Browns’ Josh Gordon Applying For Reinstatement
1:39pm: Gordon’s meeting with the NFL is scheduled for Wednesday, not today, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. This means that Gordon will not be reinstated before this afternoon’s trade deadline.
12:59pm: Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon will meet with the league office in New York City on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Schefter adds that the Browns could trade his rights today if he is reinstated. 
The Browns have waffled a bit when it comes to Gordon. Earlier this year, coach Hue Jackson indicated that the team would be moving on from the troubled wide receiver. Then, as the season approached, he seemed to soften that stance. Right now, it sounds like the Browns are intent on turning Gordon into draft capital if he is allowed back into the league.
In order for Gordon to earn reinstatement, he’ll have to show that he has made significant changes to his lifestyle. For some time, it was believed that Gordon was suspended due to marijuana use. Recently, he opened up about the full scope of his issues, including the misuse of Xanax, cocaine, codeine, and prescription cough syrup.
Gordon has not played since the end of the 2014 season. He had 24 catches for 303 yards in the final five games of that campaign. In 2013, he secured First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors when he hauled in 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns.
Teams Calling On Bears G Josh Sitton
Teams are calling the Bears with interest in guard Josh Sitton, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).With a couple of hours to go until the trade deadline, the 3-5 Bears could be motivated to trade the lineman to a contending club. 
Sitton, 31, carries a $6.8MM cap number this year before that jumps to $8.66MM in 2018. Sitton doesn’t come cheap, but he has been regarded as one of the league’s best guards for nearly a decade, so he is worth it for a team looking to win right now.
Sitton currently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ ninth-best guard, which is actually lower than where Sitton has been situation in previous years. Sitton, who has spent his entire career to date in the NFC North, is coming off of his fourth career Pro Bowl nod.
Colts Discussing Donte Moncrief Trade
The Colts are open for business as the trade deadline approaches. The Colts have received calls on Donte Moncrief and they are listening, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
The Andrew Luck-less Colts sank to 2-6 on Sunday with their 24-23 loss to the Bengals. It’s no surprise that they’re open to trading name players given their current position. Cornerback Vontae Davis, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, running back Frank Gore, and offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo have also been mentioned in trade rumors. Teams that find the asking price for Hilton to be too rich may view Moncrief as a less thrilling yet less costly alternative.
Moncrief, 24, has 18 catches for 271 yards and one touchdown so far this season. He’s on pace for far less than the 64 catches for 733 yards and six TDs that he had in 2015, his last complete campaign.
Patriots Open To Trading Malcolm Butler
The Patriots remain willing to move cornerback Malcolm Butler, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) hears. JLC goes on to speculate that the Pats could package the second-round pick they acquired from the Niners in the Jimmy Garoppolo blockbuster to bring home a quality player. 
[RELATED: Patriots Trade QB Jimmy Garoppolo To 49ers]
Butler, 27, is headed for free agency after the 2017 season. The Patriots, unwilling to commit to him this summer, shopped him hard and nearly sent him to the Saints. Butler is back to playing quality football after a shaky start to the season, but the Patriots are in in the same place – they need to think hard about moving the cornerback if they are unwilling to commit serious dollars to him in March.
The Garoppolo deal could spur Bill Belichick & Co. to package Butler with their draft capital for something better, as La Canfora suggested, but Monday’s deal could have the opposite effect on potential Butler talks. Before the trade, the Patriots were seemingly on course to re-sign or franchise tag Garoppolo for a lot of money. With the young QB out of the equation, there should be more money available to lock up Butler, if that’s what they want to do.
As of this writing, Butler is Pro Football Focus’ No. 31 ranked cornerback in the NFL. He was ranked No. 7 in 2016.
Dolphins Willing To Trade Jarvis Landry?
Even after trading Jay Ajayi to the Eagles on Tuesday morning, the Dolphins might not be done making deals. Jarvis Landry is available for the right price, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (on Twitter) hears. Meanwhile, the Fins told Landry they are not trading him, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
[RELATED: Dolphins Trade Jay Ajayi To Eagles]
There have been questions about Landry’s long-term future with the Dolphins, despite the fact that he has cleared 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons. Landry lobbied for an extension this offseason, but the Dolphins did not put an offer on the table, preferring to wait and see how he would perform in his walk year. The Dolphins like Landry, but the feeling is that a lucrative long-term deal for Landry could prevent them from locking up DeVante Parker down the line. Landry’s off-the-field incident with the mother of his child also didn’t help matters, though he has been cleared of charges for that and will not be suspended by the league.
Landry is scheduled for free agency after the season. He’d be a tremendous rental with an option to commit for a contender.
Through seven games, the LSU product has 50 catches for 398 yards and three scores. Although his 8.0 yards per catch average is frighteningly low, Miami’s phone should be ringing off the hook on Halloween.
One thing to keep in mind for any prospective Landry deal is this – the Dolphins would be in line for a compensatory pick if they were to lose him in free agency this spring. For the Dolphins to trade Landry away, they’ll need a return that is markedly better than what they’d be getting in that scenario.
Dolphins Trade Jay Ajayi To Eagles
The Dolphins have traded Jay Ajayi to the Eagles, according to announcements from both teams. Miami will receive a fourth-round pick in exchange for the running back. 
Ajayi goes from the middling Dolphins to the first place Eagles to help shore up their running game. Heading into the season, Ajayi was viewed as one of the league’s most talented young backs, so the deal comes as an absolute shock. The Eagles are giving up very little for the 24-year-old in light of the numbers that he put up in 2016. Ajayi is also a bargain for this year and beyond. His contract calls for a $670K cap charge this year and a $760K cap charge in the following season. He does not have a fifth-year option at the end of his rookie deal since he’s a fifth-round pick, but the Eagles have plenty of time to lock him up between now and the spring of 2019, if they choose to do so.
Through seven games, Ajayi has not been quite as productive as expected. He has 465 yards off of 138 carries, good for a 3.4 yards per carry average. He also added 14 catches for 67 yards. He has yet to see the end zone either via the air or ground. That’s not necessarily a reflection on Ajayi, however, since Miami’s offense has been anything but stable this year. The Dolphins lured Jay Cutler out of his brief retirement to fill in for Ryan Tannehill, but Cutler’s rib injury led to Matt Moore taking over as the starter. As evidenced by Thursday night’s 40-0 blowout, that doesn’t make for an effective offense.
In Philadelphia, Ajayi is expected to team up with LeGarrette Blount to split lead back duties. So far this year, Blount has been the superior back with 467 yards off of 100 carries, giving him a strong 4.7 yards per carry average. He’s also found paydirt three times in total.
Next up for Ajayi and the Eagles is a Sunday tilt against the Broncos. After that, Philly’s newest acquisition gets a bye week before facing the rival Cowboys in Week 11.
Ezekiel Elliott’s Suspension Restored
A judge has dissolved Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott‘s temporary restraining order, meaning his six-game suspension is now in effect once again, tweets Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News.
Elliott was granted a temporary injunction earlier this month which allowed him to stave off suspension for two more weeks. But a judge tonight indicated that Elliott had “ample opportunity” to challenge the NFL’s ban during arbitration, and also said “the proceedings in their totality accorded with the CBA and the personal conduct policy,” per Hairopoulos (Twitter links). In essence, the court decided Elliott had already exhausted his potential remedies.
An appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit would be Elliott’s next step, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, but a decision from that bench wouldn’t be expected in short order. As such, Elliott will be banned while waiting for an answer from that court (were he to send his case in that direction). However, Elliott has 24 hours to file an appeal with the Second Circuit, and his legal team will argue that his suspension should be remain lifted until the appeal is heard, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Elliott, of course, was issued his suspension following allegations of domestic violence. The fourth overall selection in the 2016 draft, Elliott has accused the NFL of fomenting a conspiracy against him, and the dispute has gotten ugly from all angles. Elliott and his camp have cast doubt on the consistency of his accuser’s claims and suggested her motives were profit-based, while the NFL has accused Elliott of victim-shaming.
But the situation at hand has little to do with the original accusations against Elliott, and instead is focused on the NFL’s disciplinary process and whether the league followed its own procedures. Interestingly, the Cowboys organization jumped into the legal fray earlier this month, issuing an affidavit stating the club would suffer irreparable harm if the New York didn’t issue Zeke a temporary injunction.
If Elliot is forced to serve his suspension immediately, he’ll miss games against the Chiefs, Falcons, Eagles, Chargers, Redskins, and Giants before returning to face the Raiders in mid-December. The Cowboys will use some combination of Alfred Morris, Darren McFadden, and Rod Smith for the next six weeks as they attempt to maintain their tenuous grasp on postseason contention.
49ers To Release QB Brian Hoyer
After acquiring quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots, the 49ers are releasing veteran signal-caller Brian Hoyer, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
With Garoppolo now in tow, San Francisco had no need for Hoyer, who inked a two-year deal with the club this season. Rookie C.J. Beathard will presumably serve as Garoppolo’s backup, while Hoyer — who had admittedly struggled through a half-season in the Bay Area — will now hit the open market.
Although completely speculative, the Patriots stand out as an obvious suitor for Hoyer. After trading Garoppolo, New England no longer has a quarterback on the roster aside from starter Tom Brady. Hoyer spent the 2009-11 campaigns with the Patriots after signing as an undrafted free agent, so he offers experience in the New England system. And he’ll also come cheap given that he’ll earn termination pay from the 49ers, meaning he can now comfortably sign for the minimum.
Indeed, Hoyer was originally included as part of the Patriots’ return for Garoppolo, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, because Hoyer was signed as a free agent this offseason, he would have counted in New England’s 2018 compensatory pick calculation, and would have canceled out a Pats fourth- or fifth-rounder next year, tweets Nick Korte of Over the Cap.
Hoyer, 32, started six games for the 49ers before getting benched in favor of Beathard, and didn’t perform nearly as well as he had with the Bears in 2016. While completing just 58% of his passes, Hoyer tossed four touchdowns against four interceptions, and ranked 28th in adjusted net yards per pass attempt and 30th in quarterback rating.
49ers To Acquire QB Jimmy Garoppolo
The 49ers have agreed to acquire quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. San Francisco owns two 2018 second-rounders, but New England will acquire the 49ers’ original pick, per Schefter (Twitter link).
The deal is a stunning transaction on multiple levels, but perhaps the most curious aspect of the trade is that New England hadn’t expressed in any interest in moving Garoppolo despite the presence of Tom Brady under center. Bill Belichick & Co. reportedly rejected multiple trade offers in exchange for Garoppolo before the draft, and instead dealt third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett before the season began.
But instead of potentially using the franchise tag on Garoppolo next spring before trying to trade him, New England has moved him now following talks that began Monday morning, per Schefter (Twitter link). The fourth-year pro will head to San Francisco, where he’ll become the starting quarterback under head coach Kyle Shanahan not only for the rest of the 2017 campaign, but for the foreseeable future.
Garoppolo, of course, offers limited NFL experience, as he’s spent the majority of his Patriots tenure as Brady’s understudy. But the Eastern Illinois product was able to start two games for New England in 2016 while Brady was serving a four-game suspension. While Garoppolo played well in his time on the field, he was injured early in his second start, meaning the regular season film on him is extremely limited.
The 49ers will also need to work out an extension for Garoppolo, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next season. While San Francisco could use the franchise tag in 2018, the club presumably wouldn’t have traded for Garoppolo if it didn’t have every intention of handing him a long-term contract. The 49ers rank in the top-five of cap space in each of the next three seasons, meaning they have ample funds to spend on their new signal-caller.
San Francisco’s acquisition of Garoppolo also has wide-ranging implications for the rest of the league and the 2018 quarterback market. Given the presence of Shanahan, the 49ers have long been viewed as the No. 1 destination for Redskins passer Kirk Cousins, who will become a free agent next spring barring a third consecutive franchise tender. San Francisco is now out of the Cousins equation, making next year’s open market all the more complicated.
The Patriots, meanwhile, are clearly banking on Brady (now age-40) playing for several more seasons, something he’s vowed to do. In the near-term, New England will need to add another quarterback, as Brady is now the only signal-caller on the club’s roster. The Pats auditioned several signal-callers, including Matt Barkley and Matt McGloin, earlier this year.
Two Teams Discussing Frank Gore Trade
At least two clubs have discussed the concept of trading for Colts running back Frank Gore, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. At present, it’s unclear if those deliberations were internal in nature, or if the Colts have in fact explored Gore’s trade value via trade negotiations.
Without quarterback Andrew Luck available, Indianapolis isn’t seriously contending for a playoff spot, and Gore isn’t the only Colts veteran who’s been mentioned in trade rumors this week. Cornerback Vontae Davis, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, and offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo have all been tossed out as potential trade chits, and while some of those potential deals could be more likely than others, Gore makes sense as a player who could be on the move.
Now in his 13th NFL season, Gore would likely be open to playing for a contending team going forward, per Holder. Any club that acquires Gore would do on the cheap, at least from a financial perspective. The 34-year-old back is earning $3.5MM this season, so an acquiring team would be responsible for just $1.75MM for the remainder of the year.
Whether Gore is worth that salary (plus whatever draft compensation the Colts can wrangle) is a fair question. Gore has managed just 3.8 yards per carry since joining Indianapolis in 2015, and has recently ceded work to rookie Marlon Mack. He’s also been ineffective in the passing game, as he’s posted just 14 receptions and earned poor pass-blocking grades from Pro Football Focus. Of course, Gore’s disappointing numbers have come behind an offensive line that ranks just 27th in adjusted line yards.