Brandon Weeden - Pro Football Rumors

Brandon Weeden Visiting Dolphins

March 11th, 2016 at 6:20pm CST by Luke Adams

With Matt Moore lining up free agent visits elsewhere, Miami is exploring the market for a new backup for Ryan Tannehill. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Dolphins’ search has led them to Brandon Weeden, who will be visiting the team tonight.

Weeden, 32, began the 2015 season with the Cowboys, stepping in and making three starts when Tony Romo went down with an injury. While Weeden lost all three of those starts, he was hardly a disaster — he completed 72.4% of his passes, throwing for 739 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Later in the season, having been cut by Dallas, Weeden got an opportunity to start again in Houston, and helped the Texans make the playoffs by completing 26 of 42 passes for 305 yards and three TDs over the span of two games (one start).

Weeden won’t live up to the billing of being a first-round pick back in 2012, but there are probably worse No. 2 options in the NFL, so it will be interesting to see if the Dolphins attempt to sign him to back up Tannehill.

Moore never got the opportunity to play much in Miami, but Tannehill’s up-and-down performance in 2015 means the backup job isn’t a spot that can be overlooked. Still, we heard earlier this week that the Dolphins aren’t looking to invest too heavily in a backup signal-caller.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Titans, A. Smith, Pacman, Weeden

January 11th, 2016 at 3:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Titans‘ meeting today with Chiefs executive Chris Ballard is expected to be the last interview the team conducts in its search for a new general manager, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Whether that means a hiring will follow shortly thereafter remains to be seen. With NFL team owners gathering in Houston for the next couple days, it’s possible Tennessee will wait until later in the week to make and announce a decision on its new GM.

Once that new GM is in place, the Titans will begin their head coaching search in earnest. According to Cole, the club wants to fight the perception that it’s a dysfunctional franchise, which means going through the general manager hiring process before rushing into a head coaching search, to assure the new GM is on board with the new coach, and vice versa.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

The investigation into criminal abuse allegations against Broncos defensive lineman Antonio Smith has concluded, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, who tweets that the Fort Bend District Attorney’s office won’t charge Smith. The NFL figures to conduct its own investigation into the allegations and could discipline Smith, but the veteran defender won’t face any legal ramifications.
After playing a key part in the Bengals‘ Wild Card meltdown on Saturday night, Adam Jones said today that he’d like to return to the team, though there have been no recent talks (Twitter link via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com). The veteran cornerback and return man known as Pacman had another solid season in Cincinnati, right up until the final minute of the team’s final game.
Quarterback Brandon Weeden will weigh his options in free agency, but says he’d love to return to the Texans, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. And why not? Weeden led the team to two wins – one in relief and one as a starter – after compiling a 5-19 record in his previous NFL starts.
Within his look ahead to some of the Ravens‘ offseason decisions, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun says the team will almost certainly have to restructure Joe Flacco‘s contract this winter, even if GM Ozzie Newsome said he’s fine keeping it at $28MM+.

Extra Points: Washington, Cutler, Cowboys, Fins, Bolts, Jags

December 12th, 2015 at 9:14pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Washington will head to Chicago on Sunday to face the Jay Cutler-led Bears as it looks to stay atop the NFC East heap. Besides the matchup’s playoff implications, adding further intrigue is that Cutler – whom the Bears acquired in a trade with Denver in 2009 – was minutes from being Washington’s quarterback, as ESPN’s John Keim writes.

“You know how much time I put into that? A lot. Months. Dan [Snyder] put in a lot, too,” said Vinny Cerrato, who was Washington’s executive vice president at the time. “It was disappointing because at times we thought we had a deal then they called and said, no. Then they called back and said, ‘Hold on. If the deal falls through, we’ll trade him to you.’ Then it was like, ‘No, it didn’t work.'”

Cutler hasn’t exactly been a franchise quarterback for the Bears, but he has fared better than the slew of passers Washington has used since failing to acquire him. Washington has started Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman, John Beck, Robert Griffin III, Colt McCoy and current No. 1 Kirk Cousins throughout Cutler’s time in Chicago, Keim notes. Among that group, the club invested a fair amount in an ineffective McNabb and a boatload in RGIII, who hasn’t taken a snap this year and is all but guaranteed to be with another franchise next season.

Landing Cutler would’ve cost Washington plenty – a first-round pick, a fourth-rounder and QB Jason Campbell – but Cerrato believes Mike Shanahan’s presence would’ve helped make it worthwhile. Shanahan coached Cutler with the Broncos from 2006-08 and went on to hold the same position in Washington from 2010-13. Cutler threw 54 touchdowns against 37 interceptions in 37 games under Shanahan and amassed a career-best 4,526 passing yards in 2008.

“Mike knew him and what made him tick,” Cerrato said. “It would have given the organization a shot in the arm. Some like him and some don’t, but he’d have played his best football because of the way he is with Mike … It was like a punch in the gut.”

We’ll never know how another helping of Cutler-Shanahan would’ve gone, but one thing’s obvious: Had it happened, it would’ve changed both franchises dramatically – not necessarily for the better in either case, of course.

More from around the NFL as we draw closer to Washington-Chicago and the rest of Sunday’s Week 14 action:

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones criticized the team’s coaching staff earlier this week. On Friday, he laid some of the blame for Dallas’ 4-8 record on himself – specifically for his handling of the backup quarterback position last offseason. “On the other hand, if you want to look at any aspect of this team you can say well, if we would have been in better shape had you had Matt Cassel in the spring, rather than (Brandon) Weeden, and I’m not trying to knock Weeden, but if we would have had a guy like Cassel in here than we might have made a difference there, so put that one ultimately on my shoulders for sure,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan, per Josh Clark of CBS DFW.
Dolphins rookie receiver DeVante Parker – whom the team chose 14th overall in this year’s draft – started quietly but has come on strong over the last two weeks, combining for seven catches, 143 yards and two touchdowns. With Parker seemingly emerging as a playmaker and Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills also part of the Dolphins’ long-term receiving corps, the end of Rishard Matthews‘ tenure in Miami could come this offseason, according to the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero. Matthews, a fourth-year man who’s in the top two among Dolphins in receptions (43), targets (60), yards (662), yards per catch (15.4) and touchdowns (four) this year, is scheduled to hit free agency in a few months.
Chargers running back Melvin Gordon was impressive on 12 carries against Denver last Sunday, rushing for 55 yards, but head coach Mike McCoy benched the first-round rookie because of fumbling issues. Gordon coughed the ball up twice in a 17-3 loss, giving him five fumbles on the season. McCoy’s decision to sit Gordon was wrong, Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune offers. In Canepa’s opinion, with the season effectively over for the 3-9 Bolts, McCoy and his staff should be coaching Gordon through his struggles and letting him play – not relegating him to the sideline.
The final quarter of the season will provide some important answers for the Jaguars, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Among them: the future statuses of receiver Marqise Lee, center Stefen Wisniewski, defenders Ryan Davis and Chris Smith, and kicker Jason Myers.

Cowboys Notes: Hardy, Weeden, NFLPA

November 19th, 2015 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

In a wide-ranging Q&A, Michael Florek of The Dallas Morning News spoke with Cowboys linebacker Keith Smith and even worked in a Tinder pickup line as a question. When asked whether he’d rather fight a horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses, Smith had an interesting take.

“Oh that’s tough. I’d probably say a horse-sized duck because you know what’s right in front of you. You know what you’re going to get. It is what it is. It ain’t got no arms. It’s got some wings, but it is what it is.”

While you ponder that conundrum, here’s more out of Dallas:

In an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter), Cowboys COO Stephen Jones was asked about the behavior of star defensive end Greg Hardy. “Internally I don’t think Greg Hardy is a problem. He’s not perfect, there’s things he has to work on,” Jones said. Hardy, who sat out the bulk of the 2014 season and part of the 2015 season, has come under additional fire in recent weeks after pictures of badly bruised ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder surfaced.
In an op-ed for USA Today, NFLPA Assistant Executive Director of External Affairs George Atallah responded to the criticisms of USA Today columnist Christine Brennan regarding their handling of Hardy. Brennan put some heat on the NFLPA, questioning their support of the Cowboys star. Attalah makes the case that the NFLPA had an obligation to stand up for Hardy’s rights under the CBA, even if the incident was an ugly one.
After giving Brandon Weeden multiple opportunities to show what he could do, Jones told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) that the team just didn’t see a future for the quarterback in Dallas. Weeden, 32, entered the season as Tony Romo’s backup, and looked good in relief of the injured starter in Week 2, completing all seven of his passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, as Dallas secured a 20-10 win over the Eagles. However, Weeden was up and down in his next three starts, throwing just one touchdown in those games, as the Cowboys lost all three. Eventually, Weeden lost the temporary starting gig to veteran Matt Cassel. On Wednesday, he was scooped up by the Texans.

AFC South Notes: Colts, Texans, QBs

November 19th, 2015 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

There has been plenty of quarterback shuffling going on in the AFC South recently, with the return of a healthy Marcus Mariota prompting the Titans to release Charlie Whitehurst, who was claimed off waivers by the Colts, who are without Andrew Luck for a few weeks. Meanwhile, the Texans, having cut Ryan Mallett earlier this year, grabbed Brandon Weeden off waivers from the Cowboys this week.

Today’s round-up of AFC South notes, in advance of tonight’s Titans/Jaguars game, focuses on those moves, so let’s dive right in…

One AFC South executive expressed “displeasure and dismay” that the Titans would cut Whitehurst at the exact moment that the Colts were looking for a backup for Matt Hasselbeck, says Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. As Schefter explains, Whitehurst hasn’t exactly been a world-beater when he’s gotten a chance to play, but one AFC South source suggested he’d rather see the Colts have to rely on a less experienced backup.
The Texans‘ motive for claiming Weeden? They’ll likely need a veteran backup of their own this weekend, since Brian Hoyer is expected to miss Week 11 due to a concussion, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. With T.J. Yates lined up for the start, practice squad signal-caller Zac Dysert would have been the next man up as the No. 2 if Houston hadn’t made a move.
Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk wonders if the Texans were also motivated to claim Weeden so the Colts couldn’t. Both teams have the same record, but Houston has faced a slightly weaker schedule, giving them waiver priority over Indianapolis. Considering Weeden used to play for current Indy offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, the Colts may preferred him over Whitehurst as Hasselbeck’s backup.

Texans Claim QB Brandon Weeden

November 18th, 2015 at 4:44pm CST by Zachary Links

4:44pm: The Texans are cutting cornerback Jumal Rolle to create a roster spot for Weeden, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).

4:26pm: The Texans have claimed Brandon Weeden off waivers from the Cowboys, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Weeden was waived by Dallas on Tuesday.

Weeden, 32, entered the season as Tony Romo’s backup, and looked good in relief of the injured starter in Week 2, completing all seven of his passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, as Dallas secured a 20-10 win over the Eagles. However, Weeden was up and down in his next three starts, throwing just one touchdown in those games, as the Cowboys lost all three. Eventually, Weeden lost the temporary starting gig to veteran Matt Cassel.

On the outside, Weeden is a logical pickup for Houston as starter Brian Hoyer goes through concussion protocol. On the other hand, as Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets, Weeden isn’t really a Bill O’Brien-type quarterback. Then again, competent quarterbacks are hard to find and Weeden, at the very least, has in-game experience to offer.

Cowboys Waive Brandon Weeden

November 17th, 2015 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

With Tony Romo on his way back to the active roster, the Cowboys won’t be carrying three quarterbacks, and Brandon Weeden is the odd man out in Dallas. According to a press release, Weeden has been released by the Cowboys today.

Weeden, 32, entered the season as Romo’s backup, and looked good in relief of the injured starter in Week 2, completing all seven of his passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, as Dallas secured a 20-10 win over the Eagles. However, Weeden was up and down in his next three starts, throwing just one touchdown in those games, as the Cowboys lost all three.

Matt Cassel, who usurped Weeden on the Cowboys’ depth chart last month, will remain on the club’s roster as Romo’s backup going forward. As for Weeden, he’ll have to pass through waivers before becoming a free agent. Assuming he goes unclaimed and hits the open market, he’d become a viable veteran option for any team that has its quarterback go down with an injury within the next few weeks.

NFC Notes: Cassel, 49ers, Davis, Bears

October 13th, 2015 at 10:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Quarterback Brandon Weeden has been informed by Cowboys coaches that the team will start Matt Cassel in Week 7, following the bye, reports Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Of course, with Tony Romo still on track to return this season, it’s not as if either Weeden or Cassel will become a long-term starter in Dallas, but if he plays well, Cassel could become the favorite to return as Romo’s backup next year.

Here’s more from the NFC..

Having lost more than a dozen veterans who started games last season, the 49ers needed to make their free agent signings count this offseason. However, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com details, GM Trent Baalke‘s free agent class has mostly been a bust so far.
The 49ers would be open to trading tight end Vernon Davis, but he’ll be a tough sell given his contact, play, and age, Maiocco tweets.
The Bears brought in linebackers Lawrence Sidbury and Trevardo Williams for a tryout today along with defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi, according to an NFL source who spoke with Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
The Packers worked out safety Tim Scott today, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Green Bay might need a safety when Sean Richardson is placed on IR.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

QB Notes: Stafford, Cowboys, McCown

October 11th, 2015 at 7:14pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Lions head coach Jim Caldwell benched longtime starting quarterback Matthew Stafford during the team’s 42-17 loss to Arizona on Sunday after Stafford threw three interceptions and averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt on 32 passes. Backup Dan Orlovsky came in for Stafford and wasn’t much better, completing just over 55 percent of his 38 passes for 5.0 yards per attempt, a touchdown and an interception. Afterward, Caldwell said Stafford is still the 0-5 Lions starter going forward, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).

More on Stafford and some other QBs from around the NFL:

Stafford was probably the least surprised about his benching, as Caldwell informed the 27-year-old at halftime that he’d sit if he threw a third pick, per NFL Network’s Albert Breer (via Twitter). Stafford did, so Caldwell stuck to his word and pulled him.
Unlike Caldwell, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett is considering a quarterback change and will evaluate the position during his team’s bye week, Clarence Hill of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (Twitter link). Brandon Weeden fared well statistically in his two starts prior to this week, but the club lost both outings and fell to 0-3 with him under center Sunday in a 30-6 loss to New England. Weeden had his worst game of the year, going 26 of 39 for 188 yards and an interception. That could open the door in Week 7 for veteran Matt Cassel, whom the 2-3 Cowboys acquired in a trade with Buffalo last month.
Surprisingly, one QB who has been playing great lately is Browns journeyman Josh McCown. The 36-year-old threw for a franchise-record 457 yards in Cleveland’s 33-30 win over Baltimore on Sunday. That gives him an eye-popping 1,154 yards over the last three weeks. Further, McCown has thrown six touchdowns against only one interception during that span, and Bud Shaw of Northeast Ohio Media Group writes that he’s the biggest reason the 2-3 Browns have to believe in themselves. Their defense – which was supposed to be a strength – has underachieved, and McCown’s stellar play of late has silenced calls for big-name backup Johnny Manziel.

Extra Points: Cassel, Bryant, Cruz, Los Angeles

October 2nd, 2015 at 7:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

In a chat with for the Dallas Morning News, columnist Kevin Sherrington guesses that the Cowboys will dress Kellen Moore as the backup this week while Matt Cassel continues to learn the offense. He does note that if Brandon Weeden doesn’t turn things around, Cassel will eventually get the chance to start, which is key since he is doubtful Tony Romo will be ready to return as soon as he comes of the IR-DTR.

Sherrington also believes the Cowboys could be in the market to add a wide receiver, specifically one who could threaten to take the top off the defense. He cites the team’s inability to get the ball to any wideout other than Cole Beasley since the injuries to Romo and Dez Bryant.
Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant has had his suspension ended after the team played their fourth game last night, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). The team will still have a roster exemption until Tuesday, October 13th.
Free agent wide receiver A.J. Cruz has been suspended for the next four games of the regular season, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). He has previous experience with the Arena Football League and was on the Bears’ 90-man roster this offseason.
The league office has informed teams that they will be discussing “relocation guidelines” surrounding a potential Los Angeles franchise at next week’s owners’ meeting in New York, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). It is unclear if they will discuss relocation fees and a timetable for the move (via Twitter).