Reaction To Sam Bradford’s Season-Ending Injury
The Rams confirmed yesterday that quarterback Sam Bradford had re-torn his ACL, an injury that will end his season before it begins. It’s a tragic turn for the young QB, and it will force St. Louis to answer many questions in the coming weeks and months. Is Shaun Hill capable of leading a team? Are there better alternatives available? And will Bradford’s contract prevent him from staying with the Rams in 2015? Let’s look at some reactions to the news from around the league:
- While Jeff Fisher and the rest of the Rams’ staff will meet to discuss quarterback options available through free agency and trade, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported (Twitter link) they hadn’t done so as of yesterday afternoon.
- Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that St. Louis might simply be content with Hill, it feels it’s a defensive-oriented team with a strong running game. In fact, the “team believes it has more talent around the QB than [it has] in years.”
- Despite reports that there is “no chance” the Eagles trade Mark Sanchez, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that the Rams do want to acquire him, but accept that such move is a longshot. Cole continues, saying that the Rams are also considering Ryan Mallett.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald thinks (on Twitter) that the Rams should call the Dolphins about Matt Moore‘s availability.
- Field Yates of ESPN Insider (subscription required) examines the Rams’ options both this year (possible trades for Kirk Cousins or Mike Glennon) and beyond (sticking with Bradford versus drafting a quarterback in 2015).
- Regarding Cousins, a source tells Mike Jones and Liz Clarke of the Washington Post that the Redskins are wary of trading Cousins while Robert Griffin III continues to struggle with Jay Gruden’s offense.
- Because the Rams can save almost $13MM against the cap in 2015 by releasing Bradford, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap writes that it’s impossible to conceive him sticking on the Rams after this season.
- Bill Barnwell of Grantland agrees, writing that it would be a massive mistake for the Rams to keep Bradford around for next season.
- St. Louis might have trouble trading for a quarterback (specifically, a QB’s salary) as they rank last in the NFL with just $1.678MM in cap space, per Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Corry points (on Twitter) to Chris Long and James Laurinaitis as candidates to have their contracts restructured in an effort to free up cap room.
Pats Release Will Smith And Tommy Kelly
MONDAY, 12:37pm: In addition confirming the releases below, the Patriots have announced the release of TE Justin Jones via press release.
SUNDAY, 4:53PM: As other NFL teams part ways with a slew of young, inexperienced players as Tuesday’s 3pm cutdown date approaches, the Patriots have taken a different tack, releasing veteran defensive lineman Will Smith and Tommy Kelly, reports Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Per Schefter, New England has also cut linebacker James Anderson.
The Pats added Smith, 32, on a one-year deal ($65K bonus) in May, after the veteran had spent his entire 10-year career with the Saints. I noted at the time of his signing that landing in New England’s versatile defensive scheme might be an ideal landing spot for Smith, who had noted he was open to playing in either a 3-4 or 4-3 front. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets that Smith was not fitting in as a 3-4 defensive end, noting that he hadn’t received the opportunity to rush from the edge.
Kelly, 33, joined the Patriots on a two-year deal prior to last season after spending the prior nine years in Oakland. He tore his ACL in Week 8, and spent the remainder of the season on IR. Kelly restructured his contract in March, turning some of his base salary into incentive-based and roster bonus pay, so his release doesn’t come as a total surprise. In fact, back in July, Reiss had predicted the Pats would eventually cut Kelly.
Anderson, 30, started 16 games for the Bears last season, but remained on the free agent market until New England signed him in June. Anderson had been working mostly as a coverage linebacker — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as the sixth-best 4-3 OLB in terms of pass coverage last season. As Reiss writes (Twitter link), the Pats were probably looking for more special teams ability out of their reserve linebacker position.
According to Brian McIntyre (Twitter links), the Patriots will save $3.565MM in cash this season by releasing the three players. Smith and Anderson were each due a $50K bonus if they were on New England’s Week 1 roster, while Kelly was entitled to $800K in per game active roster bonuses.
East Notes: Griffin, Brent, Branch
Robert Griffin III struggled in the Redskins‘ third preseason game against the Ravens on Saturday night, and that has led to a great deal of chatter as to whether he or backup Kirk Cousins represents the team’s best option under center. Redskins’ legend Joe Theismann weighed in on the conversation in the fourth quarter of last night’s game (as transcribed by Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post) stating:
“Let’s stop beating around the bush. Kirk Cousins has played much better at the quarterback position than Robert Griffin III has…Now, if there was a quarterback competition, it wouldn’t be a competition. Kirk Cousins would be the man I believe [head coach Jay Gruden] would have to go to.”
Theismann continued to sing Cousins’ praises after the game ended. Former Redskin Brian Mitchell, an analyst on the team’s post game show, disagreed with Theismann’s assessment, stating that Griffin, not Cousins, gives Washington the best chance of winning. For what it’s worth, Liz Clarke of the Washington Post writes that Griffin rejects the belief that he has regressed this preseason.
Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:
- Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com points out the obvious flaw in Theismann’s analysis, writing that, since there never was a quarterback competition in Redskins camp–Griffin entered the offseason as the undisputed starter–there is no way to determine whether Griffin or Cousins would have won such a competition. If the starting job was up for grabs, Cousins would have had a chance to work with the first team offense against the Ravens’ first-team defense, and no one can say how that would have altered the evaluation.
- Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com reports that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expects a decision from the league regarding a potential suspension for DT Josh Brent “imminently.” Jones has previously stated that the team will have a roster spot for Brent if the NFL allows him to play.
- Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes that undrafted free agent wideout Corey Washington has had a monster preseason for the Giants and has thrust himself into serious consideration for a roster spot.
- Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com tweets that it will be a few days before a final diagnosis is made on Geoff Schwartz, and in a full-length piece Ranaan describes how the Giants might go about replacing him.
- In a pair of articles, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post offers a little more on Schwartz, some Giants‘ roster machinations, and he describes the quality performances displayed by a few of the Giants’ younger players.
- I rounded up a few Eagles links here.
- In the wake of Alan Branch‘s recent arrest, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reexamines the financial ramifications the Bills would face if they were to release Branch.
- Marc Sessler of NFL.com writes that Bills coach Doug Marrone is open to shopping for a new backup quarterback. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com wonders (via Twitter) if the team would consider Luke McCown if he is cut by New Orleans, as the Saints and the Bills have a similar offensive system.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe describes how the new practice squad rules could impact several players on the Patriots‘ roster bubble.
- Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe provides a closer look on how the Patriots will pare their roster down to 75 players by Tuesday’s deadline.
- The Jets released six players earlier today.
Friday Night Game Notes: East Edition
Patriots third-year pass rusher Chandler Jones, who is being used as a stand-up rusher this season, had six tackles and two sacks in a win over Carolina last night, earning praise from Bill Belichick: “Chandler’s worked really hard at whatever we’ve asked him to do since he’s been here. Last year, he also played some inside over the guard. He’s played outside over the tackle or the tight end, up, down. He’s a versatile player and he’s very conscientious to try to do whatever we ask him to do and playing in all those different spots. He’s a very athletic player with good length, good playing strength so he has a lot of versatility athletically, he has a lot of versatility mentally.” CSNNE’s Greg Bedard believes Jones is poised to become an elite defender.
Here’s some more news and notes produced after Friday night’s batch of preseason games:
- Patriots second-year receiver Josh Boyce, a fourth-rounder a year ago, didn’t play an offensive snap until late in the third quarter. “That reflects how he’s decisively behind” on the depth chart, notes ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
- Geno Smith will start the Jets’ season opener, Rex Ryan told Manish Mehta of the Daily News.
- Jets defensive back Antonio Allen sustained a concussion, reports ESPN’s Jane McManus.
- There’s no competition for the Giants’ starting quarterback job, but Ryan Nassib shined last night, solidifying his standing as Eli Manning‘s backup, according to ESPNNewYork’s Kieran Darcy.
- Giants second-year pass rusher Damontre Moore looked like a “potential star” last night in the eyes of Darcy.
- The Giants are worried about a toe injury sustained by offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz.
AFC Notes: Burfict, Watt, Howell, Patriots
Typically, when contract agreements are first reported, it takes just a matter of hours before those deals become official. But linebacker Vontaze Burfict, whose extension with the Bengals was reported on Wednesday, has yet to finalize his new contract with the club and has been missing from practice for the last three days with a stomach virus. According to head coach Marvin Lewis, it’s probably just a matter of time until the deal gets formally announced (link via Richard Skinner of Cincinnati.com).
“As you know how we believe it here, until the club and the player have signed off, it’s not signed off,” Lewis said. “I would guess we expect him to sign. Obviously the agent believes he has a deal, so, we didn’t release it.”
As we wait for official word on Burfict’s reported extension, let’s check in on a few other items from out of the AFC….
- Joel Corry of the National Football Post breaks down the numbers on the Burfict extension, explaining why the Bengals had leverage in negotiations and why the linebacker made out pretty well.
- In a separate piece for CBSSports.com, Corry takes a look at another extension candidate, J.J. Watt, writing that if Watt and the Texans are going to reach an agreement before the season gets underway, it will probably require the star defender – rather than the team – to relent a little.
- Colts safety Delano Howell has suffered another neck injury, but it shouldn’t be career-ending, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Wells, who says Howell spent part of the week in Minnesota meeting with a specialist.
- The Patriots would benefit if Isaac Sopoaga earns a spot on the Cardinals’ regular season roster, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com, noting that the offsets in Sopoaga’s contract would allow New England to free up $855K in cap space.
- The NFL’s changes to practice squad eligibility criteria mean that a few more Titans are candidates for spots on the squad, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. I outlined the rules relating to practice squads earlier today.
Minor Moves: Thursday
Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the following players are now on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists: Darnell Dockett (Cardinals), Greg Latta (Broncos), Fendi Onobun (Jaguars), Jeremy Deering (Raiders), and Mike Caussin (Redskins). Because he has four or more accrued seasons, Dockett can be placed on IR without passing through waivers, and we heard previously that Latta, Onobun, and Deering were waived-injured by their clubs. Caussin’s case is less clear — he doesn’t appear to have four accrued seasons, so he should have to be waived before landing on IR. For what it’s worth, the Redskins’ official site still lists him as on the team’s active roster.
Earlier updates:
- Former Falcon Eric Weems has returned to the team, according to Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com, who tweets that wideout Jabin Sambrano has been cut to make room for the veteran receiver and return specialist. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who reported earlier this week that Weems wanted to sign with Atlanta but appeared headed to the Titans, said today (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear took a physical in Tennessee, but it hit a snag. The Falcons, who entered the picture last night, signed Weems to a one-year, minimum-salary contract, per McClure (Twitter link).
- The Saints have begun making cuts in advance of next Tuesday’s first deadline, parting ways with four players today. As Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune details, the club waived outside linebacker Chidera Uzo-Diribe, running back Tim Flanders, tight end Je’Ron Hamm and wide receiver Tobais Palmer.
- Defensive tackle Anthony McCloud has been waived by the Cardinals, opening up a second spot on the team’s 90-man roster, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Buccaneers have swapped a pair of players at the back of their roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed guard R.J. Mattes and waived defensive end James Ruffin.
- The Patriots have made two cuts, letting go of defensive lineman Marcus Forston and tight end D.J. Williams, according to a team release.
Poll: Best Quarterbacks Available By Trade
There always seems to be a shortage of legitimate quarterbacks to fill the needs of all 32 NFL teams. Some franchises are left searching for a starter every year, while others are left without a viable backup plan in the event that they lose their starter.
With so few quarterbacks to go around, even middling talents can become sought after every offseason. Untapped potential on one team could represent a beacon of hope to another front office or fan base. Sometimes, even the shakiest résumé could seem like an improvement.
The 49ers are having issues finding a backup quarterback at the moment, a scary proposition for any Super Bowl contender. That is only magnified by the fact that their starter, Colin Kaepernick, is known to take off with the football, exposing himself to more open field hits than a traditional pocket passer. The 49ers are built on defense and running the football, and even competent quarterback play could be able to keep them afloat in Kaepernick’s absence.
For that reason, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com suggested (via Twitter) that the team inquire on Vikings‘ quarterback Christian Ponder. Ponder was able to bring a defensive minded Vikings squad to the playoffs in 2012, mostly on the back of Adrian Peterson and his 2,097 rushing yards.
Another option for a team looking for a strong backup, or even a low end starter, would be Eagles‘ quarterback Mark Sanchez. Earlier today Chip Kelly admitted that he wasn’t beyond listening to trade offers for Sanchez. While the former Jets passer is generally considered to have been a disaster during his first stop, it is worth noting that he played with some of the worst offensive weapons in the league. During his rookie and sophomore campaigns, when he had slightly more to work with, Sanchez brought the Jets to the AFC Championship game in both years, making him an intriguing candidate for a trade.
Redskins‘ backup Kirk Cousins has been a leader amongst the trade rumor community, most commonly being linked with his former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland. With Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel competing for the Browns’ job, there is no obvious need for Cousins there. Still, his body of work is good enough in a small sample size, and he has not had the time to tarnish his reputation in the same way that Ponder and Sanchez have.
The Patriots also are prepared to move on from Ryan Mallett, making it known so by drafting Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of this past draft. Mallett had a high potential upside coming out in the 2011 draft, but never saw a meaningful snap and is now at the end of his rookie contract. The Patriots would certainly be willing to move him, but could find it difficult to get anything substantial for him.
Most would agree that none of these options represents a savior at quarterback, and all 32 teams are more or less set on their options for a starter in 2014. Even teams that have the least certain options at quarterback, such as the Vikings with Matt Cassel, the Texans with Ryan Fitzpatrick, or the Jets with Geno Smith have reason to pass on making a big move. The Vikings have hope of developing first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater. The Texans have a stopgap in Fitzpatrick, and head coach Bill O’Brien likely does not see any available options markedly better than the journeyman. The Jets have a better in-house option in Michael Vick in the event that Smith does not improve in 2014.
Even still, if a team less prepared to handle an injury to their top passer, these options could become very sought after. Other players, such as Drew Stanton of the Cardinals, Brock Osweiler of the Broncos, and Jason Campbell of the Bengals could also bring interest to a team desperate for some level of quarterback play to get through a rough patch. These players will likely not be seen as franchise quarterbacks to any team, but a front office could talk themselves into bringing one of these players in to salvage a season.
Who Is The Best Quarterback Available By Trade?
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Kirk Cousins (Redskins) 48% (338)
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Ryan Mallett (Patriots) 19% (135)
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Christian Ponder (Vikings) 16% (111)
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Mark Sanchez (Eagles) 12% (86)
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Other 4% (30)
Total votes: 700
Minor Moves: Sunday
We’ll round up today’s minor transactions here, with the latest news appearing at the top:
- To open a roster spot for tight end Kyle Auffray, the Raiders have cut kicker Kevin Goessling, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
Earlier updates
- To fill the roster spot vacated by Ott’s departure, the Patriots have re-signed tight end Justin Jones, according to Tom Curran of CSSNE.com (Twitter link). Jones, an undrafted free agent, had been released a week ago.
- Former Illinois receiver Steve Hull signed on with the Saints as a undrafted free agent just three months ago, but he has decided to end his playing career. Hull posted the news himself on his Instagram account.
- The Patriots have waived long snapper Tyler Ott, an 2014 undrafted free agent out of Harvard, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Veteran Danny Aiken is now the only LS on New England’s roster.
- The Bengals have waived OT Chandler Burden, tweets Coley Harvey of ESPN.com.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Colts have cut running back Davin Meggett and signed running back Deji Karim.
- The Lions have signed linebacker Shamari Benton and waived linebacker Justin Jackson, reports Wilson (Twitter links).
- Wilson tweets that the Chiefs have cut Rokevious Watkins from the reserve non-football injury list.
AFC Notes: Steelers, Jets, Patriots, Jaguars
Let’s round up some links from the AFC…
- The Steelers should consider keeping two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, opines Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. With Bruce Gradkowski locked in as the backup to Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh could save a roster spot by moving Landry Jones to the practice squad. Jones, a 2013 fourth-round pick, would have to be exposed to waivers before being sent to the practice squad, a transaction Bouchette allows is unlikely.
- In a report labeling the Jets’ risers and fallers, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com lauds the progress of general manager John Idzik’s 2014 draft class, noting that both Calvin Pryor and Jace Amaro, New York’s top two picks, fared well against the Bengals on Saturday.
- Brian Tyms hasn’t wanted for media attention lately, and Jeremy Gottlieb of Boston.com lists the receiver among four surprising Patriots roster locks, noting that Tyms’ upcoming suspension will actually help him make New England’s squad because management won’t be forced to make a decision on his status until after Week 4.
- An interesting note from ESPN’s Field Yates, who tweets that Patriots offensive lineman Jordan Devey is the only NFL player to play every snap this preseason; he’s lined up at every O-line position save for center. Devey, a 2013 undrafted free agent, wasn’t listed on Mike Reiss of ESPN.com’s most recent New England roster projection, but perhaps the coaching staff has been quietly impressed with the 26-year-old’s versatility.
- Some have labeled the Jaguars’ plan to slowly develop rookie quarterback Blake Bortles a response to the failure of former Jag Blaine Gabbert, who was almost immediately thrown into the fire. In his latest chat at ESPN.com, however, Michael DiRocco disputes that argument, noting that general manager David Caldwell & Co. were not involved in the Gabbert flameout.
- More Jaguars: Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union offers his latest roster projection, which includes a few updates in the secondary.
Eagles, Patriots Notes: Garoppolo, DBs, Curry
The preseason penalty flag epidemic is affecting (Read: annoying) everyone who chooses to consume exhibition games for any extended period of time, and last night’s Eagles-Patriots game was borderline unbearable (which is saying something for a preseason game). Twenty-eight penalties were called, prompting Ben Volin of the Boston Globe to call it a “travesty.”
Here’s some more notes from the Eagles and Patriots:
- In a matter of eight days, Patriots rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has staked his claim to the backup job, writes Jeff Howe in the Boston Herald. Howe also notes “Jordan Devey also started for the second straight week, adding right guard to his resume last night after opening at left guard against the Redskins. Devey can also play center, so his versatility has been a valued asset in camp.” Devey went undrafted out of Memphis last year before spending the season on the practice squad.
- Patriots cornerbacks Kyle Arrington and Logan Ryan are seeing time at safety, reports NESN’s Doug Kyed.
- Experimenting and taking advantage of the secondary’s interchangeable parts has been made possible by the encouraging play of Malcolm Butler, who started opposite Darrelle Revis, notes Boston.com’s Erik Frenz. An undrafted free agent out of West Alabama, Butler has gone from bubble player to strong roster candidate.
- Eagles cornerback Curtis Marsh had a rough night, according to NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks: “Marsh has been having a good camp, but in his moment to play against NFL competition, he showed he didn’t belong.”
- Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham are two of the Eagles’ best pass rushers, but they don’t fit the defensive scheme, says CSN Philly’s Reuben Frank, who calls for Curry to be traded to a 4-3 team. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzolo feels similarly about Graham, as evidenced by a couple tweets.