49ers Waive Demarcus Dobbs
The 49ers have released defensive end Demarcus Dobbs, a league source tells Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). Because the trade deadline has passed, all players are subject to waivers, so Dobbs will have to go unclaimed before he’s free to sign with any team.
Dobbs, who received a $1.431MM RFA tender from the Niners in the offseason, doesn’t see a ton of action for the team on defense, but has played 79 defensive snaps this year, and also contributes on special teams. His release is a little surprising, considering he’s not a minimum salary player.
The move leaves San Francisco with an open roster spot for now, which could suggest that defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey is prepared to come off the injured reserve list. Dorsey was placed on IR with the designation to return prior to Week 1, so he’s eligible to be activated, and has been practicing with the club.
Outside linebacker Aldon Smith is also due back for the Niners soon, with just one game left on his nine-game suspension. There were whispers that Smith’s ban could be reduced by a week or two, but with no announcement on that front yet, it appears that he’ll have to serve the entire penalty.
NFC Notes: Lattimore, Weeden, Newton
Let’s take a look at the latest from the NFC:
- If Marcus Lattimore retires as expected, he should be able to collect on a $1.7MM insurance policy, Lattimore’s agent tells Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. The 49ers running back took out the policy during his junior year at South Carolina. Per Rovell, a standard disability policy for an athlete allows for a player to play no more than four games before deciding whether to act on the policy. Lattimore hasn’t played a single game since being drafted in the fourth round last year.
- The Cowboys decided to release veteran Kyle Orton during the offseason and roll with Brandon Weeden as their backup quarterback, and although Weeden played poorly on Sunday against the Cardinals, owner Jerry Jones doesn’t regret his choice. “I don’t second guess that at all because we lost games with those experienced quarterbacks, with the quarterbacks that were more experienced,” Jones told Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “As a matter of fact we got knocked out of the playoffs with the more experienced quarterback (Orton) last year, and so I think it’s all relevant.”
- ESPN.com’s David Newton examines whether the Panthers should act urgently in locking up Cam Newton to a long-term deal. For his part, Newton could afford to wait until next year to begin negotiations, as his current level of play doesn’t warrant the type of contract that Colin Kaepernick or Andy Dalton received, writes Newton.
- Washington head coach Jay Gruden told reporters, including Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com, that the club intends to activate receiver Leonard Hankerson from the PUP list this week. Hankerson, who’s averaged 34 receptions and 459 yards over the past two seasons, would presumably slot in behind DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Andre Roberts as Washington’s fourth receiver.
- The Patriots released defensive tackle Tommy Kelly just prior to the start of the season, which allowed the veteran to latch on with the Cardinals. He’s played well, and one Arizona assistant is glad New England decided to part ways with the 33-year-old. “Tell Bill (Belichick) I said, ‘Thank you,’ “ defensive line coach Brentson Buckner told Michael Silver of NFL.com. “Kelly’s been great for us. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Marcus Lattimore Expected To Retire
9:02am: Per Rapoport (Twitter link), Lattimore will meet with doctors today to figure out the reason for his knee soreness, with a decision on his future likely to follow. The running back isn’t believed to have suffered any structural damage to his knee last week during practice, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
8:37am: 49ers running back Marcus Lattimore is expected to retire from the NFL due to ongoing knee issues, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Caplan’s source doesn’t appear to be Lattimore’s agent, Michael Perrett, who tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that “no decision has been made” yet on his client’s future, but confirms that the running back is weighing his options.
Lattimore, who turned 23 last week, has yet to make his NFL debut, 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 this past week. If Lattimore continues his comeback attempt, the team would have until November 19 to activate him or place him on season-ending injured reserve.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com had written yesterday that Lattimore would be “taking some time” to contemplate his future and decide whether to continue trying to get on the field. Lattimore practiced on Wednesday and Thursday last week, two years after suffering his second significant knee injury during his final year at South Carolina. However, he experienced some soreness and was held out of Friday’s session, prompting a source to tell Maiocco that the running back’s future was “up in the air.”
Whether Lattimore finalizes his decision to retire or takes one more shot at getting back on the field, we can probably expect some sort of official announcement in the near future.
49ers Shopped Ahmad Brooks
We heard last week that the 49ers could consider trading second-year linebacker Corey Lemonier, but according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports (via Twitter), San Francisco was actually shopping a different defender — outside ‘backer Ahmad Brooks. Per Glazer, the Browns were interested in acquiring the 30-year-old, but trade discussions ultimately fell through.
Brooks, a Virginia product, has been with the Niners since 2008. He was originally selected by the Bengals in the third round of the 2006 draft. In 84 games with San Francisco, Brooks has accrued 36 sacks, 184 tackles, and three interceptions. He’s having a subpar season in 2014, as Pro Football Focus (subscription required) grades him as the second-worst 3-4 outside linebacker in the league among 46 qualifiers, and rates him last in pass-rush productivity.
As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee writes, it makes sense that the 49ers would look to trade Brooks. The veteran is set to earn more than $19MM in base salaries over the next three seasons, and is due roster bonuses totaling more than $2.5MM. The club has Aaron Lynch and Dan Skuta, each of whom has garnered better PFF grades than Brooks, available to play OLB, with the aforementioned Lemonier behind them. Most notably, Aldon Smith will return from suspension next week, adding yet another pass-rushing element to the Niners’ front seven. Combine these factors with Brooks’ declining play, and it’s not surprising the team tried to move him.
For their part, the Browns were probably looking at Brooks as a half-year rental; I doubt they’d be interested in paying his large base salaries for any of the next three seasons, and they likely would have cut him before his 2015 $1.2MM roster bonus was due. Still, if the draft pick compensation San Francisco wanted was reasonable enough, Brooks could have been a nice addition to a Cleveland linebacking corps that includes Karlos Dansby, Paul Kruger, and Barkevious Mingo.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are today’s minor transactions, with the most recent updates added to the top of the list…
- Wideout Bryan Walters has been cut by the Seahawks, who have promoted practice squad safety Terrance Parks to take his place on the roster, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. As Condotta observes (Twitter links), the move adds depth at safety with a couple players ailing, and leaves Seattle with five active receivers.
- The Lions have released safety Jerome Couplin and tight end Jordan Thompson, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). One of those roster spots would likely go to Kyle Van Noy who is set to return to action next week. The other could go to a defensive tackle, with Nick Fairley set to miss this Sunday’s game.
- The Chargers have released running back Shaun Draughn, reports Michael Gehlken of the U-T San Diego (via Twitter). The team signed safety Adrian Phillips into that roster spot.
Earlier updates:
- The 49ers have promoted cornerback Leon McFadden to their active roster, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).
- The Cardinals have promoted running back Kerwynn Williams to the active roster, reports Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. To make room on the roster, the team parted ways with defensive tackle Bruce Gaston. Urban notes that Gaston could return to the team next week.
- The Jets have promoted quarterback Matt Simms and cut wideout Chris Owusu, tweets Aaron Wilson. Simms, the son of former Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms, is likely insurance for the Jets in case Geno Smith is unable to suit up.
- The Chiefs have promoted safety Daniel Sorensen from their practice squad, tweets Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star. To make room on the roster, the team released defensive lineman Damion Square.
- Washington will release defensive end Clifton Geathers and will activate former fourth round pick Phillip Thomas to the active roster, reports ESPN 980 Radio (confirmed by ESPN’s John Keim). Geathers has been with seven different squads since entering the league in 2010. He signed with Washington this past offseason. Thomas still hasn’t made an NFL appearance since being selected by Washington in last year’s draft.
NFC Notes: Vikes, McDonald, Sims, Schwartz
As we wait to see whether or not Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will be available this weekend for a showdown between two of the NFC’s top teams – Dallas and Arizona – let’s check out a few Friday afternoon items from across the conference….
- Since Vikings practice squad Chandler Harnish was injured in practice this week, the team has been on the lookout for a replacement. According to head coach Mike Zimmer, three signal-callers worked out for the club today, though he didn’t identify the players by name, per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter links).
- Tracey Kaplan of the San Jose Mercury News was among those reporting that Santa Clara County prosecutors are leaning against charging 49ers defensive lineman Ray McDonald with domestic violence. However, while the District Attorney’s office may be leaning that way, the DA announced today that no decision has been made yet, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
- Players who went on the IR list with the designation to return prior to Week 1 are eligible to be activated for this weekend’s contests, and while Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that Buccaneers running back Charles Sims figures to come off IR tomorrow, Giants guard Geoff Schwartz won’t be activated for at least one more week, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Caplan adds (via Twitter) that the Bucs appear likely to promote defensive tackle Matthew Masifilo from their practice squad as well.
- While it doesn’t appear likely to happen, head coach Ron Rivera believes Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy should be reinstated by the NFL if his trial is postponed until after the season, as ESPN.com’s David Newton details.
- Given the multiple ACL injuries suffered by quarterback Sam Bradford and tackle Jake Long, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wonders whether the Rams will be able to count on either player for the 2015 season.
Returning Impact Players For Contenders
The NFL’s second half is getting underway this week, and it’s not too early to point to specific games as crucial for playoff positioning, as teams jockey for divisions and Wild Card openings. Last night’s contest between the Saints and Panthers, for instance, could ultimately have a real impact on which team wins the NFC South.
As we near the home stretch of the 2014 season, several teams could get a boost from returning players who have been sidelined for most or all of the year. These players won’t necessarily swing playoff races, but their teams will certainly welcome them back with open arms as a way of fortifying rosters that may be plagued by various injuries and ailments.
Listed below are a handful of players worth keeping an eye on during the season’s second half. These players are on track to return from longer-term injuries or suspensions, and could have an impact down the stretch, perhaps helping to buoy their respective teams into postseason berths. While the returns of other players, like Cincinnati’s A.J. Green, will also obviously be massive for their respective teams, shorter-term absences like Green’s aren’t noted here.
Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Eifert (TE)
Green’s return may have a more significant impact on the Bengals’ offense, but Eifert shouldn’t be overlooked. The young tight end was expected to take on a larger role this season, and had already caught three balls in the team’s Week 1 contest before he suffered a dislocated elbow. Since he received the designation to return when he was placed on IR, Eifert is eligible to practice now and is expected to be activated for the club’s Week 11 game against the Saints.
Cleveland Browns: Josh Gordon (WR)
The Browns currently sit in last place in the competitive AFC North, so it’s fair to question whether they’re a legit contender. Still, at 4-3, they’re right on the heels of the division-leading 4-2-1 Bengals, and with a soft schedule and the 2013’s leading receiver due back soon, there’s reason for optimism in Cleveland. Taking into account the Browns’ bye, Gordon’s 10-game ban means he’s eligible to return for Week 12, and it’ll be interesting to see what Brian Hoyer – or, perhaps, Johnny Manziel – can do during the season’s final six weeks with a weapon like Gordon at his disposal.
Dallas Cowboys: Demarcus Lawrence (DE/OLB)
We’ve yet to see what Lawrence is capable of at the NFL level, since the first half of his rookie season has been wiped out by a broken foot. But this is a player for whom the Cowboys traded up to No. 34 in May’s draft, and the team is looking forward to getting him back this weekend. Dallas’ defense has been surprisingly effective so far, but it certainly hasn’t been infallible, and a player like Lawrence will help fortify the team’s pass rush. It’s also worth monitoring defensive tackle Josh Brent, whose 10-game ban will soon expire — Brent may not see a ton of snaps right away, but the fact that the Cowboys have stuck with him indicates he remains very much in the team’s plans.
Detroit Lions: Kyle Van Noy (LB)
Like Lawrence, Van Noy is an early second-round pick who we’ve yet to see play in a regular season game. Of course, the Lions’ defense has been so effective that the team can afford to ease Van Noy in slowly if it so chooses, but this is a player who was initially penciled in as a three-down starter during the preseason. While he may not receive that kind of workload when he returns this weekend, I expect he’ll become a bigger part of Detroit’s D by December.
Philadelphia Eagles: Jason Kelce (C), Evan Mathis (G)
Eagles fans and LeSean McCoy‘s fantasy owners alike will welcome the return of this standout duo of interior offensive linemen. Kelce appears ready to return to action this weekend, while Mathis is expected to be activated for the following week, which is great news for an offensive line that has been shorthanded virtually all season. Assuming Kelce and Mathis are both healthy and remain as effective as ever, McCoy should start finding a few more holes and Nick Foles may be a little more comfortable in the pocket.
San Diego Chargers: Melvin Ingram (LB), Ryan Mathews (RB), Manti Te’o (LB)
Few – if any – teams have been hit harder this season by injuries than the Chargers, but reinforcements are on the way. In addition to players like Brandon Flowers and Jeremiah Attaochu being on the mend, the trio noted here is recovering well from longer-term injuries. Ingram, Mathews, and Te’o have each been sidelined since at least Week 3, but if all goes well, all three players could be back in action again following the club’s Week 10 bye.
San Francisco 49ers: NaVorro Bowman (LB), Aldon Smith (LB)
Heading into the season, many pundits viewed the Niners as a candidate to fall out of the postseason this year in large part due to the extended absences of Bowman and Smith. The team has hung in there so far though, and should finally be getting their standout linebackers back in November. Even if Smith’s nine-game ban isn’t reduced by a game or two, a rumor which appears increasingly unlikely, he’ll be eligible to return for the Niners’ Week 11 contest against the Giants, and I’d expect Bowman to be back a week or two after that. With December showdowns against the Seahawks, Chargers, and Cardinals on tap, San Francisco could be getting two of its best defenders back just in time to affect the playoff picture.
Extra Points: Bradshaw, Brown, Cameron, Smith
Colts‘ running back Ahmad Bradshaw is in his second season with the team, but still feels the pain after being released from the Giants after the 2012 season, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. “It didn’t take me long to get over it,” said Bradshaw. “But it hurt me because I felt that was my family, that I was a big part of that time and I still felt I had a lot of football left.” Bradshaw, along with Hakeem Nicks, will return to MetLife Stadium for the first time since leaving the team.
- The NFL has lifted the suspension of another former Giant, free agent running back Andre Brown, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Brown received an eight-game ban prior to the season, so even though he hasn’t been on a roster since then, he has been reinstated after eight weeks.
- The Browns are planning to be without star tight end Jordan Cameron for a while, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. With three concussions in a two-year span, the team expects him to miss at least two games.
- Jets‘ quarterback Geno Smith might have lost his starting job, but he will not be content being regulated to the bench permanently, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. “I don’t think this is the last of me playing,” Smith said. Cimini writes that the best way to salvage the season would be to salvage Smith.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com wrote that while Jeremy Maclin has already proven to teams he is worth a big contract in free agency, there are a number of players who need a strong second half to justify a high level deal. Among the players at the top of that list are Ravens‘ receiver Torrey Smith, 49ers‘ receiver Michael Crabtree, and Giants‘ defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Poll: Will Seahawks, Niners Make Playoffs?
We’re approximately at the halfway point of the 2014 season, and while there have been plenty of surprises around the league, one of the most interesting subplots have surfaced in the NFC West, where the 6-1 Cardinals have a two-game lead over the 49ers and the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, both of whom are 4-3.
Because at least one club has to represent the underachieving NFC South, and the East and North each feature two strong contenders, the Seahawks and Niners would both be left on the outside looking in if the postseason were to begin today. Of course, with nine games still to come, including some against the Cardinals, each team will have a chance to go on a run and earn a postseason berth.
The Seahawks, who were viewed as the Super Bowl favorite coming into the season, have the opportunity to go on a winning streak over the next few weeks, with three of their next four games at home, including contests against the Raiders and Giants. But reports about locker room discontent have swirled around the team all season, even following the unexpected departure of Percy Harvin, and the club certainly isn’t playing like the team that blew out the Broncos nearly nine months ago.
As for the Niners, who have appeared in the last three NFC Championship games, the team is expected to welcome back key defenders like Aldon Smith and perhaps NaVorro Bowman within the next few weeks. However, San Francisco’s offense has struggled with its consistency, and the team has looming road games in New Orleans and Seattle, as well as tough home tests against the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Chargers.
What do you think? Will the Seahawks and/or Niners mount a second-half charge and make the playoffs? Will a current contender, whether it’s the Cardinals, Cowboys, Eagles, Lions, or Packers, fall off and let either Seattle or San Francisco sneak in? Weigh in below, and feel free to expand on your vote in the comments section.
Will the Seahawks and 49ers make the playoffs?
-
The Seahawks will; the 49ers won't 42% (147)
-
The 49ers will; the Seahawks won't 25% (87)
-
Both teams will 24% (84)
-
Neither team will 10% (34)
Total votes: 352
NFC Notes: Eagles, Aldon Smith, Cards
The Eagles were cited as a potential suitor for a safety prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline, but they didn’t trade for anyone to replace Nate Allen because they have confidence in his ability to bounce back, as Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
“I watch every play Nate had. Nate had a very good game. He had one bad play,” defensive coordinator Bill Davis said. “Over and over again, Nate was in the right spot, the right leverage, making the plays, and at the end of the game he had one bad play. The spotlight is on you, and that’s part of being in the secondary, but Nate has thick skin, and we as a defense, collectively, blew it at the end.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Don’t expect an announcement on a reduced suspension for 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith today, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The chances of Smith playing on Sunday are diminishing, but he could be in line for a return in the following week. That means the linebacker probably won’t be available for SF’s divisional game against the Rams but he could be back in action for the following week at New Orleans.
- With lots of talk and little action before this year’s trade deadline, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has a simple solution to make things more active. “It’s not like if it were four more weeks, you might be out of it, and you might trade a guy that’s in the last year of his contract and you’re not going to get anything for,” Arians said on SiriusXM, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “But right now they’re still hoping in 25 cities or 28 cities that they’re going to the playoffs. I would like to see the trade deadline go back a little bit.“
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk checks in on Adrian Peterson, writing that the Vikings running back’s career outlook remains murky.
- While Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley will get a second opinion on his knee injury on Friday or early next week, he’s not expected to undergo surgery and should be sidelined for about a month, tweets Rapoport.
Zach Links contributed to this post.