East Notes: Patriots, Jets, Murray
The head of the FCC says the agency will consider a petition to ban the Redskins nickname from the public airwaves, Tom Wheeler of The Associated Press writes. Wheeler, who did not offer a timetable for a ruling, has previously said he finds the name “offensive and derogatory,” but that he hoped owner Dan Snyder would change it without any formal action. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..
- The Patriots should have done more this offseason, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The Pats had space to work with this offseason and while they made some moves, like adding Darrelle Revis, they didn’t address all of their holes. Volin also thinks the Pats should have used a higher pick on a guard or center, especially if they knew they’d be trading Logan Mankins down the line.
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is universally respected, but as a GM, he has come up short, writes Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d). Sando notes that the receivers New England has drafted over the past five years have combined to catch 52 passes for 727 yards and four touchdowns in 27 games with the Patriots. No team in the league has gotten fewer games or receptions from the receivers it has drafted since 2010.
- It’s too early to evaluate the Jets‘ 2014 draft class, but now that four of those 12 picks are no longer on the roster, it does not look good, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. With two rookies on IR and one on the taxi squad, that leave just five actually playing this season. Of those five only safety Calvin Pryor is starting and he has had little impact so far.
- Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com (on Twitter) doesn’t envision the Cowboys extending running back DeMarco Murray‘s contract. If Murray finishes the season without injury, he writes, maybe the Cowboys will take care of him, but that’s far from certain. Murray has had an amazing start to the 2014 season be he has yet to play a full season since entering the league.
Extra Points: Suh, Rice, Dwyer, Cardinals
In the face of reports over the weekend indicating that Ndamukong Suh wants out of Detroit, the Lions are refusing to talk about it, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I’m not going to even go there,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “And the big thing is, I do think that we just played a heck of a football game and I think that’s what’s important. These guys played well, did a great job and we just hope we continue to get them better, got a big one next week.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Suh and the Lions “are preparing” to part ways after the season and that the Pro Bowl defensive tackle is intrigued by the idea of playing in the New York market. More from around the NFL..
- The NFLPA has informed player reps in a memo that the NFL has agreed to bring in a neutral arbitrator for the Ray Rice appeal, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The two sides have traded names on who that arbitrator should be, but there’s no final choice yet. The NFLPA is hoping that this will set a precedent for future cases.
- Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been formally charged with assaulting his wife during two arguments in July, according to The Associated Press. Of course, the day after his arrest, Arizona placed Dwyer on the reserve/non-football illness list, meaning he can’t play for the team again this season.
- Cardinals defensive lineman Tommy Kelly told Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com that he saw the writing on the wall at the end of his stint with the Patriots. “I saw the situation and I realized I probably wouldn’t be there,” Kelly said. “I couldn’t take busting my tail every day getting to a game and them taking me out of the game for someone who I know isn’t better than me, because he’s a cheaper option. Are we worried about money here? Or are we worried about winning?”
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.
Extra Points: Goodell, Gordon, Streater, Bears
The NFLPA has the NFL in a vulnerable spot, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The union currently has no real power in personal conduct cases, but if Roger Goodell wants the NFLPA to work with him, he’ll have to give up some of that power. Right now, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith appears to be playing some chess with Goodell and Florio writes that if he wants a real victory, he shouldn’t bend at all given the position Goodell is in. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- With one more strike under the new drug program, Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon faces banishment. Some may be worried that Gordon won’t stay on the straight and narrow upon his return, but receivers coach Mike McDaniel isn’t concerned, writes Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. “Without a doubt (he understands it),” said McDaniel. “There’s no question in my mind. Now, do I think originally he understood the ramifications of his actions before he ever had a slip-up? Probably not, but it happens as it goes. That’s one thing I’ve really been taken aback by is how much responsibility he’s definitely taking and he needs to continue to take. But he’s definitely taking (it) on himself. It doesn’t sit well with him that he’s in this situation.”
- Rod Streater‘s agent indicated that the wide receiver will be back in a matter of weeks, but Raiders coach Dennis Allen says it’s too early to know if he’ll be back this season, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- The Bears worked out five safeties when they brought in linebacker Darryl Sharpton yesterday, tweets Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. Those safeties were former Viking Jamarca Sanford, Shamiel Gary, Kimario McFadden, Pierre Warren, and Anthony Walters, who was with the team last year.
- The Panthers tried out former Browns running back/fullback Chris Ogbonnaya, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports (on Twitter). The Panthers’ backfield could use some reinforcements with Mike Tolbert on the IR-DTR and injuries to Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams.
Extra Points: Pitta, Ravens, 49ers, Tedford
To the surprise of some, Redskins lineman Chris Baker won’t be suspended for his hit on Eagles quarterback Nick Foles on Sunday, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post. “Baker didn’t do anything wrong with that hit,” NFL’s executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent said. “When you look at the rule, he didn’t do anything illegal. People can say it’s a cheap shot and you can talk about whether it might fall under unsportsmanlike conduct. But when you know the rule and you look at the play, he didn’t hit him in the head. He didn’t hit him in the neck. We looked at it. I looked at it very closely. He’s not going to be fined for that.” Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Dennis Pitta‘s hip surgery was “successful,” a Ravens source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The tight end’s season is over after his unfortunate injury on Sunday.
- Multiple teams called to set up tryouts when Deonte Thompson cleared waivers but he was already in the process of re-signing with the Ravens, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
- Former 49ers linebacker Shayne Skov was in Tampa today where the Buccaneers are eying him for their practice squad, tweets Matt Barrows of CSNBayArea.com.
- Buccaneers offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford is taking an indefinite leave due to his medical situation, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Tedford underwent a coronary angioplasty prior to the season and had two stents placed in an artery near his heart.
Extra Points: Hall, Pryor, Ravens, Rambo
Now that his season is over prematurely, Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall will focus on making his younger teammates better, writes Zac Boyer of The Washington Times. “I was just trying to coach them up — just trying to let them know, ‘Now is the time,’” Hall said. “It’s their time to go out there and make plays. We need them. We need them now more than ever.” Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..
- The Buccaneers worked out quarterback Terrelle Pryor but they did not sign him, tweets Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Bay Tribune. There may not be a match with Pryor, but he won’t be the last quarterback Tampa Bay looks at. Pryor was cut by the Seahawks in late August and even though the Rams showed some interest, nothing came of that. The Bucs also worked out wide receivers Juron Criner and Louis Murphy, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (on Twitter).
- Ravens coach John Harbaugh says his club plans to bolster the tight end position, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Baltimore look out-of-house after losing Dennis Pitta for the season.
- The Bears worked out three defensive backs on Saturday: Bacarri Rambo, former Seahawks safety Dion Bailey, and Bryan McCann, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Rambo, a sixth-round pick in the 2013 draft, was waived by the Redskins last week. He was expendable for Washington since Brandon Meriweather is back from his two-game suspension. Tight end Ryan Otten was also in the workout, Biggs tweets.
- The Dolphins tried out tight ends Brandon Barden and Konrad Reuland, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (on Twitter).
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NFC Notes: Murray, Lewis, Hocker, Vikings
If DeMarco Murray wants to discuss his next contract, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones is all ears, writes Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News.
“We certainly wouldn’t be against that,” Jones said Monday on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “Long term, we’ve told DeMarco that we’d love to have him here. At the end of the day, it’s no different than Dez [Bryant], we want to keep our good players and DeMarco is one of them. I think I said something to that effect in camp. He’s a guy that we would like to see stay here long term. He’s certainly only increased our desire to have him stay.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFL this Monday:
- Former Bills’ quarterback Thaddeus Lewis tried out for the Rams on Monday, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Lewis started five games for the Bills in 2013, and spent time with the Rams, Browns, and Lions before that.
- Former Arkansas kicker Zach Hocker visited the Redskins, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
- In the thick of the Adrian Peterson controversy, one of the Vikings‘ major sponsors, the Radisson Hotel suspended their sponsorship of the team, reports the Associated Press in USA Today. “We are closely following the situation and effective immediately, Radisson is suspending its limited sponsorship of the Minnesota Vikings while we evaluate the facts and circumstances,” the company said in a statement.
Extra Points: Murray, Gresham, Mays
Cowboys star running back DeMarco Murray continues to say that he’s not worried about his next contract, as Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News writes. “It is a business, so you can’t get [upset] over things like that,” Murray said. “You got to have thick skin, I would say. Like I’ve said before, I love being here. I love playing with 9, 82 and 88. I love playing for Coach Garrett and this organization as a whole, so it’s something I’ll continue to strive for, continue to work hard for. Hopefully it happens. We’ll see.” More from around the NFL..
- Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham said that he likes it in Cincy and while he wants to stay long term, he’s not worried at all about being in his contract year, tweets Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer. The tight end says he’s focused only on getting better and making his coaches happy (link). “[We] never got into a contract thing, really. I don’t know how things go. Right now they got me signed so I’m happy.”
- The recovery time for Chiefs inside linebacker Joe Mays is eight to ten weeks, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Mays, who will undergo wrist surgery and has been placed on the IR with a designation to return, should be able to begin practicing in mid-to-late October.
- Former Dolphins offensive line coach Jim Turner is anxious to get back into the NFL and has launched his own investigation to counter the Wells report, writes Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. “Coach Turner is a good man and a great coach with an excellent reputation among his players,” the report states in its conclusion. “It would be wrong for that reputation to be unfairly tarnished by the events leading up to and following Martin’s departure from the Dolphins. During those difficult times Coach Turner was, as he has been throughout his career, a caring and supportive colleague to the people with whom he worked.”
- Before cutting Leon McFadden this afternoon, Jets coach Rex Ryan told reporters that he was “disappointed” that there were practice squad and lower-end players blowing assignments in practice, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.