Junior Galette Tears Achilles, Out For Year
2:34pm: A source close to Galette confirms to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link) that the pass rusher did indeed tear his Achilles. Washington hasn’t officially confirmed the injury or placed Galette on IR yet, but his season will be over.
1:42pm: Washington is concerned that the lower leg injury suffered in today’s practice by veteran pass rusher Junior Galette is serious, tweets Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), it’s an Achilles injury, and the team fears it’s torn — Galette is undergoing tests today to determine the severity of the injury.
If the team confirms that the Achilles is, in fact, torn, it would be the latest piece of bad news in a terrible offseason for Galette, who began the year with the Saints. The 27-year-old was New Orleans’ best pass rusher over the last two seasons, recording 12 sacks in 2013 and picking up another 10 – along with three forced fumbles – in 2014. Galette’s production earned him a lucrative contract extension in September, but his offseason was dominated by negative headlines.
In January, Galette was arrested on a domestic violence charge that was later dropped. More recently a video from 2013 surfaced showing a man that appears to be Galette involved in a beach brawl, striking a woman with a belt. The off-field concerns resulted in the Saints releasing the edge defender, despite having to eat a huge chunk of dead money. Following the move, reports surfaced indicating that Galette had a negative influence on the New Orleans locker room, and his former teammates didn’t seem too broken up about his departure.
Washington quickly snatched Galette off the free agent market when he became available, despite an expectation that he could face a suspension, but it was a low-risk, minimum-salary deal for the team. Although it won’t hurt the club much financially if Galette’s season ends early, it would be bad news for Washington’s pass rush, considering Brian Orakpo departed to Tennessee in March and Ryan Kerrigan is returning from arthroscopic knee surgery.
If Galette lands on injured reserve, it wouldn’t necessarily end his time in Washington — the team’s one-year contract with the ex-Saint includes the right of first refusal for 2016, meaning Washington will have the opportunity to match any offer he receives from another club.
Community Tailgate: Who Will Lead NFL In Rushing?
We’re still a few weeks away from the start of regular-season battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This summer, we launched a new series here at PFR known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, 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.
Today, we’re shifting our focus to a position that has evolved significantly over the last decade or two. For the most part, NFL running backs are no longer expected to carry the ball 350 times in a season, with most teams employing a backfield that features multiple ball-carriers who share the load.
The reduced workload for top running backs means that, with a few exceptions, we won’t see many ball-carriers approaching the 2,000-yard mark anymore. A year ago, only one back ran for more than 1,400 yards, with DeMarco Murray racking up 1,845 — Le’Veon Bell finished second, with 1,361.
According to betting site Bovada.lv, both Murray and Bell are among the top candidate to lead the NFL in rushing yards in 2015, but it’s former MVP Adrian Peterson who is viewed as the favorite. Peterson turned 30 this year, and he missed all but one game in 2014 due to legal troubles, but he has made it his goal to shoot for an outrageous 2,500 rushing yards, and he has a history of defying the odds — his 2,097-yard season in 2012 came after he returned from an ACL tear.
Besides Peterson, Murray, and Bell, several of the usual veteran contenders are near the top of Bovada’s list of favorites for the rushing title, including Marshawn Lynch, Jamaal Charles, and LeSean McCoy. The site also gives younger backs Eddie Lacy, Jeremy Hill, and C.J. Anderson strong odds of challenging for the crown.
What do you think? Who will lead the NFL in rushing yards in 2015? Will it be a veteran like Peterson or Murray, or will a younger player earn the honor for the first time in his career?
NFC Notes: Giants, Cowboys, Lions, Saints
The Giants were the NFL’s most-injured team in 2013 and 2014, and the club has already had 22 players sidelined by injury this summer, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post, who suggests Tom Coughlin‘s job could ultimately be in jeopardy if the team’s health issues lead to another underwhelming season.
One key Giants player who missed most of last season due to injury is currently on the shelf this year as well, and Coughlin acknowledges that he’s starting to worry about Victor Cruz‘s availability for Week 1. The receiver is battling a calf issue.
“I’m concerned, yeah, I am” Coughlin said, per Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. “But I would like to see him get out there, and be able to stay out there. That’s what our real intent is. As soon as that can be done, that’s possible, then that’s what will happen.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Following Orlando Scandrick‘s season-ending ACL injury, the Cowboys are in the market for cornerbacks, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Per Cole, the team isn’t necessarily looking for a starter, but would like to add depth to an increasingly thin position.
- Before trading him to the Patriots, the Lions actually heard from four teams that were interested in offensive tackle Michael Williams, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. As Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com observes, the Williams deal continues a trend for GM Martin Mayhew, who has acquired late-round draft compensation for a handful of players within the last few months.
- The Saints will have some decisions to make when it comes to their defensive line, and Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune examines some of the players who are on the roster bubble and who could hit waivers next week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Broncos Release Connor Barth
To accommodate their signing of free agent guard Evan Mathis, the Broncos have created a spot on their roster by releasing Connor Barth, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The move indicates that Brandon McManus has won Denver’s kicking job.
Barth, 29, was signed by the Broncos last November to replace McManus, who was struggling with his accuracy. The former Buccaneers kicker finished the season by making 15 of 16 field goals for Denver, but was beat out in camp this year by McManus. The 24-year-old has the bigger leg of the two players, and can handle kickoffs better, but made just nine of 13 field goal attempts in his rookie year in 2014.
While the move is bad news for Barth in the short term, he immediately becomes one of the most talented kickers on the free agent market. If another team has its kicker go down with an injury or perform poorly in the early going, Barth figures to be one of the first potential replacements to get a call.
Osi Umenyiora Retires As A Giant
AUGUST 26, 9:00am: Umenyiora has officially announced his retirement, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
AUGUST 24, 1:44pm: Umenyiora will officially announce his retirement prior to the Giants’ Wednesday practice, according to Vacchiano (via Twitter).
JULY 27, 1:48pm: According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter), Umenyiora will sign a one-day contract with the Giants “soon” in order to officially retire with the team.
1:37pm: Veteran pass rusher Osi Umenyiora hasn’t drawn a ton of interest on the free agent market this offseason, and it sounds as if the former Giant may return to his old team on a ceremonial contract before he retires. According to Adam Caplan and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Giants and Umenyiora are discussing the possibility of a one-day contract for the 33-year-old, so he can retire as a Giant.
Umenyiora, selected in the second round of the 2003 draft by the Giants, has spent most of his NFL career in New York, playing a key role on the team’s two Super Bowl-winning squads in 2007 and 2011. The Troy product earned a pair of Pro Bowl nods, and had three seasons of double-digit sacks between 2005 and 2010. Umenyiora joined the Falcons for the 2013 season and played a part-time role in Atlanta, recording total 10 total sacks over the last two seasons.
Giants co-owner John Mara suggested back in March that he’d like to see Umenyiora retire as a Giant, though at the time I assumed that would mean signing him for perhaps one more year, rather than just one day. It’s not clear whether or not Umenyiora wants to continue his career, but even with Jason Pierre-Paul‘s status still up in the air, it doesn’t look like the veteran free agent will be joining the Giants for the 2015 season.
Falcons Sign Rex Grossman
8:48am: The Falcons have waived/injured running back Evan Royster to make room for Grossman, per McClure (via Twitter). That means the team will carry four quarterbacks on its roster for now.
8:12am: After taking a physical and working out for the team yesterday, free agent quarterback Rex Grossman has agreed to terms with the Falcons, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Grossman will be signing a one-year deal with Atlanta, reuniting with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.
Throughout the preseason, T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree have been vying for the Falcons’ backup quarterback role behind Matt Ryan, but neither signal-caller has seized the job. Yates entered camp as the presumed favorite, but he has completed just 52.8% of his passes in the preseason so far, and has thrown the team’s only two interceptions.
Grossman, who turned 35 on Sunday, hasn’t thrown a regular-season pass since 2011 in Washington, and we heard earlier this month that he was still recovering from an injury he sustained while training. However, the veteran QB has a history with Shanahan, so the new Falcons offensive coordinator may feel more comfortable with Grossman than he currently does with Yates or Renfree. It remains to be seen whether Yates or Renfree will be cut to accommodate Grossman’s signing, or if the team will temporarily carry four quarterbacks.
In addition to being the last season in which he saw regular-season playing time, 2011 was a year that saw Grossman get an extended opportunity as a starter for Washington — he went 5-8 as the club’s starter, throwing 20 interceptions and just 16 touchdowns. In Atlanta this time around, Grossman shouldn’t see any real game action unless something goes horribly wrong.
According to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Grossman’s deal will be for the minimum salary, which is $970K for a player with his experience.
Community Tailgate: Does Preseason Need Fixing?
We’re still a few weeks away from the start of regular-season battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This summer, we launched a new series here at PFR known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, 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.
As is often the case during the NFL preseason, we’ve seen a handful of key players go down with major injuries this summer. Most notably, star wide receivers Jordy Nelson of the Packers and Kelvin Benjamin of the Panthers suffered season-ending ACL tears, devastating blows for their teams and fantasy football owners alike. While Benjamin’s injury happened in a practice, Nelson’s occurred in a game, restarting an annual debate about the value of the preseason, with Aaron Rodgers among those weighing in.
“It’s difficult to lose a guy like that in a meaningless game. This game doesn’t mean anything,” Rodgers said in a postgame news conference, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Asked if he felt the preseason schedule should be reduced from four games to a lesser number, the reigning MVP replied, “I think a lot of players around the league probably do. At least cut it down, maybe, to a couple.”
Another former MVP, Adrian Peterson, expressed a similar sentiment today, pointing to all the players who have torn ACLs so far this preseason and suggesting teams should just play three games, rather than four (Twitter links via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press).
Of course, for players like Rodgers and Peterson, whose roster spots are assured this year and – most likely – for as long as they want to keep playing, the preseason is less significant. For players fighting for the 52nd or 53rd spot on the their respective teams’ rosters, those games are a little more crucial. There are a number of players around the NFL who may have never received their shot on a roster if not for those extra couple preseason contests.
Trimming the number of preseason games from four to two also wouldn’t reduce the risk of injuries in those games — it would simply cut back on the total number of preseason injuries. And you could make the case that less preparation before the season would result in more injuries once the real games gets underway.
In a column today for Sports on Earth, Ross Tucker argues that if teams want to reduce the risk of preseason injuries to star players, they should simply keep those stars off the field during the so-called “meaningless” games. In Tucker’s view, the NFL isn’t likely to play any fewer preseason games anytime soon, since getting an extra two home games for each franchise is a significant source of revenue around the league.
What do you think? Is the preseason schedule a problem that needs to be fixed? If so, how would you propose fixing it? Does it make sense for the NFLPA to trade a reduction in preseason games for an increase in regular season games? Or is there another solution that might make more sense? Weigh in below in the comment section with your thoughts!
Extra Points: Lions, Taliaferro, Chancellor
Linebacker Kyle Van Noy, the Lions‘ second-round pick in 2014, had half of his rookie season wiped out by a stint on injured reserve, and he never got fully healthy after he returned, contributing just six tackles for the year. After undergoing hip surgery earlier this year, Van Noy had higher hopes for the 2015 campaign, but the 24-year-old continues to be nagged by injury issues with the season approaching.
According to head coach Jim Caldwell, the first opinion Van Noy received on his latest injury suggested more surgery isn’t necessary at this point, but the team is seeking a second opinion (Twitter link via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com). While it’s possible that Van Noy lands in Detroit’s IR-DTR spot again, the timetable on his return isn’t clear yet, and the club may want to save that designation this time around.
Let’s check in on several more items from around the NFL…
- Caldwell also said today that he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of two fullbacks – Michael Burton and Emil Igwenagu – making the Lions‘ roster (Twitter link via Rothstein).
- Phones are lighting up across the league as teams look to make trades before the roster cutdown to 75 players next week, tweets Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com. Russini adds that, despite all the chatter, it’s not clear how many deals will actually go down.
- Ravens coach John Harbaugh says running back Lorenzo Taliaferro will miss a “few weeks” with an MCL sprain, writes Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com. Taliaferro was listed as the Ravens No. 2 running back behind Justin Forsett, but now rookie fourth-round pick Buck Allen figures to see an increased workload for the rest of the preseason — and potentially early in the regular season.
- Drawing on his past experience as an NFL executive, Jeff Diamond of The Sporting News takes a closer look at Kam Chancellor‘s holdout, suggesting that GM John Schneider and the Seahawks will have to consider the possibility of trading Chancellor if his holdout extends into September.
- Speaking today to reporters, including Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks said that his new extension came together within the last two weeks or so.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Latest On Julio Jones Extension Talks
With Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant, and T.Y. Hilton all receiving new mega-deals this offseason, the focus on the wide receiver market has now turned to Julio Jones and A.J. Green, the next star wideouts in line for lucrative new extensions. While we haven’t heard many concrete updates on Green’s situation with the Bengals, recent reports have suggested Jones and the Falcons are making progress.
Despite the fact that the two sides have yet to reach an agreement, there’s still optimism in Atlanta that a deal is on the way. On Monday, Falcons owner Arthur Blank told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com that there’s no cause for concern when it comes to Jones’ contract.
“There’s no hold up at all,” Blank said. “It’s just the process that you have to go through. It’s a bit of a dance. He’s got a very good agent with experience. We have a great relationship with [agent Jimmy Sexton]. That [agency] has signed the last two big receiver contracts done in the league. We’re committed to Julio, who is committed to us. We’re getting close to where we need to be.”
Blank’s suggestion that the Falcons are “getting close” to where they need to be in contract talks indicates that an extension for Jones could be right around the corner. However, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link) throws some cold water on that notion, citing sources who say that negotiations between the two sides “stalled significantly” last week.
When the Broncos and Thomas were negotiating their new agreement earlier this summer, we heard similar reports about stalled talks and a large gap between proposals, but the team and player ultimately reached a deal at the last minute. The Falcons would probably like to get some resolution one way or another on Jones’ contract before the season begins, so there’s still plenty of time between now and Week 1 for discussions to reignite and for Atlanta to reach a compromise with its top playmaker.
East Notes: Galette, Wayne, Brady, Ryans
There’s “a feeling” in Washington that the team will learn this week whether or not veteran pass rusher Junior Galette will face a suspension for any off-field incidents, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. Washington didn’t waste much time picking up Galette after he was released by the Saints, suggesting the front office wasn’t expecting a significant penalty. According to Keim, the club is hopeful that any Galette suspension would be for two games or less.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Josina Anderson of ESPN.com provides a couple specific figures on Reggie Wayne‘s new contract with the Patriots, tweeting that has a maximum value of $2.8MM and features a $450K signing bonus. According to Wayne, he fielded “a lot of serious calls from some good teams,” but decided New England was the best fit for him, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Attorneys for the NFL and NFLPA met yesterday for another settlement conference regarding Tom Brady‘s case, but – as expected – the session didn’t lead to an agreement, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The next hearing in Judge Richard Berman’s court regarding the Patriots quarterback is scheduled for August 31.
- Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links) wonders what the Mychal Kendricks extension means for Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans. As McLane explains, he heard earlier this year that Kendricks would likely only play one more season in Philadelphia, so the apparent change of heart from the team may be related to Ryans, who turned 31 last month.
- E.J. Manuel acknowledged during training camp this year that he knows his days with the Bills may be numbered if he doesn’t play well. However, as Sal Capaccio of WGR550 details, Manuel says he loves playing in Buffalo: “I want to stay here.”