AFC Notes: Ravens, Nicks, Broncos, Luck
A day after losing Steve Smith Sr. for the season, the Ravens will work out a group of free-agent wide receivers that includes Hakeem Nicks, sources tell ESPN’s Ed Werder. The wide receiver has been making the workout rounds as he searches for a new team in 2015 and his most recent stop was with the Patriots.
Nicks, who spent his first five years with the Giants, posting multiple 1,000-yard seasons in New York, caught just 38 balls for 405 yards and four touchdowns last year in Indianapolis. He found a new home in free agency when he signed with the Titans earlier in the year, but Tennessee opted to keep just four wideouts on the roster to start the season, cutting Nicks in September. The veteran wideout has als0 worked out for the Saints, Cowboys, and Giants.
Here’s more from the AFC..
- Even after acquiring Vernon Davis, Broncos GM John Elway says he’s open to more deals, as Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. “We will always listen. We are always trying to get better,” Elway said.
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Peter King of TheMMQB.com believes that the NFL has to investigate a report that Andrew Luck has been playing through broken ribs. If that investigation reveals that the Colts didn’t include a rib fracture on their injury report, the league should levy a significant fine on the franchise, in King’s view.
- Ravens coach John Harbaugh said that defensive end Brent Urban is healthy and will return to practice soon, Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets. Urban is currently on the IR-DTR list.
- Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt says that he has not considered making any staff coaching changes in-season, as Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets.
Steve Smith Leaning Toward 2016 Return?
While he hasn’t publicly wavered from his retirement stance, Ravens wideout Steve Smith Sr. is leaning toward returning for the 2016 season, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Citing “several people close to” Smith, La Canfora reports that the veteran receiver is already talking about coming back, adding that he scheduled a quick surgery for next Monday to repair his torn Achilles.
Even before Smith went down with his season-ending Achilles injury on Sunday, there had been whispers in recent weeks that 2015 may not be his last season after all. That speculation likely stemmed in part from his production on the field — heading into Week 8, the 36-year-old has grabbed 41 balls for 588 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 98 yards per game — the second-highest mark of his career.
Following the injury, head coach John Harbaugh said he had “a feeling” that Smith would be back next season, while running back Justin Forsett was among the Ravens players who said he’d be “whispering in [Smith’s] ear” to encourage a return for 2016.
Smith has one more year left on his contract with the Ravens, and is due a base salary of $3MM in ’16.
Update On IR-DTR Players
We’re now through eight weeks of the NFL season, which means we’re approaching the year’s halfway point. It also means that players who were placed on the injured reserve list with the designation to return prior to the regular season are eligible to be activated and play in their respective teams’ next games.
Players placed on IR with the designation to return are eligible to begin practicing after six weeks, and can return to game action after eight weeks, so there are some IR-DTR players who have begun practicing already, and some of them could be activated for Week 9. Not every player will be healthy enough to return immediately now that they’ve become eligible to do so, but we should see at least a handful of the 10 players who have been on IR-DTR all year be activated to 53-man rosters in the coming days.
Here’s a breakdown of the 10 IR-DTR players eligible to be activated for Week 9:
- Jay Ajayi, RB (Dolphins): Ajayi recently said that he’s back to full health, though the Dolphins may have a decision to make in their backfield if they decide to activate the rookie runner.
- Alex Carter, CB (Lions): Carter is on track to begin practicing after the Lions’ Week 9 bye, and likely won’t be activated right away.
- David Cobb, RB (Titans): Cobb is expected to be activated this week, and at least one Titans beat reporter believes the rookie is capable of earning a high percentage of the team’s carries.
- Demar Dotson, T (Buccaneers): When he began practicing, Dotson admitted his injured knee wasn’t where he wanted it to be, but it sounds like he’s made enough progress to be activated this week.
- Charles Gaines, CB (Browns): Gaines returned to practice when he was eligible to do so, and sounds like he’s eager to get back on Cleveland’s roster. If the Browns want him active for Week 9, they’ll have to make a move soon, since the team plays on Thursday this week.
- Dee Milliner, CB (Jets): Head coach Todd Bowles said last week that he believes Milliner will be ready to play as soon as he becomes eligible, though he cautioned that the team will need to find room on the active roster.
- Maurkice Pouncey, C (Steelers): There has been some speculation that Pouncey could be sidelined for the entire season, but head coach Mike Tomlin still expects his veteran center back this year. That likely won’t happen for a few more weeks though, since the initial diagnosis put Pouncey on track to be out until at least Week 12.
- Bryan Stork, C (Patriots): The Patriots’ offensive line has been hit hard by injuries this season, so having to decide between Stork and David Andrews at center will be a welcome problem for the team. Stork appears on track to return in Week 9.
- John Sullivan, C (Vikings): After suffering a setback and undergoing another surgical procedure, Sullivan won’t be back anytime soon, and may not play at all this season.
- Brent Urban, DE (Ravens): Asked two weeks ago about Urban, head coach John Harbaugh said that the defensive end wasn’t practicing, adding that his recovery would probably take “a few more weeks.”
While these 10 players are the only ones on IR-DTR eligible to return in Week 9, there are 12 more who will gain eligibility in the coming weeks. The full list can be found right here.
Among those 12 other IR-DTR players, the most notable name is Tony Romo, who can’t play until Week 11. The Cowboys quarterback is eligible to begin practicing this week, but Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that won’t happen quite yet. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Romo is still on track to return to the field when he’s eligible for game action, but it makes sense to keep getting Matt Cassel first-team practice reps in the meantime.
AFC Notes: S. Smith, Jets, Wright, Wake
After Steve Smith Sr. suffered a torn Achilles during Sunday’s win over the Chargers, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was among those quick to express hope that the standout receiver will reconsider his plans to retire, telling reporters, “I have a feeling Steve Smith will be back.” As Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com details, Harbaugh wasn’t the only one in the Ravens’ locker room conveying that sentiment.
“I’ll definitely be whispering in his ear, hopefully to get him back out there,” running back Justin Forsett said.
While Smith announced before the season that 2015 would be his last year in the NFL, there are doubts that he’d want to go out this way. If he does decide to play one more year in 2016, the Ravens “would certainly welcome him back,” writes Hensley.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- If the Jets decide to add an outside quarterback to add depth after Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith got banged up on Sunday, don’t expect them to consider adding Ryan Mallett, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright suffered a sprained MCL on Sunday, a source tells Schefter (Twitter link). However, the injury doesn’t sound nearly as serious as the MCL tear suffered by Le’Veon Bell on Sunday, which means Wright’s season shouldn’t be in jeopardy.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald examines a few options the Dolphins have with Cameron Wake, as the team decides whether or not to retain the veteran defensive end – who is recovering from a torn Achilles – for the 2016 season.
- Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter links) identifies Chargers running back Donald Brown as a potential trade candidate in advance of tomorrow’s deadline. As Gehlken notes, Brown is buried on San Diego’s depth chart, and drew serious interest from another team when he was briefly cut by the Chargers earlier this year.
Steve Smith Tears Achilles, Out For Season
If Steve Smith intends to follow through on his plans for retirement, he may have just played in his last game, as Ravens head coach John Harbaugh confirmed to reporters that the veteran receiver tore his Achilles during today’s contest against the Chargers (Twitter link). Smith will miss the remainder of the year, and given that he has vowed to call it a career after the season, the mercurial pass-catcher may have seen his final game action.
At 36 years old, Smith was in the middle of a second consecutive solid season with Baltimore, averaging nearly 100 yards receiving per game and having scored three times. The three-time All Pro, who caught 79 balls for more than 1,000 yards and six touchdowns during his first year with the Ravens, would finish with the 11th-most receiving yards in league history, with nearly 14,000.
Whether Smith actually retires is an open question, and one that Harbaugh addressed today in his remarks to reporters. “I have a feeling Steve Smith will be back,” said Harbaugh. Later, in a message to Smith, Harbaugh said, “You’re going to write the final chapter of your career in a way that nobody expects” (Twitter links). Within the past several weeks, Smith confirmed that he was “still on schedule” to retire at season’s end, but even his agent is not convinced. It’s fair to wonder if this painful end to his season, in addition to Baltimore’s disappointing year as a team, will force Smith to reconsider.
More pressing for the Ravens is how to replace Smith in the starting lineup. Kamar Aiken figures to see more targets with Smith out of action, while Marlon Brown and recent trade addition Chris Givens could also be in line for additional work until first-round pick Breshad Perriman returns from a PCL injury (and perhaps presuming Perriman returns at all this season is a mistake).
If Smith does reverse his decision and return for the 2016 season, he’d be playing under the third and final year of a deal he signed prior to the 2014 season. He’d be paid a base salary of $3MM, and account for a cap hit of roughly $4.17MM.
AFC Notes: Browns, Smith, Chiefs, Ivory
Here are some notes from the AFC as the third London game continues on Week 8 Sunday.
- With another Browns season unfolding in typical fashion since the franchise rebooted, the team has engaged in discussions to trade starting linemen Joe Thomas and Alex Mack, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. A potential Hall of Famer, Thomas has played in Cleveland since being drafted third overall in 2007. The eight-time Pro Bowler has no guaranteed money on his 2016 deal. However, the left tackle is under contract (for $9MM in ’16) until 2018 and would rocket to the top of the trade block if he’s being dangled. Mack can opt out of his Browns deal after this season, as the Jaguars intended when they designed the contract to make it difficult for Cleveland to match in 2014. The center’s deal features a no-trade clause, but he is allowed to waive it to expedite a move to a contending team, Rapoport tweets. Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich notes the Browns would likely have to be “blown away” by an offer to part with either of these two (Twitter link).
- Browns outside linebacker Paul Kruger is also available for a trade, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reported on SportsCenter (as relayed by Ohio.com’s Marla Ridenour on Twitter). Kruger’s played in Cleveland for three seasons after signing a big free agent deal in 2013. At $7.7MM, Kruger has the sixth-largest cap number on the Browns (Thomas and Mack are second and fifth, respectively). He’s under contract for two more seasons and carries just $3.6MM worth of dead money. Kruger, who will make $6.5MM and $7MM in base salaries the next two years, posted 11 sacks last season, but the 29-year-old has just a half-sack this year.
- Teams have called the Ravens on Steve Smith and have been told the 36-year-old wideout’s unavailable, Schefter reports (via Twitter). This approach would lend to the thinking Baltimore can convince Smith to postpone his retirement. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Smith will soften his stance on retiring instantly if traded if the Ravens lose today and drop to 1-7.
- The Chiefs do not plan to play host in London again for a while, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star reports (on Twitter). Chairman Clark Hunt did say the team would consider going abroad for a road game in the coming years (Twitter link).
- Paylor examines the reasoning for the Chiefs to cede a home game in favor of a London excursion. Growing the Chiefs’ brand and potentially joining the list of cities vying for a future Super Bowl are among them.
- Chris Ivory would like to continue his career with the Jets despite the team’s coaching staff upheaval, the New York Post’s Steve Serby reports. Ivory, who has 501 rushing yards and is barely 300 from a single-season career high, is a free agent at season’s end.
La Canfora’s Latest: Colts, Texans, Trades
With 2015 shaping up to be Chuck Pagano‘s last in Indianapolis, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes, the Miami Hurricanes job could be in play for the fourth-year coach.
The rest of the Colts‘ staffers are set for an uncertain future, with Jim Irsay considering changes after the thus-far-underwhelming team’s Week 10 bye.
Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton‘s job is on the line. Pagano, per La Canfora, wanted associate head coach Rob Chudzinski to run the offense, and longtime organizational staffer Clyde Christensen also looms as an OC candidate in the event Pagano’s preferences are no longer relevant.
Pagano’s Miami connection stems from being the Hurricanes’ secondary coach from 1995-2000.
Irsay hopes to lure a top head-coaching candidate to Indianapolis next year, and that would mean GM Ryan Grigson would almost certainly be shown the door, the CBS reporter notes.
Here are some additional notes from La Canfora on Week 8 Sunday.
- The schism that formed in Houston recently between Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith regarding now-ex-Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett will lead to a change in the organization’s power structure, La Canfora reports. The ninth-year GM could see a reassignment if O’Brien is to assume more control, as he’s used to the head coach having from his years with the Patriots. The present setup involves both O’Brien and Smith reporting to owner Bob McNair separately, and McNair doesn’t see that as a sustainable model in light of the Mallett incident. It’s caused a divide within the organization, sources told La Canfora. “It’s gone from a slow drip to a waterfall,” a team source told the CBS scribe, describing the rift that’s become off-putting for McNair.
- Matt Forte and Brian Cushing are available for trades, La Canfora notes, mentioning the Bears, Texans and 49ers as the teams most likely to operate as sellers in advance of the Nov. 3 trade deadline. The 49ers have also entertained teams’ interest on offensive lineman Alex Boone and have fielded calls on Vernon Davis. The Seahawks are a team that is willing to trade a depth piece to acquire an offensive lineman to help fix their biggest issue, La Canfora reports. The Ravens and Chargers, despite carrying 11 losses between them, are viewed as being more hesitant to sell off veterans.
Ravens’ Matt Elam Suspended One Game
SATURDAY, 8:56am: Elam has been shifted from the injured reserve to the reserve-suspended list for this week, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
FRIDAY, 3:52pm: Safety Matt Elam has been suspended one game for violating the NFL’s policy on substances of abuse, the Ravens announced today (via Twitter). Elam has been on Baltimore’s injured reserve list all season, so he’ll serve his suspension immediately, and it won’t affect him next year, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
“We have been aware of this situation for a while,” the Ravens said in a statement (via Twitter). “Matt has been in our building rehabbing his injury on a regular basis, and he will continue to do so.”
Elam, 24, started 26 regular season contests at safety for the Ravens during his first two NFL seasons. However, having led the team in missed tackles and struggled mightily in coverage, he was bumped from Baltimore’s lineup in favor of Will Hill down the stretch in 2014. Elam entered 2015 looking to redeem himself, but suffered a complete biceps tear in training camp, ending his season.
While Elam won’t miss any games due to his one-game suspension, he’ll miss out on a pay check, reducing his 2015 salary by 1/17th (about $60K).
North Notes: Ratliff, Lions, Levy, Ravens
Veteran defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff is currently a free agent, free to sign with any NFL team, but as details continue to trickle out about last week’s incident at Halas Hall, it appears increasingly unlikely that another team will give him a shot this season.
Ratliff showed up last Wednesday in no condition to practice, prompting the Bears to send him home. After the team made the decision to cut him, Ratliff returned to the club’s practice facility, saying at one point that “he felt like killing everybody in the building,” according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune, citing a report from Lake Forest Police.
Ratliff left Halas Hall and returned again later, at which time he reportedly said, “I am the devil” and that he “wished staff member’s children would die.” Although no charges were filed against Ratliff, the Bears did call local police, with team officials alerting police of their belief that the 34-year-old owns multiple firearms, according to Campbell.
As the Bears attempt to move on from last week’s incident, let’s check in on some other items from out of the NFL’s North divisions….
- The idea that the Lions may consider parting with quarterback Matthew Stafford after this season is “comical,” GM Martin Mayhew told reporters today, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Mayhew also dismissed the possibility of a Calvin Johnson trade: “Both of those guys are very important to what we’re doing as a franchise, great people off the field, great teammates. And both of those guys have Hall of Fame potential. So to say that we should move those guys doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
- DeAndre Levy, recovering from hip surgery, may not see the field again this season after playing just 17 regular season snaps. However, Mayhew doesn’t regret locking up the Lions linebacker to a long-term extension prior to the season, as Birkett writes. “He’s not the first guy to sign an extension and get hurt. That happens sometimes,” Mayhew said. “You hate when it happens, but certainly through no fault of his own. It’s a serious injury that he’s dealing with.”
- It was a busy day for Mayhew, who also said that he expects the Lions to be buyers, not sellers, at next week’s trade deadline.
- The Ravens‘ front office and coaching staff have received no phone calls and just one text message from Terrell Suggs since the veteran pass rusher tore his Achilles a month and a half ago, writes Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. GM Ozzie Newsome says he isn’t worried about the lack of communication with Suggs, who may be rehabbing on his own, adding that he expects the 33-year-old to return to the team next season.
Agent Not Convinced Steve Smith Will Retire
Ravens receiver Steve Smith Sr. said earlier this year that this season would be his last in the NFL, and addressed that decision again last week by saying he’s “still on schedule” to retire at season’s end. However, there are still plenty of skeptics who don’t believe Smith will call it a career, and one of those skeptics is his agent, Derrick Fox, as ESPN’s Jim Trotter details.
“I know this guy better than anybody but his wife,” Fox said. “I’ve told him, ‘I don’t think that you’re really going to retire.’ The guy is just an insane competitor, and I think as long as his body works appropriately he’s really going to have a hard time next August saying, ‘Oh, wow. Guys are going to camp.’ He’s never experienced it in his entire life, and he’s got a lot left in the tank.”
As Fox tells it, Smith said early in his NFL career that he only planned to play for three or four years before retiring to spend time with his family, so he’s long been “committed to the concept” of retirement. However, the agent remains unconvinced that his client is ready to step away from the game quite yet. Asked to handicap the odds of Smith retiring after the 2015 season, Fox called it a 50-50 chance.
Even in his 15th NFL season, Smith does seem to have plenty left in the tank, as Fox suggests. In six games for Baltimore this season, the 36-year-old has grabbed 41 balls for 588 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 98 yards per game — the second-highest mark of his career.
Smith will have one year left on his three-year contract with the Ravens after 2015.