AFC Notes: Colts, Patriots, Petty
There are plenty of pundits who expect the Colts to part ways with at least one of head coach Chuck Pagano and GM Ryan Grigson at season’s end, but owner Jim Irsay has downplayed the notion of major changes, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Irsay said, “I would say it would be unlikely for any changes to occur, honestly. It’s unlikely, but look, we’ll see when we sit down and thoroughly vet the season.” One reason for Irsay’s hesitation is the fact that the first five year’s of the Pagano/Andrew Luck regime has gone better than the first five years of Peyton Manning‘s career in Indianapolis.
Now for more from the AFC:
- DT Darius Kilgo may be on the Patriots‘ practice squad, but the Pats are not paying him that way. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe in a series of Twitter links, New England is paying Kilgo $30,882 per week, which gives him the same compensation he would have received under his original contract (the practice squad minimum is $6,900 per week). The team also guaranteed him $92,647, the equivalent of three weeks pay. As Volin observes, the team is attempting to “do right” by Kilgo, who was claimed off waivers from the Broncos when it looked like Alan Branch would be suspended, but who was cut and re-signed to the practice squad when Branch won his appeal.
- The Patriots have until Wednesday to activate quarterback Jacoby Brissett to their active roster, or he will revert to injured reserve and be lost for the season. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com believes the Patriots do plan to activate Brissett but that they are waiting until the last possible moment to do so because they do not have an obvious corresponding roster move to make. We had previously heard that the team was expected to activate Brissett on Friday.
- Cyrus Jones has had a disappointing rookie year for the Patriots, but the second-round selection out of Alabama is not going anywhere, as Volin writes in a separate piece. Jones, who was coveted for his return skills, has been a disaster as a return man this season, and he hasn’t fared much better as a corner. But even if he does not get much playing time the rest of the season, Jones will get the chance to right the ship in 2017.
- Jets quarterback Bryce Petty was knocked out of last night’s loss to Miami, and initial reports suggested that he had the wind knocked out him. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports that Petty will have a CT scan on Monday to determine if he has a punctured lung.
- The injury that landed Jaguars TE Julius Thomas on IR was a fractured tailbone, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). The Jags could save $4.7MM against the cap if they were to cut Thomas, who has disappointed since Jacksonville made him the highest-paid tight end in the game last March.
- One reason for the Raiders‘ success this season is the fact that they have done such a good job at getting contributions from undrafted free agents. As Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com observes, Oakland started the season with four undrafted free agents on the 53-man roster, and now have seven on the active roster. That list includes players like Jalen Richard, Johnny Holton, and Marquette King.
Saints Could Look To Trade Sean Payton
One of the biggest storylines of the past several seasons was the rumor that Saints head coach Sean Payton could be on his way out of New Orleans, possibly via trade. Those rumors were immediately quieted when Payton signed a five-year extension this March that keeps him under club control through the 2020 campaign.
The Saints have shown flashes of improvement this year, but they now sit at 5-8 and are well out of the playoff picture. That reality, coupled with very public ownership issues and the sudden decline of Drew Brees over the past few weeks, has led to renewed trade rumors regarding Payton. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, citing league sources, the Saints would consider dealing Payton after the season, and they would not require especially hefty compensation to move him.
As La Canfora writes, “Moving Payton’s contract would free up about $40MM at a time when owner Tom Benson‘s health and the future of ownership is in question, and that money, along with the $25MM in cash/cap savings that would occur whenever Brees departs, would go a long way to providing an influx of means to rebuild this team.”
The 38-year-old Brees has one year left on his contract, but it could be difficult to work out another one-year extension given his recent struggles. After a terrific start to the 2016 campaign, Brees has thrown nine touchdowns to nine interceptions in New Orleans’ last five games, four of them losses. The franchise may feel that it is time to move on from their two former saviors, adding much-needed draft picks and cash flow in the process.
Despite the fact that the Saints have not posted a winning record since 2013, Payton’s stock as a head coach has not fallen very much, if at all. Any team that acquires him would rightfully view the move as a major success, particularly if, as La Canfora suggests, that team does not have to give up much to get him. The Colts, Rams, and Chargers are all possible landing spots for Payton, who is a California native and for whom a California coaching job could have particular appeal.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/16
The latest minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Lions have added CB Adairius Barnes back to the practice squad and have cut LB Brandon Chubb. according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News (via Twitter).
- The Chiefs have promoted DL David King to the active roster to take the place of LB Derrick Johnson, who was placed on IR yesterday (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star).
- The Cowboys announced that they’ve promoted defensive lineman Zach Moore to the active roster to fill the roster spot vacated by IR-bound offensive lineman Chaz Green.
Latest On Ryan Tannehill’s Injury
The Dolphins blew the Jets out of the water last night behind a terrific performance from backup quarterback Matt Moore, but the aftermath of the win brought with it some potentially bad news about No. 1 signal-caller Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill, of course, was pulled from last week’s game against the Cardinals with what was initially feared to be a full ACL tear, but which was later reported to be an ACL/MCL sprain (a partial, but incomplete tear of those ligaments). After last night’s game, however, Adam H. Beasley and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald passed along a report from the NBC/NFL Network broadcast team that Tannehill in fact tore the MCL off his knee completely, a report ostensibly substantiated by the fact that he spent the night in a full leg cast and walked with a noticeable limp and the assistance of a crutch.
Tannehill, though, lent some clarity to the situation, observing that his ligaments are not fully torn and that he has a Grade 2 sprain rather than a Grade 3 (link via Salguero). Said Tannehill, “It’s not a Grade 3. A Grade 3 sprain is completely torn. A sprain could be a torn anything. It’s not completely torn all the way off but definitely there’s damage. It’s categorized as a Grade 2 so there’s still some integrity there.”
East Notes: Taylor, Cowboys, D-Jax
We heard several days ago that Bills GM Doug Whaley was unwilling to commit to Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starting quarterback of the future until after the season, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that no talks regarding who will be the team’s 2017 quarterback have taken place. The Bills’ decision-makers appreciate that Taylor has just 26 career starts to his name, and they will evaluate his entire body of work–including the final four or more games of 2016–with that in mind.
If they decide Taylor is their man, the Bills could pick up his 2017 option, thereby kickstarting a new five-year, $80MM+ deal, or they could redo his contract to make it more palatable, which Rapoport believes is the more likely option. If Buffalo moves on, Rapoport expects the team to be active in the veteran quarterback market with a possible eye on Tony Romo. Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick also could be on the Bills’ radar.
Now for more from the league’s east divisions:
- We learned last night that the Cowboys would be without return specialist Lucky Whitehead for tonight’s game against the Giants, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Whitehead was indeed left home in Dallas for missing a team meeting, which has been a recurring issue for him.
- Even if the Cowboys reach a point in the regular season when they have nothing to play for, they do not plan to rest their starters, according to Rapoport. Dak Prescott would be a logical exception to that rule, though Tony Romo may not be the replacement if Prescott comes off the field. As Rapoport writes, Dallas would want to keep Romo safe in case Prescott should suffer an injury in the playoffs (Twitter links).
- Despite recent reports that the Eagles will pursue Redskins wideout DeSean Jackson at season’s end, and despite reports that the interest is mutual, Jackson himself says that free agency is not on his mind at the moment, per John Keim of ESPN.com. Jackson said, “Who knows what happens in free agency? If I’m a free agent, I might seek some options and wherever it takes me, it takes me. It’s not my focus now. We have four games left here. Whatever happens, happens at the end of the season.”
- Jets wideout Devin Smith is expected to finally get back on the field Sunday, and as Mark Cannizarro of the New York Post writes, the embattled former second-round pick is embracing a new beginning even in the midst of a lost season for the Jets. Smith said, “I just have to continue to [prepare] and we’ll see come Sunday. I’m going to continue to keep working hard and my chance is going to come.’’
- We learned earlier today that Jets head coach Todd Bowles is expected to keep his job, but that Chan Gailey might not be so lucky, Nick Mangold may be considering retirement, and that Woody Johnson might not be the one in charge of the team’s day-to-day operations in 2017.
Growing Sense That Todd Bowles Is Safe
Second-year Jets head coach Todd Bowles, widely thought to be on the hot seat as a result of his club’s disappointing 2016 campaign, has a good chance of righting the ship in 2017, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Cimini reports that sources familiar with owner Woody Johnson‘s thinking say that Johnson remains a Bowles supporter and is not planning to cut him loose.
The reason, Cimini writes, is that Johnson feels he would be punishing Bowles–and GM Mike Maccagnan, both of whom were hired in January 2015–for the sins of previous regimes. Although the duo nearly lifted Gang Green to the playoffs last season with considerable help from veteran free agents, that performance was something of an illusion, as the core of the team was weak, and that weakness has manifested itself in a big way this year. As Cimini observes, only five current starters remain from the 2008 to 2014 drafts: Muhammad Wilkerson, Brian Winters, Quincy Enunwa, Calvin Pryor, and Sheldon Richardson. It is difficult to hold a new head coach and GM responsible for that poor level of inherited talent, and Johnson is therefore expected to give Bowles and Maccagnan a little extra rope (Maccagnan and Bowles are equals and report to Johnson directly, so Maccagnan has no say in Bowles’ fate).
ESPN’s Adam Schefter is apparently thinking along the same lines as Cimini, tweeting that there is a growing sense that Bowles’ job is safe.
Of course, Johnson is an impulsive owner who is capable of changing his mind at the drop of a hat. But whether or not Bowles keeps his job, Cimini does expect there to be at least one major change in the coaching staff, and that change would likely be the ouster of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reiterates the notion that Bowles is safe (Twitter link), but Rapoport is expecting a significant roster overhaul, with several big-money veterans jettisoned from the club. Players who fit that description include Ryan Fitzpatrick (whose contract will expire at the end of 2016 anyway), Darrelle Revis, Brandon Marshall, and Nick Mangold. With respect to Mangold, Cimini reports that his ankle injury is pretty significant and at least one source close to the 33-year-old would not be surprised if he decided to call it a career.
But Johnson may not even be the one operating the Jets when all these decisions need to be made. As Rapoport writes in a separate piece, Johnson is a leading contender to be the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom under President-elect Donald Trump, and if that were to happen, Johnson would likely not be running the team on a day-to-day basis. In addition, Johnson would almost certainly resign from NFL committees on which he currently serves (the NFL’s Media Committee, Finance Committee, and Business Ventures Committee).
Saints Could Explore Brandin Cooks Trade
Brandin Cooks is one of the most talented young wide receivers in the league, but his role in the Saints’ dynamic offense has diminished a bit this year. He is on pace to receive 30 fewer targets than 2015, and he was not targeted at all in last week’s victory over the Rams. He felt compelled to voice some frustration earlier this week, saying, “closed mouths don’t get fed.”
And yet, the Saints offense continues to thrive, leading some to wonder if the New Orleans system is the best one for Cooks. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that the Saints are expected to explore trading Cooks this offseason prior to the opening of free agency, and if that happens, Cooks would of course garner significant interest. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms the report, and adds that league sources believe a Cooks trade was brewing earlier this season, a deal that would have sent the former first-rounder to the Patriots in exchange for Jamie Collins.
The Saints, of course, traded Jimmy Graham and his highly lucrative contract a few seasons ago, and although Cooks is still playing under his rookie deal, he is eligible for a long-term extension at the end of the 2016 campaign. Plus, he is a deep threat who is not being used that way, and it appears as though Willie Snead and Michael Thomas better fit what New Orleans does on offense.
Head coach Sean Payton, however, took exception to the trade rumors, retweeting a reader who suggested that Rapoport was blindly throwing darts and did not do sufficient research to substantiate his report (link via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com).
Fallout From Rob Gronkowski Injury
Rob Gronkowski was placed on IR yesterday, thereby ending his season and casting some doubt on his playing career. Gronk underwent successful back surgery on Friday, but that was his third operation to repair a herniated disc. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, “Gronkowski herniated his L5-S1 disc while in college in 2009, his L4-5 disc in 2012, and the latest discectomy is almost certainly a reherniation of the L5-S1 disc, given the tingly feeling he experienced through his back and legs.”
The injury is not expected to be career-ending, but assuming Gronkowski does continue playing, he may have to battle through pain for the remainder of his career. At a certain point, he will need to determine how much of an impact taking the field will have on his post-football life, and that determination can only come after difficult conversations with his family, agent, and teammates.
Gronkowski is under contract through the 2019 season at a relative bargain. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes, Gronkowski had some leverage to demand a new contract this past offseason, and despite rumblings that he was unhappy with his current deal–along with some contract talks between the club and agent Drew Rosenhaus–he ultimately did not hold out or exert any sort of pressure on the New England front office. Now, of course, he has no leverage, and although he is scheduled to be paid $19MM over the last two years of his deal, that payout includes no guaranteed money. So while there is no reason for the Pats to move on from Gronk before they give him a chance to reestablish himself in 2017, his long-term future with the club is uncertain.
The Patriots have never considered trading Gronkowski, and his health situation precludes both trade discussions and contract talks for the time being. He potentially could have played in six to eight weeks, but he would not have been himself for a few months, and it made more sense for him to focus on rehab and assure himself, to the extent possible, that he will be ready to go in 2017.
La Canfora’s Latest: Arians, Raiders, Coughlin
Let’s take a look at the latest news and notes from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports:
- Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians has suffered through two health scares this season, and his health has been a concern in the past. As such, many coaches who know the 64-year-old believe that he will consider retiring at the end of the season. Arians is under contract through 2018, and although Arizona is struggling this season, Arians’ tenure in the desert has been a resounding success. For what it’s worth, a team official compared any rumors of Arians’ retiring after the season to an internet hoax.
- Raiders owner Mark Davis wants to move his club to Las Vegas, and he may or may not have the requisite support from his fellow owners to do so, but the league office believes that Oakland is the stronger market. Per La Canfora, the league will set forth the relative merits of the Oakland market in an upcoming NFL meeting in Dallas, and it is expected to do what it can to slow the move to Vegas.
- Despite another lost season for the Browns, team owner Jimmy Haslam is, uncharacteristically, preaching patience and stability. La Canfora writes that Haslam recently held a staff meeting for all team employees to make the case for not making coaching and management changes, a meeting that was intended to boost morale. Of course, that does not mean that everyone’s job is safe, but it does indicate that Haslam does not currently plan on the type of major overhaul for which he has become famous. If the Browns finish the season 0-16, however, that could change. Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer confirm La Canfora’s report (Twitter links).
- The Jaguars will likely fire head coach Gus Bradley at the end of the season, and the team is expected to reach out to former head coach Tom Coughlin, who is reportedly interested in returning to Jacksonville. It is unclear if the Jags would want the 70-year-old Coughlin to take over as head coach, but he has appeal to the team in various capacities. Coughlin, who is working in the NFL office this season, was pursuing coaching openings a year ago.
Eagles To Pursue DeSean Jackson
The Eagles’ wide receiver corps is perhaps their biggest weakness, and there are no indications that any wideout currently on the roster will be a major contributor in the future (outside of Jordan Matthews, that is). As such, Philadelphia will need to address the position in the offseason, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the club is expected to pursue old friend and current division rival DeSean Jackson.
Jackson is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and the diminutive and mercurial wideout could represent the deep threat and speed element that the Eagles presently lack. And although the Redskins will have their own receiver problems to deal with–Pierre Garcon will also be a free agent, and Josh Doctson has missed almost the entire season–their attention will be fixed upon getting a new deal done with Kirk Cousins, and Schefter suggests that the club would rather bring back Garcon anyway.
Of course, Jackson is not the perfect solution for the Eagles, or for any club. As Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com tweets, Jackson just turned 30, has a game built primarily on speed, and his yards-per-catch average this year (15.4) is the third-lowest of his career. That number has dropped 5.4 yards since 2014, his first season in Washington, which suggests that Jackson’s skills are declining (which is true of many skill position players when they turn 30). And that does not take into account Jackson’s erratic personality and injury history, both of which could deter the Eagles from handing him the type of deal he is likely to score from a similarly needy team on the open market.
This season, D-Jax has posted 38 catches (on 70 targets) for 585 yards and three scores.