Cowboys’ Chidobe Awuzie To Miss Time
Cowboys starting cornerback Chidobe Awuzie will miss multiple games with a hamstring injury, per a club announcement. Awuzie has not been placed on injured reserve, but that would be the logical move if he’s sidelined for three or more games.
[RELATED: Jared Veldheer Turns Down Cowboys, Retires]
Awuzie went down late in the Cowboys’ win over the Falcons, adding another name to the team’s already lengthy injury list. Already, the Cowboys have cornerback Anthony Brown and linebackers Leighton Vander Esch and Sean Lee on IR. Brown hit the IR list just as fellow corner Jourdan Lewis returned to action and Awuzie’s absence marks yet another hit to the secondary.
In the interim, the Cowboys will likely turn to recent call-up Brandon Carr for support at corner. Ideally, the Cowboys wanted the veteran at safety, where he backed Darian Thompson and Daryl Worley.
On the plus side, rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs returned to the practice field after missing some time with a shoulder injury. They’ll need the Alabama product more than ever given the Cowboys’ injuries on the defensive side of the ball.
OT Jared Veldheer Retires
Jared Veldheer has decided to hang up his cleats. The veteran offensive tackle has chosen to retire after previously looking like he was about to sign with the Cowboys, a source told Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
Veldheer worked out for the team in Dallas last week, had begun their COVID-19 protocols, and Archer writes that he was expected to sign. The Cowboys had a $2.5MM contract prepared that was just awaiting Veldheer’s signature when he called it off, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets.
Veldheer changing his mind isn’t exactly anything new, as he originally retired shortly after signing with the Patriots last year. He then asked to be released from the reserve/retired list last November, and ended up getting claimed by the Packers.He announced in March that he intended to keep playing 2020, but didn’t draw much reported interest until this Cowboys meeting.
Dallas is dealing with injuries to Tyron Smith, La’el Collins, and Cameron Erving, so they were looking for some veteran tackle help.A third-round pick of the Raiders back in 2010, Veldheer carved out a nice career for himself.
Assuming he’s done for good this time, the Michigan product will finish with 113 starts under his belt. Most recently he started 12 games for Denver at right tackle in 2018, and 13 for Arizona the year before.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/19/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves. There are many, as teams take advantage of the rule change allowing 55-man rosters ahead of regular-season games. Teams can dress 48 players for games this season, up from 46.
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: TE Jordan Thomas
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: LB Deon Lacey, LB Andre Smith
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: DT Woodrow Hamilton
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: LB Devante Bond
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: G Eric Smith
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB LeVante Bellamy, LB Derrek Tuszka
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: DT Kevin Strong, DB Dee Virgin
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: TE John Lovett, DL Willington Previlon
- Placed on IR: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Houston Texans
- Promoted: RB C.J. Prosise
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: TE Farrod Green
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: TE Ben Ellefson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DT Braxton Hoyett
- Placed on IR: DL Khalen Saunders
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: RB Darius Bradwell
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Natrez Patrick
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: CB Mark Fields
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DT Nick Thurman
New York Giants
- Promoted: DB Sean Chandler, DB Ryan Lewis
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: CB Trevor Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: OL Hroniss Grasu
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: DT Anthony Rush
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cyril Grayson, TE Tanner Hudson
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: WR Cameron Batson, RB Jeremy McNichols, CB Mazzi Wilkins
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: LB Jared Norris, WR Cam Sims
Cowboys Hosting Ronald Leary On Visit
The Cowboys are planning to meet with a familiar face soon. They have scheduled a visit with veteran guard Ronald Leary, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).
Leary has already begun COVID-19 testing and is at the team’s facility Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, potentially opening the door to a reunion soon. Amid an early-season injury crisis, the Cowboys also looked at veteran tackle Jared Veldheer this week.
Prior to his lucrative deal with the Broncos in 2017, Leary worked as a Cowboys starter. Dallas landed him as a UDFA and turned to him as its primary left guard from 2013-16. Leary visited the Browns in August but left Cleveland without a contract.
Dallas has run into extensive injury trouble up front in recent days. Tackles La’el Collins and Cameron Erving are on IR, and Tyron Smith is set to be a game-time decision for Dallas’ home opener against Atlanta. Guard Connor Williams played tackle at Texas, potentially giving the Cowboys some flexibility as they navigate a difficult situation.
The Broncos made Leary a cap casualty earlier this year. He struggled to stay healthy during his three-year Denver run, ending each of those seasons on IR. Leary did, however, play in 12 games last season, helping Phillip Lindsay to another 1,000-yard season. With Dallas, Leary was a starter up front for teams that saw DeMarco Murray and Ezekiel Elliott — in 2014 and ’16, respectively — win rushing titles. The 31-year-old guard started 47 games for the Cowboys during his five-year stay.
Sean Lee Out At Least 6 Weeks
- Sean Lee‘s latest injury moved him to the Cowboys‘ IR list, and he may be there for a while. Teams can move players from IR back to active rosters after three weeks this season, but the sports hernia surgery the injury-prone linebacker underwent is expected to shelve him for at least six weeks, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes. The Cowboys are down Lee and Leighton Vander Esch, after what turned out to be a rough opening week for the team. Vander Esch, whom Lee replaced in a three-down role alongside Jaylon Smith late last season, is expected to miss more than six weeks as well. Joe Thomas is set to team with Smith as a three-down player against the Falcons.
Cowboys Place CB Anthony Brown On IR
Anthony Brown is heading to the IR. The Cowboys announced that the safety has been placed on the injured reserve with a rib injury. Thanks to the change in IR rules, Brown will be sidelined for at least three weeks.
The 2016 sixth-round pick has spent his entire career with the Cowboys, starting 34 games along the way. Brown was limited to only nine games in 2019 thanks to a triceps injury, finishing the campaign with 17 tackles and five passes defended. Between the 2017 and 2018 campaigns, Brown started 20 of his 31 games, compiling 85 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 19 passes defended. It was that production that led to Brown’s three-year, $15.5MM deal with Dallas this past offseason.
Jourdan Lewis will have an opportunity to step up in Brown’s stead, and Chidobe Awuzie could see an expanded role. Dallas could even turn to defensive back Brandon Carr, who was promoted from the practice squad last week.
With the open roster spot, the Cowboys have promoted offensive tackle Eric Smith from the practice squad. The 2017 undrafted free agent out of Virginia will provide the team with some extra depth in case Tyron Smith is unable to play.
Cowboys Working Out T Jared Veldheer
Jared Veldheer has began COVID-19 protocols, upon arriving in Dallas earlier this week, and is working out for the team Friday, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets.
The Cowboys brought in Veldheer on Wednesday, per Michael Gehlken of the Morning News (on Twitter), and may be prepared to make an emergency addition. Dallas is down its top two right tackles — La’el Collins and Cameron Erving. Both are on IR.
Rookie UDFA Terence Steele started at right tackle against the Rams in Week 1. Veldheer obviously brings far more experience, though the veteran blocker has not started a game since 2018. The former Raiders, Cardinals and Broncos starter retired in 2019, shortly after a Patriots agreement, but resumed his career to play in two games with the Packers.
Veldheer, now 33, has made 113 career starts. Considering the Cowboys also have Tyron Smith classified as questionable, it is not hard to envision them moving forward with Veldheer ahead of Week 2. Smith did not practice this week due to a neck injury. Veldheer has extensive experience at both left and right tackles, playing on the left side in Oakland and to start his Arizona stay. He has been a right tackle since 2017.
2020 NFL Cap Space, By Team
Cap management has been extra complicated in the NFL this year. After ~70 NFL players opted out of the 2020 season, teams were left with holes and plenty of available dollars to fill the gaps. At first, the ongoing uncertainty over next year’s salary cap had teams nervous about large-scale commitments. Now, it seems like we’re getting back to business as usual.
Recent deals for Saints star Alvin Kamara, Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and others demonstrate the league’s long-term confidence. In turn, we’ve seen cap figures change dramatically in September.
Here’s the rundown of each team’s estimated cap space for the 2020 season, via Over The Cap:
- Cleveland Browns – $33.4MM
- New York Jets – $28.6MM
- Dallas Cowboys — $27.5MM
- New England Patriots – $26.3MM
- Washington Football Team – $25.8MM
- Denver Broncos – $25.7MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars – $25.2MM
- Philadelphia Eagles – $20MM
- Detroit Lions – $18MM
- Miami Dolphins – $16.7MM
- Baltimore Ravens – $14.2MM
- Los Angeles Chargers – $11.8MM
- Cincinnati Bengals – $11.6MM
- Arizona Cardinals – $11.4MM
- Indianapolis Colts – $11.3MM
- San Francisco 49ers – $11.2MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers – $10.9MM
- Chicago Bears – $9.9MM
- New York Giants – $9.6MM
- Houston Texans – $9.6MM
- Tennessee Titans – $9.4MM
- New Orleans Saints – $8.8MM
- Green Bay Packers – $8.7MM
- Los Angeles Rams – $7.7MM
- Las Vegas Raiders – $7.4MM
- Carolina Panthers – $6.9MM
- Kansas City Chiefs – $6.6MM
- Buffalo Bills – $6.5MM
- Seattle Seahawks – $6.2MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $3.7MM
- Atlanta Falcons – $3.3MM
- Minnesota Vikings – $2MM
Franchise Tag Provision Held Up Dak Prescott Extension
After 18 months of Dak Prescott rumors, the Cowboys quarterback is tethered to his franchise tag salary until 2021. If/when the Cowboys revisit extension talks with their QB1, the negotiating starting point will certainly be different compared to where it was in 2019 and from the $35MM-per-year range in which it resided this summer.
Prescott was ready to accept Dallas’ $35MM-AAV offer in July, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports he wanted a provision in the deal that prevented the Cowboys from tagging him in the offseason after the contract expired. That proved to be a deal-breaker for Jerry Jones.
Jones said Tuesday, when asked about this sticking point, he views the tag as a valuable negotiating tool, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). This is an interesting disagreement, since it refers to a hypothetical negotiation in 2025. Quarterbacks of Prescott’s caliber rarely play out their contracts, but Prescott held firm in 2019 and played out his rookie deal — which ended up raising his price.
A cross-section of NFL executives now view Prescott’s forthcoming price range between $42-$43MM per year, La Canfora adds. That is considerably higher than where it was in 2019, when Prescott became extension-eligible, and where it was in 2020. Even though a record cap reduction could take place next year, the quarterback market has now seen Patrick Mahomes sign for $45MM (over 10 years) and Deshaun Watson raise the conventional QB-contract price to $39MM a year. Lamar Jackson will also be eligible to sign a monster extension by the time the Cowboys can negotiate with Dak again.
The deal Prescott was ready to sign in mid-July included $110MM guaranteed and $70MM in the first two years. At the time, that would have placed Prescott in the top three among guarantees. Watson’s pact includes $111MM guaranteed. Should the Cowboys tag Prescott again in 2021, it would mean a $38MM cap hit.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: CB Josh Hawkins
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DB Steven Parker, CB Rashard Robinson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DE Kareem Martin
- Released: DE Jonathan Wynn
Houston Texans
- Signed: G Cordel Iwuagwu
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: K Matt Gay
- Released: DE Gerri Green
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: QB Reid Sinnett
- Released: QB Jake Rudock
New England Patriots
- Signed: QB Jake Dolegala
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Jordan Franks
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Tuzar Skipper
- Released: LB Jamal Davis