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Latest On Adrian Peterson Appeal

August 7th, 2016 at 7:20pm CST by Ben Levine

Roger Goodell and the NFL have once again prevailed in appeals court. As Dave Campbell of the Associated Press writes, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled earlier this week that NFL arbitrator Harold Henderson “acted with his rights” when upholding the six-game suspension handed to Adrian Peterson in 2014. Last year, U.S. District Judge David Doty had said Henderson “overreached his authority” when handling the NFLPA’s original appeal. NFL: Minnesota Vikings at St. Louis Rams

Before we discuss what this means for the NFL and the players, let’s review the previous circumstances. Peterson was originally handed a six-game suspension by Goodell following news of child abuse, with the commissioner citing the NFL’s personal conduct policy (a policy that had been adjusted following the infamous Ray Rice video). However, the NFLPA argued the suspension couldn’t be applied retroactively, since the reported abuse took place three months before the new rule was enhanced. Doty agreed with the Players Association, but that decision was revered this week by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Peterson was originally put on paid-leave for the first nine weeks of the 2014 season, and he was subsequently suspended for the final six weeks. The NFL had originally collected half of Peterson’s pro-rated forfeited salary, but they initially held off on collecting the other half. As NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets, Peterson will now owe the NFL the equivalent of three game checks from the 2014 season (around $2MM). To be clear, Peterson will not miss additional time.

So what does this mean for the NFL? As Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is confirming Goodell’s “wide-ranging powers to punish players who violate the “integrity of the game.”” When coupled with the recent Tom Brady decision, Goodell’s “disciplinary powers” have been reinforced (while the union’s “bargaining power” has seemingly been weakened in regards to the next CBA).

The NFLPA released a “statement of resignation” (via Campbell):

“Our union pursues all claims because we believe in due process, fundamental fairness and in the spirit of collective bargaining agreements. While the NFLPA disagrees with the decision, we accept this loss,” the union said. “When negotiation or collective bargaining fails to resolve our differences, we will always fight and pursue every recourse for our players’ rights.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eric Ebron Carted Off After Achilles Injury

August 7th, 2016 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

SUNDAY, 5:25pm: For what it’s worth, Ebron told multiple teammates “that he’s okay,” leading NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport to wonder whether the injury might actually be minor (Twitter link). Furthermore, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the Lions haven’t reached out to any free agent tight ends.

SATURDAY, 3:04pm: Eric Ebron left Saturday’s Lions practice on a cart after suffering an injury that prevented the third-year tight end from putting any weight on his lower right leg, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

Jim Caldwell, per the Lions’ usual policy regarding injuries, did not have any comment on the nature of the starter’s injury. Ebron suffered what Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) categorized as an Achilles malady. Ebron remained down for several minutes before the cart emerged.

The Lions, who held Ebron out of practice on Friday due to an undisclosed injury, observed their tight end depth chart endure what could be a savage blow while Ebron was blocking during a drill. Backup tight end Brandon Pettigrew is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last season. Beyond those two injured performers, Detroit’s top tight ends are Matthew Mulligan and Orson Charles. The Lions also lost Tim Wright for the season due to an offseason ACL tear.

Owen Daniels, Andrew Quarless and Alex Smith are three available tight ends, should Ebron’s injury turn out to be season-altering. Birkett also lists Kellen Winslow, whom recently reappeared in the news cycle after the Packers booked a workout with him earlier today.

Ebron finished last season with 47 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns — all career highs for a tight end expected to play a larger role for a Lions offense without Calvin Johnson this season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Cowboys, Moore, Patriots, Lewis

August 7th, 2016 at 4:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Defensive end Damontre Moore didn’t even last three months on the Raiders’ roster, and is now back on the free agent market after being waived last week. After being cut three times in the span of eight months, Moore could be nearing the end of the line, but one club the could express interest at some point is the Cowboys, opines James Kratch of NJ.com. Kratch is simply speculating, not reporting, but the fit makes sense, as Dallas’ defensive end crop has been depleted by a pair of suspensions handed out to Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory. The Cowboys today signed former Broncos defensive end Shaneil Jenkins earlier today, giving the club another body along the front four, but Moore could serve as another (cheap) option.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • The Cowboys worked out offensive lineman Kelvin Palmer and Audrey Walker yesterday, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Both players have bounced around the league and been a part of offseason rosters, but neither has ever taken an NFL snap. Dallas could simply be updating their emergency list, or it could be taking a look at offensive lineman in preparation for a Ronald Leary trade, though that’s entirely my speculation.
  • Though Tom Brady will be suspended for the first four games of the regular season, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com doesn’t expect the Patriots to add a third quarterback to the roster any time soon. Instead, the club is likely to roll with only two signal-callers, with Jimmy Garoppolo as the starter and rookie Jacoby Brissett. As Reiss notes, the free agent quarterback market isn’t exactly overflowing with options, and New England could add a practice squad arm if it feels it needs another piece of depth.
  • Running back Dion Lewis is still on the physically-unable-to-perform list, but Reiss reports that Lewis has not experienced a setback during Patriots camp; rather, the club simply wants to exhibit caution as Lewis works his way back from a torn ACL. As such, Lewis’ usage during the early part of the season could be scaled back, as New England wants to ensure that he’s able to play the entire 16-game slate.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/16

August 7th, 2016 at 3:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor NFL moves:

  • In addition to veteran linebackers Brandon Spikes and David Hawthorne, the Bills have signed tight end Jimmay Mundine, the club announced. Mundine, a Kansas product, was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent last summer, but was waived at final cutdowns. To make room for their three new additions, Buffalo cut veteran return man/cornerback Javier Arenas and wide receiver Gary Chambers, and waived/injured linebacker Kevin Reddick.
  • The Cowboys have agreed to terms with defensive end Shaneil Jenkins, agent Sean Stellato tells Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jenkins, a UDFA out of Shepherd, was originally signed by the Broncos this spring but was waived last week.
  • Four players were recently waived off their club’s respective injured reserved lists (all according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless noted): Chiefs DB Shannon Edwards (Twitter link); Packers linebacker Manoa Pikula (Twitter link); Dolphins receiver Tyler Murphy (Twitter link); and Saints safety Alden Darby (according to Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com).
  • Meanwhile, defensive lineman D.J. Pettway cleared waivers after being waived with an injury designation, and has now reverted back to the Saints‘ IR, tweets Katzenstein.

Bills Sign David Hawthorne

August 7th, 2016 at 2:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Shortly after agreeing to terms with Brandon Spikes, the Bills have signed another linebacker, as they’ve reached a deal with David Hawthorne, the club announced.David Hawthorne (Vertical)

[RELATED: Bills, Tyrod Taylor discussing two-year deal]

As noted when Buffalo inked Spikes, the Bills are clearly concerned about the status of rookie linebacker Reggie Ragland, who suffered a knee injury last week. The club is reportedly hopeful that Ragland avoided any ligament damage, but Buffalo had planned to press forward and work out veteran linebackers. And while Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (Twitter link) says that the dual signings don’t necessarily mean that Ragland will be shelved for a significant amount of time, Garafolo (Twitter link) reports that the Bills are worried enough about Ragland to secure several contingency plans.

Hawthorne, 31, is just that (a contingency option), as the Bills are likely hoping that they won’t have to count on the former Saint/Seahawk during the regular season. But if they do, they’ll turn to a veteran who has a hefty amount of experience, as Hawthorne has appeared in 111 games (83 starts) during his 11-year career. In 2015, however, Hawthorne was shifted to the weak side in favor of rookie Stephone Anthony, but was then benched, declared inactive, and ultimately released after an unproductive season.

Hawthorne played under Rob Ryan — who is now an assistant head coach with the Bills — during the past three seasons in New Orleans. Rob and Rex Ryan don’t play the exact same scheme, but the fronts are similar enough that Hawthorne should feel comfortable adapting in his new role.

Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link) first reported the signing. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bills Sign Brandon Spikes

August 7th, 2016 at 2:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills have officially reached an agreement with free agent linebacker Brandon Spikes on a one-year deal. Spikes was out of the NFL last season, but spent the 2014 campaign with Buffalo.Brandon Spikes

[RELATED: Bills sign Reggie Bush]

Spikes, 28, drew the interest of another AFC East last week, as he worked out for the Dolphins before Miami signed fellow linebacker Danny Lansanah instead. Though he didn’t appear in an NFL game in 2015, Spikes did agree to a one-year deal with the Patriots last summer, but was released following his involvement in a hit-and-run. Spikes was sentenced to one-year probation and was handed a four-game suspension by the league, but he was able to serve that ban while a free agent last year.

Buffalo’s addition of Spikes casts doubt on the status of rookie linebacker Reggie Ragland, whom the Bills are “definitely concerned” about after he suffered a knee injury — but likely avoided ligament damage — on Friday. As the club’s depth chart indicates, Buffalo is rather thin behind their top three ‘backers, so Spikes can act as depth (at the very least) while Ragland recovers.

Spikes is mostly viewed as a two-down linebacker that struggles in pass coverage, meaning he’ll likely be taken off the field in sub packages. However, on an admittedly small sample of passing downs, the advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) were actually kind to Spikes’ pass-coverage abilities in 2014, as he ranked fourth-best at his position in yards per coverage snap and coverage snaps per reception. Overall, he graded as PFF’s 13th-best inside linebacker in the league in 2014 thanks to his run-stopping ability. Spikes finished ninth against the run at his position in 2014 and ranked No. 1 against the run in both 2012 and 2013.

Spikes’ agent David Canter first announced the deal on Twitter. Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link) reported the length. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

6 Key Stories: 7/31/16 – 8/7/16

August 7th, 2016 at 1:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Nick Foles sweepstakes comes to an end. After agreeing to lower his guaranteed 2016 base salary in order to secure his release from the Rams, Nick Foles surveyed his options in free agency before ultimately landing with the Chiefs, reuniting with head coach Andy Reid, the man who drafted Foles in 2012. Nick Foles (vertical)Foles’ deal contains an option for 2017 that can be worth up to $16MM via escalators/incentives, but Kansas City management stated that Foles’ addition has no impact on Alex Smith‘s status with the club. The Bills, Vikings, and Cowboys were thought to be among the other contenders for Foles after he hit the open market.

The Cowboys need a backup QB. Foles is off the table, but Dallas still needs to find a new No. 2 quarterback after Kellen Moore suffered a broken leg last week. Rookie Dak Prescott is next up on the depth chart, but the Cowboys are likely aiming to add a a veteran rather than count on a first-year player. The Buccaneers aren’t shopping Mike Glennon, but the Browns could be willing to part with Josh McCown for the right price. Meanwhile, Josh Freeman and his agent reportedly reached out to the Cowboys, while Jimmy Clausen could be another option for the club.

Cardinals lock up their core. Any retirement talk surrounding Arizona’s two most high-profile veterans will have to wait, as the Cardinals announced one-year extensions for quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald last week. Palmer is now signed through the 2018 season, while Fitzgerald will be in the desert through the 2017 campaign. On the defensive side of the ball, the Cards also reached agreement with All Pro defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, signing the hybrid defender to a five-year, $62.5MM deal.Dwight Freeney (vertical)

Veterans find new homes. With training camp getting underway, a cavalcade of experienced players landed new deals, with Dwight Freeney (Falcons), Reggie Bush (Bills), and Jahri Evans (Seahawks) among the more high-profile names that found destinations last week. Receivers James Jones (Chargers) and Lance Moore (Falcons), defensive back Leon Hall (Giants), fullback John Kuhn (Saints), and linebacker Brandon Spikes (Bills) also inked contracts over the past week.

Young players go down. The Bengals appear to have lost first-round cornerback William Jackson III for a some time (and possibly the entire season) after the University of Houston alum tore his pectoral last week, while another AFC North defensive back — the Steelers’ Senquez Golson — could also potentially miss the year following a Lisfranc injury. Elsewhere in the division, Ravens third-round linebacker Bronson Kaufusi is done for the year after breaking his ankle, while in the NFC, Bears center Hroniss Grasu is likely lost for the season given that he suffered a torn ACL.

Trades on the horizon? The NFL never sees the level of trade activity as, say, MLB, but it wouldn’t be surprising to a few deals take place as clubs approach final cutdowns later this month and into September. Offensive guard Ronald Leary, for one, has requested a trade from the Cowboys, and the Saints have been expressing interest in acquiring him for months. Meanwhile, teams around the league are keeping an eye on the Dolphins’ defensive ends with an eye towards a trade.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

PFR Originals: 7/31/16 – 8/7/16

August 7th, 2016 at 10:43am CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced the PFR staff during the past week:

AFC Rumors: Hopkins, Chiefs, Ragland

August 6th, 2016 at 9:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

DeAndre Hopkins displayed his apparent dissatisfaction with the Texans known last week by staging a brief holdout, but the team is not discussing a new contract with the talented wideout. Rick Smith said, via James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link), no negotiations between Houston and Hopkins are transpiring right now.

The 24-year-old wideout, who is coming off back-to-back 1,200-plus-yard seasons, said on an NFL Network interview (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, on Twitter) he’s not stewing over his contract situation. “It’s not something I sit here and think about. … What goes on off the field works itself out,” Hopkins said during the interview.

Owner Bob McNair said previously that the fourth-year receiver’s contract was going to come up in due time. Hopkins is set to make $1.5MM this season. Houston exercised Hopkins’ fifth-year option, putting him on their 2017 books for $7.915MM. As of now, that figure would rank 20th among wideouts in terms of ’17 earnings.

Regarding Hopkins’ situation, which isn’t unique in today’s NFL, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes the 2011 CBA overcorrected the previous problem of underperforming rookies anchoring payrolls. In allowing teams to wait a minimum of three seasons before giving deserving rookies raises, Florio notes the league not instituting a device that would ensure non-busts received their due earnings penalizes the players who do reward teams by outperforming their contracts.

Here’s more from the AFC on preseason eve.

  • Clark Hunt told media (including Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star) Eric Fisher‘s contract negotiations spanned barely two weeks in late July leading up to training camp. The Chiefs signed the scrutinized left tackle to a four-year, $48MM extension.
  • Hunt envisions the Chiefs revisiting Eric Berry‘s contract after the season. The franchise’s chairman echoed the reports that said the Chiefs and the All-Pro safety were too far apart on terms by July 15. “As soon as we have an opportunity next year, we’ll sit down with his representatives and see if we can work out a scenario where he could finish his career here. … We couldn’t close the gap this year, but next year’s a different situation,” Hunt said. “I can’t say that there will be anything fundamentally that happens that would make it possible, but it’s certainly something that we’ll talk about.” Berry will make $10.86MM this year as part of the franchise tag, one the 27-year-old talent has not signed and is not expected to for a while.
  • As he said in an interview with PFR’s Zach Links, ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher does not foresee Berry being in the Chiefs’ long-term plans. The ESPN.com writer noted that simply a year passing and the sides being back at the negotiating table doesn’t mean either will compromise. Berry stands to be one of the most pursued free agents after this season, should the seventh-year safety reach the open market for the first time. The Chiefs are projected to possess just $6.7MM in cap space in ’17, and Dontari Poe will also be a free agent.
  • The Bills will work out free agent linebackers on Sunday after Rex Ryan backtracked on his statement saying Reggie Ragland likely avoided ligament damage after suffering a knee injury Friday, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reports. Ryan said the team is “definitely concerned” about Ragland’s knee, via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (on Twitter). Buffalo’s second-round pick sustained the injury in a non-contact situation. The team is already expected to be without first-round pick Shaq Lawson for multiple games.
  • The Steelers are involved in multiple contract negotiations, with David DeCastro joining Antonio Brown as players with whom management is discussing deals.

Seahawks Sign Jahri Evans

August 6th, 2016 at 7:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

7:29pm: As expected, it’s a one-year deal for Evans, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

3:16pm: The Seahawks hosted Jahri Evans on a visit Friday and saw enough to sign the former perennial All-Pro guard, announcing the signing on Saturday. They waived guard Kona Schwenke to make room on the roster.

Despite Evans’ stellar run of play with the Saints, he did not generate consistent interest this offseason, visiting the Bills in March and then four months later making a trip to Seattle. The Seahawks’ offer, we heard earlier, wasn’t believed to be anything substantial. But the 33-year-old guard agreed to join a line that lacked for veteran talent.

The Seahawks lost both Russell Okung and J.R. Sweezy this offseason and were set to enter the preseason with Mark Glowinski and 2016 first-rounder Germain Ifedi as their projected starting guards. Evans is no longer the player who booked four straight All-Pro honors from 2009-12 but has been a consistent presence in lineups and looks to be an upgrade for the otherwise-well-stocked Seahawks.

Evans started 16 games in a season eight times in his 10-year career, with the outliers being 2013 and ’15, when he logged 14 and 11 starts with New Orleans, respectively. He missed five games last season due to arthroscopic knee surgery.

His 153 starts are 17 more than the rest of the Seahawks combined, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. Formerly a third-round pick out of Division II Bloomsburg, Evans consistently lined up at right guard with the Saints. Ifedi currently slots in there for the Seahawks, but the former Texas A&M blocker has extensive tackle experience. Journeyman J’Marcus Webb is tentatively projected to start at right tackle for Seattle.

The Seahawks entered Saturday with $8.8MM in cap space, however, they do not have a notable veteran contract on their offensive line. They’ve notably allocated most of their resources to fortifying their homegrown defense, along with the chief cogs in charge of elevating the passing game.

Evans’ exit path out of Louisiana came after he refused to take a pay cut after doing so for the Saints in 2015. He was set to carry an $8.2MM cap figure for the Saints this season. He almost certainly won’t approach that figure in Seattle.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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