NFC Notes: Bryant, Hardy, Eagles, Schiano
The Cowboys are wary of offering Dez Bryant a long-term extension because of the receiver’s past off-the-field issues, sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. While Bryant wants a deal that pays him like a No. 1 WR, Dallas has offered the 26-year-old contracts that, while providing Bryant with significant guaranteed money, contain protection clauses for the club in the event of off-the-field incidents. Per Getlin, the Cowboys have provided therapists to help Bryant work out his anger management issues. Bryant, playing under the final year of his rookie deal, said on Sunday that he’d be “highly disappointed” if Dallas opted to place the franchise tag on him for the 2015 season. Here’s more from the NFC.
- The Mecklenburg County district attorney announced that Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy‘s trial will be postponed until early 2015, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Hardy is currently on the commissioner’s exempt list as his domestic violence case is litigated, but as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes, Carolina head coach Ron Rivera believes Hardy should be able to return to the team immediately if his trial won’t take place until the season is completed, arguing that the star defender has already served an effective eight-week suspension.
- The Eagles will replace injured linebacker DeMeco Ryans internally, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who points to Casey Matthews and 2014 first-rounder Marcus Smith as options to see more snaps for Philadelphia.
- Offensive lineman Todd Herremans, who is trying to play through a torn biceps, will meet with Eagles team doctors today and discuss whether it’s best for him to be placed on injured reserve, per Bowen (Twitter link).
- Ex-Buccaneers and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano would like to return to an NFL or college sideline in 2015, writes Pete Thamel of TheMMQB.com in an engrossing profile.
NFC Notes: Lattimore, Weeden, Newton
Let’s take a look at the latest from the NFC:
- If Marcus Lattimore retires as expected, he should be able to collect on a $1.7MM insurance policy, Lattimore’s agent tells Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. The 49ers running back took out the policy during his junior year at South Carolina. Per Rovell, a standard disability policy for an athlete allows for a player to play no more than four games before deciding whether to act on the policy. Lattimore hasn’t played a single game since being drafted in the fourth round last year.
- The Cowboys decided to release veteran Kyle Orton during the offseason and roll with Brandon Weeden as their backup quarterback, and although Weeden played poorly on Sunday against the Cardinals, owner Jerry Jones doesn’t regret his choice. “I don’t second guess that at all because we lost games with those experienced quarterbacks, with the quarterbacks that were more experienced,” Jones told Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “As a matter of fact we got knocked out of the playoffs with the more experienced quarterback (Orton) last year, and so I think it’s all relevant.”
- ESPN.com’s David Newton examines whether the Panthers should act urgently in locking up Cam Newton to a long-term deal. For his part, Newton could afford to wait until next year to begin negotiations, as his current level of play doesn’t warrant the type of contract that Colin Kaepernick or Andy Dalton received, writes Newton.
- Washington head coach Jay Gruden told reporters, including Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com, that the club intends to activate receiver Leonard Hankerson from the PUP list this week. Hankerson, who’s averaged 34 receptions and 459 yards over the past two seasons, would presumably slot in behind DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Andre Roberts as Washington’s fourth receiver.
- The Patriots released defensive tackle Tommy Kelly just prior to the start of the season, which allowed the veteran to latch on with the Cardinals. He’s played well, and one Arizona assistant is glad New England decided to part ways with the 33-year-old. “Tell Bill (Belichick) I said, ‘Thank you,’ “ defensive line coach Brentson Buckner told Michael Silver of NFL.com. “Kelly’s been great for us. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Cowboys COO On Dez Bryant Extension Talks
After word broke on Sunday that Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant had signed on with Roc Nation, many wondered how his agency change would affect potential extension negotiations with the club. Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones spoke with 105.3 The Fan in Dallas earlier today and discussed that very topic, so let’s take a look at the highlights (link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News):
On spending to the cap:
“All we look at is the player and what we can do for that particular player in terms of our resources that we have. At the end of the day, we’re going to spend every last penny we have trying to put a championship team together. It’s not that we’re trying to save money so we can put it in our pocket.”
On how to allocate financial resources:
“Our goal and what we have to do as ownership and management is decide the best way to divide up the pie. At the end of the day, everybody is going to get all of the pie, so it’s not that we’re deciding to not pay Tony [Romo], not pay Dez, not pay DeMarco [Murray] so we can keep it. We just got to talk them into playing for the money that we feel like is fair so that we can have other good football players.”
On the possibility of using the franchise tag:
“Our goal is ultimately to put a fair contract out there. In Dez’s case, we’re going to do everything we can to put a fair contract out there for him. But that tag is out there for a reason. We certainly have it in our pocket to use. For some reason if we couldn’t come to an agreement with him then we certainly have to look at all our alternatives.”
On negotiating an equitable deal:
“He’s certainly played well enough to have financial security. He deserves that. So we have to respect where Dez and his family are coming from. At the same time, we would hope that he understands what we’re trying to do, which is a hard thing to do, decide who gets what on this team and where your financial resources are allocated.”
Cowboys Notes: Bryant, Randle, Romo, Jones
Cowboys’ receiver Dez Bryant signed with Roc Nation earlier today, and they wll negotiate his next contract, presumably with his current team. Bryant is looking forward to signing a long-term extension, but would be “highly disappointed” if the team places the franchise tag on him, reports Jon Machota of DallasNews.com.
- Backup running back Joseph Randle had rubbed Bryant the wrong way this week, but all is forgiven according Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Bryant accepted Randle’s apology, and they have put the incident in the past.
- Although quarterback Tony Romo missed today’s game against the Cardinals, he will make the trip to London next week to play the Jaguars, writes Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com (via Twitter). He will prepare to play against the Jaguars.
- Owner Jerry Jones expects Romo to play, reports . “I do see him playing,” said Jones. “He’s going on the trip to London, and logic tells you that we wouldn’t have him make that trip to London and back if we didn’t think he was going to play, so it does depend on the type of week he has at practice. But if he has the week we expect, he should be our quarterback.”
Injury Updates: Sunday
While we don’t cover every injury here at PFR, we will detail health concerns that could force teams to make significant roster moves. We’ll keep a running list of such injuries here, with the newest updates being added to the top:
- Cowboys’ defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford suffered a troubling knee injury that involves MCL damage, reports Tim MacMAhon of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter).
- Texans‘ running back Arian Foster suffered a groin injury during the loss to the Eagles earlier today, but fortunately it does not look to be serious, reports Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter).
Earlier Updates
- Eagles quarterback Nick Foles left today’s contest against the Texans and will not return, the team announced. A source tells Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that the club fears Foles may have a clavicle injury. Mark Sanchez is on in relief of Foles at QB.
- Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph will not return today after suffering a concussion, tweets John Clayton of ESPN. Meanhwhile, running back Arian Foster headed to the locker room with a head injury, per Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
- Jets quarterback Michael Vick also went to the locker room after suffering an injury against the Chiefs, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). With Geno Smith inactive, Matt Simms has taken over at QB.
- Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans suffered a non-contact injury, and had to be carted off the field, according to Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Dolphins running back Lamar Miller suffered a shoulder injury against the Chargers and is questionable to return.
Reaction To Dez Bryant Joining Roc Nation
Earlier today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, playing under the final year of his rookie contract, has left agent Eugene Parker and teamed with Jay-Z and Roc Nation. It’s an interesting development as Bryant and Dallas look to discuss a possible extension, so look’s look at some reaction to the news:
- Roc Nation was formed as part of a partnership with the CAA talent agency, and Ed Werder of ESPN hears (via Twitter) that CAA agent Tom Condon is in discussions to become Bryant’s representative.
- At Roc Nation itself, Kim Miale will represent Bryant, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (Twitter link), who penned a profile of Miale in June.
- Roc Nation has wanted to add Bryant to its client list since last year’s Super Bowl, says Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- One reason Bryant may have made the change is that he wanted to get a new deal done as quickly as possible, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Parker, however, thought the Cowboys were low-balling Bryant, and therefore wanted to wait on signing an extension.
- Sources tell Getlin (via Twitter) that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones might be reticent to offer an extension to Bryant now that he is with Roc Nation. It’s fair to wonder if Jones felt some level of comfort dealing with Parker and was surprised by Bryant’s agency change.
- As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (on Twitter), this move doesn’t mean Bryant won’t return to Dallas. The Cowboys can still use the franchise tag on him for 2015, and are far more likely to pay him the ~13MM receiver tag than to use the tender on DeMarco Murray, which would entitle the running back to about $11MM.
- Per Watkins (Twitter link), Bryant has now had three agents during his career: Parker, Drew Rosenhaus, Parker a second time, and now Roc Nation.
NFC East Notes: Romo, Bryant, RG3, Lee
After suffering two transverse process fractures in his back during Monday’s game against Washington, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will not play in today’s contest against the Cardinals, reports Desmond Purnell of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Ex-Brown Brandon Weeden, who filled in briefly for Romo on Monday night, will get the start against the league’s seventh-best defense by DVOA. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), Romo decided last night that he wouldn’t be able to go today, and the Dallas coaching staff is already preparing for Romo to not travel to London for Week 10, and instead use the time to fully heal. It’s a major development for a Cowboys team that, at 6-2, can’t afford to lose many games with the 5-2 Eagles chasing them in the standings. Here’s more from the NFC East.
- Set to enter free agency this offseason unless an extension is worked out, Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant has left agent Eugene Parker and opted to team with Jay-Z and Roc Nation, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (on Twitter). Roc Nation, who also boasts Victor Cruz and Ndamukong Suh on its client list, might try to begin long-term contract talks with Dallas, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in August that there was no need to accelerate the discussions. Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo tweets that as of yet, the Cowboys have only shown a willingness to discuss an extension if the terms are extremely team-friendly. The club could use the franchise tag on Bryant in 2015, which would guarantee him ~$12-14MM.
- Sources tell Schefter that Washington’s decision to start Robert Griffin III against the Vikings came from upper management, rather than head coach Jay Gruden. Ownership reportedly supports Griffin more than his teammates do, as evidenced by a scene on Friday, when Griffin spoke to the media for the first time since Week 2. Per Schefter, roughly 15 teammates began shouting while Griffin spoke. Ultimately, reporters and the quarterback had to leave the locker room so Griffin could be heard — at that point, the “cheering” became even louder. According to Schefter’s colleague Britt McHenry, the third-year QB has “alienated himself” from the locker room.
- When he returns from injury in 2015, Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee will likely play weakside linebacker, rather than the middle, Jones tells 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (link via Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com). Dallas will presumably rely on Rolando McClain, who has played well this season, to man MLB.
NFC Notes: Romo, Bears, Barron, Rams
With teams around the league preparing for Week 9’s slate of Sunday games, let’s check in on a few Saturday links from across the NFC….
- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has two transverse process fractures in his back, reports David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). Romo’s status for the next two games is questionable, but with two other QBs – Brandon Weeden and David Vaughan – already on the 53-man roster, the team shouldn’t have to make any moves even if Romo sits.
- The Bears will get receiver Marquess Wilson back from a broken collarbone he suffered in early August, potentially as early as November 9th against the Packers, writes Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Santonio Holmes and Josh Morgan have combined for only 12 catches and fewer than 100 yards filling in for Wilson. However, Wilson only had two catches in 10 games in 2013, so his return alone won’t guarantee an improvement on offense.
- In his weekly notes piece at NFL.com, Albert Breer of the NFL Network spoke to a Rams source about the team’s decision to acquire safety Mark Barron from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. “We thought he was a good system fit,” the source said. “And he’s just 25, so there’s plenty of room for growth.” Breer also points out that, considering the Rams already have the league’s youngest roster, it doesn’t necessarily need to keep adding a ton of the young middle-of-the-roster talent that fourth- and sixth-round picks usually become.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Joseph Randle Staying A Cowboy “For Now”
Tensions have been high in the Cowboys’ locker room since video emerged showing Joseph Randle talking to Frisco police, in which he mentioned legal problems of both Dez Bryant and Josh Brent, reports Ed Werder of ESPN. Bryant and Brent were reportedly furious, and an argument ensued that spilled onto the practice field. Head coach Jason Garrett had a meeting with the players involved to try to smooth things over.
The video stems from Randle’s shoplifting arrest earlier this season. Randle’s future with the team is in doubt, following the arrest and the current unrest between him and his teammates. Werder writes that he has been ostracized by his teammates, but will still play Sunday against the Cardinals as of right now.
One source Werder spoke to was far from definitive about the team’s stance on the second-year back. “Randle is staying for now,” according to the source.
The team fined Randle roughly the equivalent to a game check in response to his shoplifting arrest.
Starting running back DeMarco Murray has had a heavy workload, carrying the team to a hot start. Randle provides a spark when spelling Murray, and also stands as insurance in case of an injury to Murray, who has struggled to stay healthy his first three seasons in Dallas. Randle, Lance Dunbar, and Ryan Williams are the other backs on the roster.
Randle would probably be released if backup Williams was able to contribute more on special teams, writes Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter).
Watkins also writes that the meeting was called because a majority of players want him off the team (via Twitter). “Garrett is trying to get a hold of the situation,” according to Watkins.
The team will need to resolve the situation quickly, with a need for talent as they try to hold on in the NFC East. Their urgency is only heightened with the uncertainty surrounding Tony Romo‘s back injury.
Josh Brent Signs Extension With Cowboys
Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent has signed an extension that will keep him with the team through 2015, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com.
The extension does not include any guaranteed money, but carries a base salary of $745,000.
Brent returned to practice today, while serving a ten-game suspension stemming from a car accident in which he was driving under the influence of alcohol that resulted in the death of his teammate Jerry Brown in December of 2012. Brent will be eligible to return to the field on November 23rd, when the Cowboys play the Giants.
Brent could have played out the season with Dallas and entered free agency, but possibly could have signed this extension out of loyalty to Dallas after sticking with him through this ordeal, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).