Giants Trade CB Eli Apple To Saints
The Giants traded cornerback Eli Apple to the Saints, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. In return, the Giants will receive a 2019 fourth-round pick in 2019 and a seventh-round pick in 2020. 
The Saints secondary now features three former Ohio State stars in Marshon Lattimore (2017 first-round cornerbacks), Apple (2016 first round cornerback) and Vonn Bell (2016 second-round safety).
The third-year cornerback was inconsistent in his first two NFL seasons, but has been playing a bit better in 2018. In his five games (all starts), Apple has five pass deflections, one forced fumble, and 22 total tackles. On the flipside, the numbers at Pro Football Focus indicate that his performance has been roughly comparable to last year. Apple is ranked as PFF’s No. 55 cornerback through seven weeks.
Many expected the Saints to explore a trade for Patrick Peterson, but that would have required a much greater expenditure of draft capital. The Saints don’t have much to offer in that regard anyway after sacrificing their 2019 first-round pick in the Marcus Davenport deal and their 2019 third-rounder in the Teddy Bridgewater trade.
In Apple, the Saints get a former No. 10 overall pick who could be a contributor with the right direction. The Giants, meanwhile, get to unload an unwanted salary over the next two years while adding assets to fuel their rebuild. With that in mind, the Giants probably aren’t done dealing and could make more moves between now and the Mischief Night deadline.
Jets To Sign WR Rishard Matthews
Former Titans wide receiver Rishard Matthews is signing with the Jets, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Matthews requested and received his release in late September, making him a free agent. 
Matthews had nearly 800 receiving yards last season, but he spent nearly one month on the free agent market before agreeing to join the Jets. Matthews’ extended unemployment may be connected to a perception that he quit on the Titans, concern over his lack of targets early in the year, or a mix of both. In three games with the Titans this year, Matthews had just three grabs off of six targets.
“I’ve been the leading receiver for two years,” Matthews said. “Then all of a sudden I’m barely playing and not even starting. Using my injury as the scapegoat. Look at number of snaps and targets.”
He now joins the Jets, whose receiver depth has been decimated by injuries. The Jets recently cut ties with offseason pickup Terrelle Pryor due to health issues and top receiver Quincy Enunwa is expected to miss multiple games with a high ankle sprain.
Matthews will have to quickly pick up the playbook, but he should rank no lower than third on the depth chart behind Robby Anderson and Jermaine Kearse once he learns the offense. After all, he’s not far removed from a 2016 season in which he caught 65 passes for 945 yards and nine touchdowns.
If he’s on the active roster, Matthews’ Jets debut could come against the Bears on Sunday.
Cowboys To Acquire Amari Cooper
The Cowboys and Raiders have reached an agreement on Amari Cooper, with ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson reporting (via Twitter) the fourth-year wide receiver will head to Dallas. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets this transaction is indeed happening.
The compensation is big. Dallas will send a first-round pick to Oakland for Cooper, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). It’s a 2019 pick, per SI.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter). The Oakland/Las Vegas rebuild is in high gear, with the franchise now holding three first-rounders in next year’s draft.
Oakland received an offer for a pick expected to be in the high second-round range, per La Canfora (on Twitter), and turned it down, to the surprise of many around the league. But Gruden has recouped a first-round pick for a wideout whose value doesn’t appear to be what it once was.
While this marks another Reggie McKenzie first-rounder dealt, Breer tweets the Raiders GM handled the trade calls for Cooper and was holding teams to a first-round pick for the 24-year-old receiver’s services. The now-Jon Gruden-led Raiders have traded both of McKenzie’s top first-round acquisitions — Cooper and Khalil Mack — in a two-months span.
Cooper was at Raiders practice earlier on Monday, per ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez (on Twitter), but has been the subject of trade rumors for several days now. The Cowboys are swooping in, doing so after their record dipped below .500 after a Week 7 loss to the Redskins.
While Cooper has not shown the consistency he displayed during his first two seasons — both Pro Bowl campaigns — the Raiders wanted a first-round pick for him and will receive it. The Colts and Redskins were also rumored Cooper suitors, but he’ll head to a team with a dire need at wide receiver. Cooper is signed through the 2019 season, with the Raiders having picked up the 2015 No. 5 overall pick’s $13.924MM fifth-year option.
The return is surprising given Cooper’s performance over the past two years.
He has one catch in Oakland’s past two games and has finished four of the Raiders’ six 2018 contests with two or fewer receptions. After he posted a career-best 1,153 receiving yards in 2016, the Alabama product’s 2017 total (680 yards on 48 receptions in 14 games) was a considerable disappointment.
But Cooper will step in and be a key player for a Cowboys team that cut Dez Bryant this offseason but did not, until Monday, make a big move to replace him. Third-round pick Michael Gallup and UFA addition Allen Hurns represented Jerry Jones‘ Bryant-replacement efforts. Cooper will join a receiving corps currently fronted by slot man Cole Beasley. Only Beasley and tight end Geoff Swaim have more than 200 receiving yards for Dallas. Hurns has only caught 13 passes for 158 yards, and Terrance Williams is on IR.
Cooper’s season will now have back-to-back bye weeks, and he’ll have two weeks before debuting as a Cowboy. Dallas faces Tennessee in Week 9.
While the Cowboys have shown intermittent promise this season and play in an NFC East that’s seen the favored Eagles stumble to start their title defense, a 3-4 team trading a first-round pick represents massive risk. The pick Dallas is sending to Oakland could be in the top half of next year’s first round. With the Raiders’ own first-rounder in contention for No. 1 overall in 2019, they will have prime real estate to bring in potential cornerstones for their Vegas start.
Patrick Peterson Asks Cardinals For Trade
Patrick Peterson‘s been mentioned in trade rumors, ones the Cardinals have shot down. But the three-time All-Pro may be ready to leave the desert.
Peterson’s asked the Cardinals to trade him by the Oct. 30 deadline, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The 28-year-old cornerback views the Cards as a deteriorating situation and “desperately” wants out, Schefter adds.
The Cardinals have known about Peterson’s dissatisfaction for a while now, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (on Twitter), and have received plenty of calls about the corner’s availability. Peterson told the Arizona Republic recently he was still committed to the Cardinals, though adding it was difficult dealing with what looks like his fifth losing season since arriving in Arizona.
Steve Wilks chimed in on the situation and said Monday the Cardinals are “not trading Patrick” (Twitter link). The first-year coach said Peterson has not approached him about a trade but added (via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban, on Twitter) he’ll speak to him about this today.
This would place a marquee player in his prime on the trade block, and no Cardinal would fetch the kind of price Peterson would. The 2011 first-rounder has been arguably the NFL’s best cornerback this decade and looks to be destined for one of the spots on the 2010s’ all-decade team.
But the Cardinals have taken a major step back this season, starting 1-6. Although they still have key cornerstones from their 2015 NFC championship game season, led by Peterson and Larry Fitzgerald, this is now a rebuilding team. They have not been to the playoffs since that 2015 slate, but under Bruce Arians the past two seasons, the team was not among one of the NFL’s worst. After a nationally televised 45-10 loss to the Broncos, they certainly are now, putting the organization to a big decision.
Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said a Peterson trade is “not happening,” but now that the star defender’s request is out there, this may be a fluid process in the days leading up to the deadline.
The longtime standout has two more full seasons left on his deal. The through-2020 contract, combined with Peterson’s stellar play, will drive up the price if the Cardinals decide to seriously field offers. Peterson will make $11MM in 2019 and just more than $12MM in 2020 base salary on his current deal, but he’ll obviously be eyeing an extension at some point in the near future.
Contenders will certainly be coveting Peterson, with elite cornerback play among the most difficult skills to acquire in today’s NFL. But the Cardinals may still want to keep their best player and attempt to build around him in the future.
Bucs LB Kwon Alexander Has Torn ACL
Buccaneers linebacker Kwon Alexander suffered a torn ACL against the Browns on Sunday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) first indicated Sunday that Tampa Bay feared Alexander had torn his ACL.
A season-ending injury will not only put an end to Alexander’s 2018 contributions, but signify a devastating development for Alexander’s free agency hopes next spring. Alexander is scheduled to become a free agent in March, and had been engaged in extension negotiations with Tampa Bay. He’ll now be facing a lengthy recovery period, which could put a cap on his next contract.
A fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, Alexander has started 46 games over three-plus years with the Buccaneers. This season, he’d posted 38 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one sack while grading as the No. 53 linebacker among 79 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. With Alexander sidelined, the Buccaneers moved strong-side linebacker Adarius Taylor to the middle and inserted Jack Cichy into the game, but Cichy later left with a knee injury of his own.
If Tampa Bay is forced to look outside its organization for reinforcements, free agent linebackers such as Brian Cushing, Jonathan Freeny, Derrick Johnson, Kevin Minter, and Lawrence Timmons could conceivably be on the club’s radar.
Colts, Redskins Interested In Amari Cooper
The Cowboys are not the only team interested in acquiring Raiders receiver Amari Cooper, as the Colts and Redskins have also reached out regarding the pass-catcher’s availability, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Oakland head coach Jon Gruden is seemingly willing to trade any player on the club’s current roster, so it’s not surprising that Cooper — the fourth overall selection in the 2015 draft — is reportedly available. The Raiders are seeking a first-round pick in exchange for Cooper, but there’s no indication they’ll be able to garner such a selection, especially given the 24-year-old’s disappointing 2018 campaign. Through six games, Cooper has managed only 22 receptions for 280 yards and a single score.
The Colts don’t have much depth behind T.Y. Hilton, as Chester Rogers, Ryan Grant, Zach Pascal, and the recently-signed Dontrelle Inman represent Indianapolis’ wideout depth chart. The Redskins, too, are in dire straits at wider receiver despite currently carrying seven pass-catchers on their roster. Jamison Crowder and Paul Richardson are not expected to play today against the Cowboys, leaving Washington with Josh Doctson, Maurice Harris, Brian Quick, Jehu Chesson, and Michael Floyd.
Any club that acquires Cooper will take on the remainder of his 2018 base salary, which, depending on when he is hypothetically traded, would amount to roughly $2MM. Thanks to his fifth-year option, Cooper is also under contract for 2019 at a rate $13.924MM, but that total is guaranteed for injury only.
Browns Trade Carlos Hyde To Jaguars
The Browns have agreed to trade running back Carlos Hyde to the Jaguars in exchange for a 2019 fifth-round draft pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a blockbuster deal that gives the Jaguars a proven tailback in the absence of starter Leonard Fournette. 
Just eight months ago, Hyde signed a three-year, $15MM free agent deal with the Browns to become their No. 1 running back. But, with a pair of talented options behind him on the depth chart, the Browns pounced on the opportunity to build on their draft capital while taking a significant salary off the books.
Through six games this year, Hyde hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. He’s averaged just 3.4 yards per carry this year – a career low – though he does have five rushing touchdowns on his stat line.
Prior to joining the Browns, Hyde spent the first four years of his career with the 49ers and served as the starting running back for the final three. All in all, he averaged a solid 4.2 yards per carry in SF and a strong 4.6 yards per attempt in 2016. Hyde also offers capable hands, as evidenced by his 59 catches for 350 yards last season.
In conjunction with T.J. Yeldon, Hyde should provide the Jaguars with a competent rushing game for however long Fournette is sidelined. However, Hyde can hardly be expected to be a panacea for what ails Jacksonville. Blake Bortles‘ inconsistency is clearly costing the Jags as they’re 1-3 in their last four games. In those contests, Bortles has thrown just four touchdown passes against six picks. He’s also been sacked 13 times, so the Jags’ offensive line will have to do better in order to keep defenses honest and open holes for their new running back.
With Hyde out of the picture, the Browns should be able to increase rookie Nick Chubb‘s workload. Browns fans have good reason to be excited about the Georgia product after he amassed 105 yards and two touchdowns off of just two carries in Week 4 against the Raiders. Pass-catching wizard Duke Johnson also figures to get more touches in the team’s revamped backfield.
Cardinals Fire OC Mike McCoy
After a disastrous 45-10 loss to the Broncos on Thursday night, the Cardinals fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. To replace him, the Cardinals promoted quarterbacks coach Byron Leftwich. 
McCoy’s job security has been a topic of discussion for weeks. Through seven games, the Cardinals have averaged just 13.1 points per game, which ranks 31st in the NFL. They’re also dead last in total yards per game, third-down conversion percentage, time of possession, and rushing yards. Something had to give, and the embarrassing loss to Denver was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
It’s an ironic end to McCoy’s tenure in Arizona since the Broncos fired McCoy in the midst of the 2017 season. Denver started off strong with a 3-1 start last year, but the team lost patience after a six-game losing streak knocked them out of playoff contention. This year, the Cardinals had enough after a 1-5 start and an embarrassing primetime loss in which Josh Rosen lobbed his third, fourth, and fifth interceptions of the year.
Leftwich, the Jaguars’ longtime quarterback, was brought in by former coach Bruce Arians as a coaching intern in 2016. Last year, he was hired as the team’s quarterbacks coach. Leftwich doesn’t have previous OC experience, but he did call plays in a couple of 2017 exhibition games.
“I’m a pretty confident guy, but I had never done it, and I had never practiced it,” Leftwich said of his OC audition. “That’s the tough part. Knowing B.A., B.A. ain’t going to give you two weeks in practice to prepare. He gave me a 10-play period to call them. The first time I ever called plays was in the game. I wish I would have done a few things here and there better, but that’s the exciting part of growing in this business. That helped my growth.”
Leftwich will make his OC debut on Sunday, Oct. 28 against the 49ers. After that, the Cardinals have a Week 9 bye.
Saints Place Ted Ginn On IR
Ted Ginn‘s season may be over. On Thursday, the Saints placed the wide receiver on injured reserve, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
Ginn missed the Saints’ Week 5 win over the Redskins with a knee injury, apparently, did not recover much over the Week 6 bye. It’s a bad blow for the Saints, but they got by just fine against Washington thanks to rookie Tre’Quan Smith, Cameron Meredith, and the return of pass-catching tailback Mark Ingram. The Saints would prefer to have Ginn on the field, but they certainly have enough weapons to survive.
Ginn, 33, never quite justified his selection at No. 9 overall in 2007, but he has been a valuable receiver and return man since joining the Saints in 2017. Last year, the speedster had a career-high 787 yards off of 53 catches, plus four touchdowns. In four games this year, Ginn had 12 grabs for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
Ginn, in theory, could return after eight weeks of inaction, but that will all depend on his recovery and whether or not he needs surgery. The Saints’ first game without the veteran will come on Sunday against a resurgent Ravens defense.
Seahawks Franchise Expected To Be Sold
The “sense” at the NFL’s ongoing league meetings is that the Seahawks franchise will be eventually be sold following owner Paul Allen‘s death, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Allen, who passed away Monday due to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, purchased the Seahawks in 1996. Allen never married and has no children, so there’s no clear heir to helm the club. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, the Seahawks could be turned over to Allen’s sister Jody, but it’s not apparent she has any interest in running an NFL team.
As such, the team is likely to be sold at some point, although the organization is expected to remain in Seattle, tweets Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who holds a significant amount of sway in league matters, told Garafolo that he “can’t imagine the Seahawks not being in Seattle.”
Per Forbes, the Seahawks are currently valued at $2.5 billion, with yearly revenue of $413MM and an operating income of $71MM. Those are obviously unofficial figures, but the price of NFL teams has only risen in recent years. The Bills, sold in 2014, went for roughly $1.1 billion, while the Panthers, who were purchased by David Tepper earlier this year, sold for at least $2.2 billion.
No matter who owns the team, the Seahawks don’t need to worry about their head coach. Asked if he wanted to stay in Seattle following Allen’s death, Pete Carroll responded “absolutely,” according to Florio. Carroll is currently under contract through the 2019 season under the terms of a 2016 extension that is believed to have made Carroll one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches.