Extra Points: Fairley, Wallace, Vaccaro
Lions enigmatic defensive tackle Nick Fairley has quickly worked his way into new head coach Jim Caldwell’s doghouse. Fairley been demoted to the second unit, and if that was meant to be a motivational ploy, it doesn’t seem to be working. In his review of the Lions’ second preseason game, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press said Fairley “might as well have not even played. Watching Fairley intently throughout the second quarter, he rarely got any push up front and only once stumbled into a tackle.”
Here’s a handful more miscellaneous news and notes from around the league:
- Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez took an insightful look into Mike Wallace‘s slow adjustment to joining the Dolphins. Things are looking up, though, in Year Two, according to head coach Joe Philbin: “The comfort level [Wallace] has with the entire program is miles ahead of where he was a year ago at training camp. Maybe we underestimated just the sheer adjustment of a player moving from one program to another. I think he’s more comfortable in the locker room and with the coaching staff and feels better about his relationships with the quarterbacks.”
- Saints second-year safety Kenny Vaccaro is establishing himself as a defensive playmaker and leader by example, writes Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune: “[Vaccaro] might have the most swagger of any Saints defender since Darren Sharper. He’s good — and he knows it. And that’s not a bad thing. The Saints’ defense is loaded with alpha males, but Vaccaro is elbowing his way to the head of the pack.”
- Ryan Griffin is making a legitimate run at becoming Drew Brees‘ backup, according to ESPN’s Mike Triplett. A second-year pro, Griffin went undrafted out of Tulane, but earned a spot on the practice squad before spending the final 10 games on the active roster. “Griffin, 24, continues to show a combination of poise and confidence that belies his lack of experience,” says Triplett. If the Saints are to keep just two quarterbacks, they will have to choose between Griffin’s upside and experience of 33-year-old veteran Luke McCown.
- Rookie nose tackle Louis Nix III is one of five Texans Houston Chronicle writer John McClain will be watching tonight. Nix practiced this week for the first time since having his knee scoped before camp. “They expect him to compete for a starting job,” says McClain. “They traded into the third round to get Nix (6-2, 331), who has the ideal build for a 3-4 nose tackle who’s supposed to tie up two blockers…If Nix stays healthy and keeps his weight under control, he can be an ideal fit for Romeo Crennel’s scheme.”
- Ravens defensive lineman Kapron Lewis-Moore, a teammate of Nix III at Notre Dame, suffered a torn Achilles tendon, had surgery yesterday and is expected to be sidelined 6-8 months, reports Aaron Wilson in the Baltimore Sun. The injury is a tough break to say the least for Kapron-Moore, who also missed last season because of a torn ACL suffered in the 2013 BCS Championship against Alabama.
Extra Points: Bowe, Bortles, Blue
Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe will be suspended for the season opener as a result of his marijuana possession arrest last November, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Bowe is dealing with a “shot” finger, as Andy Reid told the KC Star’s Terez Paylor.
Here’s some more miscellaneous links from around the league:
- Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles’ second preseason game was televised nationally last night, and praise is pouring in. “It was against the second- and third-team defenders for the Bears, but there was no question Blake Bortles looked the part of a viable NFL quarterback on Thursday night in Chicago,” said CBS’ Will Brinson. Bortles “showed why he’s the future of the franchise, and why the future just might be now,” said Bleacher Reports Ty Schalter. “Bortles has looked to be every bit of the future Pro Bowl quarterback a team expects to get with a top three draft pick,” said USA Today’s Chris Strauss, who calls for the Jags to name Bortles the starter immediately. And ESPN’s Michael DiRocco says Bortles needs first-team reps this week.
- Could the Ravens be trying to sneak sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning onto the practice squad? Backup Tyrod Taylor is scheduled for most of the work in tomorrow’s preseason game, and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley makes an “educated guess” the team will limit Wenning’s exposure to other teams who might want to poach him. “The presumed plan is to develop Wenning into the primary backup by next season, when Taylor is a free agent,” says Hensley.
- Another rookie making waves is Texans sixth-round running back Alfred Blue. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli relayed praise for Blue from Bill O’Brien, who assessed the rookie’s skill set: “Good teammate, hardworking guy, football smart, three-down back — he’s got to continue to improve catching the football. But good runner, good vision, good on special teams, understands football, asks good questions. I see some good things from Alfred.” An ACL injury and crowded LSU backfield limited Blue’s college exposure — he carried just 209 times in 40 games — but scouts took notice of his physical ability once he declared for the draft, forgoing another year of eligibility. In his NFL Draft Preview book, Nolan Nawrocki described Blue as “A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness.” Nawrocki added that Blue is a prime candidate to be a “far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.”
- ESPN’s staff spotlighted each team’s most intriguing skill-position battle. Among the most notable capsules, Mike Reiss talks about the Patriots’ trio of running backs, saying Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen or James White could be featured any given week.
- Greg Toler and Donte Moncrief are among four standouts in Colts camp identified by IndyStar.com’s Stephen Holder. On Toler, Holder says, “Toler has been all over the field during camp, showing his superior ball skills and ability to play man coverage in the Colts defense. If he continues to perform like this heading into the regular season, the Colts won’t see much of a dropoff from franchise cornerback Vontae Davis to Toler.”
- The Packers are deeper this season in the eyes of Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn, who analyzes the team’s projected roster position by position.
Extra Points: Cardinals, Smith, Kasa, 49ers
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is very excited about the addition of two backup wide receivers, writes Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic. Ted Ginn Jr., signed in free agency, and John Brown, drafted in the third round, have made Arizona faster. “It opens up everything,” Palmer said. “It opens up the running game. You don’t want to leave a guy one-on-one in press coverage against Ted; it’s a tough matchup for any corner. So it takes an extra guy out of the box in some situations. It helps the running game.” More from around the league..
- Some may be wondering how much Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith has left in the tank, but Andy Benoit of MMQB believes that he was the best offseason signing in the NFL. Smith, he argues, still has the speed, stop/start acceleration and body control to consistently beat man coverage. The 35-year-old is 19th all-time in NFL history in receiving yards (12,197) and 25th in receptions (836).
- Bad news for Raiders tight end Nick Kasa as the preliminary reports are indicating that he has torn his ACL, tweets Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. If that’s the case, he’ll be done for the year and a source told Bair that he is in fact done for 2014.
- Former University of South Florida linebacker Aaron Lynch could wind up being the surprise pick of the 49ers‘ draft, writes Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Lynch had a number of red flags in the eyes of NFL scouts, but he has tremendous speed and is working hard to learn the position after playing defensive end in college.
- Packers GM Ted Thompson has been at this for a while, but he’s still critical of himself when he makes mistakes, writes Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel. “We got through that annually when we’re gearing up for a new draft with post-draft analysis. You look at that. You don’t beat yourself up too much. It’s not an exact science,” said the GM.
- William Powell‘s two-year deal with the Texans is a split contract worth $1.08MM with minimum base salaries and no guaranteed money, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Powell last appeared in the NFL with the Cardinals in 2012, rushing for 216 yards off of 59 carries.
- Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith is a big, big fan of quarterback Josh McCown. In fact, Lovie likes him so much that he’s tried to sign him three times over the years and was successful twice, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. He was rebuffed once because McCown refused to renege on his UFL commitment.
- Poor salary cap management and planning by the Lions front office has all but eliminated the possibility of signing Ndamukong Suh to a contract extension that makes sense for the team, writes Jason Fitzgerald for The Sporting News. The best option at this point, he says, is for the Lions to strongly consider trading Suh to the highest bidder before the preseason concludes.
Extra Points: Giants, Bryant, Cowboys
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is leading a new-look Giants secondary but he believes that the gelling process won’t be too arduous, writes George Willis of the New York Post. “When you’ve got a whole bunch of older guys, it can (come quickly) because you’ve been around the league and you understand the game,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “When you’re young it takes time. But with Walt coming over, with me and Antrel having already been here with Prince and Steve, I think it’s been smooth.” More from around the NFL..
- Former Ravens outside linebacker D.J. Bryant tried out for the Titans today, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Bryant, who spent last season on injured reserve with a torn ACL, wasn’t immediately signed to a contract. The athletic 6’3″, 240-pound linebacker who was an All-Colonial Athletic Conference selection as a defensive end at James Madison.
- A scout who studied new Cowboys cornerback Justin Green described him as someone who is “tough, physical, and competes,” tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Green, the source added, has above average movement skills and is a back-end guy with special teams value.” In short, Dallas will still miss Orlando Scandrick, but Green can be a solid depth pickup.
- New Browns quarterback Rex Grossman is happy to be reunited with long-time offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, writes Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer. “I just want to help this team win, no matter if it’s going out there playing or helping or just being somebody they can rely on that can go in the game and play or whatever it is,” said Grossman, who will be charged with breaking down the offensive system to his younger teammates.
- The CFL’s Montreal Alouettes officially announced that Jeff Garcia has been named the team’s quarterbacks coach.
AFC Links: Ravens, McCarthy, Texans, Colts
The Ravens could use some cornerback help, but the free agent market is thin and Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun isn’t sure either Asante Samuel or Jabari Greer would have interest in joining the team. A preseason trade may be Baltimore’s best chance for an upgrade, says Zrebiec, though he admits the Ravens may not want to part with any more 2015 draft picks after trading a couple for Jeremy Zuttah and Michael Campanaro.
Let’s round up a few more Tuesday updates from out of the AFC….
- It sounds as if Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy will need shoulder surgery, which makes injured reserve a viable possibility for him, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- Asked about the Texans’ overhaul of their backfield – which included signing Ronnie Brown and cutting Andre Brown – head coach Bill O’Brien said the Texans “had a chance to improve our team, and that’s what we did” (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).
- Although he believes the Broncos have several good contracts, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap picks Terrance Knighton’s deal as the most team-friendly one on Denver’s books. On the other hand, Fitzgerald wasn’t a fan of the contract the Broncos gave DeMarcus Ware this offseason, which includes $16.5MM in fully guaranteed money.
- Because the Colts only had five draft picks in May – the fewest of any NFL team – the team extensively scouted college free agents and placed a greater emphasis on those players this year, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. As such, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a few earned spots on Indianapolis’ roster and/or practice squad.
- In his exploration on the positional investments successful and non-successful teams make in running backs, the Patriots and Browns are among the teams examined by Zach Moore of Over the Cap. The Pats only spent about $3.4MM on their productive group of runners last season, and Moore thinks that inexpensive rookie Terrance West should be a better value for Cleveland than free agent addition Ben Tate.
AFC North Links: McCarron, Ravens, Archer
With one preseason game down, Bengals website editor Geoff Hobson provides a position-by-position roster rundown. Of note, rookie quarterback’s A.J. McCarron’s 2014 prognosis is unknown because of his shoulder issue, and Hobson says “it looks like he’s not coming off PUP anytime soon and that the Bengals think he needs a long rehab.”
Keep reading for more NFC North links…
- The Ravens’ selection of Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley 17th overall was universally praised, and the rookie is justifying the pick and the praise, writes Aaron Wilson in the Baltimore Sun.
- Ravens 2013 fifth-rounder Rick Wagner, expected to take over the right tackle job, played well in the team’s first preseason game, according to Wilson, who quoted head coach John Harbaugh: “I think someone wrote it earlier, you don’t notice him much. That’s a good thing for a right tackle, and he seemed like he played that way. And at the end of the day, he was solid and on his targets, and footwork was good. He’s a good, solid football player.”
- Asa Jackson has taken an early lead over Chykie Brown for the Ravens’ third cornerback job, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. Jackson, 24, is a 5-10, 182-pound third-year pro out of Cal Poly who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. Jackson has a skill set, including ball skills, to cover slot receivers, but he’s yet to play a defensive snap thanks, in large part, two a pair of Adderall-related suspensions totaling 12 games.
- Steelers veterans are anxious to see rookie Dri Archer put his rare speed on display, writes TribLive.com’s Mark Kaboly. Says Ike Taylor: “He is going to be a matchup problem for a lot of teams. He just has it. Dri just has it. Anytime he touches the ball or anytime you know he’s getting the ball, you kind of stand up and pay attention.”
- Everyone will be tuning into the Browns-Lions preseason contest to watch Johnny Football, but Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot provides four other things to watch, including the competition for carries between Ben Tate and rookie Terrance West.
Extra Points: Trump, Ravens, Manziel, Eagles, 49ers
Al Michaels spoke to Donald Trump prior to NBC’s Sunday Night Football and the commentator revealed that the business magnate made a substantial bid to purchase the Bills. How substantial?
“He said he offered $1 billion. All cash, no contingencies, immediate closing. He’d have the check in one hour,” Michaels said (via ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio). “He was a little miffed that it went out for bid again.”
We previously heard that Buffalo Sabers owner Terry Pegula bid a reported $1.3 billion while the Toronto-based group led by Jon Bon Jovi bid an estimated $1.2 billion.
With that, that’s take a look at some more NFL notes…
- The Ravens worked out free agent tight end Steve Maneri, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Wilson notes that the team auditioned Maneri as an offensive tackle.
- ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon believes that Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel “took advantage” of his opportunities during Saturday’s practice. While Brian Hoyer has been “steady and solid” in camp, McManamon opines that he hasn’t improved much since the second day. As a result, the writer believes the rookie has changed the Browns quarterback conversation.
- On Friday, Eagles cornerback Cary Williams expressed his displeasure about practicing with the Patriots during the preseason because “they are cheaters” (via CSNPhilly.com’s Geoff Mosher). On Sunday, Williams was missing from practice, but he made sure to emphasize that his absence had nothing to do with his comments. “[I]t had nothing to do with that,” Williams said (again, via Mosher). “I haven’t even discussed anything with Chip (Kelly). I don’t think he’s trying any type of. . . . I’m sure maybe we’ll have a conversation, but I don’t know.”
- Meanwhile, there were no question about 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh‘s intent when he sent a duo of starters to the locker room. As CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco writes, wideout Anquan Boldin was booted from practice on Friday following a scuffle. On Sunday, cornerback Chris Culliver was sent off the field following a rough hit on David Reed.
Ravens, 49ers Notes: Practice, Mosley, Hyde
The Ravens and 49ers have been linked together thanks to their head coaches, brother Jim and John Harbaugh, and their epic battle in Super Bowl XLVII. The two franchises were planning on continuing their connection with a joint practice on August 8th, but that scrimmage has been canceled according to the Baltimore Sun. The practice would violate the collective bargaining agreement, which dictates the amount of practices a team can have, and what is considered an “off day” under the agreement.
Here are some other notes from among the two training camps:
- The Ravens have listed first-round pick C.J. Mosley as a starting inside linebacker on their most recent depth chart, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Mosley is currently ahead of last year’s second-round pick Arthur Brown, who missed the 2013 season but was expected to be a contributor.
- Ravens‘ star Haloti Ngata will shift over on the defensive line into the position vacated by Arthur Jones, according to Wilson (via Twitter). Jones was signed by the Colts this offseason. Wilson also noted that Darian Stewart and Brandon Williams are listed as starters at safety and defensive tackle respectively, although the team drafted Terrence Brooks and Timmy Jernigan, both out of Florida State, to compete at those spots (via Twitter).
- 49ers‘ defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey tore his bicep, and could potentially miss the entire season, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). According to the depth chart, Quinton Dial is set to step up in his absence, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Dial was drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but missed all of last season.
- With the 49ers‘ depth chart being announced, Carlos Hyde has emerged as the backup running back in the aftermath of the injuries to Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
North Links: Gordon, Packers, Bears, Ravens
Browns receiver Josh Gordon‘s appeal hearing in New York today lasted from 9:30am to 7:00pm, and is expected to continue on Monday, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The 23-year-old Gordon is seeking to overturn his proposed one-year ban for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Earlier today, Florio indicated that there is a “slight chance” a compromise is reached in the negotiations; any such deal would presumably allow Gordon to serve a sentence less than one year. If that’s the case, it makes sense that the ongoing deliberations are taking a decent amount of time.
More from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The Packers fear that fifth-round receiver Jared Abbrederis has a torn ACL, a source told Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Abbrederis, a Wisconsin product, was expected to contribute in the return game.
- Adrian Wilson is already working with the Bears’ first-team defense, according to John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Roles in training camp are often inconsequential, but this report suggests that Wilson, who missed all of last season with an Achilles injury, is healthy enough to dominate safety snaps at Chicago’s practice sessions.
- Browns rookie guard Garrett Gilkey believes he’s a legitimate candidate to start, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Gilkey, a seventh-round pick in May’s draft, has been rotating at right guard with John Greco. “He’s shown to us in our practices he is a caliber of guy that is ready to be right in the starting mix,” said offensive line coach Andy Moeller. “…By no means has he arrived, but he’s certainly taking great strides to get there.”
- Following the release of veteran Vonta Leach, second-year man Kyle Juszczyk is slated to be the Ravens’ starting fullback, and he’s made great strides heading into his sophomore campaign, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
AFC North Notes: Gordon, Urban, Leach
Harold Henderson will be the hearing officer for Josh Gordon‘s suspension appeal tomorrow, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link), and that may not be good news for the Browns wideout. Cabot says the argument that Gordon’s failed test was a result of second-hand smoke “won’t fly” with Henderson, and Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report echoes that sentiment (via Twitter).
- Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters today, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), that fourth-round defensive lineman Brent Urban suffered a torn ACL this week in practice and will be sidelined for the 2014 season.
- Following Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods in 2011 and 2012, Ravens fullback Vonta Leach played a reduced role in 2013, and was ultimately cut by the team in February. However, as he tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, Leach isn’t retiring, and hopes to catch on with an NFL club. “A lot of teams and coaches have sent text message to make sure that I’m staying in shape,” Leach said. “You never know when you might get that call. I’m played in this league a long time. I know how this business works. You’ve got to be ready.”
- After breaking down the extensions signed by Patrick Peterson, Richard Sherman, and Joe Haden this year, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap concludes that Haden’s deal with the Browns is the strongest and the most protected upon signing.
- I rounded up a few Bengals rumors earlier this morning.