Extra Points: Bolt, Hillman, Dolphins, Dak
Track stars have enjoyed a steady history of NFL crossovers or being sought-after commodities, but Usain Bolt has created his own tier in that sport and resides as an all-time great athlete. However, he did not want to follow in the footsteps of Bob Hayes, Willie Gault, Renaldo Nehemiah or Michael Bates by converting into an NFL player.
Offers came his way, however.
“I used to watch [the NFL] when I was younger,” Bolt said on the Dan Patrick Show, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “The hits guys would take kind of turned me off. I never thought about going but I’ve gotten offered and people have asked.”
The 6-foot-5, 207-pound Jamaican did not specify which teams offered him or what kind of interest surfaced as he made his historic ascent over the past eight years, but given how much faster he is than other nations’ best sprinters, he could have displayed a different level of pure speed on the gridiron. That said, the lankier sprinter peaks after around the 50-meter mark, blazing by competition in the second halves of 100-meter dashes, so his otherworldly gifts might not be best suited for the short-area bursts football requires.
However, much like the alternate reality of a potential LeBron James NFL path, the 6-foot-5 Bolt creates an interesting what-if scenario due to his stature. Although, despite being a nine-time Olympic champion and owner of the world record in each of the three events in which he competes, Bolt has never played football. The Cavaliers superstar excelled at the game until becoming a one-sport athlete after his junior year of high school.
Here’s more from around the league amid Week 3.
- Newly signed running back Ronnie Hillman‘s deal with the Vikings is a one-year pact worth the prorated league minimum of $760K, and contains no guaranteed money, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). The Broncos owed Hillman $400K in guaranteed salary when they cut him three weeks ago, but his contract with them had offset language, per Mike Klis of 9News. That means the Broncos won’t have to pick up the tab if Hillman’s on the Vikings’ active roster for nine weeks.
- John Fox‘s team enters a Sunday-night Cowboys tilt at 0-2, but the second-year Bears coach didn’t second-guess his team for passing on fourth-round pick Dak Prescott in the draft. “Truth be told, I don’t know how much we would be talking about Dak,” Fox said, via Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times. “A lot of it in this case has been the opportunity, and he’s made the most of it. I’m not downgrading what he’s accomplished, but it’s how a lot of guys make their mark. Everybody starts off as a nobody, they get an opportunity, they have success, and now everybody’s aware of them.” Prescott enters Week 3 having completed 63% of his passes for 519 yards in relief of Tony Romo. He’s yet to throw a touchdown pass
- As they did through most of an offseason that began with Lamar Miller joining the Texans, the Dolphins are again scrambling at running back now that Arian Foster suffered another injury. This has led to scrutiny of Miami’s ground game. “I understand what they’ve done with that offensive line down there; it makes sense in a lot of ways,” one NFC personnel man said this week, via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, “but I see good, technically sound pass protectors. Which one of those guys is a [butt]-kicker? Which one of those guys buries people? And they’re relying on Arian Foster. He’s injured this week, right? Is that a surprise? I don’t know about all that coming together.” The Dolphins are currently playing once-projected No. 1 overall pick Laremy Tunsil out of position at left guard, and Mike Pouncey is out due to injury. The Fins rank 27th in rushing through two games and will now go with a committee in all likelihood to replace Foster while he’s sidelined.
Connor Byrne contributed to this report.
Latest On Tony Romo’s Recovery
There’s no update on a return date for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, but ESPN.com’s Todd Archer reports that the veteran signal-caller is recovering nicely from the compression fracture in his back. The 36-year-old even went as far as to throw some passes before last weekend’s victory over the Redskins.
“He’ll just keep doing more unless there’s something that concerns us, but right now everything is looking great,” executive vice president Stephen Jones told Archer, “and he’s feeling good and certainly feels good about the progress he’s making.”
Romo was injured midway through the preseason, and the quarterback was originally given a six- to 10-week recovery timetable. Instead of placing Romo on the injured reserve (and opening an additional roster spot), the team kept the veteran on their roster with the hope that he’d be back in early November. There was initially hope that Romo could return for his team’s Oct. 30 game against the Eagles, but Archer notes that the following week’s contest against the Browns may be more realistic. Of course, Jones wasn’t eager to declare a definitive timeframe for Romo’s return.
“There’s a good chance you’ll probably see him practice and he may not play in a game in terms of contact,” Jones said. “Now, we’ve got to manage through that as we get closer to that time.”
Romo only played in four games in 2015, tossing five touchdowns and seven interceptions. He played 15 games in 2014, completing nearly 70-percent of his throws for 3,705 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Rookie Dak Prescott has filled in admirably for Romo through two games, leading the Cowboys to a 1-1 record.
As Archer notes, the team may have rushed Romo back too quickly last season. After missing seven games with a broken collarbone, the quarterback returned for only two contests before breaking the same bone. Fortunately, considering Prescott’s success so far, the team has no reason to rush back their veteran leader.
“I think every injury is different, so everybody wants to say, ‘Well, you rushed him back last time and he got hurt,’” Jones said. “I think unfortunately it was a tough lick there that happened to hit him just right again. At the same time we’re not going to unless he’s ready and the doctors feel he’s ready, then we won’t push it.”
Browns Notes: RG3, McCown, Thomas, West
While Robert Griffin III‘s shoulder injury serves as a significant detriment to his hopes at resurrecting his once-promising career, some with the Browns don’t view it as too damaging to their current team. With Hue Jackson focused on reprogramming Griffin into an above-average quarterback, some Browns staffers view the injury as something that can help the franchise move on and begin assessing its future at the position, Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com report.
Browns sources told the veteran reporters third-round pick Cody Kessler is “not close” to being ready to debut, and expectations for the USC product aren’t particularly high. So, as 37-year-old Josh McCown prepares to return to the starting lineup, the team will continue to scout for its future. Should Kessler make a start this season, he’ll be the franchise’s 26th starting quarterback since its 1999 rebirth. That total leads the league.
Interestingly, the new regime’s last such scouting job revealed a dislike for two of the league’s hot-starting passers, Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott, while Cleveland’s new decision-makers liked Griffin, Kessler and Jared Goff, per Schefter and Mortensen.
Here’s more from Cleveland as its football team prepares to play the old Browns in Week 2.
- McCown offered a reasonable plea, per Schefter and Mortensen, against the notion the Browns should tank for 2017 this season. The veteran quarterback and second-year Brown believed the team owed it to veterans like Joe Thomas to make a legitimate effort to compete in 2016.
- Thomas, meanwhile, did not push the Browns to trade him to the Broncos last season due to the loyalty they showed him since making him the No. 3 overall pick in 2007, the ESPN duo reports. The six-time All-Pro’s name could well resurface on the trade block this season if the Browns perform as they’re expected to, especially since so few veterans are going to play for them this season.
- Speaking of trades, former Browns running back Terrance West asked the team to be traded before last season, West said on the BmoreOpinionated podcast (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). The Browns’ previous regime did end up trading West to the Titans, although it’s not known if it came as a result of the running back’s request. The current Ravens ball-carrier believes he’d still be with the Browns if he hadn’t asked to be dealt. “I think if I didn’t call for a trade, I would be still in Cleveland right now,” West said. “I was the leading rusher that year. I was the leading rusher in that preseason. I called for a trade. I didn’t think that was home for me.” West, though, saw the Titans cut him after he made only 16 rushing attempts last season. Ulrich writes attitude problems and shaky practice habits marred the former third-round pick’s time in Cleveland. He’s set to play a bigger role this season, as evidenced by the Ravens giving him 14 touches in Week 1. West rushed for 673 yards as a rookie to lead the Browns as a rookie in 2014, ahead of current starter Isaiah Crowell‘s 607.
- While Jackson’s initial effort in northeast Ohio isn’t expected to go well, the first-year coach made some bold proclamations about the franchise’s future.
La Canfora’s Latest: Brees, Romo, Cam
Let’s take a look at some of the latest news and notes from CBS Sports scribe Jason La Canfora:
- Drew Brees and the Saints agreed to an extension just a few days ago, but negotiations had stalled for months earlier this year prior to both sides finally striking an accord. During that time, Brees’ representatives began exploring potential suitors for 2017, and the Cardinals were the top team on their list (this was before Arizona inked Carson Palmer to his own extension). La Canfora’s sources also indicated that the Jets would have been interested in Brees had he hit the open market in 2017.
- There is good news for Cowboys fans on the Tony Romo front, as La Canfora reports that Romo is making good progress from the fractured vertebrae he suffered in his back during the team’s third preseason game, and he is on track to play in Week 7. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Kevin Patra of NFL.com) suggests that even if Romo is ready to go, he may not have a job to come back to. After speaking with team sources, Rapoport reports that the door is open, albeit slightly, for rookie Dak Prescott to impress enough to pull a Lou Gehrig and take Romo’s job on a permanent basis.
- The NFLPA has asked for a formal investigation into the handling of the helmet-to-helmet hit that Panthers QB Cam Newton took on Thursday night’s season opener. The investigation will be conducted jointly by the NFL and NFLPA, and if the Association’s findings conflict with the league’s findings, the Association can appeal to a neutral arbitrator, who has the authority to discipline the Panthers and others who were responsible for Newton’s well-being (potential consequences include fines and loss of draft picks). The fact that an investigation has been initiated does not mean that that the league’s concussion protocol was applied improperly, it simply reflects an obligation to ensure the health and safety of the league’s players. This marks the first time the enforcement element of the protocol has been exercised (all links go to Twitter).
- Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston, who signed a massive contract extension prior to the 2015 season, is still recovering from a significant knee injury and will not be back until November at the earliest, according to a team source. That source believes Week 9 is the earliest Houston could return to the field, though the team will reevaluate during its Week 5 bye.
Breer’s Latest: Dak, Rams, Kap, Prospects
The Dak Prescott hype train will continue into the regular season after Tony Romo‘s latest injury will put the former Mississippi State talent in command of the Cowboys. But how closely the fourth-rounder’s electric preseason will correlate with what happens beginning next week have NFL personnel split.
“He isn’t as good as his preseason performances. Teams haven’t schemed for him yet,” a league scout assigned to Mississippi State told Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. “When they do, you’ll see his accuracy get exposed. [Dallas] will need to focus on quick, short, underneath throws, that’ll mask some of the downfield accuracy issues.”
The scout notes the Cowboys have enough talent around Prescott to keep him from being exposed but expects defenses to throw exotic blitzes at the rookie to gauge his readiness.
“He’s more accurate than I thought he would be; strong arm and a good athlete, good poise for a young guy. They’re so good up front, and should be able to run the ball behind Zeke [Elliott] and [Alfred] Morris. Those backs are good, so they can take pressure off him,” a Dolphins coach told Breer, before adding the August numbers would matter “very little” because “everyone is vanilla right now.”
Here’s more from Breer, beginning with the Rams’ behind-the-scenes approach after they were dealt a blow similar to what the Vikings endured earlier this week.
- Sam Bradford‘s preseason ACL tear in 2014 induced the Rams to inquire about trades for other quarterbacks. GM Les Snead did not confirm which passers the team pursued, but Breer reports the Rams made an effort to deal for Kirk Cousins and “seriously discussed” Jimmy Garoppolo with the Patriots. Snead discovered the price was too high on those passers before making a successful waiver claim for current starter Case Keenum.
- The offseason intrigue surrounding the pairing of Colin Kaepernick‘s athleticism with Chip Kelly‘s system dissipated considerably this summer. Unable to work out with the team for most of the offseason due to rehab efforts, Kaepernick, as a pro scouting director noticed, was running the 49ers‘ offense much slower than either Blaine Gabbert or Jeff Driskel in the 49ers’ game against the Packers. “When Kap was in the game, [the offense] slowed down—significantly,” the anonymous director said, via Breer. “I mean, it slowed down by 10 seconds [per play]. And that indicates he’s not comfortable getting them to the line, operating the offense the way they want him to do it. And it indicates the time he missed is costing him.”
- The next Notre Dame lineman to land in the first round could be left tackle Mike McGlinchey, who will take over for Ronnie Stanley. Moving from right to left tackle in advance of his redshirt-junior season, McGlinchey could follow in the footsteps of Stanley and Zack Martin. “He’s a beast!” said one area scout assigned to the Irish. “I haven’t watched film of him yet, but off the practice view alone, he’s a first- or second-round pick. He’s not as athletic as [Stanley], but he’s more physical.” McGlinchey will begin his second year as a starter for the Fighting Irish, doing so after helping Notre Dame runners average 5.63 yards per carry in 2015 — eighth-best in Division I-FBS last season.
Cowboys Won’t Rule Out Prescott Bumping Romo
In 2001, Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe was hit hard by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis and shut down for the season with a sheared blood vessel in his chest. After that, a quarterback by the name of Tom Brady stepped into the starting lineup and never gave the job back. Could we see a repeat of that in Dallas now that Tony Romo will be sidelined for an extended period? For what it’s worth, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones won’t rule out a scenario in which rookie Dak Prescott impresses and runs away with the starting gig (via Peter King of The MMQB). 
[RELATED: Latest On Cowboys’ QB Search]
“I can’t imagine a scenario where Tony’s not our quarterback when he’s ready,” Jones said. “But things happen. You know that. You know what happened to Bledsoe and Brady. I’m sure Tony’s aware of that. But the reality is, Tony’s going to come back for us and play great, we believe.”
It’s worth noting that Prescott will have a fairly manageable schedule to kick off the season. The Cowboys first six games in order are against the Giants (home), Redskins (away), Bears (home), 49ers (away), Bengals (home), and Packers (away). For now, the Cowboys are planning on Romo regaining the starting job once he is healthy. But, the team knows that the rookie could potentially unseat the 36-year-old QB.
In his chat with Jones, King mentioned the Cowboys’ efforts to trade up for Paxton Lynch in this year’s draft. While the Cowboys whiffed on Lynch, Jones now says that team is thrilled with Prescott and happy with the way things turned out.
“I don’t think our guys would even consider trading Prescott for Lynch right now,” said Jones. “No, I know they wouldn’t. That’s how much they like Dak right now.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Cowboys’ QB Search
The Cowboys will spend the next week searching for a quarterback with Tony Romo sidelined, but any quarterback they bring in will be No. 2 on the depth chart behind Dak Prescott, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Prescott will be Dallas’ starter until Tony Romo is ready to return. 
Meanwhile, it doesn’t sound like the Cowboys and Browns will get together on a Josh McCown trade (link). Apparently, between the Browns’ asking price and McCown’s salary, it’s all a little too rich for the Cowboys’ blood. Earlier this summer, it was reported that the Browns were seeking a fourth-round pick for McCown. The Cowboys, meanwhile, didn’t want to give up anything of value for the veteran signal caller and it was speculated that they would not sacrifice more than a sixth-rounder for him.
Romo suffered a compression fracture to his L1 vertebra. He will not need surgery on his back, but the 36-year-old could miss 6-10 weeks as he heals up.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Tony Romo, Dak Prescott
The injury that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo suffered Thursday night is a compression fracture of the L1 vertebra, and while it will not require surgery, Romo could miss six to 10 weeks, as ESPN.com’s Todd Archer reports. Despite the injury, and despite his age (36), Romo is not considering retirement and has no doubt that he will return to the field this season, as ESPN’s Ed Werder tweets.
Rookie signal-caller Dak Prescott, who has been impressive in training camp and in preseason action, will get the nod in Romo’s absence. And there are those who believe the job should not simply be handed back to Romo upon his return. Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, for instance, concedes that Romo’s contract–which makes him virtually uncuttable through 2017–and his history with the club mean that he will likely be reinserted in the starting lineup when he is healthy. However, Robinson also notes that Dallas is getting very little return on Romo’s six-year, $108 million contract extension, and if Prescott performs as well in the regular season as he has in the preseason–a big “if” to be sure–the club should think twice about yanking Prescott, especially since the team should only be thinking about Romo in terms of weeks and months, and not years, at this point.
Joel Corry of CBS Sports believes Romo may be an ideal candidate for short-term injured reserve. The Cowboys could place him on IR now, and although only one player on injured reserve may return to the active roster in any given year, Dallas does not have to designate who that player will be right away. As Corry writes, “Putting Romo on IR would remove the temptation for Dallas to rush him back on the field before he has sufficiently recovered, especially if Prescott falters, when the risk of re-injury would be greater.” Plus, even though Romo would be ineligible to return before Week 9 if the Cowboys go that route, that would not be a major concern in this case. As Corry points out, “Considering that Dallas’ bye is in Week 7, Romo would only be missing one game, the Week 8 contest [against Philadelphia], over the most optimistic estimated return time by going on IR.”
Corry also explores free agent quarterbacks that Dallas could pursue. The potential options in that regard are predictably less than intriguing, with names like Josh Freeman and Michael Vick topping the list (the team could also seek a reunion with Brandon Weeden if he is ultimately cut by the Texans). Alternatively, Dallas could look to trade for a player like Cleveland’s Josh McCown, Denver’s Mark Sanchez, or the Jets’ Geno Smith. It should not cost more than a late-round 2017 or 2018 draft pick to acquire a quarterback of that caliber, and instead of giving up a pick, the Cowboys could also look to deal a player from a position of strength (Darren McFadden and Ronald Leary are two names that jump immediately to mind).
In any event, the Cowboys appear to be approaching a crossroad in franchise history, and Prescott’s performance over the first half of the season will go a long way in dictating which path the team will take.
Photo courtesy of USA TOday Sports Images
Cowboys Back In Veteran QB Market
The Cowboys have seen enough from Dak Prescott this preseason to determine he will be their starter while Tony Romo rehabs from his latest injury.
Instead of bringing in a veteran with an eye on inserting some experience into their starting lineup, the Cowboys are searching for one
who will back up the fourth-round rookie, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports (on Twitter).
Both Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones said the team they will look for a backup signal-caller, per Moore. The Cowboys pursued Nick Foles, with Stephen Jones announcing the team was engaged briefly in dialogue with him before he agreed to become Alex Smith‘s backup with the Chiefs. Dallas kept its top two from 2015 intact coming into camp, with Kellen Moore entering as Romo’s backup. But injuries to both have hijacked the team’s plans.
The Cowboys attempted to trade up to No. 26 to acquire Paxton Lynch, but when the Seahawks accepted the Broncos’ offer to do so instead, Jerry Jones lamented not offering more soon after. They drafted Prescott in the fourth round, and he’s shown quick competency this preseason by throwing for five touchdown passes and rushing for two more scores, but don’t have much healthy behind him. 2015 UDFA Jameill Stowers sits behind Prescott presently.
The team also discussed Josh McCown with the Browns briefly but found Cleveland’s asking price to be too high. Now that the Chiefs have acquired Foles, they will have to part ways with one of the five quarterbacks they have in camp — probably two — but the bottom three haven’t attempted a regular-season pass. The Jets have three draft picks behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com wonders if Geno Smith could be available (Twitter link). Of course, then the Jets would be bereft of experience behind their starter.
Tarvaris Jackson and Jimmy Clausen are available in free agency, with Charlie Whitehurst and T.J. Yates currently unemployed as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cowboys Content At Quarterback
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones liked what he saw out of the quarterback position against the Rams over the weekend. After watching rookie Dak Prescott and third-stringer Jameill Showers succeed under center, Jones tells Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram that he is not looking to acquire a veteran to support Tony Romo. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Sign Travis Frederick To Extension]
“He is a long way from Canton, a long way from Canton,” Jones said of Prescott. “But it was certainly a great start. It was just good to see the coaching staff and everybody get behind the promise of what he might be able to be as a player. Certainly the way he and Showers played, I wouldn’t consider a backup quarterback situation at all. I wouldn’t want to, by any way, deter the progress and the excitement that he can bring to the building of the team and the future.”
Jones also indicted that Cowboys coaches and execs are in agreement with him on Prescott and his NFL readiness. Indeed, head coach Jason Garrett pointed out a few mistakes by the Mississippi State product against L.A., but offered up similar praise overall. In total, Prescott completed 10-of-12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
When backup Kellen Moore suffered a leg injury, the Cowboys quickly became linked to Browns QB Josh McCown. However, Cleveland is looking for a fourth-rounder to part with the veteran, a price tag that is too rich for Dallas. For now, they’re content with their rookie understudy.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.