Redskins’ Bruce Allen On Firing Jay Gruden
Jay Gruden is out as the Redskins’ head coach. On Monday afternoon, president Bruce Allen discussed Gruden’s firing with the press and said that Gruden’s firing is “not for cause” – in other words, the team will not try to escape it’s financial obligations with Gruden by citing the recently circulated video of him allegedly smoking marijuana or anything else pertaining to off-the-field matters.
Here’s a look at more highlights from Allen’s presser.
Allen on why Gruden was fired
“It was necessary. Our 0-5 start is not just disappointing. We had much different expectations for the beginning of the season.”
Allen on why the team selected Bill Callahan as its interim head coach
“Under Bill’s leadership, the programs he’s going to put in, the discipline and execution, we believe we’re giving him the best opportunity to beat the Miami Dolphins, and the rest of the year.”
Allen on whether first-round pick Dwayne Haskins will take over as the team’s starting quarterback
“It’ll be up to Coach Callahan who plays at any position, the same way it was up to Coach Gruden who’s going to play. We’re thrilled to have Dwayne here. We think his future is really bright. Whatever gives Coach Callahan the formula for success [is], I’m sure he’s going to do.”
Allen on the team’s much-maligned culture
“The culture is actually pretty damn good.”
Redskins Fire Jay Gruden
The Redskins have officially fired head coach Jay Gruden. In the interim, offensive line/assistant head coach Bill Callahan will take over the operation, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
“Through the first five games of the 2019 season, the team has clearly not performed up to expectations, and we all share in that responsibility,” the team said, via press release. “Moving forward we are committed to doing all that we can collectively as an organization to turn things around and give our Redskins fans and alumni a team they can be proud of in 2019 and beyond.”
Last week, we heard another round of reports indicating a rift between Gruden and the organization, specifically as it pertains to first-round pick Dwayne Haskins. Reportedly, owner Dan Snyder & Co. drove the selection of the Ohio State quarterback – Gruden did not want him. This year, Gruden refused to start Haskins, citing his lack of NFL readiness.
Of course, Gruden’s recent off-the-field controversy didn’t help matters either. Days ago, a video surfaced in which Gruden appears to be smoking marijuana with a young woman. The Redskins declined to comment on the viral video, but it has been speculated that the Redskins leaked these year-old videos, so they could fire Gruden “with cause”, helping to ease potential financial ramifications of a firing. It’s reminiscent of circumstances leading up to the firing of GM Scot McCloughan.
Gruden also addressed recent comments by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, where Smith stated that Gruden had quit on his team.
“I heard about that one. That one is far from the truth. Those are fighting words for me,” Gruden said. “That’s one thing I will never do or have done in my life. I work extremely hard, getting up early as hell and working late and doing the best I can to get ourselves a victory this week. I have a lot of respect for everyone in this locker room and the last thing I would do to these players is quit on them because I know they’re not going to quit on me.”
The Redskins are 0-5, but it’s fair to wonder whether this is truly the fault of Gruden. The Redskins were not necessarily built to win in 2019 and the club’s constant discord is clearly holding the franchise back.
Callahan, 63, is a highly-respected figure in the NFL. Sometime during or after the Redskins’ press conference at 1pm ET, we’ll learn whether Callahan will garner consideration for the permanent post.
Callahan took over for Jon Gruden as the Raiders head coach in 2002 and held the post through 2003, before he was fired. After going 4-12 as Oakland’s head coach in ’03, he served as Nebraska’s HC for four years.
GMs Expecting Active Trade Deadline
The NFL has experienced a dramatic rise in significant trades over the past several years, and there may be a few noteworthy swaps going down this month as we get closer to the October 29 trade deadline. Indeed, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says there is a sense among general managers that we may see more trades in advance of this year’s deadline than ever before, largely because there is a larger gulf between pretenders and contenders than in seasons past (indeed, there are still six winless teams, which is the highest number at this point in the season since the 1970 merger).
La Canfora says the teams most actively laying groundwork for potential deals are the Saints, Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs, Patriots, and Seahawks. Of course, a number of those clubs have already been pursuing Jacksonville CB Jalen Ramsey, and the Saints, Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs are casting a wide net for cornerback upgrades.
One of this year’s still-winless clubs, the Broncos, are reportedly more open to moving veteran pieces than they were last year, as La Canfora writes in a separate piece, with Derek Wolfe, Chris Harris, and Emmanuel Sanders all generating interest. Wolfe could make sense for Baltimore, and the Saints are expected to renew their pursuit of Sanders. Even Von Miller could be on the block, per La Canfora, especially since all of his major bonuses and guarantees have already been paid. Miller, 30, is reportedly open to a change of scenery at this point, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network says the Broncos will not trade him (video link). However, the other players mentioned above could be available if Denver continues to scuffle.
But while Denver may be willing to talk shop, rival GMs are skeptical that the 0-4 Bengals, led by old-school owner Mike Brown, will be amenable to moving big-name vets despite their fading fortunes. La Canfora’s sources say Cincinnati could net a first-round pick for WR A.J. Green if the acquiring club is able to work out a new contract with him as a condition of the trade (and if Green recovers from his foot injury soon). The Patriots and Saints could make a push for Green or Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert, and Cincy could also swing deals for players like Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap if the club is willing to listen to offers.
Like fellow winless outfits Denver and Cincinnati, the Jets could be active in shopping veteran players in advance of the deadline. La Canfora specifically names Kelechi Osemele and Leonard Williams as players who could be on the move, though he says there has been no trade chatter surrounding Le’Veon Bell at this point.
Finally, though the 0-4 Redskins have been steadfastly refusing to trade Trent Williams, some believe that the team will relent at some point and will ship Williams to a contender in need of O-line help.
Redskins To Start Colt McCoy Vs. Patriots
Dwayne Haskins will have to wait at least a little while longer. On Friday, head coach Jay Gruden announced that Colt McCoy will get the start against the Patriots, rather than first-round rookie Dwayne Haskins or veteran Case Keenum.
[RELATED: Gruden Didn’t Want Haskins]
Keenum has been slowed by a foot injury and Haskins didn’t look ready for primetime in his NFL debut against the Giants. Enter McCoy, a known commodity in Washington who is coming back from multiple leg surgeries.
McCoy took all the first-team reps in practice this week, and Gruden is not exactly in love with Haskins, so this does not come as a shock. By far the longest-tenured quarterback on Washington’s roster, McCoy has been a Redskins backup throughout Gruden’s five-plus-season stay.
Following Alex Smith‘s November 2019 injury, McCoy was given the call. However, midway through his second start, he suffered a broken leg that required months of rehab. The former third-round pick made four starts in 2014 but sat behind Kirk Cousins and Smith until the latter’s gruesome injury. Six Redskins passers have seen action since Cousins’ 2018 free agency defection.
This will mark a third straight week in which the Patriots are tasked with defending a backup quarterback. They faced the Jets’ Luke Falk in Week 3 and, in a tight game against the Bills, ran into Matt Barkley after Josh Allen was knocked out of last week’s contest. The Pats have allowed one offensive touchdown all season.
Redskins’ Jay Gruden Didn’t Want Dwayne Haskins
In April, the Redskins selected Dwayne Haskins with the No. 15 overall pick. However, he wasn’t necessarily the selection of head coach Jay Gruden, a person with knowledge of the coach’s thinking tells Les Carpenter of the Washington Post. 
Haskins started just 14 games at Ohio State and Redskins coaches do not feel that he is ready to play. He did see some time in the Redskins’ losing effort to the Giants, but Gruden & Co. do not want to give him a full baptism by fire.
This isn’t the first we’ve heard of Gruden’s distaste for Haskins, or his preference for another QB. Earlier this year, it was reported that Gruden actually wanted Daniel Jones, who went No. 6 overall to the Giants. The G-Men have won two straight games with Jones leading the way. The Redskins, meanwhile, are 0-4.
Gruden, meanwhile, seems tired of the debate on whether the rookie should be starting ahead of Case Keenum or Colt McCoy.
“No matter what we do with him, we’re going to be wrong,” Gruden said, sarcastically, this week, “So, it really doesn’t matter.”
As of this writing, the Redskins have yet to decide on their starter for Sunday’s game against the Patriots. No matter what, it’s safe to say that Haskins will be a part of the team’s plans beyond 2019. The same cannot be said for Gruden, who is winless in 2019 and possibly at odds with owner Dan Snyder.
Jordan Reed Not Going On IR
The Cowboys will face a tough test against the Packers on Sunday when they square off against one of the NFL’s best defenses, but a key piece of their offense will be returning just in time. Wide receiver Michael Gallup, who missed Dallas’ previous two games with a knee injury, is expected to play against Green Bay, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). A second-year pass-catcher out of Colorado State, Gallup got off to a hot start in 2019, catching 13 passes for 226 yards in the Cowboys’ first two games of the year.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Gallup isn’t the only offensive contributor that will make it onto the field for the Cowboys: right tackle La’el Collins, currently battling a back injury, will play against the Packers, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports. While Collins hasn’t missed any game action, he has been absent from practice this week. Left tackle Tyron Smith is expected to miss Dallas’ contest against Green Bay with an ankle issue, so Collins’ presence becomes all the more critical. Veteran backup Cameron Fleming will take over for Smith on the blindside.
- Injured reserve is not in consideration for Redskins tight end Jordan Reed, head coach Jay Gruden told reporters, including Kareem Copeland of the Washington Post (Twitter link). Reed has suffered a number of concussions throughout his career and is currently dealing with yet another brain injury. Earlier this year, reports indicated that his career could even be in jeopardy given his repeated brain trauma. Reed is not expected to play in Week 5 and there’s no timetable for his return, but Washington apparently isn’t willing to give up his season just yet.
- A domestic violence complaint and a restraining order against former Giants safety Kamrin Moore were both vacated earlier this year after a judge determined allegations against Moore could not be substantiated, but charges against the now-free agent defender have not yet been dropped, as Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com writes. Moore is adamant he was falsely accused and now believes the Union County prosecutor’s office is delaying the dropping of his charges out of “embarrassment.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/19
Today’s practice squad updates:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DL Miles Brown
- Released: RB Justin Davis
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR Trenton Irwin
Houston Texans
- Released: LB Wyatt Ray
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Will Holden
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Travis Vornkahl
NFL Workout Updates: 10/2/19
Today’s workout updates:
Carolina Panthers
- WR Anthony Ratliff-Williams (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Detroit Lions
- LS Andrew DePaola (via Wilson)
Green Bay Packers
- LB Brady Sheldon (via Wilson)
Los Angeles Chargers
- K Elliott Fry, K Cody Parkey (via Howard Balzer)
Washington Redskins
- T Paul Adams, T Victor Salako, T Travis Vornkahl, T Nate Wozniak; C Keegan Render (via Balzer)
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/19
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Ventell Bryant
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: DB Marcell Harris
- Released: DB Antone Exum
Washington Redskins
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Cam Sims
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/19
Today’s practice squad updates:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Tyron Johnson
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: S Josh Jones
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Jerell Adams
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: OL Tyree St. Louis
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Kelvin McKnight
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: QB Taryn Christion
- Released: TE Alize Mack
Washington Redskins
- Signed: WR Darvin Kidsy