Injury Updates: Sunday
We will keep you informed of any major injuries that arise throughout the course of today’s games.
- In addition to suffering an embarrassing loss at the hands of the Patriots, the Bears may have lost one key contributor on each side of the all. Guard Matt Slauson left the game with a pectoral injury (Twitter link via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune), and as we saw with Brian Orakpo, a torn pectoral will likely force a player to miss the remainder of the season. Campbell’s Tribune colleague, Brad Biggs, tweets that defensive lineman Lamarr Houston had to be carted off the field after suffering an injury while celebrating a sack of Tom Brady.
- Rams receiver Brian Quick suffered an arm injury in today’s game against the Chiefs, and had to be carted off the field, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Dispatch (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that Ravens CB Jimmy Smith has been carted off the field with a left leg injury.
- Lions DT Nick Fairley suffered a right knee injury and has already been declared out for the rest of today’s game in London, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- Texans rookie Jadeveon Clowney is expected to suit up for the first time since Week 1, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Clowney is expected to contribute primarily in obvious passing situations.
- Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that Bengals WR A.J. Green, who was listed as doubtful for today’s divisional tilt against Baltimore, will not play. He hopes to return next week, but how he feels on Wednesday will be a major part of that decision.
- NFL.com’s Kevin Patra confirms that Lions star wideout Calvin Johnson will not play in today’s game against the Falcons in London.
AFC North Notes: Pettine, Stewart, Steelers
Browns‘ head coach Mike Pettine’s history as a high school coach might be the reason he likes the success of undrafted free agents, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Grossi notes that Pettine has often felt looked down upon because of his unheralded past, and sees a kinship with the underappreciated talents.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC North:
- The Browns have taken criticism for a lack of depth on the offensive line, but Grossi believes the injury to Alex Mack was an unforseen setback. He notes that the team’s linemen have rarely missed practice or game time, and that the timing of the injury was unfortunate with Nick McDonald getting back into game shape.
- Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com doesn’t necessarily see Darian Stewart sticking around after this season. The safety signed a one-year, $1.3MM deal with the Ravens in the offseason and if he wants to come back, it’ll probably be in a bench role. Baltimore will go with either Terrence Brooks or Will Hill at free safety next year. Stewart might balk at that idea or he may be okay with it given his history with secondary coach Steve Spangnuolo.
- Two key contributors for the Steelers have struggled with consistency this season in cornerback Cortez Allen and linebacker Sean Spence. Allen was benched in favor of Brice McCain, but Scott Brown of ESPN.com writes that the move was more to send a message to allen and reward McCain for positive performance in practice. Spence has not lost his starting spot, but that might only be because Vince Williams cannot cover anyone at linebacker.
NFL Not Cooperating With NFLPA Investigation
Although we learned yesterday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been told to testify in ex-Ravens running back Ray Rice‘s appeal hearing, league officials haven’t been forced to cooperate in the NFLPA’s separate investigation, and seemingly have no plans to do so. Richard Craig Smith, the former federal prosecutor leading the union’s inquiry, tells Rob Maiddi of the Associated Press that the league has not provided him with any documents or witnesses. The Ravens have also failed to assist the NFLPA probe, per Smith.
“I am interested in the facts, and if we get cooperation from all the parties that were involved, we will have an understanding of what happened,” said Smith. “We cannot accept public statements that call for transparency, candor and openness and then not allow the investigators to do their jobs. If the NFL is genuinely concerned about fixing the issues that led to an admitted mistake, then they should be honest and forthright about what they knew and when they knew it. We want both our team and [former FBI director Robert] Mueller’s team each to be able to conduct a thorough review of all the relevant facts.”
The union announced exactly one month ago that it would be undertaking an investigation that would “run parallel” to Rice’s appeal hearing, which is expected to take place in mid-November. The NFLPA probe was expected to delve into the specifics of the initial Rice incident, and examine the machinations of both the NFL and the Ravens that led to Rice’s release and indefinite suspension. The league itself has tasked Mueller with performing a third investigation into the matter.
Neither of the three inquiries are bound by law or carry legal penalties for uncooperative actions, so just as Goodell can disregard the “order” to testify in Rice’s appeal hearing, the NFL won’t be forced to provide any help to the union investigation. I’d ultimately Goodell to testify in the hearing; he’s under enough pressure already that he won’t want it to appear as though he’s hiding anything. But because the league won’t be compelled to share any information with the league, it’s hard to imagine them doing so at their own discretion.
Cap Notes: Rice, Kerley, Trades
With the trade deadline approaching, it’s worth keeping an eye on which teams have cap room to spare and which clubs don’t have much flexibility to make moves. Before we get into that though, we have a couple notes on how a pair of players will affect their respective teams’ (or former teams’) caps. Let’s dive in….
- Because Ray Rice filed a grievance against the Ravens in an attempt to recoup his 2014 base salary, he’ll count against the cap for 40% of that disputed amount, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. Because Rice had been in line for a $3,529,412 salary, the cap charge for Baltimore works out to $1,411,765.
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com adds another note on Jeremy Kerley‘s contract details, tweeting that the Jets wideout has $3.841MM in fully guaranteed money at the time of his signing, with an additional $2MM becoming guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2015 league year.
- As Albert Breer of the NFL Network considers whether there will be any deals of note before Tuesday’s trade deadline, he points out that 15 teams have less than $5MM in cap space, which could make it tricky to complete any sort of significant move.
- Breer goes on to add that there are six teams with more than $10MM in cap room: The Jaguars ($22.84MM), Browns ($19.06MM), Eagles ($16.31MM), Jets ($12.82MM), Titans ($11.86MM), and Patriots ($10.54MM).
Latest On Ray Rice Case
Yesterday, a judge ruled that commissioner Roger Goodell will be forced to testify at the Ray Rice hearing. The decision was not unexpected, but also not a given, and it should make things very interesting. Now, it sounds like the heat will really be turned up on the commissioner based on what we’re hearing tonight. The latest on the Ray Rice appeal..
- In addition to commissioner Goodell, Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and team president Dick Cass will also be required to testify at the Rice hearing, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
- NFL nemeses Jeffrey Kessler and Peter Ginsberg will be questioning Goodell at the hearing, Florio writes. Ginsberg, who was retained directly by Rice, has handled several cases in recent years against the NFL, including the StarCaps case involing Pat Williams and Kevin Williams.
- Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and director of team security Darren Sanders won’t be among those called to testify by the judge in the case, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
- Ultimately, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith could decide to get in on the fun and question Goodell, Florio hears from a source. Smith, a practicing lawyer before becoming the NFLPA boss, routinely adds his own name to the roster of lawyers handling a given case which allows him the option to directly participate as an advocate.
Extra Points: Mariota, Goodell, Peterson
Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich sees his star quarterback Marcus Mariota stealing the show at this year’s scouting combine, writes NFL.com’s Bryan Fischer. “He’s a competitive perfectionist. Every single thing he does, he wants to do great,” Helfrich said. “He competes in period four just like he does in a BCS bowl game. To him, (the combine) is right in his wheelhouse, and he’ll do great.” Helfrich might be a bit biased, but Mariota is widely projected to be a top choice in the 2015 Draft. More NFL news..
- A judge has ruled that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be forced to testify at the Ray Rice hearing, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The ruling was expected by many since Goodell played an active role in all facets of Rice’s suspension.
- A prosecution request to remove the judge handling the felony child abuse case against Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been denied, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The judge made some less-than-kind remarks about Peterson’s defense team earlier this month. As Rochelle Olson of the Star-Tribune writes, the trial is still on track for December 1st.
- Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy hasn’t showed up at Bank of America Stadium since being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, but that’s not because he’s not welcome, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. “We haven’t asked him to stay away,” coach Ron Rivera said. “At the same time, we’re letting him take care of his business.”
- Former Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice thinks Seattle made the right move by trading Percy Harvin, writes Terry Blount of ESPN.com. “I was surprised, but at the same time, it may have been the best thing for the team,” Rice said. “It’s tough losing a guy like Percy. He’s one of a kind. The league has never seen a player like Percy Harvin.”
- The Rams auditioned wide receivers Skye Dawson and Derek Moye yesterday, tweets Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports. Dawson, who was cut by the Bucs in late August, worked out for the Lions last week. Moye, meanwhile, was scooped up by the Titans earlier today.
Update On Traded 2015 Draft Picks
The trade that sent Percy Harvin from Seattle to the Jets this past week was the latest example of a swap in which the draft pick involved in the deal is tied to a condition which will affect the value of that pick. In the case of the Harvin deal, the pick Seattle acquired reportedly can become a fourth-rounder if the wideout remains on the Jets’ roster beyond this season, but if New York moves on from Harvin in the offseason, the 2015 pick will be a sixth-rounder.
Considering we haven’t even seen Harvin suit up for the Jets yet, we’re nowhere close to knowing whether he’ll remain in the team’s plans for 2015, so that conditional pick remains very much up in the air. However, there are a number of other conditional picks whose outlook is much clearer. Here’s an update on several of the picks that could change hands in 2015:
Conditions met, or likely to be met:
- Dolphins acquired 49ers‘ seventh-round pick for Jonathan Martin: Martin had to make San Francisco’s opening day 53-man roster for this pick to change hands, which he did.
- Giants acquired Broncos‘ seventh-round pick for Brandon McManus. The deal required McManus to remain the Broncos’ kicker even after Matt Prater‘s four-game suspension ended for the Giants to acquire the pick, which he did.
- Ravens acquiring Cowboys‘ sixth-round pick for Rolando McClain: McClain needs to play in 50% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps for Baltimore to land this pick, and so far, he has played in about 81%, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Assuming he meets the criteria, the Ravens would sent their seventh-round pick to Dallas in exchange for the Cowboys’ sixth-rounder.
- Titans acquiring Cowboys‘ seventh-round pick for Lavar Edwards: Edwards must spend at least 10 games on the Cowboys’ roster for Tennessee to grab this pick, and so far he has been on the team for all but one contest. He’ll need four more games on the 53-man roster for the Titans to get the pick.
Conditions not met, or unlikely to be met:
- Packers won’t acquire Patriots‘ seventh-round pick for Jerel Worthy: Worthy had to make the Pats’ opening day 53-man roster for Green Bay to get this pick, but he was waived during preseason cutdowns.
- Panthers likely won’t acquire Eagles‘ seventh-round pick for Kenjon Barner: Barner must spend at least four games on Philadelphia’s 46-man game day roster for this pick to change hands. Considering Barner hasn’t even been on the team’s roster since the season began, this appears unlikely.
- Jaguars likely won’t acquire pick from 49ers for Blaine Gabbert: The Jags would’ve landed a pick if Gabbert started eight or more games in 2014. Unless Colin Kaepernick goes down with a serious injury in the team’s next game, this won’t happen.
For details on all of 2015’s traded draft picks, be sure to check out our complete list.
Extra Points: Bears, Rice, Sam, Rivers
Worried about potential unrest in Chicago? Brandon Marshall isn’t. “We’re great,” Marshall said of his relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler in an appearance on Showtime’s Inside The NFL (video link). Still, one has to wonder if the Bears offense can get back on the same page this season and make a run for the NFC North crown. More from around the NFL..
- As expected, Ray Rice has filed a grievance against the Ravens, challenging the team’s decision to terminate his contract, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If Rice is successful in his grievances against both the Ravens and the NFL, he would be eligible to receive $3.52MM from Baltimore.
- Michael Sam figures to find another NFL opportunity thanks to his motor, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The linebacker was released from the Cowboys‘ taxi squad earlier today.
- Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is on his way to joining the $20MM quarterback club, writes Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. Since the start of the 2013 season, Rivers has enjoyed a career revival and has arguably been the league’s second-best quarterback behind Peyton Manning.
- A source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that RB Alex Green had a “good workout” with the Giants today, but the team isn’t signing him at this time. Big Blue won’t be inking Felix Jones to a contract either, but he’ll be on the team’s “short list” if and when a tailback is needed (link).
- Former Giants center Jim Cordle worked out for the Titans recently, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Cordle suffered a partially torn patella but Caplan says he’s been healthy for a while.
- With Derrick Coleman hurt, the Seahawks worked out veteran fullbacks Tony Fiammetta, Greg Jones, and Will Tukuafu, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.
- The Titans got something for nothing when they sent Akeem Ayers and a seventh-round choice to the Patriots earlier today for a sixth-round pick, opines Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Ayers is in his contract year and wasn’t contributing much to the Titans. Of course, the Titans wish things worked out differently with their former second-round pick.
- The NFL could wind up installing two personal conduct policies: one for players and one for all other NFL employees, including owners, writes Peter King of The MMQB. The policy for non-players could be hammered out by Thanksgiving and the players policy should be completed after that.
North Notes: Rice, McPhee, Vikings, Lions
A date has been set for Ray Rice‘s appeal hearing, which will get underway on November 5 and conclude the following day, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The investigations being conducted by Robert Mueller and the NFLPA into the league’s and the Ravens‘ handling of the Rice incident almost certainly won’t have concluded in time for the hearing. Still, Rice’s camp is expected to argue that the running back was punished twice for the same infraction, and that the league’s decision to increase Rice’s punishment was based on a video that was edited by TMZ.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Ravens defender Pernell McPhee may be in the process of pricing himself out of the team’s plans beyond this season, says Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Although Zrebiec expects the Ravens to try to bring McPhee back when his contract expires, he figures the 25-year-old will have plenty of suitors.
- Free agent cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke, who auditioned for the Dolphins earlier this week, worked out for the Vikings today, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
- Lions head coach Jim Caldwell didn’t shoot down the idea that the team might be interested in Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne, but was noncommittal when asked about the possibility. “Obviously, there are a lot of good athletes around this country, and there are a bunch of them playing other sports,” Caldwell said, per The Detroit Free Press. “Basketball, baseball, rugby, which is similar to our sport, and there is a lot of carryover. So, we’ll see.”
Extra Points: Harvin, Jets, Manziel, Ravens
Percy Harvin‘s character has come into question following reports of fights with former teammates Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin, but Breno Giacomini, who played with him in Seattle, isn’t concerned, writes Seth Walder of the Daily News. “Almost everybody in this locker room’s been in a fight before, we play football,” the Jets‘ offensive lineman said. “Oh, it happened twice? Who cares. He’s a good competitor, that’s what it is.” More from around the NFL..
- Jets coach Rex Ryan expressed similar thoughts on his new star wide receiver, saying “Nobody’s perfect,” Walder writes. The Jets have had experience with wide receivers and off the field issues in the past. Braylon Edwards, for the most part, stayed out of trouble during his Jets tenure. Santonio Holmes, meanwhile, was cut after several reported locker room disruptions.
- The Browns briefly considered putting Johnny Manziel in at quarterback on Sunday while Brian Hoyer was having a tough time against the Jaguars, writes Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. “It was discussed briefly, but it was a situation where we still wanted to…at least try to end the game with Brian on a positive note,” coach Mike Pettine said. Hoyer appears poised to have some significant leverage as he approaches free agency this offseason but more outings like Sunday’s will change his forecast for 2015.
- Despite his slow start, the Ravens should give Torrey Smith a new deal, opines Mike Preston of The Baltimore Sun. Smith has just 18 catches for 308 yards and four touchdowns so far this year, but he’s a strong No. 2 receiver and offers great leadership in the locker room.
- Rookie Marcus Martin is going to get the “first shot” at replacing the injured Daniel Kilgore in the starting lineup, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said, according to Steve Corkran of the Mercury News. The club lost their starting center to a left leg fracture in the third quarter of their blowout loss to the Broncos.