East Notes: Giants, Dolphins, Enemkpali
Ex-Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor on Sunday night, and while he was in town, Umenyiora weighed in on his former teammate, Jason Pierre-Paul. As Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes, Umenyiora thinks JPP is “just happy he’s alive” after his fireworks accident, but he remains very optimistic about a comeback.
“If anybody could do it, it’ll be him,” Umenyiora said. “He’s a powerful, athletic football player. I relied more on technique: He was just more athleticism. A guy like that, he’d be able to [come back]. … He’s still young. He’s going to be able to play football. I don’t know if it’s going to be this year, but he’s going to be able to play.”
As we wait to see when Pierre-Paul might be able to return to the field, here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Sunday night’s performance was a quintessential example of why the Giants extended Eli Manning with a lucrative new contract prior to the season, writes Ian O’Connor of ESPN.com.
- The Dolphins announced today in a press release that special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has been elevated to an assistant head coach position. According to the team, Rizzi will continue to oversee the special teams unit while working with new head coach Dan Campbell.
- Speaking of Campbell, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald identifies the 10 biggest issues that the Dolphins‘ interim head coach must fix in order to turn the team’s season around.
- As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets, the Bills will have until 3:00pm central time today to either add IK Enemkpali to their 53-man roster or cut him. If the club chooses to activate Enemkpali, who is returning from a four-game suspension, another player would need to be removed from the roster.
Daniel Fells Could Have Foot Amputated
Giants tight end Daniel Fells, who was placed on IR last week with a staph infection, is in danger of having his foot amputated, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Fells has been hospitalized for over a week and was moved to an intensive care unit on Friday. He has since been moved to a private room to permit a nurse to focus solely on his care.
Fells is battling a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection that has required five surgeries to date, and Rapoport notes that more surgeries are coming as doctors attempt to save Fells’ foot. Per Rapoport, Fells was given a cortisone shot to treat toe and ankle injuries, and after a week of ankle and foot pain, Fells’ had a temperature of 104 degrees and was taken to the hospital by his wife on October 2. It was then that doctors diagnosed him with an MRSA infection, which is resistant to many antibiotics. And if the possibility of losing his foot was not bad enough, there is also the concern that the MRSA has penetrated the bone and could travel to the blood, which would put Fells’ life in jeopardy.
While the football-related aspects of this injury of course take a backseat, it should be noted that the Giants have worked to prevent the further spread of MRSA by scrubbing their locker room, training room, and meeting rooms. They have also consulted with several infectious disease specialists, per a report from ESPN.com.
Fells, who turned 32 last month, is in his second year with the Giants. While he wasn’t used much as a receiver in 2014, he did reach the end zone four times on his 16 overall receptions. He also recorded six receptions in the early going this season before being sidelined. Needless to say, his football career is very much in doubt at the moment. Over six plus seasons with the Rams, Broncos, Patriots, and Giants, Fells has tallied 114 receptions for 1,334 yards and 12 touchdowns.
East Notes: Coples, Lewis, Cruz, Alonso
Jets outside linebacker Quinton Coples played only 15 of 64 defensive snaps in the Sunday win over the Dolphins and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com wonders if that could be a bad sign for his future in New York. The Jets have exercised the fifth-year option for 2016 at $7.8MM, but the salary is guaranteed for injury only. Through four games, Coples is at 53% of the snaps, down from his 2014 share, 68%.
Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..
- The Patriots signed Dion Lewis this offseason when few teams were even looking at him and that helps explain why he was willing to sign a contract extension this week, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Lewis, who has stepped into Shane Vereen‘s former role as the team’s top “passing” back, opted for security over a potentially larger payday in free agency. Lewis’ deal features base salaries of $800K (2016) and $1.2MM (2017) along with a signing bonus of $600K and if he continues to produce at this pace, he’ll be one heck of a bargain for New England. Through three games, Lewis has tallied 146 yards on the ground and another 179 through the air, with a pair of touchdowns.
- Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz told reporters (including Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger via Twitter) that he’s “thoroughly convinced” that he’ll be back on the field at some point “playing at a high level.” Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter) says that the IR is not being discussed for Cruz, who has yet to see the field in 2015.
- Eagles linebacker Kiko Alonso confirmed that his ACL was not injured in Week 3, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Alonso, who has thus far avoided the IR in 2015, doesn’t have a timetable for his return just yet.
Workout Notes: Bears, Broncos, Packers
Here’s a roundup of today’s auditions from around the NFL. All links go to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle on Twitter), unless noted otherwise..
- The Lions worked out nose tackle Kenrick Ellis, nose tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, and defensive end Jerel Worthy, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
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The Seahawks worked out cornerbacks Crezdon Butler and Chimdi Chekwa, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
- The Bears worked out wide receivers Marcus Lucas and Nathan Palmer, guard Cole Manhart, and tackles Tyler Moore and Byron Stingily (link).
- The Broncos worked out punter Kasey Redfern (link).
- The Packers worked out running back Akeem Hunt, wide receiver Donatella Luckett, quarterback Phillip Sims, wide receiver Tyler Slavin, running back Dreamius Smith, linebacker Colton Underwood, and linebacker Matthew Wells (link).
- The Dolphins worked out wide receivers Isaiah Burse and Rannell Hall, defensive tackle Jacobbi McDaniel, guards Vinston Painter and Anthony Steen, defensive tackle Olsen Pierre, linebacker Mike Reilly, strong safety Brandian Ross, and defensive end Quanterus Smith (link + link).
- The Saints worked out punter Steven Clark, guard Travis Bond, punter Robert Malone, guard Jacques McClendon, and punter Brian Moorman (link).
- The Giants worked out defensive end Jake Bequette, tight end Cameron Clear, quarterback Cody Fajardo, and tight end Brian Leonhardt (link).
- The Jets worked out defensive end DeAngelo Tyson (link).
- The Bucs worked out linebacker Ronald Powell (link).
- The Titans worked out David Arkin, James Brewer, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Alex Kupper, Joe Looney, and Cody White (link).
- Defensive tackle Joe Vellano worked out for the Lions today (link).
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/7/15
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from across the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: David Foucault OT (Twitter link)
Chicago Bears
- Signed: G/C Ryan Seymour (Twitter link), LB John Timu (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Dominique Jones, WR Julian Talley (press release)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: WR Donatella Luckett (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
- Cut: CB Carrington Byndom (Twitter link via Eric Williams of ESPN.com)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Rannell Hall, WR Adam Humphries (press release)
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/7/15
Let’s round up Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the league:
- Will the ninth time be the charm for Andre Fluellen? As Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com details, the Lions have signed the veteran defensive lineman for his ninth different stint with the team. Given all the time he has spent in Detroit, Fluellen obviously knows the Lions’ defensive system, so he’ll help provide depth in the middle with Tyrunn Walker on IR and Haloti Ngata hurting as well.
- We heard on Monday that tight end Daniel Fells was headed to the Giants‘ injured reserve list due to a staph infection, and the team made that move official today, confirming it in a press release. New York promoted wide receiver Myles White to its active roster from the practice squad to get back up to 53 players.
- The Bears have elevated defensive back Demontre Hurst to their active roster, the team announced today (via Twitter). Hurst is the second practice squad to get a promotion this week, as the club parted ways with punter Spencer Lanning and linebacker John Timu.
- The Buccaneers have re-added linebacker Orie Lemon to their 53-man roster, according to a team release. Lemon takes the roster spot vacated by defensive end Josh Martin, who was waived/injured by Tampa Bay.
- The Texans have reached a three-week injury settlement with linebacker Mike Mohamed, removing him from their IR, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The agreement allows Mohamed to sign with another team in three weeks, though he can’t return to Houston for nine weeks.
Workout Notes: Brown, Cadet, Jets
Could two notable free agent running backs find an NFL home soon? The Colts auditioned Bryce Brown and the Jets worked out running back Travaris Cadet, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
Brown, 24, has showed flashes of promise in the past, but he was unable to stick with the Bills this year. The Bills traded a 2015 fourth-round pick to the Eagles to acquire Brown before the start of last season and that’s a deal that GM Doug Whaley probably wouldn’t make again. In 2014, Brown ran for a grand total of 126 yards off of 36 carries.
Cadet, 26, was signed by the Pats as a free agent in March of this year. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder spent the last three seasons with the Saints and saw time in only one Pats game this year before his release in late September.
Here’s a look at today’s workouts..
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The Jets worked out defensive tackle Davon Coleman, linebacker Julian Stanford, and defensive back Phillip Thomas, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Giants worked out four tight ends on Tuesday, including their former fourth-round pick Adrien Robinson, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Packers worked out former Illinois tight end Matt LaCosse today, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- Kicker Marvin Kloss worked out for the Buccaneers, Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports tweets. Of course, the Bucs wound up going with Connor Barth as their new placekicker.
NFC East Notes: JPP, Cowboys, Washington
When Jason Pierre-Paul reported to the Giants shortly before the regular season got underway, he and his camp expressed confidence that he’d be ready to play soon, perhaps even as early as Week 1. The Giants, of course, didn’t see it that way, and JPP returned home to work on getting his injured hand healthy enough to play before the end of 2015.
So when do the Giants expect Pierre-Paul to be ready? According to Bob Glauber of Newsday, the club is hopeful that the veteran defensive end will be back for the final four games of the season, or perhaps even longer. However, the Giants are optimistic about seeing JPP back on the field down the stretch, a source tells Glauber that it’s “still possible he doesn’t come back [this year].”
As we wait to see how Pierre-Paul’s recovery progresses, let’s round up a few more items from out of the NFC East…
- Lance Dunbar‘s season-ending injury will be a significant blow for the Cowboys‘ backfield, but Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets that the team isn’t planning on bringing in another free agent running back. Werder hints that Christine Michael, acquired last month via trade, could take on a bigger role in Dunbar’s absence.
- Former 49ers guard Joe Looney was among the players to work out for Washington this week, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets that ex-Ravens wideout Daniel Brown and tight end D.J. Williams also tried out for the team. Washington let Williams go with an injury settlement about a month ago, so he wouldn’t be eligible to rejoin the team for at least a couple more weeks.
- While Chip Kelly won’t admit it, the Eagles head coach has to recognize that the lack of talent on his offensive line is killing his run schemes, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Having cut Evan Mathis in the offseason, Kelly insists that there’s no lesson to be learned there: “If we didn’t renegotiate [Mathis’ contract], we weren’t getting him back.” Still, it’s fair to be skeptical of that assertion, considering Mathis was under contract and likely wouldn’t have extended a holdout into the regular season like Kam Chancellor did.
Giants To Place Daniel Fells On IR
11:31am: The Giants have confirmed that Fells will be placed on injured reserve due to a staph infection in his ankle, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
9:15am: Giants tight end Daniel Fells was hospitalized over the weekend, dealing with a foot infection that required multiple surgeries, a source tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The foot injury is expected to end Fells’ season, according to Raanan and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who first tweeted that Fells underwent unexpected surgery and will likely land on IR.
Fells, who turned 32 last month, is in his second year with the Giants. While he wasn’t used much as a receiver in 2014, he did reach the end zone four times on his 16 overall receptions. He also recorded six receptions in the early going this season before being sidelined.
With Jerome Cunningham having also dealt with some injury issues this season, the Giants have been quite thin at tight end behind starter Larry Donnell. The team promoted Will Tye from its practice squad to back up Donnell in Week 4, but if Fells heads to the injured reserve list, New York may decide to pursue outside help to fortify the position.
As for Fells, it’s possible he has played his last game with the Giants. He’s eligible for free agency after the season, so we’ll have to see how he recovers from his foot problems before assessing whether or not the team would be interested in re-signing him for the 2016 season.
NFC Notes: Cousins, Welker, Patterson, Rams
Connor Orr of NFL.com (via colleague Albert Breer) says Washington is fully committed to Kirk Cousins as its long-term starter under center. As head coach Jay Gruden says, “We’re all sticking by the plan and we’re showing Kirk that we have confidence in him. And hopefully it pays off and he’ll get better every game.” As Orr writes, the team never made such a statement about Robert Griffin III, who remains an “organizational window dressing.”
Now for some more links from around the NFC:
- After trading Chris Givens to Baltimore in exchange for a future seventh-round draft pick, the Rams have an open spot on their roster. Per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, RB Trey Watts is eligible to return from suspension after today, and he would be the logical choice to fill that spot (Twitter link).
- Wes Welker was very impressive in his recent workout with the Giants, and if Big Blue does not generate much production from the slot against Buffalo today, Gary Myers of The New York Daily News says the team may sign Welker to a contract, despite the obvious health concerns.
- Vikings WR Cordarrelle Patterson has not had much opportunity to live up to his promising 2013 rookie campaign, when he hauled in 43 receptions for four touchdowns and added three rushing touchdowns and two kickoff return TDs to his final tally. However, given the injuries to Charles Johnson and Jarius Wright, Chris Miller of The Star Tribune writes that Patterson may finally get a chance to prove to head coach Mike Zimmer that he can be a productive member of the team’s offense.
- With the Saints having traded Akiem Hicks to the Patriots last week, Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com looks at who might replace Hicks at defensive end, pointing to Bobby Richardson and Tavaris Barnes as linemen who could see more playing time.