NFC Notes: Alonso, Niners, Clausen
Four NFC teams remain undefeated, and two of those are NFC South squads, which is surprising, considering no team in that division posted a .500 record in 2014. As the Falcons, Panthers, Packers, and Cardinals prepare to put their 3-0 records on the line this weekend, let’s check in on the latest out of the conference….
- Discussing Kiko Alonso with reporters today, Chip Kelly mentioned that the linebacker isn’t an injured reserve candidate at this point, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com (via Twitter). While Shorr-Parks wasn’t the only reporter to interpret Kelly’s comments that way, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer isn’t so sure that’s what the Eagles head coach meant, as he explains (via Twitter).
- According to Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, Alonso will have his troublesome left knee scoped to determine the extent of the damage. If it’s minimal, the Eagles linebacker should be able to return to the field following some rehab. If the ACL graft is significantly damaged, Alonso may require season-ending surgery.
- The 49ers aren’t getting much out of their 2015 free agent class, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, pointing out that defenders Darnell Dockett and Philip Wheeler were released weeks ago, Jerome Simpson is serving a suspension, Reggie Bush has been injured, and Shareece Wright has been inactive for three games (and wants to be traded or cut).
- With Jay Cutler expected to miss another game this weekend, Bears quarterback Jimmy Clausen should get four quarters to prove why he still deserves a roster spot, opines David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. If Clausen can’t perform capably in a home game against Oakland this week, the Bears should look to upgrade the position, in Haugh’s view.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identifies 20 players with big money on the line this year, including Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, Bears running back Matt Forte, and Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, among others.
Workout Notes: Jets, Brown, Chargers, Lions
The Jets auditioned running back Bryce Brown on Tuesday, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Brown has showed flashes of promise in the past, but he was unable to stick with the Bills in 2015. The Bills traded a 2015 fourth-round pick to the Eagles to acquire Brown before the start of last season and that’s a deal that GM Doug Whaley probably wouldn’t make again. In 2014, Brown ran for a grand total of 126 yards off of 36 carries.
Here’s a rundown of other notable workouts from around the NFL..
- As we noted earlier today, the Patriots worked out former Broncos running back Montee Ball and the Steelers took a look at Terrelle Pryor.
- Former Jets defensive lineman Jordan Williams worked out for the Lions today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- Former Browns outside linebacker Mike Reilly worked out for the Chargers on Tuesday, a league source tells Wilson (on Twitter).
- With defensive tackle Will Sutton’s expected to miss a short period of time following a left biceps injury, the Bears brought in four linemen for a tryout on Tuesday, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. According to an NFL source, veterans DeAngelo Tyson, Cliff Matthews, D’Anthony Smith, and Greg Scruggs were worked out. The Bears also put running back George Atkinson III, a former Notre Dame player, through a workout.
- The Jets worked out former Giants fullback Henry Hynoski today, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
- In addition to Ball, the Patriots auditioned tight end Brandon Bostick, quarterback Zac Dysert, tight end Brian Leonhardt, former Panthers running back Darrin Reaves, and tight end Konrad Reuland, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
- Defensive end/outside linebacker Lawrence Sidbury auditioned for the Lions on Tuesday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Rams have auditioned a ton of wide receivers lately, as Wilson tweets. Issac Blakeney, Kain Colter, DaVaris Daniels, Jordan Leslie, Tyler Rutenbeck, and Corey Washington were among the wide receivers to audition for St. Louis. Nick Toon, who was also a part of those tryouts, inked a practice squad deal with St. Louis this week.
- The Panthers auditioned three punters on Tuesday, including ex-Bears punter Adam Podlesh, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Spencer Lanning and Kasey Redfern also auditioned, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets.
- The Chargers auditioned center J.D. Walton and guard Joe Looney, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter).
NFC Notes: Panthers, Brooks, Parkey
Although defensive end Charles Johnson is expected to miss multiple games due to a hamstring injury, the Panthers aren’t considering placing him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Carolina acquired Jared Allen this week to help boost the pass rush in Johnson’s absence, and according to agent Ken Harris, the Panthers were one of five teams that he and his client identified as potential landing spots (link via David Newton of ESPN.com). Carolina was “by far” their No. 1 choice, per Harris.
Let’s round up several more items from across the NFC….
- 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks wasn’t present in court today, but his lawyer put in a plea of “not guilty” for his client on a misdemeanor sexual battery charge, reports Damian Trujillo of NBC Bay Area (Twitter link). Brooks seems likely to face discipline from the NFL sometime after the legal process plays out.
- Cody Parkey‘s groin injury is more serious than it initially sounded, with the Eagles kicker telling reporters today that he tore three muscles in his groin. While he landed on the IR today, Parkey fully expects to be kicking again for the Eagles again in 2016 (Twitter links via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
- The Bears may not be done making trades this season, but the Cowboys haven’t discussed the possibility of acquiring a player like Matt Forte or Alshon Jeffery, says Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- No outside free agent got a larger contract from the Saints than the $16MM deal C.J. Spiller signed this offseason, and head coach Sean Payton admits that he needs to get the running back more involved in the offense, according to Christopher Dabe of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, who was taken out of Monday night’s game against the Chiefs, re-aggravated his high ankle sprain, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Adams is expected to miss some time, though it’s too early for an exact timetable. As for tight end Andrew Quarless, he has a sprained MCL, and is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
East Notes: RGIII, Patriots, Washington
Robert Griffin III hasn’t dressed for any of Washington‘s first three regular season games, but his presence “continues to loom over the franchise, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Griffin still has support within the organization, and – according to Jones – league insiders have speculated that the Washington brass could eventually force Jay Gruden to go back to RGIII if Kirk Cousins falters, even though Colt McCoy is technically the backup.
Griffin has a fifth-year option on his contract for 2016 that is currently guaranteed for injury only, so playing him would put the team at risk — if the fourth-year quarterback suffered a serious injury, the club would be on the hook for $16MM+ in ’16. Still, Jones can’t help but wonder if the former second overall pick will get one last shot in D.C.
Here’s more from across the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com examines how linebacker Jon Bostic, acquired in a trade with the Bears, will fit in with the Patriots‘ defense, comparing the deal to the team’s 2014 acquisition of linebacker Akeem Ayers. Both Bostic and Ayers were casualties of defensive scheme changes with their old teams.
- Washington recently tried out linebackers Jayson DiManche, Mason Foster, Parys Haralson, and Carlos Fields, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- Could Matt Cassel be the Cowboys‘ backup quarterback next season behind Tony Romo? Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com tackles that question, along with a few more topics of note from out of Dallas.
- Asked today why the Eagles didn’t do more to address their offensive line this offseason, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur responded, “Those are questions for somebody else” (Twitter link via Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com).
- Second-round cornerback Ronald Darby and fifth-round running back Karlos Williams were viewed as risky draft picks this spring, but they’ve paid off so far for the Bills, says Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Eagles Place Andrew Gardner On IR
During the first few weeks of the 2015 season, particularly after the Eagles lost their first two games, much of the criticism in Philadelphia focused on the team’s decision to move on from starting guards Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans in the offseason. Now, one of the two players that replaced those veteran guards will be sidelined for the rest of the season, according to the Eagles, who announced today that they’ve placed guard Andrew Gardner on the injured reserve list.
Gardner, 29, signed by the Eagles prior to the 2014 season to serve as a backup, but proved to be a very valuable addition, as he went on to appear in every regular season game, including eight starts. Philadelphia had an open competition for the starting right guard job this summer, and Gardner came away with the gig.
Gardner impressed the Eagles enough that he also earned a new contract earlier this month, extending a deal that would have expired at season’s end. The extension locked him up through the 2018 season, giving him a $500K signing bonus. Unfortunately, just a few games into the new deal, he sustained a foot injury that figures to sideline him until 2016.
With Gardner now on IR, the Eagles have once again brought back veteran offensive lineman Julian Vandervelde, who has been on and off the club’s roster since being drafted in 2011. Vandervelde figures to provide some depth on the interior of the line, while Matt Tobin looks like the top candidate to slide into Gardner’s right guard position.
Eagles Sign Caleb Sturgis, Place Cody Parkey On IR
TUESDAY, 7:51am: The Eagles have made the pair of kicker moves official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Sturgis and placed Parkey on IR. Within the announcement, the club notes that Parkey’s groin injury was separate from the one he dealt with during the preseason.
MONDAY, 4:16pm: After bringing in several kickers for tryouts today, the Eagles have decided to place injured kicker Cody Parkey on injured reserve, and will sign free agent Caleb Sturgis, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Sturgis, 26, was the Dolphins’ kicker in 2013 and 2014, but was a little shaky for Miami, missing eight field goals in each of his first two seasons, and recording an overall conversion percentage of just 77.5%. Sturgis lost his job to Andrew Franks this year, but has found a new gig just several weeks later, taking over in Philadelphia for Parkey.
Parkey, who earned a Pro Bowl nod in his rookie season last year, re-aggravated a preseason groin injury during Sundayâs game, raising doubts about his availability going forward. It’s not clear yet whether he’ll miss the entire season — the Eagles will work out an injury settlement and release him from their IR list if and when he gets healthy in the coming weeks.
Nick Novak, Billy Cundiff, Shayne Graham, Kai Forbath, and Carey Spear joined Sturgis at today’s audition in Philadelphia, and the Eagles ultimately opted for the ex-Dolphin over Forbath, who was the other finalist, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
Nick Novak, Others Auditioning For Eagles
12:07pm: Today’s tryouts are simply precautionary, according to head coach Chip Kelly (Twitter link). I speculated as much below, noting that the team could simply be attempting to identify a Plan B in case Parkey has to miss a game or two.
10:31am: Kai Forbath, Shayne Graham, and Carey Spear are also part of today’s workout for the Eagles, per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
10:13am: Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reported earlier today that the Eagles would be auditioning kickers today after Cody Parkey re-aggravated a preseason groin injury during Sunday’s game, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has provided some additional details, tweeting that ex-Changers kicker Nick Novak is working out for Philadelphia.
After Marvez tweeted that there are at least two other free agents in attendance, Rapoport reported those names as well, tweeting that Caleb Sturgis and Billy Cundiff are getting a look from the Eagles. Connor Barth, Jay Feely, and ex-Eagle Alex Henery are among the other notable veteran kickers who are currently without NFL jobs, but it doesn’t sound like they’re being considered by Philadelphia.
Novak, 34, had been the Chargers’ full-time kicker from 2011 to 2014, making 101 of his 117 field goal attempts (86.3%) during his time in San Diego, including 11 of 17 from 50+ yards. However, he was beaten out in camp this year by the younger, cheaper Josh Lambo, and was released by the Chargers earlier this month.
Sturgis, meanwhile, was the Dolphins’ kicker for the last two seasons, but his performance was a little shakier, as he missed eight field goal attempts in each of his two seasons with the team, for an overall mark of 77.5%. He lost his job to Andrew Franks this year. As for Cundiff, he kicked for the Browns in 2013 and 2014, converting 78.2% of his field goal tries.
If Novak, Sturgis, or Cundiff impresses the Eagles, it won’t necessarily result in a deal — according to Marvez, it’s unclear whether Parkey will be healthy enough to kick for Philadelphia in the club’s Week 4 game against Washington. Today’s workout may just be a fact-finding mission to identify the best alternative in case Parkey’s groin ultimately keeps him out of action.
East Notes: Dolphins, Eagles, Alonso, Jets
With Week 3 of the 2015 NFL season nearly complete, only one division has three teams over .500 — the AFC East currently features the 3-0 Patriots, the 2-1 Bills, and the 2-1 Jets. Of course, there’s plenty of concern about the one sub-.500 club in the division, so let’s round up the latest out of Miami, along with a few more notes from around the league’s two East divisions….
- In the view of Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Sunday’s loss to Buffalo was the worst of the Joe Philbin era for the Dolphins, and it put the entire coaching staff on the hot seat. In a second piece, Salguero writes that the Dolphins have issues on multiple levels, pointing to ownership, coaching, and the team’s offseason personnel decisions as potential causes for concern.
- If Dolphins owner Stephen Ross isn’t wondering what he’ll get out of the $210MM he committed to Ryan Tannehill and Ndamukong Suh this offseason, he should be, writes John Kryk of the Toronto Sun.
- Eagles kicker Cody Parkey aggravated a preseason groin injury against the Jets, so the Eagles will bring in free agent kickers for workouts today, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
- Eagles linebacker Kiko Alonso today is in Florida today, visiting Dr. James Andrews to get a second opinion on his knee injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As Schefter notes, Dr. Andrews’ diagnosis will help to determine whether or not Alonso will require surgery on the troublesome knee.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick had his first bad game of the season on Sunday, throwing three interceptions in the Jets‘ loss to the Eagles. But even with Geno Smith on the way back, head coach Todd Bowles reiterated that Fitzpatrick is the team’s starter, and Newsday’s Bob Glauber says that’s the right call.
Extra Points: Forte, Chip, Norman, Ivory, 49ers
The Bears’ 26-0 loss in Seattle on Sunday was their second straight blowout defeat – one that dropped them to 0-3 for the season. They’ve been outscored 105-46 this year and longtime Bears running back Matt Forte seemed to question his teammates’ commitment after their latest loss.
“It’s a question right now if everybody’s all in,” Forte said, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).
For his part, it looks as though Forte is “all in” this season, a rare bright spot on a lousy team. The 29-year-old added 74 rushing yards Sunday, giving him 202 on a terrific 5.2 per-carry average.
More from around the NFL:
- Eagles football czar and head coach Chip Kelly garnered plenty of criticism for his roster construction methods during the offseason and has continued to draw ire during the team’s 1-2 start, but he has a fan in Jeffrey Lurie. The Eagles’ owner referred to Kelly’s tenure as “very good,” per ESPN.
- Jets running back Chris Ivory dressed for Sunday’s 24-17 loss to Kelly’s Eagles, but he had a quad injury and never got into the game. Head coach Todd Bowles elected to keep Ivory on the sideline in order to get him healthy, though Ivory felt he could have played.“I’m not sure how the decision was made,” said Ivory, per Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin. “I felt comfortable enough to play [after warm-ups], but I just didn’t want it to be nothing that would linger around.”
- Prior to the season, Panthers cornerback Josh Norman turned down a contract extension worth upward of $7MM per year, according to Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer. Norman’s decision to gamble on himself is proving smart, Person writes, as the fourth-year man has turned into a shutdown defender. Norman sealed Carolina’s 27-22 win over New Orleans on Sunday with an interception, his second of the year.
- The 49ers dealt with a number of significant offseason departures and now they’re reeling at 1-2, their latest defeat being a humiliating 47-7 loss to NFC West rival Arizona. After the game, linebacker Ahmad Brooks acknowledged their weakened roster, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). “This is our team. We’ve got to make the best out of who we have,” said Brooks.
- Adding to the 49ers’ anguish, Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu offered a less-than-glowing assessment of their offense Sunday, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “Their passing game has just simplified so much, it was easy for us to anticipate routes, get some good breaks on the ball,” said Mathieu. With Mathieu’s help, the Cardinals held the 49ers to an embarrassing 67 aerial yards and intercepted four passes.
- The 0-3 Ravens aren’t a good team and the secondary is their most glaring weakness, writes Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. After containing Peyton Manning in Week 1, the Ravens allowed over 700 combined passing yards to Andy Dalton and Derek Carr.
NFC Notes: Weeden, Kaep, Cam, Bradford
Prior to the Cowboys’ Brandon Weeden making his first start of the season Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that some around the NFL think it’s only a matter of time before newly acquired Matt Cassel takes over as Dallas’ starter. Weeden, who’s subbing for the injured Tony Romo, then completed an efficient 22 of 26 passes for 232 yards as part of a conservative Cowboys game plan. However, he tossed a costly interception and the Cowboys dropped a 39-28 decision to the Falcons.
Afterward, Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News wrote that Weeden isn’t someone the Cowboys should feel good about continuing to start. That’s certainly not an unreasonable opinion when you consider the abysmal numbers Weeden has put up throughout his career in Cleveland and Dallas. While Cassel isn’t exactly an ideal option, he has had more success in his career than Weeden. If the Cowboys don’t show an ability to stay afloat with Weeden under center, a switch to Cassel would become inevitable.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- Colin Kaepernick‘s performance in the 49ers’ 47-7 loss to Arizona on Sunday was the nadir of the fifth-year man’s career, as he went 9 of 19 for 67 yards and four interceptions. Head coach Jim Tomsula isn’t considering switching to backup Blaine Gabbert, however. “Colin’s our quarterback,” he said, per Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter)
- Panthers quarterback Cam Newton drew a hit that he felt could have warranted a flag in a 27-22 win over New Orleans on Sunday. Referee Ed Hochuli disagreed, though, and gave a bizarre reason for the non-call, per Newton. “Was it a late hit? I don’t know,” stated Newton. “But the response that I got was, ”Cam you’re not old enough to get that call.” For what it’s worth, Hochuli denied Newton’s story (link via Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer).
- The Eagles broke into the win column Sunday with a 24-17 victory over the Jets, but it wasn’t because of struggling QB Sam Bradford. Although the sixth-year man went just 14 of 28 for a meager 118 yards, head coach Chip Kelly was encouraged that he didn’t turn the ball over after tossing four picks in the first two weeks of the season. He also pointed the finger at the Eagles’ offensive weapons for not hauling in more of Bradford’s passes. “I thought Sam did a nice job considering what [the Jets] brought,” Kelly said, according to Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com. “They can bring a rush unlike any team we play. They bring seven, they’re gonna play zero-man behind it. A few of those drops, I think all those guys want them back.”