Matt Moore Turns Down Titans Workout
Austin Davis‘ signing with the Titans would seem to indicate they’ve decided on the outside quarterback investment they’ll be making while Marcus Mariota and Blaine Gabbert deal with injuries. But Tennessee wanted a more experienced backup option to come in for a workout.
The Titans sought Matt Moore for a workout this week, Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com tweets. Moore, though, decided against attending. He also turned down a chance to take part in a now-extensive 49ers signal-caller audition. There may be more to this as well.
Moore served as Ryan Tannehill‘s backup with the Dolphins for five seasons, but Miami chose to sign Jay Cutler after its starter went down last summer, adding $10MM to the payroll rather than just promoting Moore. Rumors of Moore having arm trouble are out there, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweeting Moore didn’t get the Dolphins’ job in 2017 because his arm was “shot.”
It’s uncertain if that’s true, but the 34-year-old passer turning down multiple opportunities this week is certainly interesting. Earlier this offseason, Moore discussed a deal with the Chiefs and Texans but was willing to wait for the right fit. The Dolphins’ decision to sign Cutler last year reportedly irked Moore as well.
Moore took over for an injured Tannehill in 2016 and led the Dolphins to the playoffs. He did not fare as well in two starts for Cutler last year, his yards-per-attempt figure dropping from 8.3 to 6.8 and his interception count (five) eclipsing his touchdown-pass total (four).
Dolphins DE Andre Branch To Miss Time
Dolphins defensive end Andre Branch suffered a knee injury on Sunday that will cause him to miss 2-4 weeks of action, a source tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). It’s a bad blow for a Dolphins D that will also be without fellow defensive end William Hayes for the remainder of the season. 
The Dolphins entered the year with solid edge rushing depth, but they’ll now have to rely heavily on Charles Harris to rotate in for starting defensive ends Cameron Wake and Robert Quinn. They’ll have to add a player or two for depth, at the very least, and there aren’t a ton of impact DEs left on the open market. Robert Ayers, who had a one-day stint with the Lions in late August, is one of the most notable names left in free agency. Odds are, the Dolphins will have to settle for some less inspiring options while they wait for Branch to heal up.
Branch, 29, tallied five tackles in the first three weeks of the season. In his two previous Dolphins seasons, Branch amassed ten sacks and played mostly as a starter.
Dolphins DL William Hayes Done For Season
Dolphins defensive lineman William Hayes is out for the season, coach Adam Gase told reporters on Monday morning. Hayes suffered a torn ACL while sacking Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. 
“He was trying to not put his body weight on the quarterback and that happened,” Gase said.
Hayes was traded to Miami in the 2017 offseason following five years with the Rams organization. The 33-year-old proceeded to play in ten games for the Dolphins, compiling 19 tackles and a single sack. This was a far cry from his performance with the Rams, as Hayes collected at least four sacks each season between 2012 and 2016. Despite the underwhelming numbers, Pro Football Focus was fond of his performance in 2017.
This year, Hayes was off to a productive start with two sacks through three games in a part-time role. Unfortunately, he’ll be shelved for the rest of the year before hitting free agency in March.
Dolphins Envisioned Different McMillan Role
- The Dolphins‘ intentions for Raekwon McMillan — set to be their starting middle linebacker in 2017 prior to a season-nullifying injury — was not to play him in their nickel package, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald notes. However, McMillan is now being used as a three-down player this year. Pro Football Focus has graded McMillan as one of its worst coverage ‘backers through two games, and Salguero adds Jerome Baker was brought in this year via third-round pick to help in coverage. While McMillan remains a part of Miami’s nickel set, Baker is pushing for a role there, per Salguero, as passing-down backs like James White, Giovani Bernard and Tarik Cohen loom on the Fins’ first-half schedule.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/20/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account:
Arizona Cardinals
- QB Malik Zaire; RB Troymaine Pope; WR Bennie Fowler (link)
Atlanta Falcons
- C Hroniss Grasu (link)
Cleveland Browns
- DT Brian Price (link)
Houston Texans
- LB Azeem Victor; CB Arrion Springs (link)
Los Angeles Chargers
- LB Ufomba Kamalu (link)
Miami Dolphins
- TEs Billy Brown, Austin Traylor (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- LB Azeem Victor; CB Tony Lippett; S Marwin Evans (link)
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/19/18
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Jalen Simmons
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DB Makinton Dorleant
Detroit Lions
- Signed WR Keon Hatcher
- Released: LB Alex Barrett
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: QB Brandon Allen, DE Marcus Martin
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Nick O’Leary
Minnesota Vikings
- Released: S Jack Tocho
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Darnell Sankey
- Released: QB J.T. Barrett
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DL Gabe Wright
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: LB Asantay Brown
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: C Marcus Henry
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/18
Monday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: CB Maurice Canady
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: T Cam Robinson
- Waived: WR Rashad Greene
Los Angeles Rams
- Placed on IR: WR Michael Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: S Maurice Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: WR Nick Williams
- Waived: WR Cameron Batson, TE Anthony Firkser
Washington Redskins
- Waived: WR Jehu Chesson
Extra Points: Giants, Manning, Dolphins, Sitton, Seahawks, Kendricks, Cowboys, Bryant
One of the most talked about storylines of the 2018 NFL offseason was what the Giants would do with the second overall pick. Many thought they would take a quarterback to succeed Eli Manning in New York, but the team opted for running back Saquon Barkley instead. Tyler Dunne of Bleacher Report is out with a new feature on Manning and the Giants where he writes about Manning’s determination to prove the Giants didn’t make a mistake.
While he writes “the decision to stick with Manning could go down as one of the worst blunders in NFL history” due to the high-level quarterbacks, like Sam Darnold, available at number two in this year’s draft, Manning still believes he’s got a lot left in the tank. Manning said he’s entirely focused on proving to the Giants that “they did make the right decision” and that he has one last title run left in him. The full piece is full of juicy tidbits and well worth a read to get a look inside the 2018 Giants and the last few tumultuous years for one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in recent memory.
Here’s more from around the league:
- The Dolphins lost starting guard Josh Sitton for the season earlier this week, but despite the huge blow to their offensive line, the team won’t be looking for outside help to replace him according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). The Dolphins also expect Sitton to be back with the team in 2019, Jackson notes.
- The Seahawks signed legally troubled linebacker Mychal Kendricks in part because they were upset with the play of rookie Shaquem Griffin according to Bob Condotta of The Athletic. Condotta notes that coach Pete Carroll specifically called out Griffin following the team’s loss to the Broncos, and that the front office immediately began looking for linebacking help.
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and free agent receiver Dez Bryant were recently spotted at a concert together, sparking rumors of a potential reunion between the two sides. Stephen Jones, the team’s Executive Vice President, threw cold water on the speculation, saying “we feel really good about our receiving corps moving forward” and indicating they wouldn’t be looking for outside help according to Jon Machota of Dallas News. While he mostly denied it, it’s worth noting he didn’t 100% rule out the team bringing Dez back in.
Dolphins G Josh Sitton Done For Season
Dolphins guard Josh Sitton will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn rotator cuff against the Titans on Sunday, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Miami has officially placed Sitton on injured reserve.
Miami isn’t sure at what point in the game Sutton suffered his shoulder injury, as the veteran offensive lineman may have originally felt a strain before another hit exacerbated the ailment. Once Sitton was told the nature of the injury, he asked if he could play through it for the rest of the year, per Salguero. However, the Dolphins’ medical staff told Sitton he’d be risking further health issues by playing: indeed, the tear could become so severe that surgery wouldn’t even help correct it, making it a career-ender.
Although guard has been a perennial problem in Miami, the Dolphins do have a capable Sitton replacement in veteran guard Ted Larsen. The 31-year-old has been a full-time starter at various points in his career, and offers 111 career games under his belt. Per Salguero, Larsen filed in for Sitton when the latter was sidelined during the summer, so he should have a familiarity with the rest of Miami’s front five.
If Larsen proves to be incapable of taking over for Sitton, however, the Dolphins could choose to look at the free agent guard market. While there are obviously no stars left available, competent options still remain unsigned. Oday Aboushi, John Jerry, Alex Boone, Jonathan Cooper, Luke Joeckel, and Jahri Evans (who’s only played right guard) could potentially interest Miami.
Sitton, 32, joined the Dolphins this spring on a two-year deal after being cut by the Bears. Although minor health issues had been a concern, Sitton was been outstanding in the Windy City. Just last season, Sitton ranked as the the fifth-best guard in the league, per Pro Football Focus, and his marks have remained steady throughout the duration of his career. Despite that production, Chicago opted to decline Sitton’s $8MM option for 2018.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/11/18
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Buffalo Bills
- DT Du’Vonta Lumpkin (link)
Carolina Panthers
- WRs Donteea Dye, Brandon Reilly (link)
Cleveland Browns
- RB Mark Thompson (per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com); TE Vince Mayle; G Spencer Drango; C Anthony Fabiano; LBs Richie Brown, Tegray Scales (per Caplan)
Green Bay Packers
- TEs Troy Mangen, Ethan Wolf; CBs Trevon Mathis, Linden Stephens (link)
Houston Texans
- OTs Christian DiLauro, Rees Odhiambo, David Sharpe; G Will Holden; DT Josh Banks; Ks Jon Brown, Sam Ficken, Kai Forbath; Ps Brad Nortman, Colton Schmidt, Justin Vogel; LS Zach Triner (link)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- FB Jalston Fowler; LBs Kennan Gilchrist, Nigel Harris, Jacob Pugh, Antwione Williams; DE Charles Tapper (link)
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
- G Spencer Drango; C Anthony Fabiano; LBs Richie Brown, Tegray Scales; CB Herb Waters (link)
New York Jets
- LB Harvey Langi (link)
Seattle Seahawks
- LBs Tre’von Johnson, Emmanuel Smith (per Caplan)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- QBs Brogan Roback, Josh Woodrum; RBs Matthew Dayes, Akrum Wadley; WR Isaac Whitney; CBs Jeremy Boykins (link)
Washington Redskins
- QB Kyle Allen (per Wilson); WRs Jehu Chesson, Amba Etta-Tawo, Jordan Leslie, Devin Lucien, Ka’Raun White; LB Kennan Gilchrist (per Balzer)