Bills To Place Kyle Williams On IR
Veteran Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams appears to have played his last snap of the 2015 season, as head coach Rex Ryan said today that the team is expecting to place Williams on injured reserve. As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com notes, Williams’ injured knee is not responding to treatment.
Williams confirmed today that he’s planning to undergo surgery for a meniscus issue, tweets Rodak. According to Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News (Twitter link), the longtime Bill thinks rehab will last a few months following the surgery, and anticipates being back on the field next season.
While Williams has no plans to retire, there’s no guarantee that the 32-year-old will remain in Buffalo next season. The former fifth-round pick, who has been with the Bills since they drafted him in 2006, has two years left on his contract, with his base salary set to increase to $6MM in 2016 and $6.3MM in 2017. The club could create $5MM in cap savings by cutting him in the offseason, though I’d imagine the two sides would try to work out a reduced salary before considering parting ways.
While one Bills defensive lineman looks likely to head to IR, the other Williams on the line should return to action this season. Ryan said today that defensive end Mario Williams will miss this Sunday’s game against the Chiefs, but his foot injury isn’t expected to be a season-ender.
Bengals Activate Cedric Ogbuehi; Dennard To IR
The Bengals have announced a change to their 53-man roster, tweeting today that they’ve activated rookie offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi from their non-football injury list. To make room for Ogbuehi, the team placed cornerback Darqueze Dennard on injured reserve.
Dennard, 24, was the Bengals’ first-round pick in 2014, though he was only serving as the team’s fourth cornerback this season. We heard earlier this week that Dennard will require shoulder surgery, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com explains today (via Twitter) that while the corner’s labrum is intact, the ligaments and capsule around his shoulder have structural damage that needs to be repaired. He’s expected to make a full recovery for 2016.
With Dennard on IR, the Bengals will continue to lean on Adam Jones, Leon Hall, and Dre Kirkpatrick. However, Jones is injured and Kirkpatrick has been shaky this season, so Chris Lewis-Harris and Josh Shaw may see increased roles in the coming weeks. It’s the first time the team’s depth will really be tested this season, as Dennard becomes the first Bengal from the 53-man roster to land on the injured reserve list in 2015.
As for Ogbuehi, he was one of two tackles the Bengals selected early in the 2015 draft, along with Jake Fisher. Coming off a torn ACL, Ogbuehi started the season on the NFI list, but should be available for the team down the stretch. Still, while Ogbuehi and Fisher are likely the tackles of the future in Cincinnati, veterans Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith remain the starters for now.
Tony Romo Out For Season
Tony Romo‘s comeback off the Cowboys’ injured reserve list was short-lived, as the Pro Bowl quarterback re-injured his collarbone in Thursday’s loss to the Panthers. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas today that Romo will be sidelined for the rest of the 2015 season with a hairline fracture in his clavicle.
The announcement doesn’t come as a surprise. The Cowboys had been holding out hope that Romo hadn’t broken the clavicle for the second time this year, suggesting that Thursday’s tests were inconclusive. However, a CT scan today confirmed the club’s fears.
According to Rapoport (via Twitter), Romo will be looking at a standard recovery timetable for a clavicle fracture, and should be good to go for the team’s offseason programs. He won’t undergo surgery, and Dr. David J. Chao tweets that it would be very unusual if Romo isn’t ready for the start of training camp in 2016 due to the injury.
While Romo should be fine for next season, the Cowboys’ playoff hopes for this season evaporated on Thanksgiving, as the team saw its quarterback go down again en route to a blowout loss against the undefeated Panthers. At 3-8, with Matt Cassel expected to reclaim the starting job going forward, the Cowboys are likely headed for a top-10 draft pick rather than vying for a postseason spot.
Ravens Activate Brent Urban; Forsett To IR
The Ravens have officially activated defensive end Brent Urban in advance of Monday’s game in Cleveland, the team announced today (via Twitter). To make room on the 53-man squad for Urban, the Ravens placed running back Justin Forsett on IR.
Urban, 24, was selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft by the Ravens, but missed his entire rookie campaign with a torn ACL. The Virginia product sustained a torn bicep this year, further delaying his regular-season NFL debut as he landed on IR with the designation to return. After returning to practice earlier this month, he could make that debut this week for Baltimore.
As for Forsett, the Ravens’ starting running back suffered a broken right arm during last week’s game against the Rams. It’s not even accurate to call it the “latest” blow for an injury-ravaged unit, since quarterback Joe Flacco went down with a torn ACL later in the same game.
With Forsett out of the picture, Baltimore appears poised to move forward with its current stable of running backs, rather than adding anyone new to the roster for now. Javorius Allen figures to be the club’s new lead back, with Terrance West and Raheem Mostert also in the mix.
Lawrence Timmons Hoping For Extension
Only one Steeler – quarterback Ben Roethlisberger – has a higher 2016 cap number than linebacker Lawrence Timmons, whose contract will need to be addressed by the team after this season. As Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes, Timmons is hoping that means signing an extension to remain in Pittsburgh.
“I hope so, I love it here,” Timmons said, addressing the possibility of getting a new deal and potentially finishing his career as a Steeler. “I can’t see myself being anywhere else.”
Until this year, Timmons’ $9.5MM+ annual average salary made him the NFL’s highest-paid inside linebacker. Luke Kuechly of the Panthers and Bobby Wagner of the Seahawks each signed new deals earlier in 2015 that surpassed that figure, but – having reworked his contract in September – Timmons projects to have a significantly higher cap hit than any other inside linebacker in 2016, at $15.131MM.
When I examined the Steelers’ 2016 cap outlook, I identified Timmons as a potential candidate to be released, or at least to accept a pay cut. While noting that an extension was another viable possibility to reduce his ’16 cap charge, I pointed out that Pittsburgh could create $8.75MM in cap savings by cutting Timmons, whose play this year hasn’t quite been up to his usual standards.
After earning his first Pro Bowl nod a year ago, the 29-year-old has spent more time in pass coverage this year under new defensive coordinator Keith Butler, and has struggled in his modified role. Pro Football Focus currently ranks Timmons 88th out of 91 qualified linebackers, despite his strong grade as a pass rusher, but the veteran defender is hopeful that his willingness to do whatever he’s asked on D will extend his stay with the Steelers.
“I am a guy who is willing to do whatever,” Timmons said. “They still rush me, too, so I am not complaining. The more you can do, like [head coach Mike] Tomlin said, will keep you around here longer. I am trying to be around here for a while.”
NFC Notes: Saints, Romo, Panthers, Kelly, Lane
Sean Payton addressed the Saints‘ firing of Rob Ryan and handing over the defensive coordinator reins to Dennis Allen, noting New Orleans’ No. 32-ranked defense’s lack of preparation played a key role in the vocal DC’s exit.
“There were a few things that you looked at from a year ago when you said look, we can’t have X number of snaps with not the right number of guys on the field,” Payton told media, including NOLA.com’s Larry Holder. “You can’t burn timeouts every other week because we cannot get the right personnel on the field. We can’t have guys looking left and right at the snap of the ball.”
The Saints’ defensive coordinator since 2013 after stints with the Raiders, Browns and Cowboys, the 52-year-old Ryan has only coordinated one defense to the playoffs — the Saints in his initial season in New Orleans. He’s reportedly a candidate for the Tulane head-coaching job, however.
Ryan’s lack of proper adjustments posed an issue for Payton as well.
“We had to look at, hey, as teams have changed offensively, we’ve got to have some flexibility and find a way to reduce the variation on defense,” Payton said. “We’ve got to find a way to get a call in and play a defense without it being a panic where guys are late getting lined up.”
Let’s look at some more news from the NFC as Thanksgiving night commences.
- Prior to Tony Romo‘s return from short-term IR last week in Miami, Jerry Jones disclosed the 13th-year quarterback suffered six fractures from the initial collarbone injury, per Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Romo re-injuring his clavicle Thursday provided another chapter in this season-defining saga for the Cowboys, one that the aforementioned revelation of six fractures may have been worse than the team initially let on, Werder writes.
- After acting condescending and arrogantly in the wake of the Eagles‘ three-game losing streak, Chip Kelly‘s Philadelphia tenure should end despite the promise of his breakthrough methods, Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com writes. Frank notes Kelly’s behavior’s turned a city against him and flies in the face of Jeffrey Lurie‘s concern for public perception and a likable coach.
- Former Panthers GM Marty Hurney‘s imprint remains large on the 11-0 squad’s roster, with the since-fired GM bringing in the core of the team — Luke Kuechly, Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, etc. — and Ron Rivera. Pro Football Talk’s Darin Gantt writes that while Hurney’s salary cap decisions disrupted future Carolina financial decisions, owner Jerry Richardson refused to allow him to sign players prior to the 2011 lockout as he was helping Roger Goodell negotiate a new CBA.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes Mike Shula should receive the kind of consideration Adam Gase and Josh McDaniels will this offseason for head-coaching positions after overhauling Newton from a one-read college quarterback to a Pro Bowler in the NFL. The former Alabama coach has been with the Panthers since 2011, as the quarterback coach before becoming the OC in 2013.
- The man who helped hire Dave Gettleman to succeed Hurney in North Carolina, former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi, will provide a big boost by aiding the Lions‘ GM search, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Accorsi also helped the Falcons and Bears hire their current GMs, Thomas Dimitroff and Ryan Pace, respectively.
- Jeremy Lane looks to make his season debut this week, with the Seahawks set to activate the cornerback who’s been sidelined since Super Bowl XLIX, Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk reports. “Jeremy’s going to be active,” Pete Carroll told media. “And if he makes it through the week okay, he’s going to be dressing and playing.” Lane tore his ACL after intercepting Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. After the Seahawks benched recently signed Cary Williams in favor of DeShawn Snead on Sunday, Lane will compete with those performers to for Seattle’s right cornerback job across from Richard Sherman, Crabtree reports.
Tony Romo Likely Done For Season
8:11pm: Although Jason Garrett informed media Romo’s X-rays proved inconclusive and more tests are scheduled, Werder hears from a source that the quarterback will miss the rest of the season (Twitter link).
7:17pm: A source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Romo most likely has a small fracture in his collarbone. Such an injury would almost certainly end Romo’s season, and Florio wonders even if the bone is not broken, whether it would make sense to bring Romo back at all, with the Cowboys at 3-8.
7:10pm: At his postgame press conference with his left arm in a sling, Romo said this injury “feels similar” to the one he sustained in Week 2 that altered his season, Ed Werder of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Romo will undergo additional tests Friday, but per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter), the chances of him playing again this season aren’t promising.
6:22pm: The Cowboys announced Tony Romo‘s departure from Thursday’s game stemmed from a clavicle injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
Romo immediately trudged to the locker room after Thomas Davis sacked him, driving his left shoulder into the turf. Matt Cassel entered the game and would return to the starting role he occupied previously if Romo misses more time.
In his second game since returning from the September broken collarbone injury that sent the 13-year veteran to short-term IR, Romo admitted he risked re-injury by returning in hopes of reviving the Cowboys’ season, per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports (Twitter link).
Considering the Cowboys lost seven straight games without their franchise quarterback, this is probably the blow that sends them toward preparing for a high 2016 first-round draft pick. But no official word’s surfaced on how long Romo could be out this time.
Should Romo be shelved for the remainder of the season, which would make sense when factoring in the malady and this being the eighth Dallas loss, the 35-year-old quarterback wouldn’t be at risk for long-term struggles with this injury if he returns next season, Dr. David Chao tweeted.
Johnny Manziel Lied To Browns About Photos
6:42pm: Manziel’s latest career-altering incident was precipitated by a late-night stay at a nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, after he attended the Michigan State-Ohio State game, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. Patrons at the club were prohibited from taking photos while Manziel was in attendance, Cabot notes.
Adding to the Browns’ serious stance on their recently promoted then-demoted quarterback: the team preferred Manziel stick around Cleveland and lay low during the team’s bye week, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). When the 22-year-old signal-caller defied their wishes and sharply deviated from their plan, the Browns felt “betrayed.”
1:52pm: It turns out that Johnny Manziel wasn’t just benched for an apparent relapse into partying. After seeing recent photos of Manziel drinking during his bye week in Texas, the Browns confronted the quarterback and he told the organization that they were old pics, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via PFT). Not only that, but Manziel also instructed his friends to lie if they were asked about the photos.
Manziel, of course, was demoted to No. 3 on the depth chart earlier this week with Josh McCown sliding into the starting role. Austin Davis will serve as Cleveland’s No. 2 option in Week 12, should McCown get injured or falter. Still, coach Mike Pettine insists that the team has not discussed cutting Johnny Football loose.
A primary concern about the footage that showed Manziel partying in Austin is that it comes after the QB checked himself into rehab earlier this year. However, Pettine declined to comment on whether the team would encourage Manziel to go back to rehab, pointing out that it’s a privacy issue.
A week ago, the Browns had announced that Manziel would be the team’s starting quarterback for the rest of the season, in order to evaluate how he fits into Cleveland’s plans for 2016 and beyond. That question will remain unanswered if Manziel sits on the bench down the stretch, but according to Pettine, the need to discipline Manziel was “too important,” and outweighed the need to evaluate him.
Extra Points: Martin, Manziel, Kelly, Coaches
As we progress into Thanksgiving night, here’s some news from around the league, beginning in Tampa Bay.
- Buccaneers running back Doug Martin is set to hit the open market after this season, but it sounds like he wants to stay put. “I love Tampa. I built a house here,” Martin said, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (on Twitter). When asked if Tampa is his No. 1 priority, the tailback responded in the affirmative. On Tuesday, coach Lovie Smith called the fourth-year back a “priority” for the team in the offseason.
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears that the decision by Browns coach Mike Pettine to bench Johnny Manziel is part of an overall power struggle between Pettine and GM Ray Farmer. Farmer and others within the organization would like to see Manziel continue on as the starter in 2015, but Pettine doesn’t believe that Manziel has made any strides towards getting his act together. Cole speculates that Pettine could move to trade or cut Manziel in the offseason and that could lead to a showdown between the coach and GM.
- Black coaches around the league are concerned with the lack of black offensive coordinators or quarterback coaches, Cole hears (video link). There are only three black OCs — Hue Jackson (Bengals), Edgar Bennett (Packers) and Harold Goodwin (Cardinals) — and only Jackson calls plays for his team. Cole goes on to mention how there are no black quarterback coaches and how the coaches that spoke to him are observing a key avenue for potential promotions being largely cut off for black coaches.
- Months after a Chip Kelly–Marcus Mariota reunion didn’t end up transpiring in the draft, the embattled Eagles coach could end up instructing him again, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Should Kelly be interested in coaching the Titans, whose placement of Mike Mularkey as head coach Florio views as a temporary status considering his past, the teams could work out a trade if Jeffrey Lurie is willing to part with Kelly after what’s looking like a disappointing season concludes. A trade or Kelly forcing his way out of Philadelphia could be in play, Florio offers.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report
Practice Squad Updates: 11/26/15
Here are Thanksgiving Day’s practice squad transactions.
New York Jets
Signed: FB Julian Howsare.
Cut: WR Titus Davis (per Brian Costello of the New York Post, on Twitter)
Seattle Seahawks
Signed: DL A.J. Francis, LB Alex Singleton (Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports, on Twitter)