Eagles Notes: Bradford, O-line, Alonso
The Eagles will look to avoid an 0-3 start when they square off this afternoon against the Jets, who are looking to open the season 3-0. Much has been made of the Eagles’ disappointing start to the 2015 campaign, and Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer points to the run game as the biggest culprit. Head coach Chip Kelly‘s play designs are not nearly as effective without a “read” option–i.e., a quarterback who can run the ball–and Sam Bradford is not a threat to run. The offense has also lost some of its unpredictability, as package plays, which involve run and pass options that are decided post-snap, have been limited due to Bradford’s immobility. Bradford remains the starter for now, but one has to wonder how much longer he will last under center in Philadelphia if the team’s allegedly high-powered offense continues to struggle.
Now let’s have a look at a few more Eagles links:
- Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer examines another flaw in Bradford’s game, which was well-publicized during his time in St. Louis: his inability to throw the deep ball. The Eagles continue to insist the problem is not Bradford, but the running game, but as McLane pointed out above, the running game is struggling at least in part because of Bradford. When combined with the tendency of teams quarterbacked by Bradford to fall behind early in games, Philadelphia may be privately grateful that Bradford was unwilling to engage in serious talks about a long-term deal this offseason.
- Of course, not all of the Eagles’ offensive woes can be pinned on its quarterback. As Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, the offensive line deserves its share of the blame. Kelly, who let go of two longtime starters along the O-line and did little to add depth during the offseason, is not making any lineup changes, so the unit will be given the opportunity to prove that it can produce. Through two games, Philadelphia has gained just 70 yards on the ground, the fewest in the league.
- Kiko Alonso is expected to see Dr. James Andrews this week to get a second opinion on his torn ACL, according to Les Bowen of The Philadelphia Daily News (via Twitter). That visit will likely entail a second MRI.
- All is not lost for the Eagles, says Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The NFC East is up for grabs this year, so if Philadelphia can sort out its run game, there is no reason the team cannot still emerge with the division crown in 2015.
Injury Updates: 9/27/15
We’ll keep an eye on any major injury news throughout the course of the day and add to this post as necessary to reflect any updates:
- DeMarco Murray is inactive for the Eagles this afternoon, per Howard Eskin of Fox 29 Philadelphia (via Twitter). Murray has been bothered by a hamstring injury, and though he had been expected to play today, his hamstring did not respond well to his morning workouts. It is unclear how the injury will impact his status moving forward, but at this point it appears as though he should be ready for Week 4.
Earlier updates
- NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says Saints QB Drew Brees, who has already been ruled out for Week 3, is a long-shot to return for his team’s Week 4 matchup against Dallas (Twitter link). Interestingly, Rapoport adds in a separate tweet that Brees’ injury, which has been called a bruise, is actually a rotator cuff sprain. A sprain indicates a stretch or tear in a ligament, and we heard from ESPN’s Ed Werder just a few days ago that Dr. James Andrews had confirmed Brees did not, in fact, suffer a torn rotator cuff. This is not the first time in recent memory that Werder and Rapoport have delivered conflicting news regarding a major injury; the two well-known scribes also issued differing reports on when Dez Bryant might return to the field in 2015.
NFC Notes: Brees, Bush, Hicks, Lions
Drew Brees won’t play for the Saints this weekend as he deals with a shoulder injury, but New Orleans’ woes could extend beyond Week 3, writes Jarrett Bell of USA Today. The Saints made several moves to upgrade their offensive line during the offensive line, but Bell questions whether sacrificing a game-changing talent like Jimmy Graham was worth it, noting that finding a weapon like Graham is conceivably more difficult than landing solid offensive linemen. Additionally, Brees’ 2016 cap hit of $27.4MM won’t leave New Orleans much room to bring in reinforcements. Trading Brees could help kickstart a rebuild, but Bell rightly wonders whether Saints fans would accept the club dealing an icon such as Brees.
Here’s more from the NFC:
- 49ers running back Reggie Bush will miss his second consecutive game, as he’s been declared out for Sunday’s contest with a calf injury. As Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes (via Twitter), Bush will miss out on $18,750 in per-game roster bonuses for each contest that he misses. The 30-year-old Bush signed a one-year, $2.5MM with San Francisco during the offseason.
- Third-round pick Jordan Hicks will start his first game for the Eagles on Sunday, according to to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. With both Kiko Alonso and Mychal Kendricks dealing with leg injuries, Hicks, a Texas product, will step in next to veteran DeMeco Ryans, who has already expressed faith in Hicks. “He’s a guy who’s kind of above his years,” said Ryans. “To me, it’s not like he’s a rookie. When he stepped in, it’s like we’ve been doing this all summer and he’s a pretty smart guy, and it’s not like he has a big learning curve to hurdle.”
- The Lions rank 25th in the NFL in offensive yards, and Kyle Meinke of MLive.com believes offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi is mostly to blame. (For what it’s worth, Detroit places a more respectable 16th in offensive DVOA.) The Lions scribe covers a plethora of other topics in his mailbag segment, including whether or not Matthew Stafford is still the future at quarterback.
Breer’s Latest: Incognito, Gurley, Manziel, Jets
In his latest piece for NFL.com, Albert Breer leads off by examining the performances of the seven clubs who hired new head coaches during the offseason, specifically taking a look at the Falcons and Jets, with whom Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles, respectively, have started a combined 4-0. Despite that robust start, both men were quick to deny that their teams had achieved much of anything. “I don’t know if I’d use the word ‘accomplished’,” said Quinn candidly.
“We haven’t accomplished anything,” Bowles said. “It just means we’re off to a good start. We’re trying to establish ourselves and guys are coming together. To me, it’s a long season, a very long season. No guarantees. The only guarantee is we won’t be worse than 2-14.”
Let’s dive into some more notes from Breer’s column…
- Embattled Bills guard Richie Incognito will make a homecoming of sorts this weekend when Buffalo heads to Miami to play the Dolphins, and despite his reputation, Incognito still has a positive reputation among members of Miami’s coaching staff. “Awesome guy,” one Dolphins assistant told Breer. “Would talk to everyone in the building, always worked hard, very respected … A guy you wanted on your side.”
- The Rams saw rookie running back Todd Gurley as a “generational talent,” according to Breer, which lead the club to not only select the former Georgia star with the 10th overall pick, but to display caution in terms of Gurley’s return from an ACL injury. Gurley is expected to be active for Sunday’s contest against the Steelers, and St. Louis believes that he’ll be able to perform as would any normal rookie, unencumbered by his knee ailment.
- After Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel returned from his stint in rehab, Cleveland’s coaching staff, including new offensive coordinator John DeFillipo, worked with Manziel to reshape his delivery and mechanics. Specifically, the club wanted to ensure that Manziel exhibited better footwork and demonstrated “quieter” lower body, per Breer. Manziel had a solid start against the Titans last week, but he’ll head back to the bench in Week 3 following the return of Josh McCown.
- Sam Bradford was never expected to be a running quarterback, but the complete lack of a mobile QB in Philadelphia has led to defenders ignoring the possibility of a quarterback run, allowing them to send waves of defenders into the backfield, according to Breer. However, Breer has heard that Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is not stubborn, meaning he won’t to allow subpar play — either due to play-calling or a lack of talent at offensive guard — to persist without looking for some sort of solution.
NFC Rumors: Peterson, Fusco, Maxwell, RG3
Here is the latest coming out of NFC facilities, starting with Minnesota.
- The NFL and NFLPA reached a settlement to dismiss a motion in the Adrian Peterson case, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. As a result, the NFL will not use the post-Ray Rice scandal domestic violence penalties for incidents occurring before Aug. 28, 2014, which includes the Vikings‘ star running back’s case. Oral arguments in Peterson’s case remain set for Oct. 19 in front of the Eighth Circuit in St. Paul, Minn.
- Brandon Fusco played through a concussion in the Vikings’ Week 2 win over the Lions, and the Players Association is investigating whether the ATC spotter failed to take appropriate action when the Minnesota guard struggled to stand up after a third-quarter block involving helmet-to-helmet contact, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. The spotters are independent certified athletic trainers present to determine if players suffer concussions who as of this season have authorization to stop games in order to initiate immediate concussion examinations.
- Byron Maxwell‘s struggles are flying under the radar compared to those of Sam Bradford and Chip Kelly amid the Eagles‘ 0-2 start, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. In the first month of a six-year, $63MM contract, Maxwell allowed Julio Jones to compile another Monday Night Football highlight package and then admitted to being too fatigued to stop Terrance Williams from scoring last week. Mehta argues matters will worsen for the ex-Seahawks corner when he faces a rejuvenated Brandon Marshall. The 27-year-old Maxwell is the 89th-rated corner thus far, according to Pro Football Focus, and has begun to hear the displeasure of a notoriously impatient fanbase. I feel it. Theyâre cold on me,â Maxwell told the Daily News. That’s fine. Everybody’s got their opinion.”
- Florio notes Maxwell’s monstrous agreement with the Eagles is somewhat tenuous at two years and $25MM, with just $3MM of the $10MM salary in 2017 guaranteed. PFT’s top scribe believes that, absent “significant” improvement, Maxwell will be jettisoned after 2016.
- In analyzing Washington‘s switch to Kirk Cousins, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap believes the team made this move so Robert Griffin‘s $16.5MM fifth-year option doesn’t become guaranteed due to an injury sustained this season. Expressing shock Washington picked up its maligned third-string signal-caller’s option and tied itself to Griffin further, Fitzgerald notes had this transaction not taken place, Griffin would be the starter, with the team only being on the hook for the fourth-year quarterback’s 2015 salary in the event of an injury.
East Notes: Cassel, Bills, Brady, Eagles
After being traded to the Cowboys by the Bills, quarterback Matt Cassel is joining his fifth team in 11 NFL seasons, but as Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details, he’s looking forward to the new challenge.
“I’m just coming in trying to learn a new playbook,” Cassel said. “There’s a lot to get done obviously. It was explained to me that Brandon [Weeden] is the starter, and I’m going to support him in any way I can, help the team in any capacity they want me to. At the same time, I’m going to try to learn the playbook and see how far I can move along and how quickly I can move along, so if an opportunity does come up, I’m ready to play.”
As Cassel adjusts to his new team, let’s check in on a few other items from around the NFL’s East divisions….
- Babe Laufenberg of the Dallas Morning News “loved” the Cowboys‘ trade for Cassel, since it gives the club a viable veteran backup option if Weeden struggles in Tony Romo‘s absence.
- Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News addresses the Cassel trade, the Rex Ryan/Doug Whaley relationship, and a handful of other topics in his latest Bills mailbag.
- Responding to a report that suggested a “very influential” person in the NFL is confident that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will still serve a suspension this season, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says that such a belief is skewed to the point of being delusional.
- Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com takes a look back at some of Chip Kelly‘s most noteworthy offseason transactions for the Eagles, weighing in on the early impact of those moves. So far, only the club’s signing of defensive back Walter Thurmond and selection of rookie linebacker Jordan Hicks get a thumbs-up from Sheridan.
Workout Notes: 9/23/15
Teams around the NFL are bringing in players for workouts, surveying the free agent landscape for possible practice squad additions or 53-man roster players, either for the near future or down the road. Here are a few of the latest auditions from across the league, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (all links go to Twitter):
AFC:
- Former Broncos cornerback Tony Carter had a workout with the Ravens, who have liked him for a while. Of course, up until very recently, Carter was under contract with Denver.
- In addition to Matt Huffer, whose workout was reported yesterday, offensive linemen Kevin Graf, Antonio Johnson, and Travis Bond, along with defensive ends Matt Conrath and Xzavier Dickson, were among the players who auditioned for the Broncos this week.
- We already heard that the Jets brought in multiple receivers this week for workouts, and we can add a few more names to that list: DaVaris Daniels, Titus Davis, and Josh Lenz got a look from New York.
- It was a linebacker-heavy workout group this week in Jacksonville, as the Jaguars auditioned Jeff Luc, Alex Singleton, and Jordan Tripp, in addition to Jayson DiManche, whose workout was previously reported.
- We can add tight end Nick Kasa, guard Joe Looney, wide receiver Marcus Lucas, ex-Niners tackle Sean Hooey, and former Titans tackle Byron Stingily to the list of players who tried out for the Dolphins this week. We learned yesterday that tight end Adrien Robinson also visited the team.
- The lengthy roster of players who auditioned this week for the Titans: cornerbacks Robert McClain, Robert Steeples, Shaun Prater, and Carrington Byndom; safeties Jean Fanor and Robert Lester; and wide receiver Nick Toon.
NFC:
- The Panthers brought in several defensive backs for tryouts, taking a look at Richard Crawford, Ras-I Dowling, and Tajh Hasson.
- Wide receiver Deonte Thompson turned an audition with the Bears into a practice squad spot this week, but he wasn’t the only player to work out for the team. The club also brought in wide receiver DeVier Posey, quarterback Alex Tanney, and QB Justin Worley.
- The Lions were eyeing veteran defensive backs this week, with ex-Giants safety Stevie Brown, longtime Panthers safety Charles Godfrey, and former Raiders DB Brandian Ross all coming in for auditions. The club also worked out tight end Mickey Shuler.
- Defensive tackle Deandre Coleman, cut from the Dolphins’ practice squad last week, and former Broncos defensive end Quanterus Smith both worked out for the Seahawks this week.
- After being removed from the Patriots’ injured reserve list last week, wide receiver Jonathan Krause tried out for the Eagles.
- Washington auditioned two linebackers who hit the open market within the last few weeks, bringing in ex-Bengal Nico Johnson and former Seahawk Alex Singleton. It’s been a busy week for Singleton, who also worked out for the Jaguars, as noted above.
- The Packers took a look this week at tight end Blake Annen, defensive tackle Justin Hamilton, CFL linebacker Henoc Muamba, and linebacker Josh Shirley.
NFC Notes: Graham, Alonso, Norman
The biggest news out of the NFC today is Kam Chancellor‘s decision to end his holdout and report to the Seahawks, but we’ve got several more items to round up from around the conference, including a couple more updates out of Seattle. Let’s dive in…
- Tight end Jimmy Graham isn’t happy with the role he has had in Seattle’s offense during the season’s first two weeks, and has questioned why the Seahawks would trade for him if they intended to use him like this, says Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (video link). Freeman expects the team to tweak its offensive approach to get Graham more involved, but if that doesn’t happen, the Pro Bowl tight end could express his unhappiness publicly.
- According to Danny O’Neil of 710 ESPN Seattle, the Seahawks would have released veteran center Max Unger even if he hadn’t been involved in the trade that sent Graham from New Orleans to Seattle.
- Evaluations on whether or not Eagles linebacker Kiko Alonso will be able to play through his knee injury are ongoing, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Head coach Chip Kelly said today that Alonso has a sprained knee, which doesn’t contradict a previous report indicating that it’s a partial tear of the linebacker’s ACL.
- Cornerback Josh Norman has been one of the most impressive players on the Panthers in the early part of the 2015 season, and the team may regret not locking him up in the offseason when he was extension-eligible, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. Norman’s price tag is on the rise as he nears the end of his contract, which expires in 2016.
- The lucrative new extension Julio Jones signed with the Falcons in the preseason is paying early dividends for the Falcons, as Orlando D. Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution details.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/22/15
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: RB Mike Gillislee (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com)
- Cut: TE Brandon Bostick, G Anthony Steen
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Damiere Byrd (Twitter link via David Newton of ESPN.com)
- Cut: LB Brian Blechen
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Deonte Thompson
- Cut: WR Ify Umodu (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Cam Johnson (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal)
- Cut: DL Kelcy Quarles
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: RB Gus Johnson (Twitter link via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Indianapolis Colts
- Cut: CB Brandon Dixon (Twitter link via owner Jim Irsay)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: T Tyrus Thompson (Twitter link via agent Ken Sarnoff)
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: RB Rajion Neal (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Cut: WR Quron Pratt (Twitter link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Cut: WR Rannell Hall (Twitter link via Jenna Laine of Sports Talk Florida)
NFC Notes: Cutler, Brees, Cowboys, Eagles
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler will miss at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Backup Jimmy Clausen will now start in Cutler’s absence, but one has to wonder if Chicago might look out-of-house for veteran reinforcements if Cutler is out for an extended period of time. At the very least, David Fales could be in line for a promotion from the practice squad.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Saints quarterback Drew Brees believes there’s a reasonable possibility he overcomes his rotator cuff injury enough to play in Week 3, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter links). It will require an aggressive rehab process, and Brees and the Saints will have to see how the injury responds to that rehab and treatment.
- The Cowboys are still mulling whether or not to use their IR-DTR slot on Tony Romo, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. In the meantime, Dallas is auditioning several signal-callers. In addition to the names we heard reported yesterday, McLeod Bethel-Thompson will also work out for the club, per Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link).
- The Eagles plan on bringing quarterback Stephen Morris, who was just released from the 53-man roster, back to their practice squad, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Morris will have to clear waivers today first.
Zach Links contributed to this post.