Delanie Walker Expected To Miss Rest Of Season
Delanie Walker was carted off the field during the Titans’ loss to the Dolphins today, and it sounds like the tight end is set to miss the season. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Walker suffered a dislocated ankle and an “associated fracture.” The reporter says the player’s “season is almost certainly over.”
A season-ending injury would certainly be a tough blow for the Titans, who were set to depend on Walker’s offensive production. The 34-year-old had been named to three straight Pro Bowls, and he finished the 2017 campaign with 74 receptions for 807 yards and three scores. The tight end had hauled in four receptions for 52 yards before suffering the injury.
If Walker indeed misses the entire season, the Titans will likely turn to 2017 third-round Jonnu Smith as a starter. The Titans are also rostering Luke Stocker and Anthony Firkser.
Walker wasn’t the only Titans player to suffer an injury on Sunday. Quarterback Marcus Mariota briefly returned to the contest after suffering an injury in the third quarter, but he ended up sitting out the remainder of the game. The injury was being described as an elbow/shoulder injury, and coach Mike Vrabel said the signal-caller would be reevaluated tomorrow.
“I just couldn’t feel my fingers, couldn’t feel my hand,” Mariota told TitansOnline.com. “It was one of those things where I couldn’t grip the ball and all that stuff.”
Meanwhile, left tackle Taylor Lewan was forced out of the game with a concussion after suffering a massive hit from defensive lineman Andre Branch. The hit sparked a brief fight as Lewan was lying motionless on the ground.
LeSean McCoy Not Expected To Face Charges From Offseason Incident
LeSean McCoy was in the headlines for the wrong reasons this summer, as he was accused of abusing his ex-girlfriend, Delicia Cordon, and was linked to a home invasion that left Cordon battered and bloodied. However, he reported to training camp just as he normally would and has been treated like any other player.
And, while Cordon has filed a civil lawsuit against McCoy, the Bills running back is not expected to face criminal charges stemming from the home invasion, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (story via Austin Knoblauch of NFL.com). Plus, while the NFL has the power to suspend a player for violations of the league’s personal conduct policy even if that player avoids criminal charges, Rapoport tweets that McCoy is not likely to be suspended, as there is simply not enough evidence of wrongdoing at this point.
McCoy, of course, has denied all allegations from the outset. The 30-year-old tailback has been one of the most productive rushers in the league since the Eagles selected him in the second round of the 2009 draft. He has six 1,000-yard rushing seasons to his credit, including his 2017 effort in which he tallied 1,138 yards and averaged 4.0 yards per carry.
The Bills are short on receiving talent this year, so the offense is likely to run through McCoy once again.
Randy Gregory Suffered Relapse, Could Be Suspended
Less than two months after being reinstated by the NFL, Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory may be facing yet another suspension for a violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports. Schefter says that Gregory suffered a relapse in August, and while he will play in his first regular-season game since 2016 today, his return to the NFL could be short-lived.
The team had thought the NFL would have made its decision as to potential discipline for Gregory last week, but Schefter says the league is still studying the case and deciding how much weight to give to the steps that Gregory has taken since his relapse. As Schefter notes, the league has softened its stance on players who run afoul of the drug policy and has begun to prioritize treatment and support over discipline.
Nonetheless, as Gregory is a repeat offender, he may be unable to escape another ban. He has missed 30 of the past 32 regular-season games, including the entire 2017 season, as a result of his violations.
Gregory, a Nebraska product, has a ton of talent as a pass rusher but has not been able to stay on the field long enough to live up to his promise. After being selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2015 draft — and he only made it to the second round because of character concerns — Gregory has only played in 14 games and has one sack to his credit.
However, he was working with the first team in recent weeks and may even start today, which makes this setback even more unfortunate.
Martavis Bryant Facing Year-Long Suspension
Former Steelers and Raiders receiver Martavis Bryant is facing a year-long suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy again, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Rumors of a looming suspension for Bryant had been swirling for some time, but this is the first definitive report on that front. Schefter adds that the NFL could issue an official ruling as early as this week.
Of course, the Raiders traded a 2018 third-round draft pick to the Steelers to acquire Bryant, but the troubled playmaker never played a down for Oakland. And, given that this would be Bryant’s third suspension in four years, it is possible that he will never play in the NFL again.
Bryant, 26, missed the entire 2016 season after repeated substance-abuse policy violations. However, he played in 15 games for Pittsburgh last year and flashed enough to entice the Raiders to part with the 79th overall pick in this year’s draft. He posted 50 catches for 603 yards and three scores in 2017, though he did clash with the Steelers’ coaching staff.
When he was dealt to Oakland, he promised to turn over a new leaf, but he was unfortunately unable to do so. He will be entitled to counseling from the NFL Players Association, even though his return to the league is now very much in doubt.
Seahawks To Activate, Start Earl Thomas
Earl Thomas‘ begrudging return to the Seahawks will mean getting his job back immediately. The Seahawks are set to activate their All-Pro safety and start him against the Broncos on Sunday, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
A full-time component of the Seahawks’ secondary from 2010-17, and the Legion of Boom’s last remaining bastion, Thomas will begin the final season of his four-year, $40MM contract. He doesn’t appear too happy about that, after waging a holdout that lasted into September, but his return greatly improves Seattle’s defense.
Despite Russell Wilson‘s presence, the Seahawks are viewed as a rebuilding team after gutting their defense this offseason. Thomas and Bobby Wagner will be all that’s left from Seattle’s Super Bowl defenses, with K.J. Wright set to miss Week 1, but that’s a good place to start for a defense.
The Seahawks have not lost to the Broncos in the Wilson era, defeating them in Super Bowl XLVIII and winning an overtime game in Seattle in September 2014. They are three-point underdogs in Denver this week. Thomas’ return obviously helps the team’s chances of exiting the Mountain Time Zone 1-0.
During Thomas’ absence, Tedric Thompson stepped in as a starter alongside Bradley McDougald. Sunday’s expected arrangement will be a Thomas-McDougald starting back line. After breaking his leg in 2016, Thomas returned last season and reclaimed his position as one of the NFL’s best safeties. He earned another Pro Bowl nod, made two interceptions, returned one of those for a touchdown and made 88 tackles.
While the 29-year-old defender could still be on the trade block, given the unlikelihood he’ll be part of the 2019 Seahawks and the Cowboys’ enhanced trade offer, he’s moving forward with his current team for the time being.
Bell Won’t Report To Steelers This Week
The Steelers-Le’Veon Bell stalemate will take a significant divergent turn compared to last year’s impasse. Bell will not report to the team on Saturday and will forgo an $853K payment, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Bell has until 4pm ET to show up, but Schefter adds that deadline will come and go with the two-time All-Pro away from the team. James Conner was already entrenched as the Steelers’ Week 1 starter against the Browns, but Bell being willing to skip a game check adds a layer to this situation.
This process will now carry over into Week 2, when the Steelers are set to host the two-time reigning AFC West champion Chiefs. And if Bell’s on board with bypassing a near-$1MM check this week, it’s obviously in play he’d do so again. Steelers offensive linemen unloaded on the running back this week for his seeming disinterest in his 2018 team’s status compared to his potential position on the 2019 free agent market. The situation plunges into stranger territory now that he’s refused to report before his team’s Cleveland trip.
The early part of the Steelers’ schedule is not as menacing as the back end. The Chiefs are the only 2017 playoff team on the Steelers’ September slate. But the Ravens, viewed by many as the top threat to the Steelers’ AFC North crown this season, are set to visit Pittsburgh in Week 4.
Pittsburgh will not trade Bell, rescind his franchise tag or add money to it. Bell’s agent cryptically voiced concerns about how the Steelers will use his client this season — on the heels of mammoth workloads in 2016 (on a per-game basis) and ’17 — and Bell’s side is showing it means business by extending the player’s absence into the regular season.
Mike Tomlin said earlier this week he won’t let an agent dictate his game plans, firing back at Adisa Bakari’s comments regarding his client’s high-volume usage rate. But until Bell’s side blinks, Conner will be the Steelers’ top running back.
Falcons S Keanu Neal Suffers Torn ACL
Keanu Neal‘s injury during Thursday night’s season-opening game proved to be significant. The Falcons safety is now out for the season after being diagnosed with a torn ACL, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
The third-year defender left the Falcons’ Week 1 loss to the Eagles, and he’ll now spend the rest of the 2018 season rehabbing his left knee post-surgery. This is a key blow to a talented Falcons secondary.
The Falcons did not expect this diagnosis, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), ordering an MRI as a precaution. They’re now down a top young talent. The team announced Neal is done for the year.
The youngest player in a starting secondary that now features each of its other cogs signed long-term, the 23-year-old Neal emerged as a Day 1 starter after being a 2016 first-round pick. He earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2017 after making 113 tackles and forcing three fumbles. Neal’s forced eight fumbles in his career and has two 100-tackle seasons under his belt.
Atlanta has second-year man Damontae Kazee and recent trade acquisition Jordan Richards slotted as safety backups.
If the team wants to look for outside help, the obvious top candidate is Eric Reid. But he’s currently involved in a collusion grievance against the league after teams shied away from him in free agency this offseason. However, the stakes are high for the 2018 Falcons. Might that prompt them to reach out to arguably the top free agent available? Dan Quinn also coached Earl Thomas during his days as Seahawks DC, and Thomas has let it be known he remains at odds with his team, despite ending his holdout earlier this week.
The Falcons are now 0-1 in a key season for the franchise, with Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta and the team standing as one of the top contenders in a loaded NFC. This is obviously a tough development to start the year.
In other Falcons injury news, however, Devonta Freeman did not sustain a serious knee injury Thursday night, Rapoport adds. He’s expected to be fine going forward.
Bears, NT Eddie Goldman Agree On Extension
Shortly after authorizing the richest defensive contract in NFL history, the Bears are locking down another key defender.
The Bears and nose tackle Eddie Goldman agreed on a four-year extension worth more than $42MM Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The 24-year-old lineman will receive $25MM guaranteed as a result of this re-up, Rapoport reports.
A former second-round pick, Goldman was entering his contract year. Two days before the Bears begin their 2018 season, they now have another defensive lineman signed long-term. They took care of Akiem Hicks last year and now have four of their front-seven bastions signed to long-term deals, with Danny Trevathan and now Khalil Mack in the fold on veteran deals — one of which standing out a bit more than the other.
Goldman won’t be paid close to what Mack is, but the fourth-year starter is now one of the highest-paid nose tackles in the game.
Among pure 3-4 nose players, Goldman’s $10.5MM-AAV-plus agreement now is in line to sit second among this position. And among those extended long-term, Goldman’s deal now leads the pack. Ndamukong Suh is making $14MM this season, but the Rams gave him a one-year deal. Goldman’s now set to collect the most guaranteed money among nose tackles, his $25MM haul surpassing Damon Harrison‘s $20MM guarantee.
The Florida State alum started 15 games for Vic Fangio’s improved defense in 2017, bouncing back from a 2016 season-ending injury. He’ll join Hicks and Jonathan Bullard as first-unit linemen when the Bears face the Packers on Sunday night and will now do so knowing his long-term future will be in Chicago.
Cardinals Unlikely To Extend David Johnson Before Week 1
The Cardinals aren’t likely to work out a long-term contract with running back David Johnson before the season gets underway on Sunday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported last week that the two sides were not close to a new deal.
However, Johnson could still hammer out a pact in-season, as Rapoport indicates talks won’t come to a close just because the season is starting. Johnson recently said he’s been “encouraged” by negotiations with Arizona, and general manager Steve Keim said today Johnson’s health question marks — he missed most of the 2017 campaign with a dislocated wrist — won’t play into discussions, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
Johnson, of course, was arguably the NFL’s best offensive player during the 2016 season. In addition to being named first-team All-Pro, Johnson managed 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns plus 80 receptions, 879 yards, and four more scores in the passing game.
Rams running back Todd Gurley reset the running back market last month by agreeing to a new deal which contains a $14.375MM annual value and $21.95MM in guarantees, but it’s difficult to see Johnson approaching that figure. Not only is Johnson coming off a lost season, but he’s nearly three years older than Gurley. Still, a contract which tops double-digits annually should be expected for Johnson, who will earn just $1.907MM in 2018.
Pro Football Rumors’ 2018 NFL Predictions
The 2018 NFL season gets underway tonight, and the writers at Pro Football Rumors have weighed in with projections for the upcoming year. We’ve predicted which teams will earn playoff berths, which clubs will win their respective conferences, the Super Bowl champion, and the winners of the league’s major awards.
Click on the table below for predictions from Zach Links, Ben Levine, Andrew Ortenberg, Rory Parks, Dallas Robinson, and Sam Robinson. And please head to the comments section to chime in with your own prognostications for the 2018 NFL season!
