AFC Notes: Steelers, Browns, Jets, Pats
Some news and notes from around the AFC:
- While Ben Roethlisberger might be healthy enough to play Sunday, he’s set to be inactive and the Steelers will start Landry Jones at quarterback. The decision to keep Roethlisberger off the field for another week was influenced by both a desire to steer him clear of the Chiefs’ pass rush (specifically Justin Houston and Tamba Hali) and Pittsburgh’s need to have him as healthy as possible for a Week 8 showdown with AFC North-leading Cincinnati, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder (via Twitter).
- The Browns’ defense has been a colossal disappointment this season (31st in yards per game, 24th in points), but there is disagreement from within as to why, Bud Shaw of the Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. Some members of the defense have questioned the scheme, while coordinator Jim O’Neil has pointed to a lack of execution on the field. Whatever the problem is, things could get worse Sunday against Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley – who is averaging a stellar 5.7 yards per carry and looks primed to bludgeon Cleveland’s last-ranked ground defense.
- Former Jets head coach Rex Ryan was known for hyping up games against AFC East rival New England during his time in New York. His successor, Todd Bowles, has a calmer outlook as his 4-1 club looks to seize first place in the division from the 5-0 Pats on Sunday. “We’re going to take the same approach we’ve been taking,” Bowles said, according to Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “You don’t get up or down for one game because it means you haven’t been playing hard in the first place.”
- The Patriots’ cornerback stable has spent a great deal of time in flux going back to the offseason: Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Kyle Arrington – all of whom played key roles last year – are gone, two replacements were cut during the summer, and another (Tarell Brown) landed on season-ending injured reserve earlier this month. Luckily for the Pats, the emergence of Logan Ryan in a starting role opposite No. 1 corner Malcolm Butler has helped their secondary avoid any serious turmoil, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.
- The Jets were so hard up for a replacement for injured punter Ryan Quigley that they didn’t even work out Steve Weatherford before signing him Saturday, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/15
Today’s minor NFL signings, cuts and other moves:
- The Chargers added quarterback Brad Sorensen to their practice squad and jettisoned center/guard Michael Huey from the 10-man outfit to make room, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (on Twitter). The 27-year-old Sorensen’s spent time with the Chargers and Titans since 2013.
- To help their thinning cornerback depth, the Saints signed corners Akeem Davis and Sammy Seamster from their practice squad and cut receivers Joe Morgan and T.J. Graham to make room, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. No. 1 Keenan Lewis will miss another game due to a hip injury, along with an illness, and Damian Swann is also out. In parts of five seasons with the Saints, Morgan has 471 career receiving yards and three TDs. The 2011 undrafted free agent made five starts for the Saints in 2012. Active for two games for New Orleans this season, starting one, Morgan’s been cut three times this year, but Evan Woodberry of NOLA.com notes he or Graham could be brought back next week. The 25-year-old Davis played in 13 games for Washington last season, and the 24-year-old Seamster participated in two for the Dolphins in 2014. Both are set for special teams duty Sunday, Woodberry reports.
- The Raiders brought up Shelby Harris from their practice squad to bolster defensive line depth, waiving safety Tevin McDonald in a corresponding maneuver, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com reports. A 2014 seventh-round pick of the Raiders’, Harris has experience at defensive tackle and end and played in one game last season. Oakland defensive fronters Denico Autry and Justin Ellis are out and doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Chargers, respectively, creating the opportunity for Harris. A frequent inhabitant of this space, McDonald will likely return to the Raiders’ practice squad if he clears waivers, Bair reports.
- Ben Roethlisberger‘s status for Week 7 is leaning more toward out than questionable, with the Steelers promoting quarterback Tyler Murphy from their practice squad, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Roethlisberger’s missed three straight games after going down in Week 3 with a knee injury and enters Sunday’s game against the Chiefs with a questionable designation. Murphy, a 23-year-old undrafted quarterback/wide receiver hybrid out of Boston College who’s been active in two games in 2015, took the scout-team snaps on offense for the Steelers this week and has one catch for 16 yards this season. In the event Roethlisbeger is held out again, Landry Jones will start, per La Canfora, with Michael Vick and Murphy backing him up.
- In a corresponding move to make room for Murphy, the Steelers placed cornerback Cortez Allen on injured reserve, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Allen’s been inactive for the Steelers since Week 2 with a knee injury. The 27-year-old ex-fourth-round pick started seven games for Pittsburgh last season and has six career interceptions for the team that drafted him.
- Brandon LaFell looks set to make his 2015 debut with the Patriots; the team plans to activate the wideout from the PUP list, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter). LaFell missed the Pats’ first five games with a lingering foot injury. LaFell recorded 953 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions in his New England debut last season.
- The Titans promoted wide receiver Rico Richardson from their practice squad and released veteran backup tight end Chase Coffman to make room, Jim Wyatt of Titans Online reports (on Twitter). Richardson represents the Titans’ fifth wideout, while the team previously was carrying more tight ends — Coffman, Delanie Walker, Anthony Fasano, Phillip Supernaw and Craig Stevens — than receivers. With Harry Douglas out for Week 7 with sore ribs, Tennessee had a need for a healthy receiver, tweets Wyatt. A former Bengals third-round pick, Coffman’s caught just 14 passes in six seasons. The 24-year-old Richardson’s played in just one game — in 2014 with Tennessee.
AFC Notes: S. Smith, McClain, Revis, Manziel
There has been speculation the Ravens might try to talk wide receiver Steve Smith out of his plan to retire after the season or that Smith will change his mind. However, the veteran says that nothing has changed. “I’m on schedule for what I discussed earlier in the year,” the wide receiver said, according to Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com.
Here’s more from the AFC..
- If Smith is still retiring, the Ravens should trade him to a contender, Mike Florio of PFT opines. The Ravens are at 1-5 and, for all intents and purposes, they’re probably done in 2015. Florio suggests that the Packers would be a great fit for a savvy veteran like Smith.
- Free agent cornerback Robert McClain has worked out or visited eight teams since being cut on September 5th, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The veteran’s latest visit was to the Steelers on Wednesday, per Yates. McClain’s recent visits have also included the Bears and Saints.
- Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis told reporters, including Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter), that he never expected to return to the Patriots this past offseason. “No, the number was too high,” the corner said.
- Johnny Manziel should be on paid leave from the Browns for his recent altercation with his girlfriend, Christine Brennan of USA Today Sports writes. Manziel’s girlfriend declined to press charges over the matter and the all of the facts are still unknown, but Brennan feels that the former Texas A&M star should be sidelined until everything comes to light.
- On the Quick Slants podcast, CSNNE’s Tom E. Curran, Phil Perry, and Adam Hart discussed the Patriots secondary and the possibility of making an addition via trade.
AFC Notes: Jags, K. Williams, Pouncey, Bills
The Jaguars‘ current agreement to play one home game per season in London expires in 2016, but it sounds like team owner Shad Khan, along with the NFL, may be getting ready to make an announcement on that subject. According to Conor Orr of NFL.com, Khan said he didn’t “want to scoop anything,” but hinted that an announcement regarding a new agreement for the Jaguars’ international games may be forthcoming.
As we wait for news on the Jags, let’s round up a few more AFC notes…
- Speaking to reporters today in London, Bills head coach Rex Ryan acknowledged that Kyle Williams‘ knee injury is “significant,” as Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweets. Williams is currently expected to be sidelined for multiple weeks with a PCL issue, though Ryan’s comments may suggest that the injury is even more serious.
- Reports last week indicated that Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey was expected to undergo a second operation, potentially jeopardizing his season. However, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Pouncey didn’t undergo a second procedure on his broken left fibula, and Tomlin is still expecting the veteran center to return this season, writes Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- In a piece for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry eyes 12 teams with potential quarterback instability on the horizon, identifying the Broncos, Chiefs, Jets, Texans, Browns, and Bills as the AFC teams without a long-term option set in stone.
- Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin, who remains on the non-football injury list for now, appears ready to return to practice today, and could be activated to Buffalo’s 53-man roster if and when the team determines he’s ready, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
Workout Updates: 10/20/15
Today’s workouts and visits from around the NFL..
- The Texans have worked out a pair of pass rushers in Steven Means and Gerald Rivers, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Means was previously cut by the Buccaneers, and recently worked out with the Chiefs. Rivers has had tryouts with the Eagles and Jets this month.
- The Jets worked out former Rams running back Isaiah Pead, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- The Broncos worked out quarterback Seth Lobato in addition to tight end LaCosse, who both played for Northern Colorado, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- Field Yates of ESPN added a few familiar names who had workouts on Tuesday, such as cornerback Bradley Fletcher with the Panthers, running back Travaris Cadet with the Colts, and defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers with the Vikings (via Twitter).
Earlier today:
- The Panthers are working out tight end/fullback James Casey today, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- The Saints tried out defensive backs Akeem Davis and Robert McClain, wide receiver T.J. Graham, guard David Arkin, and center Ryan Seymour, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Seymour was ultimately signed to New Orleans’ practice squad.
- The Jets worked out cornerback Jeremy Harris on Monday, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Buster Skrine and Marcus Williams are both uncertain for this week, so Gang Green is likely looking at Harris as possible insurance.
- The Vikings worked out former Ravens defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi on Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Panthers worked out former Ravens quarterback Bryn Renner according to a source who spoke with Wilson (Twitter link).
- The Broncos are working out former Titans linebacker J.R. Tavai, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (Twitter link).
- The Titans will try out ex-Ravens fullback Kiero Small, Wilson tweets.
- The Ravens tried out a trio of defensive backs: Jonte Green, Sheldon Price, and Cornelius Brown, Wilson tweets.
- The Chiefs tried out defensive back Trovon Reed, Wilson tweets.
- The Steelers worked out tackle James Brewer, Wilson tweets.
- Former Seahawks wide receiver Douglas McNeil is working out for the Panthers today, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (link).
- The Broncos working out tight end Matt LaCosse today, according to a source who spoke with Wilson (link).
Steelers Put Beachum On IR, Sign Stingily
MONDAY, 2:37pm: The Steelers have officially placed Beachum on the injured reserve list, signing tackle Byron Stingily to replace him, the team announced today (via Twitter). Stingily, who was released by the Titans during the team’s cutdown to 53 players in September, worked out for the Colts, Bears, Chargers, and Dolphins in recent weeks before finding a new home in Pittsburgh.
SUNDAY, 4:26pm: The Steelers’ bad injury luck has continued, as head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed to reporters, including Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link), that left tackle Kelvin Beachum suffered a torn ACL during today’s win over the Cardinals. Beachum will presumably be placed on injured reserve in the coming days and miss the rest of the season.
As Garafolo notes, the injury is especially devastating for Beachum as he is an impending free agent; he and the Steelers had engaged in contract negotiations earlier this year, but couldn’t come to an agreement. Obviously, hindsight is 20/20, but because Beachum did not end up signing an extension, he will now enter free agency coming off a very serious injury, with his availability for the beginning of the 2016 season up in the air.
Beachum, 26, is a late-round success story, having developed from a seventh-round draft choice into a high-quality starter at left tackle. He became the full-time starter during the 2013 season, and has played exceptionally well, stabilizing the left side of a solid Pittsburgh offensive line. Alejandro Villanueva, a former member of the U.S. Army with little professional experience, entered the game as Beachum’s replacement, but it’s unclear if he’ll be the club’s left tackle going forward.
Beachum is the second key Steelers offensive lineman to suffer a major injury this season, as center Maurkice Pouncey is also expected to miss the rest of the year after undergoing complications while rehabbing his ankle injury. It’s not just Pittsburgh’s offensive line that has fallen victim to injuries, of course, as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has also been out for several weeks with a knee ailment.
PUP, NFI Players Soon Eligible To Practice
Week 6 of the NFL season will come to an end after Monday night’s game between the Giants and Eagles, and when teams begin preparing for Week 7, many clubs could be welcoming injured players back to practice. Six weeks into the NFL season, players who were placed on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list prior to Week 1’s games will be eligible to return to the practice field.
Of course, just because those players are able to return to practice doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be healthy enough to do so. Players on the PUP list have a five-week window to begin practicing. Once they return to practice, they have three weeks to be added to their respective teams’ active rosters. In other words, a player currently on the PUP list could return to the field for his team’s Week 7 game, or could return as late as for his team’s Week 15 contest.
The rules for NFI players are similar to those for PUP players. If a player on either reserve list doesn’t return to practice or game action in time, his 2015 season will officially be over.
Here are the players currently on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list who can begin practicing as soon as this Tuesday:
- Atlanta Falcons: T Lamar Holmes
- Baltimore Ravens: TE Dennis Pitta
- Buffalo Bills: CB Cam Thomas
- Chicago Bears: WR Kevin White
- Cincinnati Bengals: LB Vontaze Burfict, LB Sean Porter
- Dallas Cowboys: OL Chaz Green
- Minnesota Vikings: CB Josh Robinson
- New England Patriots: LB Dane Fletcher, DT Chris Jones, WR Brandon LaFell
- New York Giants: T Will Beatty
- New York Jets: RB Stevan Ridley
- Pittsburgh Steelers: T Mike Adams
- San Francisco 49ers: C/G Daniel Kilgore
- Seattle Seahawks: CB Jeremy Lane, WR Paul Richardson
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Akeem Spence
And here are the players currently on their teams’ non-football injury or illness lists, who are also eligible to begin practicing this Tuesday:
- Arizona Cardinals: WR Damond Powell
- Buffalo Bills: CB Leodis McKelvin
- Cincinnati Bengals: T Cedric Ogbuehi
- Cleveland Browns: DB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, TE Randall Telfer, RB Glenn Winston
- Dallas Cowboys: LB Mark Nzeocha
- Houston Texans: T David Quessenberry
- Kansas City Chiefs: QB Tyler Bray
- San Francisco 49ers: WR DeAndre Smelter
- Seattle Seahawks: DT Jesse Williams
In addition to monitoring players on the PUP and NFI lists, it’s worth keeping an eye on players who have been placed on the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Teams can use this IR-DTR spot on one player per season, placing him on the injured reserve list without necessarily ruling him out for the season. As we explained in an earlier post, players given this designation can begin practicing after six weeks and can return after eight weeks.
That means that a player who was placed on IR-DTR prior to Week 1 can begin practicing on Tuesday, though he won’t be eligible to return to game action until Week 9. A player who was placed on IR-DTR after Week 1 will have to wait until next Tuesday – October 27 – to return to practice, while other IR-DTR players will have to wait until November to practice.
Here’s the list of players currently on IR-DTR who can begin practicing as soon as Tuesday:
- Baltimore Ravens: DE Brent Urban
- Cleveland Browns: CB Charles Gaines
- Detroit Lions: CB Alex Carter
- Miami Dolphins: RB Jay Ajayi
- Minnesota Vikings: C John Sullivan
- New England Patriots: C Bryan Stork
- New York Jets: CB Dee Milliner
- Pittsburgh Steelers: C Maurkice Pouncey
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: T Demar Dotson
- Tennessee Titans: RB David Cobb
AFC Notes: Patriots, Forsett, Steelers
Let’s take a look around the AFC, where three clubs still remain undefeated…
- The Patriots placed cornerback Tarell Brown on injured reserve earlier today, leading Mike Reiss of ESPN.com to examine how New England will approach its secondary woes going going forward. Malcolm Butler will be joined in the starting lineup by Logan Ryan, while Justin Coleman and recent waiver claim Rashaan Melvin could also see time. But the Patriots, who have never shied away from the trade market, could also look to swing a deal to add reinforcements, opines Reiss, who points to the Buccaneers’ Alterraun Verner and the Titans’ Jason McCourty as possible targets (though the ESPN scribe allows that McCourty is unlikely to be moved). Marcus Cooper, a little-used Chiefs corner, might also be on the table, an opinion Reiss has voiced before.
- It’s still up in the air as to whether Justin Forsett will be active for the Ravens‘ game against the 49ers, but according to Forsett, his ankle injury is looking a little better. “It’s a work in progress,” Forsett told Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “We’re heading in the right direction.” Baltimore promoted fellow running back Terrance Magee from its practice squad earlier today, which could be a bad sign for for Forsett’s availability.
- After missing four games due to suspension and one additional contest due to injury, Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant is expected to return for tomorrow’s game against the Cardinals. He’ll likely act as Pittsburgh’s No. 2 pass-catcher, meaning Darrius Heyward-Bey, who has posted 17 receptions for 209 yards and two scores, will move back to the bench, per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. But Heyward-Bey, who has been involved in more than 70% of the Steelers’ offensive plays, vows to remain active in the club’s gameplan. “My focus is whatever Coach Tomlin needs me to do,” he told Kaboly. “My job is to play every position on the field, whether it is X, Z or F. Whatever they need me to do, I will do.”
AFC Notes: Texans, Watkins, Boykin
With the NFL eyeing locations beyond the United Kingdom for international games in future seasons, the Texans are targeting a potential game in Mexico City in 2016, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Of course, like most other teams that express interest in playing an international contest, Houston would prefer to be the road team in such a game.
“I believe there’s a chance,” Texans president Jamey Rootes said of playing in Mexico City. “We’ve always expressed that we have an interest in participating internationally as a road team. … We’ve made it clear that we’re most interested in doing that in Mexico. It’s an amazing opportunity for the team and the league. But it’s a league decision, and it would be on their timing.”
Let’s check out a few more odds and ends from around the AFC….
- With Bills wideout Sammy Watkins having expressed a desire to have more passes thrown his way, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines the situation in Buffalo, discussing the role that targets play in contract discussions for wide receivers.
- The Steelers sent a fifth-round pick to Philadelphia when they acquired cornerback Brandon Boykin, but Pittsburgh seems unwilling to play Boykin, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com details. Presumably, the Steelers will want to get some value out of Boykin eventually, to warrant giving up that draft pick, but Fowler looks into why the ex-Eagle has only seen one defensive snap in the last three weeks.
- Patriots cornerback Tarell Brown has a potentially serious foot injury and is seeking a second opinion, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. For now, Brown’s availability appears to be week to week, but if the injury is determined to be significant, he could end up on the IR list.
- The Dolphins aren’t happy about starting the season with a 1-3 record, or having to make coaching changes, but football czar Mike Tannenbaum tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that he likes the team’s roster.
Latest On Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey
2:20pm: Pouncey is “likely to miss [the] rest of the season,” according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter).
1:24pm: Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey is experiencing complications from his ankle injury and is expected to undergo another operation, sources tell Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter links). Pouncey was placed on IR-DTR back in September, but “there are fears that he may miss more of the season than initially anticipated,” Getlin writes.
Pouncey suffered a broken fibula during the Steelers’ third preseason game and was initially expected to miss ten games in total. Now, his projected Week 12 return appears to be in doubt. The 26-year-old graded as the league’s sixth-best center last season per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) and the Steelers have been looking forward to getting him back out on the field.
Cody Wallace has stepped in as the the Steelers’ new starting center in 2015 and is expected to do so until Pouncey is ready to return.