NFC Rumors: Forte, Jeffery, Hardy, Avril
Matt Forte‘s free agency bid’s played a role in the Bears running back’s recovery timetable, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
The soon-to-be 30-year-old dual-threat back suffered a sprained MCL two weeks ago and, similar to a pitcher in the last days of his contract with a non-playoff-bound team, Forte won’t rush back.
“That’s [a factor], if not the most important factor — the future,” Forte told reporters, via Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. “Because if you go out there for one game and then ruin the rest of your season and maybe your career, then that’s a big factor. There’s a lot of football left to be played. So you don’t want to chance it for one game.”
Forte’s in the fourth and final year of a $30.4MM pact, his second with the Bears, and as of now looks to be the top option in the 2016 running back class, along with Chris Ivory.
Florio does speculate Forte would be more inclined to return to the field sooner if the Bears decided to offer him a third contract.
Here’s some more news coming out of the NFC locales.
- If the Bears were observing a healthy contract year from Alshon Jeffery, the decision to re-sign the fourth-year wideout to a lucrative, long-term extension wouldn’t be difficult, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes. Jeffery’s been on and off the injury report this season, missing four games, and this week’s served as a microcosm, with the ex-second-rounder dominating Monday night only to miss practice time this week with his third leg-muscle injury this season. Campbell offers that the Bears could place some escalators in Jeffery’s possible extension revolving around playing time. “You have to bet on the player that he’s going to get healthy,” former GM Mark Domenik said. “When you start to bet that your guy is going to be hurt, if you think that, then you probably shouldn’t sign him. Move on and do it with a clear conscience.”
- The release of the domestic violence photos in association with the Greg Hardy case a day after the Cowboys defensive end saw this incident expunged from his record illustrates how the NFL likely wanted that information out there, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The Mecklenburg (N.C.) County District Attorney’s office and the Charlotte Police Department informed the Globe they did not release the photos, and the NFL, due to its independent investigation, was the only other entity with access to the photos and transcript, Volin writes.
- Rumors connected Rod Marinelli to a potential return to Tampa Bay prior to signing a three-year extension with the Cowboys in January, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Marinelli has connections to both the Bucs, who employed him as their defensive line coach from 1996-2005, and Lovie Smith, whom Marinelli worked for from 2009-12 with the Bears.
- Prior to his father’s death, Cliff Avril told him he would only play in the NFL for 10 years due to health reasons, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. The 29-year-old Seahawks defensive end’s in his eighth season. “And I plan on it,” he says. “Unless something crazy happens and they’re offering me some ridiculous amount of money.” Avril said. “Then he’d probably tell me to keep playing.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/14/15
Here are Saturday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:
- The Patriots promoted offensive lineman Chris Barker, reports ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss (via Twitter), and safety Dewey McDonald re-signed to the Pats’ practice squad. With Sebastian Vollmer, Marcus Cannon and Tre’ Jackson all missing practice on Friday, the team was clearly seeking some reinforcement. Barker’s played in five games in two years. The Pats, who have rotated offensive linemen frequently this year, will dress six Sunday against the Giants, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
- The Lions promoted rookie safety Isaiah Johnson to their 53-man contingent and cut linebacker James-Michael Johnson to make room, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com reports. Johnson’s promotion coincides with backup safety Isa Abdul-Quddus‘ questionable status for this week with a foot injury.
- In a move that will help shore up a struggling secondary, the Raiders activated Nate Allen from IR-DTR and cut return man Marcus Thigpen, according to the Raiders’ website. After signing a lucrative deal as a free agent, Allen tore his MCL in Week 1, forcing the already-thin Raiders secondary into undesirable options alongside Charles Woodson. The 29-year-old Thigpen, a former undrafted free agent from Indiana, has played for six teams, with the Bills also employing him in 2015.
- The Raiders also put safety Tevin McDonald back on their practice squad, per their website. McDonald’s been one of the more frequent rovers between the taxi squad and the active roster, being promoted and demoted several times this season.
- The Seahawks placed Ricardo Lockette on injured reserve and activated Paul Richardson from the PUP list, according to a report on the team’s website. Lockette suffered a frightening neck injury in Week 8 against the Cowboys. Richardson hasn’t played since tearing an ACL in Seattle’s divisional-round victory over Carolina. The 23-year-old Richardson, a second-year player, caught 29 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown as a rookie.
- To make room for inside linebacker Mike Hull, the Dolphins cut defensive lineman A.J. Francis, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Francis has played in just one game since the Dolphins picked him up on waivers in 2013. The 24-year-old Hull was one of Miami’s final preseason roster cuts.
- The Raiders have promoted tight end Gabe Holmes from the practice squad, reports Scott Bair of CSNCalifornia.com (via Twitter). Holmes will presumably be filling the hole left by previously-waived Tevin McDonald, meaning the team will have to make another move to accommodate the returning Nate Allen.
- The Cowboys have promoted linebacker Keith Smith from the practice squad, tweets David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. The former San Jose State standout has appeared in 14 career games, compiling seven tackles and one forced fumble.
NFL Mailbags: Jets, Sankey, Titans, Cowboys
It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some of the notable whispers, including a cameo from Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com…
- The Jets defensive line is the only group that’s set up well for the future, and Rich Cimini says the team doesn’t have enough “rising, young talent” on their roster. However, despite nine starters being older than 30 years old, the writer doesn’t believe the team needs a complete rebuild to become a contender.
- The Titans activated rookie running back David Cobb yesterday, but Wyatt can’t envision the team parting ways with Bishop Sankey.
- With Delanie Walker and Anthony Fasano set to become free agents following next season, Wyatt wonders if the Titans could pursue a tight end either through free agency or the draft this offseason.
- Todd Archer believes the Cowboys should let the market develop before they hand out a multi-year contract to Greg Hardy. The writer is skeptical that the organization would actually hand out a big money contract to the embattled defensive end.
- In no particular order, Archer says defensive line, cornerback, wide receiver, running back, quarterback, and offensive line are the Cowboys‘ biggest needs heading into next year’s draft.
Extra Points: Mayo, Pats, Welker
While there’s virtually no way he’ll return to the Patriots on his current contract, linebacker Jerod Mayo‘s time in New England may not be over after this season, says Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. In his latest mailbag, Howe suggests that if Mayo can get healthy, it’s possible he and the Pats could work out a reworked contract to bring him back. In my look last week at the Patriots’ 2016 cap situation, I identified Mayo as the team’s most likely cap casualty.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- If you’re a fan of the Steelers, Cowboys, Chargers, Ravens, or Packers, and you feel like your team has had worse-than-usual injury luck this year, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com is inclined to agree. In his latest piece, Seifert identifies those five teams as the ones that have been hit hardest by injuries this season.
- The Giants are scheduled to work out free agent linebacker Alex Singleton next Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Singleton, who was waived by the Seahawks prior to the regular season, has also auditioned for the Chiefs, Bengals, Browns, Jaguars, and Washington this year.
- According to reports from Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Wes Welker‘s new one-year deal with the Rams includes a $200K signing bonus to go along with a base salary worth approximately $456K (prorated total of $970K). The veteran wideout can also earn up to $200K in per-game roster bonuses ($25K per game), plus another $100K via catch- and yard-based incentives.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/12/15
Here are Thursday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the league:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: QB Kellen Moore (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com)
- Cut: T John Wetzel
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Frankie Hammond (Twitter link via Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
Minnesota Vikings
- To be signed: TE Chase Ford (link via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press)
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Robert Thomas (link via Doug Kyed of NESN.com)
East Notes: Patriots, Cowboys, Jeffcoat
With running back Dion Lewis out for the season, the Patriots are on the lookout for potential additions at the position, bringing in a couple more veteran free agents for workouts this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport tweets that Pierre Thomas and Robert Turbin, recently cut by the 49ers and Browns respectively, auditioned for the Pats.
Thomas, in particular, could be a good fit in New England, since catching passes out of the backfield is one of his strength. However, in his brief stint in San Francisco, it looked like he was still attempting to shake off some rust after sitting out most of the 2015 season. The Pats also tried out Daryl Richardson earlier this week, so it’ll be interesting to see if they add another back within the next week or two, or if they try to get by with a combination of LeGarrette Blount, James White, and Brandon Bolden for now.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s East divisions:
- As if the Cowboys‘ locker room wasn’t already a tense place to be these days, with the team having lost six straight games, and the presence of Greg Hardy drawing increased scrutiny, things got even more emotional today. As Eric Prisbell of USA Today outlines, wide receiver Dez Bryant yelled and cursed at multiple reporters today in the Dallas locker room, believing one had called teammate Devin Street a racial slur, though that charge was uncorroborated by other media members in the area.
- With a game against the Patriots looming, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin admitted that he regrets the fact that Julian Edelman isn’t wearing a Giants uniform this weekend (link via Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com). The Pats receiver visited New York as a free agent in 2013, but ultimately opted to re-sign with New England.
- Linebacker Jackson Jeffcoat showed that he could be a good reserve player for Washington, but he ultimately came up short on special teams, Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. Jeffcoat was quickly placed on IR and released from IR with a settlement this week.
- Speaking to Colin Cowherd this week, former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman – who hasn’t played in the NFL in 15 years – said he still has the arm strength to go out and play in the league (link via the Dallas Morning News). So if quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Tom Brady want to play well into their forties, arm strength shouldn’t be the issue — it’ll be a matter of avoiding injuries like the chronic back issue that forced Aikman into retirement.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC East Notes: Beatty, Cowboys, Crawford
The Giants approached Will Beatty about a position change on the offensive line that might have allowed him to play in 2015, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. However, rather than moving to guard or right tackle for the remainder of the season, Beatty opted to have season-ending surgery. The Giants’ thinking was that Beatty’s inside shoulder strength would have been compromised had he returned to left tackle, but he wasn’t on board with that plan.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- After the Cowboys worked to upgrade their pass rush in the offseason, Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News wonders where the improved sack and turnover totals are. Despite the addition of Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy and using a second-round pick on end Randy Gregory, the Cowboys rank 25th in the NFL with 14 sacks. That’s nearly identical to 2014 when they finished 28th in the league with 28 sacks.
- Only time will tell if the Cowboys jumped the gun by giving Tyrone Crawford a hefty contract extension, George writes, though it’s clear that he hasn’t been living up to that deal so far this season. In September, the Cowboys inked Crawford to a five-year, $45MM pact that includes $17.5MM in fully guaranteed cash. At the time, the 25-year-old (26 in a few weeks) was coming off a year where he rated as Pro Football Focus’ 15th-best defensive tackle out of 81 graded.
- By accepting his behavior, the Cowboys have given Hardy absolutely no reason to change, Christine Brennan of USA Today writes. While the world wants to see Hardy be contrite and change, Brennan is less than optimistic.
Lions Notes: Stafford, Megatron, Hardy
Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com profiled Marty Hurney as a potential GM candidate for the Lions and his background is certainly interesting. Hurney got his start as a sportswriter before moving on to work in Washington’s PR department. Eventually, he took a front office job with the Chargers which led to a salary cap job with the Panthers and in Carolina, he ascended to the GM spot in 2002. Hurney was fired by the Panthers in 2012 and he’s now a radio host in Charlotte. His draft aggressiveness is something that the Lions could use, but Rothstein isn’t sure if he can be lured away from his broadcasting gig. Hurney also made his fair share of mistakes while at the helm of the Panthers and he would have to answer for some questionable decisions.
Here’s more from Detroit:
- Ultimately, the Lions’ next GM will have to decide what to do with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, and the pair’s future in Detroit seems somewhat linked, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. If the Lions decide to start anew at quarterback, it might not make sense to keep a receiver with one of the highest cap figures in the league. Johnson could ultimately restructure his deal to extend his time in Detroit, but failing that he could very well be following Stafford out the door.
- Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy had his suspension reduced to four games on appeal with the help of the NFLPA. As Lions safety Glover Quin explains, however, the union wasn’t necessarily advocating for him to play, but they were rather looking to ensure that the rules were being enforced fairly. “The P.A. is not the league,” Quin, the Lions’ players rep, told Birkett writes. “The P.A. is the union and our job is to protect the rights of players. So, no, we don’t condone domestic violence. But within the disciplinary phases, if the league does something wrong in the CBA, it’s our job as players as a union to at least protect his rights.”
- In a conference call with Detroit reporters, Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke highly of Eliot Wolf, who could be a candidate for the Lions’ GM job. “Eliot is a fine, young man, excellent co-worker,” McCarthy said of the 33-year-old, according to Birkett. “I really enjoy working with him. He does a great job in our personnel department and I think he’s excellent. He’s a real asset to our organization.” Wolf is thought to be the heir apparent in Green Bay, however, and he might be a longshot to leave the Packers organization.
Cowboys Notes: Hardy, Cassel, Garrett
In a recent radio appearance, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that Tony Romo has offered to help identify his own eventual replacement, adding that Romo has put in time studying what he’d look for in a college quarterback. While the 35-year-old has the team’s long-term future in mind, they’ll be banking on him in the here and now as they get set for his return. Here’s the latest out of Dallas:
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/15
Here are today’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL, with any additional moves listed at the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Eagles (on Twitter) announced that they plan on signing offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde and releasing linebacker Brad Jones.
Earlier updates:
- The Vikings have activated cornerback Josh Robinson from the physically unable to perform list, waiving tight end Chase Ford in a corresponding roster move, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. As Tomasson writes, Ford – who has been with Minnesota since 2012 – took the news well, pointing out that it’s “part of the game” and it’s not his first time being cut.
- Having cut quarterback Kellen Moore, the Cowboys added linebacker Mark Nzeocha to their active roster, per Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). Nzeocha, who began the season on the non-football injury list, will help add depth to a group of linebackers that has been affected by injuries.
- The Cardinals have waived-injured cornerback Cariel Brooks, elevating cornerback Robert Nelson from their practice squad to fill the empty roster spot, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link). Brooks, who is dealing with an ankle issue, played exclusively on special teams during his limited action this season, so Nelson isn’t expected to have a major role either.
- After placing him on the injured reserve list last weekend, Washington has now removed outside linebacker Jackson Jeffcoat from the roster entirely with an injury settlement, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times.