Falcons Sign DE Bruce Irvin
Former Raiders defensive end Bruce Irvin has agreed to a one-year deal with the Falcons, according to a team announcement. The deal reunites Irvin with coach Dan Quinn and gives the veteran a chance at reaching the playoffs this season. 
“This was a dream [come] true,” the Atlanta native told Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). “The Patriots and Steelers offered more money, but being able to play for my city and my people, you just can’t put a price on that.”
The Seahawks also tried to sign Irvin, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). But, rather than don his old uniform, Irvin decided to reconnect with the coach who helped mold him into one of the league’s most feared edge rushers.
Irvin’s new deal will pay him $1.5MM for the final eight games of the season, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). He also gets to collect on the full amount of his remaining Raiders salary, giving him a total haul of $9.75MM for 2018.
Irvin, 31, recorded 88 tackles, 8.5 sacks, five pass defenses, three interceptions and two touchdowns in his two seasons under Quinn in Seattle. The former No. 12 overall pick also had some success with the Raiders, but things took a turn this year under new head coach Jon Gruden.
The Raiders’ pass rush has been listless without Khalil Mack leading the charge, and Irvin was not his usual self, despite leading the team with three sacks at the midway point of the season. In his final game with the Raiders, Irvin played only nine snaps.
With the Falcons, Irvin will join a talented pass rush that includes former first-round picks Takkarist McKinley and Vic Beasley. On the whole, it’s a defense that has not been playing up to its potential. The Falcons are among the lowest-ranked defenses in the league and the front seven has registered just 17 sacks on the year.
Because he was released after the trade deadline, Irvin was subject to waivers. He went unclaimed due to his contract which called for him to earn $3.8MM the rest of the way. Naturally, he’ll earn less on his Falcons deal.
Irvin’s first game with the Falcons will come against the Browns on Sunday.
Dez Bryant Working On Deal With Saints
Free agent receiver Dez Bryant is negotiating a deal with the Saints, who worked him out on Monday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Bryant didn’t immediately leave New Orleans with a contract following his audition, but the club was pleased with his performance, per Pelissero. The Saints have been searching for a veteran receiver to replace Ted Ginn Jr., who was placed on injured reserve weeks ago. Drew Brees certainly has other pass-catching options outside of the receiver position, including running back Alvin Kamara and tight end Ben Watson, but Bryant would give the future Hall of Fame quarterback another viable choice behind No. 1 Michael Thomas.
As Pelissero notes, Bryant has come close to agreements with other clubs earlier this year, so his pact with the Saints shouldn’t be considered final until he signs on the dotted line. Bryant reportedly rejected a one-year accord from the Ravens after being cut by the Cowboys, and also had a dalliance with the Browns. If Bryant, who turned 30 years old on Sunday, does reach a deal with New Orleans, it almost certainly will only run through the end of the 2018 campaign.
Bryant certainly comes with risk, as he hasn’t topped 1,000 yards receiving since 2014, while his 12.1 yards per reception in 2017 was the lowest average of his career. But the Saints believe he’ll offer a better performance than any of Brandon Marshall or Kamar Aiken, both of whom also worked out for New Orleans on Monday. Jeremy Kerley was also scheduled to audition, but weather interfered with his flight.
Dez Bryant To Work Out For Saints
The Saints will bring in three wide receivers for Tuesday workouts. One of them, according to NFL.com’s Jane Slater (Twitter link), is Dez Bryant.
Bryant’s been out of the league all season and has turned down offers from the Ravens and Browns. He’s connected himself to other teams and has been linked to wanting to play for a contender. The Saints have won seven straight.
It’s not known who the other wideouts are, but they almost certainly won’t have Bryant’s pedigree. The Saints have one of the NFL’s best offenses but have been without Ted Ginn for weeks. Bryant and Ginn do not have the same type of skill set, with the latter being a deep threat, but New Orleans has not seen a No. 2 wide receiver step up as a consistent option alongside Michael Thomas.
Alvin Kamara and Ben Watson sit second and third in Saints 2018 receiving yardage. New Orleans has used third-round rookie Tre’Quan Smith (214 yards) as its WR2. He scored a touchdown on Sunday and is averaging 17.8 yards per catch, but has not caught more than three passes in a game. He’s topped out at 44 receiving yards over the past three games.
Bryant wanted a one-year deal from Baltimore in order to re-enter free agency at a better juncture than he did when the Cowboys cut him in April. But the Ravens offered a multiyear deal, and Bryant turned it down. He spurned a Browns offer worth less than $5MM. The Saints have $368K in cap space and would have to make minor rearrangements to accommodate Bryant, but at this point, the 30-year-old wideout wouldn’t be in a position to demand too much money.
The 2010 first-round pick caught 69 passes for 838 yards and six touchdowns last season. While he’s undoubtedly lost a step, a role in a strong Saints passing game could be a boon for his 2019 value. Of course, the Saints may also choose to not rock the boat with a volatile wideout when they’re in this strong of a spot. But they made multiple big trades in order to chase a championship now, unloading a 2019 first-round pick to move up and select Marcus Davenport and sending the Giants two draft picks for Eli Apple.
Titans Were Willing To Trade First-Rounder For Amari Cooper?
The Cowboys’ decision to give the Raiders a first-round pick for Amari Cooper has brought criticism, considering Dallas’ 3-4 record and Cooper’s inconsistency. But their Monday night opponent may have viewed the former top-five pick in a similar light.
The Titans were also willing to part with a first-round pick to acquire Cooper, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports. A Tennessee-proposed caveat may have scuttled a Cooper-to-Nashville path, however.
While the Cowboys landed Cooper for a first-round pick, the Titans wanted to swap Day 2 draft slots with the Raiders to soften the blow of losing a Round 1 choice, Moore adds. It’s unclear if this means flipping both second- and third-round selections, but the Titans look to have wanted something from the Raiders the Cowboys didn’t.
Cooper will debut for the Cowboys against the Titans tonight after arriving during Dallas’ bye week. The Titans (3-4) have also struggled in recent weeks and are hurting for pass-catcher depth. They lost Delanie Walker and enter tonight’s game with the NFL’s 30th-ranked passing attack. Corey Davis‘ 395 receiving yards lead the team. Tajae Sharpe‘s 222 yards are second. Marcus Mariota has only thrown three touchdown passes.
The Eagles, Colts and Redskins were also believed to be interested in Cooper, and the crowded market benefited a Raiders team that now holds three 2019 first-round picks.
Redskins Lose Scherff, Lauvao, Richardson
The Redskins suffered a major blow this week. In addition to losing 38-14 to the Falcons, the Redskins are also down three key players. Guard Brandon Scherff (torn pectoral), guard Shawn Lauvao (torn ACL), and WR Paul Richardson Jr. (AC joint) will all undergo surgery, ruling them out for the remainder of the season.
Losing Scherff and Lauvao is particularly tough as the club is already without tackle Trent Williams as he rehabs from a thumb injury. As they fight to keep their place atop the NFC East, the Redskins will have to move forward without 60% of their starting line.
Scherff, the former No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 draft, earned Pro Bowl nods in each of the last two seasons. He’s continued his strong play into 2018 and is a big reason for Adrian Peterson‘s surprising resurgence in D.C. Behind the Redskins’ offensive line, Peterson has averaged 4.4 yards per game, topped 100 yards in two games, and flirted with the century mark a couple of other times. But, behind a depleted front five on Sunday, Peterson had just 17 yards off of nine carries.
At the midway point of the season, Scherff ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 11 ranked guard in the NFL. Lauvao, who mans the opposite side, is near the back of the Top 60.
The Redskins gave Richardson a five-year, $40MM deal in the offseason to defect from the Seahawks, but shoulder trouble has dogged him as of late. The 26-year-old receiver flashed early in the year, but has been held to just four catches over the past two games. His first year in D.C. will end with just 20 catches for 262 yards and two touchdowns in seven games.
Chris Johnson Retires From NFL
On Monday, running back Chris Johnson formally announced his retirement from the NFL. The 33-year-old was said to be seeking a contract in the offseason, but did not appear to receive any interest. 
“I would like to take this time to thank my family, friends, fans, and teammates who have given their continued support throughout my 10-year career,” Johnson said in a statement released by his agency. “My time in the NFL has given me so many opportunities and memories. After a great deal of thought and consideration, I have decided to close this chapter of my life and I look forward to the new possibilities that have been afforded to me.”
Johnson averaged 1,328 yards per season over his six years with the Titans, including a 2,000+ yard campaign in 2009. He leaves the game with a stellar list of accomplishments, including three Pro Bowl selections and one First-Team All-Pro nod.
After an awkward exit from Tennessee, Johnson hooked on with the Jets. He was quietly productive with an average of 4.3 yards per carry and turned in a similarly strong year with the Cardinals in 2015. After that, he was slowed by injuries and eclipsed by the emergence of David Johnson. Johnson’s last NFL game came on Oct. 8, 2017 as he was ushered out of Arizona days later to make room for Adrian Peterson.
Johnson likely won’t be a Hall of Fame candidate, but he’ll be long remembered for his blazing speed, aggressive running style, and countless memorable moments with the Titans. We here at Pro Football Rumors wish CJ2K the best in retirement.
Ravens HC John Harbaugh On Hot Seat
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is under “mounting pressure” to turn his team’s season around, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Ravens started out the 2018 campaign strong, but since a primetime victory over the Steelers in Pittsburgh staked Baltimore to a 3-1 record, Harbaugh’s club has dropped three of its last four to fall to third place in the AFC North. And, while a midseason firing is not expected, an ugly loss against the Steelers today would give team brass a lot to think about in that regard.
Harbaugh has generally achieved excellent results since he was hired in 2008, leading the Ravens to two division titles, three AFC Championship Game appearances (including one win), and a Super Bowl win. But Baltimore has not qualified for the playoffs since 2014 — though the club had several near misses during that time — and while injuries and mediocre rosters certainly played a big part in that, the three-year drought is tough to take in light of Harbaugh’s earlier success.
Indeed, owner Steve Bisciotti said earlier this year that he considered firing Harbaugh at the end of the 2017 season, which culminated in a Week 17 last-minute loss that knocked the Ravens out of a playoff spot. Ultimately, Harbaugh kept his job, the front office finally added a number of legitimate weapons for embattled quarterback Joe Flacco, and the Ravens have thus far managed to avoid the spate of calamitous injuries they have suffered in recent years.
But the team is now 4-4 and is at a crossroads. As Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com points out, if the Ravens win their next two games (home divisional contests against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati), Baltimore will have an 85.6% chance of making the playoffs. If they lose both, the odds drop to 10.4%.
Further complicating matters is the fact that this will be GM Ozzie Newsome‘s last season at the helm, and assistant GM Eric DeCosta, who will take over for Newsome, does not have as strong of an attachment to Harbaugh. Plus, rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson is reportedly not progressing as well as the team had hoped, which also reflects poorly on the head coach.
Harbaugh is under contract through 2019, and he has compiled a 105-71 record (including playoffs) as the Ravens’ sideline general. If he does get the ax either during the season or after it, he will surely make the short list for other clubs in search of a new head coach.
Raiders To Cut DE Bruce Irvin
The Raiders’ pass rush is likely about to get worse. The team made the decision to cut defensive end Bruce Irvin, Vic Tafur of The Athletic reports (on Twitter).
Irvin was a trade candidate before the deadline, but the Raiders did not end up moving him. Now, the veteran edge defender will head to the waiver wire as an intriguing pass-rushing option. Since this transaction comes a few days after the deadline, Irvin — despite being a vested veteran — will have to venture to the wire. He’s signed through the 2019 season.
This represents a stunning turn of events for a once-formidable Raiders edge rush. After two seasons of having Khalil Mack and Irvin locking down their edge spots, the Raiders are going to go into the second half of this season without either.
Previously operating as Mack’s sidekick, Irvin registered 15 sacks between the 2016-17 seasons. He led the Raiders with three this year, though Oakland’s pass rush nose-dived after the scrutinized Mack trade. The Raiders have a league-low seven sacks in eight games. This grim situation now looks worse for the free-falling Raiders, who dropped to 1-7 after enduring one of their worst losses in recent memory on Thursday night.
Irvin, though, played only nine snaps in the 34-3 loss to the 49ers. Jon Gruden cited the Raiders’ 4-3 scheme as a reason Irvin’s playing time had been reduced.
“We’re a 4-3 team; we’re not a 3-4,” Gruden said, via Tafur (subscription required). “So in the base defense, sometimes he doesn’t fit the role that we need done. No disrespect to Bruce. He’s an edge rusher. We haven’t had a lead. We haven’t had the opposition behind in the chains a lot. So his role has been reduced. I know he’s frustrated. I’m frustrated. We’ll try to solve that as soon as possible. He’s a good player. He’s a good player.”
Irvin’s departure also represents another Reggie McKenzie investment that’s now off the roster. During a busy 2016 free agency period for the Raiders, McKenzie authorized a four-year, $37MM deal for the former Seahawks first-round pick. Since the Raiders had so much cap room that offseason, McKenzie opted to frontload most of those deals. No guaranteed money was attached to Irvin’s contract in 2018 and none remains on the 31-year-old’s deal.
This should make Irvin an interesting commodity on the wire, which is now arranged by teams’ 2018 records. He’s owed a $9MM base salary in 2019. The Raiders are on the hook for the rest of Irvin’s $8MM this season. With $3.7MM remaining on Irvin’s deal, it’s not a lock he is claimed. But numerous teams could afford it.
Under Gruden, the Raiders have now parted with McKenzie first- or second-round draft picks Mack, Amari Cooper, Obi Melifonwu, Jihad Ward and Mario Edwards. Gruden’s jettisoned McKenzie veteran additions Irvin, Michael Crabtree, Sean Smith, David Amerson and Cordarrelle Patterson.
It’s been a stunning offseason for the AFC’s Bay Area team, one that likely has another season left in its original market before moving to Las Vegas in 2020. After this slew of moves and poor performance this season, the Raiders’ 2019 outlook appears bleak as well.
Bears Place Kyle Long On IR
The latest injury Kyle Long‘s sustained will result in a lengthy absence for the former Pro Bowl blocker. The Bears announced they’ve placed their top guard on IR on Saturday.
Long suffered a foot injury in Week 8 and was expected to miss between one and two months of action. It will now be at least two, per IR rules. The sixth-year veteran cannot return until Week 17, if the Bears were intent on bringing Long back. It would be an interesting decision if the Bears were contending for a playoff spot at that point.
The Bears promoted running back Taquan Mizzell from their practice squad, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
This will obviously hurt Chicago’s O-line. Long has dealt with numerous injuries in recent years but returned to be a well-regarded blocker in 2018. Pro Football Focus graded Long as the league’s No. 31 guard through seven games.
Eric Kush also missed Week 8, bringing second-round rookie James Daniels into the starting lineup for the first time. Daniels will be back with the first-stringers in Week 9. If Kush can’t go on Sunday, the Bears have former Chiefs interior lineman Bryan Witzmann and second-year UDFA Rashaad Coward as options. Kush, though, got in a full practice on Friday, placing him on track to be able to suit up Sunday.
Long played in 47 games during his first three NFL seasons — all Pro Bowl campaigns — but missed 14 games between the 2016-17 slates. He’ll add at least eight missed contests to that total. The Bears signed Long to a four-year, $40MM extension in September 2016. The veteran’s injury trouble began immediately after that deal was finalized.
Cardinals Cut Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford‘s Cardinals stay wasn’t expected to be lengthy, especially after the team benched the well-paid quarterback in September. But it will end up being shorter than expected.
The Cardinals announced they’ve cut Bradford. This comes after they shopped their current backup quarterback at the trade deadline, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Arizona gave Bradford a $20MM guarantee to be its bridge option, but after starting three games in what turned out to be three losses, the oft-injured quarterback hit the bench and has not returned. Josh Rosen remains Arizona’s starter and likely will be for the foreseeable future. Now, Mike Glennon is his primary backup.
This move coming after the trade deadline means Bradford is on the waiver wire. Had the Cardinals cut him last week, the 30-year-old passer would’ve hit free agency. Now, he’ll be a possible candidate to land with a quarterback-needy team. Bradford has $2.5MM in base salary remaining on his Cards contract for 2018, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter adding (via Twitter) $2.5MM in roster bonuses remain as well.
Bradford’s deal comes with a 2019 $24.687MM cap hit — something that will surely be untenable for any team at this point in the former Heisman Trophy winner’s career. However, this is an option season. If Bradford is claimed and is on the claiming team’s roster on the third day of the 2019 league year, his $7.5MM 2019 base salary and a $10MM roster bonus become fully guaranteed. This path seems incredibly unlikely.
This transaction, interestingly, affects the Vikings as well. Since the Cardinals cut Bradford before Week 10, the Vikings will lose out on a projected third-round compensatory pick in 2019, per ESPN.com’s Mike Sando (on Twitter). The compensatory formula now stands to net the Cards an additional sixth-round 2019 pick because of Kareem Martin‘s free agency defection, per OverTheCap’s Nick Korte (Twitter link).
For his short Cardinals career, one of the NFL’s premier cash collectors received $15.9MM, per ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). In signing Bradford for what turned out to be an 80-pass season, the Cardinals will be tagged with $5MM in dead money come 2019.
Teams like the Bills, Jaguars or even the now-Pat Shurmur-coached Giants could conceivably be interested in claiming Bradford as a rental option, though he’s dealt with a pectoral injury since being demoted and has not proven to be a reliable option since setting the NFL completion percentage record with the 2016 Vikings. Bradford figures to be a free agent in 2019. The spree of windfalls for the former No. 1 overall pick are probably over after four different teams paid him as a starter since the 2010 season.
After starting for most of the 2015 season and all of 2016, Bradford has played in just five games since the start of last season. Another knee injury ended his run as Minnesota’s starter. It’s likely if Bradford chooses to keep playing in 2019, he’ll have to do so as a backup.