Dolphins To Sign DT Ziggy Hood
The Dolphins have signed defensive tackle Ziggy Hood, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Hood auditioned for the Dolphins on Tuesday morning and it did not take long for a deal to come together.
Hood, a one-time starter for the Redskins, profiles as a reserve for the Dolphins. Davon Godchaux and Akeem Spence start in the middle for the Dolphins, but Hood will be one of two true reserve defensive tackles for Miami. Incumbent backup Vincent Taylor has played well in the first half of the year, so it will be interesting to see how Hood’s arrival affects his usage.
The Dolphins, with Hood in tow, will face the Jets on Sunday.
Police Arrest Giants QB Kyle Lauletta
Giants quarterback Kyle Lauletta was arrested this morning for an incident that occurred while he driving to the team’s practice facility, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com (on Twitter) hears.Dunleavy hears that Lauletta nearly struck police with car when he failed to obey the directions of an officer. 
The fourth-round pick has yet to see a snap this year, but there has been talk of him seeing the field as Eli Manning continues to struggle.
“We’re trying to do what we can to win this season and you always do what you can in the short run,” head coach Pat Shurmur said Monday when asked if it was important for Lauletta to play (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY). “It’s hard not to look at things in the long run, but what’s important is we try to beat the 49ers [in two weeks].”
The Giants, who have a Week 9 bye, are 1-7. Their next game will be in primetime on Monday Nov. 12 against the 49ers.
NFL Suspends Kendricks For Eight Games
The NFL suspended linebacker Mychal Kendricks for eight games, according to Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). The Seahawks defender will be credited for the three games served under his previous “indefinite” suspension, making him eligible to practice with the club in Week 12. 
Kendricks’ first game back is slated to come on Monday, Dec. 10 when the Seahawks host the Vikings. In theory, Kendricks could appeal, but he might just accept his punishment since it’s more lenient than expected. The league seemed determined to keep him off of the field until his insider trading case was settled in court, but he will instead be allowed to return to action for the Seahawks’ playoff push.
At 4-3, the Seahawks have an uphill battle in trying to beat out the Rams for the NFC West crown. However, they’re very much in Wild Card contention, and Kendricks can be a game-changer if they’re still afloat in December.
Kendricks was playing well in his brief time as a Seahawk, posting 15 tackles and two sacks in three games with the club.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Retires
Raiders cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie announced his retirement on Tuesday. Cromartie saw zero snaps on Sunday, which may have influenced his decision. 
Earlier this year, the Giants asked DRC to move from cornerback to safety. The veteran took well to the plan, but balked when the team later asked him to take a pay cut. In late August, he hooked on with Jon Gruden‘s Raiders, but as is the case with many of the vets that went to Oakland, his role was smaller than expected.
In 2017, Rodgers-Cromartie appeared in 15 games (six starts) for the Giants, managing 31 tackles, a half-sack, and one pass defensed while grading as the NFL’s No. 58 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. Still, the signs of aging were there. On 25 targets, DRC allowed 7.2 yards per pass, more than double his 2016 average of 3.5. DRC also made headlines as he butted heads with coach Ben McAdoo and was briefly suspended by the team.
Rodgers-Cromartie entered the league in 2008 as a first-round pick of the Cardinals and has since suited up for the Eagles, Broncos, and Giants. He leaves the game with Pro Bowls to his credit to go along with 30 career interceptions and six TDs.
Chiefs Interested In Janoris Jenkins
Janoris Jenkins is on the Chiefs’ radar, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter). Jenkins, who turned 30 this week, has reportedly been on the trade block for the last week as the Giants continue their rebuild.
Jenkins is in the third year of a five-year, $62.5MM deal. The Giants, who are virtually out of the playoff picture in 2018, are probably looking at a slow climb back to the top that would have them in contention in 2020. Given Jenkins’ salary and the draft value that he can fetch in return, it only makes sense for the G-Men to explore deals.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, have one of the league’s most dynamic offenses, but could use some improvement on the other side of the ball. Eric Berry‘s prolonged absence has clearly dented the secondary, and Jenkins would offer some serious help in downfield pass protection. Presently, the Chiefs are using Kendall Fuller, Steven Nelson, and Orlando Scandrick as their top corners.
For what it’s worth, Jenkins currently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 84 ranked cornerback in the NFL, a far cry from his usual position on the list.
Dolphins Meet With Ziggy Hood
Ziggy Hood will visit with and work out for the Dolphins on Tuesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Hood started for the Redskins in 2016 and 2017, but was released by the team earlier this month. 
Hood was in a reserve role for Washington this year and recorded just three tackles in his four games. Before that, however, Hood spent two years as the club’s primary nose tackle. The advanced metrics have not been fond of his work in recent years, but Hood offers experience and a first-round pedigree.
The Dolphins’ defensive line has taken some hits this year, including William Hayes‘ season ending ACL tear and Charles Harris‘ ongoing calf injury. Hood doesn’t profile as a starter for Miami, but he could offer some depth heading into the team’s intra-divisional matchup with the Jets on Sunday.
Lions’ Golden Tate Drawing Trade Interest
Could the Lions trade Golden Tate before Tuesday’s deadline? That’s what other teams want to know, as the Lions have been receiving calls of interest in the wide receiver (video link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 
Pelissero hears that that Lions could be willing to part with Tate if they’re offered a fourth-round draft pick. For all of his accomplishments, Tate amounts to a rental for interested clubs, so his market is somewhat limited.
At the same time, the 3-4 Lions are very much alive in the sardine-packed NFC North, so one has to wonder why Detroit would settle for a mid-round draft pick. The Lions may be tempted to increase targets for Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, but Tate remains a dangerous weapon as evidenced by his two 100+ yard games earlier this year.
Tate is in the final year of his five-year, $31MM pact. If another team acquires him this week, they’ll be on the hook for 9/17ths of his $7MM salary, which amounts to roughly $3.7MM.
Cowboys Fire OL Coach Paul Alexander
After the Cowboys’ slow start, there was speculation about the job security of Jason Garrett. Garrett remains in charge, but one of his top lieutenants is no longer with the team. On Monday afternoon, the Cowboys sacked offensive line coach Paul Alexander, according to a team announcement.
Alexander spent 27 season with the Bengals before becoming the Cowboys’ OL coach this year. Less than halfway into the year, he’s out of a job.
The Cowboys gave Alexander the keys to one of the league’s most talented offensive lines, but the unit took a major hit when Travis Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Without Frederick, the offensive line has been inconsistent and unable to provide adequate pocket protection for quarterback Dak Prescott. Apparently, the Cowboys believe that Alexander’s direction and blocking schemes are at least partly to blame for the front five’s struggles.
Already, Prescott has been sacked 23 times, which is tied for fifth-most in the NFL. Last year, he was sacked 32 times all year and was brought down in the backfield just 25 times as a rookie in 2016.
Marc Colombo, who has served as the team’s assistant offensive line coach since 2016, will serve as the team’s primary offensive line coach. If Colombo can’t get the O-Line back on track, more heads could roll in Dallas.
Buccaneers To Start Fitzpatrick, Bench Winston
The Fitzmagic is back in Tampa. On Monday, the Buccaneers announced that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start at quarterback in Week 9 over Jameis Winston. 
Winston began the year by serving a multi-game suspension and Fitzpatrick made the most of the opportunity. At least, he did for a little while. Fitzpatrick led the Bucs to upset wins over the Saints and Eagles in his first two weeks and nearly got the W over the Steelers in Week 3. Things fell apart for the veteran in Week 4 against the Bears’ top-notch defense, putting Winston back into the lineup.
Unfortunately, the FSU product hasn’t fared well in recent weeks. On Sunday, Winston lobbed four interceptions and the Bucs offense only regained life when Fitzpatrick was called upon to lead the charge. The Bucs scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late as the Bengals won 37-34.
The decision to bench Winston may have ramifications beyond the 2018 season. The former No. 1 overall pick is tied to the team through 2019 through his fifth-year option, but that option is guaranteed for injury only. If the Bucs keep Winston on the pine, they can move on from him this offseason without the specter of a $20MM+ obligation.
Browns Promote Gregg Williams To HC
The Browns have named defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as their new interim head coach, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Freddie Kitchens has been promoted from assistant to interim offensive coordinator, as Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com tweets. 
Williams, 60, has been an NFL coach since joining the Houston Oilers’ staff in 1990. Since then, he has held several defensive coordinator positions, and also served as the Bills’ head coach from 2001-2003. Williams’ Bills teams went 3-13, 8-8, and 6-10 in each of those seasons, resulting in a 17-31 record overall. That .354 mark is far from ideal, but it beats Hue Jackson‘s lifetime 11-44-1 mark (.205).
Kitchens began his coaching career in the college ranks before signing on as the Cowboys’ tight ends coach in 2006. After a ten-year run with the Cardinals, he became the Browns’ running backs coach/associate head coach earlier this year.
On Monday morning, the Browns dropped a pair of bombs on the football world. First, Hue Jackson was told to pack his bags. Moments later, we learned that offensive coordinator Todd Haley was also handed a pink slip. Ultimately, the infighting between the two men left Browns brass with a sour taste and cost both of them their jobs.
“We greatly appreciate Hue’s commitment to the Cleveland Browns organization over the last two and a half years,” the Haslams said in a joint statement. “We understand how critical this time period is in the development of our football team, individually and collectively, and believed it was in the organization’s best interest to make the move at this time, in order to maximize our opportunities the rest of this season. We certainly only wish Hue, Michelle, and his family the best moving forward.”
While the Browns have struggled this year, the defense has been largely solid under Williams’ guidance. The Browns lead the league with 22 takeaways this season and Williams will now be charged with injecting some life into the offense as well.