East Notes: Foles, Cousins, Mayo
As the games get underway, let’s take a look at some notes from the league’s east divisions:
- Although the Eagles are currently sitting pretty with a 5-1 record, Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Nick Foles has been neither very good nor very bad in the team’s first six games, and he wonders “[w]hether [head coach Chip] Kelly is fine with Foles as the long-term guy.”
- Speaking of NFC East signal-callers, John Keim of ESPN.com writes that the Redskins have not lost confidence in QB Kirk Cousins, but he has to prove that he can handle adversity better.
- We heard earlier today that the Cowboys may have interest in dealing for Bills RB C.J. Spiller in advance of the October 28 deadline, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes that it makes no sense for the Giants to consider adding Spiller to their backfield.
- Although Jerod Mayo‘s injury certainly hurts the Patriots on the field, it may actually help Mayo financially, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Volin writes, “Per [Mayo’s] contract…$4.5 million of his $6.25 million base salary is guaranteed for injury only. If he had stayed healthy this year and through the offseason, Mayo would have $0 in guarantees in 2015. But if he can’t fully return from the injury and the Patriots decide to move on, he’ll have recourse to still collect a fat check.”
- We learned earlier that the Patriots may be targeting offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker help prior to the trade deadline.
- Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork has a few more notes on new Jets wideout Percy Harvin.
Trade Rumors: Thomas, V-Jax, Spiller
As we already pointed out earlier today, the Seahawks, who are in need of a tight end, reportedly asked for Browns TE Jordan Cameron in a potential Percy Harvin deal before ultimately sending Harvin to the Jets. As it turns out, Seattle aimed even higher by asking the Broncos for emerging star Julius Thomas, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Although Denver promptly rebuffed the Seahawks’ proposal, Joel Corry tweets that these tight end inquiries are not good news for Zach Miller‘s long-term prospects in Seattle. This is despite the fact that Miller has already cut $3MM and $2MM from his 2014 and 2015 salaries, respectively.
Let’s take a look at some other trade notes from around the league. Remember, the trade deadline is October 28:
- Citing his colleague Ian Rapoport, Kevin Patra of NFL.com writes that two other big-name players who are generating significant trade interest are Buccaneers‘ WR Vincent Jackson and Bills‘ RB C.J. Spiller. Rapoport says Tampa Bay is receiving a “ton of calls” on Jackson and would be open to anything. The Cowboys, meanwhile, were interested in Spiller last season, and given that Buffalo has been unable to effectively utilize his skill-set–in addition to the fact that he is in his contract year–Spiller could be on his way out of Buffalo within the week.
- Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 tweets that, unless Spiller accepts a “fair offer” from the Bills in the offseason, Buffalo will not re-sign him. That explains why trade talks surrounding Spiller may intensify.
- Noting that the Patriots are “usually active” at the trade deadline, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets that New England is targeting help on the offensive and defensive lines and at linebacker.
- We learned earlier that the Bengals may deal Jermaine Gresham if the price is right.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are Saturday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with recent updates added to the top of the list:
- Defensive back Lowell Rose has been promoted to the Dolphins‘ 53-man roster, replacing defensive tackle Deandre Coleman, who was waived, the team announced today (Twitter link). Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes (via Twitter) that the return of defensive lineman Derrick Shelby and a hamstring injury to safety Jimmy Wilson likely spelled doom for Coleman.
- The Saints have released tight end Tom Crabtree and promoted linebacker Todd Davis to the active roster, according to the team’s official Twitter page.
- The Lions have placed linebacker Travis Lewis on the IR and promoted tight end Jordan Thompson from the practice squad to the active roster, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- The Redskins have activated Stephen Bowen off the PUP list, reports Chris Russell of ESPN Radio 980 in Washington D.C. The team has placed linebacker Akeem Jordan on IR to make room, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).
- The Ravens have added safety Will Hill to the 53-man roster, and placed defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi on IR to make room, reports Jamison Hensley of ESPN.
- The Seahawks activated tight end RaShaun Allen off the practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). They also promoted safety Steven Terrell off the practice squad, and placed Cassius Marsh on IR to make room, reports Brian McIntyre of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- The Panthers have waived safety Robert Lester and promoted linebacker Adarius Glanton from the practice squad, tweets ESPN.com’s David Newton. Lester, a former standout at Alabama, had 21 tackles in 12 appearances last season.
- The Browns have signed defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel from their practice squad and have waived tight end Gerell Robinson, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Robinson has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2012. He played in his first career game against the Saints in Week 2.
- The Titans have signed tight end Brett Brackett from the practice squad, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. Brackett will replace injured tight end Craig Stevens, who was placed on the injured reserve.
- The Cowboys have signed linebacker Keith Smith from the practice squad, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. To make room, the team released their seventh-round pick in the 2014 draft, defensive tackle Ken Bishop. Archer notes in a following tweet that he expects Bishop to return if he clear waivers.
NFC Notes: Lions, Cowboys, Panthers, Seahawks
As Reggie Bush prepares for his reunion with the Saints this weekend, the former No. 2 overall pick reflected on his entrance and exit from New Orleans.
The current Lions running back was ushered into the business side of the league very quickly, as he was blindsided by not going first overall. Via ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein…
“I was preparing to go to Houston, and we found out the same way everybody else found out, on SportsCenter,” Bush said. “That was that. That was my first real introduction to the business side of football. I got an introduction really quick.”
Following five up-and-down seasons with the Saints, the two sides parted ways following the 2010 season. The 29-year-old said there is not bitterness or hard feelings over the “mutual decision.”
“It was nothing that was unexpected,” Bush said. “I don’t have any bitterness toward the team or anybody. It’s part of the business side, the business side of our sport.
“Sometimes it can be ugly, but at the end of the day we all sign on the dotted line and we understand how it works.”
Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFC…
- Rothstein opines that if the Lions don’t keep Ndamukong Suh, they could very well re-sign DeAndre Levy and Nick Fairley. While Levy’s contract doesn’t expire until 2015, the team could still theoretically try to lock him up. Rothstein also questions whether the team would actually extend Fairley following one productive season.
- In addition to Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain will also be in line for a payday this offseason, but an extension isn’t on his mind. “We haven’t talked about it and I’m not worried about it,” McClain told ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. “I’m getting ready for the Giants…I’m just happy to be with the Dallas Cowboys. I’m happy with our success so far. I’m having fun with my teammates. Having a good time, gelling together and playing some good ball right now.”
- At this point in time, the Panthers have no reason to trade for a cornerback, writes ESPN.com’s David Newton. The team still believes in Antoine Cason and Melvin White, as well as former fifth-round pick Josh Norman.
- Newton writes that there would be little incentive for the Panthers to cut Greg Hardy since the team would still owe him more than $13MM.
- Seahawks rookie Cassius Marsh broke his foot in practice this week and is expected to have surgery on Monday, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. While Rapoport estimates the defensive end will miss four or five weeks, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times says a six-to-eight week absence is more likely (via Twitter).
Minor Moves: Friday
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including practice squad moves and small changes to the backs of 53-man rosters:
- Two days after cutting him to make room for offensive lineman Tony Hills, the Cowboys have re-signed defensive end Lavar Edwards, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. To make room for the returning lineman, the Cowboys waived linebacker Korey Toomer, who had been on the 53-man roster for the entire season, but was inactive for several games.
- The Bills have filled the final opening on their practice squad by adding wide receiver Travis Harvey to the unit, the team announced today in a press release. The Florida A&M product has spent time with the Titans and Giants, but has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game.
Cowboys Links: Hatcher, Murray, Smith
Having signed in the offseason with the Redskins, defensive lineman Jason Hatcher is now a member of the NFC East’s last-place team, rather than the 5-1 Cowboys. However, as Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com details, Hatcher has no regrets about leaving Dallas for Washington.
“Not at all,” Hatcher said. “I don’t really pay attention to them, man. I got a job to do. Those guys, they’re playing some great ball over there. But at the end of the day, I’ve got to come over here and be who I am.”
Let’s round up a few more Cowboys-related links….
- DeMarco Murray‘s incredible performance so far this season is likely increasing his value and making it harder for the Cowboys to lock him up as he approaches free agency, but executive VP Stephen Jones is just fine with that, according to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. In fact, Jones would be happy if more players in similar situations make things hard on the Cowboys. “I hope we have our work cut out for us in the offseason, and that we’re coming off a big year and two or three of the players that are up for contract have great years,” Jones said. “That’ll be a good problem to have.”
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap takes an interesting, in-depth look at Murray’s upcoming free agency, which he believes will be crucial for the future of the running back position.
- Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith, the NFC reigning offensive player of the week, does not have a high ankle sprain, and could be available to play in Week 7, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
- A lawsuit filed against Cowboys owner Jerry Jones by former stripper Jana Weckerly has been dismissed, writes Archer at ESPNDallas.com. “Ms. Weckerly’s allegations were false,” said Jones’ attorney Levi McCathern. “This case is over.”
- Earlier today, I asked which of the NFL’s 5-1 teams is the strongest Super Bowl contender, and so far the Cowboys are running last, behind the Chargers and Eagles, respectively.
Poll: Which 5-1 Team Is Strongest Contender?
Before the 2014 regular season got underway, pundits and observers had pegged last year’s Super Bowl combatants – the Seahawks and Broncos – as the likeliest teams to reach the championship again, with clubs like the Patriots, Packers, and Saints all being picked as possible Super Bowl contenders as well. Through six weeks though, only two of those five teams are in first place in their respective divisions.
The three teams atop the NFL so far are the Chargers, Eagles, and Cowboys, all with 5-1 records. San Diego has been dominant during the season’s first few weeks, with a +73 point differential that leads the NFL. If it weren’t for a heartbreaking one-point loss in Arizona, the Chargers, who are riding a five-game winning streak, would still be unbeaten, led by MVP candidate Philip Rivers.
Another MVP candidate, perhaps the only non-QB offensive player in the discussion so far, has been crucial to Dallas’ success — running back DeMarco Murray has burst out of the gate with six consecutive 100-yard games, and leads the league in a handful of categories, including rushing yards (785), rushing TDs (six), and total yards from scrimmage (940). The fact that his 159 carries is also most in the NFL by a wide margin may be cause for concern, but for now, the Cowboys’ ability to hang onto the ball with their dominant offensive line and running game has made them one of the league’s biggest surprises.
Still, the Cowboys don’t even hold sole possession of first place in the NFC East, as the division-rival Eagles have matched them win for win in spite of some turnover problems from quarterback Nick Foles. The fact that Philadelphia has played so well despite Foles’ ups and downs and a bevy of offensive line injuries bodes well, particularly if the offense can start firing on all cylinders later in the year.
What do you think? How convinced are you that these early-season frontrunners are for real? Which of these 5-1 teams has the best shot at winning the Super Bowl this year?
Cowboys To Sign Tony Hills
The Cowboys are releasing defensive end Lavar Edwards to make room for new offensive tackle Tony Hills, according to Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter).
Hills, 29, has appeared in ten NFL games dating back to 2010. He hooked on with the Dolphins’ taxi squad in September after he failed to make the final roster cut. Now, he’ll get an opportunity to stick on a 53-man roster.
Edwards was waived by Dallas in September to make room for linebacker Keith Smith but was promptly re-signed three days later when Smith was cut. The 6’4″, 277 pound defensive end spent last season with the Titans where he appeared in seven games with one start.
NFC East Notes: Williams, Giants, Jackson
The Cowboys will fine running back Joseph Randle for his shoplifting incident but will not suspend him, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Dallas certainly wants to keep Randle on the roster after he torched the Seahawks for a 38-yard run early in Sunday’s game. With an injury-prone DeMarco Murray on pace for a record number of carries, the Cowboys are expected to get Randle and fellow understudy Lance Dunbar more and more involved each week. More from the NFC East..
- Despite a report to the contrary, the Giants never had interest in giving up a draft pick for the right to pay Mike Williams‘ hefty salary, writes Jordan Raanan of The Star-Ledger. Williams is making more than $1MM this year and is guaranteed more than $5MM in 2015. Of course, a deal is even less likely after the Giants picked up veteran wide receiver Kevin Ogletree last night.
- Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com wonders aloud if the Eagles are actually better off without wide receiver DeSean Jackson. Ultimately, even though their record is better than it was at this point last year (5-1 as opposed to 3-3) and they’ve largely replaced his production, Sheridan can’t honestly say they’re better off. After all, the Eagles could be even more dangerous with both Jackson and Jeremy Maclin as the wideouts with Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews sharing time in the slot.
- No one is expecting Ogletree to replace Victor Cruz, but he does have experience and he is comfortable working out of the slot where Cruz excelled, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Now, the Giants can choose between Ogletree and Preston Parker for that role in the slot while keeping rookie Odell Beckham Jr. in an outside receiver spot.
- In an interview with the NFL Network, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that he’ll be ultimately remembered for his boldness, writes Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News. “I think that I will be viewed as aggressive,” Jones said. “It is about winning that Super Bowl. My goal is that Super Bowl.”
NFC East Notes: Giants, Redskins, Free
After the Cowboys upset the Seahawks and the Eagles dismantled the Giants on Sunday, the NFC East is the league’s only division with multiple 5-1 teams, as Dallas and Philadelphia join the Chargers as the NFL’s top teams. Here’s the latest out of the East, the NFC’s best division so far:
- We heard yesterday that Mike Williams and his agent are seeking a trade that would send the Bills receiver to another team, and the Giants have some interest in a deal, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. While a swap may be a long shot, it sounds as if the Giants will at least explore the possibility of adding Williams in the wake of Victor Cruz‘s season-ending injury.
- Another NFC East team is also considering adding to its receiving corps, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who reports that ex-Raven Gerrard Sheppard is working out for the Redskins today.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said today on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that right tackle Doug Free is expected to miss the next three or four weeks after sustaining a foot injury in Sunday’s game, tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. According to Jones, Free suffered a fracture.
- Giants pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul tops Jason Fitzgerald’s list of players whose stocks took a hit this week. Pierre-Paul is eligible for free agency this winter, but the Over The Cap scribe writes that it’s hard to believe how far the 25-year-old’s star has fallen over the last couple seasons.