Cowboys Haven’t Considered Extension For Jason Garrett
The Cowboys haven’t pondered an extension for head coach Jason Garrett, owner Jerry Jones says (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). Jones’ comments caused a stir, particularly with speculation about Garrett’s job security, but it’s not necessarily huge news since Garrett is already signed through the 2019 season. 
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Frankly, it would be shocking if the 3-3 Cowboys approached Garrett about a new contract with 26 regular season games to go on his deal. Garrett has had some successful campaigns in Dallas, but the Cowboys missed the playoffs last season and have just one playoff victory in his past seven full years at the helm.
After a disappointing overtime loss to the Texans, the Cowboys bounced back on Sunday with a 40-7 blowout of the Jaguars. With a win over the Redskins in D.C. this weekend, the Cowboys can move past the .500 mark for the first time in 2018. And, if the Cowboys continue to win, Garrett could have an extension offer early next year.
Chiefs Not Considering Derrick Johnson
Derrick Johnson is back on the free agent pile after securing his release from the Raiders. However, the Chiefs’ all-time leading tackler will not be returning to Kansas City. 
“We haven’t talked about that…That’s not the direction we’re going,” coach Andy Reid said when asked about the possibility of re-signing the veteran linebacker (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher).
Jon Gruden loves his veterans, and he appeared to be over the moon after signing Johnson in the spring. Things didn’t work out as planned, however, as Johnson played just 152 total snaps through six games. With all due respect to Marquel Lee and Tahir Whitehead, that’s not a strong endorsement of the 35-year-old’s skills.
The Chiefs certainly have their weaknesses on defense, but they allowed Johnson to walk for a reason. Barring a change in thinking, Johnson will not get an opportunity to contribute to his 938 solo tackles or his 27.5 sacks in a Chiefs uniform.
Texans’ Andre Hal Cleared To Practice
Andre Hal‘s Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is in remission, and the safety is ready to get back to work. On Wednesday, Texans coach Bill O’Brien announced that Hal has been cleared to practice. 
The Texans have activated the three-week window to add Hal to the 53-man roster. It’s a remarkable step forward for a player who was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness just five months ago.
“My faith in God and the support from my family, friends, teammates and coaches will see me through this difficult time,” Hal said in June. “I will not let this diagnosis stop me from fulfilling my dreams and I do not want anyone to feel sorry for me. I know how to beat this and I will beat it.”
Hal, 26, has been with the Texans since entering the league as a seventh-round pick in 2014. Eventually, he cracked the starting lineup and was rewarded with a three-year, $15MM extension prior to the 2017 season. Last year, Hal started in all 16 games for Houston and set a new career high in total tackles (71) while notching three interceptions.
It seems unlikely that Hal will be ready to go against the Jaguars on Sunday, and the Texans may not want him to debut four days later against the Dolphins. Realistically, the Texans’ Nov. 4 date against the Broncos could be a logical time for Hal to make his return, but that will largely depend on his health and conditioning.
Dolphins Place Chase Allen On IR
The Dolphins placed linebacker Chase Allen on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. To fill his spot, the club re-signed safety Maurice Smith. 
Allen played through a foot injury against the Bears and it’s possible that he aggravated the issue while on the field. While he wasn’t a star player in Miami, he was a special teams staple and his hard-nosed play will be missed. It’s not immediately clear whether Allen is a candidate to return later this year or if this is a certain season-ender.
Allen, of course, is just the latest Dolphins player to be hit by the injury bug. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, cornerback Bobby McCain, and linebacker Cameron Wake face uncertain timetables for return while Allen joins notables William Hayes, Josh Sitton, and Daniel Kilgore on IR.
Despite their bad luck when it comes to health, the Dolphins boast a 4-2 record heading into this week’s contest against the Lions.
Bills To Start Derek Anderson
For the first time since 2016, Derek Anderson will start an NFL game. On Wednesday, Bills coach Sean McDermott announced that the veteran quarterback will get the nod over Nathan Peterman when the Bills face the Colts on Sunday. 
Starter Josh Allen is out with an elbow injury, but he will not require major surgery and is considered week-to-week. The Bills turned to Peterman after Allen went down against the Texans, but he did not inspire confidence after yet another spotty performance. The Bills were quietly excited about the 2017 fifth-round pick last year, but they have little incentive to start him now.
Peterman has now occupied every possible spot on the Bills’ QB depth chart this season. The Pittsburgh product was set to be the club’s No. 2 QB behind A.J. McCarron and ahead of Allen, but September’s surprising trade propelled him to the top job. Peterman was atrocious in the season opener, however, and quickly ceded the starting gig to Allen. This week, he was primed to re-take the first-string assignment, but the newly-acquired Anderson has received the nod, despite having been in Buffalo for just over one week.
Anderson has 76 career NFL appearances under his belt, though he has not seen consistent action since his 2010 campaign with the Cardinals. He went just 2-7 that year, but he did lead the 2007 Browns to a 10-5 record in 15 starts en route to his only Pro Bowl nod.
Vested Veteran Salary Guarantees
Tons of veteran players were cut before the start of the season, and while different clubs had different reasons for shuffling their rosters, the looming vested veteran guarantee may have played a part in many of those moves. Vested veterans – players with at least four years of NFL experience – had their 2018 base salary guaranteed for the year by being on an NFL team’s roster for the first game of the season.
That means that if a team decided after Week 1 to part ways with a veteran player with a 2018 base salary of $1MM, the team would still be on the hook for that full $1MM, which would count against the cap. A veteran who has received this form of termination pay in the past wouldn’t be eligible to receive it again, but otherwise the player can put in a claim for his full salary and receive it. Veterans not a Week 1 roster don’t benefit from that provision, however.
If a player is signed during the season, following a team’s first game, and is later released, he’s only entitled to 25% of his full-season salary. For instance, let’s say a team signed a player in Week 2 for a full-year salary of $1.02MM. First, that salary would be prorated for 16 weeks, meaning it’d be worth $960K. If a player is cut shortly after signing, he’d receive 25% of that amount, or $240K. If the player is released within four weeks of signing, he’d only count for $240K against his team’s cap, rather than the amount of his full salary.
Ultimately, the Labor Day weekend numbers crunch is about much more than talent-based decisions. Teams are mindful of expenses and potential dead money hits, particularly when they’re tight against the cap. The smaller vested veteran guarantees may seem like a drop in the bucket when compared to a $177.2MM cap, but every dollar counts for clubs with less than $2MM in breathing room such as the Vikings, Patriots, and Rams.
Jaguars Owner Pulls Wembley Stadium Bid
Jaguars owner Shad Khan withdrew his bid to buy Wembley Stadium in England, according to a press release from the site’s owners. Evidently, Khan pulled the offer due to criticism he received in Europe.
“Earlier this year, The FA received an unsolicited official offer from Shahid Khan to buy Wembley Stadium. It was a very credible offer and was given very serious consideration. Shahid Khan has informed us today that he will be withdrawing his offer to buy the stadium – and we fully respect his decision,” the FA said in a statement. “Mr. Khan believed that his offer to buy Wembley Stadium would release funds to help improve community football facilities in England and that it would be well received by all football stakeholders. At a recent meeting with Mr. Khan he expressed to us that, without stronger support from within the game, his offer is being seen as more divisive than it was anticipated to be and has decided to withdraw his proposal.”
Of course, the plan to buy Wembley Stadium also stirred up a bit of controversy here in the United States. Some reports claimed that Khan was planning to move the Jaguars from Jacksonville, Florida to London, England. The team has denied those types of claims for years, but Khan’s decision to pull out of the Wembley bidding may finally put those rumors to rest.
Practice Squad Updates: 10/16/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Jake Eldrenkamp, WR Blake Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- Cut: WR DeAngelo Yancey
Houston Texans
- Signed: RB Josh Ferguson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR K.J. Brent
- Cut: QB Phillip Walker
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Craig James
- Cut: CB Jalen Myrick
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Chris Campbell, WR Shane Wynn
- Cut: DB Darius Hillary, WR Tanner McEvoy
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Kalif Raymond, DE Myles Humphrey
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB B.J. Bello, DT Winston Craig
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Keenan Reynolds
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Ruben Holcomb, CB David Rivers
- Cut: OT Jarron Jones, RB Dare Ogunbowale
Raiders Release LB Derrick Johnson
The Raiders announced that they have released linebacker Derrick Johnson. In a related move, the club has signed fellow ‘backer Jason Cabinda off the practice squad. 
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Johnson, the leading tackler in Chiefs history, joined up with Jon Gruden‘s Raiders this offseason. Many criticized Gruden’s preference for signing older players this year, and the 35-year-old is one of several veterans who have not panned out in Oakland.
“I still have a fire burning. I can still play at a high level, and I want to prove that.” Johnson said after signing with the Raiders in May. “That [response] made [Gruden’s] eyeballs jump, because he’s got a lot to prove, too. There was an environment in the room that was very contagious. I knew a deal would happen after I left..I’m one of Gruden’s favorite players — he’s always had a soft spot for me. He’s always said that over the years.”
The veteran boasts four Pro Bowl nods and a First-Team All-Pro selection on his resume, so he might be able to hook on elsewhere. Still, he’s clearly not the player that he once was. Despite amassing more than 2,600 tackles since entering the league as a first round choice in 2005, he has just 17 tackles to his credit through six games this year.
Johnson requested his release from the team, a source tells Michael Gehlken of the Review-Journal (on Twitter). The Raiders first tried to trade him, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), but they were unable to find a suitable deal.
So far, linebacker Marquel Lee has gotten the brunt of the reps at linebacker, and he’ll continue to do so with Johnson out of the picture. Cabinda, a rookie, may also factor into the equation.
49ers Sign QB Tom Savage
The 49ers have signed quarterback Tom Savage, per a club announcement. To make room, tight end Cole Wick has been released. 
The Niners have been seeking a third quarterback since losing Jimmy Garoppolo in September. They finally have one in Savage, though he’s a long way from seeing the field. For now, Savage is penciled in as the third-string signal caller behind C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens.
Savage was part of a QB contingent that worked out for the 49ers late last month, auditioning alongside Landry Jones, EJ Manuel, Kellen Clemens, T.J. Yates, Matt Simms, and Kyle Allen. Weeks later, he has landed a deal from SF.
Savage inked a one-year, $1.5MM deal with the Saints earlier this year, and appeared to be the favorite to serve as Drew Brees‘ top backup, but he was cut after Teddy Bridgewater was acquired via trade. A fourth-round pick in 2014, Savage appeared in 13 games and made nine starts over four seasons with the Texans.