La Canfora’s Latest: Peyton, Bowe, Lovie
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports published a number of stories that are worth a read this morning, so let’s dive right in:
- The Broncos are off to a 2-0 start, but it has been a frustrating and heart-stopping couple of games, and things are not as rosy as the team’s record would indicate. Denver’s front office and coaching staff have been intent on establishing the running game in an effort to keep Peyton Manning upright and healthy and to prevent him from wearing down over the course of the season, as he did in 2014. Manning, meanwhile, would prefer to be in the shotgun and throwing as much as possible. As team and player search for some middle ground, there are differing opinions as to how the Broncos should handle their offense moving forward. Some scouts believe Manning is putting himself in danger as he tries to think and feel his way through Gary Kubiak‘s offense, and that it may be better to simply allow the future Hall-of-Famer to do what he does best. Others say that Manning himself is the problem, as his declining velocity, accuracy, and susceptibility to “phantom pressure” allow opposing teams to rush five players and deploy a single high safety in the defensive backfield. The problem has been worsened by the team’s poor offensive line play, and Denver’s next opponent, the Lions, is also likely to dial up a great deal of pressure on the quarterback. How the Broncos respond will go a long way in predicting their success for the remainder of the Manning era.
- Browns wide receiver Dwayne Bowe played and practiced very sparingly in the preseason, and when he finally did get an extended look in the team’s fourth preseason game against reserve defensive backs, he was unable to make much of a statement. Per La Canfora, there are some members of the Browns coaching staff that would like to move on from Bowe immediately, even though he has yet to play a regular season snap for his new club. However, as Bowe is owed $9MM in guaranteed salary over the next two seasons, Cleveland has little choice but to hang onto Bowe and see what he can do. As Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets, Bowe did have a good week of practice this week and is active for today’s matchup against Tennessee.
- Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith took over defensive play-calling duties this season after Tampa Bay’s defense floundered in 2014. However, his unit’s performance against the Titans last week was even worse than virtually anything he saw last season, and now Smith is under mounting pressure to at least deliver some reason for optimism moving forward. In 2014, the makeup of Smith’s coaching staff raised the eyebrows of other front offices in the league, as many believed that the group–which essentially operated without an offensive coordinator all season–lacked adequate NFL experience. Although the team has installed seasoned NFL coach Dirk Koetter as its offensive coordinator, skepticism regarding Smith’s staff remains. Smith, after all, took over play-calling duties from Leslie Frazier, a former head coach with a ton of coordinating experience, and as La Canfora writes, “it did not go unnoticed in coaching circles when esteemed defensive coach Rod Marinelli, one of Smith’s closest friends, opted to stay in Dallas as coordinator rather than join Smith’s staff in Tampa.” Although the team’s loss to Tennessee last week was just one game, it is fair to say that Smith’s club must start to make some strides if he wants to remain at the Tampa Bay helm in 2016 and beyond.
- League commissioner Roger Goodell recently said that he is open to altering the way the league handles the discipline and appeals process for off-field matters, and the NFLPA has submitted a proposal that sets forth such an alteration. The proposal, which was submitted when the union filed a grievance with the CBA arbitrator early this year in response to the league’s new domestic violence conduct policy, calls for the creation of a new appeal position, and it would also prevent the commissioner from handling an appeal himself or from choosing someone else to handle it for him. There is no timetable for when the grievance might be resolved, and there will, as always, be extensive negotiating involved in these proposed changes to the appellate process. However, as La Canfora writes, “the growing groundswell among owners to redirect Goodell from being so intimately involved in the process is almost certain to result in changes at some point.”
East Notes: JPP, Kerley, Andrews
One thing that has become apparent in the Jason Pierre-Paul drama is that the team and the player have very different ideas about JPP’s health and his ability to take the field. As NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, if the Giants and Pierre-Paul remain divided, an independent doctor could wind up making the final call.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, that would only happen if Pierre-Paul files a grievance against the team for failing to agree that he’s ready to play. Florio says that JPP could sign his franchise tender and then file the grievance. At that point, if an independent doctor clears Pierre-Paul, the Giants would be forced to take him back. Of course, JPP could also file the grievance without signing the franchise tender. If he were to then receive clearance from an independent doctor, the Giants could rescind his tender, thereby allowing Pierre-Paul to seek his fortunes elsewhere.
In a separate piece, Florio opines that the best way for Big Blue and its star pass rusher to resolve the matter is to agree on a new contract for 2015 that pays Pierre-Paul a reduced amount per week with the ability to make up the difference based on performance. The team could also agree to not use the franchise tag again in 2016. As of yet, however, there have been no publicized talks of such a resolution, and the stalemate continues.
Let’s take a look at a few more links from the league’s east divisions:
- Aside from Pierre-Paul’s long-term outlook in the NFL and the possible outcomes of his contract negotiations with the Giants, Ebenezer Samuel of The New York Daily News says JPP must also solve the challenges of the weight room. Samuel details how JPP’s injury will force him to adapt his approach to his usual training regimen, and although he should be able to get himself into good enough shape to perform well, experts are skeptical that he will be able to return to his old self.
- Jeremy Kerley‘s role on offense has all but disappeared, and Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes the Jets should look to trade the player who has become little more than a high-priced punt returner. Cimini lists the Cowboys as a logical trade partner, but he notes that Kerley’s contract could be a major obstacle to any trade talks. Kerley’s $2MM base salary this year is guaranteed, and beyond 2015, he has three years and $9MM remaining on the deal he signed last fall.
- Rookie David Andrews, whom the Patriots signed as an undrafted free agent in May, was the only player outside of Tom Brady to play every offensive snap in the team’s Week 1 win against Pittsburgh. Adam Kurkjian of The Boston Herald details Andrews’ journey to this point and what the future may hold for the promising young center.
La Canfora On Pagano, Colts
6:35pm: Following the Colts loss to the Bills this afternoon, owner Jim Irsay denied reports of a rift between Pagano and Grigson.
“That can’t be farther [from] the truth,” Irsay said (via Mike Wells of ESPN.com). “Ryan and Chuck work hard together. They have a great relationship. I’ve seen coaches and general managers work together since I was 11 years old. I know the dynamic that needs to be there for them to work together. They have a great relationship.”
Irsay was also adamant that Pagano has a voice in regard to personnel decisions.
“That report is completely false,” he said. “I can guarantee you that — completely false. There is not one shred to truth to it at all. Honestly, these guys have a great relationship.”
However, Pagano was less defensive when he was asked if Pagano could be coaching for his job.
“Whenever these guys are in coaching – players and everything — everyone has to win,” said Irsay. “That’s a given. I don’t look at it as he’s coaching for his job or anything like that. I really don’t see the dynamic being anything different than any other year in the past to be honest with you. I don’t see it that way at all.”
12:43pm: It has been known for some time that there is a rift between Colts head coach Chuck Pagano and certain members of the team’s front office, most notably GM Ryan Grigson. As ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini tweeted today, there is so much pressure on Pagano that he is essentially a lame duck coach, unless he takes his team to the Super Bowl. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports echoes Russini’s sentiments, writing that it is a foregone conclusion that Pagano will leave Indianapolis next year.
Per La Canfora, Pagano was insulted by the one-year extension that owner Jim Irsay offered after last season, which included a salary virtually identical to what the coach is making in 2015. Irsay, in turn, was insulted by Pagano’s dismissive response to the offer.
But the situation was worsening long before that particular exchange. Pagano has had no say in the team’s personnel decisions, either at the player or coaching level. For instance, Grigson installed Pep Hamilton as the Colts’ offensive coordinator when Pagano had been pushing Rob Chudzinski for the job. As La Canfora writes, “Given [the] differences of opinion on staff matters, personnel issues, a growing inter-personal strain and the minimal attempt made to extend Pagano, it’s created a culture where any coach would feel as if his future is elsewhere.”
Even if Pagano were to win the Super Bowl this season–and the Colts are a legitimate championship contender–La Canfora believes he will still end up elsewhere in 2016. It’s not as if the differences between coach and brass will magically evaporate, and if Pagano brings the Lombardi to Indianapolis, his leverage will be at an all-time high. Indeed, considering the success he’s enjoyed in his first head coaching stint, that leverage is pretty high already, and according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Colts players are wondering how Pagano can possibly be coaching for his job this year (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
Much like the aftermath of the Jim Harbaugh-49ers relationship, there will be no shortage of opportunities for Pagano in 2016, and there will likely be no shortage of viable candidates interested in the Colts’ head coaching job. But now, more than ever, it appears as though Pagano and Indianapolis are headed for a parting of the ways.
East Notes: Cousins, F-Jax, Bills
After Geno Smith suffered a broken jaw at the hand of former teammate IK Enemkpali, the Jets did not know how long their starting quarterback would be sidelined. In their efforts to address the situation, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says the Jets called Washington to discuss the possibility of trading for Kirk Cousins (Twitter link). Now, of course, we know why Washington was unwilling to seriously entertain those communications.
Washington, though, was not the only team the Jets contacted. As Rapoport adds in a separate tweet, New York did its due diligence and made plenty of phone calls around the league before ultimately settling on veteran backup Ryan Fitzpatrick to lead them at least until Smith’s return.
Now for some more links from the league’s east divisions:
- We learned yesterday that Robert Griffin III was listed as Washington‘s third-string quarterback behind backup Colt McCoy for today’s game against Miami, but as NFL Media’s Jeff Darlington reports, RGIII will remain third on the depth chart moving forward (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). As Darlington said, “After further consideration the team is more likely to keep Griffin as the third quarterback because of the financial repercussions that they would face if Griffin were to enter a game and be injured.”
- Long before Fred Jackson signed with the Seahawks, he was supposed to be a member of the Steelers, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. After the Bills acquired LeSean McCoy in March, Buffalo GM Doug Whaley told Jackson that he would be released. Jackson had effectively worked out a deal with the Steelers and was en route to Pittsburgh when he was told by Buffalo team officials that he was too important to the Bills and the community to let go. When Jackson actually was let go a few months later, the Steelers had long since signed DeAngelo Williams to be their primary backup. That saga is what precipitated Jackson’s recent remarks that Whaley had lied to him.
- When Bills head coach Rex Ryan was with the Jets, he tried to acquire Tyrod Taylor, as Albert Breer of The NFL Network tweets. According to Breer, Ryan did so on the advice of some pretty respected names who were teammates and coaches of Taylor when he was in Baltimore: Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Cam Cameron, and Jim Caldwell.
- When Taylor signed with the Bills this offseason, his three-year deal that will pay him just $750,000 in 2015 made it clear that he was a backup quarterback. But as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, nothing prevents Buffalo from giving Taylor a new contract at any time, and although there has been no indication that will happen, Florio believes it should.
- Muhammd Wilkerson‘s contract situation has garnered a great deal of media attention, but as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes, the Jets have two other important defensive starters who are in the final years of their respective contracts: Demario Davis and Damon Harrison. As Cimini writes, the Jets have made no push to sign either before the start of the season, as they want to see how the players fit in the team’s new defensive scheme before making a long-term commitment.
Kam Chancellor Updates: 9/13/15
Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor will watch his team’s season opener against the Rams today from afar, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggests that there is potential for a compromise at some point in the near future. Here are a few notes on Chancellor’s situation, and we will update this post as necessary should there be any further developments in this saga today:
- Rapoport tweets that Chancellor wants to earn $9MM in 2016, while the Seahawks have offered to pay him $8.1MM, with no change in his 2015 payout.
- In a separate tweet, Rapoport adds that Chancellor wants the team to waive all of the fines that he has accrued over the course of his holdout. The Seahawks, though, have been unwilling to waive everything at this time. As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com points out (via Twitter), between salary and bonus money, Chancellor could potentially lose $500,000 just by missing today’s game.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that the best way for Chancellor to get his fines waived would be to allow the Seahawks to facilitate the resolution. League sources indicate that if Chancellor reports to the team and appears to be in good shape, a compromise could be reached in short order. However, although Seattle is open to waiving a substantial portion of the fines that Chancellor has accrued and to shifting some future money into next year’s contract, the team does not plan on dramatically sweetening his deal. After all, Chancellor is already the top-earning strong safety in the game.
- Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson, who currently works as an NFL Media analyst, says Chancellor wants to be paid for more than just his work as a strong safety. Per Robinson, “[Chancellor] does a lot of (head coach) Pete Carroll‘s dirty work. He talks to players who need talking to because again, Pete doesn’t accentuate the negative.” Robinson also says that Chancellor lines up fellow safety Earl Thomas on every play, which Thomas himself confirmed (via Connor Orr of NFL.com).
Cowboys Trade For Christine Michael
The Cowboys have traded a conditional seventh-round pick draft pick to the Seahawks in exchange for RB Christine Michael, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Albert Breer of The NFL Network tweets that Michael must be on the Cowboys’ roster for a certain number of games. If he is not, the Seahawks will receive no compensation.
Michael, a former Texas A&M product, will return home to join a Dallas backfield that includes Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, and Lance Dunbar. Michael had been used in a part-time role for Seattle since being selected by the team in the second round of the 2013 draft. Over his two years in the league, he played in 14 games, carrying the ball 52 times for 254 yards. He has yet to cross the goal line.
As Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes, the move clears the way for the Seahawks to add veteran running back Fred Jackson to the roster. Jackson agreed to a one-year contract on Friday, but the team had yet to sign him while it tried to find a taker for Michael. Condotta adds that Michael had an inconsistent preseason, rushing for 118 yards on 32 carries, an average of 3.7 per attempt, while also fumbling once and showing intermittent success in pass protection. Michael’s departure leaves Jackson and Thomas Rawls as the two backs behind Marshawn Lynch on Seattle’s depth chart.
Given McFadden’s health problems and the fact that Randle and Dunbar have yet to prove themselves in the league, Michael will now have the chance to live up to his potential behind what is arguably the best offensive line in the NFL.
Dolphins To Sign Adrian Hubbard
Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News tweets that the Dolphins have agreed to sign former Packers linebacker Adrian Hubbard. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (via Twitter) confirms the news, though it is unclear whether Hubbard will be signed to the team’s practice squad or if he will be added to the 53-man roster. The former Alabama product was signed as an undrafted free agent by Green Bay last season and spent the year on the Packers’ practice squad. He was released earlier this week.
Hubbard played in 36 games during his collegiate career with the Crimson Tide, starting 26 of them and racking up 10 sacks in Alabama’s 3-4 defense. After the Packers bypassed potential edge rushers like Randy Gregory and Owa Odighizuwa in this year’s draft, Hubbard had a real chance to make the club as part of the team’s pass rushing rotation. Although he failed to make the cut, the 6-6 physical specimen still has upside that he will now try to realize with the Dolphins.
NFC Notes: Bucs, Byrd, Brooks
After taking a peek at a few AFC notes this morning, let’s have a look at some NFC links in advance of today’s flurry of waiver claims and practice squad news:
- The Buccaneers are first in line to claim players waived by the 31 other teams in the league, and Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times says one position where the Bucs will likely add a player is defensive end. After placing Larry English on injured reserve and cutting backups Lawrence Sidbury and rookie Ryan Delaire, Tampa Bay currently has only three defensive ends on its roster.
- We learned yesterday that Saints safety Jairus Byrd had avoided the regular season PUP list, meaning that he is eligible to play immediately when he is medically ready. As Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune observes, it is still unclear as to exactly when Byrd will be back, but the fact that he is on the 53-man roster indicates that he could be ready to go soon.
- Ahmad Brooks will remain on the 49ers‘ 53-man roster as the league continues to monitor his criminal case, per Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle. Head coach Jim Tomsula said he expects Brooks to play next week’s season opener, and the NFL issued a statement stating that it was not appropriate to place Brooks on the Commissioner’s Exempt List at this time.
- John Keim of ESPN.com takes a closer look at some of the fallout from the Robert Griffin III drama in Washington. Keim notes that not everyone in the organization believes in Kirk Cousins, and Griffin’s biggest fan is team owner Dan Snyder. If Cousins gives Snyder a reason to believe in him, then Griffin may be traded or released. But if Cousins struggles, and there is plenty of reason to believe he will, the possible tension between ownership and the rest of Washington’s brass may be further illuminated.
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com looks at five Washington starting jobs that could change hands this season, including quarterback (obviously), left guard, and strong safety.
- If he goes unclaimed on waivers, the Eagles will definitely sign RB Raheem Mostert to their practice squad, according to Les Bowen of The Philadelphia Daily News (Twitter link).
- The Lions, meanwhile, plan to sign Andrew Peacock to their practice squad today, according to a tweet from Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press. Peacock cleared waivers last week.
AFC Notes: D. Carter, Browns, Sanders
Although today may not spark the same frenzy of activity and excitement that have come to signify the first day of free agency, it is still a critical date on the NFL calendar. The claiming period for players waived during final roster cuts ends at 11:00am central time today. After that, teams may establish a practice squad of 10 players. After 3:00pm central time, teams are permitted to place one player on the injured reserve list with the designation to return.
As we wait for all of today’s transactions to trickle (or flood) in, let’s take a quick swing around the AFC:
- Duron Carter, who set the CFL afire in 2014 and became the subject of many late winter rumors, was waived by the Colts during final roster cuts yesterday. However, Stephen Holder of The Indianapolis Star says the team would like to sign the promising wideout to its practice squad if he clears waivers. But given the intense amount of interest in Carter just a few months ago, the chances that he goes unclaimed seem fairly slim.
- Although Browns head coach Mike Pettine said his team won’t make a great number of moves today, Nate Ulrich of The Akron Beacon Journal says one position Cleveland will certainly be looking to bolster is the offensive line. The Browns have only six offensive lineman on their 53-man roster at the moment.
- Emmanuel Sanders will serve as the Broncos‘ primary punt returner this season, writes Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. Head coach Gary Kubiak wants to get his explosive wideout, who had one punt return for 11 yards last season, as many touches as possible. Sanders returned 16 punts for a 10.9-yard average from 2010-12 as a member of the Steelers.
- Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney will be ready for next week’s season owner, per Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Head coach Bill O’Brien, though, would not comment as to whether Clowney would start or how many snaps he would see.
AFC East Notes: Fitzpatrick, Brady, Branch
Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News certainly doesn’t believe Ryan Fitzpatrick is the Jets‘ long-awaited savior at quarterback, but given Fitzpatrick’s performance in the team’s preseason win over the Giants on Saturday night, along with the Jets’ corps of talented wideouts and loaded defense, Mehta does think the Harvard grad could keep Gang Green in playoff contention all season.
Now for some more links from the AFC East:
- Judge Richard Berman is set to meet with NFL and NFLPA reps in court again today regarding the Tom Brady case, and a source in the Patriots quarterback’s camp tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (TwitLonger link) that, barring a settlement, a decision is expected by week’s end. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Giants owner John Mara is attending today’s hearing.
- Ben Volin of The Boston Globe wonders if the Patriots regret signing Alan Branch to a two-year deal worth as much as $6.6MM this offseason. Branch played well for New England in 2014, but he skipped the team’s offseason workout program this year and arrived to training camp overweight and out of shape. Branch has a history of similar behavior, and since the Pats have some defensive line depth and only gave Branch $700K in guaranteed money, it would not be hard for the team to move on.
- Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald would not be surprised if the Dolphins made the somewhat unorthodox decision to try and sign kicker Andrew Franks to the team’s practice squad. Salguero notes that Franks has tremendous upside. (Twitter link).
- The Dolphins have their starting lineup mostly set as the regular season approaches, but the one exception is who will start at corner opposite Brent Grimes, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. Jamar Taylor was the leader before injuring his quadriceps, and Brice McCain hasn’t locked up the spot in his absence. Beasley writes that the great pressure the defense has gotten on the quarterback has made it difficult to evaluate the cornerback depth chart with the starting unit.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.