Giants Could Fire Ben McAdoo After Today’s Game
The Giants could fire head coach Ben McAdoo within 24 hours of the team’s game against the Raiders today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen.
Less than a month ago, we heard that New York would at least give McAdoo the opportunity to finish out the season, his second as the Giants’ head coach. And that made sense, given the number of injuries the Giants have dealt with this year and the fact that they did make the playoffs in 2016.
But that was before the now infamous benching of Eli Manning. Schefter and Mortensen report that the decision to sit the Giants’ longtime signal-caller could be the “final straw” for McAdoo, which is interesting because team owner John Mara admitted earlier this week that he was the one that suggested to GM Jerry Reese that it could be time to evaluate other quarterbacks. However, per ESPN, it does not sound as if Mara is displeased with the benching itself; he just did not like how McAdoo presented the plan to Manning, whom Mara adores. That underscores McAdoo’s perceived lack of communication skills, which has also manifested itself in his interactions with players like Dominiqiue Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins this year (to say nothing of the team’s lack of offensive creativity in its efforts to overcome its myriad injuries).
Schefter and Mortensen report that Reese’s job security is also quite tenuous (although it seems unlikely that Reese would be fired before the end of the season). If McAdoo is indeed fired, he would be the first Giants coach to be let go before two full seasons since 1930, as James Kratch of NJ.com tweets (Ray Handley was handed a pink slip after he led Big Blue to a 14-18 record in 1991-92, but he at least got to the end of the 1992 season). He would also be the first domino to fall in what is expected to be a busy firing/hiring season, as eight to 10 head coaching jobs could become available.
The Giants have not offered a comment on the ESPN report. Kratch says if McAdoo is fired, offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan is the most likely interim candidate (Twitter link).
Packers Targeting Week 15 Return For Aaron Rodgers
The Packers are targeting a Week 15 return for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Rodgers returned to practice yesterday, making his return to game action this season very realistic.
However, other than confirming that Green Bay wants Rodgers to suit up as soon as he is eligible, Schefter does not add any new details to yesterday’s report that the star QB is practicing again. Schefter says that Rodgers’ Week 15 return is, of course, contingent upon his being medically cleared — and we learned yesterday that he would not be scanned until after the Packers’ Week 14 game against the Browns — and that the Packers would need to still be in playoff contention for No. 12 to see the field again in 2017.
Green Bay currently sits at 5-6 and is two games behind the Falcons for the second wild-card spot. But the Packers do have two eminently winnable games in Week 13 (home against the Buccaneers) and Week 14 (at Cleveland). If they can get to 7-6, Rodgers could be back to lead a playoff push in a difficult final stretch of the schedule, which includes matchups against the Panthers, Vikings, and Lions.
With Rodgers’ backup, Brett Hundley, under center, the Packers have stumbled to a 1-4 mark. Though Hundley has turned in a couple of strong performances, he has also struggled mightily at times, and the team clearly needs Rodgers to get to the postseason.
Saints Move Coby Fleener To IR
The concussion Coby Fleener sustained against the Rams last week induced the Saints to place their starting tight end on IR, Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported this week Fleener’s concussion could linger. He was declared out for this week. To replace Fleener on the 53-man roster, the Saints promted tight end Garrett Griffin from their practice squad, Rapoport tweets.
The Saints also waived cornerback De’Vante Harris, per Herbie Teope of NOLA.com (on Twitter), and promoted cornerback Arthur Maulet from the practice squad.
Fleener has not missed a game since his rookie season, suiting up for all 16 of the Colts’ contests from 2013-15 and each of the Saints’ games last season. He played in 11 New Orleans tilts this year prior to a nasty Blake Countess hit in Los Angeles.
The former second-round pick has become a lower-end target for Drew Brees this season, averaging 26.8 yards per game, but still leads the Saints’ tight ends by a healthy margin. Fleener caught two touchdown passes this season, but it will mark by far his lowest receiving output since his rookie year. He finished with 631 air yards last season. Josh Hill, Michael Hoomanawanui and now Griffin comprise the tight end contingent on New Orleans’ active roster.
Fleener is under contract through the 2020 season.
Harris played in all 11 Saints games this season, starting one. The 2016 UDFA recorded 15 tackles and deflected two passes. Maulet played in one career game, against the Panthers in Week 3. He may well have a chance to play a second against the Panthers on Sunday.
Eagles, Alshon Jeffery Agree To Extension
Alshon Jeffery will be in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future. The Eagles announced (via Twitter) that they have signed the wideout to a four-year extension. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Facebook) that the deal is worth $52MM, with another $1MM worth of incentives each season. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes (via Twitter) that the deal includes $27MM in guaranteed money.
“Alshon has been a tremendous addition to this organization on and off the field,” the team said in a statement. “We place a priority on making sure we are able to build the team around quality players like Alshon who embrace this team and this city the way he has. We are excited about his future here.”
Following a tumultuous 2016 campaign with the Bears that included a four-game ban for performance-enhancing drugs, Jeffrey signed a one-year “prove-it” deal with the Eagles during the offseason. The 27-year-old has had a bounce-back campaign in Philadelphia, hauling in 43 receptions for 619 yards and seven touchdowns. While the wideout is unlikely to match his two-straight 1,000-yard campaigns between 2013 and 2014, he’s still proving to be one of the more productive receivers in the game. Pro Football Focus has been relatively fond of his performance in 2017, ranking Jeffrey 34th among 116 eligible receivers.
Perhaps more importantly, Jeffrey has provided quarterback Carson Wentz with another reliable target, and the Eagles’ receiver has played a significant role in the team’s 10-1 record. Jeffrey has played 100 more snaps than number-two wideout Nelson Agholor, and he added some much-needed experience to a receivers corps that includes a pair of rookies. While Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com believes the wideout could have seen an even bigger payday following a productive postseason, he ultimately believes Jeffrey was smart to take the big-money deal now. With a $13MM average annual salary, Jeffrey will now be tied with T.Y. Hilton for seventh on the list of the league’s highest-paid wideouts.
With Jeffrey now locked up, the team may focus their attention to extending some of his teammates. Last week, we heard that the organization was working on an extension with defensive end Brandon Graham.
Packers Place Ty Montgomery On IR
Ty Montgomery‘s season is over. The running back has been placed on injured reserve due to rib and wrist injuries. To take his place on the roster, wide receiver Michael Clark has been promoted from the practice squad. 
Montgomery missed time due to a rib ailment earlier this year. This time around, he needs more time to recover.
Montgomery’s season ends after just eight games played. He had 71 carries on the year for 273 yards (good for an average of 3.8 yards per carry) with three rushing touchdowns. The converted wide receiver also added 23 catches for 173 yards and one receiving TD. It wasn’t quite as impressive as Montgomery’s 2016 season in which he averaged 5.9 yards per rushing attempt with 44 catches for 348 receiving yards.
With Montgomery and fellow running back Aaron Jones sidelined, the Packers will be leaning on rookies Jamaal Williams and Devante Mays. It would also make sense for the Packers to look into acquiring another tailback.
The Packers are 5-6 after dropping their last two games. They’re not out of the playoff chase yet, but they’ll need to beat the Bucs on Sunday to keep hope alive.
Cardinals, Corey Peters Agree To Extension
The Cardinals have agreed to sign nose tackle Corey Peters to a three-year extension, according to a team announcement. The deal is worth an average of $4MM per year, Mike Jurecki of 98.7 FM (on Twitter) hears. Of course, the devil is in the details and we’ll know more about the deal once the cash flow and guarantees are known. 
Peters has struggled with injuries in his time in Arizona, but he’s been quite valuable when on the field. The veteran missed the entire 2015 season after signing a three-year, $9MM deal with the Cards in the previous offseason. He appeared in all but one of Arizona’s games last year, but this season a high ankle sprain has held him out of the last two games.
Peters, 30 in June, had the second-most snaps among Cardinals defensive lineman this season at the time of his injury in November. To date, he has a career high 80. 1 overall score on Pro Football Focus. He currently ranks 47th out of 119 qualified interior defenders.
In his two years with the Cardinals, Peters has recorded 38 tackles, a safety, and a sack.
Bears Claim LB Lamarr Houston
The Bears have claimed linebacker Lamarr Houston, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Texans released the veteran on Tuesday, exposing him to post-trading deadline waivers. 
Houston spent the 2014-2016 seasons in Chicago. The results were mixed, primarily due to his health. Houston, 30, didn’t live up to his five-year, $35MM free agent deal signed in 2014. In three seasons with the Bears, Houston has appeared in just 26 of a possible 48 games and made only ten starts. The Bears opted to release Houston just prior to Week 1 of this season.
The potential remains for Houston to be an effective edge rusher, although perhaps not as a starter like when he was with the Raiders. After two ACL tears and multiple other knee injuries, he could best serve the Bears as a reserve. Currently, the Bears are starting Mitch Unrein and Akiem Hicks at defensive end with Pernell McPhee and Sam Acho as the starting outside linebackers. Houston figures to get reps at OLB, particularly wtih Leonard Floyd and Willie Young on IR.
In five games with the Texans, Houston recorded seven total tackles, one forced fumble (recovered for a touchdown), and one sack.
Giants To Place CB Janoris Jenkins On IR
The Giants will place cornerback Janoris Jenkins on injured reserve as he battles an ankle injury, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jekins will undergo surgery later today, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Jenkins has reportedly been playing with a “debilitating” ankle issue that has limited his ability to cut and change direction, so it’s no surprise that New York is choosing to shut down the veteran defensive back in what has become a lost 2017 campaign. Despite his injury, Jenkins hasn’t been terrible, although he certainly hasn’t produced like a shutdown corner (as he did in 2016). In nine games, Jenkins graded as the NFL’s No. 42 corner among 118 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus, and ranked ninth in Football Outsiders’ success rate.
Of course, Jenkins has also been involved in off-field controversy this year, as the Giants suspended him for one week late last month. The 29-year-old Jenkins reportedly violated team rules and became the second Big Blue cornerback — joining Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie — to be handed a team-issued ban by New York this year.
With Jenkins sidelined, the Giants will likely turn to Ross Cockrell, whom the club acquired from the Steelers prior to the season, as a new starting corner. He’ll likely play opposite Eli Apple, although Apple is going through his own off-field issues. Rodgers-Cromartie will continue to man the slot, while recent signees Brian Dixon and Darryl Morris could theoretically see playing time given New York’s lack of secondary depth.
Jenkins signed a five-year, $62.5MM contract with the Giants prior to the 2016 campaign, and he’s $10.9MM in non-guaranteed base salary next season. While there’s been no indication New York has any interest in releasing Jenkins, the club could soon be under new management (both in the front office and on the coaching staff). The Giants would save $7MM by cutting Jenkins next spring.
NFL Reduces Michael Crabtree, Aqib Talib Suspensions To One Game
The Raiders will have Michael Crabtree back in their starting lineup come Week 14. The NFL reduced the wideout’s two-game suspension to one on Tuesday night, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports, adding Aqib Talib‘s two-game ban has also been trimmed to one (Twitter links).
Crabtree will only miss this week’s game against the Giants. The Raiders face the Chiefs in Week 14. Talib will miss Sunday’s Broncos-Dolphins game but be back for Denver’s Week 14 game against the Jets.
The two essentially shared culpability in the widespread brawl that featured the rivals in a rare one-on-one fight scene in the end zone. But a day after the suspensions were handed out, the Raiders and Broncos received word the NFL has softened its stance upon appeals voiced from James Thrash (representing Talib) and Derrick Brooks (representing Crabtree).
Talib will save $570K as a result of Tuesday’s adjusted punishment. Crabtree will save $367K. This will be Talib’s second one-game suspension in three seasons. He missed a November 2015 game as a result of on-field actions against the Colts. Crabtree will miss his second game as a Raider. The veteran pass-catcher played in each of Oakland’s 32 regular-season games during the 2015 and ’16 seasons before missing Week 4 of this season — against the Broncos.
Both Vance Joseph and John Elway stood by Talib during his appeal hearing, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.
The Raiders still could be facing the prospect of playing without Crabtree or Amari Cooper for the first time since the duo became Raiders two seasons ago. Cooper is dealing with a concussion and a sprained ankle. The Broncos will turn to Bradley Roby to start opposite Chris Harris, with third-round rookie Brendan Langley — whom Cooper scored a short touchdown against during Sunday’s Raiders win — filling in as the nickel presence.
49ers To Start Jimmy Garoppolo In Week 13
After a brief cameo caused by a C.J. Beathard injury, Jimmy Garoppolo will begin his tenure as the 49ers’ starter.
Kyle Shanahan notified the quarterbacks Garoppolo will start against the Bears, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports (on Twitter). This will mark only Garoppolo’s third career start, but it could well be the first of many as a 49er. Shanahan announced the move, and it looks like Garoppolo will have a five-game sample upon which to judge going into the offseason.
Shanahan and John Lynch have been openly cautious about deploying their recently acquired passer, but management appears ready to begin the experiment. While they’ve made it clear this isn’t an audition, with the franchise tag being the likely offseason outcome to further judge if Garoppolo is the long-term solution, the franchise will begin to see if its quarterback of the future is presently on the team.
Garoppolo has thrown 96 career passes, being 2-for-2 with a touchdown toss as a 49er, but has only played one game from start to finish — the 2016 Patriots opener against the Cardinals. He suffered an injury against the Dolphins the following week.
This game being at Soldier Field will mark a unique moment for the Eastern Illinois-developed quarterback; Garoppolo grew up in nearby Arlington Heights, Ill.
Beathard started the previous five games for the 49ers, who acquired Garoppolo midway through that stretch. The rookie suffered knee and hip injuries against the Seahawks and may not have been able to go this week anyway. He figures to return to the backup role he occupied when the season began. Beathard completed 55 percent of his passes and has a 4-to-6 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio for the 1-10 team.