HEADLINES

Month: November 2015

Peyton Manning Out For At Least Two More Weeks

November 24th, 2015 at 7:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Peyton Manning is expected to miss at least the next two weeks as he continues his recovery from a plantar fascia tear, as Andrew Mason of DenverBroncos.com writes. Manning will spend at least the next week in a walking cast before beginning additional rehabilitation.

“Peyton and I had a good visit today, and we’ve got a plan in place for his recovery,” head coach Gary Kubiak said. “His foot will be in a cast for at least a week, but he’ll be able to be part of meetings and do some workouts with the rest of the team. We expect him to be unavailable for at least a couple of games. We’ll proceed from there and will continue to support him as he does everything he can to get healthy.”

Manning became the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yardage in his Week 10 start, but the milestone was the lone bright spot in a dreadful performance that included four interceptions and just five completions on 20 passing attempts. Frankly, Manning hasn’t looked right for most of the 2015 season, and he has also been dealing with a rib issue. With Manning ailing, the Broncos will continue to ride with backup Brock Osweiler.

Osweiler, 25, has an opportunity to boost his stock on the open market this winter, since the former second-round pick is in a contract year. More immediately, Osweiler will be tasked with keeping the Broncos atop the AFC West. If Manning’s injury keeps him out for an extended period, he could conceivably be Denver’s playoff starter.

The Broncos are also expected to expected to work out former Vikings starter Christian Ponder on Wednesday, per the report.

Lions’ Darius Slay Wants Contract Extension

November 24th, 2015 at 7:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Lions cornerback Darius Slay having a heck of a year and it sounds like he wants to continue this level of play in Honolulu blue. When asked if he’d be open to signing an extension with Detroit this offseason, Slay did not hesitate.

“I mean, of course,” Slay said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “Who wouldn’t? I’d be loving that. But I’m going to let the people upstairs handle that business and I’m just going to handle what I can control.”

NFL teams are allowed to start discussing contract extensions with 2013 draft picks this offseason and the Lions are likely anxious to get talks underway with their 2013 second-round choice out of Mississippi State. Slay has 35 tackles, nine pass breakups and one interception in ten games, and according to Pro Football Focus, has allowed just 15 yards receiving the last three weeks. All in all, he has been one of the league’s best corners in 2015.

In addition to Slay, the Lions figure to address the futures of defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (first round), guard Larry Warford (third), punter Sam Martin (fifth), and running back Theo Riddick (sixth) this offseason.

Workout Notes: Hunter, Housler, Mitchell

November 24th, 2015 at 5:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Running back Kendall Hunter has been a busy man as of late and his most recent audition came with the Jets on Tuesday, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. Hunter has also worked out for the Jaguars, Seahawks, and Patriots within the last month. Hunter, who has seen his NFL career derailed by injuries in recent years, was removed from San Francisco’s injured reserve list in September with a settlement, making him a free agent.

Here’s a rundown of the rest of Tuesday’s auditions:

  • Tight end Rob Housler and defensive lineman Tim Jamison also worked out for the Jets, per Costello.
  • The Bills tried out defensive tackles Kelcy Quarles and Toby Johnson on Tuesday, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Packers worked out cornerback Terrance Mitchell, a source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The ex-Oregon player was on the Bears’ practice squad prior to his release last week.
  • The Chiefs worked out former Pats defensive back Dewey McDonald over the weekend, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
  • The Raiders worked out defensive end Glenn Foster, defensive end Gerald Rivers, defensive lineman Greg Scruggs, defensive lineman Davon Walls, and linebacker Tony Washington, Wilson tweets.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/24/15

November 24th, 2015 at 5:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Tuesday’s minor signings and cuts from around the NFL:

  • The Seahawks are bringing back running back Bryce Brown, a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Brown will give Seattle additional depth at the position given Marshawn Lynch‘s uncertain status. Head coach Pete Carroll indicated that Lynch was unlikely to go this week, so Brown’s return is not an indication of whether Lynch will undergo surgery.
  • The Seahawks also signed wide receiver B.J. Daniels to the active roster, as Brady Henderson of ESPN Seattle tweets.
  • The Raiders cut linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Armstrong got in hot water earlier this month for taunting a police dog in Pittsburgh.
  • The Eagles signed wide receiver Jonathan Krause from the practice squad and released linebacker Emmanuel Acho, as Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets.
  • The Jets announced that they have signed outside linebacker Josh Martin off the Colts‘ practice squad to their active roster. Martin got his start as a UDFA with Kansas City in 2013 before moving on to the Bucs this season. After he was waived/injured by Tampa Bay, the Colts scooped him up soon after. For his career Martin has played in 21 games (one start) with a half-sack, a forced fumble and 28 tackles, all with the Chiefs.
  • The Dolphins have waived cornerback Zackary Bowman, as Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel tweets.
  • The Seahawks have waived defensive lineman A.J. Francis, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets.

LaRon Landry Suspended Indefinitely

November 24th, 2015 at 4:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Safety LaRon Landry has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Landry just got done serving a ten-game suspension for his second violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. There’s no official word yet on Landry’s latest infraction, but one has to imagine that it has to do with PEDs.

Landry, 31, signed a four-year deal with the Colts in 2013, which guaranteed him $11MM in his first season. However, his two seasons in Indianapolis were marred by injuries, underwhelming play, and a PED suspension which cost him four games in 2014. The former sixth overall pick has played in 103 career games with 97 starts over the course of eight seasons. In 2012 while with the Jets, Landry made his first (and, to date, only) Pro Bowl.

Due to his previous suspension, Landry has been without a team all year long. Now, it’s not clear if he’ll ever be with an NFL team again.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/24/15

November 24th, 2015 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL, with any further moves added to the list throughout the day:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Signed: OL Reese Dismukes (Twitter link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer)
  • Cut: T Pierce Burton (Twitter link via Person)

Chicago Bears

  • Signed: LB Danny Mason, QB Justin Worley (Twitter link via Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times)

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: LB Kevin Snyder (link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle)

Seattle Seahawks

AFC South Notes: Mallett, Castonzo, Jags

November 24th, 2015 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

It wasn’t long ago that the AFC South was the laughingstock of the NFL, with the division’s first-place team sitting two games below .500 halfway through the season. The South hasn’t exactly turned into the league’s most fearsome division since then, but each team besides the 2-8 Titans is currently riding a multi-game winning streak, and the race for the South crown looks a little more competitive.

The 5-5 Colts and Texans both have winnable games on tap this weekend, with Indianapolis hosting the Bucs and Houston hosting the Saints, so it’s possible that by this time next week, the South could have two teams above .500 and entering the Wild Card conversation.

As we wait to see if the Colts, Texans, and Jaguars can extend their winning streaks, let’s round up the latest items from out of the division….

  • Ryan Mallett, who was released by the Texans after signing a two-year, $7MM+ deal with the team earlier in 2015, has filed for termination pay, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Because the veteran quarterback began the season with the team and hasn’t received termination pay previously in his NFL career, Mallett was eligible to receive his remaining salary for 2015, which works out to about $1.47MM — a prorated portion of $2.5MM. The Texans won’t owe any 2016 money to Mallett, who will be ineligible for termination pay in future seasons.
  • Speaking to reporters, including Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), Colts coach Chuck Pagano said on Monday that offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo has an MCL sprain and will be week-to-week. Pagano also provided injury updates on wide receiver Phillip Dorsett and cornerback Vontae Davis, but the Castonzo news is most pressing for the Colts, and could force the team to shuffle its offensive line around.
  • In addition to working out defensive end Quanterus Smith, who signed with the team’s practice squad, the Jaguars also auditioned cornerback Robert Steeples this week, tweets Wilson.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Dolphins Claim Quinton Coples Off Waivers

November 24th, 2015 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

A day after being cut by the Jets, edge defender Quinton Coples will join another AFC East team, but perhaps not the one that many were expecting. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), the Dolphins have claimed Coples off waivers.

Many NFL observers, myself included, believed that the Bills were a candidate to grab Coples, given the connection to former Jets head coach Rex Ryan. However, the Dolphins also have a Coples connection — executive VP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum was in New York’s front office when the Jets drafted the North Carolina product in 2012. It’s not clear if the Bills put in a claim, since the Dolphins had a higher waiver priority.

Coples, selected 16th overall in the 2012 draft, had his best year as a pro in 2014, but even that amounted to just 35 tackles and 6.5 sacks, modest totals for a first-round pass rusher. Since Todd Bowles took over as the Jets’ head coach, Coples had become increasingly marginalized.

As Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News observed yesterday (via Twitter), the 25-year-old played just five snaps in Sunday’s loss to the Texans, and clearly wasn’t a fit in the current defensive scheme. In Miami, he may be used as a 4-3 defensive end, rather than as a linebacker, which could be a better fit for his style of play.

By claiming Coples, the Dolphins will take on the remaining $535K on his 2015 salary, which is fully guaranteed, so the Jets will be off the hook for that amount. Coples’ deal also includes a $7.751MM salary for 2016, since New York exercised his fifth-year option. That figure is guaranteed for injury only, so the Dolphins won’t have to pay it unless the defender suffers a significant injury and can’t pass a physical in March.

Ravens Claim Jimmy Clausen Off Waivers

November 24th, 2015 at 3:22pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Ravens have nabbed a backup quarterback off waivers, claiming Jimmy Clausen from the Bears, the team announced today (via Twitter). In a corresponding move, the Ravens have placed Joe Flacco on injured reserve due to his torn ACL (Twitter link).

Clausen, 28, served primarily as the Bears’ backup signal-caller last year, getting a start in Week 17 when Marc Trestman wanted to see someone besides Jay Cutler lead the offense. Clausen re-signed with Chicago on a one-year deal back in March, and was forced into action again early in the season, when Jay Cutler went down with an injury. In two games (one start) for the Bears, Clausen completed 23 of 40 passes for 184 yards and an interception.

Given the connection to Trestman, who is now the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, there seemed to be a natural fit for Clausen in Baltimore, with the team needing a backup for Matt Schaub. The Ravens also had a fairly high waiver priority, given their 3-7 record, allowing the team to avoid being blocked from claiming Clausen.

When the Bears cut Clausen, they also promoted David Fales to their 53-man roster, with head coach John Fox explaining that the young QB had received interest from other teams. According to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link), those teams were the 49ers and the Ravens. So Baltimore tried to sign one signal-caller with a connection to Trestman, then ultimately settled for another.

Panthers’ Frank Alexander Suspended One Year

November 24th, 2015 at 3:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander has been suspended for the third time in the last two years, and his latest violation will cost him a full 12 months. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the NFL has suspended Alexander for one year for violating the league’s substance abuse policy again. It’s the second suspension this week for Carolina, as the team also saw DE Wes Horton get hit with a four-game ban.

It’s been a rough couple years for Alexander, who was banned four games last year for his first substance abuse violation, then almost immediately received a 10-game suspension upon returning to the team. While his 2014 season was ruined by those suspensions, his 2015 season came to an early end due to a torn Achilles, which he suffered during the preseason.

Alexander, who played 29 regular season contests for the Panthers from 2012 to 2014, has likely played his last game for the club. The former fourth-round pick will be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason, but considering he’ll be coming off a major injury, has only played one game since 2013, and won’t be reinstated before next November, there’s no real reason for Carolina to want to bring him back.

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