HEADLINES

Ndamukong Suh

North Notes: Blount, Gordon, Cobb

November 23rd, 2014 at 8:48am CST by Rory Parks

Although he acknowledges that there is no evidence to suggest that LeGarrette Blount wanted to get himself released from the Steelers when he left the field prior to Pittsburgh’s Monday night win over the Titans, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if Blount “walk[ed] out on the Steelers so he could walk right back to the New England Patriots.” Bouchette notes that, with no ramifications whatsoever–although the Steelers certainly could have penalized him instead of essentially rewarding him for his behavior–Blount “went from a team fighting to make the playoffs to one among the favorites to win it all, one where he had success last season and was used more often than he was with the Steelers.” Even if it sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory, Bouchette believes it is fair to think that Blount knew exactly what he was doing and that everything played out according to plan for him and for New England.

Now for some more notes from the league’s north divisions:

  • The Browns expect star receiver Josh Gordon to be on the field for 20-30 snaps in his first game of the 2014 season this afternoon, according to ESPN.com staff.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that a ruling on Ray Rice‘s appeal hearing is expected by tomorrow. Even if the former Ravens running back is reinstated, of course, it will be difficult for him to find a job in the league this season.
  • Even though they have been publicly silent on the issue, ESPN’s Ed Werder tweets that Vikings ownership and management were pushing throughout the season to get Adrian Peterson back on the field. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that Minnesota’s coaching staff would love to have Peterson back, and Werder adds in a full-length piece that head coach Mike Zimmer believes Peterson has not played his last game in a Vikings uniform.
  • Although he believes the Packers will work out an extension with Randall Cobb, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes that Cobb’s excellent 2014 season is driving up his price, possibly out of Green Bay’s budget. On the other hand, even though the Packers have a number of young wideouts on the roster, Demovsky notes that none of those players have proven they are capable of filling Cobb’s shoes.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe describes how Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh has finally paired excellent play with clean play in his free agent season.

 

NFC Mailbags: Colston, Forte, Peterson

November 22nd, 2014 at 8:57am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN’s NFL writers are opening up their mailbags and answering questions. Let’s check out some of the notable whispers from the NFC…

Extra Points: Goldson, Cowboys, Draft, Titans

November 14th, 2014 at 9:23pm CST by Rob DiRe

As free agency and cap management is becoming more notable in teambuilding, Kevin Seifert of ESPN takes a closer look at six of the league’s most inflated contracts and the effects they are having on their team’s roster. He dissects the contracts of Jay Cutler, Ndamukong Suh, Joe Flacco, Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Tony Romo, and how each team will likely deal with the large cap numbers going forward.

Here are some other notes from around the NFL:

  • The Buccaneers put together one of the most high profile secondaries out of nowhere before the 2013 season, signing Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson and drafting Mark Barron at the top of the first round. Not long after, Revis was released and Barron was traded, leaving only Goldson on the roster, and he may be the next to go, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Goldson has played less as the season goes on, and with large money attached to his contract, the team may choose to go younger and cheaper at the safety position.
  • Much has been made of the Cowboys as they approach their decision on what to do with offensive stars Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, with many pundits and fans expecting long-term extensions for both. Murray also seems like an obvious franchise tag candidate, but Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News could see the Cowboys surprising us and rewarding Murray with the long-term deal while franchising Bryant at the higher tag price.
  • Although the 2015 NFL draft order has not even been set, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay of ESPN are already working hard to evaluate both the prospects available as well as the needs of NFL teams. They look at the possibility teams like the Raiders, Jets, Buccaneers, and Titans would take a quarterback such as Marcus Mariota of Oregon or Jameis Winston of Florida State at the top of the draft, and look at other questions surrounding the draft.
  • The Titans may be in position to draft high at the top of the first round, but in no way will that be on purpose, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. “It is ludicrous to me. Fans don’t understand the situation we go through as players,” said tight end Delanie Walker. “No one wants to lose games for better picks. It just doesn’t happen. It would never happen. Just the thought is ludicrous.”

Free Agency Notes: Suh, Bryant, Pierre-Paul

November 14th, 2014 at 5:48pm CST by Rob DiRe

Many NFL teams are focused on making the playoffs during the home stretch of the season, but many of their top players are also worried about their impending free agency. Field Yates of ESPN.com put together a list of five players who are set to receive huge contracts this offseason (subscription required).

The headliner of that list is Lions‘ defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who may be leaving Detroit this offseason for a contract in the range of what J.J. Watt received this past offseason. Dez Bryant, Justin Houston, Demaryius Thomas, and Randall Cobb also made the list of players set up to be paid after the season.

Here are some other notes on player movement this offseason:

  • Along with the list of players who are ready to get big contracts, Yates also listed five players who have seen their stocks soar since the beginning of the season. Much like the five top free agents, the five soaring stocks all come from potential playoff teams. Yates points to DeMarco Murray, Jeremy Maclin, Brian Hoyer, Mark Ingram, and Chris Harris Jr..
  • Bryant appears on Yates’ list of players set up for big contracts, but Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com expects the superstar wide receiver to remain with the Cowboys for at least two more seasons (via Twitter). Archer writes that the Cowboys always keep a player they want, and won’t lose Bryant if they want to keep him (via Twitter).
  • One big name player who doesn’t appear on Yates’ list is Giants‘ defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Pierre-Paul has been inconsistent since his breakout 2011 season when he recorded 16.5 sacks. The embattled Giant is ambivalent about returning to the team next year, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter). “Hey, if I’m here, I’m here,” said Pierre-Paul. “If I’m not, I’m not.”

NFC Notes: Suh, Seahawks, Rams, Vikings

November 8th, 2014 at 10:39pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Lions boast one of the top defenses in football this year, based on the strength of their defensive line. Where they are particularly strong is the interior of that line. However, the team has a dilemma on their hands this coming offseason, with Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, and C.J. Mosley all hitting free agency at the same time. The team will have a hard time projecting their personnel at defensive tackle in 2015, but Kyle Meinke of MLive.com puts the odds on re-signing Suh at 51%. He notes that while Suh is intent on reaching free agency, that he will accept the largest offer and that the Lions would be most inclined to give it to him.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Percy Harvin is the most recent defending champion to leave the Seahawks, but he is far from the only one. Of the 72 players that were on the active roster, practice squad, and injured reserve for last year’s Super Bowl, 25 of them have moved on from the team, with 13 of them stationed on active rosters around the league. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times takes a look at these 13 players and how they have fared since switching teams.
  • Rams‘ owner Stan Kroenke owns 60 acres of land in Inglewood, California, which has been rumored to be potential land for an arena for a Los Angeles based team. While neither the team nor the city has mentioned anything definitive about the move, Inglewood mayor James Butts announced that he would have a meeting with Kronke, according to Doug Vaughn of KMOV.com.
  • This will not be the first time the mayor has met with Rams‘ owner Kroenke, as Jason Cole of BleacherReport tweeted that the two sides have already met a couple of times (via Twitter).
  • No general manager in the NFL hits a home run on 100% of his decisions, writes Matt Vensel of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. While that may be the case, he writes that Vikings‘ general manager Rick Spielman has been pretty close. Vensel looks through the immediate effectiveness of a number of the team’s signings and draft picks, such as Everson Griffen, Matt Cassel, Linval Joseph, Captain Munnerlyn, Anthony Barr, Teddy Bridgewater, and Jerick McKinnon.

NFC Mailbags: Giants, Panthers, Lions

November 8th, 2014 at 10:53am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN’s writers. We’ve compiled some of the more interesting notes from the articles, and we’ll start with whispers out of the NFC…

  • Dan Graziano believes that Giants general manager Jerry Reese is safe and will not be fired following the season. The writer shares a similar sentiment for head coach Tom Coughlin, but he warns that a lot could change in the second-half of the season.
  • Based on what the team has seen from Robert Griffin III, Washington probably won’t be in the position to give their quarterback an extension this spring, writes John Keim.
  • Following a disappointing season, teams often place the blame on somebody besides the general manager or head coach. David Newton opines that Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula could be that guy in Carolina.
  • Michael Rothstein writes that Calvin Johnson is practically indispensable to the Lions organization, and having the wideout on the roster will have no impact on Ndamukong Suh or DeAndre Levy‘s future with the team.

Lions Unlikely To Make Trade At Deadline

October 23rd, 2014 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been the subject of some trade speculation this year, but general manager Martin Mayhew doesn’t anticipate moving the star defender, or anyone else for that matter, as he told reporters today in London, including Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). With Tuesday’s deadline just five days away, the Lions don’t expect to be active, according to Mayhew.

“We kind of talk to everybody around the league, getting calls from different teams and things like that,” Mayhew said, per Mike O’Hara of DetroitLions.com. “I don’t anticipate us making any moves at the trade deadline.”

The Lions are one of the NFL’s pleasant surprises so far, having jumped out to a 5-2 record and a share of the NFC North lead, despite kicking issues that cost the team at least one win. For a team with playoff – and even Super Bowl – aspirations, a modest addition or two could help solidify the roster, but Mayhew indicated he’s confident in the club’s current makeup.

“There’s no magic formula, schemes. There’s no magic trade I’m going to do that all of a sudden is going to bring some guy in here and we’re going to start winning,” the GM said. “It’s about how far our players are going to take us. I think they understand it.”

NFC Mailbags: Fitzgerald, Suh, Murray

October 4th, 2014 at 10:43am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN’s writers. Let’s start off with notes from the NFC…

Freeman’s Latest: Pats, Suh, Raiders, Goodell

October 1st, 2014 at 10:43am CST by Luke Adams

While Tom Brady has been taking his share of criticism for the Patriots‘ shaky start to the 2014 season, one NFC scout tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that he believes head coach and de facto GM Bill Belichick should shoulder a good portion of the blame.

“The larger problem isn’t Brady. The problem is what’s around Brady,” the scout said. “Belichick has done a horrible job of putting talent around him. [Rob Gronkowski], to me, isn’t half the player he was. Their best player right now is Julian Edelman.”

As the scout points out, the Broncos have taken the opposite approach with Peyton Manning, surrounding him with an “armada” of weapons, while Brady once again works with an underwhelming group of receivers in New England. Freeman touches on several other topics of note within his latest column, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

  • After speaking to sources with the Giants and Jets, Freeman suggests both teams have only “marginal” interest in Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. A report on Sunday indicated that the standout defender would be interested in playing in New York when his contract is up in Detroit, but Freeman’s sources think Suh‘s agent Jimmy Sexton may simply be trying to scare the Lions.
  • While Freeman can say “with certainty” that the Raiders have interest in Jon Gruden and Jim Harbaugh as head coaching candidates, Gruden isn’t interested (at least for now) and Oakland likely wouldn’t be able to afford the sort of salary Harbaugh would command.
  • According to Freeman, the outlook for Roger Goodell remains “solid,” with owners around the league still supporting the embattled commissioner. However, much of that support hinges on what Robert Mueller‘s investigation uncovers about the Ray Rice situation.

Extra Points: Suh, Rice, Dwyer, Cardinals

September 29th, 2014 at 9:37pm CST by Zachary Links

In the face of reports over the weekend indicating that Ndamukong Suh wants out of Detroit, the Lions are refusing to talk about it, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I’m not going to even go there,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “And the big thing is, I do think that we just played a heck of a football game and I think that’s what’s important. These guys played well, did a great job and we just hope we continue to get them better, got a big one next week.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Suh and the Lions “are preparing” to part ways after the season and that the Pro Bowl defensive tackle is intrigued by the idea of playing in the New York market. More from around the NFL..

  • The NFLPA has informed player reps in a memo that the NFL has agreed to bring in a neutral arbitrator for the Ray Rice appeal, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The two sides have traded names on who that arbitrator should be, but there’s no final choice yet. The NFLPA is hoping that this will set a precedent for future cases.
  • Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been formally charged with assaulting his wife during two arguments in July, according to The Associated Press. Of course, the day after his arrest, Arizona placed Dwyer on the reserve/non-football illness list, meaning he can’t play for the team again this season.
  • Cardinals defensive lineman Tommy Kelly told Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com that he saw the writing on the wall at the end of his stint with the Patriots. “I saw the situation and I realized I probably wouldn’t be there,” Kelly said. “I couldn’t take busting my tail every day getting to a game and them taking me out of the game for someone who I know isn’t better than me, because he’s a cheaper option. Are we worried about money here? Or are we worried about winning?”
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