Drew Brees’ Future With Saints Uncertain
The Saints have been a pleasant surprise this season, jumping out to a 6-2 record on the strength of a largely young and talented roster that should continue to grow together for the next few years. Future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Drew Brees, however, may not be in New Orleans beyond this season.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) says the Saints are unsure as to whether Brees, who will be a free agent at season’s end, will be back in 2018. There have been no contract talks this season, and those talks will not commence until the season is over. Brees, of course, will want to be paid well, but Rapoport says he is missing some throws that he usually makes and that the team has noticed a slight decline in the 38-year-old’s overall performance.
That decline, however, is not manifesting itself in Brees’ statistics. His 71.6% completion rate is the best in the league, and while he is averaging under 300 passing yards per game for the first time since 2010, his quarterback rating of 105.0 is the highest it has been since 2011. He has also thrown 13 touchdowns against just four interceptions and has generally looked like the same great player he has always been for the Saints.
Rapoport says that Brees does not want to play for anyone other than the Saints, so if the two sides cannot agree to a new deal in 2018, it will be interesting to see whether No. 9 simply elects to call it a career. Speculatively, however, it seems that New Orleans will not squander all of the young talent it has at other positions by discarding the best player the franchise has ever had — and who is still pretty darn good — in favor of a less talented and/or more unproven signal-caller. But until the ink is dry on a new contract, this will be one of the more intriguing storylines to follow when the calendar flips to 2018.
Latest On Martellus Bennett
Martellus Bennett did not practice in the final days of his Packers tenure and did not play against the Lions on Monday night. The Packers cut him, only for the talented tight end to return to the Patriots via waiver claim.
Bennett appeared at Patriots practice Friday, indicating he passed a physical despite reportedly having a torn rotator cuff. The 10th-year veteran addressed his status on Friday afternoon.
The 30-year-old pass-catcher said (on Instagram, via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport) he did, in fact, opt for shoulder surgery earlier this season. Bennett said he asked the Packers to examine his shoulder further after the team’s Week 5 win over the Cowboys, and he added he elected to have surgery. However, Bennett says the Packers persuaded him to play through this injury — one he said was made worse this season.
Three subsequent visits to separate doctors revealed, per Bennett, the damaged shoulder needed to be repaired. And he posts that he decided to do that, only to see the Packers cut him. He alleges the Packers’ reasoning for waiving him (with a Failure to Disclose a Physical Condition designation) was bogus, writing that he circled “shoulder” weekly when he filled out a team-issued body evaluation sheet.
Bennett writes in his post he made this decision for surgery after Week 5. This comes after a report indicated the tight end wanted out of Green Bay after Aaron Rodgers‘ Week 6 injury. Bennett mentions his October declaration to retire after this season as the Packers’ reasoning for this cut. He was due a $2MM roster bonus on Day 1 of the 2018 league year. The $6.3MM guarantee in Bennett’s three-year, $21MM Packers pact was spread through 2019 via signing bonus.
While uncertain to play this week with the Patriots, Bennett is traveling to Denver, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. He’s listed as questionable to face the Broncos. Bennett now trying to play through pain for a different team, and not getting this surgery that’s been reportedly recommended, strikes the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein as odd (Twitter link).
Demovsky (Twitter link) said he’s heard consistent praise for the Packers doctor Bennett’s criticized, Dr. Pat McKenzie, including rave reviews from Rodgers. Silverstein adds McKenzie has a conservative reputation when it comes to injuries, and Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal (on Twitter) echoes this sentiment.
So, this might not be the last that’s discussed about Bennett’s unremarkable (but not exactly forgettable) Packers tenure. For now, though, the Packers (via Silverstein, on Twitter) aren’t responding to Bennett’s allegations.
Martellus Bennett Passes Patriots Physical
Martellus Bennett‘s status has been one of the more intriguing stories in recent days, and Friday’s brought new chapters to it.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported Bennett has a torn rotator cuff, but he showed up for Patriots practice on Friday to indicate he’s passed a physical for his new team, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).
The Patriots were the only team to claim Bennett, whom they didn’t re-sign this offseason to lead to the Packers making a rare venture into non-street free agency in adding him. Varying degrees of rotator cuff tears exist, and Bennett — who played in seven Packers games before missing Monday’s — looks to have avoided a serious tear.
Bennett has 24 receptions for 233 yards this season after being the top tight end on the Patriots’ latest Super Bowl team. This time around, the injured player joins Dwayne Allen — who has no catches this season despite playing in each of New England’s eight games — as a supplementary cog behind Rob Gronkowski. While Gronkowski is one of the NFL’s more injury-prone players, he’s healthy right now.
Two years remain on the Bennett deal the Patriots are now responsible for, but the 30-year-old tight end said he plans to retire after this season. He may be attempting to play hurt in an environment that clearly worked for him last season.
Cardinals S Tyvon Branch Has Torn ACL
The Cardinals lost more than a game on Thursday night. Cardinals safety Tyvon Branch suffered a torn ACL in the defeat, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). He’ll be placed on season-ending injured reserve.
Bruce Arians confirmed this diagnosis Friday afternoon and added Branch will undergo surgery.
Branch started in all nine of the Cardinals’ games this season, giving himself a larger-than-anticipated role following the addition of Antoine Bethea in free agency. His season ends with 66 total tackles, six passes defensed, and one forced fumble.
Branch, 31 in December, was initially slated to earn $4MM on the backend of a two-year, $8MM contract. Instead, he agreed to cut his salary in half. He’ll be a free agent after the season so it’s possible that he has played his final game for the Cardinals.
Between 2009 and 2011, Branch was considered one of the top safeties in the game. He’s no longer an elite player, but he has shown that he can still play at a high level.
Martellus Bennett Has Torn Rotator Cuff
The Packers waived tight end Martellus Bennett because he had a torn rotator cuff, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). He may or may not try to play through the injury. If he can’t, the Patriots could simply place him on injured reserve. 
[RELATED: Patriots Claim TE Martellus Bennett]
There are varying degrees to rotator cuff tears and, presumably, Bennett is not dealing with a complete tear. A partial tear could help to explain his mediocre production in 2017. In seven games for the Packers, Bennett had just 24 grabs for 233 yards and zero touchdowns.
Bennett has indicated that he will retire after the 2017 season, so he might be willing to play through the pain without fear of the additional damage he might do to his shoulder. If he can gut it out, he might just have a chance at winning a second consecutive Super Bowl ring with the Patriots. This time around, he won’t have to be on the field as much thanks to Rob Gronkowski being healthy and the presence of Dwayne Allen.
Seahawks’ Richard Sherman Done For Year
Richard Sherman‘s season is over. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed to reporters after Thursday night’s game that Sherman has suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times). The cornerback will be placed on injured reserve in the coming days. 
Sherman told reporters, including Gregg Bell of The News Tribune (Twitter link) that his Achilles has been bothering him since the Rams game back on Oct. 8. He figured it would rupture eventually, but he wanted to keep playing for his teammates. Tonight, he heard a pop and his worst fears were confirmed by doctors in the locker room.
The Seahawks’ options for out-of-house reinforcements are somewhat limited now that the trade deadline has passed. Vontae Davis will be a free agent once he formally clears waivers on Friday, but he is said to be considering season-ending groin surgery. For now, the Seahawks seem likely to fill from within using Justin Coleman, Neiko Thorpe, and Jeremy Lane alongside Shaquill Griffin. It’s also possible that DeShawn Shead will be able to return from IR at some point this year.
Sherman is in the third year of a four-year, $56MM contract extension he inked with the Seahawks back in 2014. The deal calls for a cap number of $13.6MM this year followed by $13.2MM in 2018. In theory, if the Seahawks wanted to put their resources in another direction, they could release Sherman and save $11MM against the cap while carrying just $2.2MM in dead money.
Sherman is still among the league’s best cornerbacks, but it’s a situation to keep an eye on if he does not regain all of his explosiveness after surgery. The Seahawks may seek to tamp down his 2018 cap number, perhaps via a pay cut or a more team-friendly extension.
This marks Sherman’s first incomplete season since entering the league as a fifth-round pick in the 2011 draft. In his six previous seasons, he had perfect regular season attendance while earning five Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team All-Pro selections.
Jerry Jones: Owners Misled On Goodell Deal
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has doubled down on his crusade against the NFL, accusing Falcons owner Arthur Blank — head of the league’s compensation committee — of “misleading” NFL owners on the terms of Roger Goodell‘s contract extension, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com.
There’s quite a bit to unpack in this story, but Jones’ key complaints revolve around the six-man competition committee, a ownership sub-group that determines Goodell’s salary. Per Jones, Blank previously indicated the specifics of Goodell’s new deal would be “unanimously” approved by the committee before heading to a vote from all 32 of the league’s owners. When two members of the group showed concerns with Goodell’s extension, Blank “backed off” his claims that a unanimous vote was a prerequisite.
Jones also claims he “discovered a number of very concerning issues” regarding Goodell’s deal, including a “discretionary bonus plan” that hadn’t been part of the original contract. Additionally, initial plans for an offer to Goodell contained performance-based incentive language — the new contract was a “departure” from that original concept, per Mortensen.
Whether or not Jones will actually follow through with his intention of suing the NFL is unclear at present, but the league’s competition committee — which recently removed Jones as an “ad hoc” seventh member — has sent a stern reminder to the Cowboys owner, as Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal tweets. The group revealed contract language which requires an owner who sues the league to pay for not only his own legal expenses, but those of the NFL as well.
Also left unresolved is whether the NFL’s decision to suspend Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott for six games — a suspension which will now seemingly take effect at long last — has played any role in Jones’ legal threats. While reports have indicated Jones’ battle is solely on Goodell’s compensation, it’s fair to wonder whether Elliott’s ban, and the ongoing saga surrounding the back, have pushed Jones into his current frame of mind.
Latest On Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott
The latest ruling in the Ezekiel Elliott saga will put his six-game suspension into motion starting with this Sunday’s game against the Falcons. He still has options to fight the ban, but it will take a while before he can realistically get another legal intervention. Elliott’s expedited appeal in front of the Second Circuit court is scheduled for December 1st, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. 
The Cowboys have four games between now and 12/1, so Elliott will almost certainly miss games against the Falcons, Eagles, Chargers, and Redskins. After that, Elliott will have to assess whether to fight the league on the remaining two games. In theory, it seems possible that Elliott could stave off the final two games of his scheduled suspension only to have the ban reinstated in the postseason (assuming the Cowboys qualify).
The Cowboys are 5-3 heading into Sunday’s game with Atlanta. They have serious ground to make up in order to catch the 8-1 Eagles for the NFC East crown and they’ll have to do it without their best offensive weapon – at least for the next month.
Eagles, Timmy Jernigan Agree To Extension
The Eagles and Timmy Jernigan have agreed to terms on a four-year, $48MM extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The new deal will pay the defensive tackle $26MM fully guaranteed and keep him under control through the 2021 season.
Jernigan came to the Eagles via an April trade with the Ravens. All it cost the Eagles was dropping down 25 spots in the third round of the 2017 draft, a deal that seems like a brilliant move in hindsight. Signing Bennie Logan was Philly’s first priority in free agency, but they probably wound up better off with their Plan B.
Playing alongside Fletcher Cox, Jernigan has amassed 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks through nine games. Jernigan also stepped up in a big way while Cox dealt with a calf injury earlier this year. The 25-year-old suffered an ankle injury of his own on Sunday, but he is expected to play in the Eagles’ post-bye contest against Dallas on Nov. 19.
The Eagles are projected to be a little tight on cap space heading into the offseason, but Jernigan was among their top priorities. Many of their top front seven players are now signed through at least 2020, including Fletcher Cox, Timmy Jernigan, Vinny Curry, and Derek Barnett.
Last year, Jernigan finished out as the league’s 42nd best interior defensive lineman, according to Pro Football Focus, putting him ahead of names like Ricky Jean-Francois, Corey Peters, and Cullen Jenkins.
Patriots Claim TE Martellus Bennett
The Patriots have claimed former Packers tight end Martellus Bennett, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The deal brings Bennett back to the team where he thrived in 2016 and won a Super Bowl ring. To make room, defensive end Geneo Grissom has been cut.
Bennett was stellar with the Patriots in 2016, hauling in 55 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns. However, he was a total dud after signing a lucrative free agent deal with the Packers. In seven games, he had just 24 receptions, 233 yards, and zero touchdowns in seven games. Some in Green Bay believe that Bennett starting phoning it in after Aaron Rodgers went down with a broken collarbone.
By claiming Bennett, the Patriots assume the remainder of the veteran’s three-year, $21MM deal. However, much of his Year 1 salary was already paid out to him via signing bonus. Bennett is due just $423K for the rest of the season.
Initially, it was believed that Bennett would likely pass through waivers unclaimed. While he may have been checked out with the Packers, the Patriots are apparently confident that he will pick up right where he left off.
Last month, Bennett announced that he is considering retirement after the 2017 season. It remains to be seen whether his relocation to New England will change his mind about hanging up the cleats. If he can be productive once again, this could prove to be one of the greatest “rentals” in league history.
Bennett will now join a TE group headlined by Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen. After Grissom was cut, it appears that Jacob Hollister will remain on the 53-man roster for now as the fourth TE.