Sunday Roundup: Murray, Tomsula, Spiller
Let’s take a look at some links from around the league, starting with more news on the Eagles‘ running back drama:
- During DeMarco Murray‘s recent and much-ballyhooed conversation with Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the embattled running back told Lurie that head coach Chip Kelly was “unapproachable.” When speaking with the owner, Murray openly questioned the abilities of Kelly and running backs coach Duce Staley.
- According to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter links), Murray did have a lengthy meeting with Kelly earlier this week, but Kelly made no assurances to Murray regarding his role for the remainder of the season. In fact, Murray is listed as the fourth back on the Eagles‘ depth chart today.
- As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, the message that the Eagles have sent to the rest of the league is clear: Murray is available. On a related note, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com explores the Eagles‘ options with regards to Murray’s contract, ultimately concluding that trading Murray in 2016 is the strategy that would work best for Philadelphia.
- The 49ers‘ improved play over the last few weeks has lightened the mood in the locker room and has likely bought head coach Jim Tomsula another year with the club, per Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle. The team has appeared more engaged and has given the front office tangible signs of hope, which means Tomsula will probably be back in 2016.
- La Canfora writes that many league owners are concerned about the strength of the Raiders‘ ownership group and would prefer that the Chargers either move to Los Angeles by themselves or partnered with the Rams. Although that seems unlikely at this point, the overall “trepidation” surrounding the Raiders and the prevailing belief that Oakland remains a viable NFL market could mean that the Carson project–which would see the Raiders and Chargers move to LA together–may not get the requisite 24 votes at the league meetings in January to move forward.
- Tim Hightower has stepped in for the injured Mark Ingram in the Saints‘ backfield today, which represents yet another blow to free agent addition C.J. Spiller. Per Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune (citing The NFL Network), Spiller is a “long shot” to return to New Orleans next season.
- Although the Seahawks of course have been delighted with Thomas Rawls‘ performance thus far, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that Marshawn Lynch is progressing and the team is very open to Beastmode’s return.
- Mark Potash of The Chicago Sun-Times writes that Bears GM Ryan Pace will have a tough decision to make with Matt Forte this offseason, and Potash examines Pace’s options in that regard.
Extra Points: Washington, Cutler, Cowboys, Fins, Bolts, Jags
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.
Chargers Put Brandon Flowers, Corey Liuget On IR
A season that’s going to send the Chargers to their first top-10 draft pick since 2004 won’t feature Brandon Flowers or Corey Liuget for the home stretch, with the team opting to place both defensive starters on injured reserve, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (on Twitter).
San Diego activated rookie defensive lineman Darius Philon from IR-DTR in one of its two corresponding moves.
The team also promoted quarterback Brad Sorensen off the practice squad as an insurance policy against Philip Rivers‘ illness, one that’s not expected to force him to miss Sunday’s game against the Chiefs, Gehlken reports.
Both Flowers and Liuget signed lucrative contracts with the Chargers prior to this season.
A fifth-year veteran who signed a five-year, $51.25MM extension, Liuget struggled with a foot injury. Flowers, who joined the Chargers last season as a free agent, left last week’s game against the Broncos with a knee malady.
Liuget totaled 60 straight starts before missing Week 9 against the Bears before resuming his role as a starting end in the Chargers’ 3-4 scheme. He notched three sacks and led Chargers defensive linemen with 35 tackles but rated as Pro Football Focus’ 76th-best interior defensive lineman.
Also mirroring the Chargers’ freefall, Flowers did not live up to the form he displayed when he relocated from Kansas City on a one-year deal last season. PFF ranked him as its fifth-worst regular cornerback. The 11th-highest-paid corner in the league after signing a four-year deal in March that pays him $9MM+ AAV, Flowers is under contract through the 2018 season.
The Chargers placed Philon, a sixth-round pick this year, on IR-DTR after Week 5. The rookie figures to get a long look after missing so much time and Liuget’s sudden shelving further thinning out an injury-plagued team.
San Diego’s already lost Keenan Allen and experienced rampant offensive line issues in its woeful season. These latest moves will increase the Chargers’ chances of procuring a potential top-5 pick. They’d pick at No. 3 in the first round if the season ended today.
AFC West Notes: Crabtree, Penn, Stewart, Iger
After betting on himself during the 2015 offseason, signing a modest one-year deal in the hopes of having a big season and increasing his value, Raiders wideout Michael Crabtree is happy to have a new extension in place, which will keep him from worrying about dealing with the free agent market again this winter.
“It’s always nice to get it done, right?” Crabtree said on Thursday, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “That way we can just go play football. You ain’t worried about where you’re going to be next year and all that stuff. It’s pretty neat to know you’re wanted and you want to be on a team and you’re here.”
Here’s more on Crabtree’s new contract, along with some other items out of the AFC West:
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has a few more specific details on Crabtree’s four-year deal with the Raiders, tweeting that it can be worth up to $35.2MM, with a base value of $34MM. The pact doesn’t include a signing bonus, but Crabtree will make $11MM in 2016 and a total of $18MM by 2017. That $18MM is guaranteed for injury, according to Bair.
- As Bair details at CSNBayArea.com, veteran defensive back Charles Woodson believes Crabtree’s new contract – and his decision to stay with Oakland – is a sign that this isn’t the same old Raiders. “That’s great, because you hear that people don’t want to come to Oakland, that they don’t want to play here,” Woodson said. “Things are starting to change. With Crabtree signing his deal, other free agents will take notice once that time comes around. They’ll want to know why he wanted to stick around and play in Oakland. He’ll be a great ambassador for guys who are undecided.”
- Could left tackle Donald Penn be the next Raiders player to sign an extension? He’s not focusing on a deal right now, but says he’d like to spend the rest of his career in Oakland, as Bill Williamson of ESPN.com writes.
- Safety Darian Stewart doesn’t have Pro Bowl nods on his resume, like many of his fellow defensive backs in Denver, but the Broncos coaching staff has referred to him as the quarterback of the secondary, and his contract is looking like one of the bargains of the 2015 free agent period. Arnie Stapleton of The Associated Press has the story.
- Earlier today, we rounded up several quotes from Disney CEO Bob Iger on the Carson stadium proposal put forth by the Chargers and Raiders. Scott M. Reid of the Orange County Register has a few more comments from Iger, who says a Carson stadium would be well-positioned to attract football fans from Orange County.
Bob Iger Talks Los Angeles, Carson, Inglewood
The Carson stadium proposal put forth by the Raiders and Chargers got a big boost earlier this fall when Disney CEO Bob Iger came aboard. Iger, who became attached to the project a month ago, will only officially take over as the chairman of Carson Holdings if NFL owners vote to approve the Carson proposal, which would relocate the Raiders and Chargers to Los Angeles. However, he’s already involved in the planning process, and spoke to reporters on Thursday about the latest developments. Here are a few highlights from the Disney CEO, via Ramona Shelbourne of ESPNLosAngeles.com:
On why he decided to become involved with the Carson proposal, rather than the Inglewood plan:
“First of all, I believe in the two-team concept. This is a great market in Los Angeles, and it hasn’t had football for a long time. I’m convinced that not only can it sustain two teams, but if you’re going to bring football back to Los Angeles, do it in a big way, and two is twice as big as one. Why not give the fans real choice in terms of the teams they want to root for? It also enables the creation of a stadium that is affordable but also very exciting. It just makes such a loud statement about the NFL being back to Los Angeles. I like that. … I also thought that the concept for Carson and the choice of location was attractive and unique from a variety of different perspectives. It was an easy thing for me to get behind.”
On the possibility of leaving Disney in 2018 and potentially buying a minority stake in either the Chargers or Raiders:
“This is a great job, and it’s one I don’t want to give up quickly. But I have decided that 2018, I will have been in this job for 13 years at that point, it’ll be time. I am looking to have a variety of different activities post-Disney. I love the sport of football. I like the NFL a lot. I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to use the dozens of years of expertise that I have in entertainment and in sports and apply myself in a different way.”
On what his role would be if the Carson projects gets approved:
“I’m really working, should they get the approval, to shape the project. That’s everything from the fan experience to how the stadium will be programmed to repositioning the teams both physically and from a brand perspective to the Los Angeles market. Bringing my knowledge of site-based entertainment and customer/user interface and my knowledge of Southern California to the project.”
On the likelihood of the Carson or Inglewood plan getting approval:
“There is not much leeway. If the decision is not made soon, neither team will be able to relocate. … [But] I get a strong sense, and I actually have some optimism, that there is true momentum. While I can’t guarantee that it will happen, I feel pretty good about the prospects about the NFL finally reaching a decision and moving the NFL back to such a great city.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/9/15
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from across the NFL:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: QB Bryn Renner (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun)
- Cut: S Nick Perry
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Marcel Jensen, C Ronald Patrick (Twitter links via Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: RB Jahwan Edwards (Twitter link via team)
- Cut: QB Jeff Tuel
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Eric Martin (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Bronson Hill (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: TE Tim Semisch (press release via team)
- Placed on PS-IR: TE Alex Bayer
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Douglas McNeil (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
Chargers Sign Vincent Brown
WEDNESDAY, 12:54pm: The Chargers have officially signed Brown, cutting safety Adrian Phillips to make room on their 53-man roster, the team announced today in a press release.
TUESDAY, 2:38pm: In need of a healthy wide receiver, the Chargers are signing a familiar face, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune, who reports (via Twitter) that Vincent Brown is rejoining the club.
Brown, who turns 27 next month, was part of a group of a wideouts that worked out for the Chargers today, after Dontrelle Inman and Steve Johnson left Sunday’s loss with injuries. Austin Pettis, another former Charger, was among the other free agents involved in the audition, according to Gehlken.
Having been selected by the Chargers in the third round of the 2011 draft out of nearby San Diego State, Brown was never able to deliver on the promise he once had. In his three years with the Chargers, he caught 60 balls in 30 games, with his best run coming in 2013. Brown played for the Raiders last season, and spent time with the Colts this summer before being released during preseason cutdowns. He earned a look from the Rams last month, but ultimately didn’t get another shot until now.
Brown will join a depleted receiving corps that also lost Keenan Allen earlier this season, and currently features Malcom Floyd, Javontee Herndon, and Tyrell Williams.
Cole’s Latest: Coughlin, Pagano, Chargers, Rams
Earlier today, we rounded up several items related to head coaches whose jobs may be in jeopardy as the season nears an end. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report has provided a few updates on that topic as well, discussing a couple of the coaches we mentioned earlier, as well as a couple others. Here’s the latest:
- The Giants aren’t likely to fire head coach Tom Coughlin before the end of the season, but they certainly could consider at after the season if they miss the playoffs, says Cole (video link). However, Cole cautions that the franchise has very specific qualifications in mind for its head coach, including a proven ability to deal with the pressure and attention that comes with working in New York. If the Giants don’t have strong potential candidates in mind that fit that bill, they may think twice about letting go of Coughlin.
- The Colts’ defense allowed the Steelers to put up 45 points on Sunday, just over a year after letting Pittsburgh score 51 on them. That sort of repeat performance is a bad sign and could spark major changes for the team, according to Cole (video link). Although Cole suggests that Chuck Pagano is back on the hot seat, I’d expect the club to wait and see how the season finishes before making any decisions there — a playoff berth and a postseason win or two would make it a tough call. If Indianapolis misses the playoffs, it’s much harder to imagine Pagano keeping his job.
- While Chargers head coach Mike McCoy and Rams head coach Jeff Fisher are both on the hot seat in their respective cities, there’s a scenario in which one or both coaches could keep their jobs for another year or two. As Cole explains (video link), the transition period if either of those franchises moves to Los Angeles in 2016 will be a rocky one, with the new L.A. team(s) playing in a temporary stadium for a couple seasons. As such, those clubs may be more inclined to hang onto their current coaches, perhaps putting off a change in a year or two and then making a new hire as excitement for that new stadium starts to build. I’m not sure I buy that theory, for a number of reasons, and Cole himself acknowledges that it’s one possible outcome, but perhaps not the most likely one.
Los Angeles Rumors: 12/7/15
The Chargers‘ and Raiders‘ joint stadium plan for Carson seems to have momentum at this point than the Rams‘ Inglewood proposal, writes Peter King of TheMMQB.com in today’s Monday Morning Quarterback column. As King explains, the reason is fairly simple: owners around the league want to support Chargers owner Dean Spanos, whom they feel has done all he can to try to make a stadium work in San Diego.
King’s piece includes plenty of interesting tidbits on the Los Angeles situation, so let’s dive in and round them up….
- The Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities will likely vote 4-2 or 5-1 in favor of the Carson project, a source tells King. However, that prediction hinges on how solid the St. Louis stadium proposal is — if any of the six owners on the committee are uncertain about St. Louis’ proposal, they could switch to the Inglewood plan.
- Looking ahead to the league-wide vote involving all 32 owners, neither side is close to having the 24 votes necessary to approve a relocation plan, according to King.
- Disney CEO Robert Iger has been a major boon to the Carson side, with one source suggesting to King that Iger “feels like a partner to people like Roger Goodell and Bob Kraft.” One ownership source believes that if the Carson plan just involved the Chargers, Spanos, and Iger, it would already have 24 votes from league owners — some owners, however, view the Raiders as a drag on the project.
- While the league would like to finalize its Los Angeles plan during the January meetings in Houston, that’s not a lock. It’s probable, but not certain, says King.
- If Kroenke’s Inglewood project doesn’t come to fruition, no one knows what he’ll do, writes King. If Kroenke doesn’t like St. Louis’ stadium plan, it could be “an ugly shotgun marriage,” perhaps with the Rams owner “refusing to go to the altar.”
- One more L.A. note from Daniel Kaplan of the SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter link): Oakland city leaders have talked to the NFL about developing a stadium in Oakland. While those discussions are ongoing, it’s hard to imagine the city putting together a concrete plan within the next few weeks.
Coaching Notes: Giants, Chargers, Lions
With less than a month remaining in the NFL regular season, we’re getting to that time of year when every poor performance by a sub-.500 team can raise questions about a head coach’s job security. A few coaches, in particular, are on the hot seat after bad Week 13 showings, so let’s round up the latest on a handful of situations around the NFL….
- The Giants aren’t the sort of team that would fire a head coach – particularly one with two Super Bowl wins under his belt – for clock management. However, at some point, after so many terrible losses this season, “the accumulation of disappointment erodes even the most formidable reservoir of goodwill,” writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com in his discussion of Tom Coughlin.
- Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch may love Coughlin, but the head coach is making their choice on his future easier with a series of bad losses, writes Gary Myers of the New York Daily News.
- Jordan Raanan of NJ.com identifies 13 potential head coaching candidates for the Giants in the event that the team decides to replace Coughlin at season’s end.
- Wholesale changes to the Chargers‘ coaching staff are necessary, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com. That could mean parting ways with head coach Mike McCoy, though Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune hears from a highly-placed source that team management has mulled the possibility of retaining McCoy and making changes to his staff on both offense and defense.
- While the Lions would like to get a permanent general manager in place before deciding on the future of head coach Jim Caldwell, sticking to that plan may result in the team missing out on some top candidates, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press observes. At the very least, the club likely wouldn’t be involved in the first interview window for assistants on teams with first-round byes.