Jason Pierre-Paul To Report In Next Two Weeks
Jason Pierre-Paul is coming off an offseason that can be kindly described as tumultuous. After injuring his hand in a fireworks accident during July 4th weekend and then the back and forth between him and the Giants concern the state of his health, it has been a tough time to be a Giants fan.
All will be forgiven when he returns to the team and proves he can still perform, and that might not be as far away as one might have thought. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report has a source that believes Pierre-Paul will report to the Giants within the next two weeks.
He questions whether that will bring him back in time for the Giants matchup against the 49ers on October 11th. Even if he comes back before that game, it is highly unlikely he is healthy enough to play so soon, and even if he is, it is doubtful old-school Tom Coughlin would even consider putting him on the field.
Pierre-Paul has been working with veteran defensive line coach, who is helping him learn to compensate his game for the injuries to his hand.
Still, the Pro Bowl defensive end would have to pass the physical with the team, and Cole says it would be very easy for the Giants to fail him on that physical considering the damage to his hand. It would depend on whether the team wants him on the field as to whether they decide to pass him.
Obviously wanting to get paid and reach free agency at season’s end, Pierre-Paul is trying his hardest to prove he can still play and perform at a high level. If the Giants fail him on his physical, it will likely return to the battle between the two sides that started in the hospital room this past July.
Latest On Jason Pierre-Paul
Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul took to Instagram earlier this month to show off his training routine and help quell public concerns about his condition. Apparently, that display didn’t do much to change opinions in East Rutherford, as Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com write.
Part of the video shows JPP bench pressing a barbell, but he only does five reps of ~240 pounds. Furthermore, he had a small yellow towel wrapped on the bar to protect his damaged right hand. While there is some talk that the defensive end will seek a grievance against the Giants if they do not deem him physically ready to play this season, the video, photos of his hand, and his physical evaluation have not done him any favors.
The ESPN duo adds that the condition of his middle finger was a much more significant concern than anyone was led to believe before he allowed the Giants to examine him. As it stands, there is some concern about whether that middle finger will ever be “football-functional.” To make matters worse, Pierre-Paul is severely underweight. Listed at 6’5″, 278 pounds, JPP had a goal of reporting to camp at 265. However, he was down at least 20 pounds, maybe more, when he visited the team. One source told Mortensen and Schefter that he weighed 246 pounds while another team source said he was around 255 pounds.
Pierre-Paul has been an important piece for the Giants during his five-year career, collecting 42 sacks – including 12.5 last season – since they used a first-round pick on him in 2010. The Giants had the NFL’s 29th-ranked defense last year even with Pierre-Paul, so the Giants clearly would like to have him back on the field, if he’s capable of playing. Right now, that seems very much in doubt, despite the defensive end’s claims.
NFC East Notes: Romo, Cowboys, JPP, RGIII
No NFL division looks more in flux through two weeks than the NFC East, where the Eagles and Giants have yet to win a game, and the Cowboys will be without Tony Romo and Dez Bryant for the next several weeks. Earlier today, we asked you to weigh in with your thoughts on how the East race will play out over the next 15 weeks. Now, we’ll round up a few more Monday items from out of the division…
- Speaking of Romo, he won’t have to undergo surgery on his fractured left clavicle, a source tells Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk. That doesn’t significantly alter the projected recovery timetable for the Cowboys quarterback, who still figures to miss about eight weeks. He’s a candidate for Dallas’ IR-DTR slot.
- With Romo out, the Cowboys are evaluating whether or not to sign a veteran signal-caller to back up Brandon Weeden, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), who says the team considered Kyle Orton. Orton is still finished with football, however.
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), there’s some concern in Jason Pierre-Paul‘s camp that if the Giants defensive end reports to the team, New York will place him on the NFI list and be able to franchise him again next year at the same price. The CBA isn’t 100% clear on how this situation would work, but if the two sides disagree on JPP’s ability to play this season, it could create some contract issues.
- In another video for Bleacher Report, Cole suggests that Washington quarterbacks Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins aren’t communicating much at all these days. Per Cole, that doesn’t reflect particularly well on RGIII, who reportedly has a history of not being on the same page as everyone in the locker room.
- Eagles head coach Chip Kelly said after yesterday’s loss that everyone will be evaluated, hinting that roster changes could be coming. But it doesn’t sound like the team will make any major moves. “The guys we have are the guys we’re playing with for the remainder of the season,” Kelly said today, referring in part to the offensive line’s struggles (Twitter link). “It’s not a change thing.”
East Notes: JPP, Kerley, Andrews
One thing that has become apparent in the Jason Pierre-Paul drama is that the team and the player have very different ideas about JPP’s health and his ability to take the field. As NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, if the Giants and Pierre-Paul remain divided, an independent doctor could wind up making the final call.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, that would only happen if Pierre-Paul files a grievance against the team for failing to agree that he’s ready to play. Florio says that JPP could sign his franchise tender and then file the grievance. At that point, if an independent doctor clears Pierre-Paul, the Giants would be forced to take him back. Of course, JPP could also file the grievance without signing the franchise tender. If he were to then receive clearance from an independent doctor, the Giants could rescind his tender, thereby allowing Pierre-Paul to seek his fortunes elsewhere.
In a separate piece, Florio opines that the best way for Big Blue and its star pass rusher to resolve the matter is to agree on a new contract for 2015 that pays Pierre-Paul a reduced amount per week with the ability to make up the difference based on performance. The team could also agree to not use the franchise tag again in 2016. As of yet, however, there have been no publicized talks of such a resolution, and the stalemate continues.
Let’s take a look at a few more links from the league’s east divisions:
- Aside from Pierre-Paul’s long-term outlook in the NFL and the possible outcomes of his contract negotiations with the Giants, Ebenezer Samuel of The New York Daily News says JPP must also solve the challenges of the weight room. Samuel details how JPP’s injury will force him to adapt his approach to his usual training regimen, and although he should be able to get himself into good enough shape to perform well, experts are skeptical that he will be able to return to his old self.
- Jeremy Kerley‘s role on offense has all but disappeared, and Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes the Jets should look to trade the player who has become little more than a high-priced punt returner. Cimini lists the Cowboys as a logical trade partner, but he notes that Kerley’s contract could be a major obstacle to any trade talks. Kerley’s $2MM base salary this year is guaranteed, and beyond 2015, he has three years and $9MM remaining on the deal he signed last fall.
- Rookie David Andrews, whom the Patriots signed as an undrafted free agent in May, was the only player outside of Tom Brady to play every offensive snap in the team’s Week 1 win against Pittsburgh. Adam Kurkjian of The Boston Herald details Andrews’ journey to this point and what the future may hold for the promising young center.
East Notes: JPP, Giants, DeflateGate
Here’s a look at the latest out of the East Divisions..
- The New York Daily News has obtained pictures of Jason Pierre-Paul‘s injured hand and the photos indicate that his condition could be worse than his camp has been letting on. The Giants defensive end is missing an index finger and his middle finger is heavily bandaged. Perhaps the most notable part of the photo is that JPP is without a good chunk of his thumb. Previously, JPP’s people said that missing a piece from his thumb, but that it was just the tip of the digit.
- This week, the Giants auditioned LB Khairi Fortt, DT Kwame Geathers, LB Adrian Hubbard, TE Nick Kasa, WR Josh Lenz, TE Jake Murphy, and LB Jordan Tripp, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. The Giants also worked out LB James Morris and G Vinston Painter before signing them to the practice squad.
- In an interview with WEEI, Peter King said that even with everything that has happened between Roger Goodell and the Patriots, he doesn’t think that Robert Kraft wants the commissioner fired because of the business man that he is.
NFC Notes: JPP, Giants, Vikings, Cardinals
A report on Tuesday indicated that Jason Pierre-Paul‘s hand is in worse shape than the Giants expected, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) has some encouraging news on that front. The defensive end is in fact missing a piece from his thumb, but a source says that it’s far above the joint and just the tip of the digit. Pierre-Paul also has no more surgeries after last week’s skin graft and it’s all about healing at this stage.
Here’s more on JPP, along with a few more NFC notes:
- Pierre-Paul took to Instagram with a video of him training and vowed that he would soon join the Giants on the field, as Avery Stone of USA Today writes. “God can turn any situation around for the better,” the defensive end wrote. “Your hard times will lead to the best times of your life. Don’t believe the hype … Be back soon! #90PC #ImAFighter #PutMeInCoach.”
- Eli Manning‘s new contract with the Giants includes $5MM roster bonuses in both 2018 and 2019, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News tweets.
- When asked if he would bring in another kicker to compete with Blair Walsh, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said, “No. I’m bringing in consideration for him to pull out of this thing and start kicking like he’s capable of kicking,” according to Chris Miller of the Star Tribune. Walsh missed a 44-yard field goal on the team’s opening drive against the 49ers and went just 5-11 in preseason. Last year, he posted a league-worst 74.3% mark.
- The Cardinals are not interested in adding a veteran running back because they’re confident that Andre Ellington‘s injury is a short-term issue, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
- Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has no hard feelings about being passed over for the Bears‘ head coaching job, John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes. Arians was a finalist for the gig after Lovie Smith was fired in 2013. Ultimately, the team hired Marc Trestman, who has since been replaced.
- The Bears‘ release of linebacker Sam Acho over the weekend was one of example of how teams sometimes get around the 53-man roster limits, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Latest On Jason Pierre-Paul
Jason Pierre-Paul had a procedure performed on his right middle finger three days before the Giants examined his hand last week, sources told ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The defensive end is also missing the tip of his thumb and his entire index finger and there is now increased pessimism among team decision-makers about his prognosis, Graziano hears.
JPP remains convinced that he will play again this year, sources with knowledge of his thinking have told Graziano, and he thinks he’ll be back on the field relatively soon. But, another source said the Giants don’t plan to see Pierre-Paul again for another five or six weeks. If the hand isn’t healed to their satisfaction by then, the Giants will consider rescinding his $14.81MM franchise tender, per Graziano’s report.
One has to imagine that the Giants are less-than-thrilled with the situation, not only because of JPP’s medical condition, but because the star defensive end has largely been out of the loop this offseason. Big Blue offered to pay Pierre-Paul part of his $14.81MM salary to go on the NFI list prior to the 53-man cutdown, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. That would have allowed Pierre-Paul to rehab his hand, improve his conditioning, and learn Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. Pierre-Paul, of course, declined.
Giants Fear JPP Could Miss Season?
SUNDAY, 11:54am: Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk has once again cast a black cloud on the JPP story. Citing Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, Smith writes that Pierre-Paul has lost a great deal of weight because he has been unable to work out. Glazer adds that JPP has severe injuries to three fingers and had a skin graft within the last week. Between Glazer’s report and a pair of tweets from Jordan Raanan of NFL.com this morning, it appears that, if JPP returns in 2015, it will not be until the second half of the season. As his franchise tender would have paid him $14.8MM this year, each week that Pierre-Paul misses will cost him roughly $870,000.
SUNDAY, 9:07am: Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports puts a more positive slant on this development. La Canfora writes that the Giants are “very comfortable” with the plan that Pierre-Paul has been following in Florida and are pleased with the progress he has made. La Canfora says nothing is imminent, and it will be several weeks before New York reassesses JPP physically and settles his contract, but the Giants are not unhappy with what they saw; on the contrary, they are “very enthused.” Although it may be a bit optimistic at this point, La Canfora says an early October return is not out of the question.
SATURDAY, 9:36pm: The right hand injury defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul suffered in a July 4 fireworks accident is worse than the Giants have been led to believe, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano. Further, there are some within the organization who fear that Pierre-Paul could miss the 2015 season.
The Giants don’t yet plan to rescind Pierre-Paul’s unsigned franchise tender, per Graziano, who notes that – in addition to his missing right index finger, fractured thumb and skin grafts – JPP is without a portion of another finger on his right hand. If the Giants don’t rescind the tender, he could sign it in an effort to get back on the field and collect a prorated amount of the $14.813MM sum. However, the Giants could subsequently place Pierre-Paul on the non-football injury list and end his season. The team would then be able to avoid paying him. Graziano writes that the odds of Pierre-Paul winning a potential appeal are low, given how he sustained the injury.
JPP has been working out on his own and will continue to do so, but it appears the chances of him returning to the field in the near future are slim. While he told the Giants last week that he’d be able to play if outfitted with a protective device for his hand, the team doesn’t want to risk deploying him at less than 100 percent, according to Graziano.
Pierre-Paul has been an important piece for the Giants during his five-year career, collecting 42 sacks – including 12.5 last season – since they used a first-round pick on him in 2010. The Giants had the NFL’s 29th-ranked defense last year even with Pierre-Paul, so it stands to reason that the unit could be in for worse trouble this season without him.
NFC Notes: Eli, C. Jordan, Saints, Ellis
Reports this week have indicated that Eli Manning and the Giants are making progress toward a new contract extension, and it looks increasingly possible that a deal could be reached before New York’s Week 1 opener against the Cowboys. Adam Schefter of ESPN is the latest to express optimism, suggesting today on NFL Live that Manning will likely have an extension in place by Sunday that pays him north of $20MM annually (Twitter link).
As we wait to see whether the Giants and Manning can get something finalized this week, let’s round up a few more NFC items….
- Not long after parting ways with their top pass rusher, Junior Galette, due to ongoing off-field incidents, the Saints are potentially dealing with another legal situation involving a key defensive player. As Mike Triplett of ESPN.com details, New Orleans police are investigating a nightclub altercation from his past weekend that allegedly involves Cameron Jordan. So far, no charges have been filed and no arrests have been made, and Jordan’s attorneys call the allegations “ridiculous,” as Jonathan Bullington of the Times-Picayune writes. Still, it’s the last thing the Saints wanted to be dealing with as the regular season gets underway.
- Former Jets and Giants defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis was in Carolina today to pay a visit to the Panthers, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- The Saints are bringing in former Dolphins guard Mike Liedtke for a look on Monday, per agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link). After being cut by Miami, Liedtke visited the Jets on Tuesday.
- Addressing the Kam Chancellor holdout in Seattle, Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports notes (via Twitter) that it would send the wrong message for the Seahawks to meet Chancellor’s demands when Michael Bennett, who is also unhappy with his contract, was in attendance for the team’s entire training camp.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap and Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News weigh in with some thoughts on Jason Pierre-Paul‘s situation, with Vacchiano writing that the Giants can’t count on JPP being a real contributor this year.
Jason Pierre-Paul To Miss Another Month?
3:36pm: Per Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), now that 53-man rosters have been set, Pierre-Paul can’t be placed on the Giants’ non-football injury list without ending his season, which is another reason why JPP won’t sign his contract yet.
3:30pm: The Giants haven’t rescinded Pierre-Paul’s franchise tag, but he won’t sign it until he’s healthy, at which point he’ll get a prorated portion of $14.813MM, tweets Rapoport. For now, JPP is heading back home.
3:14pm: When Jason Pierre-Paul reported to the Giants yesterday, sources from his camp expressed optimism about his physical condition, suggesting that he could be ready to play in Week 1. However, a Newsday report this afternoon threw cold water on the notion that Pierre-Paul would return to the field immediately, and it sounds like the Giants are a little less bullish on his recovery timetable.
According to Ian Rapoport and Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (Twitter links), Pierre-Paul won’t sign his franchise tag with the Giants today or anytime in the immediate future. The NFL.com duo suggests that JPP’s hand isn’t quite ready, and that he could be out for another month — and even that might be an optimistic timetable.
Pierre-Paul is still recovering from a hand injury that he sustained on the July 4th weekend in a fireworks accident. JPP, who lost a finger in the mishap, hadn’t reported to the Giants or taken a physical with the team until yesterday, so the glowing reports about his recovery were presumably all coming from his camp.
Having not yet signed his franchise tender from the Giants, JPP now appears very unlikely to earn the full $14.813MM value of the tag. Still, not signing that one-year deal gave the 26-year-old leeway to miss training camp and the preseason without being fined, and allows him to avoid being placed on New York’s non-football injury list. When a team places a player on the NFI list, he’s automatically ruled out for the season’s first six weeks, and the club can elect not to pay the player’s salary.
We’ll have to wait and see how the JPP situation plays out in the coming days and weeks, but for now it looks like Tony Romo won’t have to worry about the veteran pass rusher chasing him around the field this Sunday night.