Michael Bowie Has Charges Dropped
Charges against former Giants offensive lineman Michael Bowie have been dropped, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The Giants did not rule out an eventual reunion with Bowie, so it’s possible that they will circle back to him to help bolster the offensive line. 
The Giants cut Bowie in August when the accusations against him came to light. Bowie was involved in an argument with his girlfriend in Oklahoma that allegedly turned physical. Police said Bowie to have grabbed his girlfriend by the neck and threw her to the ground. He also was said to have broken two televisions and punched a hole in a wall in the process. The lineman was facing charges of domestic assault and battery plus two counts of malicious injury or destruction of property, but he’s now in the clear from a legal perspective.
The NFL could still come down on Bowie with a suspension, but the investigative process tends to take a while, so he should be able to play right away if signed by a team.
The Giants are set to meet with Branden Albert this week, so they’re definitely on the lookout for some O-Line help.
Cowboys DT Stephen Paea Retires
Cowboys defensive tackle Stephen Paea informed his coaches on Wednesday that he is retiring, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Naturally, this comes as a huge surprise here in Week 6. Paea’s retirement comes just moments after owner Jerry Jones finished meeting with players regarding the anthem protests, but we don’t have confirmation yet on whether that was what sparked the decision.
Paea was the Cowboys’ starter at right defensive tackle through the first four games of the season. He missed the Week 5 game against the Packers with a knee issue and was said to be questionable for Week 7 against the Niners on the other side of the bye.
Through one month of action, Paea has not looked like his old self. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus have him ranked as the second worst qualified interior defensive lineman in the NFL. Last year, he ranked as PFF’s 40th-best interior D-lineman among 127 qualifiers.
Paea, still only 29, was signed this offseason to replace the departed Terrell McClain. He became even more vital to the Cowboys’ front four when Cedric Thornton was released in early September.
The Cowboys were Paea’s fourth – and apparently final – NFL team. Since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2011, he has also suited up for the Bears, Redskins, and Browns.
Giants Suspend Rodgers-Cromartie
The Giants have suspended cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, coach Ben McAdoo announced. McAdoo declined to go into specifics when addressing reporters on Wednesday.
“DRC came in yesterday, we had a conversation that was personal…He came in today and decided to leave. We will suspend him,” McAdoo said before brushing off follow-up questions.
Safety Landon Collins indicated that tensions flared between DRC and McAdoo on the sidelines on Sunday (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com). He even termed the incident as an “altercation.”
The suspension is probably of the indefinite variety. At minimum, DRC probably won’t be in uniform for Sunday’s game against the Broncos. We’ll have to wait and find out whether the Giants will bring him back for games against the Seahawks (Oct. 22), Rams (Nov. 5) and beyond.
Rodgers-Cromartie came to the Giants on a five-year, $35MM free agent deal prior to the 2014 season. He has been among the league’s better corners since coming aboard and earned a Pro Bowl nod for his work in 2015. After missing only two games in a three-year span, he could miss significant time as tensions bubble in New Jersey.
The Rodgers-Cromartie suspension is just the latest setback in what has been a bizarre season for the Giants. The G-Men are 0-5 and there is little hope for a turnaround with their top two receivers out for the year and their best cornerback at odds with the organization.
The Giants have struggled as a whole, but Cromartie has been solid through five games. DRC ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 30 corner in the NFL this season with a quality 80.3 overall score. That’s down from his usual work (85.7 average over previous four seasons, including career-high 89.9 in ’16), but still casts him as starting caliber.
No Charges For Cowboys LB Damien Wilson
Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson has been cleared of all charges stemming from a July incident in Frisco, Texas (Twitter link via L.P. Phillips of CBS DFW). A grand jury returned two “no bills,” meaning that they have declined to indict him on a second-degree felony and a misdemeanor charge for disorderly conduct. 
On July 4th, Wilson was arrested for two counts of aggravated assault with deadly weapon when he allegedly hit a woman with his truck while backing into a parking spot during an argument. The 24-year-old was facing potential jail time for what took place.
Naturally, Wilson could still face league discipline. In theory, a suspension could come down sometime this season now that the legal process on it has wrapped.
Wilson has started in two of the Cowboys’ five games thus far this year. He has just nine tackles in total and the metrics at Pro Football Focus haven’t been all that impressed with him thus far. The linebacker has a 44.3 overall score and is ranked as the No. 62 LB in the NFL out of 87 qualified players. Last year, he earned a decent 74.6 grade.
The 2-3 Cowboys are entering a bye week. They return to action on Oct. 22 to face the Niners in San Francisco.
Saints To Sign LB Gerald Hodges
The Saints are signing linebacker Gerald Hodges, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Hodges worked out for the Saints earlier this month and he finally got the call he was waiting for today. 
After putting Alex Anzalone on injured reserve, the Saints were looking a little thin at linebacker. The addition of Hodges, who racked up 83 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions in 15 games with the 49ers in 2016, should help in that regard. He also graded out as the league’s No. 21 linebacker, per the metrics at Pro Football Focus.
Hodges was set to spend the season with the Bills but wound up as a surprise cut in early September. The 26-year-old had to watch the first five weeks of the season from his couch, but the good news is that he should receive a healthy amount of playing time in New Orleans.
Browns Bench QB DeShone Kizer
The Browns are giving DeShone Kizer the hook. On Sunday, Kevin Hogan will get the start at quarterback when the Browns take on the Texans. 
“I’ve made the decision to start Kevin this week,” coach Hue Jackson said in a statement released by the team. “We’ve liked what Kevin has been able to do within our offense when he’s been in there and he will start on Sunday because that’s what we feel is best for our team at this point in time. This does not change the way we feel about DeShone going forward. He has worked extremely hard and still very much has a bright future. Right now, it’s better for him and his development to back up Kevin.”
The 0-5 Browns have apparently seen enough of Kizer for now, which is understandable but also contradicts their words earlier this year. Jackson said the team would be patient with Kizer and stick with him regardless of road bumps. Desperate for their first win, the Browns have made Hogan their 28th starting quarterback since reentering the league in 1999. Going back to 2008 alone, the Browns have now gone through 19 starting QBs. As Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com notes (Twitter link), that’s five more than the rest of the AFC North combined over that same period: Steelers (six), Ravens (four), and Bengals (four).
The Browns are saying all of the right things about Kizer, but their search for a franchise QB seems likely to continue this spring.
Lions Place Haloti Ngata On IR
The Lions announced that they have placed Haloti Ngata on injured reserve. Ngata suffered a bicep injury last week against Carolina that will keep him off the field for the rest of the season. 
Players can return from IR after eight weeks and bicep injuries aren’t always season enders, but this tear is significant enough to rule the defensive tackle out for the rest of the year. Ngata has never played in less than 12 games in any given season, so this is largely new territory for the veteran.
Ngata’s 2017 campaign ends after five games with seven tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble. It’s possible that this will mark the end of his career as well.
Ngata will turn 34 in January and his contract will expire at the end of the season. Earlier this year, he was giving real thought to retirement and coaches weren’t sure whether he’d actually suit up until March.
Ngata has earned many millions throughout the years and has a career resume that few can match. He’s been a starter since entering the league as a first-round pick of the Ravens in 2006 and has been playing at a high level for all 12 years. He was – and still is – among the league’s most talented interior linemen and earned five straight Pro Bowl nods from 2009 through 2013. He also picked up a pair of First-Team All-Pro selections (2010, 2011) during that stretch. With a Super Bowl ring on his finger, Ngata can walk away from the game knowing that he met all of his goals and then some.
Cowboys Release CB Nolan Carroll
The Cowboys are releasing cornerback Nolan Carroll, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Carroll has been out with a concussion as of late. 
The Cowboys signed Carroll to a three-year, $10MM deal with $4MM guaranteed this offseason, meaning that he’s walking away with lots of money for just two games played. The former Eagles corner suffered a head injury against the Broncos in Week 2 and has not been on the field since.
Carroll, 30, was brought on board to help beef up a Cowboys secondary that ranked 18th in DVOA last season and lost key members in the offseason. The eight-year veteran started in all 16 games for the first time in his career last year and managed one interception, ten passes defensed, and a forced fumble. However, Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s No. 92 cornerback among 112 qualifiers.
The Cowboys’ decision to release Carroll is a sign that they have tremendous faith in rookie Jourdan Lewis. The third-round pick – who has filled in for Carroll – has probably been Dallas’ best cornerback thus far in 2017.
49ers To Sign CB Leon Hall
Cornerback Leon Hall has signed with the 49ers, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). There’s no word on the terms of the deal yet, but it’s likely a one-year pact for a prorated portion of the minimum salary. 
Hall, 32, worked out for the Niners a few times this year. After watching the secondary struggle for more than a month, they’ve finally called on Hall for some veteran help.
After nine seasons with the Bengals, Hall joined up with the Giants last year. The corner appeared in 12 games (two starts), totaling 20 tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception. He’s no longer a higher-end starter, but Hall can be a regular contributor, particularly for a team like the Niners.
San Francisco saw three cornerbacks — Ahkello Witherspoon, Asa Jackson, Rashard Robinson — leave Sunday’s game with injury at various points, so secondary depth is certainly an issue. Hall, with his ability to play both safety and corner, will pad the club’s roster for the time being.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Pats, Gronk, Brady, Dolphins
The Patriots‘ decision to deactivate Rob Gronkowski for Thursday night’s game could cost him major money at the end of the season, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss points out. Gronkowski has played in 70.5% of the team’s snaps this season, which puts him on pace for the lowest possible incentives tier of $6.75MM. He can still reach the first ($10.75MM) and second tiers ($8.75MM) based on receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, or All-Pro selection, but those markers will also be hard to reach without a certain volume of snaps.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady suffered what is thought to be an AC joint sprain in his left, non-throwing shoulder, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He says he’ll play on Sunday against the Jets.
- The Dolphins are expected to bring back assistant Dave DeGuglielmo to take over as the team’s new offensive line coach, Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).
- Despite some recent optimism, it’s premature to say that Chargers first-round pick Mike Williams will be ready to make his NFL debut next week, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
- Cody Latimer, one of the Broncos‘ top special teamers, underwent a blood injection procedure in his right knee and could be out for the next game or so, Mike Klis of 9 News writes. Latimer has excelled as a kick returner so far this year with an average of 28.4 per attempt. He’s also a gunner on punt and kickoff coverage.
- Former NFL safety Taylor Mays has signed with the CFL’s Roughriders, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The former second-round pick was most recently with the Bengals.