Ezekiel Elliott Rumors: Friday
On Thursday, the Fifth Circuit of Appeals ruled in favor of the NFL, putting Ezekiel Elliott‘s six-game suspension into effect starting with Dallas’ post-bye return in Week 7. At least, that’s how it seems right now. If we’ve learned anything from monitoring the Elliott saga, it’s that nothing is over until it’s over.
In the aftermath of the decision, Elliott’s attorney said the running back’s camp is “exploring all..legal options” with a decision on the matter to come in “a couple of days.” While it seems like Elliott will be out of action until the Nov. 30 game against the Redskins, it’s still possible that the judicial system could help erase his ban or at least kick the can down the road until 2018.
We’ll keep track of the latest on Elliott here with the latest news up top:
- The NFLPA will be filing a petition for rehearing with the Fifth Circuit in the Elliott case (via lawyer Daniel Wallach on Twitter). Because the NFL’s latest legal victory came with a 2-1 vote and not a unanimous one, the union’s legal team may feel that it has a real chance of swinging things back in the other direction.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sounds like he’s going to continue his fight against Roger Goodell and the league office. “This was a setback yesterday,” he told 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link) “There’s still more to come.” He added that he does not feel the suspension was done in a “fair way,” (Twitter link). With the backing of the NFLPA plus the deep pockets of Jones, Elliott certainly has the resources to take his fight to the highest courts, provided that they will hear his case.
Fallout From Ezekiel Elliott Ruling
As expected after receiving a ruling in its favor Thursday, the NFL announced Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension will commence immediately. Barring a further court ruling to swing the balance of power back into the Cowboys running back’s hands, his suspension won’t end until Friday, Nov. 24 — a day after the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Chargers. The Cowboys are in a bye week, but Elliott could not go to a team practice if Dallas was to have one this week, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. A possible refiling of this case in New York Federal Court or back in Texas could lead to Elliott being reinstated again. But he’s in real danger of missing next weekend’s game against the 49ers because now the running back’s camp and NFLPA are the ones on the wrong end of a waiting game — just as the NFL was leading up to this ruling. That could be dicey for the Cowboys’ hopes at deploying their top weapon in Week 7.
Here’s the latest from the ongoing Elliott saga.
- Elliott’s attorney, Frank Salzano, said (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, on Twitter) the Elliott team is “exploring all of our legal options.” A decision on this matter will come in “a couple of days.” The NFLPA’s current stance is with the appellate court’s Thursday ruling hinging on procedural matters, determining Elliott’s side acted improperly by filing an appeal of a Harold Henderson verdict that had yet to arrive, the lack of due process afforded to the 22-year-old player by the NFL wasn’t addressed (Twitter link).
- The three judges ruling on this case for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 against Elliott, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes this result likely flips if there were two judges appointed by a Democratic president rather than two appointed by a Republican leader. Democrat-appointed judges tend to side with labor, whereas Republican-installed judges generally side with employers. This puts Jerry Jones in an interesting position, having issued a mandate about national anthem protests that falls in line with a Republican president’s stance and now seeing his running back’s suspension reinstated because of a management-over-labor ruling — one Jones vigorously disputed when it was handed down.
- Rapoport notes (on Twitter) an en banc hearing in front of the Fifth Circuit — meaning the case would be heard by all of the court’s judges rather than a three-judge panel — would be an option for Elliott since it would keep the preliminary injunction alive and allow the Cowboys second-year runner a chance to keep playing through this ruling instead of waiting for his case to be heard by another court. It took 10 days for the Fifth District’s three-judge panel to issue a ruling for the NFL, which waited multiple weeks for that case to be heard. Going through another court would be trouble, since it would likely mean part of this suspension would be served in the meantime. However, Rapoport notes (video link) this and the refiling in New York or Texas options are long shots.
- Changes on Dallas’ offensive line have limited Elliott compared to his dominant start to his rookie campaign, Alex Marvez of The Sporting News writes. His per-carry average through five games is down to 3.7 yards compared to 5.0, and La’el Collins and Chaz Green have proven to be steps down from Doug Free and Ronald Leary, respectively.
Court Restores Ezekiel Elliott’s Six-Game Ban
The Fifth Circuit of Appeals has ruled in favor of the NFL in its case against Ezekiel Elliott. As a result, Elliott’s six-game ban has been restored. 
However, Elliott’s camp could re-file in New York Federal Court and keep him on the field, according to lawyer Gabe Feldman (on Twitter). It’s not known whether Elliott will continue the fight, but we do know that it’s not necessarily over. Elliott can also re-file in Texas, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The court, based out of New Orleans, ordered the district court in Texas to dismiss Elliott’s case with a 2-1 vote in favor of the NFL.
If no further legal action is taken by Elliott’s team, he may be barred from playing in the team’s Oct. 22 contest against the Niners. The NFL plans to enforce this immediately, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. The Cowboys have a Week 6 bye. After their 49ers tilt, the Cowboys face the Redskins, Chiefs, Falcons, Eagles and Chargers. Three of these games (against the 49ers, Redskins and Falcons) are on the road.
In August, Elliott received the six-game suspension for domestic abuse allegedly occurring during a week in 2016. But Texas judge Amos Mazzant granted the running back an injunction that allowed him to play in Dallas’ first five games while this case made its way through the courts. Thursday’s ruling overrules Mazzant’s, and now Elliott and the NFLPA will have to make a decision about fighting this further.
Elliott filed his appeal in Texas prior to NFL arbiter Harold Henderson upholding the six-game ban levied upon him. That preemptive strike played into this latest ruling against the running back, ESPN’s Josina Anderson tweets. The decision being based on Elliott’s timing would stand to give the second-year player a chance in New York Federal Court, Breer notes (on Twitter).
While the parties likely will, with Elliott and the NFLPA previously unwilling to agree on a settlement with the league, this now could be a matter of finances. Elliott serving his six-game ban without pay would obviously deal a blow to both his reputation and the Cowboys’ playoff hopes. And a subsequent fight in the offseason would be about recouping salary and having this charge vacated from his record. Elliott was not charged or arrested for this alleged violence against Tiffany Thompson.
Even with Elliott’s services, the Cowboys are 2-3. It took them until Week 17 of last season to suffer a third defeat, and that only came in a meaningless Week 17 contest. Removing the first-team All-Pro back from the equation could spell doom for an offense that has taken a step back from its 2016 version.
Alfred Morris has served as Elliott’s primary backup this season, with Darren McFadden being a healthy scratch throughout this year. But McFadden, who re-signed with the Cowboys this offseason, figures to be a bigger part of the operation if Elliott indeed serves this suspension this season.
Details On Stephen Paea's Retirement
- Cowboys coach Jason Garrett says that Stephen Paea‘s decision to retire was “all about not being able to play any more to the level he felt like he wanted to play at,” (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). Paea was dealing with a knee injury that was affecting his performance and decided to hang ’em up on Wednesday.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/11/17
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Promoted to active roster: WR Tanner Gentry
- Released: WR Deonte Thompson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Justin March-Lillard
Houston Texans
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Whitney Mercilus (story), DL J.J. Watt (story)
- Signed off Cardinals‘ practice squad: OL Dorian Johnson
Cowboys DT Stephen Paea Retires
Cowboys defensive tackle Stephen Paea informed his coaches on Wednesday that he is retiring, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Naturally, this comes as a huge surprise here in Week 6. Paea’s retirement comes just moments after owner Jerry Jones finished meeting with players regarding the anthem protests, but we don’t have confirmation yet on whether that was what sparked the decision.
Paea was the Cowboys’ starter at right defensive tackle through the first four games of the season. He missed the Week 5 game against the Packers with a knee issue and was said to be questionable for Week 7 against the Niners on the other side of the bye.
Through one month of action, Paea has not looked like his old self. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus have him ranked as the second worst qualified interior defensive lineman in the NFL. Last year, he ranked as PFF’s 40th-best interior D-lineman among 127 qualifiers.
Paea, still only 29, was signed this offseason to replace the departed Terrell McClain. He became even more vital to the Cowboys’ front four when Cedric Thornton was released in early September.
The Cowboys were Paea’s fourth – and apparently final – NFL team. Since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2011, he has also suited up for the Bears, Redskins, and Browns.
No Charges For Cowboys LB Damien Wilson
Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson has been cleared of all charges stemming from a July incident in Frisco, Texas (Twitter link via L.P. Phillips of CBS DFW). A grand jury returned two “no bills,” meaning that they have declined to indict him on a second-degree felony and a misdemeanor charge for disorderly conduct. 
On July 4th, Wilson was arrested for two counts of aggravated assault with deadly weapon when he allegedly hit a woman with his truck while backing into a parking spot during an argument. The 24-year-old was facing potential jail time for what took place.
Naturally, Wilson could still face league discipline. In theory, a suspension could come down sometime this season now that the legal process on it has wrapped.
Wilson has started in two of the Cowboys’ five games thus far this year. He has just nine tackles in total and the metrics at Pro Football Focus haven’t been all that impressed with him thus far. The linebacker has a 44.3 overall score and is ranked as the No. 62 LB in the NFL out of 87 qualified players. Last year, he earned a decent 74.6 grade.
The 2-3 Cowboys are entering a bye week. They return to action on Oct. 22 to face the Niners in San Francisco.
Cowboys Release CB Nolan Carroll
The Cowboys are releasing cornerback Nolan Carroll, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Carroll has been out with a concussion as of late. 
The Cowboys signed Carroll to a three-year, $10MM deal with $4MM guaranteed this offseason, meaning that he’s walking away with lots of money for just two games played. The former Eagles corner suffered a head injury against the Broncos in Week 2 and has not been on the field since.
Carroll, 30, was brought on board to help beef up a Cowboys secondary that ranked 18th in DVOA last season and lost key members in the offseason. The eight-year veteran started in all 16 games for the first time in his career last year and managed one interception, ten passes defensed, and a forced fumble. However, Pro Football Focus graded him as the NFL’s No. 92 cornerback among 112 qualifiers.
The Cowboys’ decision to release Carroll is a sign that they have tremendous faith in rookie Jourdan Lewis. The third-round pick – who has filled in for Carroll – has probably been Dallas’ best cornerback thus far in 2017.
Jerry Jones Announces Anthem Stance
Jerry Jones spoke at length after Sunday’s Packers-Cowboys game and expanded on his stance about players’ protests that have intensified this season. The longtime owner announced a policy that figures to be a key talking point across the league.
Although no Cowboys decided to sit or kneel during the national anthem today, David Irving and Damontre Moore raised their fists. Jones was asked directly about that. It’s not known if the owner considers what the defensive ends did as disrespecting the flag. Jones said he was “not aware” of Irving and Moore’s protests and called the team “very much on the same page together” regarding this issue. The defensive linemen (via Williams) each did not view it as such. Jones’ decree comes two weeks after the owner knelt with his team during a nationally televised game against the Cardinals, doing so before the anthem played.
Poll: Best NFC Free Agent Addition?
A quarter of the NFL season is now in the books, which means we can accurately grade each and every free agent signing, right? Right?
Even if that’s not the case, it’s still possible to get a sense of how free agents are playing and whether they’re living up to their contacts through four games. After taking a look at the AFC on Friday, today we examined the best free agent signing on each NFC club before asking you to vote on the top overall NFC addition.
One note: we only looked at newcomers, so free agents that re-signed with their original clubs (Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short or Cardinals edge rusher Chandler Jones, for example) aren’t included. On to the list!
Arizona Cardinals
- Antoine Bethea, S: General manager Steve Keim & Co. have made a habit of adding aging veterans — especially on the defensive side of the ball — with success, and the Cardinals have seemingly done so again in the form of Bethea. Playing alongside Tyrann Mathieu and another age-30+ defensive back in Tyvon Branch, Bethea has managed one interception and three pass breakups while helping Arizona to the No. 12 ranking in defensive DVOA. And his three, $12.75MM deal can be easily escaped if he does begin to show signs of wearing down later on in 2017.
Atlanta Falcons
- Dontari Poe, DT: After narrowly missing out on a Super Bowl title earlier this year, the Falcons decided to run it back, returning in 2017 with much of the same roster. Poe was Atlanta’s major addition on defense, as the club waited until the athletic defensive tackle’s market fell enough to allow it to ink him to a one-year, $8MM pact. Poe, who was regularly playing more than 1,000 defensive snaps with the Chiefs, is on pace to play on roughly 750 defensive snaps this season, and limiting his action could be helping his overall performance. Through four games, the Falcons are 13th in pressure rate, up from 20th in 2016.
Carolina Panthers
- Julius Peppers, DE: Peppers, now in his second stint with the Panthers, was hardly Carolina’s most high-priced free agent signing this spring. That honor goes to $55MM man Matt Kalil, who has been — perhaps unsurprisingly — underwhelming at left tackle. The Panthers are playing Peppers on a reduced snap count, and the 37-year-old has already put up 4.5 sacks through a quarter of the season. He’s an absolute freak of nature who can still bend the edge with ease.
Chicago Bears
- N/A: The signing of free agent Mike Glennon clearly hasn’t worked out, as the veteran signal-caller was benched after four games. The rest of Chicago’s additions, a list that includes cornerbacks Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara and wideouts Markus Wheaton and Kendall Wright, have also been sub-par. Quintin Demps could have been the choice here, but he’s now on injured reserve after breaking his arm.
Dallas Cowboys
- N/A: The Cowboys allowed most of their secondary to walk out the door during free agency, and veteran Nolan Carroll was their only real external addition. He’s been one of the worst defensive backs in the league in 2017.
Detroit Lions
- Ricky Wagner, T: Detroit upgraded at both right guard and right tackle this offseason, swapping out Larry Warford and Riley Reiff for T.J. Lang and Wagner. Although both new Lions linemen have been efficient thus far, the nod goes slightly to Wagner. Both Lang and Wagner are earning the same $9.5MM annual salary, but Wagner is three years younger and under team control for a longer period. Additionally, the Lions average more yards (4.41 to 3.04) when running around the right end than through the center/guard.
Green Bay Packers
- Jahri Evans, G: In a sequence that is completely out of character, the Packers actually signed a number of outside free agents over the past several months, including cornerback Davon House (a former Packer) and front seven defenders Ahmad Brooks, Quinton Dial, and Ricky Jean-Francois. But the best newcomer is on the offensive side ball, as Jahri Evans has played every snap for Green Bay. A lifelong Saint until 2017, Evans has helped the Packers’ offensive line to a No. 3 ranking in adjusted line yards at a cost of only $2.25MM.
Los Angeles Rams
- Andrew Whitworth, T: Perhaps no other club made a larger upgrade at one position than the Rams did in going from draft bust Greg Robinson to Whitworth at left tackle. The entire Rams’ offense, including quarterback Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, has gone from looking completely incompetent to leading the league in points scored. Even at the age of 35, Whitworth leads all tackles in pass rush productivity and has allowed only one pressure, per Pro Football Focus.
Minnesota Vikings
- Mike Remmers, T: The Vikings overpaid for both Remmers and left tackle Riley Reiff, but both deals have allowed Minnesota to return to average along the offensive line, a massive step-up from their 2016 front five. Remmers is earning nearly half of what Reiff is making but ranks slightly ahead of the former Lion in PFF’s offensive tackle rankings. Additionally, Remmers hasn’t allowed a sack this season, and the Vikings have been much better at running right than left.
New Orleans Saints
- Larry Warford, G: Warford replaced another player on this list (Jahri Evans) and has continued to perform as a solid NFL guard. On an offensive line that’s seen some reshuffling due to injuries to Terron Armstead and Zach Strief, the Saints’ interior — which also includes left guard Andrus Peat and center Max Unger — has remained stable. New Orleans has been excellent at running up the middle, as the club ranks sixth with 4.62 yards per carry behind its center or guards. The Saints control the 26-year-old Warford through the 2020 campaign.
New York Giants
- N/A: Brandon Marshall has yet to top 70 yards receiving in a game, and managed only two receptions in Weeks 1-2. And the signing of fullback/tight end Rhett Ellison never made sense given how much 11 personnel (one back, one tight end) the Giants run. He’s earning $4.5MM annually and has five total receptions.
Philadelphia Eagles
- LeGarrette Blount, RB: Although he’s not going match his NFL-leading 18 rushing touchdowns from 2016, Blount has already shown that he’s worth the one-year, $1.25MM deal he inked with the Eagles earlier this year. He’s averaging 5.9 yards per carry thus far, and he figures to be even more involved in Philadelphia’s offense following injuries to Darren Sproles and Wendell Smallwood. Tough as ever, Blount managed 127 of his 136 Week 4 yards after contact.
San Francisco 49ers
- Brandon Fusco, G: The 49ers and new general manager John Lynch spent a good deal of money this offseason, handing $10MM+ in guarantees to veterans such as wide receiver Pierre Garcon (who’s been average at best) and linebacker Malcolm Smith (who suffered a season-ending injury in August). The most astute signing, however, may have been guard Brandon Fusco, who signed for just $1.4MM total. He’s played every offensive snap for San Francisco and graded as the NFL’s No. 18 guard, per PFF, making him a remarkable value.
Seattle Seahawks
- Luke Joeckel, G: Joeckel’s one-year, $8MM contract with the Seahawks never made much sense, as the former draft bust hasn’t performed in the NFL and probably didn’t have much of a free agent market. He’s not even playing tackle, which makes the salary all the more confusing. But PFF grades Joeckel as the No. 26 guard in the league, meaning he’s been a starting-caliber offensive lineman through four contests. Plus, it’s hard to fault nearly any single-season pact, no matter the cost.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- DeSean Jackson, WR: Jackson hasn’t been the perfect complemenet to Mike Evans that many projected — while he’s still averaging a robust 17.8 yards per catch, his catch rate is at a career-low 48.3%. Jackson led the league in yards gained off defensive pass interference a season ago, but he’s garnered only one DPI for 15 yards in 2017. Always only play away from a long-distance score, Jackson can still live up to his contract if Tampa Bay’s offense starts clicking.
Washington Redskins
- D.J. Swearinger, S: In a defensive backfield that’s without Su’a Cravens (left squad list) and DeAngelo Hall (PUP list), Swearinger — who left the Cardinals for a three-year deal in the nation’s capital — has helped stabilize the Redskins’ secondary. Through a quarter of the season, Washington ranks sixth in defensive DVOA under new coordinator Greg Manusky, a 19-spot leap from 2016.
So, what do you think? Which of the free agents has been the best signing through a quarter of the 2017 season? Vote below, and leave your thoughts in the comments section:
Who was the best free agent addition in the NFC?
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Andrew Whitworth, T 24% (325)
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LeGarrette Blount, RB 18% (254)
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D.J. Swearinger, S 12% (163)
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Jahri Evans, G 11% (156)
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Julius Peppers, DE 8% (107)
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Dontari Poe, DT 6% (83)
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DeSean Jackson, WR 5% (65)
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Mike Remmers, T 4% (51)
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Ricky Wagner, T 3% (48)
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Luke Joeckel, G 3% (47)
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Brandon Fusco, G 2% (33)
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Larry Warford, G 2% (30)
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Antoine Bethea, S 1% (16)
Total votes: 1,378