NFC Notes: Glennon, Vick, Rolle, Austin
A pair of playoff hopefuls will square off in two NFC divisional matchup this weekend, but it’s hard to view Cardinals/Seahawks and Saints/Falcons as equally important games. While the winner of the West showdown will have the inside track on the No. 1 seed for the postseason, the winner of the South contest will inch slightly closer to .500, and move closer to becoming the league’s worst division winner.
While we look forward to those two games and others, let’s check out the latest links from around the conference….
- In the offseason, head coach Lovie Smith repeatedly referred to Mike Glennon as the Buccaneers‘ “quarterback of the future,” but he wasn’t willing to continue bestowing that title on Glennon this week, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. “His future right now is, he’s on our football team,” Smith said of Glennon. “We’re not talking on the future right now. The future is about that last press conference — after the season.”
- With his one-year Jets deal set to expire soon, Michael Vick has considered his 2015 destination, and is intrigued by the idea of joining his hometown team in Washington, as he tells Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin. “I’m open to playing for anybody that wants to win. But obviously, going back home, I mean, that’ll be a dream come true,’‘ Vick said with a smile. “But I would hate to get my hopes up for something that wouldn’t happen. So I can’t even think about it right now.”
- Nick Powell of NJ.com attempts to determine what a new contract for Antrel Rolle would look like as the Giants safety nears free agency.
- Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who is on the Fritz Pollard list of top minority head coaching candidates, indicated today that he’ll interview with any teams interested in him as a head coach this offseason, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
- Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright, whose new four-year extension with the team was announced earlier today, said sticking with Seattle was his preference all along, and the Seahawks’ offer exceeded the dollar number had had in his head (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times).
Jay Cutler Notes: Thursday
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was the subject of frequent criticism and trade speculation even before he was benched, and now that the team has decided to tab backup Jimmy Clausen as the starter this Sunday against the Lions, the Cutler rumor mill is busier than ever. Here are the latest whispers about what Cutler’s future may hold:
- Both Cutler and Marc Trestman spoke to reporters today about the decision, with Cutler indicating that he could play for Trestman next season and would like to remain with the Bears (Twitter links). The veteran quarterback added that while the security his contract provides is nice, he’s disappointed with the season, and would trade that contract security for a better record and better play (Twitter link via ESPN’s Michael C. Wright).
- As for Trestman, he indicated that this decision applies to this weekend only, and that Cutler will be the team’s No. 2 quarterback against the Lions (Twitter links). In other words, Clausen could start Week 17 as well, but nothing’s guaranteed yet.
- Two “accomplished and respected” Bears players tell Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com that a number of players in the Chicago locker room feel “confused and uncomfortable” over how Trestman has handled Cutler’s benching — especially when compared to the light discipline received by offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer last week.
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), Trestman is hoping that the change in quarterbacks will prove that his system can still be effective without Cutler at the helm.
- Mike Sando of ESPN.com tweets that he has talked to several people around the league who wonder why any team would give up anything more than maybe a seventh-round pick for Cutler.
- The Bears need to overhaul their franchise, and moving on from Cutler would be a start, writes Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com.
Earlier updates:
- Exploring potential trade suitors for Cutler, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes that many of the logical partners for Chicago are in the AFC, identifying the Bills, Jets, Browns, Texans, Titans, and Raiders as possibilities. Florio also writes that the Bears should be willing to essentially give Cutler away in a trade if necessary, rather than holding out for a higher draft pick, since the team could do a lot more with $15.5MM in cash and cap savings than it could with a mid- or late-round pick.
- Dan Hanzus of NFL.com lists seven potential landing spots for Cutler, overlapping with Florio on the Bills, Browns, Titans, and Jets. Hanzus also singles out the Buccaneers, Rams, and Washington as possible suitors.
- Appearing on CSN Chicago, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com took a shot at predicting what Cutler might be worth in a trade: “If they look to deal him, and my belief is that they will, then I think they can get something back for him. They’re not going to get what they gave up to get him. … Jay Cutler right now is on sale. He’s been devalued. My guess, just a guess today without speaking to personnel people around the NFL… I would guess that they could probably get back a fourth-round pick for Jay Cutler that could go to a third if he meets certain conditions such as taking a team to the playoffs. That’d be my guess. A mid-round conditional draft pick.”
- Benching a quarterback with a massive contract is an irreversible decision in many ways, according to Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Tribune, who weighs the pros and cons for the Bears cutting, trading, or keeping Cutler.
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network points out (via Twitter) that Marc Trestman‘s reputation as a quarterback guru, which has taken a hit this year, could be rejuvenated if Clausen lights it up this weekend. We’ve heard that the team is likely to part ways with Trestman at season’s end, but perhaps a strong finish would change those plans.
Titans Put McCluster On IR, Sign Richardson
The Titans have officially ended the season of all-purpose weapon Dexter McCluster, the team announced today (via Twitter). McCluster has been placed on injured reserve with a knee injury, and wide receiver Rico Richardson has been promoted from the practice squad to take his place on the roster.
McCluster, 25, inked a three-year deal with the Titans after spending the first four years of his career with the Chiefs. A Pro Bowler in 2013 for his exceptional work on punt returns, McCluster has underwhelmed in Tennessee this year. For the season, he recorded 26 catches for 197 yards, along with 40 carries for 131 yards for an average of 3.3 yards per carry. Those numbers are well below his Kansas City averages of 375 receiving yards per season and 4.4 yards per carry. McCluster also didn’t contribute much in the return game for the Titans.
While McCluster didn’t have an overly productive first year with the Titans, he’ll likely return to the team next season. He’s currently on the books for a cap hit of $3.35MM, and would count for $2MM against the cap if he were released.
Important 2015 NFL Offseason Dates
With just two weeks’ worth of games left in the 2014 NFL regular season, we’re only 11 days away from the offseason getting underway for 20 of the league’s 32 teams. As such, it’s worth looking ahead to the offseason calendar – which the NFL released yesterday (PDF link) – for an idea of which dates will be more important over the next several weeks and months. With clubs preparing to make changes to front offices, coaching staffs, and rosters, there are plenty of days to circle on the calendar.
Here’s a breakdown of a few of the NFL’s key offseason dates and deadlines:
December 29: Teams may begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts for the 2015 season. Teams may also begin exercising fifth-year options on 2012 first-round picks and signing 2012 draftees to contract extensions.
January 4: Assistant coaches for playoff teams with byes can interview for head coaching positions through the conclusion of the Wild Card games.
January 11: Assistant coaches for Wild Card teams that won their first round games can interview for head coaching positions through the conclusion of the divisional playoff games.
January 24: Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
January 25: Assistant coaches for teams in the Super Bowl who have previously interviewed for a head coaching job, can interview a second time with the club no later than the Sunday before the Super Bowl.
February 2: 2015 waiver system begins.
February 10: As of 11:00am central time, NFL teams can sign players whose 2014 CFL contracts have expired.
February 16: First day for teams to designate a franchise or transition player.
February 17-23: The NFL scouting combine will be held in Indianapolis.
March 2: As of 3pm CT, teams can no longer designate a franchise or transition player.
March 7: First day for teams to contact agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents on March 10. Free agent contracts can’t be signed yet, but informal agreements can be reached.
March 10: The 2015 league year begins, and free agency opens. By 3pm CT, teams must make decisions on player options, submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents, submit minimum tenders to exclusive rights free agents, and be under the 2015 salary cap. Trades can be made after 3pm CT.
March 22-25: The NFL owners meetings will be held in Phoenix.
April 24: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets.
April 29: Deadline for previous club to exercise right of first refusal (ie. match offer sheets) on restricted free agents.
April 30 – May 2: The NFL draft will be held in Chicago.
May 18-20: The NFL spring meeting will be held in San Francisco.
June 1: Deadline for previous club to submit a June 1 tender to its unsigned unrestricted free agents, and to submit a June 1 tender to its unsigned restricted free agents who haven’t signed an offer sheet.
June 15: Deadline for teams to withdraw qualifying offers to their restricted free agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights via the June 15 tender.
July 15: Deadline for teams to work out multiyear contracts with free agents designated as franchise players (3pm CT).
July 22: Signing period ends for unrestricted free agents who received a June 1 tender, and for transition players with outstanding tenders. The player’s previous club retains exclusive negotiating rights from this date until Week 10 of the regular season.
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
A number of practice squad players have received promotions to their respective clubs’ 53-man rosters this week, or have been signed by a rival club. As such, we should expect plenty of signings today, as teams fill in their openings. Here’s the latest:
- After his suspension was lifted by the league, fullback Nikita Whitlock signed on with the Giants‘ practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter).
- Chargers taxi squad guard Craig Watts has been suspended four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (via Twitter). To replace him, the Bolts signed former San Diego State offensive lineman Bryce Quigley (link).
- Wide receiver and kick returner Greg Jenkins, who spent last season with the Raiders, has returned to the club, signing today with the taxi squad, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the signing, tweeting that defensive back Vernon Kearney has joined the practice squad as well.
- The Saints have filled the final opening on their practice squad by signing kicker Dustin Hopkins, head coach Sean Payton confirmed today to reporters (Twitter link via Chad Sabadie of FOX8).
Earlier updates:
- The Vikings have signed rookie guard Jordan McCray to their practice squad to fill the spot vacated when Ahmad Dixon received a promotion, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Minnesota will have another spot to fill after losing cornerback Chris Greenwood to the Ravens.
- In addition to making changes to their 53-man roster today, the Patriots also tweaked their practice squad, adding quarterback Garrett Gilbert, according to a team release.
- The Packers have filled out their practice squad by signing safety Jean Fanor to the unit, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Fanor played for the Arena League’s Tampa Bay Storm this year, setting a team record for tackles in a season.
- Former sixth-round guard Jon Halapio has signed with the Broncos‘ practice squad, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
- Having entered the day with three openings on their practice squad, the Dolphins added a pair of players to the unit, signing defensive end Emmanuel Dieke and guard Mark Asper, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
- The Falcons have filled the 10th and final spot on their practice squad by signing cornerback Jordan Mabin, the team announced today in a press release. The opening was created earlier in the week when the club promoted cornerback Ricardo Allen to the 53-man roster.
- The Steelers have also filled out their taxi squad, signing former South Carolina offensive lineman Ronald Patrick, tweets Burt Lauten, the team’s PR rep.
- Defensive back Varmah Sonie, who played this year for Portland’s Arena League team, has signed to the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).
- The Panthers have signed linebacker Horace Miller to their practice squad, giving them a full 10-man unit, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com. Miller was cut by Carolina over the weekend and has since cleared waivers.
- Offensive tackle Tyler Hoover, who started the season with a brief stint on the Colts‘ practice squad and has since spent time with the Eagles as well, has rejoined Indianapolis’ squad, according to Mike Chappell of RTV6 (Twitter link).
Extra Points: Draft, Rolle, Cobb, McCoy
We’re still about four and a half months away from the 2015 NFL draft, and a week and a half from even knowing what the draft order will look like, but that didn’t stop ESPN’s Todd McShay (Insider link) from publishing his first mock draft of the season today. McShay’s first ’15 mock has the top two quarterback prospects coming off the board first, with the Buccaneers selecting Marcus Mariota at No. 1 and the Titans nabbing Jameis Winston at No. 2. The Jets, meanwhile, picking sixth overall, land standout Alabama receiver Amari Cooper in McShay’s scenario, but would still need to find a quarterback to get him the ball.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Calling the Giants a “great fit” for him, safety Antrel Rolle indicated today that he’s hoping for a three-year offer from the team this offseason as he approaches free agency, writes ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. According to Graziano, Rolle believes that if he doesn’t receive such an offer from the Giants, he could get it from another team.
- In his weekly ESPN Milwaukee radio show, Aaron Rodgers suggested it’s “important” that the Packers lock up wide receiver – and prospective free agent – Randall Cobb (link via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com).
- The Fritz Pollard Alliance has identified nine minority coaching candidates for NFL teams to consider this offseason, including Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the details.
- Washington quarterback Colt McCoy says he wants to return to the team next season, but he’ll almost certainly be seeking a raise, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. Tandler expects Washington to be McCoy’s first choice, but points out that he likely won’t give a “hometown discount” to a team he has only been with for a year.
- The NFL has lifted the suspension of free agent fullback Nikita Whitlock, who received a four-game ban from the league last month, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor roster moves from around the league, with the latest transactions added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Cut yesterday by the Jets, defensive back Josh Thomas has already found a new home, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, who tweets that the Lions have claimed Thomas off waivers. Thomas will take the roster spot vacated by LaAdrian Waddle, who was placed on injured reserve today, as noted below.
- Safety Josh Bush is receiving a promotion to the Broncos‘ active roster from the club’s practice squad, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that the club is also re-signing tight end Dominique Jones, who was let go earlier in the week. Denver, after making multiple roster moves yesterday, had two roster spots available, so no corresponding move is required to clear room.
Earlier updates:
- A pair of players will make the leap from the Jaguars‘ practice squad to their active roster, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, who tweets that quarterback Stephen Morris and safety Matt Daniels have been promoted. The Jags had one opening, and created another by placing linebacker Khairi Fortt on injured reserve with a hamstring issue.
- The Ravens are back up to 53 players on their roster after signing cornerback Chris Greenwood off the Vikings’ practice squad, tweets Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Greenwood is the latest player added to a secondary that has been decimated by injuries this season and lost Asa Jackson and Terrence Brooks in Week 15.
- The Lions are placing offensive lineman LaAdrian Waddle on the injured reserve list due to his partially torn ACL, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
- After waiving tackle J’Marcus Webb yesterday, the Vikings will fill the open roster spot by signing safety Ahmad Dixon from off their practice squad, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The well-traveled Dixon has already spent time with the Vikes, Dolphins, and Bears since being drafted by the Cowboys in May.
- According to agent Howard Shatsky (Twitter link), his client, tight end Jerome Cunningham, has received a promotion from the Giants‘ practice squad to their active roster. The team has yet to officially confirm the call-up, but there’s an available roster spot at the moment, so it wouldn’t require a corresponding move.
- The Buccaneers, another team with an open roster spot, have signed defensive end Lawrence Sidbury as their 53rd man, the team announced today in a press release. The ex-Falcon, who was released by the Texans in August, replaces cornerback Crezdon Butler, whom the Bucs cut yesterday.
AFC Notes: L.A., Dolphins, Workouts
The Chargers announced last night that the franchise would be remaining in San Diego for at least one more year, and that doesn’t appear to bode well for an NFL team landing in Los Angeles for the 2015 season, writes Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. As Farmer writes, it’s “almost inconceivable” that Chargers owner Dean Spanos would make such an announcement so much earlier than necessary if he weren’t fairly confident that neither the Raiders nor the Rams would be moving to L.A. for 2015 either.
As we wait to see whether that’s indeed the case, let’s round up a few more notes from across the AFC….
- If the Dolphins finish strong and end up with a 9-7 record, the head coaching picture for the team is murky, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. As Salguero explains, owner Stephen Ross won’t necessarily replace Joe Philbin for 2015 if he surveys the market and doesn’t identify anyone who would be a clear upgrade on Philbin.
- According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the Colts worked out a handful of players this week, including offensive lineman Terrael Williams, defensive back Demond Washington, and wide receivers Dan DePalma and John Chiles.
- Wilson also passes along the names of the players who auditioned for the Raiders this week (Twitter link): defensive back Malcolm Bronson, offensive tackle Chris Faulk, defensive back David Van Dyke, and offensive tackle Tyler Hoover, who signed with the Colts’ practice squad today.
- Defensive end Travis Chappelear tried out for the Chiefs yesterday, a source tells Wilson (Twitter link).
- Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News looks into whether the Bills might take a shot at Bears quarterback Jay Cutler at some point, if the underachieving signal-caller becomes available via trade or free agency.
49ers Release Ray McDonald
With Ray McDonald being investigated following accusations of sexual assault, the 49ers have elected to release the veteran defensive lineman, general manager Trent Baalke told reporters today (Twitter link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). According to Baalke, McDonald – who was investigated earlier in the year for an alleged domestic violence incident – is being cut without due process this time because of a “pattern of poor decision-making” (Twitter link).
A search warrant for McDonald’s home was served on Tuesday, the same day that San Jose police received a call from a hospital to report a possible sexual assault victim, writes Robert Salonga of the San Jose Mercury News. The woman told police investigators that she had been assaulted on Monday, and a police spokeswoman confirmed that McDonald is the suspect in the investigation.
The Santa Clara district attorney’s office decided last month not to file charges against McDonald in a domestic violence case due to insufficient evidence, and the defensive lineman has yet to be charged in this instance either. However, the police investigation is ongoing, and the NFL figures to perform its own investigation into the incident, under the terms of the new personal conduct policy. If McDonald is charged, or if the league determines that he has violated the conduct policy, he could be placed on paid leave and/or suspended.
The 49ers allowed McDonald to continue to play during the earlier domestic violence incident, citing due process, and the 30-year-old played well — according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), McDonald has been the league’s 11th-best 3-4 defensive end this season, grading well both against the run and as a pass-rusher. Despite the former third-round pick’s strong play on the field though, the team appears to have tired of his off-field run-ins, which drew negative attention to the franchise.
McDonald had been on the 49ers’ books for a cap number of about $6.476MM in 2015. The team will create a little cap room by cutting him, but will still carry a little over $4.6MM in dead money for next year. As for McDonald, if he clears waivers, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team. However, it’s hard to imagine a contending club trying to sign him for the playoffs while the sexual assault investigation is ongoing.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Pats Place Dominique Easley On IR
12:39pm: The Patriots have signed tight end Steve Maneri using the roster spot vacated by Easley, according to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
11:20am: Patriots defensive tackle Dominique Easley will see his rookie season come to an early end, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team is placing Easley on the injured reserve list.
Easley, 22, underwent ACL surgery before the 2014 draft, which may have caused him to slip a little further down the board than he otherwise would have. New England snagged him at the end of the first round, and while the rookie appeared in 11 games this season, he dealt with nagging knee issues throughout the year. The Pats told Easley last week to begin preparing for the 2015 campaign, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
When Easley officially lands on IR, the Pats will either open up a spot on their 53-man roster, or announce a corresponding move to immediately fill that opening.