NFL Suspends Free Agent CB Jalen Collins
Cornerback Jalen Collins has gone unsigned since hitting the free agent market in November. Now, we know why. The former Falcon has been suspended for additional games by the NFL, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
This marks the second ban of the year for Collins, who served a ten-game suspension to start the season. It’s not immediately clear what Collins’ latest suspension is for, but it may be a substance abuse violation. If this were a third ban for performance-enhancing drugs, it would be longer than four games.
Collins appeared in eight games (six starts) for the Falcons last year. The 2015 second-round pick is viewed as a highly-talented player, but his off-the-field issues have hampered him thus far in the NFL. If not for his red flags, he likely would have been a first-round choice in 2015. He also might be a starting cornerback in Atlanta today.
Once Collins is clear to play, he may draw interest from contenders looking to beef up the secondary. Then again, teams might be wary of bringing him into the locker room given his checkered past.
Sashi Brown Releases Statement On Firing
On Thursday, the Browns sacked top decision maker Sashi Brown with four games to go in the season. In his farewell address to Browns fans, Brown took the high road and also took ownership of the team’s poor performance: 
“I want this to be real and clear, the way I know Cleveland and Browns fans can appreciate: Our win-loss record since I became executive vice president isn’t going to cut it.
We worked hard. I am so grateful to the people I worked with throughout my four-plus years with the Browns, particularly the people I worked with the past two years. We embarked on a mission to rebuild the Browns for long-term, sustainable success. We were committed and aggressive in our approach, even if unorthodox at times. We made dramatic changes and put in place a foundation on which championships can be built.
Obviously, the Browns have not yet achieved the turnaround we wanted for a franchise and the best fans in the NFL, who deserve it more than any other in sports. I know that turnaround is coming.
I thank Dee and Jimmy and the rest of the Haslam family for taking a chance on me. And when that turnaround happens, wherever I am, I will smile – more than a little bittersweetly – and say, to myself, “Go Browns!”
Part of Brown’s unorthodox approach to team-building included a heavy focus on analytics. The team’s next GM may or may not follow in the same path, but we do know that Moneyball guru Paul DePodesta‘s job is safe – for now – along with Vice President of Player Personnel Andrew Berry. John Dorsey – who leaned on some advanced statistical analysis while with the Chiefs – is said to be among the early candidates for the vacancy.
Darren Sproles Leaning Towards Return
Eagles running back Darren Sproles has yet to decide on his football future. However, he says that he is leaning towards playing in 2018 (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). 
Sproles is still recovering from his knee injury, but he indicated that he wanted to leave the game on a higher note. “I can’t end like this,” Sproles said.
The diminutive runner had high hopes for this season, but he was forced out in Week 3 when he simultaneously suffered a broken forearm and a torn ACL. Sproles will turn 35 this summer, but his three consecutive Pro Bowl nods prior to this year indicate that he still has some football left in him. In 2016, he set a new personal watermark with 94 carries while also catching 52 passes. The 865 yards from scrimmage were the third-highest total of his career.
If Sproles does decide to return, it may or may not be with the Eagles. His contract expires at the end of this year, meaning that he’ll be eligible for free agency in March.
Fallout From Browns’ Firing Of Sashi Brown
Hue Jackson‘s play calling has often been criticized, but so far he has held off on hiring an offensive coordinator. Why’s that? Jackson told reporters on Thursday that he didn’t want to hire an OC with a bad offense and make him take the fall (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer). However, he says it’s possible that he will hire one for 2018.
Here’s the latest out of Cleveland following the firing of top exec Sashi Brown:
- Brown was not on speaking terms with Jackson over the past month or so, sources tell Cabot.
- The Browns say that Jackson will return in 2018, but some in league circles believe that might not be the case if the Browns finish 0-16, Mike Florio of PFT writes. Owner Jimmy Haslam going back on his promise might not be ideal, but Florio argues that the team will be open to ridicule regardless with a 1-31 record over the last two years.
- Brown knew his job was in jeopardy and met with Haslam recently to discuss it, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. At the time, Brown was told that no decisions had been made.
- When asked if he’ll want to have personnel control going forward, Jackson said that he wants to be in concert with those making the decisions (Twitter link via Rapoport).
- Jackson hopes that the team’s next regime can tighten up some of its loose lips. “This has been a leaky place for years. Hopefully some of that stuff will go away in time,” Jackson said (Twitter link via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan).
- Fun fact: The Browns’ last win on a Sunday was Dec. 13, 2015, when Johnny Manziel led them to a 24-10 win over the Niners, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes.
Browns To Retain Paul DePodesta
The Browns aren’t totally cleaning house. At least, not yet. For the time being, Chief Strategy Officer Paul DePodesta and Vice President of Player Personnel Andrew Berry will keep their jobs, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer hears. 
[RELATED: Browns Fire VP Sashi Brown]
DePodesta was brought on in 2016 to help spearhead the Browns’ analytical efforts. His hiring was one of the more unconventional moves in recent NFL history since he had no previous experience in the sport.
So far, the numbers crunching of the former A’s exec and Dodgers GM hasn’t improved the Browns’ on-field product, but the team has amassed an impressive amount of draft capital under his guidance. And, of the team’s 24 picks made in the last two years, 20 remain on the roster. To some extent, the team’s strategy of multiplying draft picks has been a success, and DePodesta has played a role in that.
Meanwhile, the search for Sashi Brown‘s replacement is already underway. The Browns are said to be eyeing former Chiefs GM John Dorsey and he may be the frontrunner for the job.
Browns Eyeing Ex-Chiefs GM John Dorsey
The Browns’ GM search is underway and we already have word on a potential frontrunner for the job. The Browns are eyeing former Chiefs GM John Dorsey and he is expected to emerge as a leading contender for the job, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini. 
[RELATED: Browns Fire VP Sashi Brown]
Owner Jimmy Haslam and his wife Dee Haslam are expected to interview candidates as early as this week, sources tell the duo. The early interviews may also include Seahawks executive Trent Kirchner and Packers executive Eliot Wolf, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
In his statement announcing the firing of Sashi Brown, Haslam said that he would be looking for “someone with strong experience and success in drafting and building consistently winning football teams.” Dorsey fits the bill, though he is not without his critics. Dorsey was canned by Kansas City late last offseason, reportedly because of his overly loose management style. The Chiefs also did a poor job of managing the salary cap, though that supposedly did not factor heavily into Clark Hunt’s decision fire him.
Because of the team is making experience a requirement, it sounds like former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning will not be considered for the job. Throughout the year, there were rumblings of Haslam working to lure Manning, potentially by offering a small stake in the team. Instead, it appears that the Browns will be making a more traditional hire.
Whoever takes over for Brown in Cleveland will have a lot going for them (in theory). In the 2018 draft, the Brows have an enviable stockpile including an extra first-round pick, two additional second round picks, a fourth-round choice, and a fifth-round selection. They could also have nearly $100MM in cap space, though it’s not a given that Haslam will spend it all.
Browns Fire VP Sashi Brown
The Browns have fired their top decision maker. Sashi Brown has been relieved of his duties, the team announced on Thursday morning. However, coach Hue Jackson will return in 2018. 
“We have great appreciation and gratitude for Sashi’s commitment and leadership to our organization but believe transitioning to someone with strong experience and success in drafting and building consistently winning football teams is critical to the future of the Cleveland Browns. Today we informed Sashi that we were going in a new direction. The 2018 draft and offseason is pivotal for our franchise, we need to ensure that we maximize our opportunity for success; with our picks, free agency and building our roster. Hue Jackson will remain our coach and will return for the 2018 season but we feel it is necessary to take significant steps to strengthen our personnel department. We have begun the process of having productive conversations regarding leadership of our football operations and will provide further updates when appropriate. We thank Sashi for all his hard work and dedication to the Cleveland Browns.”
The Browns are 0-12 and 1-27 over the last two seasons. Some sort of shakeup was expected, though not necessarily before the end of the season. It’s possible that the Browns were motivated to get a head start on their GM search after the Giants sacked Jerry Reese earlier this week. Their next hire will be their ninth GM since returning to Cleveland in 1999.
Meanwhile, the Browns will hold off on hiring their tenth coach since returning to Cleveland. Jackson was brought to Cleveland for his offensive acumen, leadership, and positive energy. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to demonstrate much of that with a lackluster roster. The good news for Jackson is that even if his team goes 0-16 this year, he will return for next season.
Brown was hired as the Browns’ executive vice president/general counsel in January of 2013 and was promoted to executive vice president of football operations in January of 2016. He took an unorthodox approach to team building, one that has yet to bear any fruit in Cleveland. However, he did leave the team with lots of cap room and draft capital to work with, so the team’s next GM may be in a position to succeed – provided that he can break the team’s longstanding curse.
Bengals Place WR John Ross On IR
The Bengals placed wide receiver John Ross on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. This brings an end to a frustrating year for the team’s first-round pick. 
The speedy wideout appeared in only three games this year and did not catch a single pass. Injuries marred his freshman season in the pros, which is exactly what scouts feared in the spring.
Ross was lighting quick, but he had more red flags than a USSR medal ceremony. He tore his ACL and missed the 2015 collegiate campaign and also underwent labrum surgery after the combine. Clubs loved his 4.22-second 40-yard-dash time, but many viewed him as a one contract player and not as a long-term investment. Next year, he’ll work to prove those critics wrong.
At 5-7, the Bengals have less than a 2% chance of reaching the playoffs. They’ll face the Bears, Vikings, Lions, and Ravens, without their top pick in tow.
In related moves, the Bengals have promoted defensive tackle Josh Tupou from practice squad and signed linebacker Carl Bradford to the practice squad.
Josh McCown To Remain Jets’ Starting QB
On Wednesday, Jets coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Josh McCown will remain the Jets’ starter for the remainder of the season. Given the way he has played – particularly in Sunday’s upset victory over the Chiefs – Bowles’ announcement does not come as a surprise. 
At the outset of the season, most expected that the Jets would start auditioning Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg by this time. But, a funny thing happened – the Jets wound up being competitive. The Jets are 5-7 (including two close losses to the Patriots and Panthers) and there’s even public support for a Todd Bowles extension.
The play of McCown, 38, has been a major factor in the Jets’ success. His performance sets up an interesting dilemma for the offseason – do the Jets try and draft their quarterback of the future, go for a high-priced star in this year’s free agent crop, or continue with the aging McCown for another season? The veteran is scheduled to hit the open market in March, but the Jets could probably retain him with something similar to his current one-year, $6MM deal.
Through 12 games, McCown has completed a career-high 67.8% of his passes for 2,880 yards with 18 touchdowns against eight interceptions.
Packers Shut Down Kevin King For Season
The Packers placed cornerback Kevin King on Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. To take his place, they have activated defensive back Demetri Goodson from the PUP list.
King, a second-round pick, was the Packers’ first pick in the 2017 draft after Green Bay moved down from No. 29 in a swap for the No. 33 selection (King) and a fourth-round choice. There were other big names on the board late in the first round, but the Packers were happy to expand their draft stockpile and land the Washington product. King only had so-so hype heading into the draft process, but he quickly turned heads with a 4.43 second 40-yard-dash, a 39.5-inch vertical leap, and the best times of any cornerback in both the three-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle.
As a rookie, King appeared in nine games and made five starts for the Packers. Unfortunately, he was sidelined last week and team doctors have determined that he needs additional time to recover.
The advanced metrics haven’t been wowed with King’s play (he ranks 109 out of 115 qualified CBs, per Pro Football Focus) but his presence will be missed in Green Bay. Without King, the Packers will have to rely on two 2017 undrafted free agents, one 2016 UDFA, and a former sixth-round pick (Goodson) to support starters Davon House and Damarious Randall.