Latest On NFL Personal Conduct Policy
After dealing with high-profile off-field incidents involving running backs Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson this year, commissioner Roger Goodell indicated earlier in the season that the league intended to have a new personal conduct policy in place by the Super Bowl. However, a league source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that a new policy isn’t as close to being finalized as had been hoped, and that the new policy may not be adopted until the new league year begins in March.
The NFL’s owners are meeting this Wednesday, and there was a belief that a new personal conduct policy would be reviewed and potentially voted on at that point. That’s what the NFL Players Association is expecting, according to union executive George Atallah, though he points out that there hasn’t been any collective bargaining since the NFLPA last met with the league in November about the issue (Twitter links). The NFLPA submitted a proposal to the NFL last month, but there’s been no indication of how seriously the league will weigh the union’s suggestions.
According to Albert Breer of NFL.com (via Twitter), the league at least has the outline of a new personal conduct policy ready to present to owners in Dallas this week. However, in a second tweet, Breer cautions that a vote won’t necessarily happen this week, and the proposal could still be reworked.
Among the points of contention for a new policy are Goodell’s role in the disciplinary process and how players will be disciplined during the legal process when they’ve been charged but not necessarily convicted.
Cardinals Sign Chris Clemons; Ellington To IR
The Cardinals have officially ended the season of starting running back Andre Ellington, placing him on the injured reserve list due to hernia surgery, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Using the newly-opened roster spot, the team signed veteran free agent safety Chris Clemons.
Clemons signed a two-year deal with Houston in the offseason that contained $450K in guaranteed money, but was cut by the Texans at the end of the preseason. Despite auditions with the Bills, Bengals, Falcons, and Lions since then, the 29-year-old didn’t find a new home until now. Clemons had spent the first five seasons of his career with the Dolphins, starting 48 games, racking up 207 tackles and four interceptions. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded Clemons as the 19th-best safety in the league last season.
As for Ellington, he’ll return to the Cardinals in 2015, and it will be interesting to see how his role in the offense is affected by his performance this season. After being deployed a change-of-place back in his rookie season, Ellington was leaned on heavily as the club’s feature back this year, and saw his yards per carry average dip from 5.5 to 3.3. In his absence, Kerwynn Williams and Stepfan Taylor figure to carry the bulk of the load out of the backfield.
In addition to signing Clemons and placing Ellington on IR, the Cardinals also added a couple players to their practice squad, signing wide receiver Travis Harvey and guard John Fullington to the unit, according to Urban. By our count, the Cards previously had nine players on their taxi squad, so we’ll have to wait for word on which player is being removed or signing elsewhere.
Chargers To Sign Punter This Week
With Mike Scifres expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season, and perhaps longer, after suffering a fractured clavicle on Sunday, the Chargers are bringing in punters for workouts this week, says Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter links). While kicker Nick Novak was an adequate emergency fill-in for Scifres against the Patriots, the team will sign a punter, likely a veteran, this week, per Gehlken.
It’s not clear yet which punters will be invited to tomorrow’s audition, but as Gehlken points out, Robert Malone, who worked behind Scifres during the Chargers’ 2012 training camp, is one option. Veterans Mat McBriar and Saverio Rocca are also “a short drive away,” if San Diego has interest in them. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) that Chris Kluwe, Brian Moorman, and Adam Podlesh are among the other notable free agents currently on the market.
Scifres was reportedly set to undergo surgery this morning on his fractured clavicle, at which point the timetable for his recovery would be determined. There was optimism that he’d be able to return for the postseason, should the Chargers qualify. If that’s the case, San Diego would have to keep him on its 53-man roster — if the procedure is considered season-ending, Scifres could be moved to IR in order to accommodate the addition of a new punter.
Dolphins To Place Louis Delmas On IR
An MRI has confirmed that Dolphins safety Louis Delmas tore his ACL during yesterday’s loss to the Ravens, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Per Florio and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), there’s no other damage to the knee, which will make for a smoother rehab process. Rapoport adds that the team will place Delmas on the injured reserve list, officially ending his season, which has since been confirmed by head coach Joe Philbin (Twitter link).
Delmas, cut by the Lions back in February due to an exorbitant cap number, signed with the Dolphins in March and had a solid 2014 season with the team. Starting at strong safety in Miami, the 27-year-old logged 60 tackles, recovered a pair of fumbles, and returned his only interception 81 yards for a touchdown.
Because he inked a one-year contract with the club, Delmas will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in March, unless he and the Dolphins work out a new agreement prior to that point. While the former 33rd overall pick has dealt with injuries in the past, and may be viewed as a health risk going forward, he’s expected to be ready to go by the start of training camp in 2015, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
Moving Delmas to IR opens up a spot on the 53-man roster, but the Dolphins have yet to announce a corresponding addition.
AFC Notes: Browns, McCourty, Miller
Let’s check in on a few Monday morning links from around the AFC….
- In his latest notes post at CBSSports.com, Jason La Canfora touches on a handful of topics, suggesting the Colts should take a flier on Ray Rice, speculating that the Dolphins could make an offseason run at Jim Harbaugh, and arguing that the Chiefs need to consider quarterback options besides Alex Smith for 2015.
- It’s time for the Browns to make the switch from Brian Hoyer to Johnny Manziel for the rest of the season, so the team can see what it has for the future, says Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. If Cleveland is going to start Manziel in Week 15, head coach Mike Pettine and the club should make the decision swiftly and announce it soon, rather than letting it linger until the middle of the week again, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com.
- Hoyer earns a spot on Jason Fitzgerald’s “Stock Down” piece at OverTheCap.com for the second consecutive week, with Fitzgerald suggesting that if the Browns signal-caller gets a chance to start next year, it will likely just be as a stopgap for a team developing a young quarterback. Fitzgerald also writes that the recent play of Titans cornerback Jason McCourty has made him a reasonable candidate to be cut during the offseason.
- On the other hand, Percy Harvin‘s performance on Sunday could make the Jets think long and hard about guaranteeing his “bloated” 2015 salary, given the team’s lack of big-play talent on offense, says Fitzgerald in his “Stock Up” post.
- Appearing on WSVN in Miami, agent Drew Rosenhaus said yesterday that it’s disappointing the Dolphins don’t use his client – running back Lamar Miller – more often, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Miller has one year remaining on his rookie contract after this season.
Bucs Now In Lead For 2015 No. 1 Pick
Week 14’s action provided plenty of intriguing developments in each conference’s playoff races, with the Panthers jumping back into the hunt for the NFC South, the Ravens and Steelers separating themselves from the pack of 7-5 AFC teams, and the Cardinals halting their two-game losing streak and hanging onto the top spot in the NFC.
On the other end of the spectrum, another interesting race is shaping up, with the Raiders’ 24-13 upset over the 49ers playing a key role. Oakland’s second victory of the season means that five teams are now tied at 2-11, in contention for the first overall pick in the 2015 draft. Because the tiebreaker for draft order is strength of schedule – teams that faced weaker schedules get the higher picks – the Raiders’ projected draft spot slipped from first to fifth after their win against San Francisco.
Per Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, here’s how the top five picks for 2015 currently project, with the team’s strength of schedule percentage and remaining schedule both noted:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (.480); @ CAR, vs. GB, vs. NO
- Tennessee Titans (.488); vs. NYJ, @ JAX, vs. IND
- Jacksonville Jaguars (.519); @ BAL, vs. TEN, @ HOU
- New York Jets (.549); @ TEN, vs. NE, @ MIA
- Oakland Raiders (.590); @ KC, vs. BUF, @ DEN
While those strength-of-schedule percentages will fluctuate a little as the final three weeks of games play out, the wide disparity between the Raiders’ SOS and that of the Bucs and Titans means that even if Oakland loses its final three games, the team will likely need the other four clubs on this list to win a game in order to have a shot at the No. 1 pick.
Meanwhile, although the Bucs are certainly in the driver’s seat for the first overall pick, with the current lead and a schedule that features three teams vying for playoff spots, a pair of games could go a long way toward determining the order at the top — the Titans play both the Jets and the Jaguars over the next two weeks. Barring a tie, that means that at least one two-win club will pick up a victory in Week 15 and Week 16. The Titans could either solidify a top-three pick or fall out of the race for the No. 1 choice entirely, depending on the outcomes of those contests.
The jockeying for postseason positioning at the top of the standings will receive most of the attention over the final three weeks of the season, and rightly so, but the jockeying for 2015 draft position shouldn’t be overlooked, particularly when multiple teams currently in the mix for a top pick will be looking for a long-term answer at the quarterback position.
NFC Notes: Saints, JPP, Gore, Garrett
After questioning the Panthers’ decision to let Steve Smith go in the offseason, Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette dismissed the idea that the Saints made the same mistake with a handful of their veteran defensive players, according to Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune.
“The guys that replaced them are better than the guys we had. It’s not even close. Across the board,” Galette said, referring to a defensive unit that replaced Will Smith, Roman Harper, Malcolm Jenkins, and Jonathan Vilma earlier this year. “I’ll take Kenny Vaccaro any day over any safety. And I’ll take [Cameron Jordan] over any defensive end. Jairus Byrd over any safety.”
Here are a few more Friday updates from around the NFC:
- Jason Pierre-Paul is eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, and the Giants defensive end recognizes that boosting his sack total will help him maximize his next contract, writes Jim Baumbach of Newsday. In our most recent 2015 free agent power rankings, we placed Pierre-Paul sixth, noting that his modest sack totals make him a different player to evaluate. After compiling 16.5 sacks in 2011, the 25-year-old has just 13.5 in the last three seasons combined.
- According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), by being active for his 13th game this season, 49ers running back Frank Gore will earn a $750K roster bonus on Sunday.
- Noting that the Cowboys will finish above .500 for the first time since Jason Garrett became the team’s head coach, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News wonders if Garrett has earned himself a contract extension.
- 2015’s period of head coach firings and hirings could be significantly affected the Giants‘ decision with Tom Coughlin, says Albert Breer of NFL.com. As Breer observes, “the head job for the Mara family’s team has long been seen as the Rolls-Royce of all football coaching jobs,” so if it’s available, it will have an impact on the rest of the market.
Cards Cut Michael Bush, Activate Shaughnessy
Just a week and a half after signing him to a contract, the Cardinals have waived veteran running back Michael Bush, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link). Bush’s release is one of a handful of moves made today by the Cards, who also parted ways with tight end Matthew Mulligan, activated linebacker Matt Shaughnessy from IR-DTR, and promoted running back Kerwynn Williams from the practice squad.
Arizona’s decision to cut Bush is a curious one, since Andre Ellington‘s hip pointer seemed as if it would open the door for the former Bear to get some touches. Instead, the Cards have seemingly decided they prefer Williams, the running back the club initially waived to make room for Bush. With Ellington unable to go this weekend, Williams could get mixed into the backfield rotation along with Stepfan Taylor and Marion Grice.
As Urban adds in a tweet, the fact that Bush has been released doesn’t necessarily preclude his eventual return. It may just be a case of the team not being confident that he was picking up the offense quickly enough, or concerned that he wasn’t yet in ideal football shape. Assuming Bush goes unclaimed on waivers, he’ll revert to unrestricted free agency, and Arizona could always re-sign him.
As for the team’s other pair of roster moves, Mulligan’s release clears the way for Shaughnessy, who was placed on the injured reserve list with the designation to return after Arizona’s Week 5 game, due to a knee injury. The former third-round pick had been starting for the Cards prior to the injury, though it’s not clear if he’ll immediately take on the same workload he had before.
The series of roster moves leaves the Cards with a full 53-man roster and one opening on their practice squad.
Poll: Which NFC Contender Will Miss Playoffs?
Six teams in the NFC so far this season have won at least two-thirds of their games, and head into Week 14 with records of 8-4 or better. Besides the 7-5 Niners, every other team in the conference is 5-7 or worse, suggesting that the difference between the eventual playoff teams and the rest of the NFC has been fairly well established.
However, the postseason qualifiers won’t be quite so cut-and-dried, since the dismal NFC South must send at least one of its current sub-.500 teams to the playoffs. That means that when the regular season ends, one of those top six teams in the conference will be left on the outside looking in.
Even outside of the South, where the Falcons and Saints are tied at 5-7, division races across the board remain too close to call — the 9-3 Eagles are edging the 9-4 Cowboys, the 9-3 Packers are a game ahead of the 8-4 Lions, and the 9-3 Cardinals are in danger of losing their division lead to the surging 8-4 Seahawks. With Eagles/Seahawks, Eagles/Cowboys, Seahawks/Cardinals, and Packers/Lions contests still on the schedule, the last few weeks of the season will be very interesting. Five non-South playoff spots are up for grabs and six legit contenders are in the mix (seven, if you count the 49ers).
What do you think? Will the Cowboys have their usual December swoon and miss out on a postseason berth? Will the Cardinals’ losing streak continue? Will the Lions, despite upcoming home games against the Bucs and Vikings, be the team that misses out? Or will one of the other clubs currently occupying a playoff spot drop out? Cast your vote below, and feel free to weigh in with your comments as well.
Brandon Marshall Out For Season
2:40pm: Marshall is out for the rest of the season, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Facebook link).
1:41pm: Marshall broke two ribs last night and also injured a lung, the Bears announced today (Twitter links). The wideout, who remains in hospital due to the lung issue, will definitely miss next week’s game against the Saints, though the club has yet to rule him out for the season.
8:53am: The 5-8 Bears aren’t technically eliminated from playoff contention yet, but the team may need a couple more wins this season merely to stay out of last place in the NFC North, let alone to make a long-shot run at the postseason. As Chicago prepares for its final three games, it appears likely that the team will be without wide receiver Brandon Marshall for the rest of the season. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the Bears believe Marshall fractured his ribs, and his spleen is being examined as well.
Marshall, 30, has seen his overall numbers slip this season, averaging just 55.5 receiving yards per game, his lowest mark since his rookie year. Still, that dip in production can probably be attributed in large part to the Bears’ overall struggles, rather than to a steep decline in Marshall’s own performance. The Bears locked up the veteran wideout to a contract extension earlier this year that keeps him under team control through the 2017 season, so it would make sense for the club to play it safe and shut down Marshall this year, ensuring that he gets healthy for the future.
If the Bears decide that Marshall, who sustained his injury in last night’s loss to the Cowboys while taking a hit after a catch, can’t return this season, a move to the injured reserve list would be the next move. That would allow the Bears to open a spot on their 53-man roster. If Marshall misses the season’s final three games, it could also give Jay Cutler and the offense an opportunity to take a longer look at second-year receiver Marquess Wilson, whose role would presumably increase.