NFC Injury Notes: Rodgers, Falcons, Eagles
Aaron Rodgers will enter Sunday with a questionable designation on the Packers‘ injury report. The two-time MVP can improve his chances of playing, obviously, by practicing Saturday — when the Packers do more than the typical walkthrough — but not doing so won’t prevent him from playing. Mike McCarthy said he’d have no issues deploying Rodgers even if he doesn’t practice all week, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The 13th-year Green Bay coach said his quarterback feels better than he did at the beginning of the week. Despite Rodgers’ performance on Sunday against the Bears and his history of playing through left knee pain, he’s not a lock to face the Vikings.
Here’s the latest from the NFC’s injury situations.
- Another key Falcons cog won’t be available Sunday. After the losses of Keanu Neal and Deion Jones, Atlanta won’t have the services of starting running back Devonta Freeman. He’s been declared out due to the knee injury he suffered against the Eagles. Tevin Coleman will start. The Falcons have rookie Ito Smith and recently signed Brian Hill in place as backups.
- Once again, the Giants won’t have their top pass rusher available. While the Giants are hoping to have Olivier Vernon in Week 3, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (on Twitter), his high ankle sprain will keep him out against the Cowboys.
- Trai Turner‘s stay in Panthers concussion protocol will result in him missing this week’s game against the Falcons. He’s been declared out, putting Carolina down three starting offensive linemen — Turner and tackles Matt Kalil and Daryl Williams, both of whom residing on IR — going into its NFC South opener.
- The already-banged-up Eagles didn’t come out of Week 1 unscathed. Darren Sproles will miss Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers. The 34-year-old passing-down back sustained a hamstring injury against the Falcons. He’ll join Carson Wentz and Alshon Jeffery among Philadelphia’s high-profile Week 2 absences.
- Already without IR-stationed cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, the Bucs won’t have Brent Grimes available to cover Eagle wideouts, either. Tampa Bay used two second-round picks on corners, Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart, and could see an extended glimpse of the rookies’ development to this point in their careers.
- The Lions–49ers game will see the visitors without top guard T.J. Lang and the hosts missing deep threat Marquise Goodwin. Both players have been declared out. Kyle Shanahan said (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, on Twitter) Dante Pettis will start in place of Goodwin.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/18
Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves.
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Ryan Lewis
- Cut: T De’Ondre Wesley
Denver Broncos
- Cut: WR Carlos Henderson
Indianapolis Colts
- Cut: RB Jeremy McNichols
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Brian Mihalik
- Cut: LB Calvin Munson
New York Jets
- Signed: OL Ben Braden
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S Shalom Luani
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/7/18
Today’s practice squad transactions:
New Orleans Saints
- Cut: QB J.T. Barrett
New York Giants
- Cut: DT Josh Banks
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Treyvon Hester
- Cut: WR Greg Ward, WR Rashard Davis and DT Winston Craig
Tennessee Titans
- Cut (left squad): WR Damore’ea Stringfellow
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/7/18
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Tevaun Smith
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived from injured reserve: OL Josh Andrews, RB Mack Brown, DB Craig James
New England Patriots
- Waived from injured reserve: TE Will Tye
New York Giants
- Waived from injured reserve: S Darian Thompson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: S Tre Sullivan
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: CB Simeon Thomas
- Waived from injured reserve: CB Byron Maxwell, LB Erik Walden, QB Austin Davis
Olivier Vernon To Sit In Week 1
- Suffering a high ankle sprain in practice late last month, Olivier Vernon will not be available for the Giants on Sunday. Vernon will miss New York’s Week 1 game against Jacksonville, Pat Shurmur said (via SNY.tv’s Ralph Vacchiano). This will pose a problem for the Giants’ pass rush, which is now without Jason Pierre-Paul. This could push rookie Lorenzo Carter into Big Blue’s lineup Sunday, per Matt Lombardo of NJ.com, who adds the Georgia-developed edge defender may play plenty regardless of his first-string status.
Giants Rework CB Janoris Jenkins’ Contract
The Giants have created $3MM in cap space by reworking the contract of veteran cornerback Janoris Jenkins, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Jenkins had been scheduled to earn a $10.9MM base salary in 2018, but he agreed to convert $4.5MM of that total into a signing bonus. It’s a positive both for Jenkins, as he’ll get a portion of his money immediately, and New York, who had only about $5.5MM in available salary cap space before today’s move.
The Giants needed the extra funds, as certain issues — injured reserve players, adding reinforcements — will arise throughout the season, but restructuring Jenkins’ deal will make him all the more difficult to release down the line. Signing bonuses are prorated over the life of a contract, so Jenkins’ cap charge (and hypothetical dead money) will increase by $1.5MM in both 2019 and 2020.
Jenkins had an eventful campaign in 2017, as he missed seven games due to injury and a team-imposed suspension. When he was on the field, Jenkins graded as an average cornerback per Pro Football Focus, which ranked him 60th among 120 qualifiers. He finished 24th in Football Outsiders’ success rate, meaning he was effective at stopping receivers short of the sticks.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/6/18
Today’s practice squad transactions:
New England Patriots
- Signed: TE Stephen Anderson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Boston Scott
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Robert Martin
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived: CB De’Vante Bausby
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Daeshon Hall
- Waived: DL Niles Scott
Giants ST Coordinator Thomas McGaughey Undergoing Cancer Treatment
Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey revealed Thursday he’s undergoing chemotherapy treatments to address a form of cancer with which he was recently diagnosed.
While undergoing a procedure for a cancerous growth in his bowel duct during the offseason, the 45-year-old McGaughey said doctors discovered cancer in his lymph nodes. He received a periampullary diagnosis, a form of cancer affecting the liver and pancreas.
He’s been undergoing chemotherapy treatments for the past two months and has more scheduled. However, McGaughey remains a member of the Giants’ staff and continues to perform his duties as ST coordinator after his morning chemo sessions.
“I’m not going to let chemotherapy or cancer get in the way of what I do,” McGaughey said, via Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. “I’m a father and I’m a football coach. That’s what I do. It’s get up, go to work and earn your paycheck. … (Missing the start of the season) was never a thought in mind. I’m sure it was in my doctors’ mind and my families mind. My wife, I’m sure. In my mind, I never even thought of it that way.”
An assistant special teams coordinator with the Giants from 2007-10, McGaughey is in his first season back with the franchise. He worked with the Panthers under Dave Gettleman previously, while spending seasons in between Giants tenures with other teams as well. Gettleman underwent chemo treatments over the summer for a cancer that is now in remission.
The Giants rehired Tom Quinn, their ST coordinator from 2007-10, to serve as one of two assistants to McGaughey, per Dunleavy, who adds Anthony Blevins is now aboard as the other aid.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/5/18
Today’s minor moves:
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: S Isaiah Johnson
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: OL Michael Ola
- Waived: RB Boston Scott
New York Giants
- Waived: RB Robert Martin
Washington Redskins
- Signed: LB Josh Keyes
- Placed on injured reserve: RB Byron Marshall
Lions Waive Zettel, Claim Okwara
Anthony Zettel started 16 games for the Lions last season but is headed to the waiver wire. The Lions jettisoned the third-year defensive lineman to make a successful waiver claim for Romeo Okwara, whom the Giants recently cut, per Field Yates of ESPN (on Twitter).
Zettel was listed as a backup defensive end on Detroit’s Week 1 depth chart, and given his experience, he might be intriguing as a waiver add for another team by Thursday.
A defensive end out of Notre Dame, Okwara started four Giants games as a rookie. At 23, he’s three years younger than Zettel despite both being third-year players. Okwara was a 2016 UDFA, while Zettel went off the board in the sixth round.
Pro Football Focus graded Zettel as a top-50 edge defender last season and viewed the Penn State product as one of the position’s better run defenders. He registered 6.5 sacks in his second year.
Okwara played in six games for the 2017 Giants. He has one career sack, recorded as a rookie, and 24 total stops.