NFC West Notes: Harbaugh, McDonald, Palmer
Seth Wickersham of ESPN The Magazine attempted to delve into the psyche and unusual methods of 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh. Despite his immense success, Harbaugh may be grating on some in the locker room and the front office and Wickersham’s entertaining read gives some insight as to why that might be. Here’s more out of the NFC West..
- San Jose investigators have forwarded their findings about 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald‘s August arrest to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office, as Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee writes. The 49ers have allowed McDonald to play despite the allegations against him but reports indicate that they will sever ties if his account of the event differ from what is unearthed by local authorities.
- Carson Palmer suffered a setback last week that resulted in him seeking a second opinion on the damaged nerve in his right shoulder. However, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, the Cardinals aren’t currently considering placing the veteran quarterback on injured reserve, even with the designation to return.
- The Rams are working out former Southern Utah kicker/punter Brock Miller, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
West Notes: Raiders, Gruden, Harbaugh, Cards
After today’s press conference announcing Tony Sparano as the Raiders‘ new interim coach, owner Mark Davis stuck around for an informal Q&A with reporters, including Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News. When asked if GM Reggie McKenzie will hire the next coach, Davis responded, “Well, we’ll see. We might’ve already hired him.” Meanwhile, Davis dodged questions about McKenzie’s own job security. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC West..
- Davis has tried to lure Jon Gruden back to the Raiders in the past, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The owner has previously offered significant money and power within the organization but it wasn’t enough to reel him in.
- Amidst speculation that some 49ers players don’t want to play for coach Jim Harbaugh, offensive lineman Jonathan Martin offered up his support, writes Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. “He’s the best coach I’ve ever been around,” said Martin, who also played for Harbaugh at Stanford. “Even though he might be cheesy at times with slogans and sayings, his enthusiasm rubs off on players and his record speaks for itself.”
- After being released from the Cardinals‘ practice squad, running back Chris Rainey signed with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Last week, the Seahawks bumped wide receiver Phil Bates‘ practice squad salary from $6,300 to $7,300 per week, according to Brian McIntyre (on Twitter).
NFC West Notes: Harbaugh, Sanders, Miller
Why should Joe Namath have all the fun? Last night, Deion Sanders took an opportunity to spark a controversy with his former team. Without giving specific details, NFL Network analyst said he is hearing the 49ers players no longer want to play for coach Jim Harbaugh, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. “They want him out,” Sanders said Sunday night after a recap of the 49ers’ 26-21 victory over the Eagles. “They’re not on the same page.” Maiocco notes that Sanders is particularly close to wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who is in the final year of his original six-year contract. More on Deion and other items from the NFC West..
- Sanders took to Twitter earlier today to deny that Crabtree was his source. “To many that this may concern @KingCrab15 is not my source. My sources [sic] wears uniforms,suits and ties. #Truth“
- Meanwhile, Harbaugh didn’t mince words in his response, as Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com tweets. “Personally I think that’s a bunch of crap,” said the coach.
- Seahawks tight end Zach Miller underwent an ankle procedure last week, multiple sources told Ross Jones of FOXSports.com. Miller is expected to be sidelined with the injury an extended period of time but he can’t be placed on the IR-DTR since that spot was already taken by cornerback Jeremy Lane. Miller should be out five to six weeks, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter) hears. Meanwhile, Chris Mortensen of ESPN (on Twitter) hears he’ll miss just two games after the bye.
- Rather than cutting linebacker Heath Farwell after he tore both groin muscles in the preseason, the Seahawks opted to keep him on injured reserve so that he could collect a decent salary and contribute as an unofficial coach, writes Gregg Bell of The News Tribune. “Yeah, that’s something I’ve never heard of a team doing,” Farwell said. “It’s pretty cool that they care about me that much, that they want me to be around here. It means a lot to me, it really does. I’ve been in this league for 10 years. I’ve talked to many guys, been around this league for a long time. And I’ve never heard of a team doing this for a player.”
Injury Updates: Sunday
Chargers‘ starting cornerback Shareece Wright left the matchup against the Jaguars with a knee injury, reports Michael Gehlken of the U-T San Diego. The team believes Wright may have sprained his MCL, but hopes no damage has been done to his ACL. He will have an MRI on Monday to confirm the injury.
Gehlken notes that Wright is in the final year of his rookie contract, which could hurt his free agency if he misses a huge chunk of the season. 2014 first-round pick Jason Verrett was inactive for the game.
Here are some other injury-related news to look out for:
- Bills‘ defensive tackle Kyle Williams was not with the team in the locker room after the game, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). The team has reported that he suffered a knee injury in the loss against the Texans.
- Falcons‘ safety William Moore was forced to leave the game against the Vikings with a shoulder injury, and will not be able to return, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
- The 49ers have already suffered a number of injuries in their matchup against the Eagles. Two of the most notable are the losses of Anthony Davis and Vernon Davis. Anthony has been ruled out for the game with a knee injury, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter) and Vernon will not return with a back injury, reports Can Inman of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).
- Texans‘ receiver Andre Johnson had to leave the win over the Bills early due to an ankle injury, but says the injury is not serious, according to Adam Wexler of CSNHouston.com (via Twitter).
- Raiders‘ quarterback Derek Carr left the loss to the Dolphins in London with knee and ankle injuries, reports Jerry McDonald of InsideBayArea.com. The team is reaching its bye, and does not have a game next week.
Extra Points: Cutler, Harbaugh, Raiders
U.S. District Judge David Doty has been the arbiter of NFL labor matters for more than two decades but on Friday he recused himself from ruling on a dispute between NFL owners and the NFLPA over an alleged secret salary cap, writes Steve Karnowski of The Associated Press. The NFL Players Association alleges the league enforced a secret $123MM salary cap per club in 2010 when there was supposed to be no cap. In that year, the Cowboys and Redskins spent as though there was no cap but found themselves penalized anyway. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, the league probably wishes that Doty was still overseeing the trial. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Some have questioned the Bears‘ decision to give Jay Cutler a contract that averages $18.1MM per year, but two NFL scouts told Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette that Chicago made the right call. “If you don’t want to pay (Cutler), that’s fine,” one scout said. “Don’t pay him. But who are you going to play? You going to play (backup Jimmy) Clausen? You going to play Tim Tebow? What are you going to do? That’s the reality.”
- Speculation looms about the University of Michigan going after 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, but sources tell Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter) that they actually prefer Ravens coach John Harbaugh at this point.
- The authority that runs the O.co Coliseum is nearing a decision to hire former Republican lawmaker Guy Houston to be its next executive director, hoping to inject new leadership into the negotiations to keep the Raiders and A’s in town and build new ballparks, several people with close knowledge of the talks tell Matt O’Brien of the Bay Area News Group.
Latest On 49ers, Ray McDonald
If charges are ever filed against 49ers defensive tackle Ray McDonald on an alleged assault of his fiancee, the team is prepared to discipline McDonald with a suspension or even the termination of his contract, sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. However, that remains a significant “if.”
McDonald was set to go to court tomorrow, but the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office announced a postponement just days ago. No new court date has been scheduled yet and that won’t occur unless charges are filed. Team president Jed York and GM Trent Baalke have been steadfast in their position that due process will be honored in McDonald’s case, but a league source tells Mortensen that does not mean carte blanche. If any damaging information or facts are documented by the investigation and charges are filed, the 49ers would immediately re-visit their position.
Two weeks ago, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that SF would cut McDonald if he was found to be untruthful in his account of the incident. For now, McDonald remains with the team as his fourth start of the year is underway.
Latest On Domestic Violence
Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL sent a memo to all 32 franchises earlier today, regarding the recent advances the league has made in its reactions to domestic violence among NFL players. Earlier, we passed along the highlights via the Twitter posts of Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman. For those interested in reading the full memo, they can access it here, courtesy of Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
Here are some other updates about ongoing domestic violence issues:
- 49ers‘ defensive tackle Ray McDonald will not be charged with domestic violence this Monday, as the hearing has been cancelled by the prosecution, reports Tracey Kaplan of the Mercury News (via Twitter). She writes that no new court date will be set “unless or until charges are filed.”
- The district attorney reportedly had no case to evaluate on Monday, according to Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today Sports. She writes that the police has declined to release any reports on McDonald other than the brief synopsis that originally surfaced.
- Every NFL game this weekend will feature a public service announcement on domestic violence from the NO MORE anti-domestic violence and sexual assault campaign, reports Jones. The total value of the ads in terms of commercial time is approximately $3MM.
NFL PR Notes: Goodell, Redskins, Incognito
It seems that as of late the NFL has not been able to escape controversy. One thing after another has come up to humiliate and embarrass the league.
Here are a few notes surrounding some of the controversies the NFL has had to deal with:
- Saints‘ All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees has been very critical of the way NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reacted to recent transgressions made by players and team personnel. Much like the punishments the Saints were forced to endure after the bounty scandal, Brees sees the NFL’s abuse of power to be unfair, reports Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “Too many times, I’d say especially over the last few years, a punishment’s been handed down and nobody has really seen the evidence except for those in the league office – supposedly,” Brees said. “So decisions were made in kind of a, ‘Hey, trust us.’ But did the public see any of the facts? Did the accused see any of the facts? In most cases, no.”
- Former Ravens‘ running back Ray Rice has hired Peter Ginsberg as representation for his upcoming appeal, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Ginsberg had previously represented NFL players such as Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, and Jonathan Vilma in their suspension appeals with the league. Florio’s source feels that Ginsberg will push for Rice’s case to be heard by the September 30 deadline or the suspension be overturned.
- The assistant district attorney in 49ers‘ defensive tackle Ray McDonald case is still without the official report, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Without that report, chances are increased that the court date will have to be pushed back.
- In the CBS Thursday Night Football commercials for the upcoming Giants versus the Redskins matchup, the word “Redskins” is conspicuously missing, reports Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. While big blue is referred to as “the Giants”, the Redskins are referred to as “Washington.”
- Classic Comedy Central animated comedy South Park focused its season premiere on the Redskins’ name controversy. Timothy Burke of Deadspin.com has compiled highlights from the episode, that featured parodies of a number of NFL characters.
- The Patriots‘ are having offensive line problems after trading All-Pro guard Logan Mankins, but they aren’t desperate enough to reach out to disgraced former Dolphin Richie Incognito, according to Andy Gresh on CSNNE.com. “He’s the ultimate last resort,” said Gresh. “There are other teams with o-line issues. He’s gotten a few calls, but no one has signed the guy yet. So I do think the temperature in the league might be a part of it. But he’s out there and no one has said, ‘I’ll deal with it because he’s a good enough player.'”
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
Here’s the latest practice squad news from around the NFL..
- The Jaguars have re-signed two players to their practice squad in receiver Kerry Taylor and tight end Marcel Jensen, reports John Oehser of the O-Zone (via Twitter). The team has waived tight end Michael Egnew and linebacker Marcus Whitfield to make room for the new additions.
- The Cardinals have re-signed punter Drew Butler to the practice squad, reports Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter). They have released defensive tackle Christian Tupou to make room for Butler.
- The Jets are continuing to upgrade their cornerback position, signing LeQuan Lewis to the 53-man roster from their practice squad, reports Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). Another cornerback, Marcus Williams, took Lewis’ spot on the practice squad, reports Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter).
Earlier Updates:
- The 49ers re-signed tight end Asante Cleveland to the practice squad, according to CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Barrows (on Twitter).
- The Saints signed center Alex Parsons to their practice squad and released guard Antoine McClain to make room, according to Ramon Antonio Vargas of The Advocate (on Twitter).
- The Giants announced that they have added former Raiders wide receiver Juron Criner to their practice squad, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter). To make room, they have released fellow wide receiver L’Damian Washington.
- The Buccaneers have filled their practice squad openings by adding fullback/tight end Ian Thompson, linebacker Shayne Skov, and defensive end T.J. Fatinkun, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (on Twitter). Skov was expected to sign with Tampa Bay following a successful workout.
- The Titans announced on Twitter that they have added quarterback Brad Sorensen to their practice squad and released cornerback Ri’Shard Anderson to make room.
Minor Moves: Saturday
We’ll keep tabs on all of Saturday’s NFL transactions here, with the latest moves at the top…
- The Lions have cut veteran wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter). The move opened up room for practice squad cornerback Mohammed Seisay, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- The Raiders have signed linebacker Bojay Filomeatu from their practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- The 49ers have promoted tight end Asante Cleveland to their active roster, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). The team released quarterback Josh Johnson to make room.
- The Dolphins have signed safety Brandian Ross from their practice squad to the active roster, reports James Walker of ESPN (via Twitter). They released defensive lineman Bruce Gaston to make room.
- The Ravens have cut wide receiver Deonte Thompson, and signed running back Fitzgerald Toussaint from their practice squad, according to the team’s official Twitter page.
Earlier updates:
- The Vikings announced that they have signed wide receiver Charles Johnson from the Browns practice squad. Johnson will take Adrian Peterson‘s spot on the roster.
- The Lions will sign cornerback Mohammed Seisay from their practice squad, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer tweets that the Panthers have promoted running back Darrin Reaves from their practice squad to take Greg Hardy‘s roster spot.
- The Cowboys announced (via Twitter) that the team has waived defensive end Lavar Edwards and signed linebacker Keith Smith from the practice squad. Edwards, a former fourth-round pick, was acquired from the Titans in late August. He’s only played 15 snaps in two games this season. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com tweets that the release does not void the trade with Tennessee, noting that the Cowboys have to give up a seventh-rounder if Edwards stays on the roster for ten games. However, Archer also notes that Edwards will likely be back.
- The Jaguars have signed wide receiver Kerry Taylor from their practice squad, the team announced. To make room, the team waived rookie safety Craig Loston. Taylor has 22 career receptions for 229 yards and one touchdown. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that Taylor is injury-insurance for wideouts Cecil Shorts and Allen Hurns.