Packers Agreed To Tony Gonzalez Trade
- An interesting what-if from a past trade deadline emerged recently. The Chiefs nearly traded Tony Gonzalez in 2008, months before he was actually dealt. Both the Eagles and Packers agreed to send a third-round pick to the Chiefs, and Jay Glazer of The Athletic (subscription required) notes it was going to be up to the then-32-year-old tight end to decide which team he preferred. (Gonzalez, per Glazer, initially wanted a trade to the Giants, but GM Jerry Reese refused to give up a third for the future Hall of Famer.) Then-Chiefs president Carl Peterson, though, changed the terms of the deal. Peterson, fired in December of 2008, asked for a second-rounder minutes before the ’08 deadline, Glazer adds, scuttling a potential Gonzalez trip to either an Eagles team that ended up in the NFC title game or Mike McCarthy‘s Packers — then in their first year of the Aaron Rodgers era. A livid Gonzalez then told Glazer he wanted to retire. However, he returned to a Chiefs team that finished 2-14 before new decision-maker Scott Pioli traded him to the Falcons the following year.
Browns Claim CB Phillip Gaines, S Jermaine Whitehead Off Waivers
The Browns claimed cornerback Phillip Gaines (from the Bills) and safety Jermaine Whitehead (Packers) off waivers, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). If placed on the active roster, both players will be available for Sunday’s game against the Falcons.
Cleveland’s been short on secondary personnel recently. Damarious Randall missed Week 9 because of groin and ankle injuries, and E.J. Gaines (concussion) is now on IR.
Both Cleveland-bound players have connections to the front office. John Dorsey drafted Gaines in the third round while serving as the Chiefs’ GM in 2014, and Whitehead caught on with the Packers in 2016, when Browns execs Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith were in Green Bay.
Phillip Gaines signed a league-minimum deal with the Bills after four seasons of up-and-down work with the Chiefs. He started in six Buffalo games this season — the most of his career — and made 54 tackles.
Whitehead started in two Packers contests and was expected to be a bigger part of Green Bay’s secondary following the Ha Ha Clinton-Dix trade. The former UDFA, however, was ejected from Sunday’s game against the Patriots, further weakening an already-thin safety contingent. He played 221 snaps this season, registered 37 stops and recorded a sack.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/6/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Daniel Braverman; DE Tank Carradine
Cleveland Browns
- RB Ralph Webb; WR Brice Butler
Denver Broncos
- LB Christian Kuntz
Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts
- RB Ralph Webb; WR Bruce Ellington; T Andrew Nelson; LBs Cayson Collins, Brady Sheldon, Azeem Victor
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
- RB Josh Ferguson; OL Menelik Watson
Oakland Raiders
- T Roubbens Joseph (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
- G David Bright; DE George Johnson; LB Ejuan Price; CB Jalen Myrick; DB Tyson Graham
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WRs K.J. Brent, Chad Hansen, Marcus Tucker
Washington Redskins
- G Malcolm Bunche; Ts Darius James, Roubbens Joseph
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/6/18
Today’s practice squad moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Willie Beavers
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: LB Brady Sheldon
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: OT De’Ondre Wesley
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: T Rick Leonard, DE Ja’Von Rolland-Jones
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: T Storm Norton
New England Patriots
- Released: RB Kenneth Farrow
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Troymaine Pope
- Released: TE Tyrone Swoopes
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Bernard Reedy
- Released: WR Damoun Patterson
Washington Redskins
- Signed: T Jarron Jones
- Released: T Justin Evans
Packers Place Geronimo Allison On IR
The Packers placed wide receiver Geronimo Allison on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. The club also released safety Jermaine Whitehead, who was ejected on Sunday night after slapping Patriots center David Andrews in the helmet. His spot will be filled by the promotion of cornerback Will Redmond from the practice squad.
Allison, 24, was held out of Sunday night’s game due to his ongoing hamstring and groin problems. He’ll undergo core surgery soon, which will rule him out for the remainder of the year. Ultimately, his season will end with 20 catches for 303 yards and two touchdowns across five games.
Redmond, a third-round pick of the 49ers in 2016, was signed to the Packers’ practice squad on Sept. 11. He spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve with a knee injury and missed the first eight games of 2017 with an ankle malady. The 24-year-old has yet to see live action, but he may soon get his chance with the Packers.
After losing to the Pats on Sunday, the Packers are 3-4-1, good for third in the NFC North. On Sunday, they’ll return home to take on the Dolphins.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/5/18
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed off Colts’ practice squad: OL Zack Golditch
Buffalo Bills
- Claimed off waivers from Broncos: WR Isaiah McKenzie
- Waived: WR Cam Phillips
Detroit Lions
- Waived: WR Andy Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers from Jets: S Ibraheim Campbell
- Waived: P Drew Kaser
Oakland Raiders
- Waived: DE James Cowser
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed off waivers from Lions: CB Cre’Von LeBlanc
- Waived: CB Dexter McDougle
Packers’ Geronimo Allison Done For Year?
Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison is expected to have surgery on a core muscle injury, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The recovery is expected to take about six weeks, making him a candidate for the injured reserve list.
Allison, 24, was not able to partake in Sunday night’s game against the Patriots due to his ongoing hamstring and groin problems. Even before those issues popped up, the youngster was set back by a brain injury.
It has been a frustrating year for Allison, who had a promising start to the season with 11 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in the first two weeks of the season.
The Packers have turned to rookies Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown in Allison’s place. They were without both Allison and Randall Cobb earlier this season, but the longtime Green Bay slot staple is back now, lessening the blow of a likely Allison IR trip. The Illinois alum is a third-year UDFA who will become a restricted free agent in 2019.
Were Allison to be played on IR, he could only return to action this season if the Packers qualified for the playoffs. Green Bay is 3-4-1 and currently hovering on the outside of that race.
Kaser Signing Short Term For Packers
- Speaking of specialists, the Packers made the unusual move of adding a second punter earlier this week, and nobody really knew why. There’s more clarity on the situation now, as they only signed Drew Kaser because incumbent punter J.K. Scott’s wife was due to have a baby tonight, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. It sounds like the team isn’t planning on making a change, and Kaser’s stay on the roster should be short-lived.
Giants Likely To Franchise S Landon Collins
The Giants are likely to use the franchise tag on safety Landon Collins if the two sides don’t work out an extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Collins was available prior to last Tuesday’s trade deadline, but the asking price was high, as the Giants were reportedly seeking a second-round pick in exchange for the All-Pro defensive back. Despite that price tag, New York did receive interest in Collins, and Schefter reports the Packers, Chiefs, and 49ers all made inquiries.
Kansas City would have made sense as a destination for Collins, as the Chiefs nearly dealt for fellow safety Earl Thomas before he went down with a season-ending injury. Green Bay, of course, traded its own safety in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but is still squarely in contention and in need of secondary help. The 49ers aren’t going to make the postseason, but they could have acquired Collins with the intention of using their exclusive negotiating window to hammer out a long-term deal.
As Schefter notes, all three of those clubs would presumably have interest in Collins if he hits the open market, but it doesn’t sound as though the Giants will allow that to happen. Given his age (Collins will be 25 years old when free agency opens) and pedigree, Collins will surely target a $10-12MM annual salary on his next contract. The 2019 franchise tag for safeties will be worth roughly that same amount, but wouldn’t come with the long-term risk of an extension.
Collins, a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, has been a full-time starter for the Giants since entering the league. A two-time Pro Bowler, Collins has 62 tackles, four passes defensed, and a forced fumble this season while grading as the NFL’s 13th-best safety, per Pro Football Focus.
Packers Not Moving On From J.K. Scott
- The Packers signed punter Drew Kaser yesterday, but the team is not moving on from incumbent J.K. Scott at this time, per ESPN.com. However, it is still an open question as to whether Scott will be punting against the Patriots tonight.