NFC Notes: Ellington, Cowboys, Eagles
Cardinals running back Andre Ellington suffered a PCL sprain in Sunday’s game, as first reported by Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) and confirmed by head coach Bruce Arians (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). While Anderson suggested a recovery timetable of two to three weeks for Ellington, Arians indicated his running back could just miss one week, and the team hasn’t ruled him out for its Week 2 game yet.
If Ellington isn’t able to practice by Friday, it will likely lead to a flurry of roster moves for the Cardinals, according to Arians. As ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss tweets, the team could promote running back Kerwynn Williams to its roster for next Sunday’s game against the Bears.
- With Dez Bryant expected to miss at least a month, the Cowboys will sign a wide receiver for depth purposes, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), on the other hand, hears that the team is still undecided on whether to sign a receiver. If Dallas signs a wideout, I wouldn’t expect him to play a major role in the offense in Bryant’s absence.
- Sam Bradford‘s start in tonight’s game eliminates the possibility of the Eagles getting the Rams‘ 2016 third-round pick, as Adam Schefter of ESPN notes. Philadelphia would have received that pick if Bradford hadn’t been able to play a game this season due to injury. Now, it’s worth watching whether or not the former first overall pick will play 50% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps — if he doesn’t, Philadelphia will get St. Louis’ 2016 fourth-rounder.
- Former Eastern Washington offensive tackle Jake Rodgers, cut earlier this month by the Falcons, has a tryout with the Saints on Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link).
- Three defensive backs – former Rams cornerback Montell Garner, ex-Seahawks safety Ryan Murphy, and former Bengals safety Floyd Raven – worked out for the Packers, tweets Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com. Green Bay also auditioned defensive end Martin Ifedi, a 2015 seventh-round pick who was cut by St. Louis.
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News examines 49ers CEO Jed York‘s legacy in San Francisco.
- If St. Louis wants to keep the Rams, one critical issue to work through is who will pay cost overruns, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
Extra Points: Smith, Preseason, Patriots, Steelers
The Raiders signing of Aldon Smith isn’t an indication that the linebacker will avoid punishment for his arrest in August, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. According to the writer, the NFL is currently “reviewing Smith’s case under the substance-abuse policy,” with the DUI charge being the main focus.
While he could be considered a repeat offender, Florio notes that the vandalism and hit-and-run charges “won’t create any significant problems” since they don’t involve violence against another person.
The issue surrounding Smith could be the potential violation of his treatment plan stemming from his previous substance-abuse punishment. If the linebacker is in Stage 3 of the program, Florio says he could be subject to a one-year suspension.
Let’s check out some more notes from around the league…
- Florio reports that the NFL is currently reviewing how revenue would be lost by reducing the preseason by “as many” as two games. If the schedule is cut down, the NFL would look to recover their lost money via an extended regular season or expanded playoffs.
- ESPN’s Field Yates passes along a pair of roster bonuses that were earned today (via Twitter): Colts linebacker Robert Mathis ($1MM) and Rams wideout Kenny Britt ($500K).
- The Patriots asked for the league to reinstate their two suspended staffers, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says that Troy Vincent, the league’s Executive VP of Football Operations, has formally requested to meet with the duo prior to any decision. Equipment staffer John Jastremski and locker room attendant Jim McNally were suspended indefinitely in May following the release of the Wells Report.
- The Steelers released a statement regarding tight end coach James Daniel‘s interaction with Patriots fans following his team’s opening-night loss. “We have conducted an internal inquiry into the alleged incident involving Assistant Coach James Daniel at the Patriots stadium Thursday night. After interviews with Coach Daniel as well as other personnel who witnessed the alleged encounter, we find no corroboration that Coach Daniel was involved in any physical altercation with a fan,” the organization said (via Conor Orr of NFL.com). “Coach Daniel has worked as an assistant coach for the Steelers for the past 12 seasons. We have a high level of confidence in his character and are confident that any further investigation of this incident will reveal he was not part of any assault or misconduct involving a Patriots fan.”
NFC West Notes: Chancellor, Rams, 49ers
A look at the latest regarding the NFC West:
- There’s nothing new to report regarding star safety Kam Chancellor‘s holdout, according to Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta). “We all want Kam here,” said Carroll. Chancellor is poised to miss Seattle’s opener against St. Louis on Sunday.
- Prior to signing with Oakland on Friday, outside linebacker Aldon Smith drew interest from a handful of teams. The Rams weren’t among his serious suitors, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). While the Rams discussed Smith internally, Thomas added that they never contacted the 25-year-old (via Twitter).
- Speaking of Smith, his ex-teammates and coaches in San Francisco don’t harbor any ill will toward him after his tenure with the 49ers ended because of off-field issues. “I’m really happy for him. He’s a guy that I had great experience with,” said defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, according to Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News. Added linebacker Eli Harold, who is tasked with trying to replace Smith, “Everyone deserves a second chance. I’m happy for him.”
- The 49ers’ Ahmad Brooks, another linebacker beset by off-field problems, will be a full go for the team’s opener against Minnesota on Monday. “I don’t expect any restrictions on Ahmad at all,” Mangini said, per Eric Branch of SFGate.com. Mangini also showered praise on Brooks, saying, “Ahmad has been a guy — throughout the spring and throughout camp — I’ve really been impressed with his work ethic, his toughness, his consistency, his approach in the classroom.”
Extra Points: Los Angeles, Raiders, Wilkerson
As the Rams, Raiders, and Chargers jockey to get into Los Angeles, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter links) hears that the NFL could look to put one team in L.A. in 2016 and another in 2017 and delay the opening of new stadium to 2019 so that the second team has sufficient time to market. Meanwhile, if the Raiders are the team that gets squeezed out, some have floated the idea of them relocating to San Diego while the Bolts and Rams to go Inglewood.
Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) hears that there is no Sunday deadline for the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson to hammer out a contract. If necessary, he hears that the Jets and Wilkerson will continue discussions into the season. On Thursday, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported that the two sides are “nowhere close on a deal.” He also heard from a source that Wilkerson will not negotiate during the season.
- The Panthers will work out former Giants defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Ellis, who was released on Sunday in favor of Louis Nix, spent four seasons with the Jets before signing with Big Blue in March.
- Texans starting inside linebacker Mike Mohamed is out two to four weeks with a calf injury, according to sources who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
Extra Points: Los Angeles, Moeller, Catapano
If two teams are to wind up in Los Angeles, it could happen by commissioner Roger Goodell locking Rams owner Stan Kroenke and Chargers owner Dean Spanos in a room and demanding that they work it out, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times writes. However, if the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders all continue to insist on moving to L.A., then things could get ugly in a hurry. In that scenario, the Rams would push the Inglewood project and the Chargers and Raiders would push their joint venture in Carson in an all-or-nothing vote. These types of NFL decisions require a three-quarters majority (meaning the support of 24 of 32 owners) and it’s generally believed that the Rams and Chargers-Raiders have the requisite nine votes to block the other. If both plans are voted down, that means no one will be moving to Los Angeles for the 2016 season.
Here’s more from around the league..
- The woman who accused Browns offensive line coach Andy Moeller of assaulting her said he “tried to strangle me and beat me up” in her 911 call, as Evan MacDonald of the Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. The woman also said that Moeller might have been drinking that night. Moeller has been suspended indefinetly by the Browns and he may face assault charges based off of these allegations.
- Prior to signing with the Jets‘ taxi squad, defensive end Mike Catapano had workouts scheduled with the Bears, Packers, and Vikings, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The Long Island native was in heavy demand, according to Wilson.
- A federal judge has dismissed the NFL Players Association’s claim that the NFL engaged in illegal collusion to hold down player salaries during the uncapped 2010 season, as Michael David Smith of PFT writes. The union had claimed that teams broke labor laws by agreeing to effectively have a cap even though it was an uncapped year, but the judge said that any such claim from the NFLPA was nullified by the fact that both sides signed the 2011 CBA.
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC West
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC West teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams are noted below.
Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE Brandon Bostick (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky)
- CB Robert Nelson (Twitter link via Darren Urban)
- DL Lawrence Okoye (Twitter link via Doug Kyed)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed to practice squad (link via Matt Maiocco):
- WR DiAndre Campbell
- CB Marcus Cromartie
- RB Kendall Gaskins
- DT Kaleb Ramsey
- OLB Marcus Rush
- NT Garrison Smith
- QB Dylan Thompson
- OG Andrew Tiller (Twitter link via Matt Barrows)
- S Jermaine Whitehead (Twitter link via Barrows)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed to practice squad:
- TE RaShaun Allen (Twitter link via Bob Condotta)
- CB Justin Coleman (Twitter link via Mike Kaye)
- OL Will Pericak (Twitter link via Condotta)
- LB Eric Pinkins (Twitter link via Condotta)
- T Terry Poole (Twitter link via Condotta)
- CB Kevin Short (Twitter link via Terez Paylor)
- WR Kevin Smith (Twitter link via Condotta)
- RB Rod Smith (Twitter link via Condotta)
- WR Kasen Williams (Twitter link via Rob Rang)
St. Louis Rams
- Signed to practice squad:
- T Isaiah Battle (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport)
- RB Malcolm Brown (link)
- S Christian Bryant (link)
- TE Justice Cunningham (Twitter link via Jim Thomas)
- S Jacob Hagen (link)
- FB Zach Laskey (link)
- DE Matt Longacre (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- CB Trovon Reed (link)
- DT Louis Trinca-Pasat (Twitter link via Thomas)
- DT Doug Worthington (link)
Davis, Jones Among Rams’ Final Cuts
Thought to have the upper hand in the Rams’ center competition, Barrett Jones was one of St. Louis’ roster cuts as it trimmed to 53 players (according to Myles Simmons of the team’s website).
Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney ended up sticking on the roster due to having better positional versatility than Jones, an Alabama product who the Rams took in the fourth round in 2013, per ESPN.com’s Nick Waggoner.
An undrafted free agent in 2011, Barnes is listed as the Rams’ starting snapper.
The Rams also waived Austin Davis, who started eight games for the team last season in Sam Bradford‘s absence. Davis threw for over 2,000 yards and completed 63.4% of his passes in his first game sample.
Here are the rest of the Rams’ cuts:
- Alex Bayer, TE
- Emory Blake, WR
- Malcolm Brown, RB
- Christian Bryant, S
- Justice Cunningham, TE
- Marcus Fortson, DT
- Montell Garner, CB
- Jacob Hagen, S
- Martin Ifedi, DE
- Zach Laskey, FB
- Matt Longacre, DE
- Marshall McFadden, LB
- Brandon McGee, CB
- Trovon Reed, CB
- Daniel Rodriguez, WR
- Louis Trinca-Pasat, DT
- Brandon Washington, OL
Rams Release Jo-Lonn Dunbar
One year into a two-year agreement, the Rams parted ways with Jo-Lonn Dunbar as they cut their roster to 53 on Saturday.
Akeem Ayers‘ March signing made Dunbar more expendable, writes Nick Waggoner of ESPN.com.
Dunbar signed a two-year, $3.5MM deal with the Rams prior to the 2014 season that saw him reprise a similar role from 2013. The Rams initially signed Dunbar from the Saints, where he played from 2008-11 after going undrafted.
Coming off the field on most passing downs while James Laurinaitis and Alec Ogletree played three-down roles, Dunbar was the Rams’ worst-rated starting linebacker, per Pro Football Focus, in each of his last two seasons in St. Louis.
In 2012, however, PFF tabbed Dunbar as the Rams’ best linebacker. Dunbar played both strong- and weak-side positions with the Rams, who will go with special-teamer Daren Bates, seventh-rounder Bryce Hager and undrafted rookie Cameron Lynch behind their top trio this season.
Rams Cut Isaiah Battle
8:31pm: Should a team claim Battle on waivers, it would have to pick up Battle’s $80K in bonus guarantees, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.
7:11pm: After using a fifth-round pick in this summer’s supplemental draft on Isaiah Battle, the Rams determined the Clemson product was not ready for action, waiving the rookie tackle, according to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt (on Twitter).
The Rams lost a 2016 fifth-round draft pick as a result of Battle’s selection and now have nothing to show for it. Battle was the only player picked in this year’s supplemental draft.
Battle couldn’t usurp either Andrew Donnal or Darrell Williams on the second team of the Rams’ depth chart. St. Louis kept 10 offensive linemen, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).
The 22-year-old must pass through waivers.
Rams/Chargers To Join Forces On L.A. Stadium?
A pairing of the Rams and Chargers in Inglewood, Calif. is gaining momentum among NFL owners who fear that the Raiders don’t have the cash to make the move work, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. At this time, the Rams are on board with that plan but the Bolts are reluctant since there isn’t “a lot of trust” between the two teams at this time (link).
Long-term, Cole wonders aloud (link) if the Raiders’ financial situation could force Mark Davis to sell the team to someone with deeper pockets. He also hears that NFL owners and executives are kicking around the idea of moving the Jaguars to St. Louis to replace the Rams if they head west (link). Nothing is certain at this time, but it sounds like there could be a serious domino effect stemming from the NFL’s venture into the Los Angeles market.
Meanwhile, Floyd Kephart, the man trying to redevelop the Oakland Coliseum complex and finance construction of a new stadium for the Raiders, has been pitching his plan to the team for several months. As it turns out, that proposal didn’t jive with the team’s “terms and conditions” for deal and is a non-starter for the Raiders, Matthew Artz of the Bay Area News Group writes. In short, the Raiders made it clear to Kephart that they needed to control stadium revenues to help pay for the team’s $500MM contribution toward the stadium, including a $200MM stadium loan from the NFL. Kephart’s proposal, meanwhile, would have had the financial shortfall filled primarily through issuing bonds backed by future stadium revenue.