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Community Tailgate: Week 1 Surprises

September 16th, 2015 at 6:50pm CST by Luke Adams

With the NFL season nearly underway, we’ll have a whole new series of topics to discuss in the coming weeks, 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.

After months of build-up and anticipation, the NFL season got underway this past week, and seeing all 32 teams in action made us reconsider some of the some of the things we thought we knew about them. Of course, one week of regular season games is too small a sample size to prove anything definitively, but there were certainly plenty of teams and players that looked much better or worse than we expected.

Are the Bills really as good as they looked during their win over the Colts? Will Marcus Mariota turn the Titans into a competitive team? Has Dan Quinn made the Falcons‘ defense an above-average unit? Are the 49ers a better club than their disastrous offseason suggested?

There were plenty of surprises in Week 1. We want to know which ones caught your eye. Which teams and players were you most unexpectedly impressed by or disappointed in? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/16/15

September 16th, 2015 at 6:25pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves here…

  • According to Steve Corkan of RaiderBeat.com (Twitter link), the Raiders have promoted safety Tevin McDonald from their practice squad, giving the team some extra depth with Nate Allen sidelined and Charles Woodson also ailing.
  • The Patriots have added some depth at linebacker and on special teams by re-signing veteran LB Dekoda Watson, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Watson was with the Pats in camp before being cut at the end of August.
  • With the 53rd and final spot on their roster, the Buccaneers have re-signed linebacker Orie Lemon, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter). Like Watson with the Pats, Lemon was with Tampa Bay in camp before being waived near the end of the preseason.

Earlier updates:

  • The Eagles have signed defensive lineman Brandon Bair to a one-year extension through 2016, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Bair, who will receive a $100K signing bonus, a $50K workout bonus, and a $675K base salary, mostly makes his mark on special teams and appeared in all 16 games for the Eagles last season.
  • On Wednesday morning, the Eagles signed center/guard Julian Vandervelde to the team’s 53-man roster, according to a team announcement. A fifth-round pick in 2011, Vandervelde has bounced around between the Eagles’ active roster and practice squad over the past four seasons. His ability to play both guard and center has made Vandervelde a valuable piece of the offensive line depth, as he appeared in 14 games in 2013.
  • The Jets announced that they released defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson (hamstring) off of the IR, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets.
  • The Texans are signing KR-WR Chandler Worthy to the active roster from the practice squad, according to sources who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Houston is now at the 53-man limit again after previously placing Ryan Griffin on IR-DTR.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/16/15

September 16th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Zachary Links

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

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: T Tony Hills (via Aaron Wilson on Twitter)
  • Cut: QB Bryn Renner

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

  • To be signed: T Joe Treadwell (via Wilson on Twitter)

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Oakland Raiders

  • Signed: WR DeAndre Carter (via Vic Tafur on Twitter)
  • Cut: LB Josh Shirley

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: TE Connor Hamlett (via press release)
  • Cut: DE Brian Mihalik

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington

NFC Notes: JPP, Giants, Vikings, Cardinals

September 16th, 2015 at 4:42pm CST by Zachary Links

A report on Tuesday indicated that Jason Pierre-Paul‘s hand is in worse shape than the Giants expected, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) has some encouraging news on that front. The defensive end is in fact missing a piece from his thumb, but a source says that it’s far above the joint and just the tip of the digit. Pierre-Paul also has no more surgeries after last week’s skin graft and it’s all about healing at this stage.

Here’s more on JPP, along with a few more NFC notes:

  • Pierre-Paul took to Instagram with a video of him training and vowed that he would soon join the Giants on the field, as Avery Stone of USA Today writes. “God can turn any situation around for the better,” the defensive end wrote. “Your hard times will lead to the best times of your life. Don’t believe the hype … Be back soon! #90PC #ImAFighter #PutMeInCoach.”
  • Eli Manning‘s new contract with the Giants includes $5MM roster bonuses in both 2018 and 2019, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News tweets.
  • When asked if he would bring in another kicker to compete with Blair Walsh, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said, “No. I’m bringing in consideration for him to pull out of this thing and start kicking like he’s capable of kicking,” according to Chris Miller of the Star Tribune. Walsh missed a 44-yard field goal on the team’s opening drive against the 49ers and went just 5-11 in preseason. Last year, he posted a league-worst 74.3% mark.
  • The Cardinals are not interested in adding a veteran running back because they’re confident that Andre Ellington‘s injury is a short-term issue, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has no hard feelings about being passed over for the Bears‘ head coaching job, John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes. Arians was a finalist for the gig after Lovie Smith was fired in 2013. Ultimately, the team hired Marc Trestman, who has since been replaced.
  • The Bears‘ release of linebacker Sam Acho over the weekend was one of example of how teams sometimes get around the 53-man roster limits, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Nothing Brewing Between Seahawks, Kam Chancellor

September 16th, 2015 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite their Week 1 loss to the Rams, the Seahawks and Kam Chancellor are “no closer” to resolving the holdout, a source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Chancellor’s absence was clearly felt in the team’s season opener as the Rams beat Seattle 34-31, but they’ll try to get by without him once again when they face Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

Chancellor reportedly wants to earn $9MM in 2016, while the Seahawks have offered to pay him $8.1MM, with no change in his 2015 payout. The safety also wants the team to waive all of the fines that he has accrued over the course of his holdout. Assuming that nothing gets done between now and Sunday, the total cost of Chancellor’s fines, lost wages, and missed compensation will reach a whopping $2.1MM+.

If Chancellor misses significant regular season action, it would be the first time since Carson Palmer sat out six games for the Bengals in 2011 that a player’s holdout has extended that far into the regular season. In Palmer’s case, he never returned to the field for Cincinnati, as the team ultimately traded him to the Raiders.

Chancellor recently told Dan Hellie of NFL Network that he has been willing to meet the Seahawks halfway and that the two sides are less than $1MM apart, but apparently there is still a ways to go between both sides. Of course, that $1MM gap that Chancellor speaks of probably doesn’t include the ~$2.1MM in lost compensation for which he’s seeking restitution.

Chancellor – who racked up 104 total tackles with seven pass deflections and one interception in 14 regular season games last season – is a key part of Seattle’s defense. However, the advanced metrics don’t portray him in quite as flattering a light. In 2014, he graded out as the 20th-best safety in the NFL according to the advanced metrics used by Pro Football Focus (sub. req’d). In the year prior, Chancellor came in as the 12th-best safety in the NFL.

Here are a couple more Chancellor-related links:

  • With the salary cap having increased significantly over the past couple years, and on the rise going forward, multiple teams are worried that more players will follow Chancellor’s lead, taking a stand and demanding a raise, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As Florio explains, that raises the stakes for the standoff between Chancellor and the Seahawks.
  • With many Seahawks fans taking the team’s side in the contract dispute and rushing to blame Chancellor for Seattle’s Week 1 loss, Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com comes to the safety’s defense, outlining several reasons why the holdout might be warranted.

Colts Interested In Ahmad Bradshaw

September 16th, 2015 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

While nothing is imminent, the Colts have expressed interest in adding running back Ahmad Bradshaw, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets. The team is considering signing him as a depth addition.

The 29-year-old was suspended for the first week of the NFL season due to a marijuana arrest, but his broken leg is completely healed and the Colts apparently have interest in a reunion. In 10 games with the Colts last season, Bradshaw ran for more than 400 yards and posted 38 receptions.

Bradshaw is no stranger to off-field troubles. The tailback resisted arrest while at the University of Virginia and was kicked off of the football team before ever suiting up in a game. He quickly latched on with Marshall and went on to become a key part of their offense, but in his junior year he was sentenced to two years probation for petty larceny. Later on, while with the Giants, Bradshaw wound up serving jail time for violating probation for a sealed juvenile charge. In a vacuum, Bradshaw’s marijuana citation might not have garnered a suspension, but the portion of his legal history that intersected with his professional career has apparently changed things.

Bradshaw was the Colts’ most effective running back in 2014 before fracturing his ankle in November. The veteran led the team with 425 yards on the ground and 4.7 yards per carry. Bradshaw was also extremely effective as a pass catcher out of the backfield, grabbing 38 receptions and scoring six touchdowns through the air. Bradshaw graded as Pro Football Focus’ 11th-best back (subscription required) despite missing more than five games due to the season-ending fractured fibula he suffered against the Patriots in November. Unfortunately, Bradshaw saw only 10 games last season and he missed most of the 2013 campaign with a season-ending neck injury.

Terrelle Pryor To Work Out For Jets, Seahawks

September 16th, 2015 at 1:39pm CST by Zachary Links

1:39pm: Pryor will also work out for the Seahawks and it’s possible that he’ll audition for Seattle before the Jets, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter links). The Seahawks will work Pryor out as a wide receiver.

10:26am: Terrelle Pryor is expected to work out for the Jets as a wide receiver, according to sources who spoke with ESPN.com’s Dianna Marie Russini (on Twitter). The converted quarterback auditioned for the rival Patriots, but he is leaving New England without a deal.

Pryor, making the transition from quarterback to wide receiver this summer, impressed Browns coaches in training camp. However, after the team set its 53-man roster prior to Week 1, Pryor was essentially the 53rd man, making him expendable when other holes needed to be filled.

When word of the Browns waiving Pryor broke, the former Raiders quarterback said that it would be “a mistake” by the team. Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine acknowledged that possibility, but explained last week that the fact that Pryor was slowed in camp by a hamstring injury also contributed to the Browns’ decision to cut him.

“The fact is that [Pryor] wasn’t [healthy] and that he was not prepared at this point to be a viable productive member,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m not saying that he never will be. I’m very confident that he will be knowing his work ethic. Knowing his skill set, he will be. Like I said, it’s timing and it’s circumstances.”

 

Bears To Sign DE Lavar Edwards

September 16th, 2015 at 10:14am CST by Zachary Links

The Bears will sign defensive end Lavar Edwards, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Edwards recently became a free agent when he was dropped by the Raiders to make room for the signing of Aldon Smith. Prior to that, Oakland claimed Edwards from the Cowboys.

Edwards, 25, appeared in four games for the Cowboys in 2014 and spent the bulk of the season on the taxi squad. In the year prior, he saw seven games with the Titans including one start. A product of powerhouse program LSU, Edwards was taken in the fifth round of the 2013 draft by Tennessee.

Extra Points: Foster, Kitchen, Gregory

September 16th, 2015 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Texans running back Arian Foster said Tuesday while promoting a charity fundraiser that he’d like to finish his career in Houston, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). “I don’t want to put on another uniform,” Foster said. “It’s a business though. I’m a cog in a wheel.” The 29-year-old’s current contract expires after next season, so he’d have to re-sign with the Texans if he plans to play beyond age 30 in Houston.

Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • After bringing him in on Tuesday for a visit, the Texans aren’t immediately signing former Browns defensive tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Wilson adds that Kitchen had a strong workout and that the team could always revisit the possibility of signing him.
  • While Dez Bryant‘s foot injury is dominating the headlines in Dallas this week, the Cowboys received more bad news on the injury front, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, who tweets that promising rookie pass rusher Randy Gregory sustained a high ankle sprain and will be sidelined for four to six weeks.
  • Former Cleveland wide receiver Josh Lenz, who was waived during the Browns’ cutdown to 53 players this month, worked out for the Giants on Tuesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
  • The Cowboys liked what they saw in workouts with Nick Toon and Clyde Gates, but the staff felt better about going after Brice Butler, Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram tweets. Dallas acquired Butler from Oakland on Tuesday.

Ravens To Sign Jason Babin

September 15th, 2015 at 9:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens are set to sign linebacker Jason Babin, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Babin is scheduled to practice with Baltimore tomorrow. With Terrell Suggs sidelined, the Ravens are hoping that Babin can help bolster their pass rush.

Babin, 35, signed a two-year, $3.25MM deal with the Jets in the 2014 offseason, but his time with the club ended earlier this month when he was cut. Cutting Babin saved the organization $1.5MM, with $125K in dead money. Just weeks ago, the Western Michigan product was competing with Trevor Reilly and Lorenzo Mauldin to be Quinton Coples’ primary backup.

A first-round pick in 2004, Babin has played with seven teams during his 12-year career. The two-time Pro Bowler made 16 appearances (four starts) with the Jets last season, compiling 25 tackles and two sacks. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) actually rated Babin as the third-most valuable defender on the Jets, and he was ranked as the league’s ninth-best 3-4 outside linebacker.

Babin played in all 16 games in 2013 for the Jaguars, racking up 31 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two passes defended. Those are solid numbers, albeit a far cry from the ones he was posting just three years prior — in 2011 for the Eagles, Babin set a career high with 18 sacks, earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth. The veteran’s days of ranking among the NFL’s league leaders in sacks may be over, but he could still have plenty of football left in him.

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