West Notes: LA, Aldon Smith, Chiefs, Cards
We learned late last night that Inglewood, California mayor James Butts had announced that he would meet with Rams owner Stan Kroenke, whose 60-acre patch of land in Inglewood (which is within Los Angeles county) has been rumored as a potential site for an NFL stadium. Butts declined to confirm if the Kroenke meeting has taken place, but sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that Butts has spoken with executives from both the Rams and the Raiders. This news jives with a La Canfora report from last month which indicated that a team could be playing in Los Angeles as early as next season. Any club looking to relocate to southern California would need to declare its intention to move by mid-February, per La Canfora. Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions.
- 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith‘s suspension wasn’t reduced today after he failed to complete the counseling requirements attached to the ban, but the dynamic pass-rusher is facing even more bad news. Because of the multitude of salary and bonus forfeitures that go along with a suspension, Smith will effectively pay San Francisco to play in 2014, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Smith will earn just 8/17 of his $1.099MM base salary, which amounts to $525K. He also forfeits $1.18MM in bonus money, meaning that he owes the 49ers $661K.
- The Chiefs believe they have satisfied the requirements to bid on a Super Bowl, owner Clark Hunt tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Kansas City has agreed to give up one home game to play in London at some point in the near future, a stipulation for Super Bowl hosting hopefuls that NFL owners recently agreed to.
- In his latest mailbag at ESPN.com, Josh Weinfuss sees a possibility that the Cardinals could add a power back, such as Ryan Mathews or Mark Ingram, during the offseason to pair with Andre Ellington. If backup Marion Grice impresses over the second half of the season, however, he could fill that role in 2015.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
Sunday Roundup: Jags, Cowboys, Randy Moss
PFR’s Ben Levine wrote yesterday that Jaguars owner Shad Khan expects his club to be active in free agency in 2015, and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union followed up on Khan’s statements this morning. O’Halloran, noting that the Jags have nearly $30MM in cap room, a “figure that could double with rollover (unused) dollars, an increase in the cap and cleared space from veterans who will be released or not re-signed,” will have a whole host of opportunities to improve their roster next year.
Although Jacksonville is still far from a destination of choice for the league’s top free agents, Khan noted that it is not just the money that the team has to spend that excites him, it is the fact that 2014 has revealed the specific needs that the Jaguars need to address in the offseason. As our Rob DiRe pointed out yesterday, the team could look to add a defensive lineman, a free safety, and a pair of linebackers.
Now for some more links from around the league:
- An earlier report from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport claimed that 20 Cowboys players missed curfew on Friday night, but Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes that owner Jerry Jones said there were no curfew violations because there is no curfew. Meanwhile, head coach Jason Garrett said there is a curfew, at midnight. As Alper notes, this is not the first time Garrett and Jones have issued contradictory statements regarding the team’s inner machinations, and the Cowboys need a win today to divert attention from what should have been a non-issue.
- In the wake of the mounting criticism surrounding Falcons head coach Mike Smith, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution sides with defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora, who believes the coaching staff is not the problem. Ledbetter writes, “If the Falcons get rid of the winningest coach in team history, it won’t be about winning football games. It will be about selling tickets and premium seat licenses to the new stadium.”
- Marc Sessler of NFL.com says retired wideout Randy Moss, to whom the Seahawks made overtures after trading Percy Harvin, said he would come out of retirement if Peyton Manning and the Broncos came calling.
- Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times writes that “how the season ends — and how [Marshawn] Lynch plays — may matter only so much in the debate” as to whether the Seahawks should retain Lynch after this season. Instead, “it will still come down largely to one thing — will the Seahawks think it worth it to pay Lynch $7 million in 2015 when he’s 29 years old? And will Lynch be happy playing out the final year or would he ask for more money?”
- ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith‘s suspension was not reduced as expected, thereby allowing him to participate in today’s game, because “while Smith did more than mandated in terms of community service, he did not fulfill the obligations assigned him in terms of his counseling protocol.”
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that, although the Browns and Brian Hoyer have not engaged in contract talks since the summer, sources indicate the deal that Andy Dalton recently signed with the Bengals will be the benchmark for future negotiations.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are Saturday’s minor moves that affect teams’ 53-man rosters around the league:
- The Packers have signed offensive tackle Jamon Meredith, reports Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (via Twitter). The team placed wide receiver Kevin Dorsey on the IR to make room on the roster. Meredith was the Packers’ 2009 fifth-round draft choice, and spent time with the Bills, Colts, Lions, and Buccaneers before returning, according to Jason Wilde of ESPN (via Twitter).
- The 49ers have promoted linebacker Chase Thomas to their active roster, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Thomas will slide into the roster spot left open when the team released Demarcus Dobbs earlier this week.
- The Bears have placed guard Matt Slauson on the IR, replacing him on the roster with tight end Blake Annen, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). Annen was promoted from the practice squad.
NFC Links: Avant, Palmer, Brooks
Panthers wide receiver Jason Avant is looking forward to returning to Philadelphia this weekend, but the veteran is also looking back on his time with the Eagles. The 30-year-old was asked about his departure from Philly, and the wideout understood that he was on the outside looking in. Via the Philly Mag’s Tim McManus…
“You have an emerging [Jeremy] Maclin, you have a receiver draft that is high on talent that year and then you just paid Riley Cooper, so you kind of put the pieces together. Me and DeSean or me and Mac, we knew two of us would be gone,” he said. “We didn’t know which one it would be but you kind of [understand] situations over the years.
“I saw my role and what they had me doing and it just didn’t make sense for them financially to keep me to do some of the things I was doing. That’s no slight at Chip [Kelly] or anyone, it’s just a good business decision. Man, if I was in the business decision I would have looked at it and said: Look, to catch bubbles and to block, we can get a rookie to do that for a lesser price. That’s just a smart move by Howie Roseman and Chip.”
“Every player wants to play in one city for their whole career, but I understood the business side of it,” he said. “I love the organization, I love [Kelly and Roseman], I don’t have any hard feelings. I’ll be giving [Kelly] a big hug when I see him. I respect him and I respect what he is doing. They’re having a great season so far and I am really, really excited for a lot of the guys there, and I still talk to a lot of people. I’m happy they’re doing well — I just hope they don’t do well this week. That’s it.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…
- The Packers will evaluate the availability of guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang today, and they could decide to activate lineman Josh Walker from the practice squad, writes Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel.
- The Cardinals made the correct move in signing Carson Palmer, says ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss. The 34-year-old’s performance since returning in mid-October has proven to the writer that the veteran was deserving of a three-year extension.
- 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh would not comment on rumors that the team was shopping linebacker Ahmad Brooks. “No, no, I don’t have any comment on that,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez). “As always, no comment on those things. It would be second-hand, and I don’t have the specific knowledge.”
NFC West Notes: Palmer, Fitzgerald, Brooks
The biggest news story of today came out of the NFC West, as the Cardinals and quarterback Carson Palmer agreed to a three-year extension worth $50MM, with about $20.5MM in guarantees. Let’s look at some reaction the Palmer deal, as well as some other notes from the division:
- If the new money figure of $20.5MM is correct, Palmer will receive about $3MM less in new money that did Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith under his recent extension, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, who says the three-year value of Palmer’s pact will be similar to that of Bengals QB Andy Dalton‘s contract. Fitzgerald opines that the extension makes sense for both sides, and expects that the Cardinals’ next move will be to lower Larry Fitzgerald‘s exorbitant 2015 cap hit.
- Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com also lauds Palmer’s extension, writing that the 35-year-old is the perfect fit for Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians’ vertical offense. Palmer, Weinfuss argues, can handle quarterbacking duties for at least two more seasons, at which point the club can determine if Logan Thomas, a 2014 fourth-rounder, is ready to take over.
- Regarding Sunday’s report that the 49ers shopped Ahmad Brooks in advance of the trade deadline, San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh declined comment, only telling reporters, including those at CSNBayArea.com, that he didn’t have any “specific knowledge” of such trade discussions.
- Harbaugh did tell Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com that in the event Dan Skuta can’t play Sunday due to his sprained ankle, the 49ers will likely promote second-year LB Chase Thomas from the practice squad. With Aldon Smith still on suspension, San Francisco has only Brooks, Aaron Lynch, and Corey Lemonier at OLB, so Thomas, who’s also spent time with the Saints, Raiders, Falcons, and Panthers during his short NFL career, could add some much-needed depth.
NFC Notes: Rams, Cowboys, Foles, 49ers
As rumblings about a potential Rams move to Los Angeles persist, the city of St. Louis and the state of Missouri are taking a proactive approach to attempt to keep the franchise in the midwest. As Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com details, Missouri governor Jay Nixon spoke to reporters on a conference call today to discuss the city’s and state’s plan to keep the Rams. According to Nixon, former Anheuser Busch president Dave Peacock and local attorney Bob Blitz have been appointed to spend the next two months putting together options for the city’s next stadium solution. The team’s current lease on the Edward Jones Dome expires at season’s end.
“Make no mistake about it, St. Louis is an NFL city,” Nixon said. “Being an NFL city is a matter of civic and state pride and one of international significance. An NFL team in St. Louis sends a clear signal that this city is a worldwide player and sets it in a special class when it comes to a competitive, global marketplace. The economic impact of the Rams team in St. Louis extends long beyond Sunday afternoon and sends a clear signal that this city is a worldwide player.”
Here are a few more Wednesday items from across the NFC:
- Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant, who hired Roc Nation Sports to represent him as he approaches free agency, will be repped by CAA’s Tom Condon and Roc Nation’s Kim Miale, tweets Liz Mullen of the SportsBusiness Journal.
- Appearing on The Ticket KTCK-AM 1310 in Dallas, TheMMQB.com’s Peter King suggested he thinks running back Adrian Peterson will play for the Cowboys at some point. While he stressed that he doesn’t have any inside info, King said that he’s always viewed it as a likely scenario, even before “Jerry [Jones] had that silly flirtation with him last year” (link via the Dallas Morning News).
- Following up on a report suggesting that the Eagles were souring on Nick Foles even before his injury, Howard Eskin of 94WIP (Twitter link) says he spoke with multiple team sources and was told the Eagles never discussed making a change to Mark Sanchez prior to Foles going down with a broken collarbone. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily contradict yesterday’s report, which seemed to suggest the club was considering longer-term alternatives to Foles, rather than a short-term change.
- Although running back Marcus Lattimore never played a game for the 49ers, the team paid him his full salary during his two years on the non-football-injury list, and won’t try to recoup any of his $300K signing bonus, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). According to Rapoport, Lattimore will also seek payment on his $1.7MM disability policy, and has a “great chance” of receiving that.
Marcus Lattimore Announces Retirement
After taking a couple days to mull over his decision, 49ers running back Marcus Lattimore has decided to end his NFL career, the team announced today in a press release. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com had reported earlier this week that Lattimore was expected to retire due to ongoing knee issues.
“This was a very difficult decision for Marcus and it was clear after speaking with him that he had put a lot of thought into it,” said 49ers general manager Trent Baalke in a statement. “He is a high-character young man who has done everything asked of him and more during his time with us and we have a great deal of respect for the strength and commitment he showed throughout the rehab process. It has been a pleasure to have Marcus as a member of our team and our community and we are confident that he will be very successful in whichever path he chooses to take in life. We look forward to supporting Marcus and wish him nothing but the best.”
Lattimore, who turned 23 last week, never appeared in a regular season NFL game, having been sidelined by injuries since being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Niners. This season, he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, and only began practicing last week, at which point he experienced some soreness and was forced to decide whether or not to continue his comeback.
“I have given every ounce of my energy toward making a full recovery from my knee injury, and I have made a lot of progress,” Lattimore said in his own statement. “Unfortunately, getting my knee fully back to the level the NFL demands has proven to be insurmountable. I am grateful for the entire 49ers organization. Their decision to draft me was the realization of a lifelong dream to be an NFL player, and I cannot thank them enough for believing in me and for doing everything in their power to assist in my recovery. I will always be a 49er!”
49ers Extend Kendall Hunter Through 2015
WEDNESDAY, 12:16pm: Hunter’s deal includes $200K in up-front guaranteed money, and has a max value of $1.75MM for next season, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com.
MONDAY, 4:34pm: As one of their injured running backs contemplates whether or not to continue his NFL career, the 49ers have locked up another injured back to a contract extension. The Niners announced today that they’ve signed Kendall Hunter, who is currently on injured reserve, to a one-year extension that will keep him under team control for the 2015 season.
Hunter, who had been entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2014, tore his ACL during training camp, wiping out his season. However, he had played well as Frank Gore‘s backup during his first three years in San Francisco, totaling 1,202 rushing yards on just 262 carries, good for an average of 4.6 yards per carry. He also added seven touchdowns, reaching the end zone multiple times in each of his three seasons.
Having drafted Carlos Hyde this past spring, the Niners will have Hyde and Hunter under contract for 2015 at the very least. Gore’s future with the team is up in the air, as he’s eligible for unrestricted free agency at season’s end, and 2013 draftee Marcus Lattimore is reportedly leaning toward ending his comeback attempt and retiring, though he has yet to officially announce a decision.
NFC West Notes: Brooks, Smith, Seahawks
49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio doesn’t put much stock into a recent report that San Francisco almost dealt linebacker Ahmad Brooks to the Browns before last week’s trade deadline, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “It was never mentioned to me before the trade deadline ended and I would think that if there was any seriousness going on along those ways that [general manager] Trent [Baalke] would have mentioned it to me,” Fangio told KNBR in San Francisco. “And he never did. So I think those reports are way out of line.” Fangio’s reasoning is valid, but I outlined in the link above why the idea of the Niners shopping Brooks wouldn’t be too far-fetched. Here’s more from the NFC West.
- 49ers pass-rusher Aldon Smith‘s suspension won’t be reduced (as was rumored), according to Ed Werder of ESPN, meaning Smith will be allowed to return to the field on November 16 against the Giants. The linebacker, who was banned for the first nine games of the season, should provide a nice boost to a 4-4 San Francisco team.
- The Seahawks worked out several players today, report Adam Caplan of ESPN (several Twitter links) and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), who identify receivers Austin Pettis, Arrelious Benn, Tim Benford, and Michael Preston, and quarterback Brad Sorensen as the players who auditioned for Seattle. Pettis is a former Rams third-round pick who was waived two weeks ago, while Benn, a second-round pick in 2010, has played for the Buccaneers and Eagles.
- Missouri governor Jay Nixon will hold a media conference call tomorrow to discuss the Rams’ stadium situation and how to keep the team in St. Louis, writes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Amid rumors of the franchise moving to Los Angeles, Nixon’s comments should shed some light on the state’s commitment to retaining the team.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
We’ll round up the latest practice squad signings and cuts from around the league right here, with the most recent moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Seahawks continue to shuffle through the members of their practice squad, as Condotta reports (Twitter link) that the club has cut tight end Brett Brackett.
- Safety Adrian Phillips has cleared waivers and rejoined the Chargers‘ practice squad, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter).
- The Saints have filled their practice squad by signing running back Tauren Poole and officially confirming the addition of fullback Michael Zordich, tweets Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Seahawks have signed safety Dion Bailey to their taxi squad, while Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets that the club dropped receiver Chris Matthews to make room for Bailey.
Earlier updates:
- Wideout Jalen Saunders, who was drafted in the fourth round this year by the Jets and has also spent time with the Cardinals, has signed to the Seahawks‘ practice squad, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
- The Bills have cut wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt from their taxi squad, replacing him with cornerback Rod Sweeting, the club confirmed in a press release. Sweeting was just released from the division-rival Dolphins’ practice squad a week ago.
- After losing safety Jordan Kovacs to Miami, the Eagles have signed running back Kenjon Barner to fill the final spot on their practice squad, the team announced today (Twitter link). Philadelphia traded for Barner this summer, but cut him when reducing the active roster from 75 players to 53.
- Cornerback Chance Casey has been added to the 49ers‘ practice squad, filling the 10th and final open spot, per Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).
- Washington has released tackle Terren Jones from its practice squad, leaving three openings on the unit, the team announced today (Twitter link).