Bengals Put Burfict On IR, Activate McCarron
The Bengals have placed linebacker Vontaze Burfict on the injured reserve list, ending his season, the team announced today (Twitter link). Taking Burfict’s place on the 53-man roster will be quarterback A.J. McCarron, whom Cincinnati activated from the reserve/non-football injury list.
Burfict, who has had concussion injuries in the past, and earlier this season, underwent a procedure on his knee, which will keep him sidelined for the rest of the year. Losing the 24-year-old will be a significant blow to the Bengals’ defense as the club looks to secure a playoff spot in the AFC. Burfict is coming off a Pro Bowl sophomore season, and is one of the leaders on the defensive side of the ball in Cincinnati, but was limited to just a handful of games in his third year after racking up 177 tackles in 2013.
As for McCarron, the rookie is extremely unlikely to play a role down the stretch for Cincinnati, but activating him will allow him to remain on the practice field with the team for the rest of the season. He’ll slide in behind Andy Dalton and Jason Campbell on the depth chart.
49ers Activate NaVorro Bowman
1:37pm: San Francisco has confirmed the activation of Bowman, announcing that tight end Vance McDonald is being placed on injured reserve to make room for the linebacker.
1:33pm: The 49ers have activated linebacker NaVorro Bowman to their 53-man roster in advance of today’s deadline, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). Bowman had spent the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, and had to be either activated or placed on season-ending injured reserve today.
Bowman, 26, has spent the better part of a year recovering from a significant knee injury he suffered during last season’s playoffs. Having accumulated 145 tackles, five sacks, six forced fumbles, and a pair of interceptions in 2013, Bowman played a major role in one of the league’s best defensive units, and the 49ers missed him and suspended linebacker Aldon Smith during the first half of this season.
Although Smith returned to the field last month, it remains to be seen whether Bowman will actually see action during the regular season’s final three weeks. Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter) reported earlier today that the injured Niner wasn’t expected to play again this year, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that he’s even being activated, particularly since the club will need to cut a player to complete the transaction.
Players on the PUP list, like Bowman, get a three-week window between when they start practicing and when their teams must make a final decision on their status. While Bowman’s window began three weeks ago today, he has yet to step on the practice field with his teammates, according to Maiocco.
Ravens Sign Antoine Cason
12:15pm: The Ravens have confirmed in a press release that they’ve signed Cason and placed Gorrer on IR. The team added that wide receiver Aldrick Robinson has been added to the practice squad, replacing fellow wideout LaQuan Williams.
8:51am: A week after being released by the Panthers, Antoine Cason has found a new home, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the Ravens are signing the veteran cornerback.
Cason, a former first-round pick, started 11 of the Panthers’ first 12 games, but had plenty of ups and downs throughout the year. The 28-year-old was benched in Week 13 after allowing a touchdown to Vikings wideout Greg Jennings, and has a grade of -10.2 on the season, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). Although he has grabbed a pair of interceptions, Cason has also allowed six touchdowns, a 122.2 passer rating, and an 80.3% completion rate on passes thrown into his coverage, per PFF.
Despite Cason’s struggles in 2014, he could help provide some depth in a Ravens’ secondary that has been ravaged by injuries this season. Top cornerback Jimmy Smith landed on injured reserve earlier in the year, and Danny Gorrer is headed there as well, in what will be the corresponding move to accommodate the signing of Cason, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Cason worked out for the Bears this week before landing with the Ravens.
Johnny Manziel To Start For Browns
After Brian Hoyer got the nod at quarterback one last time for the Browns last week vs. the Colts, the team has elected to turn to its prized rookie for Week 15. According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via Twitter), Hoyer and Johnny Manziel have been informed that Manziel will start for Cleveland this Sunday against the Bengals.
The Browns nearly pulled off an upset at home on Sunday against the Colts, but Andrew Luck led Indianapolis to a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. Despite the Colts’ small margin of victory, it was Cleveland’s defense and special teams that kept the team in the game, while Hoyer had one of his worst games of the year, completing just 14 of 31 passes for 140 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. In his last three starts, since Josh Gordon‘s return, Hoyer has compiled a QB rating of just 45.6 and thrown seven INTs.
Even if the Browns were to win their last three games to finish with a 10-6 record, there’s no guarantee they’d make the playoffs, given the level of competition in the AFC. With Hoyer struggling and the team’s postseason chances slipping away, it makes sense for the club to see what Manziel, the 22nd overall pick in May, can do in the starting role.
Unless Manziel struggles mightily down the stretch, it’s very possible Hoyer has played his last game for the Browns. Hoyer, who is in a contract year, had a strong first half this season, fueling speculation that he could sign a long-term extension with the team, but his overall performance in 2014 suggests he’s probably not Cleveland’s QB of the future.
NFC East Notes: Coughlin, Gruden, McCoy
While many observers have predicted that the Giants will replace head coach Tom Coughlin at season’s end, those who know co-owner John Mara “are convinced” he doesn’t want to fire Coughlin and is no lock to do so, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. As Vacchiano points out, Mara and fellow co-owner Steve Tisch could come up with several compelling reasons to keep Coughlin around, including a desire to maintain stability and a lack of star candidates to replace him.
As we wait to see how the Giants finish the season and how that affects Coughlin’s future in New York, let’s check in on a few other items from around the NFC East….
- As Dianna Marie Russini of NBC Washington tweets, Washington head coach Jay Gruden acknowledged to reporters yesterday that jobs will be on line for his team during the final three weeks of the season. With whispers that Gruden could be one-and-done in Washington, his own job may be one that’s on the line down the stretch.
- According to reports from Mike Jones of the Washington Post and John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the neck injury sustained by Washington quarterback Colt McCoy on Sunday is not believed to be serious or career-threatening, and McCoy could even be healthy enough to play in Week 15.
- After signing a contract extension with the team in the offseason, Eagles wideout Riley Cooper hasn’t provided the same sort of big plays he did a year ago, but head coach Chip Kelly is pleased with Cooper’s play, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- The Giants took a look at a pair of defensive players yesterday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who tweets that the club brought in linebacker Victor Butler and defensive end Gerald Rivers for tryouts.
- Having been cut by the Titans last week, cornerback Brandon Ghee was among a handful of players to work out for Washington, tweets Wilson. The club also auditioned cornerback Qua Cox, offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe, defensive back Justin Rogers, and defensive lineman Shawn Lemon, who is coming off a 13-sack season with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders.
Lions To Re-Sign Kellen Davis
The Lions will re-sign a player they cut two weeks ago, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, tweeting that the team plans to add tight end Kellen Davis back to its roster today. No corresponding move has been reported or announced yet.
Davis, who turned 29 in October, has grabbed 50 balls for 561 yards and 12 touchdowns during his six-year NFL career. However, he didn’t add to those totals during his stint with the Lions earlier this season — he was targeted just three times during his brief run with the team, and failed to record a single reception.
When the Lions last signed Davis, it was to add depth at a tight end position that had been decimated by injuries. This time around, Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew appear to be healthy, so it’s unlikely that Davis will see a whole lot of game action. However, his signing doesn’t bode well for the health of Joseph Fauria, who tweaked his troublesome ankle during Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are Monday’s minor transactions, including practice squad signings and cuts, from around the NFL:
- As Cowboys defensive back Tyler Patmon continues to improve from a sprained knee, the team has parted ways with another cornerback. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com writes that the Cowboys have waived Micah Pellerin. The 26-year-old has appeared in three games this season with Dallas.
- The Chargers placed offensive lineman Ryan Miller on their reserve/non-football injury list last week, but the team changed course today. Miller was moved to the injured reserve list and subsequently waived with an injury settlement, tweets Howard Balzer.
- Less than a week after he joined the Dolphins practice squad, linebacker Jake Knott has been promoted to the team’s active roster, the 24-year-old announced on Twitter. Knott previously spent time with the Eagles, where he made 12 appearances last season.
- Even though running back Marcus Lattimore announced his retirement last month, the 49ers continued to keep him on their non-football-injury list. That ended today, as Aaron Wilson tweets that the team has cut the former fourth-rounder.
- The Broncos have signed returner Isaiah Burse to their practice squad, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. To make room, Denver waived guard Mark Asper. Burse, who has returned 29 of the team’s 30 punt returns this season, was waived on Saturday to make room for kicker Brandon McManus.
Earlier updates:
- After being cut last week by the Panthers, veteran linebacker Jason Williams has a new home, catching on with another NFC South team. The Buccaneers announced that they’ve signed Williams, placing fellow linebacker Brandon Magee on injured reserve in order to accommodate the new signing.
- The Packers have signed defensive tackle Bruce Gaston from off the Cardinals‘ practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. To make room for Gaston, the club placed rookie defensive tackle Luther Robinson, who sustained a calf injury, on the injured reserve list.
- The Chargers have parted ways with a pair of players, releasing center Jeff Baca from their 53-man roster and cutting cornerback Kendall James from their practice squad, tweets Eric Williams of ESPN.com.
- Having lost wide receiver Deonte Thompson off their practice squad to the Bills earlier today, the Ravens filled the opening by re-signing tight end Allen Reisner to the unit, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Wideout Rashad Ross has signed to Washington‘s taxi squad, the club announced today (Twitter link).
NFC North Notes: Suh, Peterson, Bears
With Ndamukong Suh eligible for unrestricted free agency this coming March, the Lions need to do whatever they can to make sure the star defensive tackle stays in Detroit, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Rothstein even suggests that the team will have to consider franchising Suh if the two sides can’t reach a longer-term deal, since his value to the Lions’ defense makes paying a premium worthwhile.
Here’s more from around the NFC North:
- A source close to Adrian Peterson tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report that Peterson’s camp would like to reach a settlement on his suspension appeal, but the Vikings running back isn’t interested in any deal that would see his ban stretch into next season.
- Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg Sports passes along some details on Troy Vincent‘s testimony from Peterson’s hearing, noting that the NFL executive told Peterson he would be subject to the league’s old personal conduct policy rather than the new one.
- Bears general manager Phil Emery is likely experiencing some buyer’s remorse after extending Jay Cutler last January, says Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune, suggesting that the decision could ultimately cost Emery his job.
- In spite of speculation that the Bears might consider other quarterback options for next year and beyond, head coach Marc Trestman told reporters today, including Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (Twitter link), that the club has never wavered on its commitment to Cutler.
Injury Updates: Monday
In our Sunday roundup of the latest notable injury news from around the NFL, we passed along postgame items on a number of players, including several who will miss the rest of the season. Today, we’ll continue to provide updates on those players and others, as diagnoses are modified or confirmed. We don’t cover every single injury at PFR, but we’ll keep tabs on the ones that may require a roster move, with the latest notes added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- While it’s less an injury update than a health update, the Chiefs provided some news on safety Eric Berry today, announcing that the Pro Bowler has been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. “This is a diagnosis that is very treatable and potentially curable with standard chemotherapy approaches,” said Dr. Christopher R. Flowers in a statement. “The goal of Mr. Berry’s treatment is to cure his lymphoma and we are beginning that treatment now.” We wish Berry and his family our well-wishes and support as he begins his treatment.
- The Ravens confirmed a Sunday report today, indicating that cornerback Danny Gorrer will miss the rest of the season after tearing his MCL and PCL, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The club will place Gorrer on injured reserve.
Earlier updates:
- As expected, Titans quarterback Zach Mettenberger will be out for the rest of the year with an AC joint separation, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The rookie signal-caller may be placed on IR this week to make room for a new addition.
- While Cardinals running back Andre Ellington is expected to miss the rest of the season, cornerback Antonio Cromartie’s injury doesn’t appear as serious as initially feared, GM Steve Keim confirmed today (link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). Cromartie is day-to-day with the injury, which affects the peroneal tendon rather than the Achilles, and will undergo more testing today.
- As first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Chargers have diagnosed punter Mike Scifres with a fractured clavicle. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Scifres is undergoing surgery today, and should be okay to return for the playoffs, assuming San Diego makes it.
Bears Place Marshall On IR, Promote Bellamy
As expected, the Bears have officially placed wide receiver Brandon Marshall on injured reserve, ending his 2014 season, the team announced today (Twitter link). In a pair of related roster moves, Chicago promoted wideout Josh Bellamy from the practice squad to the active roster, and signed linebacker Jonathan Brown to the taxi squad.
Marshall, 30, left last Thursday’s game against the Cowboys with a rib injury and was hospitalized for several days. The veteran receiver broke multiple ribs and also sustained a lung injury, making it an easy decision to shut him down for the rest of the season, particularly with the club no longer in the playoff hunt.
With Marshall out for Chicago’s last three games, it could open the door for second-year wideout Marquess Wilson to assume an increased role in the team’s offense. Wilson entered the season hoping to establish himself as the No. 3 receiver behind Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, but missed a good chunk of the year with a fractured clavicle.