NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Jones, Giants, Webb
A look at the NFC East:
- When speaking to reporters at Wednesday’s meetings, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hinted that he wants to dial back the power of the commissioner’s office (Twitter link via Ben Volin of The Boston Globe). “There’s nobody that doesn’t see the need for changes in the NFL in several areas. … One of it is an antiquated constitution, an antiquated situation as to the power of his commissioner,” Jones said.
- Giants interim GM Kevin Abrams says he would like to see rookie Davis Webb get some playing time down the stretch (Twitter link via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). However, he added that “you can only play one quarterback at a time” and said that interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo will have the final call on the team’s QB situation.
- Several teams have failed to lure Cowboys senior director of college and pro personnel Will McClay in the past, but there is a feeling that he might be interested in the Giants‘ GM vacancy, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv writes. McClay is in charge of the Cowboys’ drafts and they have had a strong track record in recent years. McClay is among the Fritz Pollard Alliance’s recommended minority candidates for GM jobs this offseason.
Saints Claim LB Jonathan Freeny
The Saints have claimed linebacker Jonathan Freeny off of waivers from the Patriots, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. To make room, cornerback Sterling Moore has been released. 
The Patriots released Freeny on Wednesday as part of a series of roster moves that included the signing of Kenny Britt and defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois. His 2017 return to New England lasted only one week. Freeny will provide the Saints with some depth in their injury-ravaged front seven. Recently, Alex Okafor became the latest addition to the reserve list, joining Nathan Stupar, Alex Anzalone, Mitchell Loewen, and Nick Fairley.
Moore was cut by the Saints in October but circled back to the team in November. All in all, he appeared in five games for New Orleans with five tackles, two passes defensed, and one forced fumble. If he clears waivers, he’ll be free to sign with any team on Friday.
Latest On Roger Goodell
On Wednesday, we got some conflicting word on Roger Goodell‘s future plans. First, the league’s spokesperson told reporters that Goodell viewed his new extension, which ends in 2024, as his last contract. Then, hours later, Goodell himself said that he hasn’t “made any determinations” about when he’ll retire as commissioner. Which way will Goodell go? Perhaps neither. 
Goodell has told owners that he will step away after he guides the league through the upcoming CBA and TV negotiations, two people familiar with the league’s inner workings tell Mark Maske of the Washington Post. It’s possible that he’ll retire before the conclusion of his new deal, those sources say.
In 2024, Goodell will be 65 and he’ll have served nearly 18 years as commissioner. With tons of money in the bank, it would make sense for Goodell to either retire at that point or get a head start by relinquishing the throne sooner.
“I think there is a limit to how many years you should serve in this position,” Goodell said. “That’s a determination that’s made obviously with the ownership and also by yourself and your family. That’s something that we’ve done and I’m prepared and ready to go.”
Goodell’s successor, Paul Tagliabue, retired just before his 66th birthday and served as the NFL’s commissioner for 17 years.
Broncos Expected To Retain Vance Joseph
The expectation is that Broncos coach Vance Joseph will return for 2018, sources informed of the team’s thinking tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, the team’s decision makers will be keeping a close eye on how the team finishes out the 2017 season. 
The Broncos are 4-9 with zero chance of making the playoffs, but they’ll have chances to add to the win column against the Colts and Redskins and they could get the opportunity to spoil the Chiefs’ playoff hopes in Week 17. John Elway & Co. understand the team’s limitations on offense, Rapoport says, but they want to see the Broncos play competitive football in the final three games of the year.
Denver went 3-1 in the first month of the season, but things got ugly after the Week 5 bye. The Broncos dropped eight straight before snapping their losing streak against the Jets this past Sunday. Speculation about Joseph’s job security has dogged the team all year, but it sounds like the Broncos are poised to give him a second season to turn things around.
Under Joseph’s watch, the Broncos rank seventh in defensive DVOA, though that’s a step back from their first-place finish in the previous two seasons. Meanwhile, they’re dead last in offensive DVOA. The Broncos likely feel that Joseph can help restore the defense to its former glory while some roster changes (namely, at quarterback) can ignite the offense.
Giants To Place Justin Pugh On IR
The Giants are placing Justin Pugh on injured reserve, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter). The offensive lineman is being shut down due to a back injury, but the good news is that he will not have to undergo surgery. 
Pugh is due for free agency and with a new GM on the way, this could mark the end of his tenure with the Giants. The 27-year-old (28 in August) has spent his entire career with the G-Men since entering the league as the No. 19 pick of the 2013 draft.
Pugh has started in all 63 of his games for the Giants, though he has not played a full 16-man slate since his rookie season. This year, he appeared in eight games as both a left guard and a right tackle and graded out as the No. 52 guard in the league, per Pro Football Focus. In the previous two seasons, however, Pugh placed in the top 20.
The 2-11 Giants will wrap up the season with games against the Eagles, Cardinals, and Redskins.
Browns’ John Dorsey Rips Previous Regime
Paul DePodesta might not be long for Cleveland. In an interview on Thursday morning, new Browns GM John Dorsey took aim at not only his predecessor, but the people working underneath him. 
“You know what? You’ve got to get a guy like that (coach Hue Jackson) players,” Dorsey told WKNR 850 (transcript via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). “And you know what? I’ll come straight out with it. The guys who were here before, that system, they didn’t get real players.”
Dorsey’s decision to pluralize “guys” and deride the previous “system” does not bode well for DePodesta, the team’s Chief Strategy Officer. Dorsey has used some analytics in the past, but he is more of a traditional football man and he might not see a ton of value in keeping the Moneyball pioneer on the payroll.
It’s not just DePodesta that could be shown the door. Dorsey also sidestepped a question about whether Jackson will return as coach in 2018.
“I live in the present and I build for the future,” Dorsey said. “Right now the sun’s out, the tarps are coming out, we’re practicing outside, we’re getting ready to play the Baltimore Ravens and that’s my sole focus. And then it’s also getting familiar with the whole layout and the organizational structure.”
Details On Kenny Britt’s Contract
In the spring, the Browns signed Kenny Britt to a four-year deal with more than $10MM guaranteed. After he was cut in December, the Patriots landed him for significantly less. 
[RELATED: Patriots Sign WR Kenny Britt]
The Patriots are paying wide Britt a prorated portion of the veteran minimum ($900K) in the first year of his deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. After that, he’ll earn $1.5MM in 2018 year with a chance to reach to $2MM through incentives. However, the second year of the deal is a team option. If Britt does not perform, the Patriots can put him back out on the curb before next season.
Britt’s attitude and work ethic were an issue in Cleveland, but his contract with the Patriots is about as low-risk as it gets. If Britt can play up to even half of his potential without causing a locker room disturbance, he’ll be retained for next year on the cheap. If he causes headaches, then the Patriots can move on without any financial penalty. There’s always the chance that the temperamental wide receiver could mess with the team’s culture, but the Patriots had no such issues when they claimed Michael Floyd off of waivers nearly one year ago today.
Britt’s first opportunity to suit up for the Pats could come this Sunday against the Steelers.
RG3 Turned Down Cardinals, Ravens Offers
Apparently, Robert Griffin III turned down two separate NFL offers in 2017. In an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Griffin said that he rejected chances to join both the Cardinals and Ravens in the offseason. 
“In Arizona, the reason it wasn’t a good fit because they had already — Carson [Palmer] was there, I was willing to come in and learn behind an experienced veteran quarterback who’s done a lot of great things,” Griffin said (transcript via CBSSports.com). “They had the backup in [Drew] Stanton, they had also brought in Blaine Gabbert. Nobody lets four quarterbacks get practice time. That was the issue. It wasn’t the coach — [Bruce Arians] is a great coach, he’s a quarterback whisperer. And it’s a stable franchise.”
Griffin also explained why he passed on an opportunity to join the Ravens.
“Baltimore was just, they offered me a contract right before the first preseason game, to start against the Redskins,” RG3 said. “Selfishly I could have taken that, to go play against them, but I knew I wouldn’t have been ready with that offense, with those guys, to put my best foot forward.”
In each instance, Griffin said that he knew the risk – if he turned down the offer, he might not get another. Surprisingly, Griffin says that he hasn’t given up on the possibility that a playoff team could sign him this year. That seems pretty unlikely to us, however, particularly since the Eagles have shown no interest in signing a Carson Wentz replacement.
Bengals Meet With Rey Maualuga
Linebacker Rey Maualuga visited the Bengals on Wednesday, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Maualuga, of course, offers familiarity with the Bengals system and he could be an easy plug-in for the team’s injury-ravaged LB group. 
The status of outside linebackers Nick Vigil (hamstring) and Vontaze Burfict (concussion) is up in the air as the Bengals get set for Sunday’s game against the Vikings. Rookies Carl Lawson and Jordan Evans will see an increase in playing time, but the presence of a vet like Maualuga would help solidify the team’s pass rush.
Maualuga joined the Dolphins in the summer, but he found himself without a job after he was arrested for battery at a nightclub in November. Prior to that incident, the linebacker made four starts for the Dolphins and played in six games.
The Bengals are not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but they’re virtually out of the running. However, Maualuga can get himself back in the NFL conversation with a successful three-game audition.
Giants Want Eli Manning Back In 2018
Giants owner John Mara says that he wants Eli Manning to remain with the Giants in 2018. However, he’s not guaranteeing his return either. 
[RELATED: Where Will Eli Manning Play In 2018?]
“Yes,” Mara said when asked if he wants Manning to stay with the club. “But that’s a discussion that we’ll have.”
Earlier this month, there was an uproar amongst Giants fans when Manning was asked to take a backseat to Geno Smith. Days later, Mara sacked coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese while interim coach Steve Spagnuolo reinstated Manning as the starter. With that in mind, it’s hard to tell whether Mara’s endorsement of Manning is a move to appease Giants fans in the short term or if he is genuinely interested in keeping the veteran under his current contract.
Manning has two years to go on his expensive deal and he’ll turn 37 shortly after the New Year. As it stands, he’s set to earn $10.5MM in 2018 and $11.5MM in 2019. If Manning is unwilling to take a hair cut, then the Giants could cut him loose before his $5MM roster bonus comes due in March.
If the season ended today, the Giants would own the No. 2 pick in the draft. From there, the team’s next GM (whoever he may be) will find most, if not all, of the class’ top QBs available. UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, and USC’s Sam Darnold are widely considered to be this year’s top prospects at the position.