NFC Notes: D. Johnson, D. Williams, Thielen
Although it was not expected that the two sides would be able to come to terms before the start of the season, the Cardinals and David Johnson agreed to a three-year extension yesterday that will keep Johnson in the desert through 2021. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the key to getting the deal done was the team’s agreement to give Johnson a short-term extension that gives him a chance to hit free agency again at a time when a new CBA will be in place and when owners’ income streams will be at an all-time high thanks to renewed TV deals and gambling revenue.
As Week 1 gets underway in earnest, let’s take a look at more news from around the NFC:
- Former NFL agent Joel Corry is less optimistic about Johnson’s chances to cash in a second time. Although he thinks the Cardinals‘ tailback did well for himself with his new deal, he points out (via Twitter) that Johnson will be 30 by the time he is eligible for unrestricted free agency again, so he will need to defy conventional wisdom concerning RBs to get another big contract.
- Just last month, it appeared as though the Panthers would have to place starting right tackle Daryl Williams on IR, but Carolina finally got some good news with respect to its O-line. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Williams has a good chance to start the team’s opener against the Cowboys this afternoon, and that the structural damage to his injured knee is minimal. That is good news for Williams as well, as he is eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the year.
- Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen has a number of incentives that could boost his $4.85MM 2018 salary, but even if he hits all of those incentives, Thielen will still be significantly underpaid relative to the WR market. Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune details the incentives and suggests that, if Thielen performs in 2018 has he did in 2017, his reps could approach Minnesota about redoing his current contract, which runs through 2020.
- Eagles QB Carson Wentz could return to action in Week 3.
- Cowboys DE Randy Gregory could be suspended yet again after suffering a relapse.
Steelers Bracing For Lengthy Le’Veon Bell Absence
The Le’Veon Bell saga could end at any time, or it could drag on indefinitely. The Steelers star running back has yet to report to the team and will miss Pittsburgh’s season opener against the Browns today. While there has been speculation that the Steelers could look to trade Bell, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the team has no interest in dealing him, and some around the league believe he could return before the end of the month (Twitter link).
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com agrees (via Twitter) that Pittsburgh will not look to trade Bell, though he does not offer a potential timeframe on Bell’s return. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, though, says that team brass is bracing for a lengthy absence of at least four to six weeks, and some within the organization do not believe that Bell will return prior to Week 10 (by returning for Week 10, Bell will be able to preserve his free agent status at the end of the season).
Bell’s teammates, meanwhile, appear perplexed by the situation. Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com tweets that Bell told the Steelers’ offensive lineman that he would be with the team this week, and when he failed to report, the O-lineman called and texted their teammate but could not get a straight answer from him.
2017 third-rounder James Conner will start for the Steelers in Bell’s absence, and while he will surely not be able to replicate Bell’s production, he has the ability to be a quality back in the league and should give the team enough of a threat out of the backfield to keep its offense humming.
Carson Wentz Could Return For Week 3
After a report yesterday indicated that Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was still “multiple weeks away” from making his 2018 debut and officially completing his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered last December, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com has good news for Eagles fans. Mortensen tweets that Wentz’s return will come sooner rather than later, and that Week 3 is a realistic target.
Week 3 has also been mentioned as the potential return date for Philadelphia’s top wide receiver, Alshon Jeffery, so the Eagles’ offense could be back to full-strength in short order. The team was able to scratch out a win in the season opener on Thursday night against the Falcons, and the hope is that Nick Foles will be able to quarterback another victory against the Buccaneers — who are also missing their No. 1 QB — next Sunday before handing the reins back to Wentz for the Week 3 matchup against the Colts. Although Mortensen reported that Wentz could theoretically return for the Bucs game, he says Week 3 is more realistic.
Foles was not particularly impressive in the victory over Atlanta, and he put together a horrible preseason. Although the Super Bowl LII MVP remains one of the best backup signal-callers in the game, Philadelphia is understandably anxious to get Wentz back on the field.
If Wentz does return for Week 3, he would still be on the early end of the ACL recovery timeline; typically, it takes nine to 12 months for a player who has suffered a torn ACL to return to game action. Wentz was playing at an MVP level prior to his injury, and there is no reason to believe he will be unable to return to that form.
LeSean McCoy Not Expected To Face Charges From Offseason Incident
LeSean McCoy was in the headlines for the wrong reasons this summer, as he was accused of abusing his ex-girlfriend, Delicia Cordon, and was linked to a home invasion that left Cordon battered and bloodied. However, he reported to training camp just as he normally would and has been treated like any other player.
And, while Cordon has filed a civil lawsuit against McCoy, the Bills running back is not expected to face criminal charges stemming from the home invasion, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (story via Austin Knoblauch of NFL.com). Plus, while the NFL has the power to suspend a player for violations of the league’s personal conduct policy even if that player avoids criminal charges, Rapoport tweets that McCoy is not likely to be suspended, as there is simply not enough evidence of wrongdoing at this point.
McCoy, of course, has denied all allegations from the outset. The 30-year-old tailback has been one of the most productive rushers in the league since the Eagles selected him in the second round of the 2009 draft. He has six 1,000-yard rushing seasons to his credit, including his 2017 effort in which he tallied 1,138 yards and averaged 4.0 yards per carry.
The Bills are short on receiving talent this year, so the offense is likely to run through McCoy once again.
Randy Gregory Suffered Relapse, Could Be Suspended
Less than two months after being reinstated by the NFL, Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory may be facing yet another suspension for a violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. Schefter says that Gregory suffered a relapse in August, and while he will play in his first regular-season game since 2016 today, his return to the NFL could be short-lived.
The team had thought the NFL would have made its decision as to potential discipline for Gregory last week, but Schefter says the league is still studying the case and deciding how much weight to give to the steps that Gregory has taken since his relapse. As Schefter notes, the league has softened its stance on players who run afoul of the drug policy and has begun to prioritize treatment and support over discipline.
Nonetheless, as Gregory is a repeat offender, he may be unable to escape another ban. He has missed 30 of the past 32 regular-season games, including the entire 2017 season, as a result of his violations.
Gregory, a Nebraska product, has a ton of talent as a pass rusher but has not been able to stay on the field long enough to live up to his promise. After being selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2015 draft — and he only made it to the second round because of character concerns — Gregory has only played in 14 games and has one sack to his credit.
However, he was working with the first team in recent weeks and may even start today, which makes this setback even more unfortunate.
Patriots Notes: Gronk, McDaniels, Guerrero
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) passes along a couple of interesting items this morning regarding several key faces in the Patriots’ locker room. While we knew that New England had indeed attempted to trade star tight end Rob Gronkowski this offseason, Rapoport says that those trade talks were “intense” and that the Pats were actually close to dealing Gronk at one point. However, Rapoport reports that Gronkowski then stepped in and adamantly informed the front office that he would either retire or remain with the Patriots, but that he would not go anywhere else. At that point, Rapoport says, trade talks were scrapped and, as we know, the team sweetened Gronk’s contract late last month.
Let’s take a look at a few more notes out of Foxborough as the Pats get set to kick off the 2018 campaign:
- In response to Rapoport’s discussion about Gronkowski this morning, Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston revisited a report of his own (video link) in which he indicated that the Patriots did talk with several clubs about a Gronkowski trade. However, Curran says interest in Gronk was more tepid than one might think — in contrast to Rapoport’s report that the Pats almost had a deal in place — and that Tom Brady informed the team that he would not play if his top tight end was dealt.
- In the same report linked above, Rapoport says that one reason OC Josh McDaniels left the Colts at the altar this offseason is because the Patriots gave him a five-year contract — which is largely unheard of for a coordinator — and that the contract pays McDaniels like a first-time head coach. In fact, Rapoport says that McDaniels is by far the highest-paid coordinator in the league, and his contract will eventually pay him over $4MM per year.
- The role of Brady’s personal trainer, Alex Guerrero, has been one of the sources of conflict between Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, as we explained earlier this year. However, Rapoport reports that a compromise on Guerrero’s role has been reached. Under the terms of the compromise, Brady and Gronkowski may use Guerrero’s services when they so choose, and Guerrero has “solid” access to Gillette Stadium. Guerrero may also travel with the team, though Rapoport says he is unlikely to travel as much as he did in the past. The most important thing for all sides is that they do not publicly discuss the Guerrero issue in the future, and Rapoport no longer expects the trainer’s role to be a major storyline.
- The Bills claimed punter Corey Bojorquez off waivers from the Patriots last week even though Bojorquez never punted in a preseason game. Bojorquez’s lack of game usage was somewhat surprising given that he was seen as a legitimate threat to unseat incumbent punter Ryan Allen, but Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says the team may have been trying to “hide” Bojorquez so that he could clear waivers and return to the Pats’ practice squad, which Bojorquez himself appeared to confirm.
- Reiss also passes along a couple of notes on the Patriots’ two newest practice squad players, WR Jace Billingsley and T Eric Smith. Reiss says that the team had interest in signing Billingsley to the practice squad last year — he ultimately chose to remain in Detroit on the Lions’ taxi squad — and that the Pats are paying Smith $20K per week (instead of the standard $7,600) because they coveted tackle depth and needed to give him a compelling reason to come to Foxborough.
Latest On Joey Bosa
We learned yesterday that Chargers star defensive end Joey Bosa would miss the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs this afternoon, but the news may be even worse for Bolts fans. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that Bosa will miss multiple games as a result of his foot injury, and that he is scheduled to meet with foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson this Wednesday.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that Bosa suffered a soft tissue injury to his foot on August 7, and while he was able to return to practice this past week, he suffered a different injury to the same foot on Wednesday. The most recent injury is currently being classified as a bone bruise, and Bosa is now in a walking boot.
Rapoport suggests that the injury is not considered major, though both he and Schefter note that there is no definitive timetable on Bosa’s return. In the meantime, Isaac Rochell will start in Bosa’s place and will attempt to replicate at least some of his production.
Needless to say, that will be a tall task. Bosa has quickly established himself as one of the best young defenders in the game, having recorded 23 sacks in 28 career games.
Martavis Bryant Facing Year-Long Suspension
Former Steelers and Raiders receiver Martavis Bryant is facing a year-long suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy again, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Rumors of a looming suspension for Bryant had been swirling for some time, but this is the first definitive report on that front. Schefter adds that the NFL could issue an official ruling as early as this week.
Of course, the Raiders traded a 2018 third-round draft pick to the Steelers to acquire Bryant, but the troubled playmaker never played a down for Oakland. And, given that this would be Bryant’s third suspension in four years, it is possible that he will never play in the NFL again.
Bryant, 26, missed the entire 2016 season after repeated substance-abuse policy violations. However, he played in 15 games for Pittsburgh last year and flashed enough to entice the Raiders to part with the 79th overall pick in this year’s draft. He posted 50 catches for 603 yards and three scores in 2017, though he did clash with the Steelers’ coaching staff.
When he was dealt to Oakland, he promised to turn over a new leaf, but he was unfortunately unable to do so. He will be entitled to counseling from the NFL Players Association, even though his return to the league is now very much in doubt.
Giants Waive Davis Webb
In a surprising move, the Giants have waived QB Davis Webb, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We learned earlier today that the Giants were open to trading either Webb or rookie signal-caller Kyle Lauletta, but it did not seem likely that either player would be waived. Instead, if the Giants could not find any trade partners, it appeared more plausible that the team would part ways with 30-year-old Alex Tanney.
But GM Dave Gettleman decided to cut ties with Webb, a 2017 third-round choice who played fairly well throughout the preseason and who at one point appeared to have a big lead over Lauletta for the backup QB job. Of course, Webb was selected by the Giants’ prior regime, so Gettleman & Co. did not have any attachment to him.
Raanan adds in a separate tweet that New York did discuss trading Webb to the Raiders before Oakland acquired A.J. McCarron to be its backup signal-caller. We will have to wait and see what the future holds for Webb, though he is not likely to be without work for long given his draft pedigree and the league-wide need for competent QBs.
AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Cannon, Coleman
The Dolphins currently have three quarterbacks on the roster, and it looks like it will stay that way. Per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, Dolphins head coach Adam Gase said he anticipates keeping three signal-callers all year, although he would not say whether David Fales or Brock Osweiler would serve as Ryan Tannehill‘s primary backup. Beasley suggests the No. 2 QB could change depending on the week (Twitter links).
Now for more from the AFC East:
- The Dolphins cut former third-round pick Leonte Carroo yesterday, but Beasley tweets that Carroo could find himself on the team’s practice squad if he clears waivers. Although Carroo has disappointed in the pros thus far, other teams with a need at wide receiver may be willing to give him a shot.
- Patriots right tackle Marcus Cannon, who missed the entire preseason with a leg injury, is expected to be cleared to play in Week 1, as Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets. As Howe details, Cannon’s availability could have an impact on other members of the team’s roster (Twitter link).
- The Bills cut Corey Coleman yesterday, less than one month after trading a non-conditional draft pick for him and assuming his guaranteed base salaries in each of the next years. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes that Buffalo did not like Coleman’s attitude from the time he arrived, and the former first-rounder is also still dealing with tightness in his hamstrings. It is telling that the Bills would let Coleman go despite the team’s obvious need for receiving talent.
- The Jets made a strong offer for Khalil Mack, but that offer did not include two first-round picks, which helped convince the Raiders to ship Mack to Chicago.