Browns Waive Jonathan Cooper
Former top ten pick Jonathan Cooper has been waived by the Browns, according to a team announcement. His release will make room for Alvin Bailey, who is coming back from suspension. 
Cooper, the seventh-overall pick in the 2013 draft, was part of the deal that sent Chandler Jones from the Patriots to the Cardinals this offseason. After having started 11 of his 24 career games in Arizona, the 26-year-old was expected to slide in as the Patriots’ starting right guard. However, the guard suffered a foot injury early in camp and he was cut by New England in October.
The Browns scooped him up but he didn’t do enough to stick on the roster. Interestingly, Pro Football Focus has assigned Cooper a 73.2 overall grade in his 183 snaps, a score that would have put him in the middle of the pack amongst guards if he had enough playing time to qualify. Cooper may not be the standout that evaluators thought he’d be in 2013, but he could still be a capable contributor if the advanced numbers are to be believed.
Buccaneers Place TE Cameron Brate On IR
Cameron Brate‘s season is over. The Buccaneers announced that the tight end is being placed on injured reserve. 
Brate has been a revelation for the Buccaneers this season. When Austin Seferian-Jenkins was let go in September, Brate stepped up in a major way and become a focal point of the Bucs’ passing attack. Brate’s season will end with 57 catches for 660 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s in the top ten amongst tight ends for receptions and yards and his eight scores lead the league at the position.
With one game to go, the Bucs could technically still make the playoffs, but they’ll need seven games to fall in their favor. In addition to winning against the Panthers, the Bucs will need wins from the Cowboys, Titans, Colts, 49ers, and Lions with the Giants tying the Redskins. If the Buccaneers overcome the astronomical odds, they’ll be without their best tight end in the postseason.
Bills Confirm Doug Whaley Will Return As GM
Rex Ryan is out, but GM Doug Whaley isn’t going anywhere. The Bills announced that Whaley will “officially be leading the organization’s head coaching search,” a sure sign that he will not be fired. 
Whaley has been in the Bills front office since 2010 and was elevated to the GM role before the 2013 season. Since then, the Bills have gone 30-33 under two different head coaches. Still searching for their first playoff berth in this century, team ownership apparently feels good about their situation from a personnel standpoint. Or, at least, the Pegulas believe they are on the right track.
In his four years at the helm, some of Whaley’s biggest missteps have included the aggressive draft trade for Sammy Watkins, the ill-advised extension for Marcell Dareus, and the team’s failure to identify a franchise quarterback. Whaley (and previous GM Buddy Nix) hoped that EJ Manuel would be the guy in Buffalo after making him the only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2013 draft, but he has yet to do anything at the pro level. As the Bills appear ready to move on from Tyrod Taylor, they’re re-installing Manuel as the starter for their final game of the season. The Bills are back at square one and no closer to figuring out their QB situation.
NFC Notes: DJax, Eagles, Panthers, Rivera
Is Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson on his way back to the Eagles this offseason? Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham seems to think so.
“I’m just happy because I kinda knew already. I’ve talked to him. I talked to him when Doug (Pederson) got hired. He was like, ‘Tell Coach come get me,'” Graham said (via Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com). “We have fun during the season. He’s like, ‘B.G., I’ll be back.’ But now that it’s official, as far as the season about to be over, I think you’ll be hearing a lot of noise about DeSean. … I’m saying official as far as the end of season, now we’re gonna really see.”
Former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy also recently said that Jackson told him that he would be back with the Eagles next season. We’ve been hearing reports of strong mutual interest between the Eagles and DJax for some time now. All signs are pointing to a reunion, but Graham should probably stop speaking on the subject before the team is hit with penalties for tampering.
Here’s more out of the NFC:
- Will there be major changes to the Panthers‘ roster and coaching staff? Coach Ron Rivera seemed to hint at some turnover in 2017 when talking to reporters this week. “You have to evolve. Things are going to change after six seasons,” Rivera said, via Bill Voth of Black And Blue Review. “When this is all done, we’ll take a look back at some things and see what we’ve got to do as we go forward.” After Saturday’s loss to Atlanta, the Panthers are 6-9. They close out the season on Jan. 1 against the Bucs.
- Panthers defensive end Mario Addison has been labeled a one-trick pony in the past, but he has shown his full arsenal this season and is due for a big payday, David Newton of ESPN.com writes. Once looked at as strictly an edge rusher on passing downs, Addison had two tackles for loss against Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman over the weekend. The only thing really holding him back on the open market will be his size as he stands at 6’3″ and 260 pounds. The speedy Addison has a team-high and career-high 8.5 sacks this season with seven of those coming in his last six games.
- Many of the Lions‘ mid-tier free agents will be cashing in on their incentive-laden deals, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Wide receiver Anquan Boldin will make $1.45MM in playtime and performance incentives, maxing out his deal. Others cashing in include linebacker Tahir Whitehead, safeties Tavon Wilson and Rafael Bush, cornerback Johnson Bademosi, and defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker.
Bills To Bench Tyrod Taylor In Final Game
Rex Ryan is out and the quarterback that he championed could also be a goner in Buffalo. The Bills are planning to bench Tyrod Taylor against the Jets on Sunday in favor of E.J. Manuel, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Facebook link). This is a business decision so the Bills are not at risk for the $30.75MM left on his contract that would become guaranteed if Taylor suffered a significant injury, Schefter adds. 
The Bills are on high alert after watching Marcus Mariota and Derek Carr suffer major injuries in Week 16. The Bills are not going to take any chances with Taylor, a player who may not be in their plans for 2017. It’s not certain that Taylor is out of the picture, but it would be understandable if the Bills do not want to retain him at his current salary. This will also give Buffalo a chance to get one last look at Manuel, a pending free agent.
Initially, the Bills planned to give Taylor the final month of the season to audition himself.
“He’s got four more games to write this chapter. Then after this season, like everybody on the team, we’re going to do an evaluation and then we’ll go from there,” Whaley said on Dec. 9 in an interview where he declined to commit to Taylor for 2017.
It is somewhat surprising that rookie Cardale Jones will not be given the opportunity in Week 17. The Ohio State product may be No. 2 on the depth chart, however, if the team is truly intent on protecting Taylor from injury.
Bills Fire Rex Ryan
The Bills are not waiting for the season to end to make a head coaching change. Rex Ryan has been let go and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn will take over as the interim head coach. Rob Ryan (assistant head coach/defense) has also been relieved of his duties. 
“I spoke with Rex earlier today and we mutually agreed that the time to part ways is now. These decisions are never easy. I want to take this opportunity to thank Rex for all his efforts and wish him all the best moving forward,” owner Terry Pegula said in a statement. “Kim and I and our entire Bills organization share in the same disappointment and frustration as our fans, but we remain committed to our goal of bringing a championship to Western New York.”
Rex Ryan was not given a third year to turn things around in Buffalo despite finishing with a .500 record in his first year and guiding the team to a 7-8 mark so far this season. The Bills will not qualify for the playoffs for the 17th straight season and the organization is not willing to take the patient approach any longer.
Lynn has gone from running backs coach to offensive coordinator to head coach in just three months. His first promotion came when Greg Roman was forced out earlier this year and he’ll now get to audition for the team’s permanent role. Reportedly, the Bills wanted to push Ryan out in part because of their desire to retain Lynn. Lynn has long been identified as a strong head coaching candidate for this offseason.
There are conflicting reports regarding GM Doug Whaley’s job security. A little over a week ago, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported that Whaley is not in jeopardy of getting fired. However, over the weekend, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe said that his status “remains up in the air.”
As of this writing, there are now three teams that will be looking for head coaches in the New Year: the Rams, Jaguars, and Bills.
Latest On Giants’ Jason Pierre-Paul
The Giants still have a glimmer of hope that Jason Pierre-Paul could return in time for Wild Card weekend, sources tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. However, the team is feeling more confident about his ability to play in the divisional round of the playoffs, if the Giants reach that point. 
JPP has missed several games with a groin injury and he was forced to go under the knife in early December. At the time, the hope was that he could possibly suit up for the NFC Championship game. He seems to be a little ahead of schedule at this juncture. Of course, JPP is no stranger to beating long odds. Many wrote him off before the 2015 season when he lost a finger in a fireworks accident, but he looks as good as ever with nine digits.
Pierre-Paul is having one of his best NFL seasons ever. Currently, Pro Football Focus has him ranked as the tenth-best defensive end in the league. That’s two spots ahead of high-priced teammate Olivier Vernon.
At 10-5, the Giants are locked into the No. 5 seed in the playoffs. They will play the Lions, Packers, Seahawks, or Falcons in the opening round.
Buccaneers To Bench Doug Martin Again
Buccaneers running back Doug Martin was a healthy scratch against New Orleans over the weekend and he’ll also be inactive for the season finale against Carolina, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes. With Martin out of the picture, the Bucs plan to sign running back Russell Hansbrough off of the Giants’ practice squad. 
Since returning from a hamstring injury, Martin has struggled to regain the form that made him a top running back in the league. Now, his future with the Bucs is not clear as the offseason approaches. Martin is signed to a five-year, $35.75MM contract he inked last March, including $15MM guaranteed. Releasing Martin this offseason would not save the team any money against the 2017 cap, so their options are limited.
Jacquizz Rodgers started in place of Martin on Saturday and rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Although he’s had his moments this season, like his 154-yard game against the Niners in October, Rodgers might not be what the team has in mind for a No. 1 RB next season.
Cowboys Activate Randy Gregory
The Cowboys have officially activated Randy Gregory. To make room, defensive end Zach Moore has been waived. 
Gregory is now set to make his 2016 season debut against the Lions on Monday night. The move was expected after owner Jerry Jones hinted that Gregory would see lots of playing time as a part of the team’s effort to rest Demarcus Lawrence.
Gregory’s return was not expected after his latest substance abuse policy violation drew a one-year ban. However, Gregory opted to appeal the suspension and he is now free to play while things get worked out. It sounds like the Nebraska product could be able to play as long as the Cowboys stay in it. Given the way Dallas has looked this season, Gregory could be in for a long postseason run with his team.
The Cowboys, of course, have clinched the NFC East, a first-round bye, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Bengals Place Tyler Eifert On IR
The Bengals are shutting down two of their brightest stars for the final game of the season. Tight end Tyler Eifert is headed to injured reserve one day after A.J. Green was told that he will not be taking the field again in 2016. The Bengals also announced that guard Clint Boling is being placed on IR. 
This has been a frustrating year for Eifert. Heading into the fall, many expected the tight end to elevate his game to a new level and help take attention away from Green. Unfortunately, he’s been banged up the whole way and his season ends with just eight games played thanks to his injured ankle and back. The Bengals are 5-9-1 after Saturday’s loss to Houston and one has to wonder if they would be playoff bound if they had Eifert healthy for the whole year.
The Bengals wrap up the season against the Ravens on New Year’s Day. As of this writing, they are slated for the No. 8 pick in the draft.