2015 September - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers Promote Brenton Bersin

September 26th, 2015 at 12:18pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Panthers struggling to field a healthy crop of receivers, the team has decided to sign wideout Brenton Bersin to the active roster, reports Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). To make room, the team will waive tight end Brandon Williams.

Bersin joined the organization last season as an undrafted free agent, and he ended up compiling 13 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown in 15 games. Coaches were impressed with the 25-year-old’s performance during training camp, but he was ultimately cut and signed to the practice squad. Bersin will temporarily be replacing injured wideout Jerricho Cotchery, who will miss this weekend’s game with a high ankle sprain.

Williams, an undrafted free agent in 2012, joined Carolina in 2013. He made 23 appearances over his first two seasons in the league, compiling four catches for 44 yards. The 27-year-old may be best known for a 2014 ejection for swinging at Saints defenders Cameron Jordan and Ronald Powell.

AFC Notes: Browns, Texans, Bengals, Jets

September 26th, 2015 at 11:44am CST by Ben Levine

Browns cornerback K’Waun Williams told his team that he was experiencing headaches recently, and the second-year player was ultimately diagnosed with his third concussion in two years. As the NFL looks to fight off head injuries, Tom Reed of Cleveland.com says it’s a positive step that the youngster took the initiative to report the injury.

Many of his teammates stand by Williams’ decision, including cornerback Joe Haden:

“Yeah, definitely man, because that’s your head, and K’Waun, he’s a young dude,” Haden said. “He hasn’t been in the league that long, so if he’s messed up like that, he felt like he needed to go get himself checked out and make sure everything’s okay, then, I’m all in support for him just making sure he’s okay.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…

Texans offensive lineman Jeff Adams is out for the season with a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. Still, the 26-year-old isn’t discouraged, even though he may have missed out on a payday when he reached free agency following the season. “Yeah, that’s kind of how it works,” he told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “You just focus on what you can control and that’s surgery and rehab…Yeah, you just put all the effort into the season and focus on things one day at a time. It’s how I’m trying to take it right now.”
Following the extension signed by Bengals lineman Andrew Whitworth, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer believes (via Twitter) it’s still too early to tell whether Andre Smith will stick around. The former first-rounder will reach free agency next summer, and Dehner says he could be back for the right price.
All signs are pointing to a divorce between the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson following this season, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes the organization could use that extra cash to pursue a veteran quarterback.

Bengals, Andrew Whitworth Agree To Extension

September 26th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

10:00am: Joel Corry of CBSSports.com passes along some specifics on the contract (all via Twitter). Whitworth’s 2015 cap number has increased from $6.2MM to $7.2MM, with his 2016 cap number expected to be at $8MM.

The lineman will earn a $5.8MM base salary next season, with $200K worth of workout bonus and $1MM worth of active roster bonuses ($62.5K a game). $2MM of the $9MM extension will come via a signing bonus. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that Whitworth also has a $1.2MM Pro Bowl escalator clause in his contract.

Also of note, Wilson reports that the deal was actually finalized on Wednesday, but the sides waited until today to break the news (Twitter link).

8:28am: After having extended one lineman and drafted two others, the Bengals secured another spot on their offensive line today. ESPN.com’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the team has come to an agreement on a one-year extension with offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth. The one-year, $9MM deal will keep the 33-year-old in Cincinnati through 2016.

The Louisiana State product has spent his entire career with the Bengals since being selected in the second round of the 2006 draft. Since then, he’s been named a Pro Bowler (2012) and a Second-team All-Pro (2014). He’s only missed eight games during his nine-plus years in the league, and he’s started in 134 of his 138 games.

Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has consistently ranked Whitworth as one of the most valuable members of the Cincinnati offense, and he’s never been listed lower than 15th on the website’s yearly rankings of offensive tackles. Last season, he rated as the second-best tackle in the NFL, trailing only the Eagles’ Jason Peters.

The Bengals dedicated resources to reinforcing their offensive line during the offseason. They re-signed guard Clint Boling, and they also used their first two draft picks on linemen Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher. As Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller notes (on Twitter), former first-round pick Andre Smith is still set to hit free agency following the season.

In May, our own Dallas Robinson explored Whitworth’s extension candidacy.

Tryout Notes: Chiefs, Browns, Patriots

September 26th, 2015 at 9:57am CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some assorted tryout notes from around the NFL…

The Chiefs worked out a trio of players this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter): defensive tackle Jimmy Staten, quarterback Cole Stoudt and wideout Rasheed Bailey (as had been previously reported). Staten, a fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2014, has already spent time with the Giants and Patriots this season. Stoudt, a former standout at Clemson, had previously spent time on the Chargers practice squad.
In addition to working out Jerry Rice Jr., Wilson reports (via Twitter) that the Browns also auditioned receivers Rannell Hall and Uzoma Nwachukwu and safeties Robert Lester, Phillip Thomas and Tyrequek Zimmerman.
Tight end Brian Leonhardt worked out for the Patriots earlier this week, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500ESPN (via Twitter). An undrafted free agent in 2013, Leonhardt compiled six catches for 35 yards and a touchdown with the Raiders in 2014. The 25-year-old has previously auditioned with the Vikings, Jets and Eagles.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/25/15

September 25th, 2015 at 9:45pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Friday’s minor moves from around the NFL:

Washington waived fullback Jordan Campbell with an injury settlement, per the team’s website. Campbell went undrafted out of New Mexico Highlands in 2013 and has since spent time with the Chiefs and Washington.
The Colts waived/injured cornerback Sheldon Price and promoted Eric Patterson from the practice squad, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). Price, an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2013, got his first taste of NFL action this year – making one tackle in two games. Patterson signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent from Ball State. He debuted in the Colts’ loss to the Jets on Monday.

Extra Points: Dez, Cruz, Jets, Browns

September 25th, 2015 at 9:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The NFC East-leading Cowboys are optimistic that injured receiver Dez Bryant will return after their Week 6 bye, chief operating officer Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Friday. Bryant had surgery Sept. 14 to repair a fractured bone in his right foot that he suffered in Dallas’ Week 1 win over the Giants. There’s been plenty of speculation since regarding the amount of time the two-time Pro Bowler could miss.

“We really feel like it’s a very fair goal to think that Dez will be back after the bye,” said Jones, per Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News.

If Jones is right, Bryant will only miss three more games – matchups against the Falcons, Saints and Patriots. His return, whenever it comes, will be a boon to a team that’s also without star quarterback Tony Romo for an extended period of time.

AFC Notes: Geno, Raiders, Browns, Chiefs, Broncos

September 25th, 2015 at 7:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Geno Smith‘s prospects when it comes to turning into a viable starting quarterback in the NFL ostensibly aren’t good, but one of his Jets teammates – receiver Brandon Marshall – thinks the 24-year-old has a bright future.

“But like I said from the beginning — and I’ll stand by this — Geno is going to have a monster year, but unfortunately he’s not in it right now,” Marshall said Friday on SiriusXM Radio, according to Newsday’s Kimberley A. Martin. “But he’ll get his shot. He’s still young and he has a long career ahead of him.”

Smith was supposed to be the Jets’ starter this year, but ex-teammate IK Enemkpali broke Smith’s jaw with a punch in August. Since then, Ryan Fitzpatrick has taken the reins and helped lead the Jets to a 2-0 start. As a result, Fitzpatrick has earned a vote of confidence from head coach Todd Bowles. Even without Fitzpatrick to take into consideration, the fact is that Smith hasn’t played well during his career. The 2013 second-round pick’s completion percentage sits in the high-50s and he’s thrown 25 touchdowns against 34 interceptions in 30 games.

Other news and notes from the AFC:

Oakland city and stadium officials have restarted exploratory talks on a new stadium with the Raiders, ESPN’s Bill Williamson reports. The Raiders have set a deadline for Oakland to figure out a new stadium plan by year’s end. If no progress is made, the Raiders – whose lease expires at the end of the season – could relocate to Carson, Calif.
The Browns had two first-round picks in the 2014 draft. They came out of the round with cornerback Justin Gilbert and quarterback Johnny Manziel. Gilbert’s career has been an abject disaster thus far, and Manziel’s hasn’t been a whole lot better. The Browns’ Sunday opponent is the Raiders, whose first two picks in 2014 were star linebacker Khalil Mack and blossoming QB Derek Carr. With that in mind, Tom Reed of Cleveland.com took a look at what could have been for the Browns.
In other Browns news, they tried out free agent receiver Jerry Rice Jr. this week, tweets Pro Football Talk. The son of the greatest wideout ever went undrafted out of UNLV in 2014 and has spent time with Washington and Baltimore.
Chiefs safety Eric Berry, who won an offseason battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, has regained his spot as a starter in the team’s base defense, coordinator Bob Sutton said (link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star). This comes on the heels of the three-time Pro Bowler playing 71 of 73 snaps in the Chiefs’ Week 2 loss to Denver. Berry’s increase in playing time means a decrease for Hussein Abdullah, who played 37 percent of snaps in Week 2 compared to 86 in Week 1.
The Broncos’ defense has allowed the fewest yards per game and the seventh-fewest points per game this year. Their players and coaches believe third-year tackle Sylvester Williams has played a key role in their success. “It’s exciting to start to see him develop into the type of player that we all know that he can be,” linebacker Von Miller said, according to Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post. “He’ll have a heck of a year. He’s truly a hard worker,” added defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. “He’s got talent, but a lot of guys have talent and they don’t work how he does.”

NFC Notes: Cousins, Brees, Patterson, Graham

September 25th, 2015 at 6:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Prior to winning Washington’s starting quarterback job this year, Kirk Cousins had trouble taking care of the football as a backup from 2012-14, throwing 19 interceptions in parts of 14 games. Those issues have carried into this season, as Cousins has tossed four picks in the first three games for his 1-2 team. Despite that, he’s not in danger of losing his job to backups Colt McCoy or Robert Griffin III, head coach Jay Gruden said Friday.

“There’s too many good things going on with Kirk and his progression for us to pull the plug right now because he threw an interception or two,” said Gruden, according to The Associated Press. “But he’s got to be aware and he’s got to protect the football – as does Matt Jones, as does the rest of our football team – for us to have a chance.”

“We’re hoping that a more mature Kirk Cousins will bounce back from these performances,” Gruden added.

To his credit, Cousins has shown an ability to bounce back from a less-than-stellar showing this year. After a subpar Week 1 performance in a 17-10 loss to Miami, Cousins responded by going 23 of 27 for 203 yards, a touchdown and no turnovers in Washington’s 24-10 win over the Rams last Sunday. He’ll be tasked with trying to get off the mat in Week 4 against the Eagles after Thursday night’s two-pick output in a 32-21 loss to the Giants.

Here’s more from the NFC:

The winless Saints aren’t Super Bowl contenders this year and probably won’t be next season, and Drew Brees will be a 37-year-old set to count $27.4MM against their salary cap in 2016. That doesn’t mean they should let Brees go, writes ESPN’s Mike Triplett, who opines that parting with the nine-time Pro Bowler without an obvious successor would be foolish. Triplett believes Brees and the Saints will eventually agree to an extension to keep him in New Orleans beyond 2016, the last year of his current contract.
Given his status as a first-round pick in 2013, Vikings receiver Cordarrelle Patterson‘s production during the first two years of his career was underwhelming (78 catches, 800-plus yards, five touchdowns). Now the Vikings seem to be phasing Patterson out of their game plan, as he has just one reception and, unlike the prior two seasons, hasn’t been a factor on returns. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old remains upbeat. “I really can’t control what goes on,” Patterson said, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today. “Whatever the coaches are going for, you’ve got to stick to their plan and just keep trying to get better.”
Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham is similar to Patterson in that his production is down this year. And, like Patterson, he’s not worried. “This team runs the ball. Simple as that,” said Graham, according to ESPN’s Sheil Kapadia. “We’re not slinging the ball 60 times a game. And if we are, then that means we’re in trouble. I’m just going to keep doing what’s asked of me.” Graham – who averaged 89 catches, 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns per season with the Saints from 2011-14 – is on pace for 56 grabs, 496 yards and eight TDs in his first year in Seattle.

Latest On Tom Brady Case

September 25th, 2015 at 5:30pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The NFL and the NFL Players Association jointly filed a motion Friday on an expedited briefing schedule in the Tom Brady case, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted. Arguments in the case are likely to take place in early 2016. The schedule, according to Rapoport, is as follows (via Twitter):

Oct. 26: Opening briefs

Dec. 7: Response due

Dec. 21: Reply due

Oral arguments would happen in January if the Second Court’s schedule permits.

Given the timeline, it’s doubtful Brady will face any kind of suspension this season for his role in the DeflateGate scandal. However, unlike this season, there shouldn’t be any suspense regarding his status leading up to the 2016 campaign. All parties involved should know his fate well before next September. If the NFL wins, then, Brady could start off next year suspended for up to four games.

Seahawks Notes: Lynch, Graham, Kam

September 25th, 2015 at 4:46pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest on the 0-2 Seahawks, who will try to break into the win column this week against bottom-feeding Chicago:

Running back Marshawn Lynch has a calf injury and will be a game-time decision Sunday, head coach Pete Carroll said (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta). Lynch hasn’t quite been himself in 2015, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry with no touchdowns. The Bears give up 4.3 yards per attempt, so whether it’s Lynch or backup Fred Jackson, Seattle should be able to run the ball this weekend.
Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report said earlier this week that tight end Jimmy Graham is frustrated with his lack of usage so far this year. That’s news to Graham, Condotta tweeted. Graham added that he’s only frustrated with losing games (Twitter link). The 28-year-old was among the NFL’s best weapons from 2011-14 in New Orleans, which traded him to the Seahawks in the offseason for Max Unger and a first-round pick. He has been quiet in Seattle, though, with only seven catches, 62 yards and a score in two games.
Safety Kam Chancellor, who ended his long holdout earlier this week, is expected to play Sunday (Twitter link via Condotta).