Will Fuller Suspended Six Games For PEDs
Huge news out of Houston, as star receiver Will Fuller has been suspended for six games for violating the league’s policy on PEDs, he announced on Instagram.
“Earlier this year, I sought treatment from a medical professional who prescribed medication that he believed to be permitted under the NFL’s drug policy. As it turns out, my trust in this professional was misplaced because this medication was NOT a permitted substance under the NFL Policy on Performance Enhancing Substances. As a result of this mistake, I have been suspended for six games for taking this prohibited medication. I want to sincerely apologize to the Texans organization and all of my fans for this mistake. I am looking forward to putting this all behind me and returning better than ever in 2021,” he wrote in the caption.
It’s a devastating blow for a Texans team that had started to pick up some steam recently after Bill O’Brien was fired. They’ve won three of their last four games, but it’s going to be hard to keep that momentum going without Fuller in the lineup. The speedster had been having a career year, with 53 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games after the trade of DeAndre Hopkins.
It also complicates things personally for Fuller, as he’s slated to be a free agent at the end of the year. It’s quite possible he’s played his last down in Houston. Assuming there’s not more to this story it shouldn’t effect the money he’ll get too much, as he’s expected to be one of the most sought after free agents on the market. That being said, whether it’s with the Texans or another team, he’ll have to sit out the first game of the 2021 season.
The 21st pick of the 2016 draft, Fuller struggled with injuries in his first few years in the league, tearing an ACL in 2018 among other ailments. He was finally on track to play a full 16-game season for the first time before this ban hit. This will now be the fourth straight year that he plays in 11 games or fewer.
Randall Cobb is on injured reserve and the team just cut Kenny Stills, leaving them suddenly very thin at receiver. Deshaun Watson just can’t catch a break, and Brandin Cooks should see very heavy volume moving forward. It’ll be very interesting to see what kind of contract Fuller lands come March. The Notre Dame product will turn 27 in April.
Packers To Sign Tavon Austin
Tavon Austin is back in the league. The Packers will be signing the veteran wide receiver, a source told Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Austin signed with the 49ers back in August, but was placed on injured reserve before the season started. He was released from IR last month, and has been a free agent ever since. Green Bay isn’t super deep at wideout beyond Davante Adams, so this is a flyer that can’t really hurt. That being said, Austin has been used more as a gadget player and returner than a true receiver in recent years.
The eighth overall pick of the 2013 draft, Austin spent his first five seasons with the Rams. Current Packers coach Matt LaFleur was his offensive coordinator with the Rams for the 2017 season, so there’s some familiarity here. He never came close to living up to his draft status, but Austin had some electric moments with the Rams due to his speed.
He’s got big play ability, although at 30 now he’s probably not quite as explosive as he used to be. Austin spent the past two seasons with Dallas, and caught 13 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown last year. He also returned punts for the Cowboys and Rams, and it’s possible he’ll reprise that role in Green Bay. We don’t know the terms yet, although it’s fairly safe to assume he didn’t get any significant money.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/29/20
We’ll keep track of the latest practice squad moves here:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: QB Kevin Hogan
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Brooks Reed
Broncos, Garett Bolles Agree On Extension
Garett Bolles‘ contract-year emergence will transform him from a scrutinized player to the Broncos’ long-term left tackle. The Broncos announced Saturday they agreed to terms on a new deal for their breakout blocker.
It’s a four-year, $68MM deal for Bolles, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This news comes days after Bolles indicated he wanted to stay in Denver beyond his rookie contract, though no known negotiations had transpired.
Bolles is not the NFL’s highest-paid tackle, at $17MM per year, but he now becomes its sixth-best-compensated tackle. This represents one of the most stunning contract-year developments in recent NFL history.
The 2017 first-round pick led the NFL in holding penalties by a wide margin from 2017-19 and entered this year’s training camp in a battle to keep his job. The Broncos did not pick up Bolles’ fifth-year option in May, but after 10 strong games as one of the best left tackles in the game this season, the franchise has changed its line of thinking.
Going into Week 12, Bolles grades as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 overall tackle. He has not allowed a sack this season, despite the Broncos having used three starting quarterbacks. The 28-year-old blocker has become Denver’s first long-term tackle starter since Ryan Clady and followed the former All-Pro in signing a Broncos extension. Denver has used a different right tackle starter in Week 1 of every season since 2013, but Bolles — his struggles from 2017-19 notwithstanding — has started every game since he arrived out of Utah three years ago. The Broncos already have right tackle Ja’Wuan James — a 2020 opt-out after missing most of last season — signed to a big-ticket deal.
This deal doubles as the Broncos’ first major extension for a draftee selected since Super Bowl 50. Denver kept 2016 third-rounder Justin Simmons around via franchise tag but had not previously come to a notable extension agreement with a player chosen since its February 2016 victory parade.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: DL Zach Allen
- Promoted: TE Evan Baylis, DL Michael Dogbe, RB D.J. Foster, DL Stacy McGee CB Jace Whittaker
- Placed on IR: TE Darrell Daniels, DL Josh Mauro
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: RB Tony Brooks-James
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed to active roster: CB Jalen Davis
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OL B.J. Finney, WR Auden Tate
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: OG Michael Dunn, DT Joey Ivie, DE Cameron Malveaux
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: LB De’Jon Harris, RB Mike Weber
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: DT Kameron Cline, C Joey Hunt, DE Cassius Marsh, DT Rob Windsor
- Activated from IR: WR Ashton Dulin
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on IR: G Andrew Norwell
- Promoted: CB Josh Nurse, WR Trey Quinn, RB Craig Reynolds, K Aldrick Rosas
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Marcus Kemp
- Waived: DB Tedric Thompson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: LB B.J. Bello, LB Cole Christiansen, DT Breiden Fehoko
- Waived: DE Jessie Lemonier
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: QB Reid Sinnett
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LS Andrew DePaola, TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Activated from IR: OT Justin Herron
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: WR Austin Carr, OL Will Clapp, DT Ryan Glasgow
New York Giants
- Activated from IR: K Graham Gano
New York Jets
- Promoted: OL Jimmy Murray
- Placed on IR: LB Patrick Onwuasor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: G Sua Opeta
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: LB Jack Cichy
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Vita Vea; Vea is also on Tampa Bay’s IR
- Promoted: CB Herb Miller, OL John Molchon
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: P Brett Kern, CB Tye Smith
- Promoted: LB William Compton, LS Matt Overton, LB Tuzar Skipper
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DB Chris Jackson
Ravens Place 6 More On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Ravens now have 20 players on their reserve/COVID-19 list. A day after practice squad tackle Will Holden‘s positive COVID-19 test, Baltimore now has nearly a third of its active-roster/P-squad players on the coronavirus list.
Slot corner Tavon Young (already on IR), edge rusher Jaylon Ferguson, guard D.J. Fluker, rookie defensive back Khalil Dorsey and rookie defensive lineman Broderick Washington joined Holden and 14 others on the team’s virus list Saturday.
Beyond Holden, it is not known if any of the other players involved in these latest COVID-related roster moves tested positive for COVID-19. But the timing of Holden’s positive test could make each of the four additional non-IR players included here unavailable for Tuesday’s game against the Steelers. Should the Ravens’ virus list expand much further, the NFL will have to postpone this game beyond Week 12.
The league has pushed this game back twice already. A third time would almost certainly mean triggering one of the two contingency plans. A makeup Week 18 window is believed to be the league’s Plan B, with Plan C being the 16-team playoff bracket that would stem from canceled regular-season games. Plan C going into effect would mean the first unbalanced NFL regular season (in terms of games played) since 1935.
Chargers Activate Austin Ekeler
Justin Herbert may have a key weapon back at his disposal Sunday in Buffalo. The Chargers activated Austin Ekeler on Saturday.
The recently extended back has been out since Week 4 because of a hamstring tear. The Bolts went from an Ekeler-Melvin Gordon backfield to one that has mostly featured lower-end investments this season. While Herbert has still emerged as the Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite, he has been without a proven running back for most of his rookie slate.
The Chargers recently placed Justin Jackson on IR and have gone with former Dolphins and Jets castoff Kalen Ballage in recent weeks. Ballage figures to take a backseat, should Ekeler suit up against the Bills on Sunday.
Last season, Ekeler finished seven yards shy of a 1,000-yard receiving season. The former UDFA parlayed that into a four-year, $24MM extension, with the Chargers moving on from Gordon and installing his former backup as their backfield centerpiece. Ekeler’s severe hamstring ailment in early October stalled the franchise’s plan, but the fourth-year runner is soon set to re-emerge.
Bills Place John Brown On IR, Promote Jake Kumerow
Injury issues have interfered with John Brown building on his strong 2019 season. His second Bills slate has included missed games and will now feature at least three more absences.
The Bills are placing Brown on IR. An ankle malady forced Brown to come out of Week 10’s Bills-Cardinals game. Brown already dealt with a knee injury this season, one that forced him to miss two games. He is now guaranteed to be out until at least Week 15.
Buffalo will promote wide receiver Jake Kumerow from its practice squad. After news of his season-ending injury, Cody Ford will join Brown on IR. The Bills are also promoting linebacker Darron Lee from their practice squad. Lee landed in Buffalo earlier this season.
When on the field, Brown has been fairly productive this season. The former Cardinals and Ravens deep threat has four 70-plus-yard games this season. The Bills signed Brown to a three-year, $27MM deal, and the accord preceded the ex-Division II superstar’s second 1,000-yard season as a pro. Brown, 30, caught 72 passes for 1,060 yards and six TDs in 2019, helping foster Josh Allen‘s development.
While Brown has taken an expected backseat to Stefon Diggs this season, he still represents a key component of Buffalo’s passing game. His IR placement will require Cole Beasley and rookie Gabriel Davis to play bigger roles.
Colts Place Jonathan Taylor On Reserve/COVID-19 List
Jonathan Taylor will not play for the Colts on Sunday. The AFC South leaders placed the rookie running back on their reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday.
Taylor is not believed to have submitted a positive coronavirus test, but his girlfriend tested positive after an out-of-town trip, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Taylor has been in quarantine since Friday. NFL protocols mandate players who come in contact with a COVID-positive person must isolate for five days. Were Taylor to test positive, he would be sidelined at least 10 days.
The Colts will face the Titans without their leading rusher or starting center, having declared Ryan Kelly out with a neck injury. Kelly, who has not missed a start since the 2018 season, did not practice this week.
As for Indianapolis’ backfield, it will rely on holdovers Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins. The third-year backs have been effective at times this season, though none of Indianapolis’ backs is averaging more than four yards per carry. Hines scored twice against the Titans in the teams’ previous meeting. Taylor, however, leads the Colts with 135 carries for 518 yards and four TDs.
Colts, DT Grover Stewart Agree On Extension
Months after authorizing a monster extension for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, the Colts have identified another D-tackle they want to keep long-term.
They agreed to an extension with contract-year interior lineman Grover Stewart on Saturday, Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star reports. It’s a three-year, $30.75MM deal.
Stewart has started alongside Buckner this season and has been a Colts first-stringer since last year. He was one of GM Chris Ballard‘s first draft picks, going to Indianapolis in the 2017 fourth round. The Colts now have Stewart and Buckner signed through at least 2023. Upon being acquired from San Francisco, Buckner signed a four-year, $84MM deal in March.
The Colts have used Stewart, 27, at nose tackle this season. While that is not a statistically friendly role, Stewart has made 36 tackles (four for loss) and grades as a top-40 interior defender this season — per Pro Football Focus. He has helped the Colts become a top-five defense. Indianapolis’ defense ranks third against the run and fourth against the pass, taking a major step forward after a down 2019.
Ballard and Co. have made Stewart a key priority; he is the first of the Ballard-era defensive draftees to receive a major extension. Others, like Darius Leonard, will follow. But for now, the Colts have taken care of a player that has helped make Leonard’s dominance possible.