Cowboys Could Consider Coaching Change In 2020
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has insisted that head coach Jason Garrett is not in danger of losing his job this year, but as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes, Garrett’s future in Dallas beyond 2019 is still very much in doubt.
Of course, that isn’t a huge surprise given that Garrett’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign. Jones was perfectly content to let Garrett coach through a lame-duck season and revisit the situation next year, and he is fully expecting a strong playoff run.
Jones apparently views the Cowboys, who have lost two straight after running off three consecutive wins to start the season, as a legitimate championship contender. As such, Garrett may have to win at least one playoff game to land a new contract with the Cowboys.
Garrett has been on the hot seat several times during his Cowboys tenure, but he has still managed to hold onto his post since he was given the permanent HC title in 2011. And, now that Sean Payton has signed an extension with the Saints, one of the biggest threats to his job is off the market.
However, Jones is intrigued by Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley, who has seen his name come up in plenty of NFL coaching rumors before. Riley, though, is reportedly willing to seriously consider opportunities in the professional ranks in 2020, and obviously the Dallas gig is one of the most high-profile jobs around.
Trade Rumors: Williams, P2, OBJ
With the trade deadline coming up at the end of the month, and with NFL general managers expecting an active trade season, let’s round up a few of the biggest trade rumors floating around this morning:
- Multiple teams have inquired about the availability of Jets DE Leonard Williams, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. New York is reportedly not interested in dealing Williams, who is in the last year of his rookie contract, at this time, but that could change. Indeed, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv says multiple sources expect GM Joe Douglas to be extremely active over the next few weeks. Schefter suggests that a third- and fifth-round draft choice may be what it takes for an interested club to land Williams, and Kelechi Osemele, Trumaine Johnson, and even Le’Veon Bell could also be on the move (though the last we heard, there were no trade talks surrounding Bell).
- In recent weeks, the Cardinals have gotten calls from at least three teams interested in trading for cornerback Patrick Peterson, per Schefter. Peterson is currently serving a six-game ban for violating the league’s PED policy, but we heard several weeks ago that Arizona has no interest in dealing him. According to Schefter, that stance has not changed, as the Cardinals have turned away all potential suitors.
- Although you won’t find it on PFR, there was apparently a report this past week suggesting that the Browns were listening to offers for receiver Odell Beckham Jr. However, Cleveland GM John Dorsey called that report “fake news,” per Schefter. Dorsey said he has not taken any trade calls on OBJ and has no interest in doing so.
- If the Bills beat the Dolphins next week to improve to 5-1, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic expects Buffalo GM Brandon Beane to work the phones in search of a wide receiver, defensive tackle, and/or offensive lineman.
Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill To Play Week 6
The Chiefs will welcome back wide receiver Tyreek Hill today, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This marks the first time since Week 1 that Hill will see game action.
And it couldn’t come at a better time. Though Kansas City has raced out to a 4-1 record, the club nearly lost to the Lions several weeks ago — a game in which QB Patrick Mahomes failed to throw a TD pass for the first time since Week 5 of the 2018 season — and the Chiefs were stymied by the Colts last week. Although a number of players have stepped up in Hill’s absence, KC is doubtlessly thrilled to get one of its top playmakers back.
Hill suffered a serious clavicle injury in the first game of the season during Kansas City’s win over Jacksonville, and he had to be taken to the hospital. He returned to practice earlier this month and will be a part of the Chiefs’ aerial attack in their much-anticipated showdown with the Texans this afternoon.
After a tumultuous offseason in which Hill’s NFL career appeared to be in jeopardy, his Week 1 injury was not an ideal start to his 2019 campaign. Now fully healed, Hill will attempt to limit his headline-making to his on-field exploits.
Redskins Will Try To Trade For Steelers’ HC Mike Tomlin
Here’s some pie-in-the-sky fodder for your Sunday morning. Per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Redskins owner Dan Snyder — who recently fired head coach Jay Gruden — is expected to make a strong push to acquire Mike Tomlin from the Steelers this offseason. La Canfora adds that Snyder, who has long admired Tomlin, is prepared to trade draft picks to Pittsburgh to bring the Super Bowl-winning HC to Washington.
Although there is a large contingent of Steelers fans who are unhappy with Tomlin, his standing within the organization seems just fine. Pittsburgh did raise some eyebrows when it gave Tomlin a one-year extension in July instead of the usual two-year re-up, especially since his new extension does not have an option for a future year. However, he is still under contract through the 2021 campaign, and team ownership has never expressed anything less than full confidence in him.
On the other hand, the Steelers may be nearing something of a crossroads in franchise history. Although Ben Roethlisberger is expected to make a full recovery from his recent elbow surgery and reclaim his starting job in 2020, the team is likely going to need to usher in a new quarterback era in the next couple of years, and GM Kevin Colbert is only under contract through May 2020 (Colbert apparently wants to go year-to-year, which means Pittsburgh may also be looking for a new top personnel exec in the not-too-distant future).
Plus, the Steelers are short on high-level draft capital in the 2020 draft as a result of their trades for Devin Bush and Minkah Fitzpatrick, so an offer for Tomlin could be more appealing than it otherwise might be. Sources close to Tomlin suggest the Redskins’ job could appeal to him, particularly since Snyder is willing to give him a top-of-the-market salary and full authority over personnel. Tomlin also has relationships with Washington team president Bruce Allen and GM Doug Williams.
But when weighing the Steelers’ record of stability and status as a perennial contender against the Redskins’ history of dysfunction and misery under Snyder, it is difficult to imagine a trade like this coming to fruition. If Snyder is unsuccessful in his pursuit of Tomlin, La Canfora says current Buccaneers DC Todd Bowles would be a top alternative, and we recently heard that Washington OC Kevin O’Connell will also receive strong consideration.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com neither refutes nor supports La Canfora’s report, but he does say Snyder will be patient in this process and will not begin his head coaching search until after the season. Snyder will give interim HC Bill Callahan and O’Connell the remainder of 2019 to prove their worth without any additional distractions.
Latest On Falcons’ HC Dan Quinn
While Falcons head coach Dan Quinn may be on the hot seat, it sounds as if he will have at least a couple more weeks to save his job. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that club owner Arthur Blank wants to see progress over the next three games before Atlanta’s Week 9 bye, but if he does not like what he sees during that time, Quinn could be axed.
Atlanta, which was humiliated by the Texans last week, will take on the Cardinals in Arizona today, followed by difficult games against the Rams and Seahawks. Luckily for Quinn and his Falcons, the LA and Seattle contests are at home, but given the way Quinn’s club has looked this season, Atlanta will probably be underdogs for both of those matchups just the same.
But Blank does not like to make midseason coaching changes, and he would prefer to keep Quinn on until at least the end of the season. Rapoport says that Blank has not had discussions about Quinn’s future just yet, but that could change soon. Speculatively, it sounds as if the Falcons may need to beat the Cardinals and at least one of the Rams or Seahawks for Quinn to keep his job beyond the Week 9 bye.
After all, Quinn fired all three of his top coordinators this offseason and is now serving as his own defensive coordinator. The fact that the Falcons have allowed the second-most points in the league is not exactly helping his case.
Kyle Allen May Remain Panthers’ Starting QB
There is still no definitive word as to when Panthers QB Cam Newton, who is dealing with a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, might return to the field. The public has assumed that Newton will be back after the team’s bye next week, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that isn’t necessarily the case.
After all, Carolina has rattled off three straight wins with Newton’s backup, 23-year-old Kyle Allen, under center. Although Allen hasn’t been brilliant since his Week 3 performance against the Cardinals, he has been plenty good enough, and if the team should beat the Buccaneers in London today, it will be very difficult for the Panthers to switch right back to Newton.
Of course, no decision is going to be made before Newton is completely healthy. But a team source told Rapoport that, if the Panthers defeat the Bucs, Allen will remain the starter. If Tampa Bay wins, then that could pave the way for Newton to take his job back after the bye week.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says that, regardless of the outcome of today’s contest over the pond, Allen will remain the starter for at least the Panthers’ Week 8 matchup against the 49ers, and perhaps for the club’s Week 9 game versus the Titans. If Carolina and/or Allen should falter over the next several weeks, and if Newton has made a full recovery, then it would not be difficult for head coach Ron Rivera to turn the reins back over to the former No. 1 overall pick. But if Allen and the Panthers continue to play well, the former UDFA might continue to hear his number called.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/8/19
Here are today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: RB Senorise Perry
Oakland Raiders
- Released from IR: DT Justin Ellis
- Waived: WR Marcell Ateman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: RB Tony Brooks-James, QB Nick Fitzgerald
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RBs Dalyn Dawkins, Rod Smith
- Waived: OL Hroniss Grasu
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/8/19
Here are today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Justin Davis
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: S A.J. Howard
- Released: TE Cole Herdman
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Wyatt Ray
- Released: RB Byron Marshall
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Ethan Wolf
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Ian Bunting
Los Angeles Chargers
- Released: TE Matt Sokol
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Ajene Harris
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Robert Spillane
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: C Daniel Munyer
- Released: WR Papi White
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Malcolm Bunche, LB Cassanova McKinzy
- Released: CB Deion Harris, LB Chris Odom
NFL Workout Notes: 10/8/19
Here are today’s workout updates. There are a number of notable names on this list, so pay attention!
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Shane Ray
Baltimore Ravens
- DE Fadol Brown, S Demetrious Cox, DE Dewayne Hendrix, S A.J. Howard (signed to practice squad), DB C.J. Reavis
Buffalo Bills
- DE Alex Barrett, RB Senorise Perry (signed to 53-man roster), LB Wyatt Ray (signed to practice squad)
Carolina Panthers
Cleveland Browns
- WR Jeff Badet
Denver Broncos
- CB David Amerson, CB Chris Campbell, CB Deatrick Nichols, CB Shareece Wright
Detroit Lions
- WR Quincy Adeboyejo, WR Bennie Fowler, WR Emanuel Hall
Green Bay Packers
- TE Rico Gathers, DL Mike Pennel, DL Adolphus Washington, TE Cole Wick, DT Sylvester Williams, TE Ethan Wolf (signed to practice squad)
Houston Texans
- C Marcus Henry, DT Willie Henry, DT Brian Price, C Keegan Render
Indianapolis Colts
- DT Carl Davis, LB Obum Gwacham, DE Eli Harold, DL Joel Heath, DL Damontre Moore, LB Pita Taumoepenu, DL Ethan Westbrooks
Jacksonville Jaguars
- TE Brian Parker, TE Eric Tomlinson, TE Will Tye
Los Angeles Chargers
- S Shalom Luani, S Tre Sullivan
New England Patriots
- DB Brian Allen, K Nick Rose, DT Eddie Vanderdoes
Oakland Raiders
- DE Andre Branch, LB Kasim Edebali, OL Datone Jones, DE Terrence Fede, LB Nate Orchard
Philadelphia Eagles
- WR Penny Hart, LB Paul Worrilow
Seattle Seahawks
- CB Adonis Alexander, DB Brian Allen, CB Saivion Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WR Cyril Grayson, RB Darius Jackson, QB Chad Kanoff, WR Caleb Scott, RB David Williams
Tennessee Titans
- RB Jeremy McNichols, RB Zach Zenner
Washington Redskins
- OL Malcolm Bunche (signed to practice squad), LB Darrell Williams
Injury Updates: Juszczyk, Newton, Leonard
We rounded up a few injury updates earlier today, and now we have another batch to pass along:
- 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk will miss four to six weeks of action with a sprained MCL, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets. Pelissero also says Juice, one of the league’s most important fullbacks, will get a second opinion. There is some hope that the Harvard product can return before four weeks.
- Panthers QB Cam Newton will not travel with the team to London this week, as Brendan Marks of the Charlotte Observer writes. Head coach Ron Rivera said Newton is making progress in his rehab of a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, but there’s still no definitive word as to when he might return.
- The Colts are on a bye this week, and they should have a big boost when they return. LB Darius Leonard, who has missed the last three games with a concussion, shared a photo on IG saying he’s been cleared to play.
- Raiders DE Arden Key suffered a sprained patellar tendon during the team’s win over the Bears on Sunday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). He will miss several weeks, which led Oakland to work out a few edge defenders today.