HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

49ers Will Cut Ray McDonald If He Has Been Untruthful

September 14th, 2014 at 4:19pm CST by Rory Parks

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on the network’s GameDay Morning program that, if 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald has not been truthful with the team in describing his version of the events that led to his arrest for suspicion of felony domestic abuse, the team will cut him (Twitter link). Rapoport indicates that the 49ers are not “hiding behind due process” and believe what McDonald has told them to this point.

That is one of the reasons that McDonald was not deactivated in advance of San Francisco’s contest against the Bears this evening. The Panthers deactivated defensive lineman Greg Hardy prior to their game against the Lions this afternoon, and California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom recently called for the 49ers to do the same with McDonald.

However, not only do the 49ers claim to believe McDonald’s side of the story, there is another significant issue that differentiates McDonald and Hardy, as Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee observes: Hardy’s case is much farther along than McDonald’s.

In July, Hardy was found guilty of assaulting and threatening his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Holder. McDonald, meanwhile, has not yet been charged. He was scheduled to make an initial appearance in court on Monday, but that hearing was postponed for two weeks as investigators continue to gather information. Ultimately, the assistant district attorney in charge of domestic abuse will review that information and determine whether charges should be filed.

If it turns out that the evidence in his case stands in contrast to what McDonald has told his team, then the next several games might be his last in a 49ers uniform.

Roger Goodell Not Likely To Be Fired Or Resign

September 14th, 2014 at 2:30pm CST by Rory Parks

In the wake of the much-publicized Ray Rice incident, which has at least invited suspicion that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell tried to cover up the recently-released footage showing Rice striking his wife in an elevator, rumblings regarding Goodell’s job security have intensified. However, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, “Numerous league sources who have had direct conversations with Goodell continue to say he never viewed the video of Rice striking his wife until it hit the Internet.” Furthermore, La Canfora adds that the league owners continue to support Goodell and “few scenarios exist whereby that would significantly change.”

One such scenario, of course, would be a finding that Goodell did indeed take part in some sort of cover up. The mere fact that Goodell did not make more of an effort to see the footage, whose existence was widely known, would not seem to be enough to diminish his support.

However, considering the blow that this ordeal has dealt to Goodell’s already uncertain public reputation, some NFL owners fear that Goodell will resign from his post. Since those owners are still firmly in Goodell’s corner, his resignation, while still highly improbable, is more likely than his being fired.

La Canfora writes that, while the investigation that the Rice video has triggered might have “strong consequences for some in NFL Security and other corridors of the NFL office,” Goodell is not likely to be one of those impacted. Even though his public approval rating might have reached its nadir, he will almost certainly remain the league commissioner long after the Rice investigation has concluded.

Week In Review: 9/7/14 – 9/14/14

September 14th, 2014 at 12:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Key News:

Extended:

Signed:

Placed On IR:

Contract Restructured:

Waived/Released:

Retired:

Other:

AFC Links: Bills Sale, Patriots, Manziel

September 14th, 2014 at 11:40am CST by Dallas Robinson

Jon Bon Jovi’s Toronto-based group came up short in its attempt to buy the Bills franchise, and one key reason was its refusal to pledge to keep the team in Buffalo, reports John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. The clan’s bid was also uncompetitive, as the Pegula family ultimately won the team with a bid of $1.4 billion. But the Toronto group always stopped short of guaranteeing to keep the franchise in Western New York. Instead, per Kryk, it used coy phrases, writing in a statement that it “remain[ed] committed to working collaboratively” to keep the club in Buffalo. The team’s trust apparently read between the lines and deduced that Bon Jovi & Co. eventually planned to relocate the team to Canada. Here’s more from the AFC:

  • Save for Tommy Kelly, no player released by the Patriots as trimmed their roster to 53 made it on to another squad, writes Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, who asserts that perhaps New England wasn’t as deep team as some thought.
  • Reiss also notes that Armond Armstead, who retired in July, received $54K from the Patriots as part of an injury settlement.
  • J.J. Watt‘s extension with the Texans, which pays the defensive end $16.5MM annually, and Richard Quinn‘s $14.25MM/year deal with the Rams sets the market for edge rusher extensions, tweets former NFL executive Ari Nissim, who notes that the next wave of deal for 2011 first-rounders will likely be in the $12-13MM range.
  • With Jordan Cameron inactive and Josh Gordon suspended, the Browns could roll a few packages centered on Johnny Manziel in Week 2, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).

NFC Notes: Hardy, Palmer, Abraham, Rams

September 14th, 2014 at 10:43am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have deactivated defensive end Greg Hardy for today’s game, reports Ed Werder of ESPN (Twitter link). Hardy is embroiled in a domestic violence case, and given the response to the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson incidents, it appears as though Carolina decided to heed public sentiment and not allow Hardy to play. The move is a little surprising, as the Panthers had insisted all week that Hardy would be active. Meanwhile, it seems the 49ers will allow Ray McDonald, also accused of domestic assault, to play tonight. Here’s more from the NFC.

  • As he continues to recover from a shoulder injury, Carson Palmer will not play in today’s game against the Giants, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Backup Drew Stanton for the Cardinals. Stanton, 30, has not attempted a pass in four years, but as Robert Raiola notes (Twitter link), Stanton has earned $12.225MM since 2011.
  • John Abraham will not make a decision on retirement until the weekend is over, reports Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. The Cardinals currently have a roster exemption for Abraham; if he doesn’t return to the team by Tuesday, he will ineligible for the rest of the year.
  • The Rams have $32.5MM tied up in players on injured reserve, tweets Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap. The Chiefs are second in that regard, at $12.7MM. In a separate piece, Fitzgerald looks at which teams have lost the most cap space to IR and dead money combined, a list that the Rams once again top.

Vikings To Address Peterson Situation Monday

September 14th, 2014 at 9:48am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Vikings plan to make a decision on Adrian Peterson‘s roster status on Monday, general manager Rick Spielman told Sal Paolantonio of ESPN (Twitter link via Palantonio’s colleague, Kevin Seifert). Following Peterson’s indictment for child abuse, Minnesota will not make a “knee-jerk decision,” per Spielman, but “all options are on the table” (link).

Peterson will not play in today’s game against the Patriots after the Vikings chose to deactivate him. But as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes, the new CBA restricts a team from continuing to deactivate a player for an ongoing period of time. Minnesota, then, has three options regarding its star running back: keep him on the roster; allow him to be present at the team’s facility and practices, but deactivate him on gamedays; or suspend him without pay.

Sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) that Peterson’s deactivation will likely last for longer than just Week 2. La Canfora reports that the NFL is not likely to take action against Peterson any time soon, even in the wake of the Ray Rice incident. Instead, the Vikings will continue to act proactively against Peterson, lessening the need for league intervention.

Peterson’s indictment could have ramifications that go beyond the current season, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While Peterson is obviously still talented, he is 29 years old, plays a devalued position, and is owed more than $43MM in base salary over the next three years. This incident could make it viable for the Vikings to release Peterson, a move that would have seemed highly unlikely just last week. But with this ugly episode hanging over Peterson’s head, Minnesota could cut him, and only see $2.4MM in dead money.

New Drug Policy To Be In Place By Week 3

September 14th, 2014 at 8:43am CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL and the NFLPA will not finalize an agreement on a new drug policy today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who reports that a deal should be in place early this week. In fact, the negotiations could be completed by as early as Monday night, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

After approving the altered policy on Friday, the union has continued to hammer out minor issues with the league — however, Rapoport tweets that the return dates of suspended players is not a point being debated. Rather, the two sides are discussing “language issues,” such as the use of neutral arbiters in the event of law violations. As La Canfora notes, lawyers for the two parties have worked on the agreement for nearly four years, so there’s a committed approach to concluding negotiations.

Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that both the NFL and the NFLPA are pleased with the final outcome of the process, and that the new agreement is “one both are proud of.” Additionally, Rapoport says (Twitter link) that Giants cornerback Jayron Hosley, who was hit with a four-game suspension in June for violating the substance-abuse policy, could see his ban dropped, making him eligible to play in Week 3.

Latest On Champ Bailey

September 13th, 2014 at 10:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

For a surefire future Hall of Famer, Champ Bailey has had a tumultuous offseason. After being released by the Broncos in March, Bailey signed a two-year deal with the Saints, only to be cut again, this time in late August. The 36-year-old cornerback worked out for the Lions on September 4 but wasn’t immediately signed; he’s garnered no other known interest. Bailey doesn’t sound like he’s ready to retire just yet, however, telling SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that “if [the Lions] call, that’s a team [he’d] really like to talk to.”

Additionally, Bailey seems amenable to moving to safety, a transition that many aging corners make in order to find work in the NFL. The change has been suggested for Bailey over the past few seasons, and while he’s previously resisted such a move, he says he’d be “open to pretty much anything (position wise) at this point” (link). Since auditioning Bailey, Detroit has worked out a multitude of other cornerbacks, suggesting it wasn’t pleased with Bailey’s workout. It’s just my speculation, but the Jets, who could use help at both corner and safety, could make sense as a landing spot for Bailey.

As evidenced by his lack of employment, Bailey struggled in 2013 — while dealing with injuries, he amassed a -2.5 grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required). However, nearly all of that negative value was due to lackluster performance in the Super Bowl. As recently as 2012, Bailey was his usual self, rating as the 10th-best CB among 113 qualifiers, per PFF. For his career, Bailey has started 212 games, racking up 52 interceptions and 812 tackles.

AFC Links: Gordon, Patriots, Moreno, Bortles

September 13th, 2014 at 9:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If Josh Gordon is allowed to play this season (as expected), he will then only be under contract through 2015, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (Twitter link). Had Gordon’s suspension been upheld, and he had been forced to sit out the entire year, his contract would have tolled, meaning the Browns would have controlled his rights through the 2016 season. Instead, Gordon will earn $1.068MM in 2015 and then hit free agency unless an extension is worked out. If his 2014 ban is reduced to ten games as reported, he will earn 7/17 of that salary (~$440K) in base salary this season. Here’s more from around the AFC.

  • Defensive lineman Kona Schwenke, who was waived from the Chiefs’ practice squad on Thursday, worked out for the Patriots today, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). At 6’4″, 303 pounds, the 22-year-old Schweneke has the size required to play in New England’s multiple defensive fronts.
  • Patriots offensive lineman Ryan Wendell has $200K in gameday active roster bonuses included in his contract — he’s already been ruled out for tomorrow’s game, meaning he will miss out on $12,500K, per Reiss (on Twitter).
  • In a piece for Athlon Sports, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News examines 10 offseason moves that look regrettable following Week 1. Atop the scribe’s list is the Broncos’ decision to let Knowshon Moreno defect to the Dolphins. Moreno reportedly didn’t receive interest from any other team besides Miami, so it’s hard to quibble with Denver’s lack of interest in retaining the veteran running back. Still, Moreno did perform well on Sunday, rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union wonders when the Jaguars should transition to rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, arguing that it should be after Jacksonville wins it first game, so that the pressure on Bortles isn’t as extreme.

NFC Notes: Quinn, Lattimore, Lions, Eagles

September 13th, 2014 at 8:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams had been discussing a long-term deal with Richard Quinn throughout the spring, and because there was no hard deadline for the talks to end, St. Louis management pushed to continue negotiations even as Week 1 came and went, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. The Rams and the 24-year-old Quinn eventually agreed to a four-year extension worth more than $66MM. For his part, Quinn weighed the potential benefits of reaching free agency against the security of guaranteed money. “You have got to take everything into account,” Quinn told Wagoner in a separate piece. “Maybe I have another monstrous year, maybe I have a mediocre year so like I said I am definitely blessed and honored for the Rams to even offer that to me…” Quinn becomes the fourth 2011 first-rounder to sign an extension, joining Patrick Peterson, Tyron Smith, and J.J. Watt. Here’s more from the NFC.

  • Marcus Lattimore, who is currently on the reserve/NFI list, could be the 49ers’ No. 3 running back during the second half of the season, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Following LaMichael James‘ release, rookie Bruce Ellington, who played receiver in college, is acting as San Francisco’s third RB behind Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde.
  • In his latest mailbag at ESPN.com, Michael Rothstein passes along several observations, chief among them being that Richie Incognito is not an option for the Lions. Additionally, Rothstein registers his surprise that Detroit did not add secondary depth during the week, especially following the season-ending injury to slot corner Bill Bentley. The Lions have auditioned several DBs in recent weeks.
  • The Eagles have added a replay specialist to their staff, reports Jason Wolf of the News Journal. Former ACC official Frank Kosman will assist Philadelphia, who won 50% of its challenges last season, in all aspects of replay. It’s a unique move by the Birds, and one I’d expect other teams to emulate.
  • Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer examines the development of Eagles teammates Fletcher Cox and Mychal Kendricks, each of whom was selected in the 2012 draft. Both Cox, a defensive lineman, and Kendricks, a linebacker, have had to adjust to the 3-4 scheme that was implemented in Philadelphia last season.
Load More Posts