NFL Suspends Jets WR Jeremy Kerley
The NFL has officially suspended wide receiver Jeremy Kerley for the next four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances. Kerley was first notified of the ban in late October, but he played in last Thursday’s contest against the Bills since the suspension was not formally put into effect until this week. 
Kerley will be eligible to return to the Jets’ active roster on Monday, December 11 following the team’s December 10 game against the Denver Broncos. His first game back should be on Dec. 17 against the Saints in New Orleans.
In a statement released by his agency, Kerley denied any intentional use of PEDs:
“I was shocked by a positive test for Turinabol, as I have never knowingly taken any banned substances. I am 5’9″ tall and 180 pounds, and I have never used steroids in my life. I’m a good athlete but anyone can look at my body composition and tell that I’m not a steroid user. While I did not have enough time prior to the deadline to resolve this case, I fully intend to investigate this matter until I am able to figure out what caused the positive test, because I know that I have done nothing wrong. When I find out what substance was tainted, I will pursue all remedies at that time because this is not right. I have and will always been a clean player, and I look forward to returning to the Jets to play against the Saints next month.”
So far this year, Kerley has 22 catches for 217 yards and one touchdown to his credit.
Browns’ Sashi Brown On Blown Trade, Future
Teams like the Bills and 49ers made headlines last week after pulling off blockbuster trades. The Browns, meanwhile, were in the spotlight for the deal they did not make. Despite verbally agreeing to acquire quarterback A.J. McCarron from the Bengals, the Browns failed to file the proper paperwork before the 4pm ET/3pm CT trade deadline.
Did the Browns intentionally scuttle the deal? On Monday afternoon, top executive Sashi Brown discussed the the would-be swap and much more (transcript via Nate Ulrich of the Akron-Beacon Journal):
On whether the paperwork mishap was deliberate:
It’s wholly untrue. I think we were all in there together, Hue, myself and a couple other staff members that work on these things at the time we were trying to get the trade done. So I’m not worried about that internally, externally. I can just put it to bed. That’s just not the case. Nothing we would ever do. To try to make up a trade to sabotage a trade just wouldn’t make any sense. 
This is just a matter of getting to a deal too late in the process. Both Cincinnati and us tried our damnedest to try to get the paperwork in at the last minute. We’re talking about minutes and seconds before the trade deadline ended. We were on the phone with the NFL at the time to try to make it happen. It did not happen. I do think Cincinnati in earnest tried. I know we did everything humanly possible to get it done. It just didn’t happen.
On whether the botched deal will result in his firing:
I don’t [worry about it costing me my job]. I think we’re in good communication with both Dee and Jimmy [Haslam] on these things, and they’re well apprised of what we’re doing and why and how things come together. I think they’ve seen our track record in terms of being able to perform and pull off some of the more creative deals in the league and a host of just simple, straightforward transactions, whether they’re in the season or on draft day. So I don’t [have that concern]. I think they understand that we’ve been as aggressive as any team trying to churn this roster and improve it.
On whether he has been assured of his return for 2018:
No, it wouldn’t be a conversation that I would have, either. I think the most important thing for us to do is really stay focused on our task at hand. We’ve got eight [games left] this year. Our [players] have been resilient and focused. I think you’d expect no less from the front office and the coaching staff, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.
49ers Sign WR Louis Murphy
The 49ers have signed veteran wide receiver Louis Murphy, according to his reps at Universal Sports Management (Twitter link). Murphy was with the Niners over the summer but missed the pre-Week 1 cut when he was released in early September. 
Murphy has spent time with four clubs during his pro tenure, with his last stop coming in Tampa Bay. The 30-year-old’s best season came in 2010, when he posted 41 receptions and 609 yards for the Raiders. Unfortunately, he’s been held back by injuries and off-field issues ever since. In 2015, he tore his ACL and suffered a setback while trying to rehab the injury. He also was arrested on gun charges earlier this year.
The veteran will help to provide depth for San Francisco following Pierre Garcon‘s season-ending injury.
Browns Designate Corey Coleman For Return
The Browns have designated Corey Coleman to return from injured reserve. The wide receiver has been out of action since suffering a fracture in his hand in mid-September. He’ll participate in elements of Monday’s practice with an eye on practicing in full in the coming days. 
Coleman has suffered a broken hand in each of his two NFL seasons. The latest mishap came with a six-to-eight week timeframe for recovery, making a temporary IR stint the logical option.
The 0-8 Browns badly need Coleman on the field. So far this year, high-priced free agent acquisition Kenny Britt has managed just ten grabs for 128 yards and one touchdown, placing him seventh amongst Cleveland players in receiving yards. At the top of the list is converted running back Duke Johnson with 324 yards from receptions. For reference, Johnson’s 324 receiving yards place him 66th overall in the the NFL right now.
The Browns’ search for their first win of 2017 will continue with Sunday’s game against the Lions. Coleman won’t be on the field for that contest, but the Browns hope to have him out there before long.
Seahawks To Activate Dion Jordan This Week
Dion Jordan will be activated to 53-man roster this week, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tells reporters (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times). Carroll added that the defensive end is “ready” to play. 
It’s a big step forward for the former No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Thanks to suspensions, knee injuries, and a host of other issues along the way, Jordan has not played in a game since December 28, 2014. His return to football is more than just a feel-good story for the Seahawks, however, given their defensive line issues throughout the season.
Through 26 games in 2013 and 2014, Jordan registered only 46 tackles and three sacks. He may never realize his massive potential in the NFL, but the Seahawks were optimistic enough to give him a low-risk, one-year deal in April. Jordan now has an opportunity to reward Seattle’s faith in him and potentially set himself up for a lucrative contract in March.
If all goes according to plan, Jordan will make his on-field return on Thursday night against the Cardinals.
Texans Have Internally Discussed Colin Kaepernick
After the Texans’ 20-14 defeat on Sunday at the hands of the Colts, there are questions abound about the Texans’ quarterback situation. Naturally, coach Bill O’Brien was asked about Colin Kaepernick on Monday morning. O’Brien confirmed that Kaepernick has been at least discussed in meetings with team officials, but it doesn’t sound like we should bank on him landing in Houston. 
“Again, we talk about everybody that’s out there every day. I coach the football team. What you saw yesterday, that’s what I’m in charge of. I just give my input and then I coach the football team,” O’Brien said, before adding that he “likes the guys” already in-house (Twitter link via Mark Berman of FOX 26).
This weekend, the Texans turned back to Tom Savage after losing Deshaun Watson for the season with a torn ACL. The results were not great. Savage completed 19-of-44 for 219 yards and a touchdown as the Texans allowed a divisional rival to snap three-game losing skid.
Shortly after Watson’s injury in practice, the Texans moved quickly to add Matt McGloin and T.J. Yates to the roster. We could see some further movement in the QB room, but it would be a surprise to see Kaepernick added to the mix at this time.
Ezekiel Elliott Rumors: Monday
All parties involved in the Ezekiel Elliott saga say they are are not interested in a settlement. However, on Sunday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reported that Elliott’s team has indeed been pushing for a compromise.
Will we see a settlement in which Elliott accepts something less than a six-game ban? It still seems highly unlikely given the comments made by the NFL and Elliott’s desire to clear his name.
For now, things remain in limbo as the two sides duke it out in the courts. We’ll keep track of the latest here:
- The next hearing on the Elliott injunction will take place at 2pm ET/1pm CT on Thursday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit announced. There might not be enough time for a ruling to come down before Sunday, so it seems like Elliott could be able to suit up on Sunday against the Falcons, regardless of the outcome. Thanks to an administrative stay, Elliott was able to suit up this past Sunday against the Chiefs. The running back finished out with 93 yards and one touchdown off of 27 carries.
- A hearing was not originally supposed to occur on the pending Elliott motion and the running back’s representatives see it as a positive development in their favor, Mike Florio of PFT hears (Twitter link).
- Elliott perhaps caught a break in avoiding Denny Chin or Barrington Parker as the judge in his upcoming hearing, sports attorney Daniel Wallach (on Twitter) notes. Chin and Parker both ruled in the NFL’s favor during the Deflategate saga.
Cardinals Sign C Max Tuerk
The Cardinals have signed center Max Tuerk off the Chargers’ practice squad. To make room, the team has placed center/guard Daniel Munyer on injured reserve. 
Tuerk, a third round pick of the Bolts in 2016, has yet to play in an NFL game. Last year, injuries kept him off the field. This year, he was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s PED policy and was waived before he was eligible to return. The Chargers stashed him on the practice squad afterwards, but it’s no surprise that another team has swooped in on him.
Tuerk will help to provide depth on the interior line in advance of Thursday night’s game against the Seahawks. With the ability to play both guard and center, he could see potentially see some snaps in relief of Alex Boone, A.Q. Shipley, and Earl Watford – provided that he is on the active roster.
Latest On Browns, Josh Gordon
We could be getting closer to the on-field return of Josh Gordon. The wide receiver is slated to report to the Browns’ facility on Tuesday to begin conditioning work, individual workouts, and attend team meetings, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. The hope is that Gordon will be ready to go for their Week 13 game against the Chargers on Dec. 3, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. 
Recently, Browns Executive Vice President Sashi Brown announced that he would be sitting down with Gordon and that day is finally near. As a whole, the organization has come a lot way since coach Hue Jackson was asked about the wide receiver in October 2016.
“I think what we need to do is just close that chapter right now,” Jackson said roughly 13 months ago. “He’s doing what he needs to do, and we need to do what we need to do, which is continue to move forward…Obviously, Josh is not here and doing what he thinks he needs to do for his life, which we support 100 percent. And I think after today, today is really the last Josh Gordon comment I want to make about that. I think what’s best for our football team is that we move forward and move on. He’s not going to be with us, and we wish him well. But we’re moving forward. We’re going to move on.”
Gordon will be allowed to practice with the Browns starting on Nov. 20, and he will be eligible for activation starting on Nov. 27. With an extra week on top of that, the Browns are hopeful that Gordon will be caught up on the playbook and in good enough shape to play.
Prior to the trade deadline, there were rumblings that the Browns would consider moving Gordon if he secured reinstatement in time. With that in mind, one has to wonder if the Browns are looking to keep Gordon for 2018 or if they are looking to showcase him for other teams over the season’s final four games.
AFC Notes: Luck, Fournette, Watson
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) says no one is exactly sure what the future holds for Colts QB Andrew Luck, who was recently placed on IR and ruled out for the remainder of the year. Per Rapoport, Luck has met with at least four doctors and has been advised that he should not throw for two to three months, though surgery is not in the cards at this point. Rapoport says all indications are that Luck will be healthy for the start of 2018, but Alex Marvez of Sporting News is not so optimistic. Because of the way the Colts publicly handled the situation, Marvez does not put much stock in reports that Luck will be ready to go by the start of 2018 — especially since he still cannot throw without soreness 10 months after surgery — and he says Indianapolis is facing the possibility of Luck never playing again at a high level and being on the hook for $87 million in salary guaranteed against injury. Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com tweets that Luck will be reevaluated in December, and that the Colts are “not ignoring” the 2018 QB draft class.
On that sobering note, let’s take a look at more rumors from around the AFC:
- The Colts claim that cornerback Vontae Davis is out for today’s game due to non-injury reasons, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears that is actually a cover-up for the fact that the Colts have not disclosed Davis’ lingering groin injury in recent weeks. Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star says there is more to Davis’ absence than the team is letting on, but he believes Davis’ absence is due to personal reasons and is not injury-related.
- Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette was deactivated for today’s game against the Bengals, and Jay Glazer of FOX Sports tweets that the star rookie missed treatment, a workout, and a team photo this week, which led to his benching. Head coach Doug Marrone is clearly trying to change the culture in Jacksonville, though Jags fans have to hope it doesn’t come at the expense of the team’s playoff push.
- Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that Texans QB Deshaun Watson is expected to miss eight to nine months as a result of his ACL tear, though the last time he tore his ACL, he missed only five months, so Houston is hopeful for a shorter timeline.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says Broncos QB Paxton Lynch is under consideration to start in the team’s Week 10 matchup against New England, but Mike Klis of 9News.com says (via Twitter) that report is inaccurate. Klis reports that Lynch is not yet physically ready and that Brock Osweiler will keep the job if he plays well.
- As La Canfora writes in a separate piece, there are some Browns coaches who believe GM Sashi Brown intentionally scuttled the team’s near trade for A.J. McCarron, presumably because he believed the cost (a second- and third-round draft choice) was too high. Even if Brown is right about that, his efforts to intentionally sabotage the trade represent a massive breach of protocol and will only intensify the much-discussed rift between the team’s coaching staff and front office. But even if Brown did not act duplicitously, and even if the botched trade was simply due to human error, the fact that the coaching staff thinks Brown intentionally nixed the deal suggests things have gone beyond the point of no return in Cleveland.