2014 September - Pro Football Rumors

NFC East Notes: Sam, Boyd, Parkey

September 12th, 2014 at 11:21am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s today’s look at the NFC East, where the Eagles are the only team in the win column after Week 1..

The Cowboys like what they’ve seen out of Michael Sam so far and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has complimented him on his “quickness and instincts,” writes Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News. Sam has mostly kept to himself in the Cowboys’ Valley Ranch locker room during media time and hasn’t taken questions since a five-minute introductory interview outside of the locker room earlier this month.
The Giants are expected to work out Jets sixth-round pick Tajh Boyd, according to Art Stapleton of the Bergen Record. With Eli Manning and Ryan Nassib entrenched as the team’s top two quarterbacks, the Giants have been considering options at QB for the practice squad and the Clemson product could be a fit there.
The Eagles were smart to get Cody Parkey via trade from the Colts, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Eagles gave up running back David Fluellen, whom they planned to waive anyway. Had they not made the deal, Parkey would have been up for grabs to the 21 teams ahead of them on the waiver wire. They also would have had to wait two extra days to watch him kick.

Bucs Place Clayborn On IR, Re-Sign Solomon

September 12th, 2014 at 9:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Bucs announced that they have placed defensive end Adrian Clayborn on Injured Reserve and re-signed defensive end Scott Solomon, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

The loss of Clayborn, 26, is a tough blow for the Buccaneers’ defensive line and the unit as a whole. Clayborn made 16 starts last season at right defensive end and tallied 43 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Clayborn was hoping to establish himself in 2014, his contract year, but now he won’t have the opportunity to show what he can do before he hits the open market. The Bucs declined their fifth-year option on the former No. 20 overall pick back in April.

Solomon, hopefully, didn’t drive too far from the Tampa Bay area when he was cut on Wednesday. The former seventh-round pick saw 31 defensive snaps in the team’s opener against the Panthers and recorded three tackles.

Jets Sign Ellis Lankster

September 12th, 2014 at 8:10am CST by Zachary Links

What’s old is new again. A day after cutting cornerback Leon McFadden, the Jets announced that they have welcomed back fellow corner Ellis Lankster, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).

The Jets cut Lankster on September 1st when they added linebacker A.J. Edds. The 27-year-old Lankster may not have impressed in training camp this summer, but he has appeared in 37 games for the Jets across the last three seasons and has even seen a bit of time at safety. Over the last two seasons, Lankster has recorded 40 tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

New Drug Policy Likely To Be Passed Tomorrow

September 11th, 2014 at 11:09pm CST by Zachary Links

11:09pm: Rapoport and Breer published a joint post on NFL.com, reporting that the policy will likely be voted on and passed tomorrow. The league agreed to drop its request of a mandatory one-game suspension for DUI arrest, but there will be two-game suspensions for DUI convictions. Additionally, the THC threshold is expected to move from 15 nanograms/milliliter to 35 ng/ml, which is still less than the standards of MLB (50 ng/ml) or the Olympics (150 ng/ml).

9:40pm: While Rapoport says (on Twitter) that the it’s “no sure thing” that the policy passes tomorrow, Breer tweets the the union received a fresh proposal from the league tonight, and it looks like the new deal will go through. Additionally, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report notes (Twitter link) that though the THC threshold will be increased in the agreement, it won’t be upped to Olympic levels, as many players are opposed to such a notion.

8:30pm: Breer tweets he’s been told repeatedly that the NFLPA will not vote on a proposal without knowing that it will “pass overwhelmingly,” which indicates that the union’s vote tomorrow will result in a new policy being ratified.

8:13pm: The union has scheduled a vote on the new policy for tomorrow afternoon, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Players suspended for amphetamine use – such as Welker, Scandrick, and Dion Jordan – would be reinstated under the agreement (link).

7:28pm: A source close to the negotiations tells Dan Graziano of ESPN.com that the players could vote on the new policy as early as Friday. The new deal could result in an instant reistatement for Wes Welker a reduction of Gordon’s suspension to something in the range of 6-10 games. There are other key changes to the drug policy being discussed, including the handling of HGH testing.

4:23pm: The two sides are circling around a few remaining issues with the policy and are trading proposals, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). He doubts there will be anything approved by the players tonight, however. Major hurdles have been cleared in the discussions, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.

3:00pm: Both the NFL and NFLPA are hoping to finalize a new drug policy tonight in which the suspensions will wind up being overturned, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

2:26pm: The NFLPA told its union representatives to be on standby for a potential vote on a new global drug policy, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. As we’ve heard before, reinstatement for some suspended players is also on table in the talks.

However, the Josh Gordon case remains tricky since his failed test took place before new league year, which is when the grandfathering of the new rules would begin (link). The new league year officially began on March 11, 2014 and the Browns wide receiver flunked his test prior to that date. Others like Wes Welker and Orlando Scandrick, however, could be back in action rather quickly since their positive tests took place in the 2014 league year. The NFLPA has previously said that they would want players who are serving drug suspensions back on the field under the new rules.

Yesterday we heard that there has been significant positive movement toward an agreement between the NFL and NFLPA on a new drug policy, though the league dragged their feet on a new proposal. There was major skepticism yesterday that anything could get done in time for the suspended players to get reinstated for Sunday and from the outside it still sounds unlikely. One might speculate that the ongoing Ray Rice scandal has thrown a wrench into the progress of the drug policy talks.

Audition Notes: Patriots, Cardinals, Chiefs

September 11th, 2014 at 10:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We passed along the latest tryout updates from the East and South divisons earlier today, and we’ll close out the night updating workout lists from around the league:

After allowing 191 rushing yards to the Dolphins on Sunday, the Patriots might be looking to beef up their defensive line by taking a look at veteran tackle Fred Evans. The 30-year-old ex-Viking, who started three games last season, worked out for New England today, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. The Pats play Minnesota on Sunday, so Bill Belichick might be trying to glean some inside information on the Vikings’ scheme from Evans.
The Cardinals tried out offensive tackles Winston Justice, Martin Wallace, and Edawn Coughman, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Justice has the highest pedigree of the three — he was a second-round pick in 2006. Arizona’s offensive line came out of Monday’s win unscathed, so the Cards are probably just updating their emergency list.
After losing Derrick Johnson to a season-ending injury, the Chiefs are looking to upgrade their linebacking unit, trying out Nick Barnett, Desmond Bishop, and Marvin Mitchell. Barnett, a veteran of 11 NFL seasons, spent 2013 with Buffalo, but is most known for his time in Green Bay. Bishop is also an ex-Packer, but was with the Vikings last year. Kansas City also auditioned offensive tackles Jason Weaver and Curtis Feigt, per Wilson (Twitter link).

AFC North Notes: Flacco, Gordon, Steelers

September 11th, 2014 at 9:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In a piece for the Sporting News, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap opines that among quarterbacks, the Ravens’ Joe Flacco has the least team-friendly pact. Flacco, of course, scored a huge deal after winning the Super Bowl in 2013 — $63MM comes his way in the first three years of the contractl, including $50MM in bonus money. It’s nearly impossible for Baltimore to get out the contract any time soon, as cutting Flacco after 2015 would result in more than $28MM in dead money on the Ravens’ cap. Also included on Fitzgerald’s list of bad deals is Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart, Bills defensive end Mario Williams, and Buccaneers safety Dashon Goldson. More from the AFC North:

A new drug policy could be agreed upon as soon as tomorrow, and although it’s unlikely that Josh Gordon is immediately reinstated, the Browns wouldn’t hesitate to put him on the field on Sunday, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com. “I’d like to get him out there,” said offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. “I think he would help.”
For his part, Gordon thinks he’ll be able to play for the Browns this season — his new boss at an auto dealership in Northeast Ohio tells Mary Kay Cabot of the the Cleveland Plain-Dealer that the receiver is “very optimistic” his suspension will at least be reduced. “He thinks there’s a good possibility,” said Jeff Sarchione. “…He wants to get back on that field so bad.”
The Steelers used to be the model of consistency, both in terms of on-field success and cap management, writes Bill Barnwell of Grantland.com. In recent years, however, Pittsburgh has committed too much money to aging veterans, leading to its current cap woes, per Barnwell.

Extra Points: Murray, Gresham, Mays

September 11th, 2014 at 8:05pm CST by Zachary Links

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.

Jordan Cameron Likely To Play Out Contract

September 11th, 2014 at 7:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Back in August, Jordan Cameron was upbeat about the possibility of quickly working out a new deal with the Browns. Now, league sources tell Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer that Cameron will most likely play out his contract this season.

Cameron, who might be out of action this Sunday against the Saints with a sprained shoulder, hauled in 80 catches for 917 yards and 7 touchdowns last season. If he can come near those numbers this season, he’ll have a compelling case for a hefty contract in 2015 and beyond. If Cleveland can’t sign him to a new deal, they’ll likely use the franchise tag to retain him for the coming year. The franchise number for tight ends in 2014 is $7.035MM.

Looking ahead, Cabot raises the possibility that Cameron could follow in Jimmy Graham‘s footsteps and try and claim that he is actually a wide receiver. Cameron certainly sees a wide receiver’s number of targets in the Browns offense and in the wake of Graham’s battle, he scrubbed the term “tight end” from his Twitter bio. The “Pro Bowl pass catcher for the Browns” could wage that battle next offseason, though the precedent of the Graham ruling could hurt his chances.

Rams Waive Pat Schiller

September 11th, 2014 at 6:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Here are tonight’s minor moves as we get set for Steelers-Ravens..

The Rams have waived linebacker Pat Schiller from their reserve/injured list, tweets Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports. Schiller, 25, played collegiately at Northern Illinois and had a stint with the Falcons. At NIU, Schiller recorded 239 career tackles and 19 tackles for a loss.

Latest On Roger Goodell, Ray Rice Incident

September 11th, 2014 at 5:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Giants owner John Mara and Steelers owner Art Rooney III issued a joint statement on the upcoming independent investigation into the Ray Rice incident and how it was later dealt with. Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Facebook) has republished the statement in full. There has been some criticism towards the NFL for Mara and Rooney’s role in the investigation since they have been longtime Goodell supporters. In the statement, the duo asserts that their only mission is to do what’s right. “Our sole motive here is to get the truth and then share Mr. Mueller’s findings with the public,” the statement reads. Here’s more on the NFL’s biggest story..

The investigation is already underway, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
Goodell didn’t pursue the incident as vigorously as he might have out of respect for Rice’s now-wife, Janay, one owner tells Kevin Clark of the Wall Street Journal. According to the source, Goodell privately told other owners that Janay Rice told him she had struck Ray Rice and that she believed she was partly at fault for the incident. Goodell also said he left the meeting believing that Janay had become unconscious because she had fallen during the scuffle.
Goodell has strong support among influential ownership groups and barring overwhelming evidence of wrongdoing, that’s unlikely to change, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. “They’re standing by him, across the board,” said one league source who has spoken to executives on several clubs about the ongoing matter. “You haven’t seen one owner come out questioning him. Their instinct is to defend him, and it’s going to take quite a bit to change that.”
Mark Maske of the Washington Post hears that the owners are prepared to boot Goodell if the investigation shows egregious misconduct. Still, Maske heard a great deal of support for Goodell and his body of work aside from this recent controversy.
At least one owner isn’t sure the NFL commish will survive the saga, writes Peter King of The MMQB. “I am starting to get a sick feeling about how out of control this is getting,” one owner said, “But, I am standing by Roger. He has been great for our league.”
One owner tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that while he trusts Goodell, he feels that no owner will support him if he is obfuscating in any way.
Bears chairman George H. McCaskey issued a statement today that strongly backed Goodell, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. McCaskey called the commissioner “a man of integrity” even though many have been critical of him in the last week.
Jason Cole (on Twitter) is skeptical and does not see this investigation as being truly independent.