NFC East Notes: Giants, RGIII, Gruden, Murray
A rash of injuries have forced the lowly Giants to make changes, writes Tom Canavan of The Associated Press. Five players, including offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz and defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka and Robert Ayers, were placed on injured reserve Tuesday, the single largest number of players that a Tom Coughlin-coached team has put on the list in one day during his career. In total, 20 Giants players have been placed on IR this season, more than any other team in the NFL. Tonight’s look at the NFC East..
- Peter King of The MMQB senses that we’re headed for something of a market correction at the quarterback position. General managers seem to be getting more hesitant about the idea of a mobile quarterback and with tons of question marks about this year’s new crop, the demand might not be all that high for signal callers. Washington traded a boatload of picks to land Robert Griffin III just a few years ago, but it’s very doubtful that Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston will generate a similar buzz.
- Washington coach Jay Gruden blames much of the team’s problems on injuries to key offseason additions, as Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com writes. “In training camp, we had high hopes, man, we really did,” Gruden said. “We thought we had some pieces in place and then we just hit the injury bug. A lot of the free agents that we signed and counted on …[linebackers] Darryl Sharpton and Akeem Jordan, they’re out. Tracy Porter never practiced.” Sharpton and Jordan were signed to provide veteran depth at inside linebacker but never played a snap on defense in 2014. Porter, who inked a two-year contract to be the team’s third cornerback, played a total of 89 snaps over three games before landing on injured reserve last month with a shoulder injury.
- The Cowboys are treating pending free agent DeMarco Murray as if he’s playing in Dallas for the final month, writes Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News. Murray’s workload has been incredibly high this year and Dallas has indicated that they will continue to feed him the ball.
NFC Notes: Briggs, Panthers, Peterson
The Bears placed veteran linebacker Lance Briggs last week, and while Briggs intends to continue his career next season, he sounds resigned to the fact that it may not happen in Chicago. The former third-round pick, who has been with the club since 2003, may become the latest longtime Bear to find work elsewhere, as he acknowledged on his Comcast SportsNet show yesterday.
“I’ve been through some nasty contract disputes,” Briggs said, per Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. “I got a chance to see a lot of guys come and go. And I got a chance to see how things were handled with players before me. So for me, it just laid the foundation for what’s to come. For me, I prepared myself for the days that are coming. So I don’t hold bitterness. There’s no bitterness. When I think of the whole situation, I think of all the great years and I’m thankful for everything that Chicago has meant to me.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- The Panthers‘ willingness to part with veteran players whose mental lapses cost the team is sending a strong message to the rest of the roster, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. After releasing players like Charles Godfrey and Jason Avant earlier this season, Carolina cut cornerback Antoine Cason and linebacker Jason Williams this week after Cason gave up an easy touchdown catch late in the first half and Williams missed an assignment on a blocked punt that resulted in a TD for the Vikings.
- Arbitrator Harold Henderson encouraged the NFL and NFLPA to try to reach a settlement on Adrian Peterson‘s case, but so far no offers have been exchanged between the two sides, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com.
- As our Offseason in Review post on the Giants shows, New York was extremely active in free agency in 2014, but the spending spree hasn’t paid off at all for the club this season, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
- The fact that Jim Harbaugh has a year remaining on his contract with the 49ers wouldn’t be an impediment if he wanted to pursue a college job, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Still, if Harbaugh is coaching a team besides San Francisco in 2015, it’s likely to be an NFL franchise.
East Notes: Bennett, Kelly, Giants, Jets
Bears tight end Martellus Bennett looks back on his time with the Cowboys and is very glad about how things have turned out since then, writes Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News. “It just came down to opportunities and being in the right situation and being around people who accept me for who I am and allowed me to be myself and not try to change me as a person and just understand that is just who I am and I love playing football,” he said. “I am at a stage of my life where I feel I don’t have to play football to be successful. But I just love playing football.” More from the East divisions..
- There has been talk of the University of Florida going after Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, but Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) sees his price tag as prohibitive. Kelly would probably require upwards of $6MM per year, and he already has that in his current deal with Philly.
- The Giants‘ addition of running back Chris Ogbonnaya likely indicates that the team has doubts about Rashad Jennings‘ availability this week, tweets Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. The Giants have placed a jaw-dropping 20 players on IR this year.
- Jets coach Rex Ryan will probably be fired in a matter of weeks, but it sounds like he’ll be just fine. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears that a multi-million dollar TV offer was being readied for the outspoken coach around this time last year, before Jets owner Woody Johnson decided to keep him for another following year. Industry sources recently told Richard Deitsch of SI.com that Ryan would make $3MM-$5MM if he decided to go to TV.
- The Jets auditioned kicker Andrew Furney, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). The audition for Furney, who was in camp with the Jets, could be in response to Nick Folk‘s injury.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
- The Giants signed former Chiefs guard Rishaw Johnson to their practice squad, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Johnson worked out for Big Blue last week.
- After promoting multiple players from their practice squad to their active roster, the Giants added linebacker Paul Hazel to the taxi squad, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
- Defensive back Lowell Rose has rejoined the Dolphins‘ practice squad, with the club placing wideout LaRon Byrd on the PS-IR list in a corresponding move, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Linebacker Marshall McFadden, who was released by the Rams over the weekend, has cleared waivers and signed back to the team’s practice squad, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- Wide receiver Eric Thomas has replaced fellow wideout Travis Harvey on the Bills‘ practice squad, according to a team release.
Earlier updates:
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that former Eagles linebacker Jake Knott is set to sign with the Dolphins‘ practice squad. Miami, with a full 10-man unit, will have to make a corresponding move before the addition becomes official.
- After losing Solomon Patton off their practice squad to the Buccaneers, the Cardinals have replaced him by signing wide receiver Ryan Spadola, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- Cut by the Jaguars over the weekend, wide receiver Mike Brown cleared waivers and rejoined the team today, signing with Jacksonville’s practice squad, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
- The Panthers promoted a pair of players to their active roster from the practice squad today, and began filling the newly-created openings by signing safety Kimario McFadden to the unit, the team announced (Twitter link).
- Defensive end Jordan Stanton, who was cut from the Giants‘ practice squad back in September, re-signed with the unit today, per agent Landon Betsworth (via Twitter). The team has yet to announce the move that will create an opening for Stanton.
Giants Put Ayers, Kiwanuka, Snyder On IR
5:43pm: Even more bad news for the Giants. The Giants have also placed guard Geoff Schwartz and linebacker Terrell Manning on injured reserve, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano (via Twitter). Meanwhile, running back Chris Ogbonnaya has been added to the roster (link).
Ogbonnaya, 28, saw his second stint with the Panthers come to an end recently when he was waived to make room for the promotion of defensive tackle Micanor Regis. The running back/fullback compiled 50 yards on 14 carries this season, but he hasn’t played since Carolina’s loss to the Saints in late October.
Schwartz, 28, signed a four-year deal with the Giants when he hit free agency in March, but has barely played for the club in 2014. Sidelined with a toe injury, Schwartz was placed on injured reserve with the designation to return prior to Week 1. The 28-year-old returned for November contests against the Cowboys and Jaguars, but that apparently was the beginning and end of his 2014 campaign.
The Giants plucked Manning off of the Bengals’ taxi squad just days ago, but an ankle injury took him off the field. The Giants placed 5 players on IR today but they can only replace four of them since Manning was signed off Cincy’s practice squad last week. NFL rules stipulate that a player signed off of another’s teams practice squad can’t be replaced on the 53-man roster until three weeks have lapsed since the signing.
4:37pm: The Giants’ lost 2014 season took another downward turn today, as the team placed three more veteran players on injured reserve, bringing the total count of Giants players on IR up to 18. According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), defensive end Robert Ayers, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, and offensive lineman Adam Snyder are the latest New York players to land on the injured reserve list.
As we heard yesterday, Ayers sustained a torn pectoral muscle during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars, which was expected to end his season. Kiwanuka and Snyder are both on the shelf with knee ailments, and will also see their 2014 seasons end prematurely. For the Giants, these are just the latest in a series of season-ending injuries that have plagued the team all year. Notable contributors like Victor Cruz, Jon Beason, Walter Thurmond, and Prince Amukamara have also been placed on the IR at some point this season.
While Ayers remains under contract for 2015 at an affordable rate and will likely return to the team next season, assuming he makes a full recovery, Kiwanuka and Snyder may have played their last games for the Giants — Kiwanuka’s cap hit increases to an unpalatable $7.45MM next year, while Snyder’s contract expires at season’s end.
As for this season, the Giants will promote three players from their practice squad to fill the newly-created openings on the roster, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Linebacker James Davidson, guard Eric Herman, and defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton will receive promotions to the 53-man unit.
New York Notes: Decker, Coughlin, Rolle
While Eric Decker‘s wife says the Jets‘ losing ways have left her husband feeling “depressed,” Decker himself admits that he’s disappointed by the team’s 2-10 record, but doesn’t regret his choice to leave the Broncos in free agency, as Jane McManus of ESPN.com details.
“I don’t second-guess my choice at all,” Decker said. “The New York Jets wanted me to come here and Denver didn’t. So I was excited about coming here and I wouldn’t have done anything differently.”
Here’s more on the NFL’s two New York teams, as the Jets and Giants stagger toward the 2014 finish line:
- The Giants‘ loss in Jacksonville on Sunday has accelerated speculation that Tom Coughlin‘s time with the team is nearing an end, and the head coach is willing to blame himself for the team’s failings. “I accept the full responsibility and whatever price has to be paid for that responsibility then it starts right here with me,” Coughlin said, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
- George Willis of the New York Post disagrees with Tony Dungy‘s suggestion that the Giants will be starting a “long-term rebuilding process” this offseason. In Willis’ view, GM Jerry Reese needs to spend on defense and perhaps to shore up the offensive line, but the club has plenty of offensive playmaking talent.
- Giants safety Antrel Rolle doesn’t know whether or not he’ll return to the team next year, but said today on WFAN in New York that he has “a lot left in the tank” (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News).
- The Jets‘ brain trust wants to further evaluate Geno Smith down the stretch, but they won’t learn much if the offense’s game plan continues to marginalize the QB as much as it did last night, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Meanwhile, Steve Serby of New York Post suggests that the Jets‘ decision to treat Smith with kid gloves is doing the quarterback – and the team – no favors.
- In a separate article for the New York Post, Serby makes the case for pursuing 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh to replace Rex Ryan. Mike Vaccaro of the Post provides the counterpoint, explaining why it would be ill-advised for the Jets to gamble on Harbaugh.
- The Jets should use the last four games of the season to take a look at some younger players – rather than veterans – all over the field, not just at quarterback, writes Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday.
NFC Notes: Newton, Washington, Maclin
Panthers coach Ron Rivera said Cam Newton remains the team’s quarterback of the future despite having his worst season statistically, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. “You go back and look at some of the teams that have struggled in the past that had great years [before],” Rivera said on Monday when defending Newton’s performance. “One that pops to mind right away was what happened at Atlanta last year. “A couple of years ago they go to the NFC Championship Game and the next thing you know they’re struggling because they had a lot of things happen.” Despite his struggles, our own Luke Adams recently wrote that it’s probably a matter of when – not if – Newton signs a new long-term deal with the Panthers. More from the NFC..
- Washington will work out cornerback Keith Lewis on Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Lewis auditioned for the Raiders last week.
- The NFLPA says Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, who broke things off with agent Ben Dogra when he left CAA, is staying with the agency, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News (on Twitter). The pending free agent will now be repped by John Caplin and Tom Condon.
- 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh could be out of a job after this season, but he’s not sweating it. “I don’t worry about my future. I haven’t participated in that speculation. I have a recessive gene in worrying about my future,” the coach told reporters, including Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Twitter). Predictably, he also dodged a question asking whether he wanted to return to SF in 2015, as Matt Maiocco tweets.
- Giants coach Tom Coughlin, rumored to be on the hot seat, refuses to pass the buck. “I accept the full responsibility,and whatever price has to be paid for that responsibility, it starts right here with me,” the coach said, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Injury Updates: Monday
With just four weeks left in the NFL regular season, injuries that may not have been considered season-ending a month or two ago could now result in players being placed on injured reserve lists, as teams try to maximize their roster flexibility. Here’s the latest on injuries from this weekend’s action that could potentially necessitate roster moves:
- Giants defensive end Robert Ayers tore his pectoral muscle during yesterday’s loss to the Jaguars, and the injury will end his season, tweets Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. Ayers was only a part-time player for New York this season, coming off the bench most games and playing the third-most snaps among the team’s defensive ends, but his excellent production as a pass-rusher made him the league’s fourth-best 4-3 DE this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
- The Jaguars confirmed today that right tackle Austin Pasztor tore his hamstring yesterday, and will likely be out for the rest of the year, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link).
- Titans wideout Justin Hunter remained in a Houston hospital today after lacerating his spleen, but the belief is that he won’t require surgery, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link) hears from a source that Hunter should be okay, though “he may not play anytime soon.”
- Panthers head coach Ron Rivera believes DeAngelo Williams‘ right hand is broken, and the running back may see a hand specialist, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
NFC Notes: Harbaugh, Coughlin, Lions
Multiple reports have popped up suggesting the 49ers will attempt to trade head coach Jim Harbaugh this offseason, but Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post is skeptical of such sumors. In Gabriel’s view, there’d be little incentive for a team to give up a draft pick of any value for a head coach with one year left on his contract who may not even want to come to the team in question. While I’m not as entirely dismissive of the idea as Gabriel is, I think a trade could only happen if Harbaugh was allowed to negotiate with his suitor before the deal was consummated, perhaps working out an extension as part of the deal.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- It’s nearly impossible to find someone in the Giants organization who hopes that the Tom Coughlin era is over, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. However, as Vacchiano concedes in the next breath, with the team sitting at 3-9 and coming off an embarrassing loss against the lowly Jaguars, co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch may have no choice but to part ways with the longtime head coach.
- Who could coach the Giants next, if this is Coughlin’s last season? Gary Myers of the New York Daily News examines some possible candidates.
- Lions general manager Martin Mayhew has received his share of criticism over the years in Detroit, but Kyle Meinke of MLive.com believes the GM deserves praise for putting together a roster that has Detroit in the thick of the playoff race this season, pointing to the Lions’ 2013 draft class as a feather in Mayhew’s cap.
- The new contract extension Patrick Peterson signed this summer has the Cardinals cornerback under increased scrutiny this season, and too often he’s not playing up to that deal, says Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. Fitzgerald also identifies Washington wideout Pierre Garcon as a player whose performance as of late has been hurting his value.
East Notes: Hughes, Coughlin, Harbaugh
Set to enter unrestricted free agency in March, Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes is enjoying his typically (since joining Buffalo) excellent season, posting 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and grading as the 15th-best 4-3 defensive end among 55 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). As Tim Graham of the Buffalo News writes, both club and player will only guardedly discuss the possibility of an extension. Buffalo management claims it wants to retain Hughes, and Hughes says he’s simply concentrating on football. Still, Graham posits that a $10MM average annual value isn’t out of the question for the pass-rusher. Here are some more notes from the East divisions…
- The Giants 25-24 loss to the Jaguars today probably signaled the end of head coach Tom Coughlin’s reign, argues Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. New York could secure a top-five selection in next year’s draft depending on the rest of the season’s outcome, and clubs picking that high often choose to undergo a complete overhaul. As Raanan writes, it would be odd to hit the reset button while still employing a 69-year-old head coach.
- Taking the same tack as Raanan above, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano also believes the Giants need to start at square one, but places more of the blame for 2014’s failures on the shoulders of general manager Jerry Reese. Reese, writes Graziano, provided Coughlin with a roster that was even worse than last season’s, although Coughlin and his assistants did fail to “regenerate the roster from within.”
- Following today’s report that the Jets could be interested in 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com wonders what a Harbaugh-to-NY move would mean for current GM John Idzik. Harbaugh would presumably would control over the roster if he does take over another team, meaning Idzik, whose work has been maligned this season, could be in trouble.
- Jeremy Maclin is a free agent at season’s end, and according to Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer, he’s been a perfect fit for Chip Kelly’s locker room culture, meaning that the veteran receiver could be a good bet to return to the Eagles in 2015.