Extra Points: Payton, Ryan, Harbaugh, Panthers
Saints‘ head coach Sean Payton disputed reports that the team was considering signing Ray Rice, reports Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter). “I think I would know if I were interested in signing any player,” said Payton.
- While Payton was dismissing rumors, he also shot down any idea that there was a rift between himself and Saints‘ defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, reports Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com.
- Jets‘ head coach Rex Ryan may be on his way out as coach of the team, but he will likely have his pick of jobs if he decides to leave coaching in 2015, writes Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated. “He pretty much has everything TV networks would look for. He has personality, he’s not shy about his opinions, and he’s a colorful character,” said ESPN senior coordinating producer Seth Markman, the executive in charge of hiring ESPN’s NFL studio talent. “I think he would be successful whether it is studio or doing games. When I close my eyes and listen to him I hear a little bit of John Madden in him. There is going to be a lot of interest in Rex if that is what he wants to do.”
- 49ers‘ head coach Jim Harbaugh may also be looking for a new job in 2015, but the general thought is that he would like to continue coaching, either in the NFL or in a high-level college job. One NFL team that could consider him a savior would be the crosstown rival Raiders, writes Marcus Thompson II of InsideBayArea.com.
- Coming off a disappointing 31-13 loss to the Vikings, the Panthers are sitting at 3-8-1 and only a game and a half out of first place in the depressing NFC South. Still, the team should be looking toward the future, not toward the playoffs, writes Joseph Person of Charlotte Observer. The team is weak in key spots, including the secondary and offensive line, with few bright spots elsewhere in the lineup. The roster needs to be fixed before this team can make a true playoff run.
Browns Could Move Forward With Manziel
After a strong start to the NFL season, Brian Hoyer has cooled off considerably in recent weeks. He threw eight touchdowns to only two interceptions in the first seven games of the season, as the team stayed in contention in the AFC North.
Since then, he has thrown only three touchdowns to eight interceptions. The Browns are still in the hunt in the AFC, but after playing horribly in a loss to the Bills earlier today, Hoyer was benched by head coach Mike Pettine. First-round pick Johnny Manziel promptly took over, completing five of his eight passes and adding a rushing touchdown.
Now that Manziel has seen the field as the leader of the huddle, it may be difficult to put him back on the sidelines. Hoyer’s play has not done much to convince the organization otherwise in recent weeks. Still, Pettine will wait until Wednesday to announce the starter heading into next week’s game against the Colts, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
The moment wasn’t too big for Manziel, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com. His poise in the moment makes him the frontrunner for the starting job the rest of the season. “It’s a football decision,” said Pettine. “Nothing else will factor into it, just pure football.”
Peter King of Sports Illustrated agrees that it is time for Manziel (via Twitter). With only four games left and the playoffs on the line, the team needs a spark if it plans on grabbing either the division title or a wild card berth.
Manziel is prepared for the opportunity to get his first NFL start, writes Jeff Schudel of the Morning Journal. “That’s obviously up to Coach Pettine and some higher people than me in this organization,” Manziel said. “But if that’s the case and my name is called, I’ll definitely be ready.”
Hoyer was obviously unhappy with the prospect of losing his job midway through the season, according to Schudel. “Obviously you never want to see someone else doing your job, but it’s the coach’s decision,” Hoyer said. “I mean this is my team and I’ve always felt that way. We’ll see what happens.”
Despite the recent rough times, Hoyer still supports the Browns’ playoff chances for the stretch run. “I just keep pressing on,” Hoyer continued. “I’m not the one that makes the decision. I’m not going to just hang my head and feel sorry for myself. We have four games left, and whatever Coach decides to do, I’ll be here to support this team.”
Rams Only A Quarterback Away From Contention
After a 52-0 blowout victory over the Raiders on Sunday afternoon, the Rams improved to 5-7 on the season. Remembering that the team lost starting quarterback Sam Bradford before the season began, the team has been very impressive competing in one of the toughest divisions in football.
Playing the way they have in 2014 with a combination of Shaun Hill and Austin Davis, the Rams have a lot to be proud of and more importantly, a lot to look forward to in 2015, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The club has signature wins against the Broncos, Seahawks, and 49ers, with very close and competitive losses against the Eagles, Chargers, and Cowboys.
The team has already put together an impressive defense full of first-round picks. The defensive line has a cornerstone, with Robert Quinn, Chris Long, Michael Brockers, and Aaron Donald all developing exceptionally and providing a foundation for the team. Beyond the line, the team also has seen strides from linebacker Alec Ogletree, and has gotten solid play from 2009 second-round pick James Laurinaitis.
The Rams also have hope for former first-round pick Mark Barron, who was acquired via trade with the Buccaneers. Add to that a young secondary that needs to be more consistent, and the defense should only improve next season.
On offense is where the surprises have come. Kenny Britt, Tavon Austin, Brian Quick, and Stedman Bailey have all improved as the season has progressed, turning from a meager group of wideouts into a set of players who are able to make plays down the field. Third-round pick Tre Mason has set himself up to be the running back of the future, showing game-breaking speed to go along with the ability to be a lead back and absorb a heavy workload.
As long as the offensive line does not regress, it can be solid enough to round out the team, especially if second-overall pick Greg Robinson makes the leap as the left tackle next season.
Neither Hill nor Davis will likely be the starter going into 2015. If the Rams solve their quarterback problem, they could see an uptick in wins next season, and could compete in the tough NFC West. Their fifth win of the season will likely catapult them out of a top-10 pick, and move them out of the running for Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston. If those two are selected before the Rams’ pick arrives, they might not have another passer on the board worth taking.
That will leave the team to search out other options at the position. There are some current NFL players who may be looking for starting jobs in 2015. Robert Griffin III might be on the outs with Washington, and Mark Sanchez may be playing his way into a starting job as well if the Eagles decide not to retain his services. Brian Hoyer played well for stretches early this season, but may not be wanted back in Cleveland.
Either way, this team more than most might be only one player away from the playoffs. Unfortunately, that player may not be very easy to find.
Kaepernick’s Future Not Linked To Harbaugh
The 49ers are on the outside of the playoff picture, and the relationship with head coach Jim Harbaugh has been tumultuous all season. Despite tremendous success in Harbaugh’s first three seasons with the team, reaching the NFC Championship Game three years running, the fear is that the relationship between the head coach and the organization is beyond repair.
The tension has been documented numerous times here at Pro Football Rumors, from early on this season to as recently as the day after the Niners’ Thanksgiving loss to the Seahawks. The team seems prepared to move on from Harbaugh, and hopes to continue the success they experienced during his tenure.
Losing Harbaugh will hurt, but it could be a lot worse if the team believes they will lose their starting quarterback as well. Colin Kaepernick is a product of Harbaugh, drafted by him and a favorite of his. Harbaugh himself was a former NFL quarterback, and his ability to rein in Kaepernick’s best characteristics has no doubt brought out the best in his early development as a passer.
Kaepernick of course, has struggled, and if he continues to regress, especially without the coach who drafted him, the team may be forced to move on from him.
Such a possibility is plausible due largely to the nature of the contract extension he signed with the team. The contract included a small amount of guaranteed money, with a small signing bonus and big yearly salaries. Therefore the team can cut him after any season it decides he is no longer worth the money.
His 2015 base salary stands at $12.4MM, but rises incrementally all the way up to $21MM in 2020.
Because of the nature of Kaepernick’s contract, the team figures to stick with even in a post-Harbaugh world, as long as he continues to improve and show signs of promise as the franchise quarterback, says Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Maiocco writes that the team could be interested to see how his game evolves under a new set of circumstances on offense.
Washington Not Giving Up On Robert Griffin III
Washington’s head coach Jay Gruden has decided to start backup Colt McCoy over Robert Griffin III this weekend against the Colts, leading to increased speculation about whether or not RGIII has a future with the team. Griffin’s play over the past few weeks since returning from a dislocating ankle has been frustrating at best.
Still, despite his performance, the fan base and Washington media has seemed desperate to replace Griffin since last season. The team spent the offseason hearing that Gruden preferred Kirk Cousins over Griffin, with many fans and media personalities believing Cousins could prove to be the better option.
The unrest only swelled after Griffin went down early in a game against the Jaguars in Week 2, where Cousins came in and had a huge day, leading to a 41-10 victory that serves as one of the few bright spots of the season.
Cousins was lauded for his talent, and Griffin was all but written off as injury prone and underwhelming, before Cousins quickly played his way out of the lineup with a horrible stretch of quarterback play. McCoy then took over the role of quarterback savior after beating the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.
Griffin’s return to the lineup once again produced poor results, and with McCoy taking over as the starter once again, Griffin’s future with the team is now in doubt. Many have considered that Washington would seek to trade him this offseason, or move on from him altogether by simply releasing him.
The rift between Griffin and Gruden does not necessarily mark the end for the pairing. Gruden says this most recent benching will have no influence on the long-term plan at quarterback, but that he is just looking to play the best quarterback for this game, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter).
Griffin’s time on the bench could last just one game, or go through the end of the season. Either way, Griffin will once again open next season as the frontrunner to start in Washington, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio writes that while many pundits believe any optimism left in the organization for RGIII to return to his 2012 performance is only hot air to try to build his trade value, the team truly does plan to keep him around.
Gruden wants Griffin to get better, and first he must get healthier. This time on the bench could give Griffin a chance to do both, and hopefully a healthy 2015 season will go a long way to repairing his value as a franchise quarterback in Washington.
Jets Among Teams Interested In Drafting A QB
Most teams have five games left on their schedule (unless they are one of the six that played on Thanksgiving), and as teams are jockeying for playoff position, fan bases of those already out of contention cannot help but look ahead to the 2015 NFL draft.
The best way to find a franchise quarterback is by drafting as high as possible, and the best way to ensure a high draft pick is with poor quarterback play. For that reason, one win can be the difference between having a chance to draft an elite prospective signal-caller or missing out on a passer entirely.
Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk put together a prospective list of the teams likely to be drafting in the top 10 and their quarterback needs. The draft order he uses is comprised of all the teams 4-7 or worse, except for the Falcons and Saints, who are still embarrassingly battling it out for the NFC South division crown.
The Raiders and Jaguars, the two clubs with only one win, look like good bets to be drafting right at the top of the first round. Of course, both teams took quarterbacks in the first two rounds of last year’s draft, and shouldn’t be in the market for replacing them this offseason. The next group is far more interesting, with the Jets, Buccaneers, and Titans all sitting on two wins and tremendous need at the position.
Unfortunately for one of those teams, there may only be two quarterbacks worth such a valuable draft selection. Marcus Mariota of Oregon and Jameis Winston of Florida State are both vying to be the first quarterback taken. With no third option, one of those three teams will come up empty in terms of fixing their quarterback situations.
The New York media is already calling for the Jets to chase one of these college stars, with Kevin Kernan of the New York Post openly calling for the team to draft Winston.
Of course, a lot can happen in the last five games, and wins and losses still to come can shake up the order, as can an offseason trade or signing that suddenly changes the need at the position. If any of the three teams do manage to win a game or two down the stretch, Washington and St. Louis could crawl up to a higher selection, and each could consider a quarterback according to Smith.
An even more volatile situation is among the college quarterbacks. Both Mariota and Winston still have time to fall out of favor with NFL teams, and both could decide to remain in college another year, pushing back the draft process one more year. Or maybe one of the two impresses so much it convinces another team to trade its future to move up into the top two to take their coveted quarterback.
Rams Activate Chris Long From IR
The Rams have activated star defensive end Chris Long from the injured-reserve designated-to-return in time for this Sunday’s matchup with the Raiders, reports Myles Simmons of STLRams.com.
Long has been absent from the team following an ankle injury suffered during the team’s opening game, an injury that required surgery. Long had been at practice for the last three weeks and will see his first game action since Week 1 this Sunday. Long had made four consecutive Pro Bowls coming into the season, and his addition will only strengthen an already strong defense.
The team has waived linebacker Marshall McFadden to make room for Long, reports Nick Wagoner of ESPN (via Twitter).
Long had never missed a game as a professional since being drafted second overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He will rejoin a defensive line that includes fellow first round picks Robert Quinn, Michael Brockers, and Aaron Donald. With Donald still playing limited snaps early in the season, if Long can quickly return to his Pro Bowl form, it will be among the scariest pass rushing defensive lines in the NFL at full strength for the first time.
Lance Briggs Will Test Free Agency
Lance Briggs‘ season is over after the Bears placed him on injured reserve with a groin injury yesterday. With his contract up in March, many pundits have suggested that this will call to a close his career in Chicago, where he spent 12 years with the team.
Although it seems like a foregone conclusion that he will not be returning to the Bears in 2015, that does not mean the end of the road for Briggs altogether. Briggs has no plans to retire, and will test free agency this offseason, reports Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
Briggs’ 12 seasons with the Bears have placed him among the franchises all-time great defensive players. He missed only four games in his first ten years with the team, earning seven trips to the Pro Bowl during that time. He was also named All-Pro three times, in 2005, 2006, and 2009.
His 170 starts as a Bear puts him among the top five in franchise history, alongside such names as Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, Olin Kreutz, and Brian Urlacher. He and Urlacher anchored a defense that was frequently among the best in the NFL.
Still, his play declined in his final years with the team, struggling with performance and with injuries after head coach Lovie Smith left town. He played in only eight games in 2013 and will finish 2014 only appearing in nine games.
Additionally, Briggs will turn 35 in 2015, and given his recent injury history, he may not be a hot commodity as a free agent. He also plays a non-premium position as a 4-3 outside linebacker, and those spots are often filled with younger talents and mid-round draft picks.
One obvious fit would be a reunion with his old coach Smith in Tampa Bay, where he could join a young defense headlined by stars Lavonte David and Gerald McCoy. Under Smith, there has been upheaval on the defense as the coach attempts to bring in his own talent, and it can be seen most notably as the secondary has roster turnover. Briggs could be a key in Smith implementing his scheme to the younger players.
Outside of the Buccaneers though, desire for the former Pro Bowl linebacker will most likely be limited, and he may be forced to sign for the veteran’s minimum if he is intent on continuing his NFL career.
Colts Have Fit, Not Interest, For Ray Rice
One of the teams most desperate for competency at the running back position is the Indianapolis Colts, and they were on the list of front runners for Ray Rice‘s services, should any team target him for the stretch run.
The Colts would have been an ideal landing spot from Rice’s perspective as well, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). La Canfora qualifies that by admitting Rice wouldn’t have much say in where he goes, if he gets any opportunity at all.
La Canfora does cite Rice’s excellent relationship with head coach Chuck Pagano from their time together in Baltimore as one reason for the fit, as well as the locker room support of former teammates Cory Redding and Arthur Jones (via Twitter). Rice makes his home in New Rochelle, not a far trip from Indianapolis, which would ease the transition. The team needs desperately to find someone who can contribute in pass protection and in the screen game, two areas that Rice excelled in with the Ravens (via Twitter).
Another caveat is the recent troubles of owner Jim Irsay. La Canfora believes that Irsay’s recent transgressions and his humility in asking the fan base for a second chance would make him more likely to sympathize with Rice’s situation, which would provide an easier path for an owner to be willing to take on the negative publicity (via Twitter).
Still, Michael Grady of 1070 ESPN Radio doesn’t believe Rice will succeed with the Colts if he were signed, due to the team’s struggling offensive line (via Twitter). He doesn’t see Rice as the type of back to be able to make something out of nothing, which is what the Colts’ offensive line is giving the team in the running game.
All of this is probably moot, because the Colts stated they were not interested in Rice as recently as ten days ago, reports Ed Werder of ESPN (via Twitter). While that was a week and a half ago, it was still after the injury to Ahmad Bradshaw that left the team reeling at the position. Werder did admit that he was unsure if the club’s stance had changed.
Ray Rice’s NFL Future
Now that Ray Rice is eligible to sign with an NFL team as a free agent, his chances of joining a team this season are not high. While Rice still carries a high profile as far as running backs go, his value as a ballcarrier has been greatly diminished.
Albert Breer of NFL Network points out that his disastrous 2013 season is hurting his chances on top of the baggage that he will bring to his next team (via Twitter). He averaged a dismal 3.0 yards per carry, which raises question about how much he would help a team anyway. Breer notes that the on-field performance is the biggest difference between the cases of Rice and fellow embattled tailback Adrian Peterson (via Twitter). Peterson’s talent and ability does not have the questions attached to it that Rice’s does. NFL teams have always been willing to take chances on players with checkered pasts, but only if their talent justifies it (via Twitter).
Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report reiterated that he does not believe that Rice will ever play in the NFL again (via Twitter). The public relations nightmare that will come with Rice will be a deterrent for teams, and Freeman believes that the video attached to the running back’s case will be the difference between his case and others in similar situations (via Twitter).
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that Rice has stayed in phenomenal shape throughout the process, waiting for the opportunity to play this season. He disagrees with Freeman, saying that if no one signs Rice in the next month, he will be able to find a team during the offseason (via Twitter).
The chances Rice signs with a team after the season are much better than an immediate signing, and Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times believes he will have a team shortly after the Super Bowl (via Twitter). His reasoning is that it will give a new fan base six months to get used to him before he takes the field.
An added wrinkle is that any team that signs Rice will still be defying NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s suspension. If a team were to sign him for the stretch run, it would be “directly slapping Goodell in the face,” according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (via Twitter).
Even still, there are a few potential playoff teams that could be potential landing spots for Rice’s services, writes Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Among them are the Colts, Cardinals, Falcons, Lions, Broncos, and Chargers. Still, the need would have to outweigh the overwhelming negative publicity that would likely come along with Rice.