Week In Review News & Rumors

A look back at some of the NFL’s biggest stories from the past week:

Clemson WR Justyn Ross Out For Season: NFL scouts have been drooling over the potential of Clemson’s Justyn Ross, one of the top receivers in the 2021 draft class. The early projections had him as a top 10 or 15 pick, but a troubling diagnosis has ruled out his 2020 season and put his football future in jeopardy. On Friday, Ross went under the knife to help correct the abnormal fusion of two bones in his neck.

Devonta Freeman‘s dragging market: Former Falcons star Devonta Freeman says he’s going to wait for the right deal. So far, he hasn’t gotten an offer to his liking, but he maintains that “a number” of teams have interest in signing him. Last week, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said that he would have interest in signing Freeman if his asking price was in the right ballpark. The Jets and Eagles have also considered Freeman, but he lost a suitor when he rejected the Seahawks’ one-year, $3MM offer – they’ve since filled their RB need by signing Carlos Hyde.

Ditto for Jadeveon Clowney: The Browns’ $12MM offer wasn’t good enough for Jadeveon Clowney, but he might not have much in the way of alternative options. The Jets do not have serious interest in the former No. 1 overall pick, and the same reportedly goes for the Giants and Eagles.

Jets Hoping To Pull Kyle Long Out Of Retirement?: According to one report, the Jets have reached out to former Bears Pro Bowler Kyle Long to gauge his interest in returning to the field. Meanwhile, the retired veteran guard claims that he has not heard from Gang Green.

Coaching Staffs Permitted To Return To Facilities: Last week, coaches were given the greenlight to return to team facilities. The NFL was giving some thought to staging minicamp in June, but that does not appear to be part of the plan at this time. For now, the league is focusing on the start of training camp in July.

A look back at some of the NFL’s biggest stories from the past week:

Giants’ DeAndre Baker, Seahawks’ Quinton Dunbar Arrested For Armed Robbery: Baker and Dunbar, two high-profile cornerbacks, were allegedly involved in a disturbing incident at an illegal dice game on the evening of May 13. According to the arrest warrants, Baker held participants at gunpoint while Dunbar looted them. Further, Baker allegedly directed a third man to shoot someone who entered the party in the midst of the robbery, though no shots were fired. Both players surrendered to police over the weekend and have been released on bond. They are both facing four counts of armed robbery with a firearm, and Baker is facing an additional four counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.

Bills’ Ed Oliver Arrested On Gun, DWI Charges: The crime blotter was not kind to the NFL this week. In addition to the Baker and Dunbar allegations — and the felony charges that Redskins WR Cody Latimer is facing — Oliver, the No. 9 overall pick of the 2019 draft, was arrested on Saturday night. A Houston citizen observed Oliver driving dangerously, which prompted police to pull him over. When they did so, they noticed an open beer container and a pistol, and Oliver failed a field sobriety test. The Buffalo D-lineman, who turned in a promising rookie campaign and who looked primed for a 2020 breakout, will forfeit his remaining $6.8MM in guarantees if he is suspended under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Team Facilities Allowed To Reopen: The league took a small but important step in its efforts to return to normalcy in the wake of COVID-19. Teams are permitted to reopen their facilities on Tuesday, May 19, provided that the state those facilities are in is not imposing lockdown measures. Players undergoing medical treatment are permitted to be at team sites, but otherwise, no players or coaches are allowed to be at facilities at this time. That will probably remain the case until all states have relaxed restrictions or until teams find alternate solutions. Certain clubs are already exploring out-of-state options for training camp, and states like Florida and Arizona may end up playing a key role in that regard. Despite some promising developments, the league is preparing for a major financial hit and perhaps a decrease in the 2021 salary cap.

Changes To The Rooney Rule May Be Forthcoming: In its efforts to promote fairness in the hiring process for minority coaches and executives, the league is considering drastic changes to the Rooney Rule. Part of those changes would see certain draft incentives for teams that hire minorities for prominent coaching/front office positions, and even teams that lose a minority coach or exec to another club would stand to receive a compensatory draft pick. Additionally, the proposed changes would scrap a team’s rights to block its assistant coaches from taking interviews for other coordinator jobs between the end of the regular season and March 1. A vote on the proposal, which many regard as a well-meaning but ultimately short-sighted gambit, will take place soon.

Aaron Rodgers Discusses His Future: After the Packers made the surprising decision to trade up for Utah State QB Jordan Love in the first round of this year’s draft, most fans and pundits knew that Rodgers would not be happy that the team — which advanced to the NFC Championship Game in 2019 — invested so heavily in his potential replacement instead of a weapon that would aid in a 2020 Super Bowl run. And Rodgers concedes that he was not thrilled about the decision, and he also noted that it may not be feasible for him to finish his career with the Packers. From a salary cap perspective, it makes the most sense for Green Bay to move on from the two-time MVP after the 2021 season if Love is ready, but the timeline is always subject to change.

A look back at some of the NFL’s biggest stories from the past week:

Rams trade Brandin Cooks to Texans: Cooks will don his fourth NFL jersey. Or, to put it another way, that’s uni for every 1,000-yard season he’s had as a pro. Cooks, who won’t turn 27 until September, will do his best to fill the shoes of DeAndre Hopkins in Houston. In a deal that has been widely panned, the Texans gave up a second-round pick to acquire Cooks and a future fourth-round choice, despite Cooks’ troubling history of concussions. Meanwhile, the second round figures to have tons of young WR talent – all for a fraction of Cooks’ cost.

The NFL Draft goes fully virtual: In accordance with travel restrictions and social distancing measures, this year’s NFL Draft will be unlike any other draft we’ve ever seen. Early on, the league planned to have executives submit picks from their respective war rooms. Now, every official will be asked to conduct the draft from their respective homes. Some league figures say they’re concerned about security and potential glitches. Meanwhile, because of the muddle draft process, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert has proposed an additional three rounds for this year’s draft. With days to go before Day 1, Colbert’s idea is unlikely to be instituted, but other aspects of the draft may still be tweaked.

Dolphins favoring Herbert over Tua?: The chatter surrounding the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa has only gotten louder and louder in recent weeks. Still, there are conflicting reports on the Dolphins intentions. Recently, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report heard that Oregon’s Justin Herbert could be Miami’s real target at No. 5. Of course, this is still smokescreen season, so everything should be taken with a grain of driveway salt.

The end of the XFL?: This time, the XFL could be finished for good. After already calling off its (re)inaugural season midway through, the XFL laid off its entire staff and shut down operations entirely. Officially, Vince McMahon‘s league has not ruled out the chance of a return, but there has been zero discussion about a reboot in 2021.

Antonio Brown hires new representation: Brown hasn’t given up hope of an NFL return. This week, the controversial wide receiver hired a new agent to help make his case to teams. At this time, Brown remains barred from playing and there has been no real momentum towards reinstatement. There’s no telling when the league office will rule on his case, but it’s safe to assume that he will not be cleared to take the field by September.

Odell Beckham Jr. wants out: Just when you thought the Browns’ 2019 season couldn’t get any more dysfunctional, reports emerged this past week that Beckham wasn’t happy in Cleveland. The star receiver allegedly wants out, and has been telling opposing players and coaches to come get him. The Browns were the subject of endless hype this offseason due to their retooled roster and new coaching staff, but things fell apart quickly and they started the year 2-6. They’ll be missing the playoffs this season, and will be dealing with a lot of drama this offseason. Beckham is under contract through the 2023 season, and it’ll be very interesting to see what happens with him this spring. Beckham has been having a disappointing season, and hasn’t been nearly the elite top option the Browns were hoping for.

Alshon Jeffery done for the year: The Eagles are still very much alive in the pitiful NFC East, but they’re going to be making their final push without a key piece of the offense. Their best receiver was placed on injured reserve after going down with a foot injury on Monday Night Football last week, and he won’t play again this season. He’ll finish 2019 having only appeared in ten games, making 43 catches for 490 yards and four touchdowns.

Giants cut Janoris Jenkins: Jenkins was waived by New York after insulting a fan on Twitter. He had also publicly blasted the coaching staff in recent weeks, and the team finally felt it was right to move on. Jenkins is capable of being a solid corner and he has a lot of starting experience, so it’ll be very interesting to see if a contender claims him on Monday. He has no guaranteed money on his deal beyond this year, so a prospective new team wouldn’t be risking much. We heard earlier this morning that he was expected to join a contender for Week 16.

Cardinals cut Terrell Suggs: Jenkins wasn’t the only veteran defender to hit the waiver wire this week, as Suggs will be joining him. After spending the first 16 years of his career with the Ravens, the pass-rusher signed with Arizona this offseason on a one-year, $7MM deal. He had been reasonably productive for the Cardinals, finishing with 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 13 games. Suggs’ waiver situation is going to be very interesting, as his team has put it out there publicly that he doesn’t want to play for any team other than Baltimore. Suggs wants to return home to finish his career as the Ravens get ready for a playoff run, but they are also last in the waiver priority list. There’s apparently at least one team other than Baltimore planning on claiming him, and it’ll be interesting to see if he changes his mind and reports.

Dolphins extend DeVante Parker: What was supposed to be a dreadful season for the Dolphins has surprisingly produced a bunch of nice moments. There have been many bright spots, and the Parker redemption arc is certainly one of them. The former first-round pick finally has begun to deliver on his potential this season, and Miami rewarded him by handing him a four-year extension worth around $40MM. He’ll get an $8MM signing bonus, and will now be under contract through the 2023 season.

Jason Garrett not getting fired imminently: Garrett was allowed to enter the final year of his deal without an extension, and his seat has been warm for a while. After an embarrassing lopsided loss to the Bills at home on Thanksgiving, there was initial speculation that could be the end. Garrett isn’t quite done yet however, as we learned that he won’t be fired during the season. Owner Jerry Jones has blasted his coaching staff recently, but he isn’t willing to make an in-season firing with the Cowboys still very much in the thick of things in the NFC East. Still, it looks like Garrett’s days are numbered unless he pulls off a miracle postseason run.

Cardinals DB Josh Shaw suspended: A completely unexpected development came on Friday, when the Cardinals defensive back was suspended for at least the rest of the season for betting on NFL games. The league’s investigation found that he didn’t use inside information, but they are still obviously treating it very seriously. Commissioner Roger Goodell took the added step of issuing a strong statement, which read in part “betting on NFL games, or on any element of a game, puts at risk the integrity of the game, damages public confidence in the NFL, and is forbidden under all circumstances.” Shaw, who started 12 games for the Bengals in 2016, has been on injured reserve since before the start of the season.

Eagles’ Lane Johnson gets paid: Philadelphia gave their starting right tackle a huge payday, inking Johnson to a four-year, $72MM extension. Johnson will get a whopping $54.595MM guaranteed, and his annual average salary makes him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Johnson’s previous deal ran through the 2021 season, so the Eagles elected to take care of him a couple of years early. Philly has made locking up their O-line a priority this season, doling out extensions to interior linemen Brandon Brooks, Jason Kelce and Isaac Seumalo as well.

Redskins could finally make change: Washington fans have been increasingly frustrated with the franchise’s direction in recent years, and it appears owner Dan Snyder might finally be willing to consider a shakeup. A report emerged that indicated front office head Bruce Allen could be on the chopping block at the end of the season. Allen was named team president back in 2014, and is extremely unpopular with the team’s fanbase. Washington fired head coach Jay Gruden earlier this season, and it looks like Snyder might allow a full tear-down.

Terrelle Pryor stabbed: A terrible story broke over the weekend, when it was reported that the free agent wideout had been stabbed in his shoulder and chest and was in critical condition. Word soon leaked that Pryor had been arrested and charged with simple assault. Fortunately Pryor has since been upgraded to stable condition, and is expected to be released from the hospital soon. He reportedly suffered artery damage, and a 24-year-old woman was arrested and charged with attempted homicide.

Colin Kaepernick has workout: Kaepernick had his highly anticipated workout over the weekend, and it didn’t go smoothly. Shortly before it was set to begin, Kaepernick announced he was pulling out and moving the workout to his own location. There were numerous points of dispute between the free agent quarterback and the league, and only eight teams ended up having scouts at his workout. That being said the actual workout seemed to go pretty well, with one exec telling Adam Schefter his arm talent was “elite.” Kaepernick’s agent said this morning that he isn’t particularly optimistic about his client getting signed.

Eagles sign Jay Ajayi: The Eagles brought back a key piece of their Super Bowl team, signing their former running back. Philly has had an inconsistent ground game the past couple of seasons, and they clearly weren’t satisfied with only having Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders. Ajayi has been productive in the past, but there have always been major concerns about his knee. He tore his left ACL last season, and it took him a while to find a new team. He was one of the biggest names left on the free agent market.

Daren Sproles out for season: The reason the Eagles likely signed Ajayi was the bad injury news they got on Sproles. The veteran change of pace back was ruled out for the rest of the season with a hip injury. After missing most of the 2018 season with a broken arm and a torn ACL, Sproles is having another season cut short. Sproles had said after last year he didn’t want to go out with an injury-ruined campaign, so maybe this will persuade him to come back for 2020. That being said, it seems likely the 36-year-old is headed toward retirement. It’ll be very interesting to see if he decided to hang them up.

Myles Garrett suspended indefinitely: You can’t talk about the past week around the NFL without mentioning the Browns/Steelers brawl. After Myles Garrett swung Mason Rudolph‘s own helmet and hit him in the head, he was suspended for at least the rest of the season and will have to meet with the commissioner to apply for reinstatement for 2020. Garrett will appeal the ban, which will be heard early this coming week. Steelers offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey was suspended three games and Browns defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi was suspended for one, while Rudolph was fined.

Eagles, Brandon Brooks agree to extension: The Ajayi move wasn’t the only major deal the Eagles made this past week. They also gave guard Brandon Brooks a massive extension that will pay him $52.4MM over four years. Brooks is now the second-highest paid guard in the league behind only the Cowboys’ Zack Martin. Brooks got $30MM guaranteed, and the Eagles have now extended each member of their interior offensive line this year.

Trent Williams saga: The drama with Williams and the Redskins took a few turns this week, and the team ended up placing the left tackle on the NFI list, ending his season. Williams blasted the team and said there was no hope of reconciliation between the two sides, and Washington elected not to pay him any of his remaining salary for 2019. Williams was placed on the NFI list because he is unable to wear a helmet without pain, stemming from surgery he had to remove a growth on his head that turned out to be cancerous. Williams contends that Redskins doctors told him the growth was just a harmless cyst, and told him not to get it removed for years. A grievance could be in the works.

Derwin James to return in Week 13: The Chargers suffered a brutal loss on Thursday Night Football against the Raiders, but they did get some good news this week. Their star safety is apparently set to return in Week 13 following the team’s bye. When James is healthy, the Chargers have one of the league’s more talented defenses. The AFC is very muddled at the moment, so Los Angeles could still be very much alive in the playoff race when James returns.

Panthers place Cam Newton on IR: The Panthers officially pulled the plug on Newton’s 2019 season, placing their longtime franchise quarterback on injured reserve. Newton was initially only expected to miss a few weeks when he was shutdown because of his foot injury, but he has been unable to relieve the pain. With Newton on the shelf, it’ll be Kyle Allen under center the rest of the way. Earlier this morning we heard that Newton was considering surgery, and that he’s likely to be traded this offseason. It’s looking like we’ve seen Newton take his last snap as a Panther.

Desean Jackson to IR: Speaking of guys getting shutdown, Jackson was placed on injured reserve as well. He could come back for a playoff run technically, but that seems unlikely. Jackson will end his Philly return campaign having just played in just one full game. He had eight catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns in that game, and the Eagles’ offense just hasn’t looked the same without him in the lineup.

Seahawks considered Antonio Brown: The Seahawks ended up claiming Josh Gordon off waivers, but they apparently considered bringing in a different big-name receiver. Earlier this week we heard that the Seahawks kicked the tires internally on adding Brown before ultimately adding Gordon. Apparently Russell Wilson was lobbying for Brown to join Seattle, which would’ve been highly entertaining if nothing else. Despite the Seahawks’ interest, the most recent report indicated that Brown isn’t going to play in 2019.

Jonah Williams to miss 2019 season. The Bengals were dealt a tough blow earlier this week, when it was announced that Jonah Williams would likely miss his entire rookie season. The offensive tackle underwent shoulder surgery that will sideline him for the 2019 campaign. “We look forward to Jonah being a major contributor in the future, and know that he won’t let this injury deter him from still being an important part of this team,” new Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. Cincinnati drafted Williams 11th overall in April, and he was supposed to be an immediate starter. With this news, the Bengals’ offensive line got a lot thinner. Cordy Glenn is now expected to kick over from left guard in his place.

Tyreek Hill meets with league investigators. The embattled Chiefs receiver had his long-awaited meeting with the NFL’s investigator this week. Hill made his case during the meeting, and it apparently went very well for him. The Chiefs apparently think that Hill will be suspended for a maximum of four games, which is a big win for him considering how things were looking earlier this offseason. We also heard that Hill is expected to attend Kansas City’s training camp next month.

Saints DT David Onyemata suspended one game. The Saints’ defensive line will be a little thin in Week 1, as Onyemata was slapped with a one-game ban stemming from his February citation for marijuana possession. Onyemata is heading into the final year of his rookie deal, and has played a pivotal role in New Orleans the past couple of seasons. Last year, he played nearly 60 percent of the defensive snaps. Sheldon Rankins tore his Achilles toward the end of last season and isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the 2019 campaign, so the Saints will be lacking for defensive tackles when they open the season against the Texans.

Eli Manning not worried about Daniel Jones. The notion that Jones could push Manning for the Giants’ starting job has been picking up steam recently, but the veteran doesn’t sound too concerned. Speaking recently at his passing academy, Manning said he doesn’t think there’s a competition between him and Jones. Manning also said that he sees a lot of his former self in the Duke product, and that he’ll do whatever he can to help his development. “I talk to Daniel and I see so many similarities in the situation and how things are going and just what he’s trying to do, his personality,” Manning said.

Tyreek Hill, Chiefs could reopen extension talks. The news that Hill could be facing only a relatively brief suspension wasn’t the only positive development for him this week. We also heard that assuming Hill comes out of the investigation relatively cleanly, which is now expected, the Chiefs could reopen extension talks with him shortly. Shortly before the allegations of child abuse first broke, we heard that the two sides had been discussing a new contract.