Jim Caldwell Back To Full Health
Coach Jim Caldwell is back to full health, Fritz Pollard Alliance chairman Rod Graves told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). Caldwell joined the Dolphins’ staff in January but took a medical leave in July. 
This year, Caldwell is once again on the Fritz Pollard Alliance’s list to be a head coaching candidate. It’s not clear if he’ll garner interest as a head coach, but he has the support of Dolphins HC Brian Flores.
“He’s been a great coach for a long time. He’s someone who’s been a mentor, someone I can bounce ideas off the entire season,” Flores told reporters on Friday. “Great coach and he would be very worthy of a head coach in this league. I’ll say that over and over and over again.”
For what it’s worth, Caldwell does want to return to the sidelines in 2020, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. La Canfora does expect Caldwell to get some consideration from teams looking for an HC.
Caldwell has been coaching since 1977, and he’s held NFL gigs since 2001. He had a three-year stint as the head coach of the Colts that included a Super Bowl appearance. Caldwell later moved on to become the head coach of the Lions, and he compiled a 36-28 record during his four years in Detroit. Since then, he’s had a handful of head coaching interviews, including talks with the Packers, Jets, and Browns.
Giants Cut Janoris Jenkins
The Giants have released cornerback Janoris Jenkins. The move comes hours after Jenkins used the “r-word” and issued something of a non-apology apology. 
“This was an organizational decision,” coach Pat Shurmur said. “From ownership to management to our football operations, we felt it was in the best interests of the franchise and the player. Obviously, what happened this week, and the refusal to acknowledge the inappropriate and offensive language, was the determining factor.”
Rumors have swirled about Jenkins’ status with the team for some time now and his use of an offensive term proved to be the final straw. For his part, Jackrabbit has been frustrated by the constant talk coupled with a lack of communication from the front office about his future. Prior to the trade deadline this year, the Giants discussed deals for the veteran cornerback, but did not find a suitable deal.
Because the release comes after the trade deadline, Jenkins will be subject to the waiver wire, even though he is a vested veteran. Any team claiming Jenkins would be responsible for the prorated portion of his $10.15MM salary for 2019. He’s also due $11.25M in the last year of his deal in 2020, including a $1MM roster bonus in March, but it’s completely non-guaranteed. Playoff teams could give real consideration to Jenkins, if they’re willing to withstand the PR backlash.
Jenkins, 31, logged 84 tackles and matched a career-high of four interceptions through 13 games this year. Across four years with the G-Men, Jackrabbit came away with 12 INTs and one Pro Bowl nod (2016).
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/12/19
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR DaMarkus Lodge
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: CB Rashard Causey
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: TE Jerrell Adams
Cameron Wake Wants To Return To Titans
Things didn’t go Cameron Wake’s way this year, but the 37-year-old isn’t thinking about retirement. This week, the linebacker said that he intends to play in 2020 and hopes to do so with the Titans. 
“I don’t have any plans of giving it up,” Wake said (via Jim Wyatt of the team website). “As long as there is a mutual desire from myself and the organization obviously as well, I’d look forward (to playing here again). It is not even a ‘like’ it here – I love it here. In the past I knew of guys who had passed through this organization, and now having come here myself, it’s an understatement to say how much I enjoy it. I’ve kind of had the appetizer version of what it is.”
“This place checks all the boxes for me,” Wake continued. “I am blessed to have been given the opportunity and I appreciate every minute of it. And I look forward to whatever the future brings.”
Wake’s season ended in late November when a back injury landed him on IR. Even though he only got to notch 2.5 sacks across nine games, he wants to come back for more and add to his career total of 100.5.
“Obviously being injured sucks,” Wake said. “It is tough because you want to be out there. Obviously, injuries are a factor in every single game you watch, and you are rolling the dice every time you do out there. I kind of got the short end of the stick this time unfortunately. Fortunately, I didn’t get injured in a way where I need to go have surgery or crutches or a cast, things that make you less able to do the normal things. So I want to help the other guys any way I can, and the type of injury I had allows for that. And I want to help any way I can.”
Wake, who made his NFL debut in 2009 after several years on the fringes of pro football, will turn 38 in January.
Lions Place Da’Shawn Hand On IR
Da’Shawn Hand‘s season is over. On Thursday, the Lions placed the defensive lineman on injured reserve, ruling him out for the Lions’ final three games. 
[RELATED: Lions Place Jones On IR]
Between his ankle injury and an earlier elbow issue, Hand has appeared in just three games this season. The 2018 fourth-round pick’s year will end with just six tackles, a disappointing follow-up to his three-sack rookie campaign.
To take his place on the roster, the Lions promoted wide receiver Travis Fulgham from the practice squad. Fulgham will give the Lions an extra set of hands at wide receiver, following Marvin Jones‘ IR placement this week.
With a 3-9-1 record, the Lions are currently in line for the No. 5 overall pick. The race to the bottom is tight, so a win over the Buccaneers this week could significantly drop their standing in the draft order.
Bengals’ Jonah Williams Returns To Practice
Offensive tackle Jonah Williams will return to practice for the Bengals, per a club announcement. The No. 11 overall pick has yet to make his NFL debut due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason, so this is a promising step forward.
[RELATED: Latest On Patriots’ Video Investigation]
Williams can practice for the rest of the season without counting against the 53-man roster limit. In theory, they could activate him before the end of the year, but it’s not clear whether that’s part of the plan. Given that this is a lost season, they might take the cautious approach and leave him out of harm’s way.
Before the injury, Williams was slotted to start at left tackle for the Bengals. That’s likely where he’ll be stationed in 2020, when the Bengals hope to get back on track.
Saints Sign DT T.Y. McGill
The season-ending injuries to Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Davenport have prompted the Saints to call for backup. On Thursday, the Saints signed defensive tackle T.Y. McGill to the 53-man roster.
[RELATED: Saints Place Sheldon Rankins On IR]
McGill joins defensive end Noah Spence on the depth chart, giving New Orleans some new bodies to help fill in. Getting by without Rankins will be especially tough for the Saints as they look to grab one of the NFC’s top two seeds. Rankins broke out last year with eight sacks, before suffering a torn Achilles in the divisional round of last year’s playoffs, and the Saints were counting on him to pressure opposing QBs in this year’s playoffs.
McGill appeared in three games for the Chargers earlier this year, but was handed his pink slip when safeties Derwin James and Adrian Phillips returned to the active roster.
He’ll look to make his Saints debut on Sunday in New Orleans against the Colts. After that, the 10-3 Saints will round out the regular season with games against the Titans and Panthers.
Eagles Place Alshon Jeffery On IR
Alshon Jeffery‘s season is over. On Thursday, the Eagles announced that the wide receiver has been placed on injured reserve. 
Jeffery was forced out of Monday night’s game with a foot injury and after the swelling went down, team doctors learned that he’ll need more than just a week or two of rest, ice, compression, and elevation. It’s a bad break for the Eagles, who are fighting for the NFC East title and a chance to add another Super Bowl ring to their collection.
Jeffery’s season ends with 43 catches for 430 yards and four touchdowns for the 2019 season. It’s a step down from his 65 catches for 843 yards and six touchdowns in 2018 and the 11.4 yards per catch average marks a career low. The Eagles will hope to have him back at full strength in 2020, when he’ll continue to play on his four-year, $72MM deal, which includes a substantial guarantee of $54.595MM.
To take Jeffery’s place on the roster, the Eagles promoted fellow wide receiver Robert Davis from the practice squad. And, to fill Davis’ spot on the taxi squad, the Eagles signed receiver Deontay Burnett.
The Eagles might need Davis for more than just emergency situations. DeSean Jackson is on IR and receiver Nelson Agholor was held out of Monday night’s game with a knee injury. Meanwhile, receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside is battling through an injury he suffered against the Giants, though he’s expected to play against the Redskins.
Roger Goodell On Antonio Brown
The NFL’s investigation into Antonio Brown won’t wrap up anytime soon. This week, commissioner Roger Goodell indicated that no decision is imminent, which means that Brown will remain in football limbo for the foreseeable future.
[RELATED: Patriots Won’t Re-Sign Brown]
“They [have] still not completed the investigation,” Goodell said. “They did, our investigators did [meet with Brown], I did not meet with Antonio. But they have more work to do. They’re following up on that. And I’ll get an update when they have more information.”
The league began looking into Brown’s situation shortly after one of his accusers filed a lawsuit against him. Then, in November, they sat down with the wide receiver to get his side of the story, but the process is far from over.
At this time, it seems unlikely that Brown will be cleared to play in the 2019 season. If something changes, he could be a consideration for playoff teams, though the Patriots are not interested in a reunion.
Brown, 31, has caught 841 passes for 11,253 yards over the course of his ten-year career.
Josh Gordon Hopes To Stay With Seahawks
Josh Gordon has yet to make a huge impact with the Seahawks, but he “absolutely” hopes to remain with the team in 2020, as Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. 
“Oh yeah, absolutely. Seattle is amazing,” the wide receiver said. “Football aside, I’d definitely love to live in a place like this.”
Since joining the Seahawks in early November, Gordon has caught just six passes for 81 yards and zero touchdowns. It’s a far cry from his best work, including a 2014 season in which he had 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games with the Browns. It’s also a step down from his production with the Patriots (20/287/1 in six games), but Gordon isn’t pointing fingers or ruling out a future in Seattle.
Gordon saw an uptick in snaps on Sunday night against the Rams, so Pete Carroll also remains optimistic about what Gordon can offer. In that game, Gordon was targeted five times, but came away with just two catches.
“Josh has had huge games in the past,’’ Carroll said. “He just hasn’t gotten the ball enough yet to show that for us. But he’s done really well. Josh has been a really good guy around here in practicing and working hard and studying.”
Gordon will be an unrestricted free agent in March after his current deal – which carries a $2.025MM base salary – expires. In between now and then, he’ll get an opportunity to show what he can do in the playoffs. The 10-3 Seahawks are virtually locked in for a wild card spot and still have a chance at leapfrogging the 49ers for the divisional crown.