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West Notes: Chancellor, Bennett, L.A.

September 18th, 2015 at 10:30am CST by Luke Adams

In last night’s game vs. the Chiefs, Broncos pass rusher Von Miller recorded his first sack of the 2015 season, making him the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks — Miller did it in just his 58th career regular season game (Twitter link).

Under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, Miller looks primed for another big year, which makes Denver’s recent extension with Demaryius Thomas all the more important. By extending Thomas in July, the Broncos freed up their 2016 franchise tag to potentially use on Miller, if the two sides don’t reach a long-term extension. With his contract set to expire at season’s end, the 26-year-old looks like one of the most obvious franchise-tag candidates in the league for next offseason.

Here are a few more items from out of the league’s two West divisions:

  • Peter King of TheMMQB.com can’t see Seahawks GM John Schneider caving to Kam Chancellor, even if Seattle loses again in Week 2. King also thinks it’ll be a while before the club seriously consider trading its star safety, who is continuing his holdout.
  • Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett told reporters on Thursday that, while he’s also unhappy with his contract, his situation is different than Chancellor’s, since he can’t afford to roll the dice on a holdout with a wife and three kids to support. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, Bennett’s situation is also different because he has a more legitimate gripe about his contract, which was signed when he was still a part-time player. After he signed the deal, Bennett was elevated into more of a full-time role, which suggests he should be paid more.
  • Andy Dolich of CSNBayArea.com examines the possibility of an NFL team relocating to Los Angeles by breaking down demographics and the interest level of football fans in the L.A. market. Of course, the Raiders, Rams, and Chargers are all viewed as potential relocation candidates.

Facebook/Twitter/RSS Feeds By Team

September 18th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

We’ve detailed how you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or using an RSS reader to ensure that you receive all of our updates, 365 days a year. If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, PFR has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

AFC East

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AFC South

AFC West

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

Transactions only: Twitter / RSS

Free $100K Customer Appreciation NFL Contest At DraftKings

September 17th, 2015 at 9:47pm CST by Zachary Links

This week, DraftKings is running a $100K customer appreciation contest that is 100% free to enter. The first place winner will receive a whopping $10K purse but the top 23,150 scores are guaranteed to win money!

The one-week contest for Week 2’s slate of NFL games gets underway on Sunday, September 20th at 1:00 PM EST, so you have plenty of time to set – and tweak – your lineup. It’s a salary cap style contest, meaning that you’ll get a budget of $50K to put your team together. You’ll be choosing for nine spots in total: 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex and 1 Defense. Here’s what my current Week 2 roster looks like, for example:

DKscreenshot

Sign up today for the DraftKings $100K Customer Appreciation contest today for your chance to win big! You literally have nothing to lose, so what are you waiting for?

This is a sponsored post from DraftKings.

Extra Points: Pats, Julio, Fluker, Cooper

September 17th, 2015 at 9:34pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The DeflateGate scandal reentered the news Thursday when Mark Baltz, the NFL’s head linesman from 1989-2013, voiced his suspicion regarding recently reinstated Patriots employee Jim McNally. In response, Jim Daopoulos – the league’s ex-supervisor of officials and one of Baltz’s former bosses – defended McNally.

“In all my years working with locker-room attendants, Jim McNally, without a doubt, is probably one of the most professional of all the locker-room attendants in the National Football League,” Daopoulos said, according to CSNNE.com. “And that can be attested by all the officials working in the National Football League.”

“I really don’t know what Mark’s agenda is right here,” Daopoulos added.

Other news from around the league:

  • Although Falcons star receiver Julio Jones has been limited this week with a hamstring injury, head coach Dan Quinn says there’s “zero” chance he’ll miss their game Sunday, per The Associated Press. Jones lit up the Eagles for nine catches, 141 yards and two touchdowns in Monday’s win. He’ll look to do something similar against the Giants this week.
  • Chargers guard D.J. Fluker was carted off the field with an ankle injury during the team’s Week 1 win over Detroit, and there was concern that he’d miss anywhere from four to six weeks. Instead, Fluker will only miss a couple weeks, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. In the meantime, Chris Hairston will take his spot as the starting right guard.
  • Raiders receiver Amari Cooper harbors no ill will toward Bengals cornerback Adam Jones, who avoided a suspension after ripping Cooper’s helmet off his head and slamming his head against the ground in Cincy’s win last week. “I didn’t want him to get suspended,” Cooper said, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. “He was just playing football and playing physical like you’re supposed to. I’m past all that now. I’m trying to focus on the Ravens.” (Twitter links: 1; 2).
  • Seahawks rookie defensive end Frank Clark is a situation player – for now, anyway – and using Richard Sherman in the slot enables the team to get its three best cornerbacks on the field, D-coordinator Kris Richard said (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta).
  • The Colts’ decision to waive/injured running back Vick Ballard prior to Week 1 remains a curious one, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. They did it to open up a spot for inside linebacker Josh McNary, but they have a logjam of ILBs. On the other hand, they’re lacking at running back behind starter Frank Gore.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/15

September 17th, 2015 at 7:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Today’s minor moves across the NFL…

  • The Cowboys released offensive tackle R.J. Dill from the reserve-suspended list with an injury settlement, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter). The league suspended Dill last month for four games because of a violation of its policy on performance-enhancing substances. Dill has been a member of three different organizations since 2013, never appearing in a regular-season game.
  • The Patriots waived defensive tackle Khyri Thornton, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). The Pats claimed Thornton on waivers earlier this month. Green Bay used a third-round pick on Thornton in 2014. He’s yet to play in a regular-season game.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/17/15

September 17th, 2015 at 7:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Here are Thursday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

  • Cut: RB Gus Johnson (via Todd Archer on Twitter)

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Oakland Raiders

  • Cut: OT Dan Kistler (via John Dickinson on Twitter)
  • Signed: TE Gabe Holmes

St. Louis Rams

NFC Notes: Maxwell, Cousins, Seahawks

September 17th, 2015 at 6:56pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Eagles’ secondary was a major weakness last year and the main step they took to improve it during the offseason was signing ex-Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell to a $63MM deal. Unfortunately for the Eagles and Maxwell, his debut in their 26-24 loss to Atlanta on Monday couldn’t have gone much worse. Maxwell, whom Falcons receivers roasted for 179 yards and 10 catches, was one of the primary reasons behind the Eagles’ defeat. Nevertheless, defensive coordinator Bill Davis remains confident in Maxwell’s abilities.

“He did not have a good game,” Davis said, according to Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com. “He’s got to play better. He can play better. He will play better. He’s been a great football player in this league and will continue to be for us. He knows that, we know that. I’ve got nothing but confidence in him. He’s a hell of a competitor.”

A look at some of Philly’s NFC counterparts:

  • Kirk Cousins thinks he’s in a better position to develop properly now that he’s Washington‘s starting quarterback. “It’s a very beneficial role. I do feel different now in this role,” Cousins said, per Liz Clarke of the Washington Post. “It feels a little more stable. It caters to the ability to develop as a quarterback. This is a great opportunity for me, as I’ve said. I want to take full advantage of it and just keep building day after day.” The fourth-year man completed 21 of 31 passes for 196 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in Washington’s 17-10 loss to Miami in Week 1.
  • Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett made a salient point regarding teammate Kam Chancellor‘s ongoing holdout. “I think you can’t have hard feelings because at the end of the day, the NFL they cut people every day,” Bennett said, according to The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. “Right now there is some guy who thinks he is going to play on Sunday who will be cut on Friday because the team feels like they need to save money. When teams do it it’s usually called business but when the players do it it’s usually called ungrateful.’’
  • The Rams worked out three cornerbacks – Josh Thomas, Melvin White and Robert McClain – earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweeted. They ended up signing White to their practice squad.

AFC Notes: Pats, Hilton, Rice, Manziel

September 17th, 2015 at 6:26pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Earlier this week, the NFL reinstated Patriots employee Jim McNally from suspension for his role in the DeflateGate scandal. McNally may not be totally out of the woods yet, though, as new allegations against him have come to light. Former official Mark Baltz, the league’s head linesman from 1989-2013, told WTHR.com that he was always suspicious of McNally, according to John Breech of CBSSports.com.

“[McNally] was always worried about the footballs. Always,” Baltz stated. “It was very odd. I reported him to the league, but never got any reaction from them. I don’t think they thought it was a big deal at the time. But [McNally] did things that 31 other locker room attendants don’t do.”

Baltz said he reported McNally to the league six to eight years ago.

“All I know is, when he got [the footballs], he would run. He would take off,” Baltz added. “Whether he was going somewhere and letting air out, I’m definitely suspicious, but I don’t know for sure.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Colts No. 1 receiver T.Y. Hilton caught seven passes for 88 yards before suffering a knee injury that caused him to leave the team’s 27-14 loss to Buffalo last Sunday. Afterward, there was fear that he’d be out for a solid chunk of time. However, Hilton and head coach Chuck Pagano think he could be ready to go in time for Monday’s game against the Jets.  “A game-time decision depending on how I feel,” Hilton said Thursday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Pagano said he has “a lot” of optimism that Hilton will play this week.
  • With LeSean McCoy‘s hamstring injury continuing to be an issue, the Bills suddenly look thin at running back. However, don’t expect them to sign free agent Ray Rice, according to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News (Twitter link). Instead, look for rookie Karlos Williams‘ workload to increase. Williams rushed for a team-high 55 yards and a touchdown on just six carries in the Bills’ win over Indianapolis.
  • There aren’t many believers left when it comes to Johnny Manziel, but Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo is one of them. “Johnny has tremendous physical attributes — tremendous physical attributes,” DeFilippo said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “We just have to keep grooming him and keep teaching him situational football and when to take chances and when not to.”
  • The Ravens got just 190 total yards from their offense in their 19-13 opening week loss to Denver. New offensive coordinator Marc Trestman took the blame, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Trestman said his offense has to find ways to get the ball downfield. That should be easier this week against a thin Oakland secondary.

Community Tailgate: Texans QB Situation

September 17th, 2015 at 5:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

With the NFL season underway, we have a whole new series of topics to discuss, and PFR’s Community Tailgate is designed to address those topics. 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.

Despite lacking a franchise-caliber quarterback last year, the Texans finished 9-7 and nearly made their first trip to the playoffs since 2012. The team responded in the offseason by trading Ryan Fitzpatrick to the Jets for a conditional late-round pick. Fitzpatrick started 12 games, completed over 63 percent of passes, and threw 17 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 2014. The 32-year-old is career journeyman who has never been a world-beater, but he did fare respectably enough last season to rank as Pro Football Focus’ (subscription required) 12th-best QB out of 28 signal callers who played at least 50 percent of their teams’ offensive snaps.

To replace Fitzpatrick, Houston made a couple of two-year signings: They added free agent Brian Hoyer on a deal worth $4.75MM guaranteed, and re-signed Ryan Mallett for $7MM. Neither was on Fitzpatrick’s level in 2014. As a member of the Browns, Hoyer started 13 games, ranked 24th out of PFF’s 28 qualifying QBs and also put up worse traditional numbers than Fitzpatrick (55.3 completion rate, 12 TDs, 13 INTs). Mallett amassed similarly uninspiring stats in three games with Houston, completing 54.7 percent of passes and averaging a meager 5.3 yards per attempt.

Hoyer and Mallett competed during the summer for the starting job – a battle that Hoyer won. However, his stay atop Houston’s QB depth chart didn’t last long. After going 18 of 34 for 236 yards, a score and a pick in Week 1, head coach Bill O’Brien pulled Hoyer in favor of Mallett in the Texans’ 27-20 loss to the Chiefs. Mallett fared well in relief (8 of 13, 98 yards and a TD). That was enough for O’Brien to name Mallett the team’s starter for this Sunday’s game against the Panthers.

While the season is only a week old, it appears QB is primed to weigh down a fairly talented Texans team in 2015. With that in mind, did the organization handle the position properly during the offseason? Instead of Hoyer and/or Mallett, should they have signed a different free agent? Were they wrong to jettison Fitzpatrick, who is now the Jets’ starter and turned in a solid opening week performance? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Contract Details: Wilson, Mays, Long

September 17th, 2015 at 4:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The details on some recently signed contracts across the NFL:

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