Extra Points: 49ers, Bush, Edelman
Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman had surgery on Monday to repair a broken bone in his foot. He’ll projected to be out for 6-8 weeks, which would have him back roughly in time for the start of the playoffs. Teammate Danny Amendola is confident that we’ll see Edelman back on the field this season, as Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com writes.
“Dealing with adversity is huge, not only during the season, but during a game, during a drive, everything,” Amendola said. “It’s no different. It’s no question that Julian was a great football player. He’ll be back and he’s going to work his tail off, just like he always does, to get back and play.”
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- 49ers running back Reggie Bush told reporters, including Joe Fann of 49ers.com (on Twitter), that he had surgery to repair a torn meniscus and not his ACL or MCL as previously believed by some. That’s good news for the veteran’s rehab timeline. Bush had only eight carries for 28 yards this season but prior to his injury he was in line for a bigger role with starter Carlos Hyde dealing with his own injury issues.
- With Andrew Luck on the sidelines, Colts coach Chuck Pagano says that he’s very happy to have battle-tested veteran Matt Hasselbeck on the roster. “It’s very comforting to know that you’ve got a guy in your building who’s won ball games for you, can operate at a high, high level,” Pagano said per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He’s been great for Andrew and for everybody else on the offensive side. He just brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom to our football team and to that position. It’s great having him. I feel awesome that we have Matt.” The veteran said that he wasn’t thinking about retirement prior to the 2015 season, but his plans for 2016 are not yet clear.
- Robert Klemko of The MMQB (on Twitter) is surprised as to why Brandon Weeden continues to get work despite his lack of achievement at the NFL level. He opines that those in the league that are complaining about an NCAA quarterback drought are the same folks refusing to give young QBs an opportunity to succeed in the league. On Wednesday, the Texans claimed Weeden off waivers from the Cowboys.
Latest On Aldon Smith
Here’s the latest on suspended Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith:
- Smith’s suspension mandates that he cannot be around the Raiders’ facility during his suspension, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com tweets. Of course, he also can’t sign anywhere until after it ends on November 17, 2016, at the earliest.
- Smith’s one-year suspension was the result of negotiations between the league and Smith’s representation, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. Smith agreed to accept a one-year ban in exchange for a promise that he won’t receive further discipline on his violation of the substance-abuse policy. As a previous offender, Smith could have been punished separately under the Personal Conduct Policy, which could have lengthened his suspension. Florio writes that Smith’s decision to accept a one-year suspension shows that the league had plenty of evidence showing that Smith had consumed alcohol in violation of his agreed upon treatment plan.
- The Smith suspension shows real progress in the league’s handling of off-field issues, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report opines. Meanwhile, the Raiders felt that the suspension was inevitable. “The NFL really had no choice,” said a Raiders source, who, like other team officials, was appraised by the NFL of the suspension.
- Without Smith, the 49ers defense hasn’t produced a threatening pass rush, Can Inman of the Mercury News notes. In four different games this season, SF has failed to produce a sack. Aaron Lynch leads the way with six sacks for the 49ers, but other than that, the Niners’ front seven hasn’t looked all that fearsome. The 49ers rank 29th in pass defense and their 16 sacks are tied for the eighth fewest in the league.
Workout Notes: Seahawks, Colts, Bears
The Kendall Hunter tour continues. On Tuesday, the Seahawks tried out the running back, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Hunter, who has seen his NFL career derailed by injuries in recent years, was removed from Sam Francisco’s injured reserve list in September with a settlement, making him a free agent. Last week, he tried out for the Jaguars, but that audition did not immediately lead to a deal.
Here’s a roundup of Tuesday’s notable workouts from around the NFL:
- The Colts tried out nose tackle Barry Cofield, according to Yates (on Twitter). He adds that tight end Joseph Fauria worked out for the Chiefs and Patriots while running back Dri Archer auditioned for the Jets.
- The Bears hosted a few players for workouts, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (on Twitter), linebacker Xzavier Dickson, defensive end Tyre Glasper, linebacker Danny Mason, and linebacker Mike McAdoo.
- Wide receiver Tandon Doss was among players Jets tried out today, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets.
- The Falcons worked out cornerbacks Marc Anthony and Keon Lyn, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
- The Raiders worked out center Adam Gettis, Wilson tweets.
- The 49ers worked out former Texas offensive tackle Donald Hawkins, Wilson tweets.
- The Titans tried out Damarr Aultman, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Alan Bonner, Antwan Goodley, Colin Lockett, Dustin Vaughan, Wilson tweets.
- The Eagles auditioned eight players on Monday, including wide receiver Corey Washington, safety Brandian Ross, defensive end Brian Mihalik, linebacker Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo, linebacker Brandon Hepburn, defensive tackle Toby Johnson, cornerback Trovon Reed, and cornerback Robert Steeples, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
- The Saints worked out running back Bronson Hill and defensive end Phillip Hunt, Wilson tweets.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/17/15
Here are Tuesday’s minor transactions from across the NFL:
- The Dolphins waived center Sam Brenner, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.
- The Browns waived tight end Rob Housler (hamstring) from injured reserve today, Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal tweets.
- The Patriots waived offensive lineman Chris Barker while promoting wide receiver Chris Harper from the practice squad, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
Earlier Updates:
- The Seahawks have waived wide receiver Chris Matthews, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Matthews had just four receptions during his 12 regular-season games with Seattle, matching the four balls he caught in last season’s Super Bowl against the Pats. Per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter), the Seahawks are promoting wide receiver Kevin Smith to the active roster to replace Matthews.
- The Dolphins will sign linebacker James-Michael Johnson, tweets Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Johnson was just released by the Lions on Saturday, so he didn’t last long on the open market.
- Speaking of the Lions, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that, as expected, the club will place cornerback Josh Wilson on injured reserve due to what Jim Caldwell called a “significant” knee injury. Detroit is expected to sign a new cornerback shortly to help solidify a position that has been hit hard by injuries.
- The Titans have added two players to their 53-man roster, signing wide receiver Tre McBride from their own practice squad, along with wide receiver Andrew Turzilli from the 49ers‘ practice squad (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com). The two wideouts will take the roster spots vacated by WR Justin Hunter and CB Jason McCourty, who were formally placed on injured reserve today.
- The Bears have made a change at cornerback, waiving Terrance Mitchell and promoting Jacoby Glenn from their practice squad to fill the newly-opened roster spot, the team announced today (Twitter link).
- The Chiefs have placed tight end James O’Shaughnessy on injured reserve due to a foot injury, creating an opening for defensive tackle David King, whom Kansas City claimed off waivers from the Seahawks, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
- The Giants have waived linebacker James Morris, according to a team release. Morris, who was elevated from the practice squad at the end of October, played on special teams during his brief stint on New York’s 53-man roster.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/16/15
Here are Monday’s practice squad add/drops from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB T.J. Heath (Twitter link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Sentinel)
New York Giants
- Cut: DB Dax Swanson (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News)
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Titus Davis (via Jets on Twitter)
- Cut: WR Shane Wynn
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: TE Brian Leonhardt, OT Donald Hawkins (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: FB Brandon Cottom (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times)
- Cut: DB Kevin Short
NFC Notes: 49ers, Cousins, Lockette, Lions
Offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore and wide receiver DeAndre Smelter will begin practicing for the 49ers this week, head coach Jim Tomsula confirmed today (Twitter link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). Once they begin practicing, the Niners will have a three-week window to decide whether or not to activate Kilgore from the PUP list and Smelter from the NFI list.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Asked whether Washington has engaged in contract talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins, whose current deal expires at year’s end, head coach Jay Gruden said that the team will “keep that in-house for now,” tweets Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post. Gruden added that the team would love to retain Cousins, but said “that’s up to [GM] Scot [McCloughan], Kirk’s agent and Kirk” (link via John Keim of ESPN.com).
- Despite suffering a significant injury that required neck surgery, Seahawks wide receiver and special-teamer Ricardo Lockette expects to play next season, writes Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times. At the time of the injury, there was concern that Lockette’s career could be over, but he has high expectations for himself, telling Jenks he aims to be a Pro Bowler in 2016.
- After shaking up their offensive coaching staff last month, the Lions are hiring Arizona State senior offensive analyst Ryan Silverfield as an assistant offensive line coach, a league source tells Thayer Evans of SI.com. Detroit parted ways with a pair of offensive line coaches when the team fired former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, and didn’t replace both assistants immediately.
- Following the team’s seventh straight loss, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) takes a look at an increasingly tense Cowboys locker room, with a focus on Dez Bryant and Greg Hardy.
49ers Notes: Kaepernick, Eagles, Singletary
Here’s a look at the 49ers as they look ahead to the Seahawks on November 22nd:
- Cam Inman of the Mercury News wonders what’s next for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. “The handwriting is on the wall,” a league source said of an imminent, offseason breakup between Kaepernick and the 49ers. It’s believed Kaepernick would be willing to restructure his contract if he’s dealt in the offseason, and that might be the likeliest scenario awaiting him, Inman writes.
- So, if a breakup is inevitable, where will No. 7 land? In a separate piece, Inman runs down ten possible destinations for Kaepernick. The list of possible teams for Kaepernick starts with the Eagles, who haven’t been soaring with Sam Bradford. Kaepernick’s dual-threat skills, he argues, would be a better fit for the Philly offense. The Broncos, Browns, Jets, and Texans are among the other teams listed as possibilities.
- The NFL Network took a look at ex-49ers coach Mike Singletary and revealed some interesting stories from his time in SF. CSNBayArea.com looked at a few of the highlights.
Extra Points: Mayo, Pats, Welker
While there’s virtually no way he’ll return to the Patriots on his current contract, linebacker Jerod Mayo‘s time in New England may not be over after this season, says Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. In his latest mailbag, Howe suggests that if Mayo can get healthy, it’s possible he and the Pats could work out a reworked contract to bring him back. In my look last week at the Patriots’ 2016 cap situation, I identified Mayo as the team’s most likely cap casualty.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- If you’re a fan of the Steelers, Cowboys, Chargers, Ravens, or Packers, and you feel like your team has had worse-than-usual injury luck this year, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com is inclined to agree. In his latest piece, Seifert identifies those five teams as the ones that have been hit hardest by injuries this season.
- The Giants are scheduled to work out free agent linebacker Alex Singleton next Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Singleton, who was waived by the Seahawks prior to the regular season, has also auditioned for the Chiefs, Bengals, Browns, Jaguars, and Washington this year.
- According to reports from Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Wes Welker‘s new one-year deal with the Rams includes a $200K signing bonus to go along with a base salary worth approximately $456K (prorated total of $970K). The veteran wideout can also earn up to $200K in per-game roster bonuses ($25K per game), plus another $100K via catch- and yard-based incentives.
Anquan Boldin Not Considering Retirement
While one veteran receiver – Steve Smith – came into the 2015 season expecting it to be his last, that’s not the plan for another veteran wideout, Anquan Boldin. Speaking to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, the 49ers pass catcher confirmed that he doesn’t intend to retire at the end of the 2015 campaign. “No, this isn’t the end,” Boldin said.
Boldin, who began his NFL career with the Cardinals back in 2003, turned 35 in October, and has dealt with some nagging hamstring problems this year. However, he has remained reasonably productive, even with the Niners not getting a whole lot out of quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the early going, resulting in a change to Blaine Gabbert.
After going over 1,000 yards on 80+ receptions in each of his first two years with the Niners, Boldin isn’t on track to reach those landmarks again in 2015. However, in seven games this season, he has caught 31 balls for 372 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and has been unfazed by the uncertainty at quarterback in San Francisco.
“In Arizona, one year it was Josh McCown, Shaun King, and then Kurt Warner, then it was Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart. It’s nothing new to me,” Boldin said. “It’s just a situation where you trust the coach and you trust he’ll put the best guy out there. And as a team you have to be behind whoever it is the coach puts out there. It doesn’t change your job or what you have to do.”
Despite the 49ers’ struggles this season, Boldin says he’d like to return to the team next season, after his current contract expires. While continuing his career in San Francisco is one possibility, Boldin could be an interesting option for contending teams to consider if he finishes 2015 strong and reaches the open market in March.
West Notes: Megatron, Cardinals, Seahawks
If Calvin Johnson and the Lions were to part ways, Megatron’s best landing spot would be with the Raiders, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports opines. Johnson, 31 in September, may not have more than three or four top-shelf seasons left in him and that’s a luxury that a rebuilding team like Detroit might not be able to afford.
If the Lions were to cut Johnson, they’d immediately open $11MM in cap room for 2016, and $21MM in 2017, when his dead money would be completely off the books. Meanwhile, a team landing him via trade would only be on the hook for Johnson’s base salaries, which total $32.45MM over the next two seasons.
So, why Megatron to Oakland? Robinson points out that Michael Crabtree is set to hit the open market and Johnson, who offers up far more talent and bigger matchup problems for opposing defenses, would be an excellent replacement. The Raiders could also have $75-$80MM in cap room next year, so they could afford Johnson’s substantial deal.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s West divisions:
- Several key Cardinals players are on the verge of free agency and general manager Steve Keim has been trying to extend some of them. Still, the GM continues to indicate that nothing is on the verge of getting done at this time, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes.
- The Seahawks recently added a $25K signing bonus to defensive back DeShawn Shead‘s contract, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. There are no other alterations to the deal, so it doesn’t appear that Shead gave up anything to get that additional cash.
- The 49ers worked out cornerback Chykie Brown as well as defensive backs Buddy Jackson, and Brandon McGee, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle.
- The Cardinals worked out cornerback Jordan Mabin, Wilson tweets.
- The Chiefs worked out offensive tackle Caylin Hauptmann, defensive end B.J. McBryde, and wide receiver Larry Pinkard, Wilson tweets.