Browns’ Myles Garrett To Debut On Sunday
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sent Twitter into a frenzy on Wednesday morning with one word: “Regresé.” That’s Spanish for “I am back” and the No. 1 overall pick is indeed expected to take the field on Sunday against the Jets, executive Sashi Brown told reporters via conference call.
Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, has yet to play a down of regular season action thanks to a high ankle sprain. It’s possible that he could have returned a little sooner, but the Browns have opted to take the cautious approach with the Texas A&M product given his history of ankle issues.
“He’s a huge piece of our organization, our future, so we want to be cautious but smart as we go through it,” coach Hue Jackson said in late September.
Garrett was limited to just ten games as a junior at Texas A&M thanks to this same injury. He registered 8.5 sacks, which were a career low, and 4.5 of those came against Texas-San Antonio.
Expectations are high for what Garrett can do now that he is healthy. Cleveland used the top pick on him after placing an “astronomical grade” on him during the 2016 season. At the combine, he weighed in at 272 pounds but managed to run the 40-yard dash in 4.64 seconds.
Without Garrett, the 0-4 Browns have ranked 30th in defensive DVOA and just 21st in adjusted sack rate.
Extra Points: May 16 Rule, Patriots, Gray
With social activism on the rise across the NFL, the league and the players’ union came together this week to hold a “productive conversation,” the two sides announced in a joint press release. Representing the NFL were commissioner Roger Goodell, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Giants owner John Mara, and Steelers owner Art Rooney. NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith and president Eric Winston were in attendance, along with Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich, Redskins cornerback Josh Norman, quarterback Kirk Cousins, and Jets linebacker Demario Davis.
Many players have engaged in protests during the national anthem, but Colin Kaepernick‘s unemployment still looms large over the NFL. At this point, it’s hard to see Kaepernick getting an NFL opportunity this year, but teams could be more receptive to signing him next offseason.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The NFL is working to change the so-called “May 16 rule” which prevents rookies from participating in football activities if their schools are in session, regardless of whether they are still enrolled (link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). No vote is required to pass the change, but the plan is still being finalized. Historically, we have seen this rule affect Pac-12 players. This year, that included Stanford products Solomon Thomas (49ers) and Christian McCaffrey (Panthers). Washington, Northwestern, Oregon, Oregon State and UCLA also had exams after June 1.
- Former Patriots running back Jonas Gray was arrested on Wednesday for failure to pay child support, as Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times writes. Less than 24 hours after turning himself in, Gray was released. Gray ran for 201 yards and four touchdowns against Indianapolis in November 2014 and seemed to have a bright future in New England. However, he has not been on the field since games with the Dolphins and Jaguars in 2015 and has not been in the league since final cuts during the preseason of 2016. His last mention on the pages of PFR came in December 2016 when he auditioned for Seattle.
Jets Sign DL Ed Stinson, LB Obum Gwacham
The Jets have signed defensive lineman Ed Stinson and plucked linebacker Obum Gwacham from the Cardinals’ practice squad. To help make room, the team placed rookie outside linebacker Dylan Donahue on IR. 
The Jets have the option of bringing Jalin Marshall back from suspension this week, but they’ll need to make another roster move if they want to do that. By adding the two defenders and placing Donahue on IR, the Jets are back up to the 53-man max.
Stinson, a fifth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2014, appeared in 29 games for Arizona over a three-year period. He was hampered by injuries this summer and he wound up being cut from IR last month.
Gwacham made ten appearances for the Saints over the last two years. He missed New Orleans’ final cut, but hooked on with the Cardinals’ taxi squad. He now has an opportunity to make a mark on the main roster in New York along with a fellow ex-Cardinal.
Donahue injured his elbow during Sunday’s win over the Jaguars. He’ll technically be eligible to return in December, if he recovers in time and the Jets want to go that route.
Browns Place WR Jordan Leslie On IR
The Browns waived wide receiver Jordan Leslie with an injury designation. As reported yesterday, the Browns have filled his spot by signing wide receiver Bryce Treggs off of the Eagles’ practice squad. 
Leslie went down with a hamstring injury in Sunday’s game against the Bengals. He was a preseason standout for Cleveland who missed the initial 53-man cut, but he was brought back into the fold weeks later. It’s not immediately clear whether Leslie might be able to return after eight weeks on the sidelines, as permitted by the league’s rules.
Leslie was a featured player at UTEP for three seasons before transferring to Brigham Young in 2014. As a senior there, he posted a career-high 55 catches to go with 779 yards and six touchdowns.
Treggs, a second-year pro out of Cal, first entered the league as a UDFA with the Niners in 2016. He later hooked on with the Eagles and had three catches for 80 yards in nine games.
Saints Place Zach Strief On IR
The Saints have placed offensive tackle Zach Strief on injured reserve, a source tells ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Strief suffered an MCL sprain earlier this year but the team was hoping to avoid IR. 
By placing Strief on IR, the Saints will have to keep him out of action for a minimum of eight weeks. The good news is that offensive line coach Dan Roushar says Strief may be a candidate to return later in the season (Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate).
Strief suffered his injury during the team’s season opener and that was a bad blow considering that fellow starting tackle Terron Armstead was also injured to start the year. The Saints have managed to go 2-2 even with their banged up offensive line, but it remains to be seen if they can keep things afloat going forward.
In 2016, the 34-year-old played more than 97% of the Saints’ offensive snaps and posted perhaps the best campaign of his career. He graded as the No. 12 overall tackle in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, which gave him excellent marks in the run and pass game.
The Saints are on bye in Week 5 before facing the Lions in Week 6.
Nick Mangold: I’m Still Not Healthy
When the Jets released center Nick Mangold this offseason, it seemed likely that he would hook on elsewhere and continue his career. Months later, Mangold doesn’t sound so sure about whether he wants to continue playing. 
“Maybe there’s more to (my career), maybe there isn’t,” the seven-time Pro Bowler told SNY (transcription via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini).
Mangold added that his injured foot still isn’t healed, and he didn’t want to “steal checks” this season. If Mangold does return to the NFL, it sounds like it won’t happen until 2018 at the earliest.
The veteran seemed like a natural fit for the Ravens this offseason given all of their injuries on the offensive line, but a deal never came together. He was also connected to the Dolphins as Mike Pouncey struggled to stay healthy, but Miami did not show any real interest.
Mangold, 34 in January, missed half of the 2016 season. Before that, however, he missed just four regular season Jets games over the previous nine seasons. Mangold was ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 25th best center in 2016, but he has posted several top ten and top five seasons over his career.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/17
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Connor Harris, OL Vinston Painter
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Gabe Holmes, CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste
- Cut: CB Josh Thornton
- Placed on IR: FB Ricky Ortiz
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Zeek Bigger
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Rannell Hall
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Brandon Thomas
- Cut: WR Noel Thomas
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Evan Baylis
- Placed on injured list: TE Marcus Lucas
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Kolby Listenbee
New York Jets
- Cut: RB Marcus Murphy
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB D.J. Killings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE/FB Alan Cross
- Cut: RB Russell Hansbrough
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR C.J. Board
- Cut: CB Kenneth Durden
Washington Redskins
- Signed: QB Joel Stave, OL Jerry Ugokwe
- Released: QB Alek Torgersen
Jets Cut TE Will Tye
The Jets have released tight end Will Tye. Tye was a healthy scratch on Sunday, so his release doesn’t come as a major surprise. 
Tye, 26 in November, started 17 games for the Giants over the past two seasons. He was waived during roster cutdowns but the Jets claimed him 24 hours later. Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2015, Tye averaged 45 receptions, 430 yards, and two touchdowns for the Giants, but he had just four catches for 38 yards in three games for Gang Green..
Tye’s roster spot may be filled by the return of wide receiver Jalin Marshall. Marshall is eligible to return this week after serving a four-game ban for Adderall.
Even with Tye out of the picture, the Jets still have four tight ends on the roster in Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Neal Sterling, Eric Tomlinson, and Jordan Leggett.
NFL: We’re Not Moving Chargers Back To SD
The Chargers are in a “Fight For L.A.” and, so far, they’re losing. The Bolts are 0-4 and playing in front of crowds that cannot fill up the 27,000 StubHub Center, but the league says it will not reverse course on the move. 
“There is no discussion of returning to San Diego from the league or the club,” a league spokesperson told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
We’re only one month into the Chargers’ inaugural season in Los Angeles, but it already looks like the team and the league may have made a judgement error. The Chargers have failed to forge a fanbase in a city where many residents cheer for the Raiders and most of the others have already aligned themselves with the Rams. That could all change quickly if the Chargers start winning games, but they’re on pace to miss the postseason for the fourth consecutive year.
The Chargers are slated to move into Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s Inglewood stadium in 2020. If things don’t pick up in the interim, the league may want to reconsider their gameplan.
Saints Audition Gerald Hodges
The Saints worked out linebacker Gerald Hodges, according to a source who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). There’s no word yet on how the audition went or whether a deal is imminent. 
The Bills signed Hodges this offseason after losing Zach Brown and Lerentee McCray, so he appeared to be in line for a starting job or, at the very least, significant playing time. Instead, he was a surprise cut on Sept. 3.
This appears to be Hodges’ first known audition since being let go by Buffalo. In his previous round of free agency, the Chiefs, Seahawks, Jets, Giants, Patriots, Jaguars, and Colts also showed interest in him.
In 2016, Hodges played on roughly half of the 49ers’ defensive snaps last year while grading out as the league’s No. 21 linebacker, per the numbers at Pro Football Focus. In those 15 games, the 26-year-old tallied 80 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions. He also was on the field for 73 special teams snaps.