Jaguars Not Considering Jalen Ramsey Offers
Trade rumors continue to swirl around Jalen Ramsey, but the Jaguars continue to tell teams that he is not available. The club has not considered trade offers for the Pro Bowler over the last week or so, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
[SOURCE: Jaguars Wouldn’t Trade Ramsey For Five First-Round Picks]
Meanwhile, Rapoport hears that Ramsey’s request still stands. That’s no real surprise – recently, owner Shad Khan tried to reignite contract talks with a willingness to give Ramsey a monster extension. Still, Ramsey says he’s unwilling to remain in Jacksonville.
Ramsey has been out of action since the club’s Thursday night contest against the Titans, citing an ongoing back issue and other ailments. On Monday morning, Ramsey will meet with a back specialist in Houston, per the Jaguars’ request.
Ramsey, one of the game’s very best corners, will turn 25 on October 24. The trade deadline is just days later, on Oct. 29.
Colts DE Kemoko Turay Done For Year
Colts defensive end Kemoko Turay is done for the season, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hear. Turay’s broken ankle suffered against the Chiefs on Sunday night will land him on injured reserve, allowing the Colts to replace him on the roster.
The severity of the injury was immediately apparent to everyone on the scene and watching at home after he was carted off the field. Turay, 24, will now focus on recovery and building on an impressive 2018 rookie season in which he notched four sacks as a part-timer.
The Colts, meanwhile, will move forward with starters Jabaal Sheard and Justin Houston, plus backup DEs Al-Quadin Muhammad and Ben Banogu. It’s possible that they will also add another edge rusher to the mix during their Week 6 bye.
The Colts will resume action on Oct. 20 against the Texans, without Turay.
Redskins Fire Jay Gruden
The Redskins have officially fired head coach Jay Gruden. In the interim, offensive line/assistant head coach Bill Callahan will take over the operation, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
“Through the first five games of the 2019 season, the team has clearly not performed up to expectations, and we all share in that responsibility,” the team said, via press release. “Moving forward we are committed to doing all that we can collectively as an organization to turn things around and give our Redskins fans and alumni a team they can be proud of in 2019 and beyond.”
Last week, we heard another round of reports indicating a rift between Gruden and the organization, specifically as it pertains to first-round pick Dwayne Haskins. Reportedly, owner Dan Snyder & Co. drove the selection of the Ohio State quarterback – Gruden did not want him. This year, Gruden refused to start Haskins, citing his lack of NFL readiness.
Of course, Gruden’s recent off-the-field controversy didn’t help matters either. Days ago, a video surfaced in which Gruden appears to be smoking marijuana with a young woman. The Redskins declined to comment on the viral video, but it has been speculated that the Redskins leaked these year-old videos, so they could fire Gruden “with cause”, helping to ease potential financial ramifications of a firing. It’s reminiscent of circumstances leading up to the firing of GM Scot McCloughan.
Gruden also addressed recent comments by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, where Smith stated that Gruden had quit on his team.
“I heard about that one. That one is far from the truth. Those are fighting words for me,” Gruden said. “That’s one thing I will never do or have done in my life. I work extremely hard, getting up early as hell and working late and doing the best I can to get ourselves a victory this week. I have a lot of respect for everyone in this locker room and the last thing I would do to these players is quit on them because I know they’re not going to quit on me.”
The Redskins are 0-5, but it’s fair to wonder whether this is truly the fault of Gruden. The Redskins were not necessarily built to win in 2019 and the club’s constant discord is clearly holding the franchise back.
Callahan, 63, is a highly-respected figure in the NFL. Sometime during or after the Redskins’ press conference at 1pm ET, we’ll learn whether Callahan will garner consideration for the permanent post.
Callahan took over for Jon Gruden as the Raiders head coach in 2002 and held the post through 2003, before he was fired. After going 4-12 as Oakland’s head coach in ’03, he served as Nebraska’s HC for four years.
Latest On Raiders LB Vontaze Burfict
There could be more trouble for Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Burfict was tossed out of last Sunday’s game against Indianapolis following his helmet-to-helmet hit on Colts tight end Jack Doyle, and the NFL informed Burfict in a letter several days ago that it found another helmet-to-helmet hit from the same game, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The league will use both hits in its case against Burfict as it moves to suspend him for the rest of the season.
Burfict’s agent, Lamont Smith, has predictably taken exception to the league’s reviewing Colts-Raiders tape to find another illegal (but unpenalized) hit in addition to the one that led to Burfict’s ejection. In a full-length piece, Rapoport says Smith will argue that the NFL has singled out Burfict and is treating him differently than other players. But, given that Burfict’s history of violent play is largely unprecedented, that may be a tough argument, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says Burfict is likely to lose his appeal.
Indeed, Burfict’s actions on Sunday, combined with his 13 suspensions and fines across seven seasons with the Bengals, make this a tricky case for the veteran and his reps. It’s also worth noting that Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks – who upheld Burfict’s three-game suspension in 2016 after his controversial hit on Antonio Brown – will be presiding over the hearing.
If the 12-game suspension stands, it will go down as the longest one ever levied for an on-field incident.
Alex Collins Pleads Guilty To Charges
Free agent running back Alex Collins has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges for possession of a handgun and possession of marijuana, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. In exchange, he had all of his felony charges dropped. 
Collins’ charges will be expunged from his record after three years and he’ll be fined only $200. However, the prospect of an NFL suspension still looms for the 2016 fifth-round pick and he’s not expected to be fully recovered from his broken leg until around Halloween.
Even before his arrest and subsequent dismissal from the team, Collins was very much on the Ravens’ roster bubble. Although he was terrific for Baltimore in 2017 and entered 2018 as the club’s No. 1 back, he managed just 3.6 yards per carry last season and was ultimately surpassed on the depth chart by Kenneth Dixon and UDFA Gus Edwards. He was a restricted free agent, but it was rumored that the Ravens were not going to tender Collins even at the lowest level. His arrest simply hastened his exit.
Still, Collins has plenty of upside, and given that he almost put together a 1,000-yard season in 2017 despite playing in just 12 games, he should garner some attention.
Rams’ Clay Matthews Suffers Broken Jaw
Rams linebacker Clay Matthews suffered a broken jaw last night against the Seahawks, head coach Sean McVay told reporters. He’ll miss 4-6 weeks of action, leaving L.A. without one of its defensive stars. 
[RELATED: Rams Sign Jachai Polite To Practice Squad]
Matthews, 33, was bumped by younger players in Green Bay, but the Rams happily scooped him up with a two-year deal worth up to $16.75MM. Through five games this year, Matthews has rewarded their confidence with six sacks, including one takedown against Seattle.
It’s an undoubtedly frustrating situation for Matthews, who has been largely durable throughout his eleven-year NFL career. That’s part of what helped Matthews earned six Pro Bowl nods through his ten seasons in Green Bay and he seemed on pace for a seventh before this setback.
The Rams, at minimum, will be without Matthews for games against the 49ers, Falcons, and Bengals. After that, they have a bye week, so Matthews could theoretically return for Week 10 and miss only three games. If his estimated worst case scenario is accurate – and if he’s not placed on IR – Matthews should be back no later than the team’s Week 12 game against the Ravens.
Redskins To Start Colt McCoy Vs. Patriots
Dwayne Haskins will have to wait at least a little while longer. On Friday, head coach Jay Gruden announced that Colt McCoy will get the start against the Patriots, rather than first-round rookie Dwayne Haskins or veteran Case Keenum.
[RELATED: Gruden Didn’t Want Haskins]
Keenum has been slowed by a foot injury and Haskins didn’t look ready for primetime in his NFL debut against the Giants. Enter McCoy, a known commodity in Washington who is coming back from multiple leg surgeries.
McCoy took all the first-team reps in practice this week, and Gruden is not exactly in love with Haskins, so this does not come as a shock. By far the longest-tenured quarterback on Washington’s roster, McCoy has been a Redskins backup throughout Gruden’s five-plus-season stay.
Following Alex Smith‘s November 2019 injury, McCoy was given the call. However, midway through his second start, he suffered a broken leg that required months of rehab. The former third-round pick made four starts in 2014 but sat behind Kirk Cousins and Smith until the latter’s gruesome injury. Six Redskins passers have seen action since Cousins’ 2018 free agency defection.
This will mark a third straight week in which the Patriots are tasked with defending a backup quarterback. They faced the Jets’ Luke Falk in Week 3 and, in a tight game against the Bills, ran into Matt Barkley after Josh Allen was knocked out of last week’s contest. The Pats have allowed one offensive touchdown all season.
Jaguars Rule Out Jalen Ramsey
No surprise here – the Jaguars have officially ruled out cornerback Jalen Ramsey for Sunday’s game against the Panthers. Officially, the Jaguars say that Ramsey will be unable to play due to a back injury. On that front, head coach Doug Marrone says that Ramsey will see a specialist sometime soon. 
[POLL: Is Ramsey Worth Two First-Round Picks?]
Unofficially, it’s believed that Ramsey has been staying away from the Jaguars to reinforce the message that he wants out. The soon-to-be 25-year-old suited up against the Titans, even after reports of his dissatisfaction surfaced, but he away from the team during their Week 4 win over the Broncos.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan reportedly wants to pay the man and keep him in Jacksonville, but, so far, Ramsey has not been swayed. A trade feels inevitable, though the asking price is now set at two first-round picks, and then some.
After the Jaguars face the Panthers, sans Ramsey, they’ll return home to face the Saints on Oct. 13. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether the cornerback will join them for that contest.
Poll: Is Jalen Ramsey Worth Two First-Round Picks?
Jalen Ramsey wants out. The Jaguars, meanwhile, don’t necessarily want to let him go. 
The Jags’ star cornerback has been frustrated for some time – he’s been openly campaigning for a top-of-the-market extension, but the Jaguars have been mostly unwilling to have serious talks with him. Then, this season, he had a major blowup with head coach Doug Marrone.
On the field, Ramsey is upset that he has been utilized in zone coverage, even though he ranks as one of the league’s best man-to-man defenders. Off the field, he wants to secure the bag, though he no longer wants that bag to come from the willing hands of owner Shad Khan.
With that in mind, the Jaguars seem to be following the old axiom of “Don’t tell them no. Tell ’em how much it’ll cost.” The asking price was initially set at two first-round picks for Ramsey. Now, it has advanced to two first-round picks, plus more. The Jaguars did secure an offer of two first-round picks, but they declined, because the offer came from a contending club that is likely to pick near the backend of the draft.
Reportedly, it will take an “astronomical” offer for the Jags to part with him, but that could just be an attempt by the Jaguars to improve their leverage. Meanwhile, roughly every other team in the NFL has at least some interest, but they’re scared off by the draft capital required since acquiring Ramsey would also mean giving him a fat contract.
Of course, a first-round pick from, say, the Patriots, does not carry the same value as a first-round pick from, say, the Dolphins. But – we want to know: if you were an NFL GM, would you be willing to cough up two first-round picks for Ramsey, with the knowledge that you would also have to give him an extension north of $75MM?
Cast your vote below (link for app users) and back up your choice in the comments.
Redskins’ Jay Gruden Didn’t Want Dwayne Haskins
In April, the Redskins selected Dwayne Haskins with the No. 15 overall pick. However, he wasn’t necessarily the selection of head coach Jay Gruden, a person with knowledge of the coach’s thinking tells Les Carpenter of the Washington Post. 
Haskins started just 14 games at Ohio State and Redskins coaches do not feel that he is ready to play. He did see some time in the Redskins’ losing effort to the Giants, but Gruden & Co. do not want to give him a full baptism by fire.
This isn’t the first we’ve heard of Gruden’s distaste for Haskins, or his preference for another QB. Earlier this year, it was reported that Gruden actually wanted Daniel Jones, who went No. 6 overall to the Giants. The G-Men have won two straight games with Jones leading the way. The Redskins, meanwhile, are 0-4.
Gruden, meanwhile, seems tired of the debate on whether the rookie should be starting ahead of Case Keenum or Colt McCoy.
“No matter what we do with him, we’re going to be wrong,” Gruden said, sarcastically, this week, “So, it really doesn’t matter.”
As of this writing, the Redskins have yet to decide on their starter for Sunday’s game against the Patriots. No matter what, it’s safe to say that Haskins will be a part of the team’s plans beyond 2019. The same cannot be said for Gruden, who is winless in 2019 and possibly at odds with owner Dan Snyder.