Redskins To Franchise Kirk Cousins Again?
SUNDAY, 10:58am: Despite a report from Albert Breer of TheMMQB indicating that the Redskins would not be willing to use the franchise tag on Cousins for a second consecutive year, ESPN’s Adam Schefter, like La Canfora, hears that Washington will indeed use the tag if it cannot reach a long-term deal with Cousins before free agency opens in March. Schefter adds that if the Redskins had to tag Cousins for a third straight year in 2018, it would cost the team over $34MM, which gives the quarterback some leverage heading into contract negotiations.
THURSDAY, 1:15pm: As we look ahead to the spring, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins stands as the top player on the free agent market. While big names like Chandler Jones, Kawann Short, Jamie Collins, and Dont’a Hightower are also eligible for free agency, Cousins stands to make the most money given the dearth of quality QBs in the NFL. In order to keep him, the Redskins are willing to use the franchise tag for the second year in a row, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. 
Cousins is after a lucrative long-term deal, but a second franchise tag wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. The tag would grant him a 120% raise on his current deal which comes out to roughly $23.94MM for 2017. Of course, that potential outcome also gives his reps a favorable jumping-off point for multi-year contract. If the Redskins allow Cousins to reach the open market, the bidding could get even higher and several teams in need of a signal caller have told La Canfora they will pursue him if given the opportunity.
Heading into today’s game, Cousins has a 6-3-1 record on the year with a 67.2% completion percentage. The advanced metrics aren’t as wild about his play, however. Pro Football Focus has Cousins ranked as just the 17th best QB in the NFL this year, behind Ryan Tannehill, Brian Hoyer, and Tyrod Taylor.
We should note that Albert Breer of The MMQB is hearing that the Redskins are unlikely to use the tag on Cousins. Here’s a full rundown of his latest column discussing the Washington QB and much more.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/27/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
New England Patriots
- Cut: DB Shamiel Gary
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OL Sean Hickey (via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press)
Extra Points: Pats, Jaguars, 49ers, Kaepernick
The Patriots are in a tough spot with their contract players, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes. Players often find extra motivation in their contract years, but Volin wonders if the pressure of a big payday is getting to some Pats players. Linebacker Jamie Collins was traded to Cleveland in the midst of a disappointing year. Meanwhile, cornerback Logan Ryan has found himself in and out of the starting lineup and defensive end Jabaal Sheard was left home from the trip to San Francisco. Owner Robert Kraft admits that the uncertainty could be getting to some players, but coach Bill Belichick doesn’t want to hear any of that.
“Look, we all have things in our life to deal with. We all have families, we all have personal situations,” Belichick said. “That’s part of life. You can’t get around it. I mean, I don’t know if they’re distractions. It’s part of your life.”
This spring, the Pats will have to address the contracts of key guys like Dont’a Hightower, Malcolm Butler, and Martellus Bennett. Right now, it doesn’t look like Sheard or the suspended Alan Branch will be among the team’s top priorities.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Since taking over as the owner of the Jaguars, Shad Khan has watched his team go 16-58, the worst mark in the league during that span. Still, he believes that the wins aren’t far away, as Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union writes. Khan has remained committed to keeping the Jaguars in Jacksonville despite rumors to the contrary, and Khan discussed his plan for increasing the team’s revenue in north Florida. Part of his initiative is to draw fans from outside of the immediate area, a plan that cannot come to fruition until the team is competitive.
- What is Colin Kaepernick‘s future after the 2016 NFL season? In his most recent mailbag, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes that there are a lot of moving parts with regards to the controversial 49ers quarterback. With his play this year, Kaepernick has made it clear that he deserves a spot in the league based on his ability. However, a team must consider whether the additional media attention is worthwhile, particularly if they see Kaepernick as a backup. The quarterback has personally left the door open for a return, but it seems unlikely that SF will pursue anything with him beyond this season.
- Earlier today, the Broncos locked up safety Darian Stewart with an extension.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/25/16
Friday’s minor moves…
- Texans defensive end Ufomba Kamalu is moving from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game against San Diego, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (Twitter link). The undrafted rookie from the University of Miami racked up 94 tackles and eight sacks in three years with the Hurricanes.
- The Broncos signed long snapper Thomas Gafford and waived defensive tackle Darius Kilgo, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Gafford will help fill the gap while Casey Kreiter is out with a calf injury.
Vikings Sign Bishop Sankey To Practice Squad
Bishop Sankey has been wandering the NFL all season long but he’s hoping to take his coat off and stay a while with his new team. The Vikings announced that they have signed the young running back to the practice squad. 
Sankey, a 2014 second-round pick, was released by the Titans’ new regime this fall. At one time, Sankey was being groomed for the primary running back role in Tennessee. This offseason, he didn’t demonstrate enough progress to keep his place on a team carrying four running backs.
After his release, Sankey spent time on the Patriots’ practice squad and the Chiefs’ 53-man roster. Earlier this week, KC released Sankey in an apparent endorsement of Knile Davis‘ as the last back behind Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West.
Currently, the Vikings have Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, and fullback Zach Line on the 53-man roster. It stands to reason that they could add another tailback to the mix. Sankey now stands as the only RB on the p-squad and has a prime opportunity for a promotion.
Panthers Place LT Michael Oher On IR
Michael Oher‘s season is over. The Panthers announced that he will be placed on injured reserve, along with cornerback Zack Sanchez. In a related move, tackle Donald Hawkins has been waived. 
After a down year with the Titans in 2014, Oher found his way to Carolina last year and enjoyed a rebound season. Oher appeared in all 16 regular season games and graded out as a top-30 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. Over the summer, he was rewarded with a lucrative three-year, $21.6MM extension. Unfortunately, Oher has not played since Week 3 of this season due to a concussion. He apparently hasn’t made enough progress over the past two months and he’ll be shut down for the year with an eye on getting healthy for 2017.
Sanchez was one of three cornerbacks drafted by the Panthers this year as they attempted to replace Josh Norman on the cheap. Surprisingly, Sanchez missed the cut in early September, but he was quickly signed to the practice squad. The youngster’s 53-man break came last month when one-time starter Bene Benwikere was released. His year ends with five games played (one start) and eight total tackles.
Lions RB Ameer Abdullah On Track To Return?
Lions running back Ameer Abdullah met with foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson this week and he received some good news. Anderson found the foot structurally sound with no reason to believe aggravation of the injury might occur, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Abdullah’s foot has come along better than expected and that could allow him to take the field again this season. There is a realistic chance that he could be activated in three weeks. 
[RELATED: Lions’ Pettigrew May Return From PUP]
At this stage, the only concern from doctors is that Abdullah could injure another body part while trying to protect his foot. Reading between the lines, it sounds like Abdullah’s status could be largely up to the player. If he is mostly pain-free and confident in his condition, he could be playing again before long. In the meantime, Abdullah will ramp up his rehab to test the injury.
Late last week, it was reported that the Lions are still wrestling between Abdullah and linebacker Jon Bostic as the one player to designate for return. Bostic, who underwent foot surgery earlier this season, has been eligible to come off IR as soon as Week 8. He’s been running on the practice field lately, but the team has likely been stalling to leave open the possibility of an Abdullah comeback. Detroit could use the help at linebacker, but running back is arguably a greater need and Abdullah has the potential to make a larger impact. The team has turned to Theo Riddick, Dwayne Washington, Zach Zenner, and Justin Forsett at different points this season but they have been unable to find consistent results from any of them.
Raiders’ Shilique Calhoun To Miss Time?
The Raiders could be without outside linebacker Shilique Calhoun for a little while. The rookie had a procedure on his injured knee this week, the team announced. He’s been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Panthers and it’s not clear exactly when he’ll return. However, he is not expected to be out for the remainder of the season, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. 
[RELATED: Mario Edwards Without Return Date]
The Raiders have been using Calhoun as the primary backup for Bruce Irvin and Khalil Mack. Without Calhoun, the Raiders don’t have another dedicated edge rusher to add to the rotation. Bair suggests that sixth-round pick Cory James, an inside linebacker, could take on that role since he did some work on the outside at Colorado State.
Using James to spell Irvin and Mack may not be ideal, but Calhoun wasn’t making a big impact in that role either. Through ten games, Calhoun recorded just nine tackles and a half sack. Alternatively, Oakland could promote James Cowser from the practice squad.
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Albert Breer On Johnson, Cousins, Draft
We have conflicting reports on the Redskins and their plans for pending free agent Kirk Cousins. Earlier today, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported that the Redskins are willing to use the franchise tag on Cousins for the second consecutive year, if necessary. However, Albert Breer of The MMQB is hearing the opposite.
The Redskins still want to lock Cousins up, but Breer’s understanding is that they will only go so far to keep him. He also cautions that the team’s stance could change in the coming months.
Unless Cousins falls apart in the second half of the season, I would expect the Redskins to do whatever it takes to keep him under contract. Since being handed the job in 2015, Cousins has a 68.7% completion percentage, 7,257 yards, and 46 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. The Redskins might not want to pay him nearly $25MM/year on a new deal, but they also know that they won’t be able to replicate that production any other way.
Here’s more from Breer:
- Eagles lineman Lane Johnson is fighting his 10-game suspension and Breer has the specifics on his argument. For starters, the performance-enhancing substance policy calls for a panel of 3-5 arbitrators, and Johnson’s reps note that there were only two assigned to his case. One of those arbitrators, James Carter, handled the Ray Rice investigation for the NFL and his cozy relationship with the league could be a conflict of interest, one that was not disclosed to Johnson. Johnson is also going after the NFLPA, in part because he says their Aegis Shield app for checking supplements did not flag what he was taking.
- Executives around the NFL are high on Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore. The cornerback appears to have better grades than former Buckeye Eli Apple did last season and that should put him in the first round. “He’s smooth—a good athlete with good ball skills,” said one AFC executive. “There’s not a lot bad to him. He’s a first-rounder.” Still, Lattimore will have to silence some concerns about his speed. “He’s big, strong, athletic, good ball skills,” one scout assigned to the Buckeyes said. “But you still feel like you need to see more, because he only has 11 career starts and they rotate three guys. You want to see his speed. I don’t know if he’ll run 4.4, and he hasn’t been tested like he will this weekend.”
- Meanwhile, North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky could be in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick. The redshirt junior could choose to stay in school, but it would be hard for him to turn down such a golden opportunity. Two NFC execs pegged Trubisky as a Top 10 pick, praising his accuracy, vision, and overall arm talent. The Tar Heel’s biggest liability could be his perceived leadership ability. While there are no character concerns, Trubisky is not as outspoken and outgoing as some evaluators would like. The Browns are reportedly focusing on Trubisky.