Cameron Meredith Suffers Torn ACL
Bears wide receiver Cameron Meredith suffered a torn ACL during today’s preseason game against the Titans, according to Pam Oliver of FOX Sports (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). Although no official announcement has been made, Meredith will presumably miss the 2017 season.
Losing Meredith represents a massive blow for a Chicago pass offense that ranked a below-average 20th in DVOA a season ago. Meredith, 24, came out of nowhere to lead the Bears in receptions (66), receiving yards (888), and receiving touchdowns (four). The former undrafted free agent had been scheduled to serve as Chicago’s top wide receiver following the free agent defection of Alshon Jeffery.
Instead, the Bears will now be forced to rely on a parade of mediocre pass-catching options, several of which were signed this offseason. Markus Wheaton, Kendall Wright, and Victor Cruz will all be in the mix to catch passes from quarterback Mike Glennon, while former first-round selection Kevin White will also presumably take on a larger role. Chicago’s other receivers include Josh Bellamy, Deonte Thompson, and Daniel Braverman.
If the Bears want to look outside the organization for a wide receiver, there are options on the free agent market. Veterans such as Vincent Jackson, Steve Johnson, and former Bears Eddie Royal and Marquess Wilson are still available, as is mercurial former second-rounder Dorial Green-Beckham. Alternatively, the Dolphins are reportedly open to trading slot weapon Jarvis Landry, although acquiring Landry and his expiring contract would represent a win-now transaction for the quasi-rebuilding Bears.
Meredith’s injury will also have financial effects for the wide receiver, who’d been on track to become an restricted free agent next spring. While he’ll still reach that designation, Meredith will now likely be tendered at the lowest RFA level given that no other club is likely to attempt to poach him. Had he repeated his 2017 performance, Meredith could have offered a first-round tender next offseason — the difference between the two tenders may be greater than $2MM.
Chiefs’ Spencer Ware Likely Done For Season
Chiefs running back Spencer Ware is expected to require season-ending surgery for a torn PCL and a damaged LCL, Kansas City head trainer Rick Burkholder told reporters, including B.J. Kissel of Chiefs.com (Twitter link) and Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link).
Initial reports indicated Ware would only be sidelined for two-to-eight weeks, a timeline that would have allowed him to return during the 2017 campaign (the Chiefs would have had the option to designate Ware as an injured reserve/return player). Ware will get a second opinion on his health status, but the outlook isn’t positive.
Kansas City has the depth to withstand the loss of Ware, and rookie third-round selection Kareem Hunt will likely step into the starting lineup. Charcandrick West figures to serve as a reserve, while Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also said veteran back C.J. Spiller will likely be part of Kansas City’s roster (Twitter link via Paylor). If Kansas City searches for an external addition, free agents such as DeAngelo Williams, Rashad Jennings, and Ryan Mathews could come into play.
Ware, 25, has spent the past two seasons with the Chiefs, and was the club’s full-time starter for the 2016 season. Last year, he managed 4.3 yards per carry on 214 rushes and scored three times, adding 33 receptions, 447 yards, and two more touchdowns through the air. Ware is signed through 2018 as part of a three-year extension he signed prior to the 2016 campaign.
Browns Eyeing Trade For Wide Receiver
The Browns are scouring the trade market for a wide receiver, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
While Cleveland boasts a clear starting combination of wideouts in Kenny Britt and Corey Coleman, the club’s depth chart beyond those top two is a bit sparse (and inexperienced), as the Browns’ other options include Ricardo Louis, Rashard Higgins, Mario Alford, and Jordan Payton. Running back Duke Johnson has also been working as a slot receiver.
When I examined the premier NFL trade candidates earlier this month, I listed two wide receivers: Phillip Dorsett (Colts) and Cody Latimer (Broncos). While neither player has posted much in the way of professional results, each would give the Browns a young pass-catcher at a position of need. Of course, both Dorsett and Latimer are entirely speculative acquisitions for Cleveland.
One wild card in the Browns’ search for a wide receiver is Josh Gordon, who hasn’t been played since 2014 while serving suspensions. Gordon is eligible to apply for reinstatement this fall, and has reportedly spent time in a rehab facility, perhaps buoying his chances of returning to the NFL.
Browns To Name DeShone Kizer Starting QB
The Browns will name DeShone Kizer their starting quarterback following his performance in last night’s preseason game against the Buccaneers, sources tell Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. An official announcement is expected later today.
Kizer’s numbers against the Buccaneers certainly weren’t very impressive, as the second-round rookie complete only 6-of-18 pass attempts for 93 yards and one interception. But that was apparently enough for Kizer to earn Cleveland’s starting role over veteran Brock Osweiler, as head coach Hue Jackson said he was “comfortable” with Kizer following Saturday’s contest. On the whole, Kizer has attempted 49 passes during the preseason, completing 51% for 351 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
With Kizer under center, Cleveland will likely continue shopping Osweiler, whom it originally acquired from the Texans in a contract dump earlier this year. The Browns’ attempts to trade Osweiler are nothing news, as the club has reportedly been doing so ever since picking him up from Houston. But given that Osweiler is due a fully guaranteed $16MM salary in 2017, the Browns will need to eat some of that total in order to find a trade partner.
Cleveland’s quarterback depth chart machinations may not stop at the top, per Cabot, who reports the Browns may demote Cody Kessler to fourth-string behind Kevin Hogan. The regular season effects of such a move would be unclear for Kessler, who started eight games as a rookie in 2016.
Bills Sign Eric Wood To Extension
The Bills plan to keep Eric Wood around through the remainder of the 2010s, signing the veteran center to a two-year extension, the team announced.
Wood was entering a contract year. The 31-year-old center has been Buffalo’s starting snapper since entering the league in 2009. This deal will take him through 2019.
The extension secures Wood $16MM in new money, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It also adds $5.28MM to his 2017 wages. Wood counted for $7.58MM on Buffalo’s books this season. Rapoport adds (via Twitter) this deal comes with $14.2MM in guarantees. Factoring into these figures: Wood received a $6.5MM signing bonus and will collect a $1.75MM roster bonus next week.
This continues to fortify Buffalo’s interior line. The team matched a Rams offer sheet to retain backup center Ryan Groy earlier this year. Groy is signed through 2018.
It also answers the question about the Bills’ belief their second-longest-tenured player can bounce back from a broken leg sustained in November 2016. The team’s 2009 first-round pick, Wood will remain entrenched as Buffalo’s starter and one of the cornerstones of a rushing attack that led the league last season. The Bills paced the NFL by nearly 15 rushing yards per game in 2016, averaging 164.4 per contest.
Prior to the injury that limited Wood to nine games in 2016, the Louisville product played in at least 14 games in the previous four campaigns.
Patriots WR Julian Edelman Tears ACL, Out For Season
An MRI today has confirmed what the Patriots were fearing. According to Albert Breer of the MMQB.com (via Twitter), wideout Julian Edelman has “a complete ACL tear in his right knee.” Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the receiver will miss the entire season.
The Patriots confirmed the tear, and Tom Curran of CSNNE.com tweets the team will place the ninth-year wide receiver on IR.
Edelman suffered the non-contact injury during the first quarter of last night’s preseason game against the Lions. The veteran was carted off the field after having already collected three catches for 52 yards. The 31-year-old has suffered a number of injuries during his career, as he’s missed nine regular season games since becoming a full-time starter in 2013. However, he’s yet to miss an entire season.
The receiver’s presumed absence from the offense shouldn’t be underestimated. Over the past four seasons, Edelman has averaged 133 targets, 89 receptions, 956 yards, and five touchdowns per year. He was a major part of the Super Bowl-winning squad last season, hauling in 98 catches for a career-high 1,106 yards. He was also a force in the postseason, collecting another 21 catches for 342 yards and one touchdown during the Patriots’ three-game run. Following the season, the Patriots inked the former seventh-round pick to a two-year, $11MM extension.
While losing Edelman will certainly hurt, the Patriots have plenty of depth to make up for his absence. The team acquired Brandin Cooks earlier this offseason, adding another 1,000-yard receiver to their talented corps. Chris Hogan, who finished last season with 680 yards and four scores, will presumably slide up to the Patriots’ second receiver spot. The team could also lean on veteran Danny Amendola or 2016 fourth-rounder Malcolm Mitchell to pick up some of Edelman’s targets.
Of course, the team is also expecting full health from tight end Rob Gronkowski, and they acquired Dwayne Allen to serve as a backup. There’s also running backs James White and Dion Lewis, who have proved to be dependable targets. If any vicarious roster move were to come out of the Edelman injury, it may be the addition of undrafted rookie wideout Austin Carr to the active squad. The Northwestern product has led the Patriots with 11 receptions for 105 yards this preseason, but the Patriots’ receiver depth put the rookie on the roster bubble.
Patriots To Cut Kony Ealy
Kony Ealy‘s New England stay does not look like it will make it to the six-month mark. The Patriots plan to cut Ealy, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.
Garafolo cited poor scheme-fit issues behind Ealy’s struggles. This will further thin out the Patriots’ defensive end corps, but Ealy wasn’t exactly flourishing to the point he was a surefire rotational player. This comes after New England examined the trade market for a potential deal.
Bill Belichick said before the Pats’ third preseason game on Friday the fourth-year defensive end was progressing, but the team will still pull the plug on the brief experiment.
“The last three weeks, he’s definitely on the upswing,” Belichick said of Ealy, via Mike Reiss (on Twitter). “He’s made solid progress for us.”
Having not yet become a vested veteran, the 25-year-old Ealy will be sent to waivers. This creates an interesting option for teams in need of some edge help.
Ealy joins Rob Ninkovich and third-round pick Derek Rivers in being removed from the 2017 Pats defensive end equation, Ninkovich retiring early in camp and Rivers being shelved by a season-ending injury. The Patriots let Jabaal Sheard and Chris Long walk in free agency. Trey Flowers, Lawrence Guy and fourth-rounder Deatrich Wise are three ends now at the top of the equation for the Patriots.
The Patriots and Panthers swapped draft picks, allowing Carolina to move up a mere eight spots, in the March Ealy deal. Ealy started 15 games for the Panthers over the past two seasons, and the former second-round pick out of Missouri is best known for his dominant outing in Super Bowl 50 when he recorded three sacks and an interception.
Jaguars QB Blake Bortles Earns Starting Gig
It’s looking like Blake Bortles isn’t at risk of getting cut, after all. According to ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco (via Twitter), the Jaguars have named Bortles as their starting quarterback heading into the regular season.
We heard earlier this week that the organization could consider releasing or trading the embattled quarterback if he didn’t earn the starting gig over Chad Henne. The backup ultimately started the team’s third preseason game, and coach Doug Marrone revealed that there was in fact a competition at the position.
Ultimately, the logic was financially motivated, as the Jaguars had picked up Bortles’ non-guaranteed fifth-year option for 2018. Had Bortles suffered an injury and subsequently couldn’t pass a physical, the Jaguars would be on the hook for upwards of $19MM. Cutting the player would have cost the organization $6.57MM. However, that minor financial hit may have been worth avoiding the “potentially catastrophic scenario” of having to dedicate $19MM-plus in cap space to an injured Bortles in 2018.
Bortles, the third-overall pick in the 2014 draft, took a bit of a step back in 2016 following a productive 2015 campaign. The 25-year-old did start all 16 games and completed 58.9-percent of his passes, but he only threw for 3,905 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. Bortles also has a penchant for losing the ball, as he lost a career-high six fumbles last season.
Pats Suspect ACL Tear For Julian Edelman
The Patriots suspect that wide receiver Julian Edelman suffered a torn right ACL in the first quarter of their game against the Lions on Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports (Twitter link). He’ll undergo an MRI on Saturday.
Edelman departed after succumbing to a non-contact injury on an 18-yard catch and then went to the locker room on a cart. He hauled in three passes for 52 yards in limited action, once again displaying his importance to New England’s Tom Brady-led offense.
Edelman, who has emerged as one of the NFL’s premier wideouts in recent years, finished fourth in the league in both targets per game (9.8) and receptions (98) during the Patriots’ Super Bowl-winning 2016 campaign. He was also one of many postseason heroes for the squad, as he hauled in 21 playoff catches to give him 89 for his nine-year career. Only Jerry Rice (151) and Reggie Wayne (93) have amassed more playoff grabs than the 31-year-old Edelman, who looks like a shoo-in to at least surpass the latter at some point. Unfortunately for the Patriots and Edelman, though, it doesn’t appear he’ll accomplish that feat this season.
The recipient of a two-year, $11MM contract extension in June, Edelman has combined for a whopping 356 receptions in 55 games since his breakout showing in 2013. That type of production will obviously be difficult to replace this season, but the Patriots are still equipped with plenty of quality targets. Newcomer Brandin Cooks will take the helm of what should be an Edelman-less receiving corps, while Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell also figure to make sizable impacts. What’s more, the Pats likely have the best tight end duo in the league – Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen – as well as established pass-catching running backs in James White and Dion Lewis. Brady will have no shortage of options at his disposal this year, then, but his favorite choice is unlikely to be a factor as the team goes for its sixth Lombardi Trophy.
Saints Release Dannell Ellerbe
The Saints have released linebacker Dannell Ellerbe from injured reserve, Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com reports (on Twitter). The move was expected after Ellerbe recently received medical clearance for the foot injury that sent him to IR a month ago.
Ellerbe, 31, will now seek out his fourth NFL employer since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2009. The former Georgia Bulldog has struggled with injuries throughout his career with the Ravens, Dolphins and Saints, having played in just 77 of a possible 128 regular-season games. Ellerbe missed 17 of 32 games in his two seasons in New Orleans, which acquired him and a third-round pick from the Dolphins for wide receiver Kenny Stills in 2015. That came after Ellerbe missed all but one game in 2014, his last of two seasons in Miami.
Ellerbe contributed 68 tackles, four sacks (all of which came last season) and a forced fumble during his 15-game, 12-start tenure with the Saints. His release leaves the team with $1.7MM in dead money.