michael Reghi, Bud Shaw, Dan Labbe, and Chris Fedor of the Northeast Ohio Media Group debate whether Browns head coach Mike Pettine should be on the hot seat in Cleveland.
Texans To Sign T.J. Yates
After releasing Ryan Mallett, the Texans will bring back free agent quarterback T.J. Yates to back up starter Brian Hoyer, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli first reported that the team was pursuing Yates, while Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle first broke word of the agreement.
Yates, 28, hasn’t started a regular season NFL game since 2011, though Texans fans will remember that 2011 stint — Yates, a rookie at the time, was the club’s starter down the stretch, and helped lead Houston to a playoff victory in the first round.
After he spent another two seasons in Houston, Yates was traded to Atlanta by the Texans in June of 2014. The former fifth-round pick spent the year playing behind Matt Ryan for the Falcons, and was re-signed by Atlanta in March. However, the team cut him prior to the 2015 season, opting for Sean Renfree as Ryan’s backup this year.
With Tom Savage on injured reserve, Yates will join Hoyer as the only quarterbacks on the Texans’ active roster, meaning there’s a reasonable chance he’ll see the field at some point in the second half. Houston is expected to open up another roster spot when Arian Foster officially lands on IR, so it’ll be interesting to see whether the club signs an emergency QB or uses the opening to add depth to another area of the roster.
Texans Release Ryan Mallett
Just days after he missed the team’s charter plane to Miami, quarterback Ryan Mallett has been released by the Texans, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). A Monday report indicated that head coach Bill O’Brien wanted to cut Mallett but was overruled by GM Rick Smith, so it appears Smith has come around on the decision.
Mallett, who also missed a training camp practice this year, claims that he missed last week’s flight because his cell phone died and his alarm didn’t go off. Whether or not that story is true, the missed flight was the last straw for the Texans, who will now have to find a backup for Brian Hoyer, since Mallett was the only other signal-caller on the roster. Tom Savage, the team’s third quarterback, would typically slide into that role, but he was placed on season-ending IR in September.
Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported earlier today (via Twitter) that the Texans had not yet reached out to veteran free agents like Jason Campbell and Rex Grossman. Still, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the team will indeed add a veteran to be the No. 2 behind Hoyer, with ESPN’s Tania Ganguli reporting (via Twitter) that the club is working to bring back T.J. Yates, who was cut by the Falcons prior to the regular season.
Mallett, who initially joined the Texans prior to the 2014 season, started six games over the last two years for the team, totaling 1,170 passing yards, five touchdowns, and six interceptions during his time in Houston. Having signed a new two-year, $7MM contract with the Texans earlier this year, Mallett still has a little guaranteed money coming his way this year. However, Houston won’t have to carry any dead money on its cap in 2016, since the 27-year-old’s deal didn’t include a signing bonus.
Because Mallett has more than four years of NFL experience, he’ll become a free agent immediately without having to pass through waivers. His stock isn’t particularly high at the moment, but Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link) wonders if the Bills – who have lost two games with EJ Manuel as their starter – might circle back on Mallett after showing interest last offseason.
Cowboys Want To Extend Greg Hardy
While many NFL observers have criticized Greg Hardy for his sideline outburst over the weekend – and the Cowboys for condoning it – Dallas owner Jerry Jones is doubling down on his support for the defensive end. According to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter), Jones repeated today what his son Stephen Jones said yesterday, telling 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that the Cowboys would like to extend Hardy beyond this season.
Hardy, 27, was coming off nearly a year-long absence in 2014 this offseason, and also saw his market affected by a looming suspension. As such, the Cowboys were able to ink him to a modest one-year deal which was heavy on per-game roster bonuses and performance incentives. Now that Hardy is off to a strong start, with three sacks in his first two games, it sounds like Dallas wants to ensure he sticks around beyond 2015.
Still, while Hardy has impressed on the field, it’s fair to question why the Cowboys would talk about an extension after observing his behavior off the field — or, as was the case on Sunday, along the side of the field. It’s one thing for an established veteran to express frustration toward a teammate or coach during a game, but for a player like Hardy – who is coming off a suspension for an alleged domestic incident, is playing for a new team, and has repeatedly exhibited questionable judgment – it’s not exactly a great look.
Jerry and Stephen Jones may be publicly supporting the idea of an extension for Hardy, but I’d be pretty surprised if they actually got something done with the pass rusher in the near future. Given all the headlines Hardy has made in his first few weeks back from his suspension, it makes sense to be careful and patient, since it’s anyone’s guess how the next couple months will play out.
If the Cowboys still want to extend Hardy at season’s end, teams will surely proceed with caution in free agency. The ex-Panther, meanwhile, would likely take into consideration the support given to him by the Joneses and the Cowboys organization throughout the year
Texans Unlikely To Add Running Back
The Ryan Mallett saga, which features a disagreement between head coach Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith on whether to keep the quarterback on the roster, has dominated headlines over the last couple days for the Texans. However, Mallett’s future is a secondary issue in Houston, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, who tweets that the club’s priority is deciding how to proceed at running back following Arian Foster‘s season-ending Achilles injury.
With Foster headed to injured reserve, the Texans are left with Alfred Blue, Chris Polk, and Jonathan Grimes in their backfield. And for now, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the plan is to stick with those running backs, rather than bringing in an outside free agent. Rapoport notes that Houston is also carrying a fourth back, Kenny Hilliard, on its practice squad as a potential insurance policy.
Assuming the Texans decide not to add another running back to the roster with Foster out, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise — when the four-time Pro Bowler missed time earlier this season, the Texans brought in some veterans for auditions, but ultimately opted to stick with their in-house options.
Not adding a fourth running back to the roster would also give the team the flexibility to use that 53rd roster spot on another position. It’s not clear yet how Houston will use that spot, but with uncertainty surrounding Mallett’s future with the team, it’s fair to wonder if adding a third quarterback is a possibility.
Lions Fire OC Joe Lombardi
Just hours after head coach Jim Caldwell told reporters that there wouldn’t be any coaching changes made this week, the Lions have made a major change to their offensive staff. According to Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News (via Twitter), the team is firing offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, along with offensive line coaches Jeremiah Washburn and Terry Heffernan.
Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com has confirmed the changes to the Lions’ coaching staff, tweeting that quarterbacks coach Jim Bob Cooter is taking over for Lombardi as the club’s offensive coordinator. Per Twentyman, tight ends coach Ron Prince will assume the role of offensive line coach, while Devin Fitzsimmons takes over as tight ends coach.
The Lions are off to a disappointing 1-6 start this season, and the underwhelming play of the offense has been a main reason for the team’s struggles. Matthew Stafford has been up and down throughout the season, throwing nine interceptions through seven games, well on his way to surpassing the 12 he threw in 16 games last year.
Detroit’s running game has been worse than its aerial attack, with leading rusher Ameer Abdullah having compiled just 222 yards on 3.6 yards per attempt — no other back has more than 60 yards, and Joique Bell is averaging less than two yards per carry. Overall, the Lions are averaging less than 20 points per game, ranking 26th in offensive DVOA through six weeks, per Football Outsiders.
While the Lions will hope that the changes to the offensive coaching staff will jump-start the team, it’s possible these won’t be the last moves made by the team this season. Albert Breer of the NFL Network notes (via Twitter) that there have been “rumblings around the league about larger-scale changes in Detroit,” since Martha Ford is now in charge of the ownership group, and observers aren’t sure what to expect from her.
As for the team’s new offensive coordinator, Cooter drew some interest around the league this past offseason. The Bears were interested in Cooter for their offensive coordinator opening, but the Lions denied Chicago permission to interview the ex-Broncos assistant, showing how much they valued him.