PUP, NFI Players Soon Eligible To Practice
Week 6 of the NFL season will come to an end after Monday night’s game between the Giants and Eagles, and when teams begin preparing for Week 7, many clubs could be welcoming injured players back to practice. Six weeks into the NFL season, players who were placed on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list prior to Week 1’s games will be eligible to return to the practice field.
Of course, just because those players are able to return to practice doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be healthy enough to do so. Players on the PUP list have a five-week window to begin practicing. Once they return to practice, they have three weeks to be added to their respective teams’ active rosters. In other words, a player currently on the PUP list could return to the field for his team’s Week 7 game, or could return as late as for his team’s Week 15 contest.
The rules for NFI players are similar to those for PUP players. If a player on either reserve list doesn’t return to practice or game action in time, his 2015 season will officially be over.
Here are the players currently on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list who can begin practicing as soon as this Tuesday:
- Atlanta Falcons: T Lamar Holmes
- Baltimore Ravens: TE Dennis Pitta
- Buffalo Bills: CB Cam Thomas
- Chicago Bears: WR Kevin White
- Cincinnati Bengals: LB Vontaze Burfict, LB Sean Porter
- Dallas Cowboys: OL Chaz Green
- Minnesota Vikings: CB Josh Robinson
- New England Patriots: LB Dane Fletcher, DT Chris Jones, WR Brandon LaFell
- New York Giants: T Will Beatty
- New York Jets: RB Stevan Ridley
- Pittsburgh Steelers: T Mike Adams
- San Francisco 49ers: C/G Daniel Kilgore
- Seattle Seahawks: CB Jeremy Lane, WR Paul Richardson
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Akeem Spence
And here are the players currently on their teams’ non-football injury or illness lists, who are also eligible to begin practicing this Tuesday:
- Arizona Cardinals: WR Damond Powell
- Buffalo Bills: CB Leodis McKelvin
- Cincinnati Bengals: T Cedric Ogbuehi
- Cleveland Browns: DB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, TE Randall Telfer, RB Glenn Winston
- Dallas Cowboys: LB Mark Nzeocha
- Houston Texans: T David Quessenberry
- Kansas City Chiefs: QB Tyler Bray
- San Francisco 49ers: WR DeAndre Smelter
- Seattle Seahawks: DT Jesse Williams
In addition to monitoring players on the PUP and NFI lists, it’s worth keeping an eye on players who have been placed on the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Teams can use this IR-DTR spot on one player per season, placing him on the injured reserve list without necessarily ruling him out for the season. As we explained in an earlier post, players given this designation can begin practicing after six weeks and can return after eight weeks.
That means that a player who was placed on IR-DTR prior to Week 1 can begin practicing on Tuesday, though he won’t be eligible to return to game action until Week 9. A player who was placed on IR-DTR after Week 1 will have to wait until next Tuesday – October 27 – to return to practice, while other IR-DTR players will have to wait until November to practice.
Here’s the list of players currently on IR-DTR who can begin practicing as soon as Tuesday:
- Baltimore Ravens: DE Brent Urban
- Cleveland Browns: CB Charles Gaines
- Detroit Lions: CB Alex Carter
- Miami Dolphins: RB Jay Ajayi
- Minnesota Vikings: C John Sullivan
- New England Patriots: C Bryan Stork
- New York Jets: CB Dee Milliner
- Pittsburgh Steelers: C Maurkice Pouncey
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: T Demar Dotson
- Tennessee Titans: RB David Cobb
AFC Rumors: Smith, Browns, Broncos, Bengals
Neither Geno Smith nor Robert Griffin factor into Sunday’s game plans, but NFL personnel eye the Jets‘ potential quarterback washout as the player with the better chance of salvaging his career despite Griffin’s superior on-field sample thus far, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports.
“They’re the same guy,” a personnel director told Mehta. “Both are slightly delusional about their abilities. In five years, RG3 will be some type of ambassador for Baylor. Geno will be a backup quarterback.”
Statistically, Smith hasn’t produced close to a standout stretch like Griffin delivered in his rookie of the year campaign, but the injured Jets quarterback doesn’t have quite the toxic circumstances Washington’s embattled backup currently does.
As a result of this, Mehta hears Washington will jettison Griffin before his $16MM fifth-year option kicks in for next season. Should Washington cut RG3 before the start of the 2016 league year, it would not be on the hook for that escalator.
Despite not entering the league with the profile RG3 did or having yet to complete 60% of his passes in a season, Smith, in the view of scouts surveyed, profiles as a player still capable of an ascent, albeit with a lowered ceiling.
“They did him a disservice by forcing him to play (right away),” an NFC front office executive told The Daily News. “The talent is there, but the mental makeup isn’t. A year under (Ryan Fitzpatrick) should help… Geno may end up being the starter with the Jets.”
Here is some other news from AFC facilities as Week 6 Sunday looms.
- In light of his latest alcohol-related trouble this week, Browns backup Johnny Manziel should re-enter rehab, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com writes. With the police report indicating Manziel was swerving to avoid traffic and hit speeds of 90 mph after admitting drinking earlier in the day Monday, Cabot writes there are enough warning signs from this incident to put a halt on the second-year quarterback’s career again. The longtime Cleveland scribe also notes the Browns should consider the domestic violence allegations of Manziel’s girlfriend, even though police deemed the woman’s story too inconsistent to charge Manziel, in light of offensive line coach Andy Moeller being fired for DV accusations despite not being charged.
- Browns OC John DeFilippo wants Brian Hartline to play a bigger part of the offense after catching just two passes the past two games, per Terry Pluto of cleveland.com. The recently signed free agent recorded 96 receiving yards against the Raiders but hasn’t exceeded 20 in the other four contests.
- Both Vontaze Burfict and linebacker Sean Porter may not be ready to return when they are eligible to be removed from the PUP list prior to the Bengals‘ Nov. 1 game against the Steelers, reports Jake Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. League sources told the paper Porter isn’t in Cincinnati’s plans as of now as he recovers from a torn ACL while indicating Burfict could need more time to re-emerge successfully from microfracture surgery.
- After the Broncos cut tight end Richard Gordon in order to promote running back Kapri Bibbs from the practice squad, the coaching staff asked Gordon to stay in town, as there’s a good chance Denver re-signs him next week, Mike Klis of 9News reports. With third-stringer Juwan Thompson hampered by a hamstring injury, the Broncos had a need for an extra tailback this week.
- The Colts worked out second-year punter Michael Palardy, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Palardy spent time with the Raiders last year but did not punt in a game.
North Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Bears
According to head coach Marvin Lewis, the Bengals won’t make any roster moves next week involving linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who is on the PUP list, or offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, who remains on the NFI list (Twitter link via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com). Both players are eligible to be activated after Week 6, but it makes sense that Cincinnati would hold off, even if they’re close to being ready, since the club has a bye in Week 7.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s North divisions:
- Running back Raheem Mostert, claimed off waivers by the Ravens earlier this week, said he was “shocked” when he found out he was heading to Baltimore, as Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun writes. When he got the call, Mostert was standing in the Dolphins‘ training facility, ready to re-sign to Miami’s practice squad after the team cut him. Now, the 23-year-old is ready to contribute and hoping to find a new home with the Ravens.
- Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, with an assist from the team’s official website, shut down any speculation that he might be a candidate for USC’s coaching job. “I love the Ravens. It’s not a consideration,” Harbaugh said today, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
- Asked by a reader if the Bears made a mistake by trading Jared Allen and Jon Bostic for late-round draft picks, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune suggests that neither player was a good fit in Vic Fangio‘s 3-4 defensive scheme, so he has a hard time imagining the moves hurting the club this season.
- Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards said there’s a “possibility” safety Anthony Harris could soon be called up to the 53-man roster, tweets Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
AFC Notes: LaFell, Jets, Bengals, Jaguars
Despite being on the physically unable to perform list, Patriots receiver Brandon LaFell made the trip to Dallas for today’s game, and worked out on the field before the contest, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, who also says the LaFell’s recovery is “on schedule.” Per the PUP list rules, LaFell can return to game action after New England plays six games, meaning he’s on track to return on October 29 against the Dolphins.
Lets’ take a look at a few more items out of the AFC:
- In a fascinating piece for the New York Post, Brian Costello recreates the hectic free agent period that led to the complete remaking of the Jets’ roster. Speaking with several team sources, Costello reports that the Jets targeted corner Buster Skrine — and fought off four other clubs to get him — with the Patriots in mind, noting that New England is excellent out of the slot. Furthermore, New York also targeted guards Orlando Franklin and Mike Iupati before settling on James Carpenter, saving money that allowed them to pursue Antonio Cromartie.
- The Bengals pulled out an incredible win against the Seahawks earlier today, and Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News examines the club’s fiscally responsible ways. Identifying Cincinnati as one of the best negotiating organizations in the league, Fitzgerald points to Geno Atkins, Adam Jones, and Carlos Dunlap as a few of the team’s bargains.
- Despite the Jaguars’ uninspiring start, it’s not time for Jacksonville to fire head coach Gus Bradley, opines Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union, who notes that until today, the club hasn’t played with Julius Thomas, Dante Fowler Jr., or Sen’Derrick Marks.
Extra Points: Palmer, Seahawks, Spiller, McCoy, Bengals
At the age of 35, Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer isn’t committing to anything beyond this season, Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report writes. However, he is committing entirely to this season.
“I think my realization that the window is closing and my career is not going to go on for a long time, that has changed a little of my approach,” he said. “I’ve always been pretty intense, but I think everybody gets to that point where you realize, man, I only have a couple left. That definitely has changed me a little bit.”
- The Seahawks have injury issues with Marshawn Lynch ruled out for this Sunday’s game against the Bengals, but Fred Jackson is likely to play, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). They also have Rod Smith on the practice squad, and could move him to the active roster for depth (via Twitter). The team is considering moving Tharold Simon to injured reserve to make room (via Twitter).
- The Saints offense took a hit in terms of explosiveness when they traded Darren Sproles to the Eagles, but they have a new playmaker in the backfield with free agent pickup C.J. Spiller, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. The team is hoping he keeps the threat of the big play alive when he is on the field.
- Although he has been trying to play each week so far, Bills running back LeSean McCoy could miss an additional three games with a hamstring injury he described as a “grade-two pull,” according to CSNPhilly.com.
- The Bengals earned a reputation as a cheap operation over the years but they have turned things around in a major way. CBSSports.com’s Joel Corry looked at the changes made in Cincinnati that have turned the franchise around, leading to their 4-0 start. The Bengals are built primarily with homegrown talent as 47 of the 58 players on the current roster. Only the Packers, another top team, have a higher percentage of homegrown talent.
AFC Notes: Texans, Richardson, Bowe
With Randy Bullock looking shaky, the Texans will audition a number of kickers this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Houston will take a look at Nick Novak, Connor Barth, Kai Forbath, Chris Boswell, and Giorgio Tavecchio as potential replacements, though it’s not a lock that they’ll sign one of those players.
Here’s more from the AFC..
- The Jets haven’t heard from the league about more possible discipline for Sheldon Richardson and as of right now, coach Todd Bowles is operating under the assumption that he’ll be back on Monday, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets.
- Despite the fact that he has yet to make his mark in Cleveland, Browns coach Mike Pettine says the team has not discussed cutting wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets. Â Bowe had a $9MM guarantee on his deal and the team expects him to play this season.
- Jets guard Willie Colon suffered a sprained knee on Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Â Colon will likely be out this week and may miss more time beyond that.
- Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth told reporterss, including Coley Harvey of ESPN.com, that length wasn’t the most important factor for him when it came to his extension. Whitworth only wanted to be in Cincinnati again and the length of the deal was apparently secondary. Â He admitted that his family and other factors could influence decisions on future deals. Â “I want Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, Adam Jones and all these guys to know what it’s like to win a Super Bowl,” Whitworth said (link).
AFC Notes: Browns, Texans, Bengals, Jets
Browns cornerback K’Waun Williams told his team that he was experiencing headaches recently, and the second-year player was ultimately diagnosed with his third concussion in two years. As the NFL looks to fight off head injuries, Tom Reed of Cleveland.com says it’s a positive step that the youngster took the initiative to report the injury.
Many of his teammates stand by Williams’ decision, including cornerback Joe Haden:
“Yeah, definitely man, because that’s your head, and K’Waun, he’s a young dude,” Haden said. “He hasn’t been in the league that long, so if he’s messed up like that, he felt like he needed to go get himself checked out and make sure everything’s okay, then, I’m all in support for him just making sure he’s okay.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…
- Texans offensive lineman Jeff Adams is out for the season with a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. Still, the 26-year-old isn’t discouraged, even though he may have missed out on a payday when he reached free agency following the season. “Yeah, that’s kind of how it works,” he told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “You just focus on what you can control and that’s surgery and rehab…Yeah, you just put all the effort into the season and focus on things one day at a time. It’s how I’m trying to take it right now.”
- Following the extension signed by Bengals lineman Andrew Whitworth, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer believes (via Twitter) it’s still too early to tell whether Andre Smith will stick around. The former first-rounder will reach free agency next summer, and Dehner says he could be back for the right price.
- All signs are pointing to a divorce between the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson following this season, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes the organization could use that extra cash to pursue a veteran quarterback.
Bengals, Andrew Whitworth Agree To Extension
10:00am: Joel Corry of CBSSports.com passes along some specifics on the contract (all via Twitter). Whitworth’s 2015 cap number has increased from $6.2MM to $7.2MM, with his 2016 cap number expected to be at $8MM.
The lineman will earn a $5.8MM base salary next season, with $200K worth of workout bonus and $1MM worth of active roster bonuses ($62.5K a game). $2MM of the $9MM extension will come via a signing bonus. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that Whitworth also has a $1.2MM Pro Bowl escalator clause in his contract.
Also of note, Wilson reports that the deal was actually finalized on Wednesday, but the sides waited until today to break the news (Twitter link).
8:28am: After having extended one lineman and drafted two others, the Bengals secured another spot on their offensive line today. ESPN.com’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the team has come to an agreement on a one-year extension with offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth. The one-year, $9MM deal will keep the 33-year-old in Cincinnati through 2016.
The Louisiana State product has spent his entire career with the Bengals since being selected in the second round of the 2006 draft. Since then, he’s been named a Pro Bowler (2012) and a Second-team All-Pro (2014). He’s only missed eight games during his nine-plus years in the league, and he’s started in 134 of his 138 games.
Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has consistently ranked Whitworth as one of the most valuable members of the Cincinnati offense, and he’s never been listed lower than 15th on the website’s yearly rankings of offensive tackles. Last season, he rated as the second-best tackle in the NFL, trailing only the Eagles’ Jason Peters.
The Bengals dedicated resources to reinforcing their offensive line during the offseason. They re-signed guard Clint Boling, and they also used their first two draft picks on linemen Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher. As Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller notes (on Twitter), former first-round pick Andre Smith is still set to hit free agency following the season.
In May, our own Dallas Robinson explored Whitworth’s extension candidacy.
AFC Notes: Kitchen, Texans, Workouts, Fluker
Former Browns nose tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, who was cut by Cleveland earlier this month, will pay a visit to the Texans this week, a source tells Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk. With 2014 third-rounder Louis Nix no longer on their roster, and sixth-round rookie Christian Covington backing up Vince Wilfork, the Texans may be seeking some veteran depth to help complement J.J. Watt on their defensive line.
As we wait to see if anything materializes between Kitchen and the Texans, let’s check in on a few other items from across the AFC….
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along some workout updates, reporting (via Twitter) that the Jets are auditioning former Broncos defensive end Quanterus Smith today, and that linebackers Troy Davis, Quayshawn Nealy, and Nick Moody recently worked out for the Chiefs. Moody has since signed to Seattle’s practice squad.
- Chargers offensive lineman D.J. Fluker is expected to miss “considerable time” due to an ankle injury, writes Bernie Wilson of The Associated Press. Johnnie Troutman would likely be the next man up to replace Fluker as San Diego’s right guard.
- The trial for Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter, who was charged with assault and battery following a July bar brawl, is set to begin today in Virginia Beach, according to an Associated Press report.
- Examining A.J. Green‘s new extension with the Bengals, Bryce Johnston of Over the Cap observes that even though Green’s second-year base salary isn’t fully guaranteed at the time of his signing and he trails other star wideouts in terms of fully guaranteed money, his contract looks just as strong as those other deals.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/11/15
Today’s minor moves:
- The Titans reached an injury settlement with linebacker Zaviar Gooden and subsequently placed him on waivers, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).
- The Bills reached an injury settlement with receiver Deonte Thompson, who was previously on IR, per ESPN’s Mike Rodak (Twitter link).
- The Texans reached injury settlements with linebackers Lynden Trail and Tony Washington, both of whom were on injured reserve (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- The Bengals waived linebacker Jayson DiManche and fullback Mark Weisman from injured reserve, according to ESPN’s Coley Harvey (via Twitter). DiManche got an injury settlement.
- The Jaguars signed third-year long snapper Carson Tinker to a contract extension that will keep him in Jacksonville for the next four seasons, reports Hays Carlyon of Jacksonville.com.