Patriots To Acquire Jalen Saunders From Saints
5:20pm: The Pats will send the Saints a conditional 2018 seventh-round choice, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
8:22am: Bill Belichick and the Patriots have pulled off another trade, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team is acquiring wide receiver and return specialist Jalen Saunders from the Saints for a conditional draft pick. It’ll be the fourth trade New England has made since August 10.
Saunders, who turns 23 later this month, was selected by the Jets in the fourth round (104th overall) in the 2014 draft. The Oklahoma product was cut in September by New York, then spent time on the Cardinals’ and Seahawks’ practice squads before catching on with the Saints. However, he became expendable this summer, when seventh-round rookie Marcus Murphy beat him out for New Orleans’ return job.
The exact details on the conditional pick going to the Saints in the swap aren’t known, but I wouldn’t be surprised if New Orleans only gets the pick if Saunders makes the Patriots’ roster, or plays in a certain number of games for New England.
The Patriots have also made small deals for offensive lineman Ryan Groy, tight end Asante Cleveland, and OL/TE Michael Williams over the last month.
Extra Points: Bucs, F. Jackson, Brady, Ridley
The Buccaneers had a slew of problems on their offensive line last year, and even after addressing the position multiple times in the draft, the club isn’t totally satisfied with its line play. According to Jenna Laine of SportsTalkFlorida.com (via Twitter), the Bucs are looking for interior offensive line help, and are shopping for possible trades. The club could also look to claim a player off waivers or sign a free agent, as more cuts are made this week.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL, as teams reduce their rosters to 75 players:
- Fred Jackson appears likely to land with the Seahawks, but the Ravens have also expressed interest in the veteran running back, says Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (via Twitter). According to Carucci, there’s been no indication that the Patriots, Cowboys, or Browns have shown interest in Jackson.
- When Judge Richard Berman announces his decision on Tom Brady‘s case this week, he’ll either uphold or vacate the four-game suspension for the Patriots quarterback. However, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains, Berman has a handful of different options available to him when he makes that ruling.
- All signs are pointing to Jets running back Stevan Ridley, who is returning from an ACL injury, starting the regular season on the club’s reserve/PUP list, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
- David Newton of ESPN.com conducted a Q&A with Panthers GM Dave Gettleman, who addressed the play of new left tackle Michael Oher, the team’s acquisition of wideout Kevin Norwood, and the areas of the roster that may still need an upgrade.
- Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell also discussed a Monday trade, indicating that the decision to move kicker Josh Scobee was the “toughest decision we’ve had to make.” John Oehser of Jaguars.com has the details.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines the cap ramifications of some of the more notable veteran cuts made over thee weekend and on Monday.
Tom Brady Was Open To One-Game Suspension
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was believed to be “open” to serving a one-game suspension for his role in the DeflateGate matter, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It was a possibility heading into settlement talks in court Monday, but talks never got that far.
Settlement talks between Brady and the NFL broke down Monday when Judge Richard M. Berman decided the two parties were too far apart and there was no point to continuing. Brady maintains his position that he will not accept the findings of the Wells Report and he is unwilling to accept responsibility for his alleged role in the deflation of footballs. The NFL, meanwhile, has said that it will only slash Brady’s suspension if he’s willing to accept responsibility.
Previous reports have indicated that the NFL would be willing to cut Brady’s suspension to two games if he were to admit guilt. However, Gary Myers of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) hears that the NFL has indicated that it would only take the suspension down from four games to three games. The NFL has yet to make a formal settlement offer to Brady’s camp.
Patriots Waive 5 Players
The Patriots have waived five players, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. That group includes linebacker Dekoda Watson, though there are no major surprises in the bunch.
- Josh Boyce, WR
- Jonathan Krause, WR
- Jimmay Mundine, TE
- Joe Vellano, DL
- Dekoda Watson, LB
Watson‘s deal with the Pats called for him to earn a $745K base salary on a one-year deal. Watson has spent time with the Bucs, Jaguars, and Cowboys over the course of his career and played in 70 games.
No Settlement For Brady; Ruling Expected Soon
It may not fit the traditional definition of the term, but it’s clear that this year’s most significant “quarterback controversy” has been the one in New England. By the end of this week though, the Patriots should get some resolution and find out whether or not Tom Brady will be available to play in Week 1.
According to Manhattan Federal Court reporter Stephen Brown (via Twitter), today’s hearing in Judge Richard Berman’s courtroom concluded without a settlement between the NFL and the NFLPA. With no compromise reached, Berman expects to make a ruling on Tuesday or Wednesday, or at least by the end of the week.
Because Judge Berman can’t force the two sides to reach a settlement, and can’t determine a middle ground himself, he’ll have to either uphold or vacate Brady’s four-game suspension. Of course, regardless of which way Berman rules, the losing party will almost certainly appeal the decision, resulting in more litigation. But if Berman were to vacate the suspension, it would clear the path for Brady to start the Patriots’ regular season opener.
According to Bowen (all Twitter links), Giants owner John Mara and NFLPA rep Jay Feely both took part in negotiations today, but they went nowhere. Judge Berman acknowledged that both parties “tried quite hard” to settle, but it just didn’t happen.
AFC East Notes: Fitzpatrick, Brady, Branch
Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News certainly doesn’t believe Ryan Fitzpatrick is the Jets‘ long-awaited savior at quarterback, but given Fitzpatrick’s performance in the team’s preseason win over the Giants on Saturday night, along with the Jets’ corps of talented wideouts and loaded defense, Mehta does think the Harvard grad could keep Gang Green in playoff contention all season.
Now for some more links from the AFC East:
- Judge Richard Berman is set to meet with NFL and NFLPA reps in court again today regarding the Tom Brady case, and a source in the Patriots quarterback’s camp tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (TwitLonger link) that, barring a settlement, a decision is expected by week’s end. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Giants owner John Mara is attending today’s hearing.
- Ben Volin of The Boston Globe wonders if the Patriots regret signing Alan Branch to a two-year deal worth as much as $6.6MM this offseason. Branch played well for New England in 2014, but he skipped the team’s offseason workout program this year and arrived to training camp overweight and out of shape. Branch has a history of similar behavior, and since the Pats have some defensive line depth and only gave Branch $700K in guaranteed money, it would not be hard for the team to move on.
- Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald would not be surprised if the Dolphins made the somewhat unorthodox decision to try and sign kicker Andrew Franks to the team’s practice squad. Salguero notes that Franks has tremendous upside. (Twitter link).
- The Dolphins have their starting lineup mostly set as the regular season approaches, but the one exception is who will start at corner opposite Brent Grimes, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. Jamar Taylor was the leader before injuring his quadriceps, and Brice McCain hasn’t locked up the spot in his absence. Beasley writes that the great pressure the defense has gotten on the quarterback has made it difficult to evaluate the cornerback depth chart with the starting unit.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Cobb, Pouncey, Okung
A week after losing Pro Bowl receiver Jordy Nelson to a season-ending ACL injury, the Packers are hoping fellow Pro Bowl wideout Randall Cobb doesn’t join him on the shelf. Cobb suffered a right shoulder injury during the Packers’ game Saturday against Philadelphia. The severity of the ailment is currently unknown, but one injury that has been ruled out is a broken collarbone, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted. A serious injury to Cobb would be a devastating blow to the Packers, given that their receiving corps already lost Nelson. He and Cobb combined for a whopping 189 catches (25 of which were touchdowns) and nearly 3,000 yards last year.
More from around the NFL:
- Dolphins center Mike Pouncey hurt his left knee during Saturday’s game against Atlanta and will have to undergo an MRI on Sunday. Pouncey, who is wearing a brace, vows not to miss any regular-season time, Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports (Twitter link). Head coach Joe Philbin also expressed optimism regarding Pouncey’s injury. “We think he’ll be OK,” he said, per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).
- Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung will probably use the five-year, $66MM extension Washington signed Trent Williams to earlier today as a benchmark for his next deal, according to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry (via Twitter). Okung, who’s in a contract year, was the sixth overall selection in the 2010 draft, going two picks after Williams. Okung has since made 59 starts and one Pro Bowl, while Williams has made 70 and three, respectively.
- Don’t count on a reunion between the Giants and free agent safety Stevie Brown, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. The Giants are scheduled to work out Brown, but he has interest from “a number of teams,” according to his agent. Brown spent 2012-14 with the Giants before a brief stint in Houston this year.
- The Colts scratched running back Vick Ballard from Saturday’s game in St. Louis. That doesn’t bode well for his chances of making the roster, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Ballard has battled serious injuries over the past couple years and has played in just one game since 2012 as a result.
- Lions running back Joique Bell, who underwent knee surgery in January, is unsure if he’ll play Week 1. “I’m not going to say I’m ready to go out there and take every play and run every down, right now, but you never know how I’ll feel in two weeks,” Bell said, according to Justin Rogers of MLive.com. The fourth-year man is coming off his most productive season (1,182 total yards, eight touchdowns).
- Patriots fullback James Develin suffered a broken tibia in Friday’s loss to Carolina, and ESPN’s Mike Reiss tweeted that the hope is recovery from surgery will take six to eight weeks. However, David Chao – the former team doctor for the Chargers – responded that it could actually take Develin six to eight months to return (Twitter link).
James Develin Suffers Broken Leg
Patriots fullback James Develin suffered a broken right tibia during the Patriots’ preseason win over the Panthers on Friday evening, reports ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (via Twitter). The injury was described as a “clean break,” and the hope is that the 27-year-old can recover in six to eight weeks.
Reiss wonders if the Patriots could place Develin on the short-term injured reserve, which would be an indication that the team is confident Develin could be ready to go in two months. That might be the most logical option, as the team doesn’t have another fullback on their roster.
The Patriots let go of Eric Kettani earlier this week, but Reiss is doubtful that he would have made the roster even with Develin’s injury. Another option would be to keep four tight ends, with the coaching staff attempting to convert either Michael Hoomanawanui or Michael Williams into a fullback.
Develin went undrafted out of Brown in 2010, and he hung around with the Bengals organization until 2011. Since then, he’s been with New England, where he’s made 33 appearances over three seasons. The fullback has compiled 15 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven attempts, and he’s also caught 10 passes for 105 yards.
ProFootballFocus’s advanced metrics (subscription required) were relatively fond of Develin’s performance last season, ranking him fourth among 23 fullback candidates.
AFC Notes: Patriots, Steelers, Pouncey, Vick
It’s not immediately clear whether Micahel Williams, acquired by the Patriots in a Tuesday trade, will be playing tight end or tackle, Phil Perry of CSNNE.com. Williams came on to the practice field wearing a No. 74 jersey but later changed into No. 85 and could be seen working out with the tight end group. The 6’6″ athlete first came into the NFL as a tight end but was moved to tackle by the Lions in 2014 after their selection of Eric Ebron. Here’s more from the AFC..
- Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says center Maurkice Pouncey, who fractured his left fibula Sunday against the Packers, has a chance to return this season, as Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. However, he did not offer a timetable on when that might be. Pouncey has told teammates he would like to play this season and it sounds like he’s a candidate for the IR-DTR list.
- Michael Vick‘s one-year contract with the Steelers calls for a base salary of $970K, the veteran’s minimum, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The deal has no injury split and zero guaranteed money.
- Bills receiver Chris Hogan has had an up-and-down summer and is battling a knee injury, but he doesn’t believe his roster spot is in jeopardy, as he tells Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News. A handful of Bills wideouts, including Deonte Thompson and Andre Davis, have had strong preseasons, which could make for a difficult decision or two in Buffalo.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/27/15
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves..
- The Buccaneers announced (via Twitter) that they have waived kicker Brandon Bogotay, waived/injured linebacker Orie Lemon, and signed long snapper Brandon Hartson. The Bucs added a notable kicker in Connor Barth on Wednesday night.
- The Patriots announced that they have released defensive lineman Antonio Johnson, tackle Mark Asper, and linebacker Cameron Gordon, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Patriots also waived/injured defensive end/tight end Jake Bequette, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Bequette was a third-round selection back in 2012.
- The Eagles waived/injured linebacker Emmanuel Acho with a thumb injury that required surgery, according to a league source who spoke with Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Acho, 24, has spent parts of the past two seasons with the Eagles. He started two games in 2014 and played 23 percent of the defensive snaps.
- The Packers signed former Lafayette wide receiver James Butler after a tryout, Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette tweets.