NFC North Links: Neal, Peppers, Lions, Bears
Packers‘ running back Rajion Neal has been impressive this preseason, but he must return quickly from injury if he wants a chance of making the team’s final roster, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Neal is currently behind Eddie Lacy, James Starks, and DuJuan Harris on the depth chart, even though a knee injury forced him out of the preseason opener and will cause him to miss this week’s game as well. He will have to come back and impress in the final two games if he intends to convince the Packers to keep a fourth back on the roster.
Here are some other links from around the NFC North:
- New Packer Julius Peppers saw limited action in the preseason opener, and failed to make his impact known, writes Demovsky. He has vowed to improve on his performance. “It matters, it matters,” said Peppers. “We all are going to need these reps to get ready for the season, which is going to be upon us pretty soon. It’s a chance to get better. We have a couple more opportunities to try to accomplish those goals.”
- The Lions have a running back who is also looking to make a 53-man roster, in George Winn, who has been impressive this offseason according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Winn has a reputation as a hard runner, scoring a touchdown from the one-yard line, and had two special teams tackles against the Raiders.
- The wide receivers competing to make the Lions‘ roster after Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate will likely come down to some extremely tough decisions, writes Twentyman. Jeremy Ross, Kris Durham, Ryan Broyles, and Corey Fuller have all made a case for a roster spot during the preseason thus far.
- The Bears have transformed from a defensive minded team to an offensive force over the years, but they could see an improvement on defense from linebackers Jon Bostic and Shea McClellin, writes Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun Times.
Extra Points: Bowe, Bortles, Blue
Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe will be suspended for the season opener as a result of his marijuana possession arrest last November, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Bowe is dealing with a “shot” finger, as Andy Reid told the KC Star’s Terez Paylor.
Here’s some more miscellaneous links from around the league:
- Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles’ second preseason game was televised nationally last night, and praise is pouring in. “It was against the second- and third-team defenders for the Bears, but there was no question Blake Bortles looked the part of a viable NFL quarterback on Thursday night in Chicago,” said CBS’ Will Brinson. Bortles “showed why he’s the future of the franchise, and why the future just might be now,” said Bleacher Reports Ty Schalter. “Bortles has looked to be every bit of the future Pro Bowl quarterback a team expects to get with a top three draft pick,” said USA Today’s Chris Strauss, who calls for the Jags to name Bortles the starter immediately. And ESPN’s Michael DiRocco says Bortles needs first-team reps this week.
- Could the Ravens be trying to sneak sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning onto the practice squad? Backup Tyrod Taylor is scheduled for most of the work in tomorrow’s preseason game, and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley makes an “educated guess” the team will limit Wenning’s exposure to other teams who might want to poach him. “The presumed plan is to develop Wenning into the primary backup by next season, when Taylor is a free agent,” says Hensley.
- Another rookie making waves is Texans sixth-round running back Alfred Blue. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli relayed praise for Blue from Bill O’Brien, who assessed the rookie’s skill set: “Good teammate, hardworking guy, football smart, three-down back — he’s got to continue to improve catching the football. But good runner, good vision, good on special teams, understands football, asks good questions. I see some good things from Alfred.” An ACL injury and crowded LSU backfield limited Blue’s college exposure — he carried just 209 times in 40 games — but scouts took notice of his physical ability once he declared for the draft, forgoing another year of eligibility. In his NFL Draft Preview book, Nolan Nawrocki described Blue as “A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness.” Nawrocki added that Blue is a prime candidate to be a “far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.”
- ESPN’s staff spotlighted each team’s most intriguing skill-position battle. Among the most notable capsules, Mike Reiss talks about the Patriots’ trio of running backs, saying Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen or James White could be featured any given week.
- Greg Toler and Donte Moncrief are among four standouts in Colts camp identified by IndyStar.com’s Stephen Holder. On Toler, Holder says, “Toler has been all over the field during camp, showing his superior ball skills and ability to play man coverage in the Colts defense. If he continues to perform like this heading into the regular season, the Colts won’t see much of a dropoff from franchise cornerback Vontae Davis to Toler.”
- The Packers are deeper this season in the eyes of Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn, who analyzes the team’s projected roster position by position.
Extra Points: Cardinals, Smith, Kasa, 49ers
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer is very excited about the addition of two backup wide receivers, writes Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic. Ted Ginn Jr., signed in free agency, and John Brown, drafted in the third round, have made Arizona faster. “It opens up everything,” Palmer said. “It opens up the running game. You don’t want to leave a guy one-on-one in press coverage against Ted; it’s a tough matchup for any corner. So it takes an extra guy out of the box in some situations. It helps the running game.” More from around the league..
- Some may be wondering how much Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith has left in the tank, but Andy Benoit of MMQB believes that he was the best offseason signing in the NFL. Smith, he argues, still has the speed, stop/start acceleration and body control to consistently beat man coverage. The 35-year-old is 19th all-time in NFL history in receiving yards (12,197) and 25th in receptions (836).
- Bad news for Raiders tight end Nick Kasa as the preliminary reports are indicating that he has torn his ACL, tweets Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. If that’s the case, he’ll be done for the year and a source told Bair that he is in fact done for 2014.
- Former University of South Florida linebacker Aaron Lynch could wind up being the surprise pick of the 49ers‘ draft, writes Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Lynch had a number of red flags in the eyes of NFL scouts, but he has tremendous speed and is working hard to learn the position after playing defensive end in college.
- Packers GM Ted Thompson has been at this for a while, but he’s still critical of himself when he makes mistakes, writes Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel. “We got through that annually when we’re gearing up for a new draft with post-draft analysis. You look at that. You don’t beat yourself up too much. It’s not an exact science,” said the GM.
- William Powell‘s two-year deal with the Texans is a split contract worth $1.08MM with minimum base salaries and no guaranteed money, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Powell last appeared in the NFL with the Cardinals in 2012, rushing for 216 yards off of 59 carries.
- Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith is a big, big fan of quarterback Josh McCown. In fact, Lovie likes him so much that he’s tried to sign him three times over the years and was successful twice, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. He was rebuffed once because McCown refused to renege on his UFL commitment.
- Poor salary cap management and planning by the Lions front office has all but eliminated the possibility of signing Ndamukong Suh to a contract extension that makes sense for the team, writes Jason Fitzgerald for The Sporting News. The best option at this point, he says, is for the Lions to strongly consider trading Suh to the highest bidder before the preseason concludes.
Patriots Acquire Jerel Worthy From Packers
WEDNESDAY, 5:59pm: It appears that Worthy has passed his physical since the trade is now on the NFL transactions wire, according to Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter).
TUESDAY, 8:40pm: The Packers will receive a seventh-round choice if Worthy makes the Pats’ final 53-man roster, tweets Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press Gazette.
8:18pm: Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter) hears that the Packers are getting a conditional future draft pick for Worthy.
6:38pm: The Patriots have added two defensive linemen via trade in one evening. Shortly after acquiring defensive lineman Ben Bass from the Cowboys in exchange for cornerback Justin Green, the Pats have landed defensive tackle Jerel Worthy from the Packers, according to agent Chafie Fields (on Twitter).
The deal, however, is pending a physical, and that’s more than just a mere formality. Worthy, a 2012 second-round pick out of Michigan State, tore his ACL in the final game of the 2012 season and played only 12 snaps last season. Meanwhile, he has yet to practice this offseason thanks to a back injury. Worthy saw time in 14 games for Green Bay in 2012 and made four starts, notching 2.5 sacks and 11 tackles in total.
If he’s healthy, the Patriots are adding a tremendously strong defensive tackle/end who has a proven track record of getting to the quarterback from his time with the Spartans. Worthy would also help to supplement New England’s depth on the defensive line along with Bass, who has also been hampered by health issues this offseason.
The Patriots are hoping that Dominique Easley will also be a key contributor on the d-line this season but tonight’s trades could signal that they are concerned about his health. The former University of Florida standout and No. 29 pick in this year’s draft tore his ACL last season and only began practicing this week. Easley did some individual drills and then worked on a tackling dummy, according to Adam Kurkjian of the Boston Herald, but wasn’t going full speed.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Links: Saints, Bucs, Cardinals, Vikings, Packers
The Saints’ 2014 roster isn’t likely to match or exceed the total of eight undrafted free agents who earned spots on the roster or practice squad a year ago, but the team prides itself on finding hidden gems, as GM Mickey Loomis tells Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.
“Our college scouting staff takes a lot of pride in finding guys that no one’s heard about, or small college guys, and finding a trait that each one has that transfers to the NFL,” Loomis said. “It’s also a great credit to our coaching staff being willing to look at player and not worry about how we acquired them but just go by what we see and going by what their potential is to fit within our scheme offensively and defensively. We’ve had a lot of success with undrafted free agents, and I think that’s going to continue.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…
- Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the Buccaneers have real interest in 49ers guard Alex Boone if the price is right (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). However, another source told Rapoport that there’s been no “real” conversations between the two sides.
- The Buccaneers could use some help on the offensive line, and coach Lovie Smith was asked if the team would consider Richie Incognito. “[A]ll players are looked at and [if] we think they could fit we bring them in,” he told the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud (via Twitter).
- Rookie wide receiver John Brown continues to make a “buzz” at Cardinals camp, tweets CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora. Considering the team’s depth at the position, La Canfora suggests that the team could carry six wideouts on their final roster.
- ESPN’s Ben Goessling tweets that Vikings tight end Chase Ford is getting close to a return and may not need to start the season on the PUP list.
- Packers running back Rajion Neal caught the eyes of coaches after he ran for 39 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown, on five carries in the team’s preseason opener. Unfortunately, the undrafted rookie suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, and he understands that he has to get healthy quickly if he hopes to make the squad. “I’ve got to play; there ain’t no way around it,” Neal told ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. “Being in the position I’m in, I can’t afford it.”
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Joseph, Packers
Jimmy Clausen looked better than Jordan Palmer in the Bears’ first preseason game versus Philadelphia, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Clausen had a 73-yard scoring strike and showed encouraging command for a signal caller who only has two months worth of exposure to a new system. Biggs’ “10 thoughts” on the game is full of information:
- Suspended tight end Martellus Bennett was not with the team, and head coach Marc Trestman did not have any news about Bennett’s return. Biggs says that while the suspension is “indefinite,” the CBA states a ‘conduct detrimental to the team’ suspension can only last four weeks. Additionally, Bennett can only be fined up to one week’s pay, which would be approximately $282k. “A logical return date would be at training camp Sunday, when the team gets on the field again,” speculates Biggs.
- Chris Williams, who the Bears plucked off the Saints practice squad, showed legitimate speed in beating the Eagles’ secondary for a 73-yard touchdown, but he suffered a mild hamstring pull and did not get the chance to return kicks, presumably the reason the Bears got him.
- Second-year right tackle Jordan Mills has been sidelined with a sore left foot (the same foot he had surgery on in January), but X-rays showed no structural damage.
- For years the Bears’ special teams were the envy of the league under the command of Dave Taub (now in Kansas City), but the unit fell off last year under Joe DeCamillis, and Friday night was inauspicious to say the least, as the Bears had a field goal blocked, yielded a kick return score, were inconsistent punting and were called for multiple penalties.
- Defensive end Trevor Scott, a darkhorse roster candidate, played well. Shea McClellin and Jon Bostic did not.
Here’s some more NFC North notes:
- With Bennett suspended, Zach Miller raised eyebrows with six catches for 68 yards and a pair of scores, writes ESPN Chicago’s Jeff Dickerson. Miller’s career was derailed by injuries, but when healthy, he’s a capable receiving tight end. He’s on a one-year, $645k deal with the Bears.
- In a team-issued release, the Vikings say nose tackle Linval Joseph‘s calf was struck by a bullett during a Minneapolis nightclub shooting last night. The team says Joseph was an innocent bystander, was treated and released from the hospital and will return to the team next week.
- Former Bear Julius Peppers hasn’t made a splash yet in Packers camp, and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky wonders if the veteran is pacing himself or if there’s just not much left in the tank.
- Myles White and Kevin Dorsey are the top candidates for the Packers’ fifth receiver job, says Robert Zizzo of the Press-Gazette.
Extra Points: Burnett, Long, Adams
ESPN’s staff put together a list of each team’s starter whose job is in jeopardy. Among the most notable are 49ers running back Frank Gore, Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus and Packers safety Morgan Burnett. On Burnett, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky says, “When the Packers drafted Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round, the thinking was that he would start alongside Burnett. Now, there’s a chance he could start instead of Burnett. Coach Mike McCarthy likes what Micah Hyde has done at free safety, and when Burnett strained his oblique muscle this week, he put Clinton-Dix in Burnett’s strong safety spot. The Packers made a major investment in Burnett last summer with an $8.25 million signing bonus as part of a four-year extension, but he followed it with an unproductive season.”
Here’s a few miscellaneous links from around the league:
- Panthers veteran linebacker Chase Blackburn is on that list, as second-year man A.J. Klein is pushing for the starting job, but Blackburn is embracing his role as mentor, writes Scott Fowler in the Charlotte Observer.
- With the Eagles in Chicago to play the Bears tonight, Zach Berman of Philadelphia Inquirer writes about the relationship between Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long and Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, who helped Long get his career back on track during their time together at Oregon.
- The Steelers were hoping 2012 second-rounder Mike Adams would challenge for a starting tackle job, but that’s not happening, writes ESPN’s Scott Brown. Adams has been inconsistent, and “It would be charitable to put Adams among the Steelers’ best seven offensive linemen through the first 11 practices,” according to Brown. Adams started 10-of-15 games played last season, but struggled and “earned” a -4.9 overall rating from Pro Football Focus.
- Cowboys rookie safety Ahmad Dixon’s ‘Welcome to the NFL’ hit left him with a concussion, reports Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram.
- The Seahawks’ secondary has established itself as the “Legion of Boom.” The Buccaneers are trying to establish the offensive equivalent, with the trio of Vincent Jackson, first-rounder Mike Evans and second-rounder Austin Seferian-Jenkins going by the “Three Dunkateers,” writes USA Today’s Jim Corbett.
Extra Points: McNair, Smith, Brent, Dalton
After a 10-month ordeal in which he battled two forms of cancer under an assumed name at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Texans owner Bob McNair has been given a clean bill of health by the team of doctors that treated him, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Here’s a look around the NFL as we enjoy some preseason football..
- It was originally scheduled for Friday, but 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith actually met with commissioner Roger Goodell earlier today, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Goodell is expected to discipline Smith, perhaps with a multiple-game suspension, to start the season.
- Former Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent also met with Goodell and a source tells Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com that the meeting went well. Owner Jerry Jones said earlier that he’ll create a roster spot for the defensive lineman if he’s not suspended.
- In a piece for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry gives his take on Andy Dalton‘s new contract with the Bengals. Corry writes that the deal sets a new middle salary tier for quarterbacks, one that hasn’t been in place since Mark Sanchez was cut by the Jets and Matt Schaub took a paycut from his Texans deal upon joining the Raiders. The pact may also set a salary ceiling for teammate A.J. Green.
- Packers coach Mike McCarthy believes that everything is “lined up for” his team in 2014, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. “I feel like everything’s lined up for us, with the buildings and the upgrades and everything. It’s all about progress and growth. That’s the way we run our football operations, and I feel like we’re just getting ready to have our best run, hopefully,” the coach said. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is excited about their young talent at the skill positions, Jordy Nelson‘s new contract, and the addition of Julius Peppers on the defensive line.
- Bucs quarterback Mike Glennon might have been the only person in Tampa Bay who was upset to see coach Greg Schiano go, writes Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times. Schiano was absolutely convinced Glennon was not only the Bucs’ franchise quarterback of the future, but the present. Now that Schiano is out and Lovie Smith is in, Glennon has gone from starter to backup.
- The Saints traded Darren Sproles to the Eagles this offseason but they might have a clone in UDFA Derrick Strozier, writes Jarrett Bell of USA Today. It won’t be easy landing a spot in a backfield that includes veterans Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson, and Travaris Cadet, but the diminutive Strozier looks good so far.
North Notes: Steelers, Dalton, Vikings, Packers
The Steelers missed the playoffs for a second straight season in 2013, the first time that has happened since 2000, but president Art Rooney II tells Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he’s happy with the moves the club made in the offseason.
“I like where we are,” Rooney said. “Obviously, the proof is in the pudding, but I think we addressed a lot of concerns, and now it’s a matter of developing this group into a winning team.”
Here are a few more items from around the NFL’s two North divisions:
- The $5MM roster bonus included in Andy Dalton‘s new extension with the Bengals will be paid out today, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com.
- Dalton’s deal is the second quarterback extension in a row with a modest signing bonus, notes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, adding that it will be interesting to see if that trend continues for the next wave of QBs to sign new deals. Veterans like Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, and Eli Manning could push for sizable signing bonuses, which may help young signal-callers like Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, and Robert Griffin III get similar deals.
- New Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer has been running through extensive hypothetical in-game scenarios with GM Rick Spielman in an effort to prepare himself for key decisions he’ll face in each game, as Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com details in an interesting piece.
- For the first time in Aaron Rodgers‘ career with the Packers, offensive coordinator Tom Clements will be working from the coaches’ booth rather than the sideline this season, allowing him to get a better look at everything happening on the field, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
NFC Notes: Falcons, Cardinals, Packers
Falcons fifth-round linebacker Marquis Spruill will miss the 2014 season after tearing his ACL, the team told reporters, including Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The 23-year-old Syracuse product could have conceivably contributed to a thin Atlanta linebacking corps that already suffered the loss of veteran Sean Weatherspoon, but now the Falcons will presumably place Spruill on injured reserve and look to fill his roster spot with another LB. McClure thinks (Twitter links) that Nick Barnett and/or Kion Wilson, who last played for the Redskins and Steelers, respectively, could be options for Atlanta. More from the NFC:
- Dan Connor, who worked out for the Falcons after Weatherspoon’s injury, might have intrigued Atlanta following the loss of Spruill, but as David Jones of the Patriot-News reports (h/t: McClure), Connor has taken an assistant coaching job at Division II West Chester University. Connor, 28, hasn’t officially retired, but after suffering a multitude of injuries throughout his career, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to find a new career path.
- Veteran linebacker John Abraham, who signed a two-year, $4.6MM deal prior to last season, has the most team-friendly contract on the Cardinals, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. Larry Fitzgerald has the least tenable deal in Arizona, per Fitzgerald, as the receiver is in the midst of a seven-year, $113MM extension.
- Cardinals second-year safety Tyrann Mathieu, who tore his ACL in December, tells Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com that he hopes to return to the field soon. “I expect to be at practice the next two to three weeks,” said the 22-year-old. “Hopefully we can stick to that timetable.”
- Randall Cobb needs to stay healthy in order to receive an extension from the Packers, Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Green Bay signed fellow receiver Jordy Nelson to a four-year, $39MM deal last month, and Cobb knows he has yet to show he is worth similar money. “I don’t believe I’ve done enough,” Cobb said. “I think my job is to come out here every day, do what I’m supposed to do, work hard and hopefully my time will come.”