NFC North Notes: Packers, Lions, Bears
Here’s a look at the NFC North:
- Packers GM Ted Thompson has kept his cool during hard times and resisted the urge to shuffle the roster, Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel writes. Over the last ten seasons, Thompson has cut an average of just 3.1 players during the season. Even with the expansion of practice squads to ten players, Thompson has only cut three players from his taxi squad this season and only eight in 2014. One players meet Thompson’s high standards, they effectively become his guys, and that’s an impressive and unique organizational culture in today’s NFL. Now, as McGinn writes, it remains to be seen whether that approach will bear fruit over the team’s final five games.
- Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com looked at Giants exec Marc Ross as a GM candidate for the Lions. Rod Wood said he wants someone who has been with an organization that has had success and stability, and there are few that have been more successful and stable than the Giants. Ross has played a key role in their drafts, including the brilliant 2014 selection of Odell Beckham Jr. On the flip side, the majority of Ross’ experience has come on the draft side of things and not so much in free agency. Ultimately, thanks to his Princeton ties and previous buzz as a GM candidate around the league, Rothstein wouldn’t be surprised to see him get an interview.
- In a recent mailbag, a reader asked Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune whether he thinks the Bears need to focus more on inside linebacker or defensive end. Biggs feels that rookie nose tackle Eddie Goldman should take a major step forward in 2016, so he’s not terribly concerned with replacing him this offseason.
NFL To Allow Comp Pick Trades Starting In 2017
DECEMBER 2, 12:42pm: The NFL has voted to allow trades of compensatory draft picks, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. However, the new rules will apply for picks in 2017 and beyond, rather than 2016. That avoids giving a competitive advantage to the teams that deliberately attempted to land comp picks for ’16 during last year’s free agent period.
NOVEMBER 19, 11:35am: Beginning in 2016, the NFL is expected to start allowing teams to trade compensatory draft picks for the first time, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). These selections, which begin at the end of the third round, have traditionally not been movable.
[Related: Click here for the full list of the 2016 draft picks that have already been traded.]
Compensatory draft picks are rewarded to teams that had the most significant losses in free agency the previous year, with a formula determining how the 32 available selections are divvied up. Typically, teams like the Ravens have taken advantage of the system by allowing players to walk in free agency and collecting multiple compensatory picks, often using those picks to draft inexpensive potential replacements.
Now, it appears teams like Baltimore will be able to use those picks in trades going forward. Because there are no compensatory picks until the draft begins approaching the 100th overall pick, these selections may not be centerpieces of major deals, but being able to move them will give teams extra flexibility when making moves. As I noted when I took a closer look at all the trades made in the NFL in 2015, 64 of the 69 deals completed this year included at least one draft pick.
According to projections by Over the Cap, the Browns, 49ers, Cowboys, and Patriots are all in line to potentially land four compensatory picks for 2016, the maximum allowed for a single team. The Ravens, Broncos, Seahawks, Packers, and Lions are also projected to land multiple picks, though that’s not set in stone yet.
As Brian McIntyre notes (via Twitter), there’s a case to be made that any changes to the compensatory picks should be postponed until the 2017 draft, since changes for 2016 favor teams that attempted to stockpile those selections for the coming year. However, for now, it seems the league is ready to institute those changes sooner rather than later.
Workout Notes: Raiders, Colts, Packers
Today’s workouts from around the league:
- The Raiders worked out linebacker Emmanuel Acho, safety Stevie Brown, safety Chris Clemons, defensive back Chris Hackett, defensive end/outside linebacker Adrian Hubbard, and linebacker Colton Underwood, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Colts worked out tight end Cameron Clear, cornerbacks Jeremy Harris and Corey White, and safety Chris Hackett last week, Wilson tweets.
- The Packers worked out wide receiver Ify Umodu, quarterback Matt Behrendt, cornerback Brandon McGee, wide receiver Denarius Moore, and wide receiver Larry Pinkard, Wilson tweets.
- The Bengals worked out defensive backs Brandon Ghee, Robert McClain, and Corey White, Wilson tweets.
- The Chiefs worked out linebackers Thomas Keiser and Andy Studebaker, Wilson tweets.
- The Lions worked out former Falcons linebacker Joplo Bartu, Wilson tweets.
- The Broncos worked out offensive lineman Isaiah Shelton last week, Wilson tweets.
- The Browns worked out safety Sean Baker and linebacker Colton Underwood last week, Wilson tweets.
- The Jets auditioned linebacker Ryan Mueller last week, Wilson tweets.
- Washington worked out defensive back Al Louis-Jean, Wilson tweets.
- The Jaguars worked out defensive back Brandon McGee, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
NFC Notes: Kelly, Kaepernick, Carter, Packers
Responding to a Monday report that suggested he met recently with USC officials, Eagles head coach Chip Kelly adamantly denied that such a meeting took place, telling reporters he has had “no contact” with USC or other colleges, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.
Kelly had made a habit in the past of shooting down this sort of report, even when it’s hard not to believe that the report is true — for instance, he claimed this spring that he hadn’t had trade talks involving any of his players during the first day of the draft. In this case though, I’m inclined to believe that the details of today’s story – that Kelly met with USC officials in Philadelphia on Friday – are off. Still, it seems unlikely that Kelly or his agent have never spoken to anyone from USC at all, even if it was just to politely turn down an inquiry.
In any case, Kelly isn’t going anywhere for now. As we wait to see if he can get the Eagles back on track after a disastrous Thanksgiving loss, let’s check out some others notes out of Philadelphia and the rest of the NFC….
- We’ve heard recently that the Eagles‘ struggles this year actually reflect relatively well on former GM Howie Roseman, who lost control of personnel decisions after the 2014 season. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, perception is shifting outside the Eagles’ building as well, with talk around the league suggesting that Roseman could draw interest elsewhere this winter. As Garafolo writes, it’ll be a delicate situation for owner Jeffrey Lurie, who has a good relationship with Roseman and will likely make an effort to keep him if other clubs come calling.
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), the 49ers were able to track how much time players spent studying game plans and plays on tablets assigned by the team, and found that Blaine Gabbert studied about four to five times more than Colin Kaepernick did. While Kaepernick’s lack of preparation was an area of concern for the team, players aren’t thrilled with teams’ ability to track their studies, arguing that it may take some players less time than others to learn the same things. According to Cole, there’s a chance the NFLPA could take up the issue with the league.
- Having been placed on IR with the designation to return in September, Lions cornerback Alex Carter won’t be activated to the 53-man roster and will remain on IR for the rest of the year, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Carter, selected in the third round by Detroit back in May, will have to wait until 2016 to make his NFL debut.
- Quarterback Aaron Rodgers admits the Packers need to improve their preparation on offense after losing four of five games, but denied that the club has reached the point where a players-only meeting is required, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. During NBC’s Thanksgiving telecast, Cris Collinsworth alluded to the club holding a players-only meeting, but Rodgers said no such meeting happened.
NFC Notes: Ryan, Lynch, Giants, Quarless
The Falcons started the season 5-0 and looked like a surefire playoff team, but they’ve lost five of their last six games to drop to 6-5. Their postseason hopes are now in serious jeopardy, and one reason for their skid is the lackluster play of quarterback Matt Ryan. During their four-game losing streak, the Falcons have averaged fewer than 17 points per game and Ryan has thrown just seven touchdowns against six interceptions. Two of those picks came in a crucial 20-10 loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Afterward, owner Arthur Blank and head coach Dan Quinn expressed confidence in Ryan, a three-time Pro Bowler who has been the Falcons’ QB since they drafted him third overall in 2008.
“He’s demonstrated his abilities over eight years. He’ll be fine. He’ll be good,” Blank said, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Added Quinn, who said he isn’t thinking about benching Ryan or anyone else, “He’s absolutely the competitor that I want. He’s what we look for and our team looks for the whole way.”
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Whether he retires or the Seahawks simply decide to move on from him, there’s a good chance Marshawn Lynch is in his final year in Seattle, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports. Lynch underwent groin surgery earlier this week and it’s possible he’ll end up on season-ending IR in a month if the team decides he’s not ready to return. Regardless, from an on-field standpoint, the five-time Pro Bowler has become less essential to the Seahawks’ offense with the emergence of rookie Thomas Rawls. From a business standpoint, cutting Lynch would save Seattle $6.5MM on its cap in 2016 and $10.5MM in ’17.
- Don’t expect Giants general manager Jerry Reese to be a fall guy if they miss the playoffs, tweets ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
- The Packers – who are in desperate need of weapons in their passing game – are close to getting injured tight end Andrew Quarless back, per . Quarless has been on the shelf since tearing his ACL in Week 3, and head coach Mike McCarthy said he could practice in the coming week. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be active for Green Bay’s game against Detroit on Thursday, however.
Workout Notes: Patriots, Saints, Packers
Here are the latest workouts from around the NFL:
- The Patriots had free agent wide receivers Julian Talley (UMass), Alan Bonner (Jacksonville State), and Austin Willis (Emporia State) in for workouts, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Saints auditioned cornerback Tony Carter, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- Before signing Shayne Graham, the Falcons also worked out kicker Billy Cundiff, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
- Washington will work out safety Brian Suite, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Packers will audition wide receiver Emughedi Umodu, Wilson tweets.
Workout Notes: Hunter, Housler, Mitchell
Running back Kendall Hunter has been a busy man as of late and his most recent audition came with the Jets on Tuesday, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. Hunter has also worked out for the Jaguars, Seahawks, and Patriots within the last month. Hunter, who has seen his NFL career derailed by injuries in recent years, was removed from San Francisco’s injured reserve list in September with a settlement, making him a free agent.
Here’s a rundown of the rest of Tuesday’s auditions:
- Tight end Rob Housler and defensive lineman Tim Jamison also worked out for the Jets, per Costello.
- The Bills tried out defensive tackles Kelcy Quarles and Toby Johnson on Tuesday, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Packers worked out cornerback Terrance Mitchell, a source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The ex-Oregon player was on the Bears’ practice squad prior to his release last week.
- The Chiefs worked out former Pats defensive back Dewey McDonald over the weekend, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Raiders worked out defensive end Glenn Foster, defensive end Gerald Rivers, defensive lineman Greg Scruggs, defensive lineman Davon Walls, and linebacker Tony Washington, Wilson tweets.
NFC Notes: Martin, Packers, Caldwell
Buccaneers running back Doug Martin, the 32nd overall pick in the 2012 draft, was one of 12 first-rounders from that year to have his fifth-year option for 2016 turned down by his team earlier this year. Tampa Bay may regret that decision now, though it’s possible that, without that motivation, Martin wouldn’t be having the season he is. The fourth-year back is currently the NFL’s second-leading rusher, with his 941 yards placing him behind only Adrian Peterson.
As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes, the Bucs will have a tough call to make this offseason on Martin, whom Lovie Smith calls a “priority.” Tampa Bay has the flexibility to bring back the 26-year-old, and his production certainly warrants a new deal, but the club may decide that investing heavily on a running back coming off a huge bounce-back year isn’t the best use of its cap room.
Here are a few more items from across the NFC:
- Having been cut by the Buccaneers a week ago, free agent safety D.J. Swearinger paid a visit to the Packers on Monday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Green Bay safety Micah Hyde left Sunday’s game against the Vikings with a hip issue, so the team may be considering veteran options in case Hyde has to miss time.
- With the Lions all but eliminated from the playoff hunt, the job security of head coach Jim Caldwell has become a popular topic of discussion and speculation in Detroit. However, Caldwell told reporters, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, not to “fixate” on it, adding that “I don’t think about it as much as you do.” Assuming the Lions bring in an outside candidate to fill the permanent general manager role, it seems likely Caldwell will eventually be replaced by that new GM.
- Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has yet to play a game during his second stint in New York, and his practice time has been limited so far, but head coach Tom Coughlin likes what he sees so far, per Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “He’s energetic, he looked good,” Coughlin said of Nicks. “Veteran experience, catcher, outstanding hands. He’ll work very hard. He’s excited about being here. He’s missed the opportunity to compete.”
- The Talk of Fame Network spoke to former Panthers GM Marty Hurney, who is responsible for drafting a number of key contributors on this year’s 10-0 squad.
NFC Notes: Gabbert, Lions, Packers, Seahawks
Three years ago, in the midst of a run to the playoffs, the 49ers elected to replace starting quarterback Alex Smith with backup Colin Kaepernick. That decision paid major dividends for a couple of years before the 49ers’ coaching staff and roster fell apart and Kaepernick’s career went off the rails.
With Kaepernick now on injured reserve and likely done in San Francisco, new starter Blaine Gabbert has a chance to follow in Smith’s footsteps and revive his career. Long before he lost his job to Kaepernick, Smith was the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft. He was maligned with the 49ers until 2011, when he turned his career around. Smith has since been an effective starter for both the Niners and Chiefs, and it isn’t crazy to suggest Gabbert could go down a similar road, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle opines.
Gabbert was the 10th overall pick in 2011 and had three woeful seasons in Jacksonville before joining the 49ers last year. He made his first start with the team Nov. 8 and helped lead it to a 17-16 win over the Falcons, going 15 of 25 for 185 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. As Branch writes, Gabbert has seven more starts to show 49ers brass what he’s capable of, and he could make a big statement in Seattle on Sunday. That will clearly be a tall order against the NFC’s top-ranked pass defense. Regardless, 49ers offensive coordinator Geep Chryst is hopeful Gabbert can be Smith 2.0.
“There were some similarities to what we felt Alex Smith went through,” said Chryst, who was the 49ers’ quarterbacks coach from 2011-12. “And we felt like Blaine had all this talent and, as a young player, maybe a change of scenery would be good for him.”
More on the 49ers and some other NFC teams:
- In a scathing piece, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News refers to 49ers brass as “bizarre and mindlessly cryptic” for how it handled Kaepernick’s injury. Kawakami likens the end of Kaepernick’s time in San Francisco to that of former 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, whose battle with the front office led to his departure after last season.
- Though the Lions are sitting near the bottom of the league at 2-7, their general manager opening is highly appealing, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com submits. The reasons: Detroit’s abundance of draft picks, positive salary cap situation, the return of injured linebacker DeAndre Levy in 2016, and the likelihood of the new GM having full autonomy over the football department.
- The 6-3 Packers might play Sunday’s crucial game against NFC North rival Minnesota (7-2) with only four receivers, as Jared Abbrederis is out, Ty Montgomery is doubtful and, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (Twitter link), the team won’t call up Ed Williams from the practice squad. Green Bay is on a three-game losing streak and one contributing factor has been a decline in the passing game, so having a minimal amount of targets probably won’t help Aaron Rodgers‘ cause against the Vikings – who have been stingy against quarterbacks this year. Their defense ranks eighth in the league in aerial yardage allowed, ninth in yards per attempt and 12th in passer rating.
- The Seahawks will wait another week to activate cornerback Jeremy Lane, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Lane, who suffered ACL and wrist injuries in the Super Bowl last February, came off the physically unable to perform list two weeks ago and has been practicing since. If the Seahawks don’t activate him for their Nov. 29 game against the Steelers, they’ll have to place him on season-ending IR.
NFC North Notes: Lions, Forte, Ringo
Earlier today, we rounded up several Lions-related items, which focused on the hiring of new team president Rod Wood. Many of the reactions to that move have been been skeptical, calling into question Wood’s lack of football-related experience and his close relationship with the Ford family. However, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com argues that while Wood’s hiring may not be a popular decision among Lions fans, that doesn’t mean it’ll be a bad move.
Here’s more from around the NFC North:
- Bears running back Jeremy Langford has looked good in an increased role with Matt Forte injured in recent weeks, raising more questions about Forte’s future in Chicago beyond 2015, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. While Forte says he’s willing to share the load in the Bears’ backfield, he acknowledges that there’s no guarantee he’ll still be with the team in 2016. “Chicago is kind of like that: ‘Well, see ya later, Matt,'” Forte said, referring to some narratives from the local media. “I’m like, ‘Man, I’ve been here going on eight years, y’all just going to throw me to the side like that?’ But that’s the nature of the NFL. And I don’t mind. I will play wherever I end up.”
- Packers defensive lineman Christian Ringo is on the team’s practice squad, but as of last week, he’s earning active-roster money, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. According to Yates, Ringo is one of several practice squad players around the NFL who is earning $25,588 per week, which is equivalent to the minimum salary for a rookie on the 53-man roster.
- Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has no interest in revisiting his time in Denver as Chicago prepares to host the Broncos this week, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. “It’s so far removed,” Cutler said. “Coaching staff has changed. The only player I can really think of that was on the team is maybe Ryan Clady. I don’t know if there’s anybody else on that team at this point.”