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Bengals Notes: Sawyer, Green, Postseason

July 9th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bengals are mourning the passing of John Sawyer, who died at the age of 90, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Sawyer, a former team president and part owner of the Bengals, was considered one of the franchise’s pioneers, as owner Mike Brown said today.

“The team wouldn’t have come into existence were it not for his efforts,” Brown said of Sawyer. “He was our original president and our primary owner for many years. … We’ve not only lost a business partner. We’ve lost a very dear friend.”

As the Bengals mourn the passing of Sawyer, let’s check in on a few items out of Cincinnati….

  • As contract rumors heat up for wide receivers like Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, Bengals wideout A.J. Green isn’t expecting to sign an extension this offseason, writes Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. “I don’t get into all the ‘I need a contract’ stuff,'” Green said. “I’m not here for money. I’m not broke. So I’m fine. I can wait until the end of the year to get a contract, but I know that time is coming.” As Harvey notes, even if Green and the Bengals don’t reach a long-term contract agreement after the season, the team could use its franchise tag on the star receiver, who is playing the 2015 season on his fifth-year option.
  • Green added that while he’s keeping an eye on Bryant and Thomas, their situations won’t necessarily have a significant impact on his own: “It doesn’t say anything about me. They’re three different teams. Three different people. You don’t know what their situation is. All I can do is control what I can do, and that’s play football. Everything after that takes care of itself.”
  • In a separate piece for ESPN.com, Harvey makes a case for why the Bengals could snap their postseason losing streak this season.
  • In yesterday’s Community Tailgate discussion, we asked whether the Bengals or one of their division rivals would win the AFC North in 2015.

2015 Supplemental Draft Taking Place Today

July 9th, 2015 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL’s 2015 supplemental draft is scheduled to take place today at 12:00pm central time, with 10 minutes allotted for each round. As such, we should know later this afternoon whether any of this year’s eligible players have been selected.

The supplemental draft allows clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. If a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it will lose its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select a player in the sixth round of the supplemental, that club would lose its 2016 sixth-rounder as a result.

Most players who enter the supplemental draft ultimately go undrafted, allowing them to become free agents and sign with any team. The last two players to be picked were Terrelle Pryor (third round, 2011) by the Raiders and Josh Gordon (second round, 2012) by the Browns.

This year, seven players have entered the supplemental draft, and could be picked this afternoon. They are as follows:

  • Isaiah Battle, T (Clemson)
  • Darrius Caldwell, DE (West Georgia)
  • Eric Eiland, DE (Houston)
  • Sean McQuillan, TE (UConn)
  • Kevin Short, DB (Kansas)
  • Dalvon Stuckey, DT (West Georgia)
  • Adrian Wilkins, WR/KR (North Carolina Central)

Of those seven players, Battle is by far the player most likely to be selected, with pundits suggesting that he could go anywhere between the third and seventh rounds. Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, remains raw, and teams are wary of some off-field red flags, but he has the most upside of any player in this year’s supplemental class.

McQuillan has drawn some recent interest, with the Raiders, Dolphins, and Lions among the teams to attend a recent workout for the tight end. Fifteen teams were also on hand to watch the pair of West Georgia defensive linemen work out last week. It seems unlikely that an NFL team will use a draft pick on any of these players, but they might be scooped up as free agents.

While last year’s records contribute significantly to the selection order in the supplemental draft, the order today won’t necessarily be quite the same as it was in the 2015 draft. The order will be determined later today in a lottery-style process which gives 2014’s worst teams the opportunity to land the top picks, while playoff teams are further down, as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report details in a pair of tweets.

Goodell: Brady Decision As Soon As Next Week

July 9th, 2015 at 10:37am CST by Luke Adams

10:37am: Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) that Goodell actually said the decision on Brady will “hopefully” happen soon. Asked if it could happen next week, Goodell replied, “I don’t know. Could be.” That sort of bet-hedging, non-definitive answer sounds more like the commissioner, and leaves the door open for the process to drag on a little longer.

10:27am: Commissioner Roger Goodell, who also acted as the arbitrator in Tom Brady‘s appeal hearing last month, said today that he expects to announce a decision on the case soon, perhaps as early as next week, according to Julia Boorstin of CNBC (Twitter link).

The appeal hearing for Brady’s four-game suspension took place on Tuesday, June 23, meaning we’ve waited more than two weeks so far for a ruling. Of course, the hearing for Greg Hardy‘s appeal of his 10-game suspension happened six weeks ago, and arbitrator Harold Henderson has yet to announce a decision in that case, so it would’ve been a surprise if Brady’s case had been wrapped up by now.

The NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement calls for the arbitrator for an appeal to make his decision “as soon as practicable,” which leaves some wiggle room to drag out the process. Still, I imagine the league isn’t eager to continue to extend a DeflateGate saga that has dominated headlines this offseason, so Goodell figures to announce his decision before training camps get underway.

Of course, the commissioner’s ruling won’t necessarily mean that the issue can be laid to rest. Brady and the NFLPA will have the opportunity to file suit against the league if they’re not happy with the decision, challenging Goodell’s role in the process and the NFL’s decision to suspend Brady without any hard evidence of his involvement in deflating footballs. Patriots owner Robert Kraft opted not fight a legal battle against the league over New England’s DeflateGate penalties, but there’s no indication that Brady will go that same route.

Rose Bowl Won’t Be Temporary NFL Home

July 9th, 2015 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

With the NFL exploring possibilities for a temporary venue in Los Angeles, it appears the Rose Bowl is no longer in the running. According to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, the Rose Bowl Operating Co. voted 11-0 on Wednesday not to respond to a request for a proposal from the NFL.

The league recently issued proposal requests to a handful of venues in the Los Angeles area, including the Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium, and StubHub Center. As the idea of relocating a franchise to L.A. for the 2016 season gathers momentum, the NFL wants to get an idea of what venues might work as a temporary home for one or two L.A. teams, since any new stadium wouldn’t be ready until at least 2018.

According to Farmer, the RBOC decided that it would be “more productive and lucrative” for the Rose Bowl to pursue a music and arts festival which would take place each year in June. The event wouldn’t overlap with the NFL season, but an environmental impact report for the proposed Arroyo Seco Music and Arts Festival specifically prohibits the stadium from playing host to an NFL team. Although the venue could make a larger per-year profit by playing host to an NFL franchise, that would only last for two or three seasons, whereas the venue could secure the arts festival on a 20-year contract.

“The distraction that the NFL question poses at this time could take away from our collective efforts as a city to realize a music and arts festival,” RBOC president Victor Gordo said. “What you saw from the board [on Wednesday] is we don’t want that distraction.”

The NFL is hoping to receive proposals from interested Los Angeles venues in time for its August meeting on the L.A. situation.

Pierre-Paul To Have Right Finger Amputated  

July 8th, 2015 at 9:46pm CST by Zachary Links

9:46pm: In addition to his amputation/skin graft, JPP had surgery to repair a broken right thumb, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Echoing earlier reports, Cole also hears that JPP had the finger amputated in order to facilitate a quicker return to football.

“He was told that he could repair the finger, but it was probably going to take multiple procedures and even after all of that the finger was probably going to be disfigured and not very functional, if at all,” a source said. “Look, it’s not easy to say, ‘OK, cut it off.’ But for what he’s trying to do, play football, it makes sense.”

Two doctors also told Cole that losing the finger won’t keep him from playing effectively. However, one doctor said that extensive damage to the thumb would be even more problematic. Pierre-Paul might be able to begin exercising with the hand in as little as two weeks, although three or four may be more likely, Cole hears.

7:24pm: The current belief is that Pierre-Paul won’t require any further amputations, Garafolo tweets.

6:48pm: Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter) hears that there were a few options discussed to attempt to save JPP’s finger. However, amputation was deemed to have the fewest complications. A lawsuit is indeed possible for the leaking of the medical records, Mike Florio of PFT tweets.

The Giants were unaware of the amputation until reading Schefter’s report, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. As of this writing, JPP is still in surgery.

6:45pm: Jason Pierre-Paul had his right finger amputated today, according to documents obtained by ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Still, JPP is expected to play this season and a medical source tells Schefter that he’ll be back on the field “sooner than people think.”

The thinking behind JPP’s decision is that cutting off his finger simplifies and accelerates his recovery, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Now, the defensive end could be back in fewer than two months. The situation is reminiscent of famed NFL safety Ronnie Lott, who had his finger amputated in order to prevent missing time in action. Rapoport (link) believes says that JPP was refusing to see people, including Giants officials, because he was having critical surgeries done on his hand.

Pierre-Paul had a strong 2014 campaign with 12.5 sacks and three forced fumbles and was the league’s seventh-best 4-3 defensive end according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). Since the end of the season, JPP has been entangled in a contract dispute with the Giants. The Giants slapped the defensive end with a one-year, $14.813MM franchise tender to keep him, but Pierre-Paul has been fighting for a lucrative long-term deal. Big Blue came to the table with a reported ~$60MM offer, but Pierre-Paul turned it down.

In addition to turning away Giants staff members who tried to visit him in the hospital the past few days, the injured defensive end also refused the team’s offer to set him up with hand specialists in Manhattan, sources told Garafolo. Today’s new information might shed some light on JPP’s decision.

Offseason In Review: Dallas Cowboys

July 8th, 2015 at 9:05pm CST by Zachary Links

After years of building up the unit, the Cowboys’ offensive line helped propel them to the top of the NFC East. Tony Romo, who has had his ups and downs in recent years, finished the year as the No. 6 quarterback in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). DeMarco Murray took advantage of those truck-sized holes created by the o-line and rushed his way to a career year. Dez Bryant cemented himself as one of the very best (if not the best) receivers in the NFL, lighting up opposing cornerbacks on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, the defense went from last in the league in 2013 to 19th overall in 2014 – not exactly the 1985 Bears, but a step up from being the “-Allas” Cowboys.

Now, the Cowboys will look to take a step forward in 2015 without the services of 2014’s top rusher.

Notable signings:

It wouldn’t be a true Cowboys offseason with at least one splashy move and Dallas checked that box in March with the signing of former Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy. Hardy, who had 15 sacks in 2013 for the Panthers before missing most of the 2014 season, is currently slated to serve a whopping 10-game suspension. The 26-year-old made the Pro Bowl in 2013 after he compiled a career-high 15 sacks, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the second-best overall defensive end in the league. He signed a $13.1MM deal for the 2014 season and wound up playing in just one game for that entire campaign. Now, he’ll earn a base of $3.218MM and the rest of his possible cash is heavily tied to incentives.

A day after losing Murray to Philly, the Cowboys agreed to terms on a two-year deal for former Raiders running back Darren McFadden. Outside of a 2010 campaign in which he posted 1,157 rushing yards and added another 507 yards through the air, the 27-year-old has never been able to stay healthy and put it all together for a full season. 2014 was the first year in which he played all 16 games for Oakland, but he was underwhelming, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, his third straight season with a mark of 3.4 or lower. After accepting his original-round RFA tender, Lance Dunbar will also be on the depth chart at RB.

This time last year, no one knew what to expect out of Rolando McClain. The 25-year-old went on to record 87 tackles and a sack to go along with two interceptions in 13 games for the Cowboys in 2014. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked the former first-round pick eighth out of 60 qualified inside linebackers, and he excelled in every aspect of the game — PFF’s grades placed him eighth as a pass rusher, seventh as a cover man, and 11th as a run defender, among inside linebackers. Now, he’s back on a new deal, but he’s off to a bad start already with a four-game suspension looming. In addition to retaining McClain, the Cowboys added three notable free agent linebackers in Keith Rivers, Jasper Brinkley, and Andrew Gachkar.

Doug Free was set to become of the top offensive lineman available on the open market in 2015 but the Cowboys struck a deal with him in early March to keep him in Dallas. By re-signing Free, the Cowboys held together an offensive line widely regarded as the league’s best. The 31-year-old missed some time due to an ankle injury in 2014, snapping a streak of consecutive games played that had dated back to the 2009 season. The veteran has manned the right tackle spot in Dallas since 2012, when Smith first made the switch to the left side. Last season, he ranked 21st out of 84 qualified tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), performing particularly well as a run blocker for Murray.

Cole Beasley, 26, has developed into one of Tony Romo‘s more reliable targets over the last couple seasons and it was no surprise to see Dallas lock him up. In 2014, the SMU product set career highs with 420 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while totaling 37 receptions.

Notable losses:

DeMarco Murray had the best season of his career in 2014 but the Cowboys didn’t put up much of a fight to keep him in Dallas. Murray, who has struggled with injuries in years past, put it all together in 2014 for his best campaign yet. The 26-year-old ran for 1,845 yards and 13 scores with 2,261 all-purpose yards. The advanced numbers also showed that Murray was also at the top of the heap last season. Pro Football Focus‘ numbers (subscription required) resulted in an overall score of 15.2, placing him fifth amongst all tailbacks in 2014. His lack of meaningful production in the passing game, fumbles, and below average blocking were his only real demerits. The Cowboys will still get to see plenty of him in 2015 when he leads the way for the Eagles.

Bruce Carter, a former second-round choice, didn’t really live up to expectations in Dallas, but he was still a desirable free agent thanks to his freakish athleticism. Despite his underwhelming body of work, he still managed to land a four-year, $17MM deal from the Bucs this offseason. Carter was given a negative grade by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2014 and ranked as just the 34th best outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme out of 40 qualified players. In 13 games (with eight starts), the 27-year-old recorded 82 total tackles with an eye-popping five interceptions and one sack.

Fellow linebacker Justin Durant left in free agency to join new coach Dan Quinn in Atlanta. Durant spent 2014 with the Cowboys and missed 10 games with a torn bicep, amassing 49 tackles in six contests. Durant finished 17th out of 40 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus’ 4-3 OLB rankings. The Cowboys “hoped” to retain the 29-year-old, but he wound up joining the fourth team in his career.

Defensive tackle Henry Melton joined the Cowboys in 2014 and played well in part-time action, recording five sacks. However, the team decided not to pick up his pricey option for 2015 and beyond, making him a free agent in March. Melton, a former fourth-round pick, broke onto the scene with the Bears in 2010, when he finished with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. His best season in Chicago came in 2012, when he compiled 32 tackles and six sacks, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl and a top-six spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings (subscription required) of defensive tackles.

Free started eleven games at right tackle for the Cowboys in 2014, but Parnell started seven, including the two playoff games while Free was out with injuries. In February, PFR’s Luke Adams looked at the market for prospective free agent offensive tackles and while Parnell didn’t land in the first tier with the likes of Free, Bryan Bulaga, King Dunlap, and Byron Bell, Parnell was in the second tier of attractive options thanks to his solid play in limited time as a starter. He wound up inking a five-year deal with the Jaguars.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 246; TE Geoff Swaim) from the 49ers in exchange for a 2016 sixth-round pick.

Extensions and restructures:

Scandrick still had four years remaining on his previous contract, but wasn’t happy with the terms of that deal, which called for him to make just $1.5MM in base salary in 2015. After initially not reporting to the Cowboys’ voluntary offseason workouts, the 28-year-old showed up in Dallas in May as a sign of good faith as the two sides negotiated a new contract. Scandrick ranked as the 10th-best cornerback in the NFL in 2014 out of 108 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).

In order to accommodate the re-signing McClain and additional forthcoming moves, the Cowboys created some extra cap space by restructuring Tony Romo‘s contract. The move saved the team nearly $13MM in cap space. Romo, 35, had been slated to count for $27.773MM against the cap in 2015, including a $17MM base salary. Tyron Smith also helped the Cowboys out by restructuring his deal. $10MM of his pay was converted to a signing bonus.f

Draft picks:

  • 1-27: Byron Jones, CB (Connecticut): Signed
  • 2-60: Randy Gregory, DE/OLB (Nebraska): Signed
  • 3-91: Chaz Green, T (Florida): Signed
  • 4-127: Damien Wilson, ILB (Minnesota): Signed
  • 5-163: Ryan Russell, DE (Purdue): Signed
  • 7-236: Mark Nzeocha, OLB (Wyoming): Signed
  • 7-243: Laurence Gibson, T (Virginia Tech): Signed
  • 7-246: Geoff Swaim, TE (Texas): Signed

Byron Jones was the Cowboys’ first pick of the draft but it was Randy Gregory who was the biggest name in Dallas’ haul this year. The Nebraska defensive end was widely pegged as a first-round pick, possibly even as a top 10 pick heading into the draft. However, after failing the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine drug test for marijuana, he fell to the backend of the second round where the Cowboys happily picked him up.

Other:

The Cowboys and Dez Bryant continue to wrangle over a new contract, but in the interim the wide receiver is scheduled to play out the 2015 season on a ~$12.8MM deal.

Collins had been viewed as a likely first-round pick before he was connected to a murder investigation. He and his camp had asked if he could enter the supplemental draft instead, but that request was turned down by the NFL. Multiple reports also suggested that Collins would sit out a year if he was selected on day three in the draft, opting to re-enter the draft pool in 2016, in the hopes of being picked much higher. Ultimately, since he went undrafted, Collins’ options were limited. Shortly after visiting Jerry Jones, he agreed to join the Cowboys.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Tony Romo, QB: $14,973,000
  2. Dez Bryant, WR: $12,823,000
  3. Brandon Carr, CB: $12,717,000
  4. Jason Witten, TE: $8,512,000
  5. Sean Lee, LB: $5,450,000
  6. Morris Claiborne, CB: $5,175,069
  7. Miles Austin, WR: $5,106,200 (dead money)
  8. Tyron Smith, LT: $5,039,000
  9. Orlando Scandrick, CB: $4,382,271
  10. Doug Free, RT: $3,980,000 (dead money). Free also has a separate $3MM cap hit for his current contract.

The Cowboys didn’t have the most eventful offseason in the NFL but, then again, they really didn’t need to. The Cowboys look primed to make another run at the NFC East crown in 2015 and they’ll be extra scary if Hardy gets his suspension cut down in the coming weeks.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Extra Points: Battle, Supplemental Draft, Lions

July 8th, 2015 at 6:00pm CST by Zachary Links

They say that home is where the heart is and Andre Johnson‘s heart told him to head east to Miami this offseason, as he told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

“I always had a dream of playing at home. I was a huge Dolphins fan,” Johnson said. “But they never called.”

With no apparent interest from the Dolphins, the former University of Miami star instead joined up with former Hurricanes teammate Frank Gore in Indianapolis. Here’s more from around the league..

  • Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle looks like the most likely player to get taken in the supplemental draft but Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears that he looked “good, not great” at his recent pro day workout. At least six teams remain interested in Battle, who profiles most likely as a right tackle but possibly a left tackle depending on the scheme he’d play in. Battle has been compared to D.J. Fluker out of Alabama, a first-round pick in the 2013 draft, but he has also been flagged as someone with off-the-field issues. Those issues could drop Battle to the fifth or sixth round but he could also go as high as the fourth, based on what Cole is hearing.
  • Fourteen teams have inquired about former UConn tight end Sean McQuillan over the past few days, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Raiders, Dolphins, and Lions attended a recent workout of his and McQuillan performed up to expectations – he didn’t drop a pass and he ran sharp routes. McQuillan was arrested this spring following a fight with his roommate and he was denied entrance into school.
  • The NFL has hired Rod Graves as its new senior V.P. of football administration and club services, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Graves spent roughly a year in the Jets’ front office but is better known for his time as GM of the Cardinals. A league source tells Florio that the NFL has hired Graves to “oversee all club and game-related initiatives concerning the Competition Committee, general managers, and head coaches.” In Florio’s estimation, Graves’ central duty will be to prevent hiccups from becoming national scandals like DeflateGate.

Community Tailgate: Who Will Win AFC North?

July 8th, 2015 at 5:00pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still more than two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

In yesterday’s Community Tailgate, we asked you to weigh in on who you think will win the NFC East. Today, we’ll be looking at the AFC North. In 2014, the Steelers came away with the AFC North crown thanks in large part to one of the league’s very best offenses. Antonio Brown was posted career highs in receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698) while running back Le’Veon Bell enjoyed a breakout season in the backfield. However, it’s fair to question whether Big Ben & Co. will be able to move the chains with ease once again in 2015. Bell will serve a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy to start the year and while DeAngelo Williams is a solid Plan B, he’s certainly not the dominating back that Bell is. On defense, the Steelers are without defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and we’ll now see what his former understudy Keith Butler can do as DC. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention the Steelers’ brutal schedule for 2015.

This offseason, the Ravens lost deep threat Torrey Smith to the 49ers, but they’re hoping that UCF’s Breshad Perriman can replace his production. They did, however, retain tailback Justin Forsett after his breakout season, and that was a major question mark for them heading into the offseason. On the opposite side of the ball, the Ravens locked up Jimmy Smith long-term while adding Kyle Arrington, who was cut loose by the Patriots. One mainstay who is gone, however, is nose tackle Haloti Ngata, who now has the unenviable task of replacing Ndamukong Suh in Detroit.

After finishing 10-5-1 last season, it’s fair to wonder whether the Bengals did enough this offseason to take a step forward. Yes, having former Ohio State star A.J. Hawk come home is a feel-good move and Michael Johnson could get back on track with his old team in 2015, but the offseason was largely uneventful for Cincy. One positive is that the Bengals used their first two picks (Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher) to bolster the offensive line, something they absolutely needed.

All last year, Browns fans wondered whether it would be Johnny Manziel or Brian Hoyer as the main guy under center in 2015. Turns out, the answer is probably neither. Hoyer wound up signing with the Texans in free agency while the Browns brought in battle-tested veteran Josh McCown after his forgettable stint in Tampa Bay. The Browns brought in one notable wide receiver in Dwayne Bowe but their own star – Josh Gordon – has been banned for the 2015 season. Cleveland lost Buster Skrine to the Jets in March but free agent pickup Tramon Williams could be an adequate replacement with Randy Starks beefing up the defensive line.

Who will win the AFC North crown in 2015? Let us know in the comment section below!

Jason Pierre-Paul Updates: Wednesday

July 8th, 2015 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Four days after he sustained a hand injury in a fireworks accident, Jason Pierre-Paul‘s status remains something of a mystery, with no formal announcements from his camp or the Giants on his condition or his potential recovery timetable. Here are Wednesday’s latest updates on the veteran pass rusher:

  • Multiple league sources tell Mike Florio of PFT that Pierre-Paul specifically declined to see trainer Ronnie Barnes and former Giants linebacker Jessie Armstead, who now works as a special assistant for the Giants. As one source explained it, they traveled to Miami without first contacting JPP or otherwise determining that he would see them. Armstead is known to have a strong relationship with Pierre-Paul and JPP’s refusal to see him could be an indication of how he feels about the organization at present.
  • Giants officials who went to South Florida earlier this week to visit Pierre-Paul have now left without ever getting a chance to visit the injured defender, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). While JPP received the franchise tag from the Giants, he never signed it, meaning he’s not technically under contract with the club. Per Schefter, while team officials showed up in Florida, they were “not welcomed there.”
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap points out (via Twitter) that since the Giants could decide to pull their franchise tag, JPP’s camp probably doesn’t want the club to see the 26-year-old until they’re more certain about his recovery.
  • Giants running back Rashad Jennings tells Howie Kussoy of the New York Post that “nobody’s mad at all” at JPP for the accident, and that he and his teammates are “just hoping everything works out.”
  • While JPP’s Giants teammates may not be upset about his hand injury, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report hears that the Giants coaching staff is “absolutely apoplectic.” According to Freeman, there had already been some concerns about signing Pierre-Paul to a long-term deal with a significant amount of guaranteed money, and those concerns have only multiplied now.

C.J. Wilson’s Career In Jeopardy

July 8th, 2015 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason Pierre-Paul‘s fireworks accident has dominated NFL headlines in recent days, but another player who also sustained an injury due to a fireworks mishap appears to be in worse shape than JPP. Earlier today, we learned that Buccaneers cornerback C.J. Wilson also sustained on hand injury over the Fourth of July weekend, with reports calling the injury “severe” and “significant.”

Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that Wilson’s career is in jeopardy, reiterating that the hand injury is “very serious.” While Rapoport doesn’t offer specifics on the defensive back’s situation, Ryan Herman of the Lincoln Times-News cites sources close to Wilson’s family in writing that the 25-year-old lost two fingers in the accident. That report has yet to be confirmed publicly by the Buccaneers or by Wilson’s camp.

Wilson, not to be confused with the defensive tackle who goes by the same name, hadn’t been expected to play a major role for Tampa Bay in 2015, but he did appear in two games for the team at the end of last season, logging some snaps on both defense and special teams. Now, his chances of seeing the field at all this season are up in the air.

In a statement released earlier this afternoon, the Bucs indicated that their primary concern for now is Wilson’s long-term health, and that’s a sentiment we’ll echo as we wait for official word on his health.

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