AFC Notes: Sparano, Patriots, Hoyer, Browns
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers sees big things ahead for Raiders rookie quarterback Derek Carr, writes Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. “He played really well,” Rivers said. “He was efficient, making some checks, handling things at the line. He showed great poise. I don’t know him at all. He’s got a heck of a career if he keeps this up.” Even though Oakland came up short in their upset bid over San Diego, Raiders fans have to be happy with what they saw out of Carr yesterday. More from the AFC..
- Raiders players have responded well to interim head coach Tony Sparano, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Despite Sunday’s final result, Sparano is clearly getting better play out of his team than predecessor Dennis Allen was.
- Even with serious injuries to linebacker Jerod Mayo and running back Stevan Ridley, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) doesn’t expect the Patriots to make any roster moves today, even on a short week.
- With that said, the Patriots auditioned five linebackers today, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter): Justin Anderson, Kaelin Burnett, Tim Dobbins, Mario Harvey, and Paul Hazel.
- Pending free agent Brian Hoyer would like to stay with the Browns but he’s also being realistic as he looks ahead. “I’m from Cleveland and I want to be here…but [I’m] also a competitor. I want to be somewhere where I’m playing,” the quarterback said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (via Twitter).
- Browns head coach Mike Pettine is hopeful that center Alex Mack can return to the field in 2014 after undergoing surgery on his broken fibula, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. If Mack has only a broken leg, it’ll be an 8-10 week absence. If it’s anything more, he’d be done for the year.
- More bad news for the Browns. In addition to possibly losing Mack for the season, they learned that they’ll also be without defensive end Armonty Bryant, who has a torn ACL, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Bryant also has a partial MCL tear and will undergo surgery soon. Pettine told reporters today, including Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald (on Twitter), that a replacement for Bryant may be necessary. That’s not the case at center, however, where he feels he has in-house options to step in.
Stevan Ridley Done For Season
Patriots running back Stevan Ridley suffered a torn ACL and MCL and is done for the year, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.
This is new territory for Ridley who has never missed a game due to injury. Despite fumbling woes in the past, Ridley has been an important part of the Pats’ offense as a pass-catching power back. His best season came in 2012, when he rushed 290 times for 1,263 times and 12 touchdowns. The timing of the injury is especially unfortunate for the 2011 third-round pick out of LSU as he is in the final year of his rookie contract. In Ridley’s absence, the Patriots are likely to turn to passing-game specialist Shane Vereen, Brandon Bolden, and 2014 fourth-round pick James White.
The Eagles dubbed their Sunday matchup against the Giants as “Black Sunday” but in retrospect that name would have been fitting for the full slate of games yesterday. Serious injuries were suffered by a number of players yesterday, including Browns center Alex Mack, Jets cornerback Dee Milliner, Pats linebacker Jerod Mayo, and Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz.
Practice Squad Notes: Wednesday
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here..
- The Patriots announced that they re-signed offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann to the practice squad while releasing fellow lineman Chris Martin. The 23-year-old Hauptmann was let go just last week.
- With their top quarterbacks healthy once again, the Cardinals released QB Dennis Dixon from the taxi squad, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Buccaneers are releasing running back Jeff Demps from their practice squad, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The former Olympic sprinter is still looking to find his place in the NFL after spending time in Tampa Bay and New England. The Bucs acquired Demps from the Pats in April of last year along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for LeGarrette Blount.
Injury Updates: Sunday
While we don’t cover every injury here at Pro Football Rumors, we will keep track of injuries to key players that could force teams to make important roster moves. We’ll update the following list throughout the day:
- Giants nickel back Trumaine McBride told reporters tonight, including Kieran Darcy of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link), that he has a dislocated thumb, which figures to sideline him for multiple weeks.
- Eagles running back Darren Sproles left tonight’s game against the Giants with a knee injury, and as Doug Farrar of SI.com tweets, NBC’s Michele Tafoya reported that the tests adminstered to Sproles’ MCL and ACL by the team left the running back “pretty unhappy.” We should have a clearer idea of the prognosis for Sproles on Monday.
Earlier updates:
- The Jets fear that starting right guard Brian Winters will be sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, a sources tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). The team will conduct tests tomorrow morning to determine whether or not that’s the case.
- Sam Shields believes he avoided a major knee injury today, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Losing Shields would’ve been a costly blow for the Packers, who re-signed the cornerback to a lucrative long-term deal during the offseason.
- Milliner is believed to have torn his Achilles, tweets Rapoport; the second-year corner would obviously miss the remainder of the season if true.
- The Browns believe Mack has suffered a significant leg injury, and expect him to “miss extended time,” reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Currently, the Browns have moved right guard John Greco to center, with Paul McQuistan taking over at RG. We’ll certainly have more on this situation as more news is relayed.
- Patriots running back Stevan Ridley has been ruled out for the day with a knee injury. Per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (on Twitter), Ridley’s “ankle bent in a way no one wants their ankle to bend.”
- The Bengals linebacking unit has taken another hit, as Rey Maualuga had to be carted off the field with a leg injury, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala of the the NFL Network (Twitter link).
- Speaking on FOX, Jay Glazer provided an update on Broncos running Montee Ball, who will miss an additional 3-4 weeks with a groin injury.
- The Browns excellent offensive line has taken a hit, as center Alex Mack had to be carted off the field with a left ankle injury, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. ESPN.com’s Tony Grossi adds (on Twitter) that an air cast was applied to Mack’s ankle, an indication that the injury could be serious.
- Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo is out for the day after suffering a knee injury that forced him to be carted off the field, according to John Clayton of ESPN (via Twitter).
- After suffering two concussions already this season, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict left today’s game after taking a hit to the head; another concussion could shelve Burfict for some time.
- 2013 first-rounder Dee Milliner is out for the rest of the Jets’ game against the Broncos after suffering a non-contact injury to his ankle.
Patriots Fear Stevan Ridley Has Torn ACL
Several notable players have gone down with injuries during today’s games — Alex Mack is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a leg injury, 2013 first-rounder Dee Milliner likely tore his Achilles, and we’re still waiting for details on what looked like a serious injury to Jerod Mayo. In addition to Mayo, the Patriots have probably lost another key player, running back Stevan Ridley, to a torn ACL. Albert Breer of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that Ridley will have an MRI tomorrow, but New England fears the 25-year-old has a significant knee injury, one that will likely knock him out for the rest of 2014. As further evidence, Mike Petraglia of WEEI posted an Instagram photo of Ridley leaving the stadium using a cane and wearing a large ACL brace on his right knee.
Ridley, a 2011 third-round pick out of LSU, has never missed a game due to injury. He was inactive for two contests last year, but those absences were due to Ridley’s infamous fumbling issues rather than an injury. Despite the fumbles, Ridley has had a largely successful career, mostly as a power back who offers little in the passing game. His best season came in 2012, when he rushed 290 times for 1,263 times and 12 touchdowns. Ridley is earning a tad under $800K this year as he plays under the final year of his rookie contract. It’s tough to speculate on financial matters right after a player suffers a serious injury, but it’s fair to wonder how this major injury will affect Ridley’s market come free agency.
Passing-game specialist Shane Vereen will likely take over as New England’s primary runner. The Pats also have Brandon Bolden and 2014 fourth-round pick James White on the roster, so it’s not as though the Pats lack internal options. I’d expect Vereen to get the majority of the carries going forward, with Bolden and White sprinkled in, especially near the goal line.
AFC East Notes: Smith, Ryan, Pats, Pegula
The Jets have opened the 2014 season with a 1-4 record, a disaster at the quarterback position, and a dearth of optimism for an imminent reversal of fortunes. The two starring figures in the team’s disappointment, of course, are head coach Rex Ryan and second-year quarterback Geno Smith. However, as Conor Orr of NFL.com writes, the ultimate fate of those two men could be quite different if and when their respective tenures with the Jets are over.
Citing NFL Media’s Michael Robinson, Orr writes that “a defensively starved team would absolutely pay Ryan handsomely to return to his former role as a coordinator,” but teams would be much more hesitant to give Smith another shot. Orr adds that, unless Smith shows more comfort against top-tier defenses, it is difficult to imagine any sort of market developing for him, even among coaches with strong backgrounds in quarterback development.
Now for some more notes from around the AFC East:
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that, despite the Jets‘ woes, a midseason firing of Rex Ryan or GM John Idzik is highly unlikely and that owner Woody Johnson will reevaluate his personnel after the season. Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that there is no “litmus test” for Ryan to keep his job, as the team could finish the 2014 season strong and opt to bring Ryan back. After all, the Jets worried after the 2013 season that he would be immediately rehired as a head coach elsewhere and make them pay, and that fear still exists among the team’s front office.
- With the Broncos coming to town this week, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com takes a look back at the Jets-Broncos trade that brought Tim Tebow to the Meadowlands. Although the fourth-round pick that New York shipped to Denver turned out to be center Phillip Blake, who is now out of the league, the Broncos used the sixth-rounder on Danny Trevathan, their starting weakside linebacker: Advantage: Denver.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes that, although the proliferation of doomsday articles concerning the Patriots‘ dynasty–which quickly disappeared after the team’s performance against the Bengals last week–contemplated a premature end to Tom Brady‘s days in New England, Brady’s contract suggests that he will remain under center for at least the 2015 season.
- Despite the Patriots‘ throwback blowout of the Bengals last Sunday, Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News is unimpressed by the team’s long-term prospects and believes the dynasty is indeed fading.
- Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News discusses the “eerie” coincidences surrounding new Bills‘ owner Terry Pegula‘s purchase of the team, and Sullivan wonders if the symbolism will continue with a Buffalo upset of New England later today.
Extra Points: Vikings, Brady, Fitzpatrick, Cowboys
Let’s check out some assorted whispers from around the league on this Saturday afternoon…
- The Vikings invested another $518K into stadium renovations on Friday, adding an eighth elevator and concession stands. However, they didn’t add bird-safe glass, much to the dismay of some pundits (via Rochelle Olson of the Star Tribune).
- Should the relationship between Tom Brady and the Patriots sour to the point that the quarterback will look to play elsewhere, Dan Bickley of AZCentral.com suggests the Cardinals as a fit.
- Even with the Texans having lost three of their last four contests, the quarterback job still belongs to Ryan Fitzpatrick, writes Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
- Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News looks back at the Cowboys trade of Herschel Walker, remarking that nobody thought Jerry Jones knew what he was doing following the transaction.
Poll: Will The Patriots Trade Tom Brady?
The tension between Tom Brady and the Patriots’ coaching staff has become one of the strange ongoing stories of this NFL season. If it continues it could influence whether he finishes his career with the team. The Patriots have quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was drafted in the second round and could serve as Brady’s successor.
Now the word is that the move could happen as early as this offseason. Some have gone as far as to say that the Patriots will shop Brady around this offseason. Brady remains committed to the team.
“I love all those guys, my coaches,” said Bady. “I’ve never had any tension with them, truthfully. It’s unfortunate that some things get said and talked about, especially when they don’t come from me, and I think that’s the — when you’re in the middle of an especially tough week with our team to deal with things that are really outside football that are very personal — very personal relationships that I’ve built up for a long time.”
The team just came off a big win against the Bengals, and despite some struggles, are still looking to be a powerhouse in the AFC. However, if a team comes to the Patriots with a huge trade offer, some think the team would entertain a deal.
With all that being said, it is hard to imagine Brady ever playing with another franchise. He has said he wants to play another four or five years, and it would be a surprise if he didn’t remain with the team he won three Super Bowls with for the entirety of his career. Still, head coach Bill Belichick has a reputation for getting rid of star players before they decline, but Brady would probably like to think he is the exception to that rule.
How Will Tom Brady's Career End?
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Brady retires as a Patriot 63% (287)
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Brady gets traded this offseason 23% (104)
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Brady signs as a free agent with another team 14% (65)
Total votes: 456
Extra Points: Brady, Cowboys, Oliver
Even after the Patriots‘ 43-17 throttling of the previously undefeated Bengals, stories persist of the ongoing tensions between Tom Brady and the team. Kirk Minihane and Gary Tanguay joined Arbella Early Edition to discuss the chances that the recent rift will lead to a split.
They came to a surprising conclusion, both figuring that there is a more likely than not chance that Brady could finish his career with another franchise. They can see the team considering trading him if the right offer came along.
“If I’m Belichick I say… ‘Tom, thanks for the memories, swell, here’s the watch, goodbye,’” says Minihane. “You’d be insane not to do it. They’re going to at least explore trading Brady in this offseason. I’m convinced of that.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFL:
- The Cowboys are 4-1, and most of the credit has gone to the offensive line, but not forgotten are the team’s two stars, Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray. Both players will be free agents at season’s end, but the team is not worried about getting extensions signed during the season, writes Jon Machota of DallasNews.com. The team has already targeted both players as pieces moving forward, making their pursuits known.
- Chargers‘ running back Branden Oliver had a breakout game Sunday against the Jets, racking up 182 yards and two touchdowns rushing and receiving. The electric rookie went undrafted, and considered signing with the Colts before joining the Chargers, reports Alex Marvez of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter).
- Finally, Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel spent some time with Packers‘ first-round pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Dunne got to know a lot about the future star safety and his life off-the-field.
AFC East Notes: Bills, Pegulas, Brady, Jets
Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula met with Buffalo reporters today at their introductory press conference as Bills owners, and prior to the presser, the team also sent out a statement from the Pegulas with the caption “THE BILLS ARE HERE TO STAY!” (Twitter link). In both the statement and the press conference, the Pegulas expressed excitement about being able to keep the franchise in Buffalo and about being able to contribute to the legacy established by the late Ralph Wilson.
Here’s more on the Bills and the Pegulas, as well as a couple other AFC East items:
- Terry Pegula has assumed a CEO role for the Bills, meaning Russ Brandon is simply the team’s president now, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
- Pegula indicated at today’s presser that he hadn’t had a chance to consider the Bills‘ football operations yet, while Brandon expressed support for the job done by GM Doug Whaley and head coach Doug Marrone. According to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link), both Whaley and Marrone are good bets to be around for the 2015 season unless the team totally falls apart this year, an observation echoed by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com wonders if the cap space being carried by the Patriots this season – and presumably into next year – is an insurance policy that could allow the team to consider trading Tom Brady. While Curran can envision New England dealing its franchise quarterback at some point, he doubts that it’s in the team’s plans quite yet.
- Veteran interior offensive lineman Mike Brewster, who was waived by the Jaguars during preseason cutdowns to 53 players, worked out for the Jets today, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.