Panthers Cut QB Taylor Heinicke
The Panthers have released quarterback Taylor Heinicke, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). With that, the Panthers will move forward with Kyle Allen as the backup and rookie Will Grier as the backups to starter Cam Newton.
The Panthers brought Heinicke, a former UDFA, in off of waivers from the Texans last year. He wound up making one start, though he finished out the year with one touchdown pass and three interceptions. Near the end, they turned to Allen after Heinicke suffered an elbow injury.
Heinicke, 26, will now look to hook on elsewhere and make the second start of his NFL career.
Dolphins To Start Ryan Fitzpatrick
The Dolphins’ quarterback controversy is over…for now. Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the club’s Week 1 starter, head coach Brian Flores announced.
“After a thorough evaluation of OTAs, training camp, games, practice, we felt this was the best move for the team going into the season,” Flores said. “Ryan has done a really good job from a leadership standpoint, from an execution standpoint, and we feel like it’s the best move for the team.”
Fitzpatrick, 36, has edged out Rosen, a 22-year-old who was taken No. 10 overall just one year ago. While Rosen had his preseason moments, Flores says he’s electing for FitzMagic’s experience.
Rosen, meanwhile, is playing the part of a good soldier.
“The battle and competition never stops,” Rosen said. “I’ll push him every single day for him to get better, and if he doesn’t get better, hopefully I’ll surpass him at some point. I’m rooting for him more than anyone.”
The Dolphins, with Fitzpatrick under center, will open the season on September 8 against the Ravens in Miami.
Latest On Texans, Dolphins, Jadeveon Clowney
If the Texans want Dolphins tackle Laremy Tunsil, they’ll have to pay a hefty price for him. The Texans have dangled a first-round pick and Jadeveon Clowney in a proposed deal for Tunsil, but the Fins want even more, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears from two NFL sources. 
One of those sources tells Jackson that the Dolphins are seeking a high draft pick in addition to Clowney and a first-round choice. This could be a classic example of the old business adage, “Don’t tell them ‘no,’ tell them how much it will cost.”
The Dolphins’ interest in Clowney is very real, but so is their attachment to Tunsil, who is a quality tackle in a league that is largely devoid of them. There’s also this to consider – the Dolphins would have to give Clowney a hefty deal upon acquiring him, so they want to make sure the deal is worthwhile in total.
Will the Texans meet the sky-high asking price? That largely depends on exactly how desperate they are for left tackle help and how much other interested clubs will fork over for the former No. 1 overall pick.
Patriots’ Josh Gordon Cleared For Week One
Great news for Patriots fans and nervous fantasy football players – Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon has been cleared to play for Week One by the league office, per an NFL announcement. 
Previously, Gordon received a conditional reinstatement from NFL HQ, granting him permission to play if he satisfied certain terms. Gordon, apparently, has met the requirements, and he has received the green light for the start of the 2019 season.
Gordon appeared in 11 games for the Patriots last year, catching 40 passes for 720 yards and and three touchdowns. Late in the year, he suddenly revealed he was stepping away from the team, and not long after it was announced that he was being slapped with an indefinite ban.
Despite the many hiccups in his career, Gordon continues to hold serious promise. If he stays on the right track, Gordon could be primed for a massive year in New England.
Texans To Place QB Joe Webb On IR
The Texans plan to place quarterback Joe Webb on injured reserve, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Webb was carted off the field with a foot injury on Thursday night against the Rams and further testing confirmed that it was a serious malady.
Webb completed 65% of his passes in the exhibition game and was in line to back up Deshaun Watson. On the plus side, QB A.J. McCarron is ready to roll after injuring his thumb early in camp, so the Texans are likely set under center.
Webb, who has carved out a career with quarterback, wide receiver, and special teams skills, may or may not try to extend his career in 2020. He’ll turn 33 in November and celebrate his 34th birthday during the 2020 campaign.
Ravens Cut K Elliott Fry
The Ravens released kicker Elliott Fry, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Fry sank a 48-yard field goal in preseason action on Thursday night, but it wasn’t enough to keep him in Baltimore.
Fry now becomes one of the best available kickers in the NFL and an intriguing option for teams sifting through the waiver wire. The Jets, for instance, have No. 3 priority and could be among the interested clubs.
Fry spent most of the offseason fighting for the Bears’ job, but the team dropped him in favor of Eddy Pineiro. In Baltimore, they’ll stick with Justin Tucker, as was expected.
Patriots Trade CB Duke Dawson To Broncos
The Patriots have traded cornerback Duke Dawson to the Broncos, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The two sides will exchange late-round picks in the deal, with the Patriots receiving a sixth-rounder and the Broncos getting a 2020 seventh-rounder.
The Patriots were forced to Dawson on IR last season due to a hamstring injury. He was later designated for return, but never made it back on to the field.
Prior to all of that, Dawson was in the mix to become New England’s slot cornerback early in camp in 2018. This year, he seemed to have a shot at a steady role, but things did not pan out. Instead, the Broncos will acquire the 2018 second-round selection for pennies on the dollar.
Jaguars Release WR Terrelle Pryor
The Jaguars are making some early moves towards making the 53-man max. On Friday morning, Jacksonville cut wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, defensive tackle Datone Jones, and former Alabama cornerback Saivion Smith, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).
Pryor parlayed his huge season with the Browns a couple of years back into a one-year, $6MM free agent deal with the Redskins. Unfortunately, he was held back by an ankle injury and did little in D.C. He tried to regain his footing with the Jets and Bills last year, but injuries got the best of him once again. Then, he signed a veteran’s minimum contract with the Jaguars, but the former quarterback was unable to stay healthy and/or prove himself in practice.
Jones, 28, was selected by the Packers with the 26th overall pick of the 2013 draft, but he’s never been able to put it all together at the NFL level. In four seasons with Green Bay, Jones appeared in 60 games, but made only seven starts and never topped 600 snaps in any individual campaign. He joined the Jags in June and he finds himself seeking a new gig in late August.
Broncos Ownership Lawsuit Dismissed
Bill Bowlen‘s lawsuit attempting to remove Broncos CEO Joe Ellis and his fellow trustees from the Pat Bowlen trust has been dismissed in its entirety, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This resolution paves the way for Pat Bowlen’s ownership succession plans to go into effect.
As those who have been following this situation know by now, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, who passed away in June, ceded control of the club to three trustees during his battle with Alzheimer’s, and the trustees were vested with the power to transfer the team to one of Pat Bowlen’s seven children — when the time is right, and assuming at least one child satisfies his requirements for ownership — or to sell the team if the trustees believe doing so is in the club’s best interest.
For some time now, it has appeared that 29-year-old Brittany Bowlen is the favorite to ultimately take the reins. But not long after her status as the frontrunner became clear, Beth Bowlen Wallace went public with her desire to own the Broncos, though Ellis said the trust believed Bowlen Wallace was not qualified for ownership.
Bill Bowlen, Pat Bowlen’s brother, then filed his suit to remove the trustees, and as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, the Broncos believe that Bill Bowlen was acting on behalf of Bowlen Wallace and another sister, Amie Klemmer.
Florio, in confirming Schefter’s report, also says the battle is not quite over. After Bill Bowlen filed the suit, the Broncos initiated an arbitration proceeding under the theory that the matter falls within the NFL’s purview. Bill Bowlen had resisted arbitration since filing suit, but now it is his last hope.
The Broncos, though, believe that they will prevail in arbitration, and Florio says they’re probably right. So for right now, it seems as if Brittany Bowlen will, sooner or later, become the team’s controlling owner.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
Browns, Bills Complete Trade
The Bills have sent guard Wyatt Teller and a seventh-round pick to the Browns in exchange for a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick in 2020. The deal, announced by Buffalo, will give Cleveland some additional depth on the offensive line.
Given the timing of the deal, Teller seems a near-lock to make the final cut. He’ll find out for sure on Saturday afternoon, when teams go from the 90-man max to the 53-man limit.
Teller a former fifth-round pick of the Bills in 2018, started the final seven games of his rookie year at left guard.