Extra Points: Goodell, Vikings, Harvin, Dogra
In the wake of the Adrian Peterson decision, tensions between the NFL and the player’s union are high once again, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post. Commissioner Roger Goodell exerted significant power in suspending Peterson for the season, singular power the the union was under the impression he would no longer be wielding on his own. According to Maske’s source, the two sides have no good will between them.
“I think it reflects a fundamental disagreement about the role of the commissioner’s office in the disciplinary process,” said Gabriel Feldman of the sports law program at Tulane University. “I think it’s a reflection of the tension that has existed. It’s not surprising. It would have been surprising if the Players Association had not sought so vigorously to have Peterson reinstated. To some extent, it is each side playing the role it’s supposed to play.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFL this Saturday evening:
- In Peterson’s absence, the Vikings will be forced to continue the season using a running back-by-committe approach, and that may be the plan going forward, writes Matt Vensel of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. He writes that the player taking carries for the Vikings next season could be any one of the players on the active roster, Peterson, or someone they take in the 2015 NFL Draft.
- The Jets‘ have seen a lot of improvement with their midseason acquisition of Percy Harvin, and are happy with how he has fit in so far, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. They will have a tough decision to make at the end of the season on whether to keep him at his hefty price tag of $10MM, but Harvin hopes to remain with the team.
- Since Ben Dogra has been fired, CAA Sports has also terminated the contracts of a number of employees who worked closely with the embattled NFL agent, writes Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal. On behalf of Dogra, his attorney, Rusty Hardin, stated that he was unsure of any “supposed cause” for his firing and ensured that none of the agent’s clients had left (via Twitter). He also commented on Dogra’s future, saying he “hasn’t decided where he is going to land or whether he is going to start his own firm.” (via Twitter).
- Three of the top four quarterbacks selected in this past NFL Draft have seen significant game action this season, and Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post has compared their play to see who has played best and who has shown the most promise for the future. The answer to both questions so far point to Derek Carr, who has impressed with his decision-making and his quick release, according to Gabriel. Blake Bortles has struggled and Teddy Bridgewater has yet to be unleashed, while Johnny Manziel is the only one of the four to not receive any significant playing time this season.
AFC Mailbags: Colts, Jags, Bengals, Jets
We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now check out some notes from the AFC…
- If Mike Wells were a member of the Colts front office, he wouldn’t sign Ray Rice to a contract. The writer notes that the running back must be out of shape, and he also notes the difficulties in learning a new scheme.
- Michael DiRocco believes the Jaguars biggest offseason needs will be a pass-rusher and a linebacker. As a result, the writer targets Nebraska’s Randy Gregory and Missouri’s Shane Ray.
- Switching to the offense, DiRocco could see the Jaguars drafting a running back late in the draft. Regardless, he doesn’t think the team should part ways with Toby Gerhart, especially since Denard Robinson hasn’t proven he can be a featured back.
- A.J. McCarron is clearly the Bengals backup plan at quarterback, so he won’t be traded or released any time soon, writes Coley Harvey.
- If the Jets move on from Rex Ryan, the Jets owe it to their fans to pursue 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, opines Rich Cimini.
- Meanwhile, Cimini doesn’t believe the Jets will pursue Darrelle Revis this offseason (if the cornerback becomes a free agent). The writer believes a Revis-Rex Ryan reunion is inevitable, but not in New York.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are Monday’s minor transactions, including practice squad signings and cuts, from around the NFL:
- The Ravens have replaced one tight end with another on their practice squad, signing Allen Reisner and cutting Emmanuel Ogbuehi, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Reisner had been on the open market since being dropped from the Patriots’ practice squad back in September.
- Joe Flacco‘s younger brother Michael Flacco has been released from the Jaguars‘ taxi squad, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Flacco had been with the unit for a little over a month.
- Washington announced a change to its practice squad today, tweeting that the club has released wideout Rashad Ross and replaced him with offensive tackle Michael Huey.
- Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link) reports that the Buccaneers have cut wideout and return man Trindon Holliday from their injured reserve list. Holliday appeared in just one game for the team last month before being placed on IR with a hamstring injury.
Jaguars To Activate Lewis; Robinson To IR
Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles will get one pass catcher back in the lineup this week while another one has officially been ruled out for the rest of the season. According to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the team is activating tight end Marcedes Lewis from injured reserve and will place wideout Allen Robinson on IR, formally ending his rookie season.
The team announced last week that Robinson had sustained a stress fracture in his foot and would miss the rest of the year, but since the Jags were on their bye week, they didn’t immediately place the first-year receiver on the injured reserve list. Robinson, who hauled in 48 passes for 548 yards and pair of touchdowns this season, is scheduled to undergo surgery soon on that injured foot, per John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter).
Head coach Gus Bradley initially said he expected to promote a player from the practice squad to take Robinson’s spot on the roster, but with Lewis set to get back on the field, it makes sense that the veteran tight end would slide into that opening instead. Lewis has been sidelined since Week 2 with an ankle injury, having received the designation to return when the team placed him on IR.
NFL In LA: Jaguars Staying Put
The Jaguars are staying put in Jacksonville and will not be heading to Los Angeles, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. When former Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver sold the team to Shad Khan in 2011, there were rumors that the Jags could be on the move to the West Coast. However, Khan has quieted that talk, stating “Actions speak louder than words and [Jaguars fans are] finally seeing the actions match the talk.” Those actions, as O’Halloran points out, include Khan’s stated commitment to Jacksonville, a stadium lease that does not expire until 2030, and the $63MM in stadium enhancements that debuted in late July (Khan himself paid for $20MM of those enhancements).
But with NFL football apparently destined to remain in Jacksonville for the foreseeable future, rumors about the respective fates of the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders continue to swirl. As Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today writes, there could be as many as two spots available in Los Angeles, and each of the those three franchises “is driven by concerns that it could be stuck in its current market in an undesirable situation while the other two party up in their new shared palace.”
Of course, despite recent media reports that suggest the relocation of at least one franchise to Los Angeles is imminent, there are a number of obstacles to clear before that can happen, obstacles that Schrotenboer describes in great detail. One consideration that the league will take into account is the relative revenue gain it can anticipate from moving one or more teams to LA. San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the country, whereas Oakland and St. Louis are the 45th and 58th largest, respectively. As such, the league would have less to gain by a Chargers move than it would if the Rams or Raiders were to leave their current homes.
Nonetheless with the Jaguars essentially out of the picture, fans in St. Louis, Oakland, and San Diego have a little more reason for concern.
AFC Mailbags: Tannehill, Landry, Forsett, Shorts
It’s Saturday, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN.com’s writers. Let’s start with some interesting notes out of the AFC…
- To James Walker’s knowledge, the Dolphins have not discussed a contract extension with quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The writer clarifies that it’s too early to know if Tannehill is actually the answer for the organization.
- Meanwhile, Walker doesn’t believe running back Knowshon Moreno will be back with the Dolphins next season.
- Among the group of upcoming Jets free agents, linebacker David Harris will be atop the team’s list of priorities, writes Rich Cimini. Reversely, the writer can’t envision Willie Colon or Kyle Wilson being back, and he also has a tough time seeing Geno Smith on the roster, especially if the front office is cleared out.
- Mike Wells believes the Colts’ use of LaRon Landry is an indication that he will not be back next season. The safety hasn’t cracked the starting lineup since returning from suspension.
- Jamison Hensley writes that it would be a great public relations move for the Ravens to bring back running back Justin Forsett next season.
- Adam Teicher believes Chiefs special-teams coordinator Dave Toub would make a good head coach.
- Cecil Shorts deserves an extension from the Jaguars, according to Michael DiRocco, but the value might not be what the receiver was originally seeking.
Minor Moves: Thursday
Besides the Cowboys signing of Dekoda Watson and the Cardinals addition of Josh Mauro, it wasn’t a very busy day for NFL transactions. Let’s check some minor moves (and non-moves) that were made today…
- The Jaguars cut wideout Nathan Slaughter from injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). The wideout signed with Jacksonville in June.
- A source tells Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter) that the Cowboys are not activating defensive tackle Amobi Okoye today. Since today was the deadline for the former first round pick, that means he won’t play this season. The former first-rounder missed all of 2013 for an “undisclosed medical issue,” and he signed a contract with Dallas in May.
Extra Points: Bowles, Jaguars, Browns
fIt would be an understatement to say that Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is eager for Josh Gordon‘s return, as Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer writes. “I haven’t seen him out on the football field since training camp, so we’ll have to see where he’s at physically and everything,” said Shanahan. “We’ll try to get him in there, and as soon as he’s ready to go, we’ll make sure to work to get him the ball.” More from around the NFL..
- The Cardinals have extended the contract of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles through 2017, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. However, the deal will still allow him to pursue head coaching opportunities elsewhere. Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter) adds that the new salary puts him in the top five of NFL assistants and should pay him roughly $1-$1.5MM per season. Bowles figures to be a highly-coveted head coaching candidate this offseason.
- Following the Jaguars‘ release of linebacker Dekoda Watson, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com graded the club’s free agent signings from this past offseason. Overall, the report card isn’t pretty, with defensive ends Red Bryant (four-year, $19.5MM deal, $5.23MM guaranteed) and Chris Clemonds (four-year, $17.5MM deal, ~$5MM guaranteed) as the only B grades. Other notable additions like running back Toby Gerhart and defenisve tackle Ziggy Hood haven’t been worth the money.
- Browns coach Mike Pettine isn’t sweating his quarterback situation in the least. “It’s a good problem to have,” Pettine said in reference to Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter). “We have a quarterback playing well looking for a contract and a first round pick sitting behind him.”
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
As usual, plenty of practice squad players are on the move again this week, being signed, cut, or promoted as teams prepare for Week 11 games. Here are Wednesday’s latest practice squad additions and subtractions:
- Per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter), linebacker D.J. Smith has joined the Browns‘ practice squad, replacing fellow linebacker Allen Bradford, who was signed by the Seahawks’ active roster today.
- A day after being cut by the Jaguars, cornerback Peyton Thompson has cleared waivers and re-signed with the team’s practice squad, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
- The Ravens have replaced tight end Phillip Supernaw, who signed with the Chiefs earlier this week, with tight end Konrad Reuland, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- The Seahawks have added fullback Stanley Havili to their practice squad, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
- After promoting linebacker Max Bullough to their active roster, the Texans got their practice squad back up to the maximum 10 players by signing former Central Florida tackle Chris Martin, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The Buccaneers have filled the two openings on their practice squad by signing linebacker Jeremy Grable and offensive lineman Jeremiah Warren, both of whom have previously been with the team, tweets Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.
- Another club with two openings on its taxi squad has also filled them — the Bears announced today (via Twitter) that wide receiver B.J. Cunningham and guard Antoine McClain have signed with the team.
- The Cardinals have swapped out an offensive player for a defender, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com, who tweets that the team has signed cornerback Darren Woodard to its practice squad to replace running back Zach Bauman.
- After seeing tight end Rashaun Allen signed off their practice squad by the Seahawks, the Vikings have filled the newly-created vacancy by re-adding tight end Ryan Otten, per Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
In addition to tweaking their 53-man rosters in preparation for Week 11’s games, teams around the NFL are also making changes to their practice squads. Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts:
- The Browns signed defensive lineman Jamie Meder to their taxi squad, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter). Meder, an Ohio native, was recently cut from the Ravens’ practice squad.
- Brian McIntyre (on Twitter) has the goods on the Seahawks‘ latest taxi squad moves. Seattle has signed defensive end Ryan Robinson and running back Cierre Wood while placing running back Demitrius Bronson and defensive tackle Julius Warmsley on the IR. Linebacker L.J. Fort, who was being looked at as a possible fullback option, has been released.
- The Giants released safety Kyle Sebetic from the practice squad, tweets Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger.
- The Packers have re-signed wideout Alex Gillett to their taxi squad, releasing Jordan McCray in a corresponding move, a source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Confirming a Monday report, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets that center Darren Keyton has formally been added to the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing linebacker Jerrell Harris.
Earlier updates:
- After placing linebacker Patrick Willis on injured reserve today, the 49ers signed another linebacker, Shayne Skov, to their practice squad, the team announced (via Twitter). Skov, who spent the summer with the Niners, was cut from the Buccaneers’ taxi squad last month.
- Looking to add depth at the tight end position, the Chiefs not only added Phillip Supernaw to their active roster today, but also signed tight end Adam Schiltz to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Schiltz takes the spot vacated by running back Charcandrick West, who was promoted to the 53-man roster today.
- The Browns have released defensive lineman Jacobbi McDaniel from their practice squad, leaving an opening on the unit, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link).
- Linebacker Denicos Allen has been cut from the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).
- Amidst a flurry of other roster moves, the Jaguars released cornerback Lou Young from their practice squad today, according to Wilson (via Twitter).