Bengals Place Adam Jones On IR
The Bengals have placed cornerback Adam Jones on injured reserve with a groin injury. To take his place, the team promoted fellow corner Tony McRae from the practice squad. 
Jones, 34, was forced out of last week’s game against the Steelers with the injury. On Pittsburgh’s first offensive drive, Jones dove to intercept Ben Roethlisberger. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get up after that when he suffered the tear.
Jones’ season is over after just nine games, 23 tackles, one interception, and four passes defensed. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus indicate that this has been his worst season ever as a pro. His overall score of 47.0 portrays him as a below replacement level player and he is ranked just 91 out of 115 qualified cornerbacks. For reference, he was PFF’s No. 37 CB in 2016 and their No. 15 CB in 2015.
Given his age, regression, and history of off-the-field issues, it’s fair to wonder if Jones will be back with the Bengals in 2018. He’s under contract for next year with a $6.66MM cap number, but the Bengals would only have to eat $666K if they release him.
Losing Jones will hurt the Bengals’ already slim hopes of reaching the playoffs. Cincinnati is 5-7 heading into tomorrow’s game against the Bears with just a 1.7% chance of securing an AFC Wild Card spot, according to Football Outsiders.
NFC North Notes: Packers, Rodgers, Bears
Here’s a look at the NFC North:
- Packers coach Mike McCarthy says quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks good throwing a football just seven weeks after shoulder surgery (Twitter link via Ryan Wood of the Press-Gazette). “He’s back there slinging it around and throwing with great velocity,” McCarthy said. “The recovery has been impressive.” A Rodgers return could be right around the corner as the team hopes to get him back on the field for Week 15.
- Packers tight end Lance Kendricks has been charged with marijuana possession stemming from his traffic stop earlier this fall, Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Initially, the 29-year-old believed that he would not face any charges related to the pot that cops found when he was pulled over for speeding. Because there is a drug offense involved, Kendricks could face league discipline for the incident. However, it stands to reason that the NFL will wait for the legal situation to resolve itself before coming down on the tight end. If there’s any suspension to be served, it won’t happen until the 2018 season, at the earliest. So far this year, Kenrdricks has just 11 catches for 151 yards and one touchdown. Last year, he had a career high 50 catches for 499 yards and two TDs with the Rams.
- The Giants and Browns held key members of the organization accountable for their losing this week. John Mullin of NBC Sports Chicago wonders when the Bears will do the same. Coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace find themselves on the hot seat, but it’s possible that the Bears will give them each one more year to turn things around. The team’s final four games against the Bengals, Lions, Browns, and Vikings obviously won’t have any playoff implications for the Bears, but the results could factor into the futures of both Fox and Pace.
- The Fritz Pollard Alliance released its list of candidates for coaching and GM jobs this week. Packers exec Alonzo Highsmith is a recommended GM candidate while Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and Vikings DC George Edwards were both offered up as potential head coaches.
Pollard Alliance To File Complaint Against Browns
The Browns say that they satisfied the Rooney Rule by interviewing Doug Whaley for their GM job. The Fritz Pollard Alliance, however, is not satisfied with their explanation. John Wooten, the chairman of the group, says that the Browns failed to comply with proper procedure by not telling the league about the Whaley interview. 
[RELATED: Pollard Alliance Releases HC, GM Candidates]
“For whatever reason, [owner Jimmy] Haslam or whoever is running their operation there did not report that they had interviewed a minority candidate before they announced that they had signed John Dorsey,” Wooten told PFT. “That threw the whole thing into question, because everybody was asking, ‘Who did they interview?’ Well, we checked with the league, and the league said it had not received any information on who they interviewed or anyone that they intended to interview. Under league rules, the fact that Doug Whaley and John Dorsey were not in the league, they could in fact talk to those guys, but you still have to report you talked to Doug Whaley, and they didn’t do that.”
Initially, Wooten said he was “livid” about the team’s quick hiring of Dorsey because the Whaley interview had been kept under wraps. He’s not quite as angry now, but he has asked civil rights lawyer (and former candidate for the NFLPA’s top job) Cyrus Mehri to file a complaint with the league.
“That’s where we are,” said Wooten. “We’re still waiting for the league to clear this up. We’ve put it on their table. It’s their responsibility. It’s the team’s responsibility to tell the league, and the league gets it to us. We’ll let the league decide what they want to do there [as far as any punishment].”
Saints’ David Parry Suspended By NFL
Saints defensive tackle David Parry has been suspended by the NFL for four games, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Parry has been on IR since Week 4, but the suspension goes into effect immediately. The ban stems from his February incident/arrest, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
The ban actually began with last nights New Orleans contest, tweets Nick Underhill of the Advocate. As such, Parry will serve the entirety of the suspension in 2017, and won’t have to worry about the punishment slipping into next season.
In the winter, Parry was alleged to have attacked a taxi cart driver, car(t)jacked said vehicle, and threatened police officers. At one point in time, Parry was facing jail time with four charges against him. One of the charges was for committing a “Super Extreme” DUI in the state of Arizona, since he operated the cart with a high blood alcohol level.
Parry started 32 games for the Colts as a nose tackle in Indianapolis’ 3-4 scheme, but few teams were interested in him after his booze-fueled incident. He signed with the Saints’ practice squad in early September and earned a promotion to the main roster weeks later, but he suffered a season-ending injury in his first game back.
Browns Release Kenny Britt
The Browns have released Kenny Britt, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. Because the trade deadline has come and gone, Britt will be subject to waivers. 
This marks John Dorsey‘s first move as Browns GM, and it’s a massive one. This past offseason, the Browns signed Britt to a four-year, $32.5MM deal. He was a monumental disappointment, however, with just 18 catches for 233 yards and two scores to date.
The story on Britt hasn’t changed much since his collegiate days. Although he is a tremendously talented athlete, his suspect work ethic has prevented him from fulfilling his true potential. The Titans used a first-round pick on him in 2009, but he floundered after his first two NFL seasons. The light appeared to go on for Britt last year when he eclipsed 1,000 yards for the Rams, but one has to wonder if he was motivated strictly by his impending free agency.
There was internal conflict between head coach Hue Jackson and former Browns czar Sashi Brown about whether to play Britt, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Jackson was not a fan of the temperamental wide receiver, so it sounds like Dorsey is off on the right foot with his coach. Jackson benched Britt on Oct. 29 against the Vikings and sent him home early when he missed curfew on the eve of their Oct. 15 game against the Texans (Britt was injured, but did not make it back to the team hotel until 1 a.m.).
The league’s 31 other teams will have an opportunity to claim Britt, but it’s not terribly likely that anyone will take on his contract. Meanwhile, the Browns are out $10.5MM – the amount fully guaranteed to him at the time of signing.
East Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Hackenberg, Jets
Jerry Jones offered a measured response to Roger Goodell‘s new extension when asked about it on Friday morning.
“No, I don’t really [have any comment],” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan (transcript via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). “We’re having a very important [owners] meeting here in Dallas next week beginning Wednesday. That’s very meaningful. I’m looking forward to that. That’ll be very meaningful as we go forward. One of the things that I think that has been mentioned is any role that I might have had in the extension of Roger. As you know, I’ve been on both ends of it as far as any criticism. It’s been my experience in 30 years in the NFL that to make change and to make positive change — every time we all strive to make the NFL better, I include every owner with that — it’s hard. It’s very, very hard. If you really want to make some changes, you usually end up getting a lot of criticism along the way. It’s happened every time with me when we’ve had meaningful change. … We’ll see how it goes forward, but there’s nothing that has surprised me here.”
While Jones seethes behind closed doors, let’s take a look at the latest from the East divisions:
- Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com spoke with people around the league to size up some potential candidates for the Giants‘ GM vacancy. The names he’s hearing include Eliot Wolf (Packers), Nick Caserio (Patriots), Scott Pioli (Falcons), Trent Kirchner (Seahawks), Dave Gettleman (ex-Panthers GM), Louis Riddick (currently with ESPN), and internal candidates Kevin Abrams and Marc Ross.
- Can Christian Hackenberg still be the Jets‘ quarterback of the future? The former second round pick has yet to see the field, but Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News won’t rule out the possibility that he could be in the mix next season. For his part, Hackenberg admits that he is anxious to take an NFL snap. “In order to grow and learn, you need to get hit in your mouth,” Hackenberg said. “You need to fail. Then you grow from that. There’s really no intimidation. I got to experience things. I felt like I experienced a lot of really good things this preseason and some things I need to learn from. That’s all part of the process. If you don’t experience both ends of the spectrum, you’re not getting everything out of the adventure.”
Latest On Browns, John Dorsey
The Browns dominated the news cycle on Thursday by canning top decision maker Sashi Brown and, hours later, replacing him with ex-Chiefs GM John Dorsey. On Friday morning, owner Jimmy Haslam formally announced Dorsey as the team’s new GM and shed some light on the team’s power structure going forward. Here’s a look at the highlights from Haslam plus more news on the Browns’ future plans:
- Haslam says the current plan is for head coach Hue Jackson, Dorsey, and executive Paul DePodesta to report to ownership (Twitter link via Andrew Gribble of ClevelandBrowns.com). “[Hue] and John will be working closely together for a long time,” Haslam said.
- Because DePodesta reports directly to Haslam, Dorsey will not have the authority to fire him, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer hears. The Browns also want to keep Andrew Berry as the Vice President of Player Personnel. Dorsey, will have the opportunity to hire and fire others in the personnel department, but it sounds like he has been asked to work with both DePodesta and Berry.
- Haslam reiterated that Jackson will be the coach in 2018. He then went a step further, adding: “I think it would be a mistake to just zero in on ’18. We’re planning on Hue Jackson being our football coach for a long time,” Haslam said (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon).
- Dorsey has control over the 53-man roster in his contract, sources tell Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). That means he’ll run the draft, free agency, and all other facets of constructing the team. In Kansas City, coach Andy Reid had control over the 53-man roster.
- The failed A.J. McCarron trade on the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline had nothing to do with the team beginning to pursue Dorsey five or six weeks ago, Haslam insists (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal).
- Things reached a boiling point between Jackson and Brown in August when the team cut cornerback Joe Haden, despite already having plenty of cap space, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports hears. Jackson’s frustration was later compounded when Haden signed with the rival Steelers. Jackson was also riddled with anxiety on draft day since the front office was undecided about the No. 1 overall pick until the morning of the draft. The latest source of tension came from the McCarron deal. Robinson hears that some senior members of the coaching staff felt that Brown had either gotten cold feet or purposely sabotaged the trade.
Pollard Alliance Releases HC, GM Candidates
The Fritz Pollard Alliance met with the NFL this week and submitted names of suggested GM and head coaching candidates. The list, which is distributed to teams each year, recommends minority candidates for openings around the league. 
This year’s candidates for GM jobs are Joey Clinkscales (Raiders), Alonzo Highsmith (Packers), Ray Farmer (Rams consultant), Will McClay (Cowboys), and Doug Williams (Redskins), according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The head coaching candidates are Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Vikings DC George Edwards, Panthers DC Steve Wilks, and Titans offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Farmer has ten years of front office experience under his belt, including two as the Browns’ GM. The team went 10-22 under his watch, so wouldn’t necessarily be an exciting choice for a team this offseason. The other four suggested candidates would be first-time GMs, if hired.
Austin has been considered a bonafide head coaching candidate for some time, but he has been left in a holding pattern. In the 2016 offseason, Austin opined that two of his four interviews were done solely to satisfy the Rooney Rule. This past year, he interviewed with the Rams and Chargers.
Absent from the list is former Bills GM Doug Whaley, who received a potentially bogus interview with the Browns this week.
Browns Interviewed Doug Whaley
Prior to hiring new GM John Dorsey, the Browns also formally interviewed former Bills GM Doug Whaley, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). They also informally touched base with a few other possible candidates. 
A cynic might look at the Whaley interview as a cheap ploy to satisfy the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” which stipulates that a minority candidate must be interviewed for every GM and head coaching job. As soon as Sashi Brown was shown the door, it was reported that Dorsey was the frontrunner for the job. Less than 24 hours later, Dorsey was hired. It seems unlikely that Whaley ever had a real chance of landing the position.
Before news of the Whaley interview came out, John Wooten, the head of Fritz Pollard Alliance, said he was “livid” over the Browns’ immediate hire of Dorsey.
“I think John Dorsey is a very top quality GM,” Wooten told Jarrett Bell of USA Today Sports. “I am livid that the Browns would totally ignore the work all of us to make the Rooney Rule meaningful.”
With multiple GM vacancies expected to open up this offseason, it’s possible that Whaley will get some real bites. Then again, he might have to rebuild his reputation before landing another NFL GM job. The Bills’ best record during Whaley’s tenure was 9-7 and they did not qualify for the playoffs in any of his four seasons at the helm.
Former Giants RB Rashad Jennings Retires
Rashad Jennings is calling it a career. The running back took to Twitter on Friday morning to announce his retirement. 
“If good things don’t come to an end, then how can better things begin? I’m truly humbled. I’m truly excited.. More to come on this. But for now, I just want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone!,” Jennings wrote.
That next step could be a move to broadcasting. Earlier this year, Jennings participated in “Dancing With The Stars” and wound up winning the competition. Now that he has tons of TV experience and is known to an audience outside of football, he could have some big paychecks ahead of him that don’t require getting tackled.
Jennings, 32, didn’t draw a lot of NFL interest this offseason and that could be because of his moonlighting as a network TV ballroom dancer. His age and injury history didn’t help much either. In 2016, he played through several nagging injuries and averaged just 3.3 yards per carry. However, he was healthy in 2015 and it showed – he averaged 4.4 yards per carry and started in all 16 regular season games.
Jennings first entered the league as a seventh-round pick of the Jaguars. After spending the first three years of his career with Jacksonville, he joined up with the Raiders in 2013. In Oakland, Jennings showed that he could produce with a big workload as he ran for 733 yards off of 163 carries (4.5 yards per attempt). He used that season as a platform for free agency, where he landed a four-year deal with the Giants.
Whether it’s broadcasting or ballet, we here at Pro Football Rumors wish Jennings the best in his future endeavors.