Injury Updates: Monday
Bears defensive end Lamarr Houston and Jaguars cornerback Will Blackmon have both officially landed on their respective teams‘ injured reserve lists today, though both those injuries were suffered in Week 8 games. Teams are still diagnosing injuries suffered by players in Week 9, so we’ll provide the day’s injury updates in the space below, with the latest items added to the top of the page throughout the day….
- As first reported by Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link), the Dolphins believe safety Michael Thomas‘ season is over due to a pectoral injury. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) and James Walker of ESPN.com have since confirmed that Thomas will be out for the year and that he should land on IR later this week. The loss of Thomas will have an impact on the Dolphins’ special teams and on the nickel package of a defensive unit that’s coming off its best game of the year.
- Although the Broncos feared that linebacker Nate Irving suffered structural damage to his knee ligaments, the initial diagnosis suggests he has a sprained MCL and should return this season, according to Jeff Legwold and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Still, Irving will undergo more tests before the team determines his potential recovery timetable.
- Head coach Chip Kelly confirmed today to reporters, including Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), that Nick Foles has a crack in his clavicle and underwent an MRI this afternoon. The Eagles signal-caller is expected to be sidelined for several weeks as his collarbone heals.
Injury Updates: Sunday
While we don’t cover every injury here at PFR, we will detail health concerns that could force teams to make significant roster moves. We’ll keep a running list of such injuries here, with the newest updates being added to the top:
- Cowboys’ defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford suffered a troubling knee injury that involves MCL damage, reports Tim MacMAhon of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter).
- Texans‘ running back Arian Foster suffered a groin injury during the loss to the Eagles earlier today, but fortunately it does not look to be serious, reports Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter).
Earlier Updates
- Eagles quarterback Nick Foles left today’s contest against the Texans and will not return, the team announced. A source tells Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that the club fears Foles may have a clavicle injury. Mark Sanchez is on in relief of Foles at QB.
- Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph will not return today after suffering a concussion, tweets John Clayton of ESPN. Meanhwhile, running back Arian Foster headed to the locker room with a head injury, per Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
- Jets quarterback Michael Vick also went to the locker room after suffering an injury against the Chiefs, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter). With Geno Smith inactive, Matt Simms has taken over at QB.
- Eagles linebacker DeMeco Ryans suffered a non-contact injury, and had to be carted off the field, according to Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Dolphins running back Lamar Miller suffered a shoulder injury against the Chargers and is questionable to return.
AFC East Notes: Smith, Branch, Marino, Bills
The Jets have moved on from Geno Smith as the undisputed starter, but they need to close the book on the struggling quarterback altogether, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. He writes that putting Smith back in the game this season will only cloud the quarterback situation further, and that the team needs to draft a new signal-caller in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
- Defensive tackle Alan Branch is – finally – a member of the Patriots. Christopher Price of WEEI.com looked at what the former Seahawks notable can bring to New England.
- Dolphins‘ Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino has been privately tutoring the team’s current quarterbacks, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. Ryan Tannehill and backup Matt Moore are both getting personal attention from the all-time great passer.
- The Bills have been great on the road in 2014, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Even receiver Mike Williams, who has had his troubles with the organization, has bought in. “It’s more of the family atmosphere with us. On the road, we’ve all got to stay together. All the trips, you’ve got to be with your team,” said Williams. “I think that got us a lot closer. On the road, we hang with each other more, we in the hotel with each other, we go out to new places and chill with each other. I think us just being together more on the road is showing up.”
Zach Links contrributed to this post.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
They may not be the sort of deadline-day transactions we’re hoping for, but some teams around the league are making roster moves, adding and subtracting players from their respective practice squads. We’ll track the latest updates below:
- The Broncos have added receiver Douglas McNeil to their practice squad, reports Troy Renck of the Denver Post. An Arena League standout, the 26-year-old McNeil caught 66 balls for 858 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 games for the Portland Thunder. He takes the practice squad spot of John Boyett, who was released last week following his arrest for assault.
- The Colts announced receiver Chandler Jones was signed to their practice squad at the expense of running back Jeff Demps. This will be Jones’ second stint with the Colts this season, while Demps’ stay with the team lasted just a week. Jones is an undrafted free agent out of San Jose State, where he is the school’s all-time leading receiver.
- The Giants have cut linebacker Carlos Fields from their practice squad, according to NJ.com’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter).
- Running back Ben Malena has replaced cornerback Kendall James on the Texans‘ practice squad, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The Rams have signed offensive tackle Steven Baker to their taxi squad, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The club had plenty of space to add Baker without cutting a player, but released quarterback Garrett Gilbert from the practice squad nonetheless, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
- Wideout Tavarres King has signed to the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, says Caplan (via Twitter). The team doesn’t have any openings on its PS, but after today’s trades, there are two spots available on the active roster, so I imagine at least one player is in line for a promotion.
Earlier updates:
- The Dolphins performed a bit of an overhaul on their practice squad today, adding tight end Evan Wilson, tight end Gerell Robinson, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin to replace quarterback Seth Lobato, tight end Jake Murphy, and defensive back Rod Sweeting, per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter links).
- With backup running back Stepfan Taylor expected to be sidelined for the near future, the Cardinals have added some backfield insurance via their practice squad, signing running back Zach Bauman, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Cornerback Anthony Gaitor has been waived to make room for the new addition.
- Wide receiver Jace Davis, who was with the Ravens during training camp and the preseason, has re-signed with the team’s practice squad, according to a press release. Davis takes the 10th and final spot, which had been vacated after tight end Phillip Supernaw was promoted to the active roster on the weekend.
AFC East Notes: Vick, Jets, Bills, Patriots
After suffering a 43-23 loss at the hands of the Bills yesterday, the Jets will make a change at quarterback, head coach Rex Ryan announced today (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Michael Vick will take over under center, while second-year signal-caller Geno Smith, who completed two of eight passes with three interceptions before being benched, will ride the pine for the forseeable future. While Ryan said this change wasn’t necessarily permanent for the remainder of the season (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News), it’s easy to see the implications of this move. Ryan needs to win games immediately to have any chance at saving his job, and while Vick, 34 and a free agent after the season, obviously isn’t the long-term solution for New York, Smith hasn’t proven that he should be the starter going forward, either. The transition from Smith to Vick will undoubtedly have implications for the 2015 offseason, as general manager John Idzik & Co. make their decisions on Ryan, Smith, and the rest of the roster. Here’s more from the AFC East.
- In addition to affirming his support for Ryan as head coach, Idzik took the blame for the Jets‘ 1-7 start during a press conference today. “Ultimately I am responsible for the performance of our team and the product that we put on the field,” Idzik told reporters, including Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today. “That lies with me. The buck stops here. My performance, to date, is unsatisfactory.”
- When asked if he would be involved in trade deadline talks, Bills coach Doug Marrone replied, “I would hope so… but I learned in this league you never know,” according to ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (on Twitter).
- There is no still official confirmation of a deal between Alan Branch and the Patriots, tweets Shalise Young of the Boston Globe. Reports of an agreement between the two sides surfaced three days ago, and though Branch has been assigned a number and a locker, New England has yet to announce the transaction.
- Though the Patriots did make a trade for ex-Titan Akeem Ayers, head coach Bill Belichick explains to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe why such midseason deals are “tricky.”
- James Walker of ESPN.com examines whether the Dolphins should buy, sell, or stand pat as tomorrow’s trade deadline approaches.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
AFC East Notes: Jackson, Chandler Jones, Jets
The Patriots are rumored to be on the lookout for help at running back and wide receiver in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, and Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald believes such an addition would be ideal. Although the team recently acquired Akeem Ayers via trade, Guregian says “Band-Aids” like Ayers and Isaac Sopoaga, who came to New England at the 2013 trade deadline, are not enough to make the Patriots realistic contenders for the AFC Crown.
Instead, she believes the team needs to make a deal similar to the one it swung for Aqib Talib back in 2012. Guregian mentions a series of pipe dreams, like the Texans‘ Andre Johnson and the Redskins‘ Pierre Garcon, but while she does not mention Vincent Jackson, it appears as if he could be a realistic option. Jackson would give Tom Brady a dynamic target whose size and physicality complements the speed and shiftiness of Julian Edelman, and, as James Walker of ESPN.com tweets, his presence would give New England a real chance of upsetting the Broncos if the two teams should meet again in the playoffs.
Now for some more notes from the AFC East:
- CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports that Patriots defensive lineman Chandler Jones will not need surgery on his injured hip. He will be out, however, for at least four weeks, though he does hope to be ready for the stretch run.
- Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News opines that the Jets are better off tanking in 2014 to assure themselves of the chance to draft a true difference maker in 2015.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes that the Dolphins have a deep roster without glaring weaknesses–unlike their division rivals–and rather than make a big addition, Miami simply needs more consistency to make a legitimate run at the AFC East.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are today’s minor transactions, with the latest updates at the top of the list:
- The Raiders are set to activate cornerback D.J. Hayden, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The No. 12 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Hayden played in eight games as a rookie and started two. The club has filled their other remaining vacancy by signing defensive end Denico Autry to the active roster, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Rams placed Brandon McGee on the injured reserve with a foot injury while replacing him with Jemea Thomas from the practice squad, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. McGee hasn’t played since Week 2.
- The Dolphins announced (on Twitter) that they have waived wide receiver Damian Williams to make space for Jordan.
- The Dolphins are moving defensive end Dion Jordan to the active roster today, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. There’s no word yet on a corresponding move, but they’ll have to cut someone to make space. Jordan was recently reinstated from his six-game suspension.
- The Cardinals signed wide receiver Solomon Patton to their practice squad while cutting fellow WR Jalen Saunders, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Ravens waived tight end Ryan Taylor and promoted fellow tight end Phillip Supernaw from the practice squad, tweets Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
- The Lions announced that they have suspended defensive tackle C.J. Mosley for two weeks for conduct detrimental to the team and subsquently sent him home from London earlier today. To fill his spot, Detroit has signed safety Jerome Couplin from the practice squad, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (on Twitter).
- In addition to center Daniel Kilgore, the 49ers have also placed cornerback Chris Cook on the injured reserve. The team has signed safety Bubba Ventrone to fill one of the two roster spots.
- The Jaguars have cut wide receiver Tavarres King and signed cornerback Peyton Thompson, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. The writer adds that the move was made as insurance in case injured cornerback Dwayne Gratz can’t play this weekend.
- Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweets that center Nick McDonald was activated from the Browns‘ non-football injury list. To make room on the roster, the team waived tight end Gerell Robinson.
AFC Links: Sanders, Dolphins, Verrett, Harvin
Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders posted career-high numbers while catching passes from Peyton Manning during last night’s game, racking up nine catches for 120 yards and three touchdowns. But if offseason negotiations had worked out differently, Sanders could’ve been working with a different future Hall of Famer — Tom Brady. As Chris Wesseling of NFL.com details, Sanders, who signed an offer sheet with the Patriots as a restricted free agent in 2013, was interested in signing with New England during the 2014 offseason, but only at the right price. “Emmanuel loved it there,” said Sanders’ agent, Steve Weinberg. “He said, ‘Give me Danny Amendola‘s deal and I’m there.'” The Pats gave Amendola a five-year, $28.5MM deal in 2013, while Sanders ultimately scored just $13MM over three years with Denver. “New England was competitive throughout the process,” continued Weinberg. “Had they been aggressive from the beginning it would have gotten done, but, in this market, nobody knew what to do with the wide receivers.” Here’s more from the AFC.
- As Thursday’s trade deadline approaches, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald looks at several Dolphins who could shipped out for the right compensation. In Salguero’s estimation, offensive lineman Shelley Smith, receiver Brandon Gibson, and defensive end Dion Jordan could all be on the trade block.
- Chargers rookie cornerback Jason Verrett will visit a shoulder specialist next week to determine the severity of his injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports suggested (on Twitter) earlier today that Verrett could miss “significant time.”
- The Jets performed “extensive background checks” on Percy Harvin during the 2009 draft, according to head coach Rex Ryan, so the club feels as if it knows what it’s getting with the mercurial receiver, writes Anthony Rieber of Newsday.
- In a series of tweets, Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle documents the frustration of Texans receiver DeVier Posey, a 2012 third-round pick who seemingly isn’t a fit for Bill O’Brien’s offense. The 24-year-old hasn’t been active for a single game this season after suiting up for 25 contests during his first two years in the league. “I want to be there but this is what I’m asked to do, so this is what I have to do,” said Posey. “You get (frustrated) but you understand.” When asked if he thought he would return to Houston in 2015, Posey was unsure. “I have no idea,” he said. “I have no idea. It’s out of my control.”
AFC East Links: Wilkerson, Dolphins, Pats
As we look forward to a showdown of the AFC West’s leaders tonight, let’s shift our focus to the other side of the conference and round up a few items from out of the AFC East….
- While the Jets recently locked up wide receiver Jeremy Kerley through 2018, defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson is the more notable extension candidate on the roster. However, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report suggests that because the Jets can keep Wilkerson under control at a relatively affordable price through 2016 due to his fifth-year option and the franchise tag, the team may not be willing to offer significant guaranteed money at this point.
- The Dolphins could use a power running back, some help at linebacker, and a gunner on special teams, but it’s unclear if they’ll be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, if they’re even active at all, writes Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. If the Dolphins do decide to make a move, defensive lineman Jared Odrick looks like their most plausible trade chip, in Kelly’s view.
- Rookie running back David Fluellen and former Tampa Bay defensive end Scott Solomon had workouts with the Patriots this week, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio is one of five NFL executives identified by Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post as potential general manager candidates this offseason.
AFC East Notes: Jets, Harvin, Marshall
Some are skeptical about how the newly-extended Jeremy Kerley will fit in after the Jets‘ acquisition of Percy Harvin, but Kerley isn’t concerned, as Kieran Darcy of ESPNNewYork.com writes. Meanwhile, Kerley says that he’s glad to have the extension finalized after a good deal of back and forth between the two sides. As the Jets figure out the best way to utilize their newest toy, let’s check out more from the AFC East..
- Brandon Marshall was mic’d up for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins and he shared some thoughts on the trade that sent him from Miami to Chicago, as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets. “Man, they didn’t trade me. That was a cut,” the wide receiver said. We wouldn’t go that far, but Marshall has certainly been worth more than a pair of third-round picks to the Bears.
- Jets quarterback Geno Smith is being cautiously optimistic about Harvin’s arrival, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. “This isn’t video games,” Smith said.
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News joined Jonas Schwartz and Marc Malusis of SNY (video link) to discuss Kerley’s new deal and GM John Idzik‘s recently spending.
- Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon has signed with DEC Management, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). He’ll be represented by agent David Canter. Vernon, 24, is under contract through 2015.