Injury Updates: Juszczyk, Newton, Leonard
We rounded up a few injury updates earlier today, and now we have another batch to pass along:
- 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk will miss four to six weeks of action with a sprained MCL, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets. Pelissero also says Juice, one of the league’s most important fullbacks, will get a second opinion. There is some hope that the Harvard product can return before four weeks.
- Panthers QB Cam Newton will not travel with the team to London this week, as Brendan Marks of the Charlotte Observer writes. Head coach Ron Rivera said Newton is making progress in his rehab of a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, but there’s still no definitive word as to when he might return.
- The Colts are on a bye this week, and they should have a big boost when they return. LB Darius Leonard, who has missed the last three games with a concussion, shared a photo on IG saying he’s been cleared to play.
- Raiders DE Arden Key suffered a sprained patellar tendon during the team’s win over the Bears on Sunday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). He will miss several weeks, which led Oakland to work out a few edge defenders today.
Raiders Activate CB Nevin Lawson
Nevin Lawson should be set to make his Raiders debut on Sunday. The team activated the veteran defensive back from the exempt list today. Lawson was reinstated from his suspension last week.
The 28-year-old spent the first five seasons of his career with the Lions, and he appeared in at least 15 games per season between 2015 and 2018. During his final season in Detroit, Lawson finished with 53 tackles, one sack, and five passes defended.
The cornerback joined the Raiders on a one-year deal in March, and he was later hit with a four-game suspension for taking a banned substance. Lawson later said he tested positive for Ostarine, although he denied ever taking it.
The Raiders are currently only rostering four cornerbacks in Gareon Conley, Lamarcus Joyner, Keisean Nixon, and Curtis Riley. Assuming Nelson gets playing time, he’ll have a chance to snag his first interception in more than 3,000 career snaps.
In a related move, the Raiders waived offensive lineman Lester Cotton.
Bills Trade WR Zay Jones To Raiders
Zay Jones is off to Oakland. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports (via Twitter) that the Bills have traded the wideout to the Raiders. In return, Buffalo will receive a 2021 fifth-round pick.
The 2017 second-round pick seemed to turn a corner in 2018 following an underwhelming rookie campaign. In 16 games (15 starts), Jones hauled in 56 receptions for 652 yards and seven scores. However, the 24-year-old saw a reduced role in 2019, as he caught only seven passes for 69 yards through his team’s first five games (including two starts).
This past weekend, Jones only played a single snap after being passed on the depth chart by former CFL player Duke Williams. Sean McDermott acknowledged Jones’ reduced role during his press conference today, noting the receiver’s team-first approach.
“He’s just got to continue to do his job,” McDermott said. “You saw we made some plays at the wide receiver position. Zay’s a guy that continues to grow. He’s still young in his career. He’ll continue to do a good job as he continues to grow, and focus on what he can control. I appreciate his team first approach yesterday.”
The Raiders have been hunting for a receiver for some time, but they still managed to improve to 3-2 despite not having Tyrell Williams, JJ Nelson, and Dwayne Harris this past weekend. Jones will now slide into a depth chart that includes Hunter Renfrow, Keelan Doss, Trevor Davis, and Marcell Ateman.
Antonio Brown Files Grievances Against Raiders, Patriots
It was an inevitably, but free agent wideout Antonio Brown has now filed his much-discussed grievances against the Raiders and Patriots, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. We learned last week that Brown could be filing the following grievances:
• Fine appeals with the Raiders: $215K
• Salary guarantees with the Raiders : $29MM
• Signing bonus with the Raiders: $1MM
• Unpaid Week 1 salary from the Raiders: $860K
• Salary guarantees with the Patriots: $1MM
• Signing bonus with the Patriots: $9MM
• Unpaid Week 3 salary from the Patriots: $64K
• 2020 option year with the Patriots: $20MM
Rapoport confirms that all of the above grievances have been filed except the one concerning the 2020 option year with the Patriots, which felt like a major longshot anyway. In sum, Brown is seeking roughly $40MM in unpaid salary and bonuses.
However, Brown’s grievances are unlikely to be heard until the spring. Recent reports have suggested that AB stands a good chance of recouping the $9MM signing bonus from New England, but he could have a tough time recovering most of the other amounts.
We heard earlier this week that the NFL has yet to interview Brown concerning the sexual assault/rape allegations levied against him, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk — while acknowledging that Brown does not merit any sympathy — says the NFL could be deliberately slow-playing the situation to keep Brown out of the league. After all, no team will sign Brown while the league continues to stay silent as to whether the embattled wideout is destined for the commissioner’s exempt list, and the league doesn’t really have to say anything until its investigation is concluded (the last step of which is the interview with Brown). That’s not a violation of the collusion provisions of the CBA, but it is a convenient loophole.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/19
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: OL John Wetzel
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted from practice squad: DE Zach Sieler
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Duke Williams
Chicago Bears
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Tyler Bray
- Released: TE Bradley Sowell
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Tra Carson
- Waived: DE Fadol Brown
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Shakial Taylor
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Marcell Ateman, G Lester Cotton
- Placed on IR: G Jordan Devey
Philadelphia Eagles
- Released from IR with injury settlement: DT Aziz Shittu
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Released from IR with injury settlement: TE Xavier Grimble
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: LB Demone Harris
Raiders Work Out S Will Blackmon
The Raiders may be in London, but that didn’t stop the team from auditioning a veteran defensive back. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders worked out safety Will Blackmon yesterday. The 34-year-old is currently working for the NFL Network and was in London reporting on the Bears/Raiders matchup.
The 2006 fourth-round pick out of Boston College bounced around the league during his career, including stints with the Packers, Giants, Seahawks, Jaguars, and Redskins. He started 22 games between the 2013 and 2015 campaigns.
Blackmon’s last appearance came in 2016, when he compiled 41 tackles, three passes defended, and one pick in 15 games (six starts) for the Redskins. He was released by Washington the following preseason, and he later signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL in mid-2018. After appearing in only one game, Blackmon retired and joined the broadcasting ranks.
As Yates notes, the veteran has stayed in shape, and while he’s surely lost a step, he could still provide a team with a veteran presence in the secondary. The Raiders are currently rostering a trio of safeties behind starters Lamarcus Joyner and Karl Joseph: Curtis Riley, Erik Harris, and Dallin Leavitt.
Latest On Raiders LB Vontaze Burfict
There could be more trouble for Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Burfict was tossed out of last Sunday’s game against Indianapolis following his helmet-to-helmet hit on Colts tight end Jack Doyle, and the NFL informed Burfict in a letter several days ago that it found another helmet-to-helmet hit from the same game, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The league will use both hits in its case against Burfict as it moves to suspend him for the rest of the season.
Burfict’s agent, Lamont Smith, has predictably taken exception to the league’s reviewing Colts-Raiders tape to find another illegal (but unpenalized) hit in addition to the one that led to Burfict’s ejection. In a full-length piece, Rapoport says Smith will argue that the NFL has singled out Burfict and is treating him differently than other players. But, given that Burfict’s history of violent play is largely unprecedented, that may be a tough argument, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says Burfict is likely to lose his appeal.
Indeed, Burfict’s actions on Sunday, combined with his 13 suspensions and fines across seven seasons with the Bengals, make this a tricky case for the veteran and his reps. It’s also worth noting that Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks – who upheld Burfict’s three-game suspension in 2016 after his controversial hit on Antonio Brown – will be presiding over the hearing.
If the 12-game suspension stands, it will go down as the longest one ever levied for an on-field incident.
Latest On Raiders' Vontaze Burfict
- Vontaze Burfict faces a rest-of-the-season suspension that could well end his career. The polarizing Raiders linebacker’s appeal is scheduled for Tuesday, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets his argument will be based around the lack of precedent for a 13-week suspension ensuing because of one hit. However, the NFL said in its letter to the oft-suspended linebacker this ban was issued for a pattern of on-field decisions, rather than merely his collision with Jack Doyle. This considered, Burfict’s argument may not be successful.
Latest On Raiders’ Vontaze Burfict
The appeal hearing for Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict will take place on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. As it stands, Burfict is facing a suspension that would sideline him for the rest of the season. 
Per the collective bargaining agreement, these sessions are heard by an appeals officer jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA. This hearing will be presided by Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks, who upheld Burfict’s three-game suspension in 2016 after his controversial hit on Antonio Brown.
The NFL moved to keep Burfict off the field for the final 13 weeks of the ’19 campaign after he drove his head into Jack Doyle‘s helmet on Sunday. Burfict’s history won’t help him here but this is, by far, the lengthiest suspension ever set against a player for an on-field infraction, so Burfict may have a good chance at getting the suspension reduced.
Khalil Mack Thought He'd Spend Whole Career With Raiders
The Bears are set to face off against the Raiders in London this weekend, which means Khalil Mack will have his first chance to play against his former team. The linebacker told reporters today that he actually envisioned playing for the Raiders for his entire career.
Mack spent the first four seasons of his career with Oakland, but the Raiders put him on the block when the two sides couldn’t agree to a long-term selection. The Bears swooped in and ended up signing four-time Pro Bowler to a deal that included $90MM in guaranteed money. Mack rewarded his new team by compiling 47 tackles and 12.5 sacks in 14 games.