East Notes: Jets, Patriots, Bills, Cowboys
As the Jets’ defeat of the Patriots shakes up the AFC playoff picture, let’s look at some of the news coming out of the Eastern divisions as Week 16 shifts to its night games.
- Jets players were stunned the Patriots opted to kick to start overtime, Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com reports. “My face lit up, like ‘You really want to kick the ball?’ I don’t know, but I am glad they did choose to kick,” Calvin Pryor told media, including Hannable. Bill Belichick made the same decision two years ago against the Broncos, a game that featured several overtime punts before a Patriots victory. However, receiving teams don’t have an overwhelming percentage edge since the new OT rules were implemented for the regular season. Just 50.7% of receiving teams have won in extra periods since 2012.
- The player who verbalized New England’s decision to kick, Matt Slater, could not retract his call regarding which direction the Patriots wanted to defend, per the NFL rulebook. But a post-regulation conversation between Belichick and referee Clete Blakeman may have set this mistake in motion, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com writes. Belichick told Blakeman before the coin toss he intended to have his team kick, and Blakeman worded that into his question to Slater, asking “You want to kick?” Once Slater responded, “We want to kick, that way,” Blakeman could only, by rule, follow his first command as teams that win the toss are not permitted to choose both the action that starts overtime or a half and the direction.
- Bill Polian‘s recent critique of the current offensive front’s status was a point of contention among the Bills‘ line, Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News reports. The Hall of Fame ex-Bills GM referred to the Bills’ line as “aging and unathletic,” and the line mates, most notably 29-year-old Eric Wood and 32-year-old Richie Incognito, made it known that upset them. “We were chirping about it a little bit,” Incognito told media, including Dunne. “A lot of text messages back and forth. You know, we noticed it. We’re professionals. And for a guy like Bill Polian — who’s had a lot of success in Buffalo and is a Hall of Fame (executive) — to talk bad about our group like that, it puts a little (expletive) in our grit.” Despite not having LeSean McCoy‘s services, the Bills rushed for 236 yards on 40 carries in their defeat of the Cowboys.
- Should Jerry Jones decide to fire Jason Garrett after this disastrous season, he’d have to pay up to do so, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. The Cowboys‘ coach is finishing out the first season of a five-year, $30MM contract he signed. An about-face on Garrett’s future in Dallas would cost the Cowboys up to $24MM. Garrett’s passive style in terms of deferring credit works well with the attention-hungry Jones, Florio offers.
- Eagles defensive coordinator Bill Davis demurred when asked about his job security, responding, “That’s for other men to decide,” according to Paul Domowitch of Philly.com. Davis’ unit has ceded 216 points the past six games. Domowitch notes Chip Kelly’s vote of confidence about Davis’ future doesn’t mean too much considering Andy Reid gave Sean McDermott the same sentiment before firing him five seasons ago. The Philadelphia writer adds Davis is the likely scapegoat for Kelly’s first-year struggles assembling a quality roster.
Bills GM Doug Whaley “On Very Solid Ground”
After a pair of reports last weekend suggested just the opposite, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that Bills GM Doug Whaley is “on very solid ground” and that Whaley is more likely to receive an extension than be fired (Twitter link). Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that team ownership supports Whaley, and that the GM and head coach Rex Ryan work well together.
Reports from Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports last Sunday indicated that owner Terry Pegula had sought outside NFL consultation in an effort to address the problems that his club has faced in recent seasons, and those reports suggested that much of what Pegula heard was unfavorable to Whaley. Furthermore, Carucci and La Canfora suggested that Whaley and the Bills’ coaching staff did not see eye-to-eye, and La Canfora indicated that a “showdown” between Whaley and the team’s coaches could be coming at the end of the season.
Rapoport’s tweets, however, throws some cold water on all of that talk. And although Whaley has made a few missteps–blowing a first-round draft pick on EJ Manuel, for instance–he has also made some notable improvements to the roster during his time in Buffalo. Whaley, who served as the Steelers’ Coordinator of Pro Scouting for 11 years before being hired by the Bills as Assistant GM/Director of Pro Personnel in 2010, assembled a particularly strong rookie class in 2015, a class that has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing year. He also has a decent track record in free agency, and even though he should bear some of the blame for the Bills’ failure to qualify for the playoffs this year, he has certainly done enough to earn another chance in 2016. And despite the team’s recent attempts to lure Bill Polian to the front office–along with its continued consultation of Polian–Rapoport’s sources believe Whaley will get that chance.
AFC Notes: Tipton, Wood, Mularkey
Before you call it a night on this Christmas, here are a few other stories circulating regarding AFC teams.
- The Colts waived running back Zurlon Tipton earlier this week, and unfortunately he has already found his way back into the news after being arrested for allegedly firing an assault rifle early this morning, according to Jill Disis of IndyStar.com. He was charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, and released on bond. Tipton played most of the past two years with the Colts, including 18 carries and a touchdown during the team’s three playoff games last season.
- The Bills have had some problems in the locker room this season, specifically with Mario Williams and the defensive line criticizing Rex Ryan’s new gameplan and scheme defensively. However, center Eric Wood is disappointed the entire team hasn’t bought in, and despite all the losing, believes the team is moving in the right direction, writes Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News.“It’s tough,” Wood said. “But I’m by no means giving up on it. I feel like we had enough talent this year to make the playoffs and make a run at this thing. I think going into next year, I have a ton of confidence.”
- Titans interim head coach Mike Mularkey hasn’t had a ton of success since taking over in Tennessee, but he isn’t worried about coaching for a job in 2016, writes Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press. “Days are so full of things, I have to get ready for the games, and I don’t have a lot of time to sit and ponder and wonder,” Mularkey said. “Again, I’m trying to get this team to win these last two games. Whatever happens at the end happens. We’ll see then.”
Bills Rumors: Polian, Taylor, Whaley, Williams
After declining to re-join the Bills’ front office in January, Bill Polian has volunteered his services to the current Bills’ hierarchy as a consultant, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports.
The Bills’ general manager from 1986-1992 and 2015 Hall of Fame inductee, Polian told Carucci he will only provide consulting services for the Bills.
“Listen, I owe this franchise virtually everything I have in the National Football League,” Polian said. “A good reason why a yellow jacket’s on my shoulder is because of the Buffalo Bills. The bottom line is, I want this team to succeed.”
Although the 73-year-old Polian turned down an offer to be the Bills’ football czar, his being inducted into the Hall of Fame in August could help his chances at departing ESPN and reuniting with his former team, Carucci writes.
Here are some more Polian- and Bills-related items on Christmas Eve.
- Among the stances Polian offered to owner Terry Pegula in recent months was that semi-breakout quarterback Tyrod Taylor is not the team’s long-term answer under center. “You can win with Tyrod if the other pieces are good,” Polian told Carucci. “If there are six or seven Pro Bowlers at other positions, you can win with Tyrod. But he’s not the quarterback of the future. He’s not Jim Kelly, and, although he doesn’t have the same track record, he’s probably comparable to Frank Reich. But he’s not 6-feet-4 like Frank Reich. He’s small and he’s going to get hurt, and he did. Now, you have to find his backup and the quarterback of the future.”
- Polian also would likely cut EJ Manuel if brought in as a consultant after recommending the sputtering ex-first-rounder’s release to Pegula in a recent phone conversation. Manuel has one year left on his rookie contract and represented a source of friction between current GM Doug Whaley and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Carucci notes. The latter wanted Buffalo to retain Matt Cassel as Taylor’s backup, while Whaley, who played a key role in bringing Manuel to Buffalo at No. 16 overall in 2013, preferred the cheaper Manuel stay. Whaley has one year left on his contract, and per the Buffalo News, hasn’t had extension discussions.
- Polian referred to the current Bills offensive line as “aging and unathletic,” a take that confused Buffalo News reporter Tyler Dunne, given that only Richie Incognito is over 29 among the current nucleus up front. Dunne also does not like the potential for coordination between Polian, Whaley and Rex Ryan, with Polian being critical of both recently.
- Mario Williams‘ spree of assessments on the shortcomings of the Bills’ 21st-ranked defense continued, with the veteran insisting the current personnel does not fit Ryan’s scheme, per an Associated Press report. The 30-year-old edge presence also acknowledges his days with the Bills could very well be over soon. “Of course there’ll be changes,” Williams told media. “I mean, that’s obvious. You just wait and see if my number’s called.” Williams’ 2016 cap number of $19.9MM would be by far the most on the Bills.
Workout Notes: Bills, Boykin, Little
Here are Wednesday’s workouts from around the NFL. All links go to the Twitter feed of The Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, unless noted otherwise:
- The Bills worked out wide receivers Jarrett Boykin and Greg Little (link).
- The Jets worked out tackle Cameron Bradfield, tackle Jesse Davis, tackle Sean Donnelly, guard Matthew Masifilo, defensive tackle Ellis McCarthy, and guard Craig Watts, Wilson tweets.
- The Falcons worked out linebacker Cameron Gordon, defensive back Chris Greenwood, guard Michael Huey, and defensive back Brandon McGee (link).
- The Eagles worked out defensive lineman Freddie Bishop, wide receiver Issac Blakeney, wide receiver Jeff Fuller, linebacker Cameron Gordon, offensive lineman Colin Kelly, wide receiver Eric Rogers, and defensive back Jordan Sullen (link).
- The Titans worked out defensive tackle Davon Walls (link).
- The Falcons tried out linebacker Mike Mohamed, linebacker James-Michael Johnson, and guard Shelley Smith (link).
- The Vikings worked out wide receivers Terrell Sinkfield and Eric Rogers (link).
- The Broncos tried out cornerback Chimdi Chekwa, linebacker Thomas Keiser, and linebacker Jonathan Massaquoi, Wilson tweets.
- The Browns worked out guard Jared Smith (link).
- The Browns worked out kickers Carey Spear and Zach Hocker (link).
- The Bears worked out punter Brock Miller (link).
- The Cardinals worked out defensive backs Dexter McCoil and Joel Wilkinson (link).
AFC Notes: M. Williams, Wallace, Hopkins
We rounded up several NFC notes earlier this afternoon. Now, let’s shift our focus to the AFC….
- Speaking today to reporters, including ESPN’s Mike Rodak, Bills defensive end Mario Williams insisted that he hasn’t tried to be outwardly critical of Rex Ryan’s defensive scheme, and that he’s just giving honest answers when asked about it. It seems somewhat unlikely, given the issues Williams has had this year, that he’ll be back in Buffalo next year when his cap hit increases to nearly $20MM.
- Unlike Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Steelers center Cody Wallace won’t receive a suspension for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Broncos safety David Bruton Jr. on Sunday, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Wallace’s hit, which came after the play, was arguably worse than Beckham’s shot at Josh Norman, but it sounds like he’ll just be fined to the tune of $23K+ for the play, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- DeAndre Hopkins‘ agent, Hadley Engelhard, met with the Texans recently, and spoke about – among other things – how his client has already played with eight quarterbacks during his three-year NFL career, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The QB turnover hasn’t slowed down Hopkins’ production at all, but it figures to be something that comes up again between Engelhard and the Texans when the wideout becomes extension-eligible next month.
- Before he retires, Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson has scored one last payday. As Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets, Woodson gets a $250K bonus for being named to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday night.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/23/15
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the league:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: RB Alonzo Harris (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports)
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: S Jonathan Dowling (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com)
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Conor Boffeli (press release via team)
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
- Placed on PS-IR: LB Tony Washington (Twitter link via Wilson)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: RB Jahwan Edwards (Twitter link via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald)
St. Louis Rams
- Signed: WR Deon Long (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/22/15
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL, with new moves added to the list throughout the day:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Collin Rahrig (press release via team)
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: QB Zac Dysert (Twitter link via Jon Scott of TWC News), TE Jacob Maxwell (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com)
Chicago Bears
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby, DL Davon Coleman (Twitter link via team)
- Cut: DL Toby Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Edwin Jackson, WR Joshua Stangby, DT Joe Vellano (press release via team)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: S Earl Wolff (Twitter link via Tad Dickman)
- Cut: CB Rashaad Reynolds
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Alex Singleton (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press)
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Joe Anderson (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: P Kasey Redfern (press release via team)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Deshon Foxx, WR Antwan Goodley (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
- Cut: DT Justin Hamilton
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Andre Davis, LB Darius Eubanks (press release via team)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Gavin Lutman, QB Bryn Renner (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com)
- Cut: QB Mike Kafka, WR Rico Richardson
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/22/15
Tuesdays are typically busy days for roster changes during the NFL regular season, and even with the holidays around the corner, this week is no different. Here are the latest minor transactions from around the league:
- The Packers announced that they’ve placed long snapper Brett Goode on injured reserve, signing fellow snapper Rick Lovato to take his place. Per Wes Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com (Twitter link), Goode tore his ACL during Sunday’s game against the Raiders.
- The Bears announced (via Twitter) that they’ve promoted defensive tackle D’Anthony Smith from the practice squad, waiving running back Antone Smith to create a roster spot. D’Anthony has spent time with the Jaguars, Lions, and Seahawks, while Antone had seen just one carry for Chicago this year.
- With Marcus Mariota ailing, the Titans have signed quarterback Alex Tanney off the Colts’ practice squad, reports Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com (Twitter link). Tanney, known for his “trick-shot” Youtube videos, will back up Zach Mettenberger on Sunday. Tennessee placed defensive tackle Mike Martin on injured reserve to create a roster spot.
Earlier updates:
- The 49ers have signed running back DuJuan Harris from off the Ravens‘ practice squad, cutting running back Travaris Cadet to make room, tweets Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com noted this afternoon (via Twitter) that the knee injury sustained by Shaun Draughn didn’t appear to be serious, but the club wanted to add some insurance just in case. San Francisco may get some added insurance in the form of Mike Davis, who is currently on the IR-DTR list, and will begin practicing this week, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link).
- After somehow playing through a fractured fibula for three quarters on Sunday, safety David Bruton will head to injured reserve, officially ending his season, the Broncos confirmed today in a press release. Safety Shaun Prater will take the open spot on the roster, with Bruton expected to require four to six weeks to recover from his injury.
- As expected, the Browns formally placed starting right guard John Greco on injured reserve today, per a team release. Cleveland has re-signed wide receiver Darius Jennings to the roster, after waiving him last week.
- The Buccaneers have filled the opening on their 53-man roster by promoting wide receiver Evan Spencer from their practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. Spencer was selected in the sixth round of this year’s draft by Washington.
- The Bills are elevating wide receiver Walter Powell to their active roster from the practice squad, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Powell figures to replace Robert Woods, who is expected to land on IR.
- Giants fullback Nikita Whitlock is headed to the injured reserve list, reports Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Whitlock suffered a knee injury that isn’t expected to be a long-term issue, but it will keep him sidelined for the club’s last couple games of the season.
Bills Announce Several Roster Changes
It has been a busy day of transactions for the Bills, who are turning over four spots on their 53-man roster today. Here’s a breakdown of Tuesday’s moves by Buffalo, via a team release:
Signed:
- WR Greg Salas
Promoted from practice squad:
- WR Dezmin Lewis
- WR Walter Powell (previously reported)
- DL Jerel Worthy
Waived:
- WR/KR Marcus Thigpen
Placed on injured reserve:
- OLB Randell Johnson
- WR Robert Woods
Placed on reserve/non-football illness list:
The Bills’ receiving corps has undergone a significant overhaul, with three of the new additions to the roster coming at that position, while Woods heads to IR and Thigpen lands on waivers.
Among the most noteworthy moves today for the Bills is Henderson being placed on the reserve/NFI list — a report last week suggested that the team’s starting right tackle had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel condition, though the club has yet to confirm that.