Deadline Fallout: Penny, Rams, Adams
Since using a first-round pick on Rashaad Penny last year, the Seahawks have not given him a lead backfield role. They preferred Chris Carson and Mike Davis leading the ball-carrying group last season and have Carson entrenched atop the depth chart this year. As such, the Lions expressed interest in Penny prior to Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline, John Clayton of ESPN 710 AM Seattle notes. Seattle sought a second-round pick for Penny, though it doesn’t sound like the team was shopping the second-year back. Penny can be under Seahawks control through 2022. The Lions have run into trouble in their backfield, losing starter Kerryon Johnson. They were interested in Kenyan Drake, but the Cardinals ended up making a deal with the Dolphins. Ty Johnson, Tra Carson and ex-Seahawk J.D. McKissic represent the Lions’ primary running back options for the stretch run.
Here is the latest deadline fallout:
- The Dolphins will send the Rams a 2022 seventh-round pick for Aqib Talib, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. With Talib on IR until at least Week 15, the rebuilding team is likely only interested in the fifth-round 2020 choice it acquired. The 33-year-old cornerback looks headed toward free agency for the first time since 2014.
- As for the Rams, they want to use some of the savings from this move to re-sign emerging linebacker Cory Littleton, Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Littleton is one of a few key Rams on expiring contracts, joining Michael Brockers and Dante Fowler in that group. Playing on a second-round RFA tender, Littleton has operated as Los Angeles’ top linebacker this year and would stand to attract considerable interest as a 2020 UFA. With a high-end Jalen Ramsey re-up coming, the Rams will be tight on cap space, however, and may have to bid farewell to a few role players — like they did this offseason.
- Chris Harris has stuck to his guns about testing free agency this time around. He signed a five-year, $42.5MM extension with the Broncos in late 2014, and that deal became one of the most team-friendly pacts in the league in the latter part of the 2010s. The 30-year-old cornerback does not plan to sign a Broncos extension before reaching the market, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes. However, Harris has said he wants to finish his career in Denver. He and the Broncos were not close on terms this offseason, but Renck added a that third Broncos contract could be in play for the four-time Pro Bowler.
- The Day 3 pick the Cowboys offered the Jets, in addition to the first-round pick included in the proposal, for Jamal Adams was either a fourth- or fifth-rounder, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets. The Jets wanted a first and a pair of seconds for the Pro Bowl safety, one GM Joe Douglas still calls firmly part of the team’s long-term plan, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini.
Lions Made Broncos Offer For Chris Harris
The 2019 trade deadline underwhelmed, when compared to the action of the offseason. Chris Harris was one of the marquee names not moved, but teams tried. One tried harder than the others, with Mike Klis of 9News tweeting the Lions were the only team to submit an offer.
Detroit proposed a deal that was not to Denver’s liking, however, making an offer that did not even meet a third-round price, per Klis. The Broncos were seeking a second-rounder for their high-end cornerback, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. Both the Eagles and Texans pursued Harris, but Houston sent a third-rounder for Gareon Conley instead. Conley can be controlled through 2021, while Harris is in a contract year.
The Broncos can now recoup a possible third-rounder in 2021, if Harris signs a lucrative free agent deal, or resume extension talks. The sides were not particularly close on that end over the summer, leading to a one-year Harris pay raise. But with Harris profiling as the team’s only reliable corner, the 30-year-old departing would create a massive need for a franchise that has other key roster deficiencies.
This news comes a day after the Lions were listening on Darius Slay. The Eagles, interestingly, pursued both Harris and Slay. Denver, Detroit and Philadelphia will keep their previous setups, with the latter two attempting to contend this season with those.
The 2-6 Broncos certainly face the prospect of Harris leaving in 2020, seeing as the corner plans to test free agency — which he did not do when he signed a 2014 extension. But John Elway has precedent for extending older corners, having re-upped a 32-year-old Champ Bailey in his initial months on the job in 2011.
Eagles Eyeing Broncos’ Chris Harris Jr.
The Eagles have called the Broncos about Chris Harris Jr., according to sources who spoke with Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). At this time, however, their asking price is too high.
The Broncos are paper thin at cornerback, but they also have no real shot at contention this year. With a chance to add to their draft stockpile, they could move Harris to a team that could put the veteran to good use, like the Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Broncos have no plans to trade Von Miller, sources tell Russini (Twitter link). The former Super Bowl MVP and perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher is signed through the 2021 season. Harris, however, is in a contract year and expressed a desire to test the market after a weeks-long holdout this offseason.
Denver landed Harris as a 2011 UDFA and paired the slot defender with Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby in 2014. While that trio helped the Broncos to the 2015 title, Harris is now the team’s only reliable corner. The four-time Pro Bowler could profile as a player the Broncos would like to extend, despite Harris being 30, due to an inability to find cornerbacks since that 2014 offseason. However, the Broncos are staring at a rebuild and have only a handful of starters from their Super Bowl team left. They traded Emmanuel Sanders last week.
Philadelphia finished second in the Jalen Ramsey derby and inquired on Detroit’s Darius Slay. It’s clear Howie Roseman recognizes his group of corners could use help, with the Eagles’ pass defense having struggled for much of this season. Harris has traveled with No. 1 wide receivers this year, as opposed to locking down the slot, so that would obviously be a key asset for a team looking to get back in the surefire contender mix. The Eagles have been in on Harris for a bit now but may have to deal a second-round pick to acquire him.
Broncos To Place Joe Flacco On IR?
Joe Flacco‘s season might be over. The Broncos are expected to place the quarterback on injured reserve, according to Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter). 
On Monday, the Broncos ruled out Flacco for Week 9 with a neck injury. That means Brandon Allen, who has never taken a regular season snap, will start against the Browns. He’ll have the newly-activated Drew Lock behind him, and possibly Brett Rypien, if he’s promoted from the practice squad. They haven’t taken an NFL snap yet either.
The Broncos are no stranger to the injury bug this year and Flacco has been familiar with it throughout his entire career. He missed time in 2015 and 2018 with maladies and also dealt with back pain in 2017.
The good news for Flacco is that surgery probably won’t be required and his career is not in jeopardy, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). Still, Flacco is looking at a 5-6 week absence, at the least. He’ll get a second opinion on Tuesday, which should inform the Broncos’ roster decision.
The Broncos are tethered to the 34-year-old through at least next season. After trading a fourth-round pick to acquire Flacco from the Ravens, they restructured the QB’s deal, which previously had no guaranteed money beyond 2019. If released after this season, Flacco would count for $13.6MM against the cap.
Without Flacco or a realistic shot at the postseason, the Broncos may look to ship out key players in advance of the trade deadline. Emmanuel Sanders is already gone and star cornerback Chris Harris Jr. could be the next to leave Denver.
In eight games this year, Flacco completed 65.3% of his passes, higher than any previous season in his career. He also threw only six touchdown passes against five touchdowns and turned in his lowest TD% ever.
Broncos LB Corey Nelson Done For Season
Corey Nelson‘s season has come to an end. Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the Broncos linebacker tore his bicep and is done for the season.
It’s a tough break for Nelson, who suffered the same injury back in 2017. After recovering from the torn bicep, Nelson had a tough time finding a gig during the 2018 campaign, limiting him to only a single game. After getting released by the Buccaneers in August, he joined the Broncos for his second stint with the team. Through seven games (two starts) this season, he’s collected 10 tackles.
The former seventh-rounder had spent the first four seasons of his career with Denver, including a Super Bowl-winning campaign. His best season came in 2016, when he compiled 67 tackles and five passes defended in 16 games (five starts).
This wasn’t the only injury news out of Denver today. We heard that quarterback Joe Flacco will definitely miss Week 9, and a herniated disk could put his season in jeopardy.
Trade Notes: Chargers, Gordon, Howard
Some league officials have linked the Lions and Bills to Chargers star running back Melvin Gordon (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). Both clubs could be in the market for running back help and both would make ample sense for Gordon – if the Bolts are willing to lower their asking price a bit.
The Chargers haven’t been too keen on moving Gordon, despite the drama-filled offseason and holdout that ventured into the regular season. It’s possible that he could be pried loose for the right price, however, since he’ll be out-of-contract following the 2019 season.
Through four games played, Gordon hasn’t looked like his old self: he’s got just 2.5 yards per carry, plus two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving). Last year, in 12 contests, Gordon averaged 5.1 yards per tote with 14 TDs in total.
Here’s more from around the NFL as we gear up for trade deadline day:
- The Dolphins are getting calls about cornerback Xavien Howard, Albert Breer of The MMQB reports. Howard says he’s not seeking a trade, and the Dolphins would do well to keep the 26-year-old for future seasons, but that’s not keeping other clubs from inquiring. Thanks to the five-year extension he inked with Miami in the offseason, Howard is under contract through the 2024 season.
- Interest in Broncos cornerback Chris Harris seems to have cooled a bit, due in part to the asking price, Troy Renck of Denver7 hears. The Eagles and Texans were among the clubs with serious interest, but the Eagles’ D has turned things around and the Texans seem to have already address their CB needs. Meanwhile, the Broncos are paper thin at cornerback, so Renck senses that they won’t consider moving him for less than a third-round choice. Harris, meanwhile, wants to finish out 2019 in Denver, where he and his wife are expecting their fourth child.
- In case you missed it: The Redskins are now open to trading Trent Williams.
Broncos’ Joe Flacco Out For Week 9
The Broncos’ struggling offense will be in for a bigger test next week. Joe Flacco suffered a neck injury and will miss the team’s Week 9 game against the Browns, Vic Fangio said (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter).
That will move backup Brandon Allen into Denver’s starting lineup. Acquired just before the start of the regular season, Allen has never taken a regular-season snap. Drew Lock is eligible to come off IR this week, but Allen will get the call.
Flacco’s injury could mean a multi-week absence, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Fangio said IR is a possibility for Denver’s starter; Flacco going on IR would effectively end his season. Flacco is dealing with a herniated disk, the team announced. This puts the remainder of the 12th-year passer’s season in jeopardy.
This injury is not expected to require surgery, per 9News’ Mike Klis, who adds Lock will either be brought off IR this week or practice squad passer Brett Rypien will be promoted (Twitter links). The Broncos’ healthy quarterback contingent collectively has zero NFL pass attempts.
Flacco missed time in 2015 and 2018 due to injuries, and the longtime Raven dealt with back discomfort in 2017. The Broncos sent a fourth-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for Flacco. They also restructured his deal in September, tethering the 34-year-old quarterback to the 2020 cap sheet. Previously, Flacco had no guaranteed money on his deal post-2019. Now, $13.6MM in dead-money charges would come if the veteran is cut next year.
Flacco was critical of the Broncos’ play-calling in their loss to the Colts on Sunday and has them at 2-6 — Denver’s worst record after eight games since 2010. Allen was a sixth-round Jaguars pick out of Arkansas in 2016. He spent parts of the past two seasons with the Rams, before coming to Denver as a waiver claim.
Trade Rumors: Hopkins, Slay, Hooper
The trade deadline is two days away, so there are plenty of rumors to pass along. Of course, many of those rumors center around this year’s non-contenders, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says that two such teams — the Redskins and Bengals — continue to rebuff inquiries concerning veterans who should be available. Rival GMs have grown increasingly frustrated with Washington and Cincinnati, and La Canfora says opposing clubs have become resigned to the fact that they are not going to be able to swing a deal with those obstinate franchises. That means that a number of big names — Trent Williams, Ryan Kerrigan, A.J. Green, and Carlos Dunlap, to name a few — are looking more and more likely to stay put.
Now for more trade rumors from around the league, starting with another nugget out of Cincinnati:
- Michael Lombardi of The Athletic agrees that the Bengals are likely to stand pat at the deadline for the most part, but he does believe the club will move tight end Tyler Eifert.
- Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is decidedly not on the trading block, but teams have still called Houston to ask about the star wideout, as Jay Glazer of FOX Sports tweets. That obviously sounds like clubs doing their due diligence more than anything else, and Glazer acknowledges that it would take an awful lot for the Texans to move Hopkins.
- The Lions have received calls on CB Darius Slay, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It would take a big offer to pry Slay from Detroit, but in the wake of Slay’s comments earlier this week, maybe the Lions will be more inclined to move him.
- RB-needy teams have called the Seahawks to inquire on Rashaad Penny, as Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports (video link). Penny is not on the block, per se, but the 2018 first-rounder is drawing interest. In the same video, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network says Chargers RB Melvin Gordon could also be on the move.
- Schefter reports that the 49ers have received calls on backup QB C.J. Beathard, whom Schefter suggests could be on the move.
- The Falcons have fielded calls on DT Tyeler Davison, per Lombardi, but Atlanta has told other teams Davison will not be moved. The team is also going to hang on to TE Austin Hooper, as Schefter tweets.
- The Giants are likely to cut Nate Solder after the season, so Lombardi believes Big Blue should go ahead and trade him now (though HC Pat Shurmur, whose job could be in jeopardy, would likely resist such a move). The Browns continue to be in the market for OT help, as Schefter writes, and the Patriots may also be interested in a reunion with Solder. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says Solder was not a viable option for Cleveland as of the middle of last week, but that could change in the next couple of days.
- Janoris Jenkins is another member of the Giants who could be on the move, and while he is likely open to joining a contender, he just wants New York to be transparent with their plans for him, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes. That sentiment was also expressed by former Giants like Landon Collins and Odell Beckham Jr., who both felt as though Shurmur and GM Dave Gettleman were not straightforward with them. Dunleavy names the Chiefs as a potential landing spot for Jenkins.
- Interest remains heavy on Broncos vets Chris Harris Jr. and Derek Wolfe, as La Canfora writes. Denver is open to moving Harris and Wolfe, and rival GMs expect the Broncos to make those trades happen.
Fangio: Bryce Callahan 50-50 To Play In 2019
The Bryce Callahan situation is moving closer toward the Broncos not seeing him on the field this season. After a report surfaced indicating the offseason signing now may miss the season, Vic Fangio said (via the Denver Post’s Ryan O’Halloran, on Twitter) seeing Callahan on the field this year has become a 50-50 proposition. Fangio said earlier this week he was hopeful his former Bears pupil would suit up in 2019. The Broncos signed both Callahan and Kareem Jackson to patch up their secondary, but the former continues to struggle to shake off the foot trouble that ended his 2018 season early. With contract-year standout Chris Harris still a trade candidate, though a player that may end up staying, the Broncos’ long-term cornerback situation is in as bleak of a place since before the franchise’s 2004 Champ Bailey acquisition.
Here is the latest from the West divisions, shifting first to another key Broncos signing:
- Denver’s Ja’Wuan James investment has gone almost as poorly as its Callahan addition. James suffered an injury in the first quarter of the Broncos’ Week 1 game and has missed every snap since. However, the well-paid right tackle is expected to start this week, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. James is believed to be set to play in a part-time capacity, with a three-tackle rotation between he, Garett Bolles and Elijah Wilkinson in the cards. Wilkinson has started the past six Broncos games at right tackle.
Trade Notes: Falcons, Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Jets, Redskins, Giants, Eagles, Bills, Packers
Teams continue to ask about Austin Hooper, whose 526 receiving yards sit 11th in the NFL entering Week 8. However, the Falcons have spurned suitors who’ve called about the emerging tight end, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Hooper is in a contract year, but the Falcons believe they have a chance to re-sign him. The Falcons, though, are the team doing the contacting regarding Vic Beasley. Atlanta is shopping its former All-Pro defensive end, who is playing out a $12.8MM fifth-year option. Pass rushers are obviously valuable, but with Beasley’s play having fallen off since that 2016 breakthrough, the return might not be what the Falcons seek.
Here is the latest from the trade market:
- The Redskins continue to respond with hard nos when asked about Trent Williams, but Breer adds Josh Norman‘s name has been floated around. With Norman having not lived up to the $15MM-AAV contract he signed in 2016, it would be hard to imagine the Redskins getting much value for the eighth-year cornerback.
- A cornerback performing better continues to look likelier to stay put. Chris Harris does not expect to be traded, and Troy Renck of Denver7 notes the Broncos are not as motivated to deal their four-time Pro Bowler as they were to ship out Emmanuel Sanders. A second-round pick would likely be necessary here, per Breer. Considering the Broncos’ issues finding corners as of late, dealing Harris would create a massive offseason need in Denver.
- The Bengals are 0-7, and A.J. Green continues to come up in trade rumors. But the old-school organization isn’t budging. Mike Brown has not signed off on a firesale, Breer adds, instead preferring to provide first-year HC Zac Taylor with a foundation. That project is not going well so far, with the veteran-laden team performing poorly. Cincinnati’s potential trade chips also include franchise sack leaders Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap. Neither appears to be a departure candidate. Tyler Eifert is a name Breer mentions could be dealt, but the tight end obviously has a significant injury history that would limit a return.
- As for the expensive New York corners, Janoris Jenkins has generated more interest than Trumaine Johnson. The Giants have shopped Jenkins around some, per Breer, while Ralph Vacchiano of SNY notes it would require “a miracle” for a team to take Johnson’s salary off the Jets‘ payroll. Jenkins is signed through 2020, with $5.37MM remaining in 2019 salary.
- In addition to the Saints exploring receiver additions, the Bills, Eagles and Packers are as well, Breer notes. This could heat up the Robby Anderson market, but Breer adds Browns wideout Rashard Higgins has been discussed in advance of Tuesday’s deadline. The backup is in a contract year. However, Higgins has battled knee issues and has only played in one 2019 game.
- With Mark Andrews having outproduced Hayden Hurst, the Ravens have received calls on their 2018 top pick. As of now, however, Hurst is not believed to be available, per Breer.