AFC Notes: Ravens, Steelers, Jets, Bills
Free agent running back Ryan Mathews may be a fit for the Ravens, but signing him would require the club to overlook his ball security issues, observes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Mathews has fumbled a league-high 20 times since 2010, notes Hensley, who adds that Ravens head coach John Harbaugh cut the playing time of Ray Rice, Lorenzo Taliaferro and Javorius Allen in recent years after each had problems in that department. “You play the best players, and at running back, the best players don’t fumble,” Harbaugh said in 2015. While Mathews has his flaws, including injury concerns, he has nonetheless averaged a lofty 4.4 yards per carry on nearly 1,200 career attempts. A Ravens team that tied for 20th in YPC last year (4.0) and won’t have the injured Kenneth Dixon in 2017 could use the type of per-carry production Matthews’ brings to the table.
More from the AFC:
- The Steelers invested a second-round pick in Senquez Golson in 2015, but the cornerback’s lack of availability could bring an end to his time with the team, according to defensive coordinator Keith Butler (via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette). “If he can’t stay on the field we can’t keep him,” said Butler. “That’s just the fact of the matter. That’s not threat or anything like that. That’s just the fact of the matter. It’s just the way it is for all of them.” Injuries prevented Golson from playing a down in either of his first two seasons, and a hamstring issue has kept him out for almost all of training camp this year.
- Jets wide receiver/return man Lucky Whitehead will undergo surgery on his broken foot, head coach Todd Bowles told reporters Wednesday (via Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press). While it’s unclear exactly how much time Whitehead will miss, he’ll be on the shelf for a while. Bowles said that Whitehead “could potentially” play this year, per Waszak. The late-July waiver claim from the Cowboys had been in line to begin the season as Gang Green’s top returner. With would-be replacement Jalin Marshall out the first quarter of the season because of a suspension, the Jets could turn to one of Frankie Hammond, Romar Morris, Chris Harper or Marcus Murphy, Waszak suggests.
- Fifth-round rookie Nathan Peterman has passed T.J. Yates on the Bills’ depth chart at quarterback, leading Mike Rodak of ESPN.com to argue that the team should release the veteran. The Bills would only have the untested Peterman behind starter Tyrod Taylor at that point, but as Rodak writes, the loss of Taylor for an extended period would kill their already slim hopes of contending anyhow. Further, cutting Yates would allow Buffalo to keep another player at a position of need, and it’s possible the team would be able to re-sign him at a later date if an emergency were to arise under center. Yates nearly went without an employer last season until the Dolphins signed him in mid-December, after all, though he did suffer an ACL tear late in the previous year.
Bills Sign QB T.J. Yates
The Bills announced the signing of T.J. Yates. It’s a one-year deal for the veteran quarterback. 
Yates hooked on with the Dolphins late last season but Miami’s addition of David Fales left him without a spot on the depth chart. Now, he projects to be the Bills’ third option behind starter Tyrod Taylor and youngster Cardale Jones. Of course, if the Bills’ flirtations with quarterbacks in this year’s draft are to be taken seriously, then Yates might not be long for Buffalo.
Yates, 30 next month, has only seven regular starts on his resume. He does, however, have two playoff starts to his credit thanks to his time with the Texans.
Bills Host QB T.J. Yates On Visit
The Bills hosted free agent quarterback T.J. Yates on a visit today, per a team announcement.
Yates was effectively displaced in Miami this offseason when the Dolphins signed quarterback David Fales as their new QB3. Now, Yates might have an opportunity to serve as an emergency option behind Tyrod Taylor and Cardale Jones in Buffalo. It has been said that the Bills are very high on Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, so it’s not clear if they would be willing to give guaranteed money to a reserve signal caller. A player of Yates’ caliber, however, might not require any type of guarantee.
Yates, 30 in May, has only started seven games during his regular season career. Interestingly, he also has two playoff starts on his resume from his time with the Texans.
Dolphins Sign QB T.J. Yates
The Dolphins found themselves a backup for Matt Moore. Miami is signing T.J. Yates, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Dolphins, of course, are down one quarterback as Ryan Tannehill deals with an ACL/MCL sprain. For however long he is out (the Dolphins hope to get him back after two games), Miami will need Yates to hold the clipboard.
Yates, 29, has only started seven games during his regular season career. Interestingly, however, he also has two playoff starts on his resume from his time with the Texans. The Broncos recently worked him out as a possible futures contract candidate, but he has now landed work for the holiday season.
Earlier today, the Dolphins decided to place center Mike Pouncey on IR. They’re also expected to make a determination on Dion Jordan at some point today.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/6/2016
The Broncos worked out a dozen players today, including quarterbacks Sean Renfree and T.J. Yates, running backs Bernard Pierce and Zac Brooks, and wide receivers Keshawn Martin and Corey Washington, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Yates, 29, has only started seven games during his regular season career, but has somewhat miraculously managed two playoff starts, both for Houston. Each of the tryouts conducted by Denver today were for futures contract consideration, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS.
Here’s more from the workout front:
- Searching for emergency interior line options, the Patriots tried out OL James Stone and Chris Watt today, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who adds that New England also took a look at wide receiver Dez Stewart. As Reiss wrote earlier today, the Pats could be forced to make a move at WR following an injury to Danny Amendola, and Stewart could potentially fill that void.
- The Chiefs, dealing with injuries to Dontari Poe and Jaye Howard (placed on IR), auditioned veteran defensive lineman Kenrick Ellis and Montori Hughes, per Caplan (Twitter link). Kansas City also worked out inside linebackers James Burgess and Darnell Sankey on Saturday, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets.
- The Packers tried out tight end Kennard Backman, quarterback Mike Bercovici, wide receiver Mitch Mathews, and running back Daryl Virgies, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Backman is familiar with Green Bay, as the Packers chose him in the sixth round of the 2015 draft.
- Defensive back Dezmen Southward, defensive end Josh Boyd, and linebacker Ron Thompson all worked out for the Raiders today, per Caplan (Twitter link). Southward was a third-round pick by the Falcons in 2014.
- The Buccaneers are working out 6’4″, 220-pound wide receiver Joe Hills, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He was the 2016 Arena League offensive Player of the Year for the Jacksonville Sharks.
- Defensive lineman Frank Beltre and defensive back Tony Burnett were among the players that tried out for the Vikings today, according to Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link).
- The Jets worked out long snappers Zach Triner, Rick Lovato, Daniel Dillon, and Kameron Canaday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. New York’s current long snapper is veteran Tanner Purdum.
Latest On Patriots’ QB Situation
The Patriots have not made plans to bring in T.J. Yates, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport calls Yates the Pats’ “free agent quarterback of choice” and by not signing him, it’s an indication that they are confident in the health of Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett.
Brissett looked great as he made his NFL debut and first ever start against the Texans on Thursday night. During the course of the Pats’ 27-0 victory, however, the rookie suffered a thumb sprain. Meanwhile, Garoppolo is still dealing with a sprained AC joint in his throwing arm. Tom Brady returns soon, but the Patriots still have to get through their October 2nd contest against the Bills before welcoming him back on October 9th to face the Browns.
In the first two games of the seasons, Garoppolo completed 42-of-60 passes for 498 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in wins over the Cardinals and Dolphins. The Pats are hoping to see the youngster do more of that against Buffalo, but if he can’t, it sounds like Brissett should be ready.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
T.J. Yates, Sean Renfree Visited Patriots
The Patriots worked out free agent quarterbacks T.J. Yates and Sean Renfree on Tuesday, but they declined to sign either, report Adam Kaufman of CBS Sports Radio and ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter links). New England is content to enter its Thursday game against the Texans with third-round rookie Jacoby Brissett and the banged-up Jimmy Garoppolo as its signal-callers, adds Kaufman.
Since Garoppolo had to exit the Patriots’ 31-24 win over the Dolphins with an injured shoulder Sunday, there have been questions as to whether the Pats would add another QB on a short week. Schefter reported Monday that they wouldn’t, and that now appears to be the case after the team passed on Yates and Renfree. As a result, New England could have Garoppolo back up Brissett in his first career start.
Had it signed Yates, New England would have landed a passer with 18 games of regular-season experience and seven starts under his belt. The 29-year-old divided his first five seasons between Houston and Atlanta. He made four appearances and two starts for the Texans last season, completing 28 of 57 passes for 370 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. In all, he has connected on 58.1 percent of 227 career attempts and racked up six scores against eight picks.
Yates, who started both of the Texans’ playoff games in January 2012, went on injured reserve last December with a torn ACL. He received a clean bill of health in August, which could pave the way for him to sign somewhere this year.
Renfree is also a former Falcon, having gone to Atlanta in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. The ex-Duke passer saw his only pro action last year, but he totaled a mere seven attempts.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
T.J. Yates Cleared To Return From ACL Injury
Free agent quarterback T.J. Yates has fully recovered from the ACL injury he suffered last season, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Yates is now available to sign with a new club.
After beginning his career in Houston, Yates was traded to Atlanta by the Texans in June of 2014. The former fifth-round pick spent the year playing behind Matt Ryan for the Falcons, and was re-signed by Atlanta in March. However, the team cut him prior to the 2015 season, opting for Sean Renfree as Ryan’s backup.
Yates, 29, re-signed with the Texans in midseason, and started two games for the club, completing 49% of his passes, 370 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception before tearing his ACL in a December contest.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC Notes: S. Smith, Grimes, Yates, Chiefs
A report last weekend suggested that Ravens receiver Steve Smith is expected to put off retirement plans for one more year and return to the field in 2016. However, Smith himself remains noncommittal on the issue.
As Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun details, Smith said during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week that he’s “been on the fence” for a while about his plans for next year. The veteran wideout isn’t letting his Achilles injury determine his decision one way or the other, adding that the main factor will be what his family thinks.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- While there has been some speculation about Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes taking a pay cut for 2016, Grimes said he hasn’t paid any attention to that conversation, but didn’t entirely rule out the possibility, notes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
- Texans quarterback T.J. Yates, who was placed on injured reserve this week after tearing his ACL, will undergo surgery on Monday to repair that ACL, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I’m excited to get things going. I’m more annoyed than anything. I know I’ll come back. I know I’ll be fine, but it’s terrible timing for everything. I’m ready to get the process started,” Yates said, adding that he hopes to be ready to go for training camp next year.
- Veteran defensive tackle Ziggy Hood was among the free agents to work out for the Chiefs this week, per Wilson (Twitter link). Kansas City also took a look at quarterback Dominique Davis and defensive end Glenn Foster.
Texans Place T.J. Yates On IR
MONDAY, 5:28pm: The team officially placed Yates on IR and signed quarterback B.J. Daniels off the Seahawks’ practice squad to fill Yates’ roster spot, the Texans website reports. The 26-year-old Daniels has bounced between positions, and between the active roster and practice squad, in Seattle, playing both quarterback and wide receiver. A former seventh-round 49ers draft pick in 2013, Daniels caught two passes for the Seahawks this season.
MONDAY, 12:47pm: Today’s tests confirmed that Yates tore his ACL, ending his season, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Houston figures to place him on the injured reserve list this week.
SUNDAY, 2:40pm: The Texans believe that quarterback T.J. Yates suffered a torn ACL during today’s game against the Colts, reports Mark Berman of FOX 26 (Twitter link). If confirmed, Yates would obviously be lost for the remainder of the season.
Yates was starting today in the absence of Brian Hoyer, who suffered a concussion near the end of last week’s game against the Patriots and was inactive today. Houston has now turned to the only other quarterback on its roster, Brandon Weeden, whom the club recently claimed off waivers from the Cowboys. With Hoyer’s status for next week still uncertain, it’s likely that the Texans will look to add a quarterback in the next week.
It’s almost inconceivable given their turnover at quarterback this season (Hoyer, Yates, Weeden, and Ryan Mallett have all seen time this year), but the Texans are still very much in the running for a postseason berth. If they beat the Colts today, Houston will take over first place in the AFC South with just two games to play. Depending on the nature and severity of Hoyer’s concussion, it’s entirely possible we’ll witness a sight few would have predicted at any point in recent history — Weeden starting a playoff game.
Entering today’s contest, Yates had played in three games in relief of Hoyer since being signed in late October — his only start (against the Jets in Week 13) resulted in a 24-17 Houston victory. The 28-year-old Yates, who also spent 2011-12 with the Texans, is a free agent at season’s end. Given his projected recovery timetable, he might find it difficult to land a job next summer.