Extra Points: Broncos, Siemian, Seahawks
Could the Broncos use Trevor Siemian as trade bait? Adam Schefter of ESPN.com wonders aloud if Denver could shop the quarterback at some point given that Paxton Lynch is their signal caller of the future. The Broncos drafted the Memphis product with the idea that he could play right away and there are surely plenty of teams that would have interest in Siemian now that he has proven himself to be a capable QB. By the same token, the Broncos are 3-0 and they’re obviously not looking to jettison their starter right now.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- How does new acquisition C.J. Spiller fit into the Seahawks running back picture? ESPN.com’s Sheil Kapadia says that Spiller will take over on third downs and be used in the passing game. Meanwhile, it will be mostly Christine Michael as Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise heal up. Spiller didn’t do much with the Saints but he did have two 1,110+ yard seasons while with the Bills. Seattle is hoping that he still has a bit left in the tank.
- Safety Michael Griffin and defensive tackle Kyle Love each got one-year deals when they signed with the Panthers, according to the team’s official announcement. Carolina agreed to sign both players on Tuesday afternoon.
- The Packers tried out defensive tackles Brandin Bryant, Lars Koht, and Joey Mbu as well as offensive tackle Lawrence Walker, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- Defensive tackle John Hughes‘ deal with the Patriots is a one-year, $760K deal, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. He gets a $428K injury split but no signing bonus or guaranteed money.
- The Chiefs worked out former Idaho offensive tackle Jesse Davis yesterday, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets.
J. J. Watt Unlikely To Return In 2016
Thanks to the new injured reserve rules, teams can bring one player back from IR without designating him for return ahead of time. Technically, the Texans will have this option with star J.J. Watt, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be healthy enough for the team to take advantage. Any hope that Watt returns in 2016 is slim, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. On the plus side, the Texans believe he’ll be back in ’17 and there are no long-term concerns with Watt. 
Watt had back surgery over the summer and he was showing the effects of it through the first few weeks of the season. Typically one of the NFL’s most fearsome players, Watt ranked just 72nd among interior defenders in 2016, per Pro Football Focus. Last year, Watt finished with 76 tackles, 17.5 sacks, eight passes defended, and three forced fumbles, continuing to assert himself as an elite defensive lineman.
To take Watt’s place on the roster, the Texans signed old pal Antonio Smith this week. While Smith will provide some much-needed depth, the team is obviously worse off without Watt. The 2-1 Texans take on the 1-2 Titans at home this week.
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Bengals Activate Burfict, Waive Roach
Vontaze Burfict is back. After serving his three-game suspension, Burfict has been activated in time for tonight’s game against the Dolphins, per a club announcement. To make room for Burfict on the 53-man roster, the Bengals have waived fellow linebacker Trevor Roach. 
In January, Burfict was suspended after drilling Antonio Brown late in the Bengals’ AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Steelers. Burfict met with Roger Goodell in an effort to get his suspension reduced, but it was to no avail. The linebacker has a long history of controversial plays, including his hit on Ravens tight end Maxx Williams in Week 17 when Williams was nowhere near the ball.
Burfict, in his fifth NFL season, racked up 74 total tackles, one sack, two interceptions, and five pass deflections in ten games last year. Burfict is facing another shortened campaign thanks to his suspension, but he hopes to make up for lost time in a matter of hours.
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Alabama LB Tim Williams Arrested
Early this morning, Alabama linebacker Tim Williams was arrested on a gun charge, as Kelvin Reynolds of WBRC writes. Williams is (or was) a potential first round candidate in the 2017 NFL Draft. 
Authorities say that Williams was carrying a Glock 41 without a permit when they found him in the parking lot of a Publix supermarket around 2 a.m. ET. Cops smelled burned marijuana and found a bag of pot in the center console of the Chevy Impala. When asked about the weed, Williams said that his his friend “Brandon Chicken” gave it to him to hold. Williams, it seems, has badly damaged his draft stock while also introducing the best alias we’ve heard since Carlos Danger.
Williams told officers that he bought the gun in his native Louisiana and had a temporary permit, though he didn’t have it on his person at the time of the arrest. The linebacker was taken to jail, but he was later released on a $300 bond.
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Jets Re-Sign WR/KR Jeremy Ross
The Jets have re-signed wide receiver/kick returner Jeremy Ross, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. In a related move, defensive end Lawrence Thomas has been placed on IR with a shoulder injury. 
Wide receiver Jalin Marshall suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder during Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs and he could be headed for IR soon. With Marshall sidelined for a while (and potentially the rest of the year), Ross will provide Gang Green with depth and could also factor in the return game. Ross, 28, split the 2015 season between the Ravens and Raiders, totaling just nine catches for 88 yards. He spent more time on special teams, returning 24 punts and 19 kicks on the year.
Thomas joined the Jets this year as a UDFA out of Michigan State. The early word was that his labrum tear would cost him at least a couple of weeks and we now know that his injury will take him out of action for at least eight weeks and, more likely, for the entire 2016 season.
The Jets also announced that they have signed wide receiver Myles White to the practice squad while releasing safety Ronald Martin from the p-squad.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
East Notes: Bryant, Cowboys, Gregory, Brady
Here’s a look at news from the AFC and NFC East:
- Dez Bryant didn’t get an MRI on his knee until Wednesday because he was absent from Monday’s treatment for injured players and Tuesday’s meetings with the Cowboys, sources tell Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The reason for Bryant’s two-day absence is not immediately clear. The wide receiver has not been formally ruled out of Sunday’s game against San Francisco, but the hairline fracture on his knee could sideline him for up to three weeks.
- Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory is out of rehab in Massachusetts, but he’s still receiving and will continue to receive regular treatment in Dallas, according to a league source who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, those who know the defensive end say he has been clean for over four months and is doing as well as he has in recent memory. Gregory, they say, has been getting his personal life together and is working hard to get back towards football shape.
- The Patriots have to drop two players from the roster in order to make room for Tom Brady and Rob Ninkovich, and Doug Kyed of NESN.com suggests a handful of candidates. Linebacker Elandon Roberts and tight end A.J. Derby are candidates to be waived and put on the practice squad. Kyed also suggests that New England can get creative by placing quarterback Jacoby Brissett and/or cornerback Eric Rowe on injured reserve even though their conditions are far from season-enders. An added benefit to putting Rowe on IR is that the Pats would decrease their chances of having to give up a third-round pick to Philadelphia instead of a fourth-rounder.
Dez Bryant Unlikely To Play Sunday?
Dez Bryant appears to be a “longshot” to play on Sunday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Cowboys are hoping there is minimal risk for Bryant to play on Sunday, but they are also aware of the possibility it becomes a 3-week injury (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: Cowboys Holding Off On La’el Collins’ Surgery]
Bryant was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his knee this week. With an injury like that, there is much more for the Cowboys and the star wide receiver to consider than pain management. If there is a chance that Bryant could make the fracture worse, then it would stand to reason that Dallas would rest its top offensive weapon for at least a week.
So far this year, Bryant has 11 receptions for 150 yards and one touchdown to his credit. Last season, Bryant saw career-lows across the board as he caught 31 balls for 401 yards and three touchdowns.
The Cowboys travel to San Francisco on Sunday to take on the Niners. After that, they have a home contest against the Bengals followed by a Week 6 road contest against the Packers.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Practice Squad Updates: 9/28/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Jonathan Anderson (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OT Clay DeBord
- Cut: DE Chris McCain
Detroit Lions
- Signed: LB Zaviar Gooden (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: C Daniel Munyer
- Cut: WR Seantavius Jones (via Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB Darnell Sankey (via Scott Bair of CSNCalifornia.com)
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Anthony Johnson (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN)
- Cut: OT Ian Silberman (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New York Giants
- Signed: OT Jon Halapio (Twitter link via James Kratch of NJ.com)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jonathan Krause (Twitter link via Roy Cummings of WFLA)
Rams Claim Marqui Christian Off Waivers
The Rams have claimed Marqui Christian off waivers from the Cardinals, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Christian was waived by Arizona on Tuesday. 
Christian, a safety out of Midwestern State, was a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft. The youngster impressed coaches with his aggressive play this offseason, but he ultimately found himself bumped from a roster that had plenty of depth in the secondary. The Cardinals were reportedly hoping to re-sign Christian to their practice squad before Los Angeles swooped in.
The Rams will now have Christian in reserve behind starters Mo Alexander and T.J. McDonald. Cody Davis and Isaiah Johnson are also on the depth chart at safety.
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Dez Bryant Has Hairline Fracture In Knee
2:30pm: There’s a chance Bryant could play Sunday but he might also miss the next two or three games, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter).
1:57pm: Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has a hairline fracture in his knee, coach Jason Garrett told reporters on a conference call (including Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group on Twitter). Garrett referred to the injury as a “day by day” or “week by week thing,” meaning that we won’t have an exact timetable on the wide receiver’s recovery. Still, the Cowboys are hopeful that he can suit up against the Niners on Sunday. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Place Charles Tapper On IR]
Bryant is no stranger to the injury bug. Last year, Bryant had his season derailed by foot and ankle injuries. Those issues limited him to the worst numbers of his career — in nine games, he caught just 31 balls for 401 yards and three touchdowns, all career lows. In late December, Bryant was placed on season-ending IR. Fortunately, this injury does not appear to be anywhere near as severe. If team doctors give Bryant the green light, he may try to play through the pain this weekend.
Bryant, 28 in November, has caught 11 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown through three games this year.
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