AFC Mailbags: Tannehill, Bowe, Richardson
It’s Saturday morning, and ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some of the interesting notes from the AFC…
- Ryan Tannehill‘s fifth-year option is worth $15MM, and James Walker believes the hefty price could prompt the Dolphins to start extension talks with their quarterback this offseason.
- Walker can’t envision the Dolphins retaining the same linebacker core next season, and he guesses that either Philip Wheeler or Dannell Ellerbe will be a cap casualty.
- Looking towards the draft, Rich Cimini thinks there’s a possibility that Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston will be off the board when it’s the Jets time to pick. The writer suggests the team could instead focus on drafting a wide receiver or cornerback with their first-rounder.
- Adam Teicher opines that Chiefs wideout Dwayne Bowe is likely playing his final four games with the team. Reversely, he believes linebacker Tamba Hali will ultimately stick around.
- Mike Wells writes that the Colts will pursue a free agent running back, regardless of how Trent Richardson finishes the season.
- Michael DiRocco is under the impression that the Jaguars will focus on drafting a pass-rusher with their first-round pick. While some may be hoping for an offensive lineman, the writer says the team could select a solid prospect in the middle rounds.
Workout Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Browns, Broncos
In our roundup of several AFC East and NFC East items this morning, we passed along word on a handful of free agents who recently worked out for East teams. Across the rest of the league, several more auditions took place, so we’ll take a look at all those updates right here. All links are from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, and go to Twitter:
- The Colts brought in a few notable free agents for tryouts, taking a look at running back Mikel Leshoure, ex-Jets cornerback Ellis Lankster, and former LSU wideout Kadron Boone. Of the three players, Leshoure is the most interesting name, considering Indianapolis is believed to be considering adding running back depth.
- Linebacker A.J. Edds ultimately signed with the Jaguars, joining the team’s active roster yesterday, but Edds also worked out for the Bengals earlier in the week. Additionally, Jacksonville auditioned veteran linebacker Victor Butler before deciding on Edds.
- Browns kicker Billy Cundiff has had his ups and downs this season, missing six field goals, including three from less than 40 yards. While I don’t expect Cleveland to replace him, the team did take a look at a couple other kickers this week, bringing in Michael Barnard and Zach Hocker.
- The Broncos worked out an extensive list of players this week, and Wilson has all the previously-unreported names: Rodney Barnes (S), Deion Belue (CB), Kenny Horsley (DE), M.D. Jennings (S), Vernon Kearney (CB), Keon Lyn (CB), Leon Mackey (DL), Ross Madison (S), and Danny Mason (LB).
- In addition to trying out wideout Jace Davis, who signed with their practice squad, the Texans auditioned quarterback Brad Sorensen and several other receivers, including Rashad Ross, Willie Snead, and former Niner Kyle Williams.
- Former Cardinals defensive end Ronald Talley worked out for the Chiefs. Talley spent some time with the Buccaneers earlier this year, but was removed from the roster prior to the regular season.
- The Packers tried out cornerback Lavelle Westbrooks, a 2014 seventh-round pick waived by the Bengals during the preseason.
- Tight end Xavier Grimble, who hit the open market once again last week after a brief stint with the Patriots’ practice squad, worked out for the Panthers.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
With just four weeks left in the NFL season, 19 of the league’s 32 teams are at least two games over .500, vying for 11 available playoff spots — the 12th will go to a team currently two games under .500, in the NFC South. With so many clubs still in the hunt, we can expect to see plenty of roster tweaks down the stretch, as coaches and front offices try to get the most out of their 53-man squads. Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the NFL:
- The Cowboys removed tight end Jordan Najvar from their injured reserve list with a settlement today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- Jaguars tackle Austin Pasztor, who tore his hamstring during Sunday’s win against the Giants, has been placed on injured reserve, ending his season, per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). As O’Halloran adds, the Jags have signed linebacker A.J. Edds to replace Pasztor on the roster. Edds spent nearly two months with the Jets earlier this season, contributing on special teams and providing depth for the club’s linebacking corps.
- The Bengals have filled the open spot on their 53-man roster by signing linebacker Chris Carter, the club announced today (via Twitter). Carter, who spent three seasons with the Steelers, was cut by the Colts nearly two months ago.
- The Texans ended the season of inside linebacker Max Bullough today, placing him on injured reserve, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. Bullough, who had been slowed by a hamstring injury, was replaced on the roster by tight end Anthony Denham, whom the Texans promoted from their practice squad.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
- The Giants signed former Chiefs guard Rishaw Johnson to their practice squad, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Johnson worked out for Big Blue last week.
- After promoting multiple players from their practice squad to their active roster, the Giants added linebacker Paul Hazel to the taxi squad, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
- Defensive back Lowell Rose has rejoined the Dolphins‘ practice squad, with the club placing wideout LaRon Byrd on the PS-IR list in a corresponding move, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Linebacker Marshall McFadden, who was released by the Rams over the weekend, has cleared waivers and signed back to the team’s practice squad, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- Wide receiver Eric Thomas has replaced fellow wideout Travis Harvey on the Bills‘ practice squad, according to a team release.
Earlier updates:
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that former Eagles linebacker Jake Knott is set to sign with the Dolphins‘ practice squad. Miami, with a full 10-man unit, will have to make a corresponding move before the addition becomes official.
- After losing Solomon Patton off their practice squad to the Buccaneers, the Cardinals have replaced him by signing wide receiver Ryan Spadola, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- Cut by the Jaguars over the weekend, wide receiver Mike Brown cleared waivers and rejoined the team today, signing with Jacksonville’s practice squad, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
- The Panthers promoted a pair of players to their active roster from the practice squad today, and began filling the newly-created openings by signing safety Kimario McFadden to the unit, the team announced (Twitter link).
- Defensive end Jordan Stanton, who was cut from the Giants‘ practice squad back in September, re-signed with the unit today, per agent Landon Betsworth (via Twitter). The team has yet to announce the move that will create an opening for Stanton.
Extra Points: NFLPA, Peterson, Pasztor, Eagles
The NFL plans to unveil a new personal conduct policy in the near future, but it doesn’t seem as though the NFLPA is entirely on board. According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today, the union is refusing to enter negotiations regarding the revised protocol unless the talks occur under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. Despite that assertion, Pelissero writes that the two parties have met at least four times to discuss the policy. Furthering the disagreement, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, is the fact that the league wants commissioner Roger Goodell to retain total control over the disciplinary process — the NFLPA, meanwhile, prefers a neutral third party to handle such issues. Here’s more from around the league…
- Appearing during halftime of Monday Night Football, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that Adrian Peterson‘s appeal of his suspension could end up in federal court (Twitter link via Mortensen’s colleague, Kevin Seifert). If the NFLPA decides that the hearing officer isn’t entirely nonpartisan, it could attempt to push the Viking running back’s case to a more high-profile arena. While such a move would appear drastic given that there are just four games remaining in the regular season, one of Peterson’s aims would surely be to recoup the $4MM+ base salary he’s set to lose.
- Jaguars right tackle Austin Pasztor is expected to miss the remainder of the season after injuring his hamstring in Sunday’s win against the Giants, John Oehser of Jaguars.com writes. Pasztor, a CFL transplant in his second NFL season, missed the first four games of 2014 after breaking his hand. The 24-year-old will be a free agent after the season.
- The Eagles’ forays into free agency were nearly perfect, argues Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mark Sanchez, signed to a one-year deal worth $2.25MM, could be the top free agent bargain, and safety Malcolm Jenkins has added a veteran presence to a young secondary. Lesser-known additions such as offensive lineman Andrew Gardner and defensive back Chris Maragos have also worked out well, writes McLane, as the pickups have bolstered Philadelphia’s depth.
Injury Updates: Monday
With just four weeks left in the NFL regular season, injuries that may not have been considered season-ending a month or two ago could now result in players being placed on injured reserve lists, as teams try to maximize their roster flexibility. Here’s the latest on injuries from this weekend’s action that could potentially necessitate roster moves:
- Giants defensive end Robert Ayers tore his pectoral muscle during yesterday’s loss to the Jaguars, and the injury will end his season, tweets Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. Ayers was only a part-time player for New York this season, coming off the bench most games and playing the third-most snaps among the team’s defensive ends, but his excellent production as a pass-rusher made him the league’s fourth-best 4-3 DE this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
- The Jaguars confirmed today that right tackle Austin Pasztor tore his hamstring yesterday, and will likely be out for the rest of the year, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link).
- Titans wideout Justin Hunter remained in a Houston hospital today after lacerating his spleen, but the belief is that he won’t require surgery, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link) hears from a source that Hunter should be okay, though “he may not play anytime soon.”
- Panthers head coach Ron Rivera believes DeAngelo Williams‘ right hand is broken, and the running back may see a hand specialist, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
Poll: Which Team Will Draft First In 2015?
This afternoon, our Rob DiRe took an early look at some of the teams that will have picks near the top of the 2015 draft, noting which of those clubs may be interested in snagging a quarterback. Before we can comfortably project where top college signal-callers like Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston might land though, we’ll need to figure out exactly how the 2015 draft order will look.
The 2014 season still features a number of teams in the hunt for division titles or Wild Card spots, with a chance that a club in each conference could win 10 games and still not make the postseason. Conversely, with plenty of teams piling up wins, there are several cellar-dwellers racking up loss after loss this year. Of course, by NFL rules, the teams with the worst records pick first in the following year’s draft, with strength of schedule breaking ties — the team that faced the easier schedule receives the higher pick.
After knocking off the Chiefs earlier this month, the Raiders head into Week 13 with a 1-10 record, matching the 1-10 Jaguars for the league’s worst mark. As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap lays out, Oakland has faced a much trickier schedule than Jacksonville, meaning the Jags currently project to land the first overall pick.
Still, the Jags have a handful of winnable games left on their schedule, including two contests against Houston and home games against the Giants and Titans. The Raiders face a tougher slate, but have been playing better ball recently, and should be competitive in games against the Rams and Bills — Week 17’s contest in Denver could also get a lot easier if the Broncos aren’t playing for postseason seeding at that point.
Of course, the race for the first overall pick includes more teams than just Oakland and Jacksonville. The Buccaneers, Jets, and Titans are all 2-9, and with games still remaining against the Jets and Jags, the Titans’ performance down the stretch could go a long way to determining the draft’s top five. The Buccaneers, with a .469 overall strength of schedule (per OTC), are also in position to sneak into that No. 1 overall spot if they struggle down the stretch — of Tampa Bay’s five remaining games, three are against legit playoff contenders (Bengals, Lions, Packers), while two are against clubs still hoping to win the NFC South (Panthers, Saints). If the Bucs don’t win another game, and the Raiders and Jags do, it would almost certainly give Tampa Bay the first overall pick next spring.
So what do you think? Which of these also-rans will finish in the NFL’s basement and get the first shot at top college talent in the 2015 draft? Which team will land the No. 1 overall pick?
Which team will get the 2015 first overall pick?
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Oakland Raiders (1-10) 55% (317)
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Jacksonville Jaguars (1-10) 24% (142)
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New York Jets (2-9) 9% (50)
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-9) 7% (39)
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Tennessee Titans (2-9) 3% (19)
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Another team 2% (14)
Total votes: 581
AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Colts, Jags, Ravens
We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now focus on notes from the AFC…
- Adam Teicher says the Chiefs biggest need “in both the short and long terms” is at wide receiver.
- Mike Wells believes it’s too late for the Colts to reinforce their offensive line depth with a free agent like Richie Incognito.
- Firing offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch wouldn’t make “any sense” for the Jaguars, writes Michael DiRocco. A new O-coordinator would mean Blake Bortles would have to learn a new offensive, which is “virtually guaranteed” to stunt a young quarterback’s growth.
- Jamison Hensley believes the Ravens will add some depth at cornerback, wide receiver, tight end and offensive tackle in the offseason. Meanwhile, the writer says it would be “uncharacteristic” for the team to pursue top free agent defenders like Jason Pierre-Paul or Ndamukong Suh.
Minor Moves: Friday
We’ll round up Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including practice squad signings and cuts, in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Dolphins have claimed former Patriot defensive back Don Jones off waivers, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The Patriots had waived Jones on Thursday. The Dolphins waived Lowell Rose in order to make room for Jones, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).
Earlier Updates:
- The Jaguars have swapped one wide receiver for another on their 53-man roster, waiving Mike Brown and promoting Tommy Streeter from the practice squad to take his spot, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Brown, who had seven catches for 88 yards this season, had been a healthy scratch for each of the last six games.
- After releasing him from their active roster on Wednesday, the Bills have re-signed defensive end Bryan Johnson to their practice squad, the club announced today in a press release. To accommodate the addition of Johnson, Buffalo has parted ways with practice squad cornerback Brandon Smith.
- The Patriots have removed a pair of players from their practice squad, cutting long snapper Charley Hughlett and tight end Xavier Grimble, according to a team release. Regular Pats long snapper Danny Aiken suffered a concussion during last week’s game against the Lions, but Hughlett’s release bodes well for Aiken’s chances of playing this weekend.
Sunday Roundup: Peterson, Mallett, Newton
We heard earlier today that Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer expects embattled running back Adrian Peterson to return to the team in 2015. However, outside of the obvious public relations decisions that Minnesota will have to make in evaluating Peterson’s future with the club, Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune discusses the untenable financial ramifications of keeping Peterson in the fold. Vensel cites former NFL agent Joel Corry, who says:
“His contract doesn’t bear any relation to the rest of the running back market. I know Peterson had some unique value as the face of the franchise with the new stadium opening in 2016, but that doesn’t exist anymore. From a pure economic perspective, having a 30-year-old running back in 2015 with a $15.4 million cap number and $13 million salary wasn’t going to be the most efficient use of resources.”
As Vensel suggests, the Vikings could approach Peterson with offers for a contract restructure, but Peterson’s receptiveness to such overtures is doubtful at best. That is especially true given that the same ESPN article in which Zimmer expressed his confidence that Peterson would be back with the club also contained the revelation that Vikings general counsel Kevin Warren has been working with the NFL to make sure Peterson does not return this season. That led Peterson to remark recently, “Maybe it’s best for me to get a fresh start somewhere else.”
Let’s look at a few more links as Sunday’s games get underway:
- Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle details Ryan Mallett‘s journey to becoming the Texans‘ starter and Mallet’s desire to be more than a one-game wonder as he attempts to lead Houston to a playoff berth.
- Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer writes that Panthers quarterback Cam Newton wants to lead a winner in Carolina and Carolina’s front office wants him to stay. His future with club could ultimately depend on if the Panthers can climb atop the weak NFC South in 2014.
- Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com answers a number of questions from readers inquiring into the Jaguars‘ strategy this offseason, including draft and free agent targets and the club’s biggest needs.
- Marshawn Lynch may be on his way out of Seattle in 2015, but regardless of how he his viewed by the public at large, he is beloved in the Seahawks‘ locker room and his teammates will hate to see him go, writes Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times.