North Notes: Pouncey, Flacco, Guion, Lions
Injured Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey is undergoing surgery on his fractured ankle today, tweets Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), the exact timetable for Pouncey’s recovery still isn’t known, but the injury is unlikely to be season-ending. Based on what we’ve heard so far regarding the veteran center, he would appear to be a viable candidate for Pittsburgh’s IR-DTR slot this season.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:
- As Ashley Fox of ESPN details, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has been keeping an eye on the megadeals signed by his fellow signal-callers, recognizing that Baltimore will almost certainly have to rework his contract in 2016, when his cap hit is set to jump to $28.55MM. Both Flacco and the team would like to see the former Super Bowl MVP become a “Raven for life.”
- The appeal hearing for Letroy Guion‘s three-game suspension concluded on Monday, but there has been no ruling yet on whether that penalty will be reduced for the Packers defensive lineman, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
- Demovsky also provided an update on former Packers receiver Kevin Dorsey, tweeting that the ex-Maryland wideout has retired. Green Bay used a seventh-round pick in the 2013 draft to nab Dorsey, but he only played in three games with the club.
- After losing Ndamukong Suh in free agency this offseason, the Lions were happy to acquire Haloti Ngata to fill the newly-created void on their defensive line. However, the club still isn’t sure when Ngata will return from the hamstring injury that has plagued him throughout training camp, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Maurkice Pouncey To Undergo Surgery
6:40pm: Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports (via Twitter) that Pouncey will miss at least six weeks.
3:54pm: Pouncey suffered a broken ankle, tweets Bouchette, while Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link) says the Steelers hope Pouncey can still return this season.
3:34pm: After leaving today’s preseason game with an ankle injury, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey will indeed require surgery, head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters, including Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). Tomlin did not give any indication as to how long Pouncey will be sidelined.
Earlier today, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported (via Twitter) that early indications are that Pouncey suffered a high ankle sprain “at the very least.” That report has yet to be confirmed, but such an injury would keep Pouncey out for four-to-six weeks, meaning he would likely miss three regular season games at minimum. Obviously, Bouchette’s tweet leaves the door open for Pouncey to have suffered a more serious injury, meaning that timetable would need to be amended.
Pouncey, 26, has been bitten by the injury bug before, as he missed all of the 2013 season after tearing his ACL during Week 1. He signed a five-year, $44MM extension during the summer of 2014, and went on to start all 16 games last year, earning his fourth Pro Bowl nod. Currently, Cody Wallace is projected as Pouncey’s direct backup at center, and he’d see more playing time if Pouncey is out for an extended period.
Per Kaboly (Twitter link), the Steelers also suffered another injury, albeit one that sounds less serious, Tomlin announced that defensive end Stephon Tuitt will be out a few weeks after suffering a sprained ankle.
Extra Points: Brees, Mathis, Seahawks
Let’s take a look at the latest from around the NFL as Saturday comes to a close…
- Saints quarterback Drew Brees spent two months working with coach Tom House to improve poor throwing mechanics that came as a result of an oblique injury last year, ESPN’s Ed Werder tweeted. “There was a lot I needed to fix,” said Brees (Twitter link). Despite the injury, Brees still appeared in all 16 games in 2014 and completed over 69 percent of his passes for 4,952 yards, 33 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
- Free agent guard Evan Mathis’ visit with the Seahawks on Saturday went well, according to Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). While a signing doesn’t appear imminent, Garofalo tweeted that Seattle will remain an option for the two-time Pro Bowler.
- Although 49ers safety Eric Reid has suffered three concussions during his first two NFL seasons, ex-teammate Chris Borland‘s offseason decision to retire over head-trauma concerns didn’t tempt Reid to do the same. “No. Not at all,” Reid said, per Eric Branch of SFGate.com. “Football is a violent sport, but you know what you sign up for when you put those shoulder pads on. I agree with certain aspects of it. I disagree with certain aspects of it. But you have to respect his decision either way. I’ve had concussions and I’m still here. I still love the sport. I think I’m still very healthy.”
- One of the main focuses of the Steelers’ Keith Butler is making sure his defense is unpredictable. Butler, who’s taking over for longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, is loath to call Pittsburgh a 4-3 or 3-4 team. “We are not strictly anything,” he said, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “We just can’t be a 3-4 team and can’t just be a 4-3 team. I don’t think you can get around that. Offenses are multiple, so you have to do what you have to do to stop them. In order to do that, you try to match up your people with their people.”
Extra Points: Steelers, Mathis, Pryor, Bills
Some assorted notes from around the NFL…
- Considering the Steelers refusal to renegotiate contracts prior to the final year of a player’s current deal, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com wonders if Antonio Brown could potentially hold out in the future.
- Seahawks coach Pete Carroll referred to Evan Mathis‘ visit with the organization as a “physical,” according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times (via Twitter). This could be an indication that a deal is imminent.
- Browns wideout (and former quarterback) Terrelle Pryor hasn’t had much of an opportunity to hit the field this summer due to injuries, and according to Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com (via Twitter), head coach Mike Pettine said the receiver’s chance of making the team decreases every day he’s not out there.
- The Bills are auditioning free agent wideout Austin Willis, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Several teams are reportedly interested in the former Emporia State standout, who was cut by the Raiders earlier this week.
- Rex Ryan said there is a “high possibility” that the Bills keep all three of their quarterbacks, writes Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com. The team also hasn’t decided who will start among Tyrod Taylor, Matt Cassel and EJ Manuel. “We haven’t decided yet who’s starting at QB next week,” Ryan said. “We’ll rotate all three in this week.”
AFC Notes: Dareus, Grimes, Golson, Dixon
Bills’ superstar defensive tackle Marcel Dareus is unhappy about his current contract, and is itching to hit free agency and chase some of that Ndamukong Suh money. Unfortunately for him, Suh was in a much better position in terms of leverage that allowed him to reach free agency. For Dareus, he will likely be subject to the franchise tag not once but twice before he is in position to get a Suh-like game-changing contract, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Here are some notes from around the AFC:
- Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes has decided to change agents, and will now be represented by Tom Condon of CAA, reports Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Grimes was formerly represented by Ben Dogra of Relativity Sports.
- At the beginning of August, we learned that Steelers’ second-round pick Senquez Golson might require shoulder surgery that at the time was thought to be season ending. Golson tried to play through the injury, but ultimately decided to have the surgery this morning, reports Chris Adamski of TribLive.com. However, Golson and head coach Mike Tomlin have not announced whether or not he will miss the 2015 season.
- The Raiders have brought in safety Ahmad Dixon for a workout, accorting to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Dixon was a seventh-round pick for the Cowboys in 2014.
Steelers Won’t Change Contract Policy For Antonio Brown
When it comes to star wide receiver Antonio Brown, the Steelers won’t change the way they handle player contracts, according to GM Kevin Colbert. That means that Brown, who had been considering a holdout this summer, will likely have to wait until after the 2016 season to get a new deal from the team.
“Players sign contracts, we expect them to honor them,” Colbert said, per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “If a player has one year to go other than a quarterback is when we have gotten into discussions. It has been the position of the organization and it has always been like that.
“It was something that was here before I got here and I am sure it will continue after I am gone,” Colbert added. “It is just the consistency within the organization. It is something that we believe in and it works for us, so I don’t see it changing.”
Brown, a former sixth-round pick, signed his first big, long-term contract in 2012, agreeing to a five-year, $41.7MM pact. That deal pays him over $8MM per year, but that annual average value is only the 14th-highest in the NFL among wide receivers, placing him behind players like Victor Cruz and Pierre Garcon.
Coming off a season in which he led the NFL with 129 receptions and 1,698 yards, Brown probably deserves a deal more in line with the big-money contracts signed by Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, and T.Y. Hilton this offseason. However, as Colbert points out, the Steelers don’t renegotiate contracts with players until they have just one year left. Brown, who will earn base salaries of $6MM in 2015 and $8.25MM in 2016, has a deal that runs through 2017, so Pittsburgh is unwilling to rework it at this point.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/19/15
Here are Wednesday minor NFL signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL:
- When word broke earlier today that the Texans had signed safety Quintin Demps and defensive lineman Fili Moala, I noted that two corresponding roster moves would be required. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle has the details on those moves, reporting (via Twitter) that the team has waived defensive end Jasper Coleman and waived/injured tight end Mike McFarland. McFarland will land on the Texans’ injured reserve list if he clears waivers.
- After releasing him earlier this week, the Saints have re-signed veteran tight end Alex Smith, placing tight end Kevin Brock on injured reserve, writes Nick Underhill of The Advocate. Brock had to be carted off the field after going down with an injury during Tuesday’s practice.
- Former Georgia wide receiver Michael Bennett – not to be confused with the Michael Bennetts who played on the defensive line at Texas A&M or Ohio State, respectively – signed a contract with the Bengals today, according to the team (Twitter link). Cincinnati cut tight end Jake Murphy to create roster space for the addition.
- The Steelers have claimed linebacker L.J. Fort off waivers from the Patriots, waiving linebacker Jordan Zumwalt, a 2014 sixth-round pick, with an injury designation, the team announced today (via Twitter).
- The Chargers have also claimed a former Patriot, nabbing tight end Logan Stokes off waivers, according to a team release. Tight end Eric Frohnapfel was cut to create a spot for Stokes.
- Washington has reached an injury settlement with outside linebacker Trevardo Williams, who landed on the team’s IR with a hamstring strain, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. Williams is now a free agent, able to sign with any team.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/15
Here are Tuesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL:
- Long snapper Nate Boyer, who took an unusual path to the NFL, has been waived by the Seahawks, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link). With the newly-created roster spot, the Seahawks appear to have signed quarterback Jake Waters, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter links).
- The Steelers have reduced the number of quarterbacks on their roster by one, announcing today that they’ve cut Tajh Boyd, replacing him with wide receiver Jarrod West (Twitter link via Burt Lauten).
- Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt, who tore his Achilles on Saturday, has been officially placed on injured reserve, the team announced today. To replace him, Minnesota signed former Giants tackle Stephen Goodin.
- The Eagles‘ roster turnover at linebacker continues, as the team announced today (via Twitter) that it has signed former Southern Mississippi linebacker Dasman McCullum to replace Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo, who has been waived/injured due to an ankle injury.
- The Colts made a change to their wide receiver group, signing UDFA wideout L.T. Smith and waiving Tyler Rutenbeck, according to a team release.
- Former Emporia State wide receiver Austin Willis has been waived by the Raiders, tweets Herbie Teope of ChiefsDigest.com.
- The Cardinals have a new body in their secondary, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who reports that safety Anthony Walters has signed a one-year deal with the club. Linebacker Zack Wagenmann, who broke his foot, has been waived/injured, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- More updates from Wilson: The Saints have cut receiver Kyle Prater and waived/injured defensive tackle Lawrence Virgil (Twitter link), the Jets have cut punter Jacob Schum (Twitter link), the Cowboys have cut cornerback Jason Wilson from their injured reserve list with an injury settlement (Twitter link), and the Steelers have removed running back Cameron Stingily from their IR with a settlement (Twitter link).
North Notes: Bears, Forte, Brown, Steelers
Earlier today, the Browns announced that backup center Ryan Seymour has been suspended for four games without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing substances. In a statement, Seymour said that he did not “knowingly” take a banned substance and added that he will be “much more careful in the future,” Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC North..
- Bears running back Matt Forte has come to the realization that this season might be his last in a Bears uniform, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes. “All I can do is talk to them about it and they can say yes or no. They said we’re not talking about that type of stuff right now, so all I can do is play football. I’ve come to the realization that every run or catch that I may have might be my last in a Bears uniform, so if they don’t want to re-sign me, I’ll have to play somewhere else,” Forte said.
- Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown‘s desire for an extension is “fueled by” the deals given to Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, and T.Y. Hilton, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears. The Steelers are listening to Brown’s requests, but if they rework his deal, they want to wind up with a contract that will put him under club control for the remainder of his career.
- Browns GM Ray Farmer told Grossi (Twitter link) that quarterback Connor Shaw underwent surgery on Monday morning. He adds that Shaw suffered ligament damage and not a broken thumb as some believed earlier.
- Harland Gunn and Dionte Savage were among the offensive lineman that worked out for the Lions last week, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets.
La Canfora’s Latest: Washington, Jets, Brown
Within his latest piece for CBSSports.com, Jason La Canfora praises the “honest, slow, and steady approach” that new GM Scot McCloughan is taking to building the Washington roster. In La Canfora’s view, McCloughan is a “pure departure” from most of the decision-makers who have preceded him during Daniel Snyder‘s tenure as the team’s owner.
While we wait to see whether McCloughan’s approach translates into on-field success in Washington, let’s round up a few more highlights from La Canfora’s piece….
- With training camps and the preseason in full swing, injuries have begun to take a toll around the league. According to La Canfora, many teams are scrambling to find healthy offensive tackles and tight ends, since those are two positions where clubs have been hit the hardest by injuries. As I noted last week when I examined some possible tight end options for Washington, the free agent market at the position is pretty thin.
- La Canfora has heard a lot recently about the kind of money some left tackles have been seeking, calling it “crazy, quarterback money.” The CBSSports.com scribe wouldn’t be surprised if players like Trent Williams (Washington) and Nate Solder (Patriots) ultimately get the franchise tag rather than signing extensions right away.
- The Jets are taking their time to consider possible quarterbacks, and one reason is that the team has interest in some veteran signal-callers who may be cut within the next few weeks.
- Despite reports to the contrary, there have been no contract talks between the Steelers and Antonio Brown, sources tell La Canfora. With three years left on his deal, the wideout won’t get a new contract this year, but may be able to revisit the issue in 2016.