HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Browns Suspend Josh Gordon

December 27th, 2014 at 11:05pm CST by Rob DiRe

11:05pm: It’s still up in the air if Gordon will lose his accrued season for 2014, which would push his unrestricted free agency back a year, tweets Mark Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, adding that talks are ongoing between the two sides. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the team did suspend Gordon without pay, which would put his 2014 accrued season in jeopardy.

Still, as Florio points out, the language in the CBA doesn’t specify that time spent on a reserve/suspended list doesn’t count toward an accrued season. As such, Gordon could have two potential avenues to fight the delay of his free agency — he could appeal the suspension, and hope it’s overturned by an arbitrator. If that route is unsuccessful, there could be a legal battle over the interpretation of the CBA’s definition of an accrued season, which states that “a player shall receive one Accrued Season for each season during which he was on, or should have been on, full pay status for a total of six or more regular season games.”

Florio suggests that in Gordon’s case, the NFLPA could argue that the Browns wideout “should have been on” full pay status in Week 17, particularly since the reserve/suspended isn’t mentioned in the CBA’s list of examples for instances that don’t count toward an accrued season (which includes time spent on the commissioner’s exempt list, practice squad, or PUP list due to a non-football injury).

1:25pm: The Browns have suspended star receiver Josh Gordon for their Week 17 matchup with the Ravens, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter). Gordon was suspended for violation of team rules for reportedly missing a walkthrough practice on Friday, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (via Twitter). Grossi also writes that a late-night night club incident may have also been a contributing factor.

While Gordon has been placed on the reserved/suspended list, the team has signed receiver Phil Bates off the practice squad to fill his roster spot, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).

Gordon has gained a reputation for being late for meetings, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). La Canfora writes that Gordon’s “maturity, decision-making, and associates remain a concern for the team.”

La Canfora also notes that the team had a trade in place to send the embattled wideout to the 49ers last offseason, but ownership refused to go through with the deal (via Twitter). He writes that the team will regret not making the trade when it was on the table. The Browns would not be able to get much for him now, but some pundits – such as such as Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter) – would still be surprised to see Gordon return to the team in 2015.

Gordon will only have played five games in 2014 due to the suspension, after missing the first ten games due to a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). By only playing five games, Gordon will not get credit for an accrued season toward his free agency, reports Albert Breer of NFL.com (via Twitter). Gordon has played two NFL seasons, and would need four accrued seasons to become an unrestricted free agent. Missing this Sunday’s game will cost him credit for his third season, and could potentially make his 2016 free agency restricted, writes Breer (via Twitter).

The team will have to decided whether the punishment is a paid or unpaid suspension. If the suspension is paid, he will be credited for his sixth game and third season. If not, he will not accrue his third season toward free agency, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter).

There is a belief that Browns’ management was motivated to push back Gordon’s free agency by a year, and that was a reason for the suspension, according to Wilson (via Twitter). The decision to suspend him and keep him at five games is considered a prudent business decision by the organization, in an attempt to delay his unrestricted free agency (via Twitter).

Gordon is expected to fight the suspension in order to regain his accrued year toward free agency, writes Cole (via Twitter).

Extra Points: Saints, Raiders, Jags, Eagles

December 27th, 2014 at 10:33pm CST by Luke Adams

After a disappointing season in New Orleans, Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan wasn’t interested in speculating about his job security. As Mike Triplett of ESPN.com details, Ryan vowed to do his best to right the ship if he gets the opportunity.

“If I get a chance, that’d be awesome. But, hey, the numbers are what they are. They don’t look good,” Ryan said. “But hell, it is what it is. This is a win business. And, hey, this is a ‘tough-people’ business, too. So I’ll be great with whatever happens.”

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • The Raiders have yet to interview a minority candidate for their head coaching job, so the team likely won’t be ready to make a quick offer to anyone at season’s end, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.
  • If the first year of the David Caldwell/Gus Bradley era in Jacksonville was about survival and the second was about discovery, the third will be about winning, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, who expects the Jaguars to be very active this offseason as the team reaches the point in its rebuild where contending is a priority.
  • Jaguars defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, a former first-round pick, is eligible for free agency this offseason, but is “excited about the future” in Jacksonville, and hopes to remain with the team, O’Halloran writes in a separate Times-Union piece.
  • Expect the Eagles to make significant changes to their secondary this offseason, says Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News.
  • Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle examines Vic Fangio‘s candidacy for a head coaching job, either with the 49ers or another club.

Vikings Notes: Berger, Johnson, Ponder, FAs

December 27th, 2014 at 9:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Vikings have at least a dozen potential free agents on their roster at the moment, though not all of those players will have the opportunity to reach the open market. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press spoke to several of those potential free-agents-to-be about their futures, so we’ll round up the notable comments right here:

  • Offensive lineman Joe Berger had been considering retirement, but may elect to continue his career after receiving plenty of playing time in the second half this season. “I’ve had fun playing and it’s been great the last eight, nine weeks, so I don’t know that [retirement] is what I’d want to do yet,” Berger said, adding that if he returns for an 11th season, he’d like to stay in Minnesota.
  • While Berger would be fine with another one-year contract, that’s not the case for defensive tackle Tom Johnson. “I’m trying to get more than a year deal somewhere,” Johnson said. “I want to go somewhere where I can pretty much end my career at. I got a couple of more years left in these legs.”
  • As Tomasson points out, Johnson may be the Vikings’ most sought-after free agent, but quarterback Christian Ponder will be the club’s biggest name available. Asked about what he’ll be looking for if he hits the open market, Ponder indicated that his top priority would be potential playing time. “Whether it’s (being with) a guy who is older and will be out of the league soon or a questionable quarterback situation where I can go in and compete,” Ponder said.
  • Linebacker Jasper Brinkley says he “definitely” wants to re-sign with the Vikings.
  • Of Minnesota’s two free agents, running back Matt Asiata is very likely to return, while tackle Mike Harris has a chance to be back, according to Tomasson.

East Notes: Bills, Spiller, Jets, Giants

December 27th, 2014 at 7:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Bills general manager Bill Polian, who currently works for ESPN, refuted a report suggesting that he could be returning to the organization as soon as Monday, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News.

“It’s about as wrong as can be,” Polian said. “I’m not going to work for anybody Monday morning except ESPN.”

The Bills aren’t expected to make any changes to their football operations this week, though meetings will be held and there are no guarantees, a source tells Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link). There has been speculation since Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula assumed ownership of the team that changes could be on the way, but for now it looks as if general manager Doug Whaley and head coach Doug Marrone will keep their jobs.

Carucci notes that sources believes there may have been third-party contact between the Bills and Polian to gauge his interest in a role with the organization, perhaps as a consultant. However, “there have been no substantive talks of any kind,” according to those sources.

Here’s more on the Bills and a few other teams from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • C.J. Spiller‘s contract with the Bills does not include a player option, and is set to void at the end of this season, as Jason Fitzgerald explains in a piece at OverTheCap.com.
  • If the Jets want to land a top-tier head coach like Jim Harbaugh this offseason, they’ll have to attempt an all-out blitz this week, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. As Mehta notes, current Jets consultant Charley Casserly has previously stated that he believes the value of an elite coach is “two No. 1 picks, plus something else,” so if the team is interested in Harbaugh, Casserly may suggest offering the Niners multiple draft picks.
  • After signing a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Giants last offseason, offensive lineman John Jerry, who was involved in last year’s bullying scandal in Miami, has rebuilt his reputation, says Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Jerry’s actual on-field performance hasn’t been great, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), but if the veteran guard is no longer viewed as a character risk, that will serve him well in free agency this winter.
  • In spite of finishing below .500 in back-to-back seasons, the Giants would be making the right call by continuing to employ GM Jerry Reese and head coach Tom Coughlin, in the view of Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.

Washington Places Jason Hatcher On IR

December 27th, 2014 at 6:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With defensive lineman Jason Hatcher doubtful to play in Washington’s regular season finale tomorrow, the team has placed him on injured reserve, ending his season, per Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (via Twitter). The move allows the club to pick up defensive tackle Travian Robertson off waivers from the Seahawks, as was reported earlier this afternoon.

Hatcher, 32, signed a four-year, $27MM contract with Washington in the offseason that caused some eyebrow-raising around the league. Hatcher did play well when he was healthy this season, recording 5.5 sacks and a +17.1 grade according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). However, he has battled a knee injury in recent weeks that will result in his season ending prematurely.

After counting for $3.75MM against the cap in 2014, Hatcher’s cap hit will increase to $5.25MM next year, which is a reasonable price to pay for Washington. The team may have a decision to make in 2016, when Hatcher’s cap number jumps to $8.75MM.

Duke Johnson To Enter Draft

December 27th, 2014 at 5:52pm CST by Ben Levine

SATURDAY, 5:52pm: Johnson’s mother, Cassandra Mitchell, has informed Matt Porter of the Palm Beach Post that her son will indeed be entering the 2015 draft.

THURSDAY, 11:58am: One of the top running back prospects will likely be trying his luck in the NFL, as Yahoo’s Rand Getlin tweets that Miami back Duke Johnson is expected to announce that he’s entering the NFL draft. One source tells Getlin that they’d be “shocked if he stays in school” for his senior year.

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. recently ranked Johnson as the fifth-best running back prospect in the upcoming draft, and WalterFootball.com projected the junior to be taken between the first and third round. Meanwhile, Rob Rang of CBSSports.com compared Johnson to Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, specifically pointing out the similarities between the players’ jump-cuts and acceleration. However, Rang believes Johnson lacks the size to be a premier back, suggesting he might succeed in a two-back system.

The former ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year is Miami’s all-time leader in all-purpose yardage. He had his most productive season in 2014, rushing for 1,520 yards and ten scores, while also compiling 33 catches for 370 yards.

Minor Moves: Saturday

December 27th, 2014 at 5:41pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves right here, with the most recent transactions added to the top of the list…

Earlier updates:

  • The Jets have placed safety Rontez Miles on the injured reserve, tweets Aaron Wilson. The team will promote wideout Quincy Enunwa to take his place.
  • Connor Shaw will start at quarterback for the Browns this weekend, and the team promoted him to the active roster this morning, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. The team also promoted rookie offensive lineman Jamie Meder. To make room on the roster, the Browns waived linebacker Eric Martin and tight end Ryan Taylor.
  • The Lions have promoted center Darren Keyton to the active roster, reports Tim Twentyman (via Twitter). The lineman will replace Dominic Raiola, who was suspended for this weekend’s game.
  • As expected, the Chargers finally placed punter Mike Scifres on the injured reserve, according to U-T San Diego’s Michael Gehlken (via Twitter). Center Jeff Baca was promoted from the practice squad to take the open roster spot.

Patriots Place Alfonzo Dennard On IR

December 27th, 2014 at 4:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Patriots have placed cornerback Alfonzo Dennard on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter).

Dennard, a seventh-round pick in 2012, has been inconsistent during his time with New England. He has only played in 29 out of a potential 48 games in his three seasons, intercepting five passes during that time.

The Patriots still have starters Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner on the outside, and while Kyle Arrington has also struggled with a hamstring injury, he is expected to be ready for playoff football. The team still has Logan Ryan as an option at cornerback as well.

The Patriots have promoted wide receiver Josh Boyce from the practice squad to the active roster to fill Dennard’s roster spot.

The team has also signed cornerback Daxton Swanson back to the practice squad, reports Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter). They released defensive end and utility lineman Cam Henderson to make room for Swanson to return to the practice squad.

Reiss writes that the promotion of Boyce could indicate that the team’s two injured starting wideouts, Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell, could miss the game or receive a smaller workload in Week 17 against the Bills (via Twitter).

Edelman and LaFell are working through a concussion and shoulder injury, respectively.

Jets Links: Ryan, Idzik, Decker, Casserly

December 27th, 2014 at 3:18pm CST by Rob DiRe

Jets head coach Rex Ryan has cleaned out his office at One Jets Drive, reports Dom Cosentino of NJ.com. With the team set to finish the season no better than 4-12, most fans and pundits believe that it will be Ryan’s last game with New York.

Team owner Woody Johnson has hired Charlie Casserly to serve as a consultant, likely in an effort to help him to hire replacements for both Ryan and general manager John Idzik.

Here are some other notes from around Jets camp:

  • While Ryan has already cleaned out his office, many of his players are still giving their full support and effort to their head coach, reports Kimberly Martin of Newsday. One of his newest additions, Percy Harvin, was adamant about how much he likes playing for Ryan. “I love him. I loved him before I got here and I’m that much more in love with him now that I’m here,’‘ said Harvin. “I don’t think anybody in this locker room has anything negative to say about Coach. That’s why you see guys still playing hard these last few games, still giving their all for Coach. He’s a players’ coach and definitely a guy you want to play for.”
  • Idzik could very well be joining Ryan in packing up his stuff, and if he does get fired, he will have his 8-8 2013 to blame, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Fitzgerald surmises that the surprise 8-8 season is more damaging than a three-win 2014 campaign because it elevated and highlighted Ryan’s gifts at a coach to take a bad roster to the brink of playoff contention, and it blurred the line between whether Ryan or Idzik was more to blame for the lack of success, and cost Idzik a chance at a high draft pick and a new coach this past offseason.
  • If Casserly has been contacting potential coach and general manager candidates, he may have committed tampering, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. He notes that the league has made no comment about the situation or the conflict of interest, as Casserly sits on the Career Development Advisory Panel. Florio’s source tells him that Casserly is calling about candidates, not contacting them directly. The influence Casserly has from sitting on that panel could be invaluable, and is considered a rare genius move by Florio.
  • This Sunday’s game against the Dolphins could be the last in green for a few of the Jets’ veteran player, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Some players who may not be back include Michael Vick, Willie Colon, Dawan Landry, Bilal Powell, and David Harris. Cimini also writes that Harvin, Chris Johnson, and Calvin Pace could be cap casualties this offseason.
  • Although Eric Decker will be missing the playoffs for only the second time in his NFL career after signing with the Jets this past offseason, he has no regrets about the decision, according to Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “I don’t have any regrets. When I made my decision to come to New York I wholeheartedly felt it was the best decision,’’ Decker said. “Even though the record is not the same and the stats aren’t the same [as they were in Denver], I still believe that my purpose is to be here. I believe there is a greater plan for me. I realize that is probably hard to see that in the moment.’’

Buccaneers Restructure Brandon Myers’ Contract

December 27th, 2014 at 12:33pm CST by Ben Levine

The Buccaneers have done a bit of salary cap management this morning, as Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune reports (via Twitter) that the team has restructured the contract of tight end Brandon Myers. As Cummings notes, more Bucs players could soon follow suit since “many want to stay.”

Myers hasn’t come close to matching his production with the Raiders in 2012, when he caught 79 passes for 806 yards and four touchdowns. In two seasons since, Myers has compiled only 65 catches for 691 yards and four touchdowns with the Giants and Bucs. Despite the lack of production, Myers has still earned 429 snaps this season, splitting time with fellow tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

In March, Myers signed a two-year deal with Tampa Bay worth $4MM. This came only a year after he signed a one-year, $2.25MM deal with the Giants.

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