Multiple Teams Were Interested In Adrian Peterson; Derrick Henry Done For Year?
Veteran running back Adrian Peterson signed with the Titans this week after the team placed stud RB Derrick Henry on IR. And though his audition with Tennessee was the first time we heard anything on Peterson since July, there was apparently a fair amount of interest in his services.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, the Ravens, Raiders, Bills, Falcons, and Dolphins all expressed interest in Peterson, the three-time NFL rushing leader. Peterson also says Dancing with the Stars — which has made a habit of casting current and former NFLers — made him an offer in September, an offer that he declined because he believed he would have the opportunity to sign with Baltimore.
The Ravens lost their top three RBs before the season even started, and they ended up signing veterans Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, and Le’Veon Bell to help fill the void, so Peterson was right to think that he might get a shot in Baltimore. That obviously didn’t happen, but the future Hall-of-Famer will get a prime opportunity with Tennessee.
At 6-2, the Titans are currently at the top of the AFC standings, so Peterson will immediately get some action for a playoff contender, something he did not get to experience over the last three seasons (he spent 2018-19 with the Washington Football Team and 2020 with the Lions). Of course, losing Henry — the engine that makes Tennessee’s offense run, with all due respect to A.J. Brown and Ryan Tannehill — could seriously undermine the club’s chances at securing a first-round bye.
Speaking of Henry, Schefter passes along some bad news for Titans fans. The last report on Henry’s foot injury suggested that he might be back as soon as Week 15, or at least in time for the playoffs, but one source tells ESPN that it would be very surprising if Henry were able to return at all this season.
Without Henry, the Titans will forge ahead with Peterson, Jeremy McNichols, and D’Onta Foreman.
Raiders Still In Play For Odell Beckham; OBJ Prefers Seahawks?
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will be available to be claimed on waivers tomorrow. By Tuesday at 4pm ET, we will know whether a team has claimed him or if he will be a free agent.
Because a claiming team would be on the hook for $7.25MM — a sum that most clubs can’t fit onto their books at this point in the season — multiple execs tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that OBJ will likely go unclaimed. And if that happens, Schefter confirms that Beckham wants to sign with a contender.
If a non-contender should claim the enigmatic wideout — the 1-6 Jaguars and 2-6 Washington Football Team are two outfits that currently possess the cap space to add Beckham without dropping or restructuring another player — Schefter hears that there will be “issues.” He does not specify what those issues might be, but it presumably means OBJ would consider sitting out (though since he is now eligible for free agency after the season, it would seem that Beckham would want to produce as much good tape as possible and to prove that he is not a distraction, regardless of who he plays for).
Interestingly, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has heard that Beckham prefers the Seahawks of the three teams — the Saints, 49ers, and Seahawks — that have been definitively linked to him. The 3-5 ‘Hawks have the worst record of those clubs, but they also have easily the best QB situation once Russell Wilson returns to the field. Obviously, any team that acquires Beckham would have exclusive negotiating rights with him until free agency opens in March, so perhaps he views Seattle as the best long-term fit despite the current sub-.500 record.
Florio says that the Raiders are also still in play. After parting ways with Henry Ruggs, Las Vegas has been connected to Beckham but reportedly prefers DeSean Jackson, who is already a free agent and whose abilities as a speed merchant may be a better replacement for Ruggs’ skill-set.
However, according to Florio, the Raiders are waiting to see what happens with Beckham before deciding how to proceed with Jackson. That suggests that Vegas is preparing to either submit a waiver claim — the club would need to create cap room to do so — or to make a push to sign Beckham if he clears waivers. The 5-2 Raiders are in first place in the AFC West and have a good QB in Derek Carr, so they would seem to meet Beckham’s criteria.
Raiders CB Damon Arnette Facing Multiple Lawsuits
Nov. 7: In addition to the lawsuit detailed below, Arnette is facing a second suit filed by a hotel employee. The employee alleges that he told Arnette that the cornerback’s vehicle could not be retrieved from valet because Arnette lost the valet receipt, which prompted Arnette to berate the employee, spit on him, and poke him in the chest (via Jon Hoefling of Deadspin.com). The employee is seeking $500K in damages.
Plus, a video showing Arnette wielding multiple guns and threatening someone’s life has recently surfaced (video link includes offensive and NSFW language). All in all, it’s a bad run of publicity for Arnette, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that his roster spot could be in jeopardy.
Nov. 6: Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette has been accused of injuring a woman in a 2020 car crash, according to a report from TMZ Sports. The woman is seeking $92K in damages. Arnette plans on fighting the allegations.
According to the lawsuit, Arnette slammed into the woman’s car during the morning of October 14, 2020. While attempting to enter team facilities, Arnette reportedly missed a turn, and while trying to correct his mistake, he slammed into the woman’s car at speeds of 65 miles per hour. The woman claims she suffered “head trauma,” and that’s vicariously resulted in “shoulder, neck and back pain as well as depression and panic attacks.”
Further, the woman accuses Arnette of leaving the scene of the crash. According to an incident report, Arnette acknowledged making an unsafe turn leading to a collision, but he said he stuck around the scene long enough to “render aid to the woman.” Arnette also told police that he later left the scene because he was running late for a team meeting, but he had a friend stick around and provide police with information. According to the police report, Arnette’s friend actually tried to take the blame for the collision before cop’s sorted out the story.
“Mr. Arnette denies the allegations in the complaint and looks forward to addressing these claims through the court process,” the player’s attorney said in a statement to TMZ Sports.
Following a standout career at Ohio State, the Raiders selected Arnette with the 20th-overall pick in the 2020 draft. He started seven of his nine games as a rookie, collecting 25 tackles. He got inconsistent playing time through the first four games of this season, never appearing in more than 30 percent of his team’s defensive snaps. The 25-year-old landed on injured reserve with a groin injury back in October.
It’s been a chaotic month for the Raiders. An email scandal forced head coach Jon Gruden to resign from his position, while wide receiver Henry Ruggs was released following a DUI crash that caused the death of a woman.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/21
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: WR Greg Dortch, DL Josh Mauro, CB Kevin Peterson, LB Joe Walker, TE David Wells
- Placed on IR: DL Rashard Lawrence
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: RB Qadree Ollison, DL Anthony Rush
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: P Lachlan Edwards, S Myles Hartsfield, WR Willie Snead
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: CB Mike Ford
- Promoted: DL Jonathan Harris, G Austin Schlottmann, LB Barrington Wade
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
- Promoted: QB Blake Bortles
Houston Texans
- Promoted: S Jonathan Owens
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: WR Laquon Treadwell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: WR Marcell Ateman
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: WR Maurice Ffrench, CB Kiondre Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: LB Vince Biegel, WR Kirk Merritt
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: DE Kenny Willekes
New England Patriots
- Promoted: WR Kristian Wilkerson
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: QB Jameis Winston (story)
- Promoted: DT Josiah Bronson, WR Kevin White
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper, OLB Trent Harris
- Activated from IR: OLB Elerson Smith
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: WR John Hightower, RB Jordan Howard
- Activated from IR: TE Tyree Jackson
Tennessee Titans
- Released: OLB John Simon
- Activated from IR: OL Aaron Brewer, LB Jayon Brown
- Promoted: RB D’Onta Foreman, DB Chris Jones
- Placed on IR: FB Khari Blasingame
DeSean Jackson On Raiders’ Radar
Interest has emerged for DeSean Jackson, who is taking virtual meetings. Roughly seven teams have shown interest, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes (video link). One of those appears to be the Raiders.
The Raiders went through a Zoom meeting with the free agent wide receiver Saturday, veteran NFL reporter Michael Silver tweets. Given Las Vegas’ current situation, it is certainly not surprising the team is considering Jackson.
Jettisoned by the Rams this week, after they could not find a trade partner, Jackson cleared waivers. The 34-year-old deep threat wants to land with a contender, Garafolo adds. Other likely playoff teams are among those interested, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio tweets. Retirement is not on Jackson’s radar. The 14th-year veteran and his agent are set to go through phone calls and Zoom meetings over the next few days.
Odell Beckham Jr. has emerged as part of the Jackson equation, with Garafolo adding the teams interested in Jackson will likely be in the mix for Beckham — should the soon-to-be ex-Cleveland Brown clear waivers. The Raiders appear to prefer Jackson to Beckham, according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur (on Twitter). While OBJ’s potential free agency run could delay Jackson’s process, he should land elsewhere soon.
Although Jackson saw Van Jefferson eat into his role in L.A., he has stayed healthy for a change and showed the speed that made him one of this era’s best deep targets remains. Buoyed by a three-catch, 120-yard day against the Buccaneers, Jackson has averaged 27.6 yards per catch — albeit on just eight grabs — this season.
Following the tragic car accident that left a woman dead, the Raiders cut ties with Henry Ruggs, who has been charged with multiple felonies and faces decades in prison. Ruggs was the Raiders’ leading receiver, having caught 24 passes for 469 yards and two touchdowns this year.
Raiders Rework Jalen Richard’s Deal
The Raiders agreed to a reworked contract with Jalen Richard (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). By shifting a portion of his base salary into bonuses, the running back will open up an additional $1.06MM in cap room for Las Vegas. 
The move will also kick some of Richard’s cap hit into 2022, the final year of his two-year, $7MM deal. Most of that sum is non-guaranteed, however, so it’s not a given that he’ll return next year.
Richard is in his sixth season with the Raiders. His best work came in 2018, when he registered a total of 866 yards from scrimmage. He wasn’t able to match that production in 2019 or 2020, combining for only 729 yards from scrimmage in 29 games. This year, the newly-turned 28-year-old was supposed to open the year as a primary backup to Josh Jacobs. Instead, he’s spent the bulk of the year sidelined with a foot injury.
Richard currently sits fourth on the Raiders’ RB depth chart, behind Jacobs, Kenyan Drake, and Peyton Barber. He has just eight rushing yards so far this year, but he’ll hope for a larger share of the workload this Sunday against the Giants.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/4/21
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Claimed: LB Eric Wilson (from Eagles)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: WR Dillon Stoner
New York Giants
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Gary Brightwell
- Promoted: LB Benardrick McKinney
New York Jets
- Placed on IR: DE Bryce Huff
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: C Keith Ismael
Raiders Cut WR Henry Ruggs
The Raiders cut Henry Ruggs on Tuesday night. The team announced the transaction, which comes shortly after the second-year wide receiver was arrested for his role in a fatal car accident Tuesday morning.
Ruggs is facing two felony charges for an accident that left a woman dead. Las Vegas police say that Ruggs was impaired when his Corvette crashed into another car and killed the driver of the other vehicle. The accident occurred just before 4am in a residential neighborhood west of the Las Vegas Strip. Ruggs and a passenger in his vehicle were hospitalized. Upon being released from a Las Vegas-area hospital Tuesday, Ruggs was booked at the Clark County Detention Center.
Authorities identified the victim as a 23-year-old woman. The collision caused the victim’s vehicle to burst into flames, killing the woman and her dog, according to ESPN.com. Ruggs faces charges of DUI resulting in death and reckless driving. The first charge carries a possible sentence of two to 20 years in prison. The second runs from probation to six years. Ruggs, 22, is due to appear in court Wednesday.
Ruggs and a female passenger in his Corvette suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The woman who was in Ruggs’ car remains hospitalized. Raiders players returned to the team’s Henderson, Nev., facility Monday, after their bye week, but had another day off Tuesday, according to ESPN.
Although players hit with felony charges are eligible for the commissioner’s exempt list, which keeps those players on teams’ rosters while legal matters play out, the Raiders acted swiftly to move on from Ruggs. This marks an abrupt end to Ruggs’ Raiders tenure, and the former Alabama standout’s NFL career is obviously in serious jeopardy. Ruggs will head to waivers, though that will almost certainly be irrelevant here. The Raiders have a clear path to voiding the remaining guarantees in Ruggs’ four-year, $16.67MM rookie contract. Ruggs’ deal was fully guaranteed.
Some Raiders staffers preferred Ruggs’ Alabama teammate, Jerry Jeudy in last year’s first round, but the team made Ruggs the first receiver drafted in 2020. Las Vegas drafted Ruggs with the 12th overall pick. The deep threat struggled as a rookie, catching 26 passes for 452 yards in 13 games. Ruggs had shown improvement to become a more consistent part of Las Vegas’ offense this season, having made 24 receptions for 469 yards and two touchdowns through seven games.
Las Vegas has fellow homegrown wideouts Hunter Renfrow and Bryan Edwards signed beyond 2021, with Darren Waller under c contract beyond this season as well. As of now, Zay Jones is set to step into Ruggs’ starting position, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes. The Ruggs exit certainly leaves a void in the AFC West-leading team’s passing attack, but Renfrow, Waller and Edwards each have posted yardage totals north of 300 this season. Ruggs exited Week 7 as the team’s leading receiver, however.
Raiders Waive QB Nathan Peterman
5:07pm: Indeed, the Raiders and Peterman are not truly planning to separate. Peterman is expected to land on Las Vegas’ practice squad, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Unless another team poaches him, Peterman will stay on as the Raiders’ de facto third-stringer.
4:48pm: Nathan Peterman is no longer on the Raiders’ 53-man roster. The team cut its third-string quarterback Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Raiders also waived linebacker Javin White.
Since this transaction processed after today’s 3pm trade deadline, Peterman will head to the waiver wire. If unclaimed, the fifth-year quarterback will be a free agent. The Raiders signed Peterman to an extension in February; just more than $500K remains on his deal.
Following some disastrous in-game outings with Buffalo, Peterman landed in Oakland in December 2018. The then-Jon Gruden-led franchise then kept Peterman around via a reserve/futures deal and used him as a Derek Carr reserve over the next three seasons. Marcus Mariota stands as Carr’s backup; the Raiders do not have a quarterback on their practice squad.
Given Gruden’s abrupt exit, it will be somewhat interesting if the Raiders bring back Peterman. He remains practice squad-eligible, should Las Vegas go this route. Mariota has spent time on IR in each of his two Raiders seasons and certainly battled health issues while with the Titans.
A fifth-round pick in 2017, Peterman has a ghastly 3-to-12 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio and has completed 52.6% of his passes (at just 4.2 yards per throw). The 27-year-old passer has nevertheless stuck around as a backup arm. He appeared two Raiders games, the second of which coming earlier this season.
Raiders’ Henry Ruggs To Be Charged With DUI Resulting In Death
Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs will be charged in connection with a fatal car crash on Tuesday morning (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). Las Vegas police say that Ruggs was impaired when his Corvette crashed into another car and killed the driver of another vehicle. 
The crash occurred around 4am when authorities say Ruggs’ car collided with a Toyota Rav4. When the fire department arrived, they found the other driver deceased. Ruggs, 22, was transported to the hospital with “non-life-threatening injuries,” per the police report.
Ruggs was booked into Clark County Detention Center on Tuesday afternoon, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The victim was a 23-year-old woman, according to Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (on Twitter).
Ruggs, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2020 draft, posted ~1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns over his final two years at Alabama. On the field, the 6’0″ receiver has been a potent deep threat for the Raiders, averaging 18.4 yards per catch as a pro. Now, after today’s tragedy, his career is in limbo.
The wide receiver has two years and change to go on his contract, per the terms of his four-year, $16.67MM deal. The remaining salary and guarantees could be voided, depending on how his case progresses. In any event, he’ll likely spend the rest of the 2021 season away from the team.
The Raiders are now left with just three wide receivers on the roster in Bryan Edwards, Hunter Renfrow, and Zay Jones. Practice squad WRs Javon Wims, D.J. Turner, and Dillon Stoner could be candidates for promotion between now and Sunday’s contest against the Giants.