Chiefs Sign RB Damien Williams To Extension
Damien Williams has had a recent stint as the Chiefs’ starting running back, and he’s parlayed that opportunity into an extension. Terez A. Paylor reports (via Twitter) that Williams has signed a two-year extension with Kansas City. The deal has a max value of $8.1MM (via Paylor on Twitter).
Williams started the year buried on the depth chart, as he ran for a single yard on two carries through the first 11 weeks of the season. Following Kareem Hunt‘s sudden release, the 26-year-old earned reps as Spencer Ware‘s backup, and he’s started the past two games with Ware out of the lineup. After rushing for a pair of touchdowns in Week 15, he ran for a career-high 103 yards last Sunday. Williams has also established himself as a reliable target in the Chiefs’ passing game, as he’s hauled in 13 receptions over the past two weeks.
The 2014 undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma is hoping he’s found a home in Kansas City. Williams spent the first four seasons of his career with the Dolphins, but he never garnered more than 46 carries in a single season. Now, the journeyman will have an opportunity to retain his starting job next year with the Chiefs. However, Paylor cautions that the organization could still pursue a running back via free agency or the draft, where the team is armed with four picks in the first three rounds.
Chiefs G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif To Return To Practice
The Chiefs’ offense may soon receive some additional help. Guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif will practice on Wednesday, Andy Reid said (via the Kansas City Star’s Brooke Pryor, on Twitter).
Duvernay-Tardif has been on IR since early October with a fractured fibula. He can be activated in advance of Sunday’s game, if the Chiefs choose. He has missed the required eight weeks of action. If LDT can return this season and take his place back at right guard, it would reform Kansas City’s starting offensive line.
Since Duvernay-Tardif was last on the field, the Chiefs cut Kareem Hunt and have been without Sammy Watkins and Spencer Ware. Attached to a high-end guard contract, Duvernay-Tardif would be a welcome addition for a Chiefs team that has lost its past two games and likely needs to beat the Raiders on Sunday to secure home-field advantage for the first time since 1997.
Teams can activate players from IR in the playoffs, so the Chiefs would not have to bring Duvernay-Tardif onto their active roster in time for Sunday’s game. He has three weeks to be activated.
Andrew Wylie has been Kansas City’s primary starter in Duvernay-Tardif’s absence. The 2014 sixth-round pick and recent medical school graduate has started since his rookie season. He signed a five-year, $41.26MM extension early in 2017.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/24/18
Today’s workouts, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Cincinnati Bengals:
- K’s Ty Long (BC CFL), Tristan Vizcaino
Detroit Lions:
- LSs Justin Drescher, Taybor Pepper, Zach Triner; TE Erik Swoope; RB Kerwynn Williams
Indianapolis Colts:
- S Harold Jones-Quartey; LB Chris Odom; WR Brian Quick; Julius Warmsley
Kansas City Chiefs:
- LB Josh Keyes, RB Terry Swanson
New York Giants:
- DEs Tobi Antigha (SASK), Jake Ceresna (EDM); QB Bo Levi Mitchell (CALG); WRs Bryant Mitchell (EDM), Jordan Williams-Lambert (SASK); RB Terry Williams
Philadelphia Eagles:
- WRs Carlton Agudosi, Marken Michel (CALG), Devin Smith; DB Mercy Maston (EDM); LBs Alex Singleton (CALG), Jameer Thurman (CALG)
Pittsburgh Steelers:
- QB Max Browne; LB Sam Eguavoen (SASK); DE Avery Ellis (OTT); WR Dominique Rhymes (OTT
Tennessee Titans:
- WRs Kaelin Clay, Kalif Raymond; LB Tyrone Holmes; RB Akeem Hunt; DE Hau’oli Kikaha; LB Anthony Winbush
Washington Redskins:
- QBs Max Browne and Joe Callahan, WRs Tre McBride and Carlos Henderson, TE Jace Amaro, OTs Isaiah Battle and Cyrus Kouandjio, DE Hau’oli Kikaha and LB Corey Nelson
This time of year, a lot of teams are auditioning guys for potential reserve/futures deals to be a part of their 90-man rosters for 2019. It’s also common to see a lot of CFL guys getting looks this time of year, because players participating in the 2018 CFL season aren’t eligible to sign NFL contracts until after the regular season is over.
Notable 2019 Pro Bowl Incentives/Escalators
The NFL announced the 2018 Pro Bowl rosters earlier on Wednesday, and aside from determining which players will spend a week in Orlando early next year, the rosters also dictate several important bonuses and/or contract escalators for individual players. Former NFL agent and current CBSSports.com contributor Joel Corry has rounded up the notable incentives earned, and we’ll pass those along below. As Corry notes (Twitter link), only first ballot Pro Bowlers who actually participate in the game (unless injured or playing in the Super Bowl) are in bonuses, which are typically paid out by the end of March.
Here are the notable Pro Bowl bonuses and escalators that were netted last evening (all links to Corry’s Twitter):
Bonuses
- Ravens S Eric Weddle, $1MM; requires Baltimore in playoffs (link): For the second consecutive season, Weddle’s bonus will ride on the ability of the Ravens to earn a postseason berth. Baltimore is one of several teams in the mix for the AFC’s No. 6 seed, but FiveThirtyEight gives the club only a 41% chance of actually making the playoffs. Weddle, who will be entering his age-34 campaign in 2019, could potentially retire or be released before next season starts.
- Chargers C Mike Pouncey, $500K (link): Pouncey somewhat surprisingly earned a Pro Bowl nod alongside his brother, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey. Mike Pouncey hasn’t been a terrible player by any means, but Raiders center Rodney Hudson has undoubtedly been better. Signed to a two-year contract this offeason, Pouncey is due a $6MM base salary and a $1.5MM roster bonus in 2019.
- Vikings WR Adam Thielen, $500K (link): Thielen, notably, signed arguably the most team-friendly contract in the NFL in March 2017, a three-year deal that’s worth less than $20MM. By picking up a half-million dollar Pro Bowl bonus, Thielen will collect a bit more cash, but he’s still vastly underpaid. Second in the league in receptions, Thielen will count just $11.5MM total on the Vikings’ salary cap over the next two years.
- Eagles TE Zach Ertz, $100K (link): Ertz will also see his base salaries increase by $250K in each of the 2019, 2020, and 2021 campaigns. He’s already surpassed career-highs in both receptions and yardage, and could top his career-high of eight touchdowns with a strong showing down the stretch.
Escalators
- Chiefs T Eric Fisher, $500K base salary increase in 2019 (link): While Fisher hasn’t necessarily lived up to his status as a former No. 1 overall pick, he has played nearly every offensive snap for the Chiefs over the past six years while offering respectable play. He’s signed through 2021 as part of a four-year, $48MM extension he inked in 2016. Kansas City’s best tackle — Mitchell Schwartz, who mans the right side — has somehow been named second-team All-Pro for three consecutive years without ever being given a Pro Bowl nod.
- Lions CB Darius Slay, $550K base salary increase in 2019 (link): Slay needed to reach two of three thresholds in order to earn his escalator. While he hasn’t yet met a five interception requirement, he was named to the Pro Bowl and has played on at least 80% of the Lions’ defensive snaps.
- Packers WR Davante Adams, $250K base salary increase in 2019 (link): While he’s not quite at Thielen-level in terms of selling himself short, Adams arguably signed his extension with the Packers well before he needed to. Adams took a four-year, $58MM deal in December 2017, just months before he was scheduled to hit the open market. He’s vaunted to true No. 1 wideout status this year, but he’s just the NFL’s ninth-highest-paid wideout in terms of annual average.
- Eagles G Brandon Brooks, $250K base salary increase in 2019-2020 (link): Brooks, 29, is quietly one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL, and Pro Football Focus currently grades him as the No. 5 guard in the league. He’s signed through the 2020 season, although his contract does contain two void years in 2021-22 that are in place only for salary cap purposes.
Chiefs CB Kendall Fuller Unlikely To Miss Time
Although Chiefs cornerback Kendall Fuller underwent surgery for a fractured wrist, he’s not expected to miss much — if any — game action. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid says Fuller’s injury is a “short-term thing,” and indicated Fuller has a “good chance” to play against the Seahawks on Sunday night, as Brooke Pryor of the Kansas City Star tweets.
The Chiefs are still the heavy favorites to secure both the AFC West and the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC playoffs, but neither outcome is assured. Kansas City still controls its own destiny — if it defeats Seattle and Oakland to close out the season, KC will win the AFC West. However, if the Chiefs drop one of their games and the Chargers win out, Los Angeles will take the division and the No. 1 seed.
Fuller, whom the Chiefs acquired along with a third-round pick in exchange for quarterback Alex Smith, is arguably Kansas City’s best cornerback (although contract year Steven Nelson is giving him a run for his money). While the Chiefs’ defense hasn’t been great overall, that’s largely reflective of their struggles against the run. Fuller & Co. rank 15th in pass defense DVOA, while Kansas City is last in rush defense DVOA.
The 23-year-old Fuller has played nearly every defensive snap (98.4%) for the Chiefs this season, so the club will certainly be affected if he’s forced to miss even a single contest. Pro Football Focus has been a fan of Fuller’s 2018 work, grading him as the league’s 30 cornerback among 116 qualifiers. If Fuller can’t go on Sunday, Kansas City would likely move nickel corner Orlando Scandrick into the starting lineup.
Chiefs’ Kendall Fuller To Have Wrist Surgery
Chiefs cornerback Kendall Fuller is believed to have a fractured wrist that will require surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. There’s no word on Fuller’s timetable for recovery, but it’s likely that he will miss the final two games of the regular season and his availability for the playoffs is very much in question. 
[RELATED: NFL Doesn’t Plan To Make Changes After Kareem Hunt Incident]
Fuller valiantly played through the pain in Thursday night’s loss to the Chargers, but he’ll have to miss at least a couple of games after going under the knife. It’s a bad blow to a pass defense that already ranks dead last in the league.
Even with Fuller on the field, and help from Eric Berry in the first half, the Chiefs’ secondary was less than stellar on Thursday. Fuller personally picked up two penalty flags at inopportune times: a five-yard holding penalty in the second quarter and a defensive pass interference call in the end zone with seconds left in the game. After each penalty, the Chargers scores.
The Chiefs will move forward with Steven Nelson starting on one side. To replace Fuller, they’ll draw from a group that includes Orlando Scandrick, Charvarius Ward, and Tremon Smith.
Chiefs’ Eric Berry To Play Vs. Chargers
Finally, Eric Berry is ready to take the field. The Chiefs’ three-time All-Pro safety will play on Thursday night vs. the Chargers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). 
[RELATED: NFL Doesn’t Plan To Make Changes After Kareem Hunt Incident]
Berry has not seen the field since Week 1 of the 2017 season when he ruptured his left Achilles. Then, this year, he developed a heel problem on his right foot. Berry was diagnosed with Haglund’s deformity, an issue that causes pain in the Achilles area. In late November, Berry was finally cleared to practice with his teammates for the first time since training camp. On Wednesday, he got the long-awaited go-ahead to play.
The Chiefs have enjoyed a phenomenal year, even without their star safety. The 11-2 squad will be only stronger with Berry back out on the field and could push the defense closer to the unreal production of the offensive unit.
The Chiefs’ defense has allowed the third most total yards of any team in the NFL (5,325) while surrendering the most passing yards (3,663). Berry, who has three All-Pro nods and five Pro Bowl selections to his credit, could go a long way towards tamping down those numbers.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, they still won’t be at full strength for their big game against the Chargers. Running back Spencer Ware is doubtful, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter), and wide receiver Sammy Watkins has been officially ruled out. Running back Damien Williams is in line to start in place of Ware and the Chiefs will once again rely heavily on Tyreek Hill to pick up the slack at wide receiver.
NFL Doesn’t Plan To Make Changes After Kareem Hunt Incident
The NFL’s handling of the Kareem Hunt incident has some owners questioning whether the league should change its procedures or get out of investigations altogether. However, the NFL isn’t planning to make any adjustments in that arena at this time, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post. 
League owners will huddle up in Dallas on Wednesday, and the recent events surrounding Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster (formerly of the 49ers) and Hunt may be a topic of discussion. However, the owners might not be able to make any real changes until the next round of labor talks with the NFLPA. Even assuming they can get the players on board, they’ll need a consensus among owners to change Roger Goodell‘s disciplinary procedures.
The personal conduct policy was revised in 2014, bringing harsher penalties for domestic violence incidents and empowering the league office to conduct independent investigations. However, without subpoena power and a willingness to pay for security footage, the NFL’s investigative branch is somewhat limited. It’s possible that some owners will advocate for the investigative arm to stand, but with a change to policy that will allow the league to pay for video evidence and obtain footage before outlets like TMZ.
For now, Hunt and Foster are on the Commissioners’ Exempt List, meaning that they are barred from playing. Hunt is technically a free agent, but it’s unlikely that any team will consider signing him until he is formally suspended by the NFL.
Reid Expects Hill To Play In Week 15
- With a home game against the Chargers and a road tilt in Seattle, the Chiefs have a tough back-to-back assignment coming up. Their top wide receiver likely will not be 100 percent for those games. Tyreek Hill said Sunday, via NBC Sports’ Peter King, his foot was “bad.” Hill left Sunday’s overtime win because of injury but returned, and Andy Reid expects the deep threat to play against the Bolts on Thursday. The Chiefs possessed a top-flight skill-position quartet, powering Patrick Mahomes‘ MVP candidacy, this season. But they are now without Kareem Hunt and Sammy Watkins, the latter likely out until the playoffs. Hill has not missed an NFL game due to injury. A Hill absence would make Kansas City vulnerable against a Chargers team that would move into an 11-3 tie atop the AFC West with a win. That said, the Chiefs would still hold the divisional-record tiebreaker and keep the top spot.
Chiefs CEO On Release Of Kareem Hunt
Speaking for the first time publicly on the release of Kareem Hunt, Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt admitted the team knew about all three of the running back’s offseason incidents (via Brooke Pryor of the Kansas City Star). The CEO also hinted that the organization was instructed by the NFL to allow the league office to handle the investigation. 
“We did know about that, yes, we were familiar with all three of the incidents that he had had in the offseason,” said Clark Hunt. “They’d all been reported to the NFL, and the NFL was investigating them.”
At the start of the season, two known offseason incidents involving the running back were known – an altercation at a Kansas City nightclub and the ugly hotel brawl in February. The Chiefs have been long aware that Hunt also allegedly punched a man in the face in June, even though that did not surface publicly until earlier this month. Of course, the Chiefs say they did not see the footage of the hotel incident until it was leaked on Nov. 30, which is why Hunt was on the roster until that fateful day.
“I don’t think we were necessarily trying to make a statement, we just felt that the best thing for the Kansas City Chiefs moving forward was for us to part ways with Kareem,” Clark Hunt said. “We were obviously shocked by the video, like anybody who saw it, and we’d had some issues with Kareem not being truthful with what happened that night, and we just really felt for everybody’s best interests we needed to head in a different direction.”
Now a free agent, Kareem Hunt is undergoing counseling for anger management and alcohol use and attending women’s group sessions. It’s unlikely that Hunt will be signed until he is formally suspended by the NFL, but several teams have already reached out to him and will continue to monitor his progress. Ray Rice was not given a second chance in the NFL after video of his assault made international headlines, but league sources expect him to suit up in 2019, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.