Extra Points: Rams, Pettine, Flacco, Raiders, Draft
A look around the NFL as Tuesday wraps up:
- Free agent cornerback Cary Williams, whom Seattle released Monday, is drawing interest from several teams around the league, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter). One of those teams is the Rams, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- The Browns officially named Johnny Manziel their starting quarterback today, but it doesn’t sound as if head coach Mike Pettine is 100% committed to the decision. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suggests that the move back to Manziel from Austin Davis was motivated in part by Pettine trying to save his job.
- Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco had surgery Tuesday to repair his torn ACL. The procedure went well, per ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). He’s expected to make a full recovery and should be back in six to nine months, adds CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).
- The Raiders extended the contract of fullback Jamize Olawale on Tuesday, and ESPN’s Bill Williamson points to offensive tackle Donald Penn and receiver Michael Crabtree as players the club could look to lock up next (Twitter link). Penn has started 28 straight games since joining the Raiders in 2014, while Crabtree leads the team in receptions (66), targets (115) and touchdowns (seven) this year. Both are scheduled to hit free agency during the upcoming offseason.
- Clemson safety Jayron Kearse and Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee are leaning toward entering the 2016 draft, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter links: 1; 2). If they do, Michigan tight end Jake Butt won’t be joining them. He announced that he’ll return to school for his senior season (Twitter link via Getlin).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/8/15
Here are today’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the league:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Terrance Parks (Twitter link via team)
- Cut: CB T.J. Heath
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: TE Harold Spears (press release via team)
Chicago Bears
- Signed: QB Matt Blanchard (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
- Cut: QB Justin Worley
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Chris Lewis-Harris (Twitter link via Coley Harvey of ESPN.com)
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Connor Hamlett, DB Tim Scott (press release via team)
- Cut: DB Kendall James
Denver Broncos
- Signed: OL Cameron Jefferson (press release via team)
- Cut: T Antonio Johnson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Jamel Johnson (Twitter link via Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com), RB Ross Scheuerman (Twitter link via the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson)
- Cut: DB Kyle Sebetic
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Tony Washington (Twitter link via Wilson)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Edwin Jackson (press release via team)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Sean Porter (Twitter link via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB Terrance Plummer (press release via team)
New England Patriots
- Cut: TE Joseph Fauria (Twitter link via ESPN’s Mike Reiss)
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Leon McFadden and OT Jake Rodgers (Twitter link via James Kratch of NJ Advance Media)
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Brandon Bostick (Twitter link via team)
Seattle Seahawks
- To be signed: WR Antwan Goodley (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com)
- Cut: WR DeShon Foxx (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/8/15
We’ll track all of Tuesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Dolphins have re-signed tight end Brandon Williams to their active roster, waiving safety Jordan Kovacs in a corresponding move, the team announced today (Twitter links). Miami also opened up another roster spot by placing defensive tackle Robert Thomas on the injured reserve list.
- Jets defensive end Mike Catapano has landed on IR due to a foot injury, with safety Ronald Martin getting the promotion from the practice squad to take his spot on the roster, the Jets announced today (via Twitter).
- The Chiefs are signing offensive lineman Jarrod Pughsley from their practice squad to their 53-man roster, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. The corresponding move to make room for Pughsley isn’t yet known.
- The Falcons have released defensive tackle Ricky Havili-Heimuli from their injured reserve list, the team announced today (via Twitter). He’ll become a free agent if he clears waivers.
Earlier updates:
- In the wake of Nick Boyle‘s suspension, and with Crockett Gillmore and Maxx Williams both battling injuries, the Ravens have added two tight ends to their roster. According to a press release, the club has promoted Konrad Reuland from its practice squad and signed veteran free agent Richard Gordon. Boyle was moved to the reserve/suspended list and cornerback Cassius Vaughn was cut to create space on the roster.
- The Bills have also made a change at the tight end position, promoting Nick O’Leary from the practice squad and cutting veteran Matthew Mulligan, the team announced today. Mulligan had played a role this season for the Bills as a blocker and special-teamer, making the move a little surprising. Joe Buscaglia of WKBW wonders (via Twitter) if another team – perhaps the Ravens? – showed interest in O’Leary, prompting Buffalo to protect him.
- The Eagles have signed outside linebacker Steven Means from the Texans‘ practice squad, the club announced today (via Twitter). Means will take over the roster spot vacated by Miles Austin, who was released on Monday.
- With a Thursday night showdown against Arizona around the corner, the Vikings have made a handful of roster moves, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed safety Shaun Prater and elevated safety Anthony Harris from the practice squad. To make room for the incoming defensive backs, Minnesota placed safety Antone Exum on injured reserve and waived defensive end Justin Trattou.
- The Colts are adding some depth at the linebacker spot by promoting linebacker Amarlo Herrera to their active roster, a source tells Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Jerrell Freeman and Nate Irving are banged up for Indianapolis.
- The Browns have re-signed offensive lineman Darrian Miller to their 53-man roster just three days after cutting him, placing fullback Malcolm Johnson on injured reserve in a corresponding move, per a team release.
Johnny Manziel To Start For Browns
TUESDAY, 1:13pm: The Browns have made it official, announcing in a press release that Manziel will start this week.
MONDAY, 10:22am: Another week, another new starting quarterback for the Browns. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Cleveland will turn back to Johnny Manziel as its starting quarterback in Week 14, two weeks after benching the second-year signal-caller as discipline for his off-field behavior.
While the Browns have yet to confirm that decision, Mortensen reports that Manziel will get the call next week unless he does something to jeopardize his status. Since Manziel’s last start for the Browns, the team has gone through two other starters, with Josh McCown getting the nod in Week 12 and Austin Davis being called upon for Week 13 after McCown landed on IR with a broken collarbone.
As I noted last week when the Browns announced Davis as their starter, it makes sense for the team to get another look at Manziel before the end of the season to get a better idea of where all their quarterbacks stand heading into 2016. Still, a source tells Mortensen that the organization is uncertain whether the 2014 first-round pick “can re-establish the hope” the Browns had in him when they drafted him.
Manziel, who turned 23 on Sunday, was initially removed from the starting job after photos surfaced of him partying at a nightclub in Austin during the team’s bye week. Reports indicated that the Texas A&M product lied to the Browns about the photos, though the club never confirmed that.
Assuming Manziel hangs onto the job the rest of the way, he’ll have some tough challenges ahead in the next four weeks. The Browns finish the season by playing the 49ers, Seahawks, Chiefs, and Steelers. Besides San Francisco, each of those teams ranks in the top half of the league in defensive DVOA, and all four clubs are coming off Week 13 wins.
Davis, whose offense could muster three points in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Bengals, will return to the No. 2 role behind Manziel.
AFC North Notes: Browns, Still, Flacco
With his job security potentially dwindling, Browns head coach Mike Pettine suggested on Monday that there’s some tension within the organization, dropping some hints without specifically saying which departments are at odds. After pointing out that a team needs its building to be unified in order to have success, Pettine was asked whether the Browns’ building is unified, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com details.
“It’s hard to be at this point,” Pettine said. “It’s human nature. When things don’t go well, everybody has a tendency to kind of bunker in and get into that mode. I think we all want what’s best for the Cleveland Browns. we all have ideas on how to get it done, and we need to be collaborative and we need to make sure that we’re picking the best ideas and pushing those agendas moving forward.
“I can’t sit here and say, ‘Absolutely, we’re all on board, 100 percent,'” Pettine continued. “That’s not reality because when things don’t go well, everybody has their opinions and their reasons why, but it’s going to come down to a brutal self-assessment and to be able to have the strength to make tough decisions and trust them and move forward.”
As we wait to see whether Pettine will be a part of the Browns as the team tries to move forward, let’s check in on some other items from out of the AFC North….
- Former Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still may be back under contract with an NFL team in a few weeks. According to Coley Harvey of ESPN.com, Still said on Monday that he has received reserve/futures contract offers from two teams. Those deals can’t be officially signed until after a team’s season comes to an end.
- Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is undergoing surgery on his left knee today, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed (link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). It has been nearly two and a half weeks since Flacco tore his ACL against the Rams, but he had to wait for the swelling to go down before going under the knife. Dr. James Andrews will perform the procedure.
- With one tight end suspended and two others dealing with nagging injuries, the Ravens had former New Hampshire tight end Harold Spears in for a visit, per Hensley (Twitter link).
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/7/15
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.
- The Ravens released defensive end Zach Thompson from their injured reserve list, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The 6-foot-5 Wake Forest alum has spent his two seasons with the Broncos and Ravens, but has yet to see any game action.
- Washington safety Trenton Robinson cleared waivers and is bound for the team’s injured reserve, Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets. Robinson was waived/injured Saturday.
- The Browns claimed former Bills center Gabe Ikard on waivers, according to his agent Ken Sarnoff (via Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk). A 25-year-old snapper who played in three games with the Bills this season, Ikard went undrafted before catching on with the Titans last season. The Browns lost starting guard Joel Bitonio to an ankle injury Sunday, creating the need for interior-line depth.
Browns Place Joel Bitonio On IR
The Browns absorbed another blow in a grueling season, placing starting left guard Joel Bitonio on injured reserve, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (on Twitter).
In a corresponding roster move, the team claimed second-year center Gabe Ikard after the Bills cut him.
A 2014 second-round pick, Bitonio attempted to make a return from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the Browns’ previous two games but couldn’t make it past the first quarter before leaving the game. First-rounder Cameron Erving replaced him but was quickly benched in favor of UDFA Austin Pasztor.
The 24-year-old Bitonio started the first 26 games of his career. Pro Football Focus rated the former Nevada lineman as its 33rd-best guard this season after he enjoyed a standout rookie campaign.
Bitonio remains a critical part of the Browns’ future, with Pro Bowl center Alex Mack able to opt out of his Jaguars-created contract at the end of this season.
Extra Points: Eagles, Bengals, Browns, Steelers
Some assorted notes from around the league as we wrap up the weekend…
- While Chip Kelly may not be considered the Eagles bona fide general manager, there’s no denying that he was controlling personnel decisions this offseason. Based on the team’s underwhelming performance in 2015, NFL Media’s Michael Robinson believes the organization needs a more traditional GM. “He needs a guy that’s going to come in and help him evaluate talent,” he said (via Conor Orr of NFL.com).
- The Bengals have denied both USC and Miami’s request to interview offensive coordinator Hue Jackson for their previous head coaching vacancies, reports Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. If Jackson doesn’t receive an NFL offer, Florio believes he could eventually replace Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati.
- Firing Mike Pettine with four games to go makes little sense for the Browns, writes Marla Ridenour of Cleveland.com. The writer believes the move would “do more harm than good,” as owner Jimmy Haslam‘s “quick trigger” may make it hard to find a competent replacement.
- Steelers return man Jacoby Jones botched a pair of kicks in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Colts. The veteran has been benched for the second half, and Florio wonders if his tenure with Pittsburgh may be over.
Mike Pettine, Browns Haven’t Discussed Coach’s Job Security
It was exactly 13 months ago when the Browns topped the Bengals to gain sole possession of the AFC North. Since then, the team has gone 3-16, including losses in 15 of their past 17 games. Predictably, some pundits have questioned Mike Pettine‘s job security.
The head coach added some fuel to the fire following Sunday’s loss to the Bengals, telling Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that he hasn’t received any assurances from owner Jimmy Haslam regarding his job status for the rest of the season.
“We haven’t had those discussions,” Pettine said. “Jimmy and I had good conversations. We talk every week. Frankly, there’s a lot of football left to be played. We’re evaluated every day, whether we’re evaluating ourselves or whether it is coming from him.
“We’re just going to fall back on what we know how to do. We’re going to come in every day, prepare relentlessly like we do, we’re going to coach our players hard and we will see what happens.”
As Cabot points out, Haslam previously said that he wouldn’t “blow things up” following this season. However, those statements followed a promising 7-9 campaign, and things haven’t gone so well for the organization since. Embattled quarterback Johnny Manziel has had a tumultuous sophomore campaign, and the Browns have gotten little production from their recent first-round picks.
The writer believes Haslam will let Pettine stick around for the rest of the season, although there’s no guarantee beyond that. The owner has already fired a pair of coaches in Pat Shurmur and Rob Chudzinski.
Sunday Roundup: Payton, Lacy, Osweiler
As Week 13 gets underway in full force, let’s take a look at some news and notes from around the league:
- The Saints will not release head coach Sean Payton, but the team is warming to the idea of trading him for draft picks, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. New Orleans though, would not deal Payton to a team he does not wish to coach, and Payton would not sign an extension with any team that does not appeal to him.
- 2015 has been nothing short of a disappointment for Packers RB Eddie Lacy, and his on-field struggles are just one cause for concern. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Conor Orr of NFL.com), Green Bay is troubled by Lacy’s off-field behavior–Lacy was, of course, disciplined for a curfew violation Wednesday night–and the team in fact cut fellow RB Alonzo Harris and did not resign him to the practice squad because he is a close friend of Lacy’s and the Packers apparently believe Harris is a bad influence on their star back.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com examines the type of deal that Broncos QB Brock Osweiler might command in the offseason. The Broncos may offer him a contract with an AAV of roughly $12MM–which is what Nick Foles is earning with the Rams–but assuming Osweiler finishes the regular season with a 6-1 or 5-2 record as a starter, he would have no reason to accept such an offer, as there would be plenty of teams willing to shell out much more than that in free agency. Instead, Denver may be forced to extend Von Miller and use the franchise tag–which it planned to use on Miller–on Osweiler.
- In a separate piece, Fitzgerald examines the 2016 class of free agent defensive ends.
- Although he lost the opportunity to finish the season as the Browns‘ starting QB several weeks ago, Johnny Manziel has been told by the club that he will start again this season, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. When that will be, however, is anyone’s guess.
- After failing in his attempts to purchase the Bills, Jon Bon Jovi is still attempting to buy an NFL club, and La Canfora writes that Bon Jovi, along with a number of other potential suitors, is paying close attention to the Titans, a team that other owners believe could formally come for sale in the spring or fall as the Adams family continues to sort through tax and estate issues.
- Texans right guard Brandon Brooks, who has dealt with a number of stomach ailments over the past year, experienced nausea this morning at Ralph Wilson Stadium and went to a Buffalo-area hospital for further evaluation, per Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Needless to say, Brooks was scratched from Houston’s game with the Bills this afternoon.
- Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee tweets that the 49ers have not yet determined if they will move rookie WR DeAndre Smelter off the NFI list. The deadline to do so is tomorrow, and the team’s decision could be impacted by its injury situation after today’s clash with the Bears.