Giants Waive OL Michael Bowie
The Giants have waived left tackle Michael Bowie, according to a team announcement. Bowie is facing charges for domestic violence, but the Giants indicated that they could be open to a return, depending on how things shake out. 
“We have waived Michael Bowie,” GM Jerry Reese said in a statement. “As we have already stated, we were made aware of this situation on Saturday. The league has started to gather more information. That process will continue. The outcome of that process will determine whether there is another opportunity here for Michael.”
Bowie was reportedly involved in an argument with his girlfriend earlier this month and that dispute turned physical, police say. Bowie was said to have grabbed his girlfriend by the neck and thrown her to the ground. He also allegedly broke two televisions and punched a hole in a wall in the process. The lineman is facing charges of domestic assault and battery plus two counts of malicious injury or destruction of property.
In related moves, the Giants waived guard Corin Brooks and waived/injured wide receivers Darius Powe and Andrew Turzilli. To fill their spots on the roster, they signed wide receivers Marquis Bundy and C.J. Germany and offensive linemen Richard Levy and Matt Rotheram.
Le’Veon Bell Say He’ll Report Next Friday
Franchise-tagged running back Le’Veon Bell says he’ll report to the Steelers on Friday, September 1 (Twitter link).
Pittsburgh had longed believed Bell would return to the club before the regular season gets underway, and now the team has a specific date, one which lands nine days before the Steelers’ season opener. Bell, who will earn north of $12MM on the franchise tender (which he’ll presumably sign once he gets back to Pittsburgh), missed all of training camp and won’t play in the preseason, as he’ll report one day after the Steelers’ final exhibition game.
The Steelers reportedly offered Bell a long-term deal that would have paid him $60MM over a five-year term (including $30MM over the first two years) and made him the league’s highest-paid running back by a wide margin. Bell rejected that offer, and some reports have indicated Pittsburgh and Bell’s agent believed an agreement was in the offing before Bell himself nixed the finalized pact.
When healthy, Bell is clearly one of the most dynamic running backs in the NFL, as he topped 1,200 yards from scrimmage in three of his four professional campaigns. A weapon on both the ground and through the air, Bell managed 1,268 yards rushing plus a whopping 75 receptions a season ago, and scored a combined nine times.
Health, though, isn’t a given for the 25-year-old Bell, as he’s missed time with injury in two of the past four years. During his rookie season in 2013, Bell suffered a foot sprain that cost him three sprains, while an MCL/PCL tear sidelined him for 10 contests in 2015. He’s also in the league’s drug program as a result of violating the substance policy, which led to a three-game suspension in 2016.
Browns LB Tank Carder Out For Season
Bad news for the Browns. Linebacker Tank Carder will not be able to play in 2017 thanks to an ACL tear, coach Hue Jackson tells reporters. 
Carder, 28, has appeared in all but two of the Browns’ regular season games since 2012. Although he saw time in just 56 defensive snaps this year, he was projected to start at middle linebacker for Cleveland this season.
The Browns will still have standouts Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey to start at linebacker, but the team now has a void to address in the middle. Reserves Dominique Alexander and James Burgess may get a crack at the job, unless the team wants to do some reshuffling to put Collins or Kirksey at MLB. Joe Schobert, former second-round pick Nate Orchard, and Cam Johnson are among the team’s reserves at OLB.
Broncos Name Trevor Siemian Starting QB
Broncos head coach Vance Joseph has officially named Trevor Siemian as the club’s starting quarterback over Paxton Lynch, according to multiple reports. Former Denver receiver Brandon Stokley (now a 104.3 The Fan contributor) first reported the news earlier today (Twitter link).
“It’s a permanent decision,” said Joseph, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. “As for as Trevor being our guy, he’s our guy.”
Siemian, of course, won Denver’s quarterback job in 2016 even after general manager John Elway traded up in the first round to select Lynch with the 26th overall pick. A former seventh-round pick choice who spent his rookie campaign on the bench behind Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler, Siemian responded by completing 59.5% of his passes for 3,401 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
The Broncos didn’t attempt to hide Siemian in their offense, as the club ranked in the middle of the pack in percentage of passing plays (15th) and finished fifth in offensive pace. But Denver’s offense clearly struggled with Siemian at the helm: the unit only scored on 30.3% of its drives (26th in the league) and averaged just 5.3 plays per drive (29th). As a whole, the Broncos ranked 22nd in points and 28th in DVOA, both of which represented dips from the team’s 2015 performance.
All that said, it’s not readily apparent that the 23-year-old Lynch would constitute a significant upgrade. The Broncos, under new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, presumably gave Lynch every chance to win Denver’s quarterback gig before handing the duty to Siemian. And Lynch didn’t perform all that well in relief of Siemian last season, either: in two starts, Lynch completed 59% of his passes for 497 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, making his quarterback rating of 79.2 about five points worse than Siemian’s figure.
What this decision means for Lynch’s future isn’t entirely clear at the moment, but he’ll join an ignominious list of first-round quarterbacks who failed to start their respective club’s season opener in their second NFL season, as Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders tweets. Lynch is under contract for two more years, and the Broncos also hold a fifth-year option for the 2019 campaign. Siemian, meanwhile, is under team control through only 2018.
Colts To Sign CB Chris Culliver
The Colts have agreed to sign free agent cornerback Chris Culliver, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). It’s a one-year deal for Culliver, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.
Culliver, 29, was a 14-game starter as recently as 2014, but his recent campaigns have been defined by injury. After being released by the Redskins last spring, Culliver sat on the free agent market until landing a one-year deal with the Dolphins in August. Still recovering from a torn ACL, Culliver began the season on the PUP list and was ultimately cut in November without ever having played a down for Miami.
The Colts — who worked Culliver out today, per Mike Wells of ESPN.com (Twitter link) — can use all the secondary help they can get after ranking 26th in passing DVOA a year ago. Vontae Davis is Indianapolis’ only established cornerback, as second-round rookie Quincy Wilson is set to start opposite him with Darius Butler in the slot. Rashaan Melvin, Darryl Morris, Nate Hairston, and Chris Milton round out the rest of the Colts’ corner depth.
Given that uninspiring cast of characters, it’s entirely possible that Culliver could earn ample playing time early in the season. The condition of his knee, which ultimately led to his release in Miami, will likely determine if Culliver is able to contribute on a weekly basis.
Jets Owner Sworn In As UK Ambassador
The Jets announced that owner Woody Johnson has been formally sworn in as the United States’ ambassador to the United Kingdom. With that in mind, Woody’s younger brother Christopher Wold Johnson will take over as the Jets’ chairman and CEO. 
Christopher is twelve years Woody’s junior, so he could potentially hold down the fort for a while. We first learned that Christopher would ascend to this role back in June.
While Woody Johnson will face some challenges in his new role, Christopher Johnson has a difficult task of his own. This year’s Jets team may be one of the least talented squads assembled in the modern era. Meanwhile, the team is without a promising young quarterback to groom for the future.
The Jets also may have to make a decision on the club’s decision-making structure in the coming months. If Gang Green struggles again in 2017, the team could be looking to replace general manager Mike Maccagnan and/or head coach Todd Bowles.
NFL To Extend Roger Goodell Through 2024
Roger Goodell isn’t going anywhere. The NFL is set to extend its commissioner through the 2024 season, according to Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that there are still some issues for the two sides to iron out before a deal formally gets signed.
[RELATED: DeMaurice Smith Expects 2021 Work Stoppage]
Goodell’s current contract runs through 2019, which put the league in an awkward spot since the NFL’s current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in early 2021. Recently, NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith characterized a strike or lockout as a “virtual certainty” after the 2020 season, so it’s imperative for the league to have stability in leadership. If Goodell serves through 2029, that will mark 19 years in power.
It hasn’t always been a smooth ride for Goodell and the Ray Rice scandal of 2014 nearly cost him his job. Still, the league has grown tremendously since he came to power in 2006 and Goodell has been well compensated for his time.
For the 2012 season, Goodell raked in $44.2MM. He took some pay cuts after that, earning $35MM in 2013, $34.1MM in 2014, and $32MM in 2015. We don’t know how much Goodell earned in 2016 or how much he’ll earn in the coming season, since the NFL dropped its tax-exempt status in 2015. However, it’s possible that Goodell could make a little less per year on his extension.
Even in the ~$30MM range, Goodell is still compensated better than any player in the NFL.
Anquan Boldin To Leave Bills, Retire
Anquan Boldin signed with the Bills earlier this month in advance of a 15th NFL season, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to be in the cards for the veteran wideout any longer.
Boldin informed the Bills on Sunday he plans to retire instead of suiting up for them in the regular season, ESPN.com’s Jim Trotter reports (on Twitter).
The former first-round pick signed a one-year deal that was worth as much as $4MM and said he would have signed with the Bills with or without Sammy Watkins on the roster. GM Brandon Beane also used Boldin’s acquisition to illustrate how the franchise wasn’t rebuilding after dealing Watkins and Ronald Darby.
Beane confirmed Boldin is retiring, via Twitter. The wideout officially spent just less than two weeks with the Bills.
Boldin retires as one of the best receivers of his era. The former Cardinals, Ravens, 49ers and Lions cog has the ninth-most receptions in NFL history, with 1,076. Only two active players — ex-teammate Larry Fitzgerald and longtime Cowboys tight end Jason Witten — have more catches than Boldin. A potential Hall of Famer, Boldin is 14th in receiving yards (13,779) and 23rd in touchdown receptions (82).
“Football has afforded me a platform throughout my career to have a greater impact on my humanitarian work,” Boldin said in a statement, via Trotter (on Twitter). “At this time, I feel drawn to make the larger fight for human rights a priority. My life’s purpose is bigger than football.”
Set to turn 37 in October, Boldin operated as a starer during all 14 seasons of his career. The Florida State product finishes his run as a three-time Pro Bowler and having helped the 2012 Ravens to a Super Bowl title. He also teamed with Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner in elevating the Cardinals to their franchise peak, with an NFC title and narrow Super Bowl loss in 2008.
Boldin authored seven 1,000-yard seasons — for three different teams — and caught a career-high 11 touchdown passes during that ’08 season. He also recorded one of the best rookie seasons, with the ’03 Cards, by a receiver in NFL history, catching 101 passes for 1,377 yards and eight touchdowns.
Last year with the Lions, Boldin signed a one-year deal and started all 16 games. He served as a key security blanket for Matthew Stafford, catching 67 passes and scoring eight touchdowns.
Boldin was a free agent throughout the offseason and was connected to the Lions and Ravens. He ended up signing with the Bills and was expected to provide a veteran presence to a team that has revamped its receiving corps.
Gone are Watkins, Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin. In their places are now Jordan Matthews, second-round rookie Zay Jones and former Raiders starters Andre Holmes and Rod Streater, the latter of whom is currently injured. Former Panthers wideout Philly Brown and Patriots special-teamer Brandon Tate are also on the roster. This move deprives the Bills of a proven pass-catcher and puts more pressure on Matthews, also currently sidelined with an injury, to fill the void this season.
Dolphins Sign Veteran LB Rey Maualuga
Following rookie Raekwon McMillan‘s season-ending knee injury, the Dolphins have added a veteran replacement. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, the team has signed linebacker Rey Maualuga. According to the writer, Maualuga will earn the ninth-year veteran’s minimum base salary of $900K, and he’ll earn another $80,000 via a guaranteed bonus. Salguero notes that the linebacker will ultimately count $695K against the team’s cap.
The 30-year-old worked out for the Dolphins earlier this week, as he competed with several free agents for the opportunity to fill the team’s hole at linebacker. As Salguero writes, the team’s decision to sign Maualuga could be attributed to his experience with defensive coordinator Matt Burke, who previously served as the player’s linebackers coach in Cincinnati. The linebacker had received interest from the Chiefs earlier this offseason, but he ultimately left his audition without a contract.
The 2009 second-round pick had spent his entire eight-year career with the Bengals before he was released by the organization in March. Last season, Maualuga appeared in 14 games, setting career-lows in starts (six) and tackles (27). Pro Football Focus wasn’t fond of his performance, as he ranked as the third-worst linebacker in the league. Of course, he’s only two years removed from a productive 75-tackle campaign. Plus, as Salguero explains, the Dolphins will only be counting on the veteran to play 25-30 snaps per game, serving primarily in “run-stuff situations.”
With second-rounder McMillan out for the season and veteran Koa Misi failing to recover from his spinal fusion surgery, the Dolphins were struggling for linebacker depth. Behind starters Lawrence Timmons, Mike Hull, and Kiko Alonso, the team is only rostering four reserves in Neville Hewitt, Trevor Reilly, Brandon Watts, and Deon Lacey.
George Fant Tears ACL
The Seahawks now have a hole on their offensive line. Following last night’s preseason win over the Vikings, head coach Pete Carroll revealed that left tackle George Fant tore his right ACL and will require surgery. While the team hasn’t announced a definitive timeframe for the lineman, it’s assumed that he will miss the entire season. The 25-year-old was injured during the second quarter after teammate Justin Britt accidentally rolled into his leg.
“Really broken-hearted about George Fant getting hurt,” Carroll said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “Just unfortunate. He’s done so much, come so far and everybody’s cheering for him and rooting for him all along. He’s going to be in trouble getting back this season. He’s got a knee injury that’s going to require surgery, unfortunately. Kinda takes a little something out of it for everybody.”
Fant had a bit of an unconventional path to the NFL. Despite not having played organized football since the eighth grade, the former Western Kentucky University basketball star decided to join the school’s football team for the 2015 season. After playing sparingly during his lone collegiate season, he signed on with the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2016.
While he mostly played tight end during his college career, the Seahawks transitioned Fant into an offensive tackle. The 6-foot-6 rookie ended up playing a significant role for Seattle last season, starting 10 of his 14 games. While ProFootballFocus.com wasn’t particularly fond of his performance, the Seahawks clearly had high hopes for the lineman.
That sentiment was emphasized this offseason, as Fant came into camp 20 pounds heavier, and Carroll certainly recognized the player’s improvement at the position.
“I don’t think anyone has done more than George Fant,” Carroll said (via Matt Calkins of the Seattle Times). “George just had a fantastic spring and offseason … he got bigger and stronger and was able to add, shoot, maybe 22-23 pounds from where he was last year.”
Fant was expected to be the Seahawks’ starting left tackle, leaving the team with a hole on that unit. Rees Odhiambo replaced his injured teammate during last night’s contest, and ESPN.com’s Sheil Kapadia suggests that the team could also use left guard Luke Joeckel at the position.