2016 November - Pro Football Rumors

Desmond Trufant Done For Season

November 29th, 2016 at 3:14pm CST by Rory Parks

Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant will require surgery for a torn pectoral and will miss the rest of the season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. On Tuesday, Atlanta made it all official, announcing that Trufant is headed to IR. In related moves, the Falcons have signed center Trevor Robinson and cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson to the active roster. Punter Matt Wile has been waived.

Trufant sustained the injury during Atlanta’s Week 9 matchup against the Buccaneers and consequently missed the team’s Week 10 contest against the Eagles. The Falcons then had their bye in Week 11, and Trufant practiced on a limited basis this week in the hopes of suiting up against the Cardinals today.

Needless to say, this is a major blow for the Falcons, as Trufant is the club’s best cover corner. He ranks as the 32nd-best corner in the NFL out of 119 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), which is a big deal for a team that ranks among the bottom third of the league in pass defense (per Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric). He also notched an interception and two sacks this season.

The 6-4 Falcons sit atop the NFC South, just one game ahead of Tampa Bay. Luckily for Atlanta, the remainder of the team’s schedule is not littered with opponents that boast high-flying passing offenses, with the Week 17 matchup against the Saints looking like the only exception.

Trufant, the Falcons’ first-round draft pick in 2013, is scheduled to make $8MM in his fifth-year option season next year. Players like Brian Poole and C.J. Goodwin will need to step up in his absence.

Bills Sign Logan Thomas Off Lions P-Squad

November 29th, 2016 at 3:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Yesterday, the Lions signed quarterback Logan Thomas with the idea that they would convert him to a tight end. Today, the Bills decided to swoop in and sign him to the 53-man roster. By rule, the Bills will be required to carry Thomas on their 53-man roster for the next three weeks.

The Thomas deal is one of many moves for Buffalo today. The team has also promoted wide receiver Dezmin Lewis and defensive lineman Deandre Coleman to the active roster. Wide receiver Walt Powell and defensive lineman Corbin Bryant will head to injured reserve.

Thomas, a former quarterback for Virginia Tech, was a draft pick of the Cardinals in 2014. Since entering the league, he has only appeared in a couple of games as a QB. After his most recent stint with the Giants ended, Thomas decided on pitching himself as a tight end. Always known for his athleticism, Thomas aims to put his big body to use at a new position. The Bills are hoping that they have found the next Terrelle Pryor – a QB turned pass-catcher – in Thomas.

Buccaneers To Sign S Major Wright

November 29th, 2016 at 2:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with safety Major Wright, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The signing of Wright could be a sign that Chris Conte won’t be ready to go on Sunday.

Wright was among those released by the Bucs prior to the 75-man deadline in August. Since then, he has had auditions for the Panthers and Dolphins, but neither tryout led to a deal. Today, he circles back to Tampa Bay at a time when safety help is needed.

Wright, 28, has 75 career NFL games to his credit, including 51 starts. In 2014 and 2015, he made 21 appearances for the Bucs and totaled 76 tackles with five passes defensed. Prior to that, the former third-round pick had spent his career in Chicago.

In other Bucs news, the team opted last week to bring back Charles Sims from IR. The Bucs will now monitor him in practice to confirm that he is healthy enough for live action.

Patriots, Marcus Cannon Agree To Extension

November 29th, 2016 at 1:47pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots and starting right tackle Marcus Cannon agreed to a five-year contract extension, according to Mike Reiss and Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Cannon was scheduled for free agency after the season. Cannon’s deal is for five years and $32.5MM, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). The deal includes $14.5MM guaranteed.

Heading into this past offseason, Cannon was actually thought to be on the roster bubble. That lit a fire under the 28-year-old and motivated him to drop a good deal of excess weight. Playing fitter and meaner than ever before, Cannon has delivered his best season in some time and has started in every game he has been available for. He has been more than a capable fill-in for the injured Sebastian Vollmer.

Cannon has earned an 83.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus with slightly higher marks for his run blocking than his pass blocking. In his 670 snaps, he has established himself as a top 20 tackle in the league this year, per PFF. Teammate Nate Solder, with a 83.1 overall grade, is right behind him.

The TCU product has been with the Pats since 2011 when he was taken in the fifth round. New England will now have him locked up for the remainder of his prime.

Panthers Place Ryan Kalil, Gino Gradkowski On IR

November 29th, 2016 at 1:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers announced that they have placed centers Ryan Kalil and Gino Gradkowski on injured reserve. Kalil is being shut down because of a shoulder issue while Gradkowski is being shut down with a knee injury.

Kalil, a five-time Pro Bowler, was forced to exit the Week 11 game against the Saints. Since then, the team left him home for West Coast games against the Raiders and Seahawks. After thorough evaluation, the Panthers have decided that he will not be able to play again this year. Kalil is tied with the Saints’ Max Unger as the 15th best center in the NFL, according to the advanced numbers at Pro Football Focus. Kalil’s overall grade puts him ahead of notables like Maurkice Pouncey, Nick Mangold, and Ryan Kelly.

Gradkowski, Kalil’s understudy, was forced to leave Sunday’s loss to the Raiders with his own knee injury. Tyler Larsen took over at center when Gradkowski went down and he may continue in that role for the rest of the season.

To fill the two spots on the active roster, the Panthers signed center Ryan Wendell and offensive tackle Dan France, France could see significant playing time this week after right tackle Daryl Williams‘ recent ankle injury.

Bills’ Henderson Handed 10-Game Suspension

November 29th, 2016 at 12:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Seantrel Henderson‘s season is over. The offensive lineman has been hit with a ten-game ban, the team announced.

Henderson violated the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. He appealed the decision, but it appears that his bid to 86 the suspension was denied. Henderson has been treating his Crohn’s disease with marijuana and he likely appealed on the basis that he was using the drug as medication, not for recreational purposes. There has been a movement to allow marijuana use for NFL players, but the rules will not change until the offseason, at the earliest. Any changes to the drug policy must be made through the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, of course, that must be hammered out between the league and the NFLPA.

Henderson already served a four-game suspension at the start of this season for a similar violation. Now entrenched in the program, Henderson is subject to additional tests and increased penalties when he fails. Therefore, the newest ban will span ten games, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2016 regular season and possibly bleeding into 2017.

Henderson remains under club control for the 2017 season, the last year of his rookie contract. He will count just over $700K against the cap, so there is a good chance Buffalo will keep him around.

NFC West Notes: Kaepernick, 49ers, Bennett

November 29th, 2016 at 11:40am CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have a way forward with Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle argues. In Miami, Kaepernick ran for 113 yards and threw for 296 more with three touchdowns against one interception. While he can’t provide that kind of production every week, Lynch sees that as a glimpse of what Kaepernick is capable of doing in Chip Kelly‘s offense. It has been widely speculated that the Niners will move on from the controversial Kaepernick in the offseason, but it’s always difficult to find a capable QB and they might not find a ton of attractive options in the spring.

Here’s more out of the NFC West:

Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett appears to be on track to return following a five-game absence, John Boyle of Seahawks.com writes. “I visited with Mike, he thinks he’s on,” coach Pete Carroll said of Bennett, who had arthroscopic knee surgery last month. “We’ve got to get all the clearance from the doctors, but the trainers think he’s in good shape and ready to go, so we’re counting on him playing. He’s very positive about it, he’s really looking forward to getting back.”
49ers general manager Trent Baalke recently praised pending free agent tight end Vance McDonald, as Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee writes. “He’s gotten much more consistent, he’s doing a good job blocking,” Baalke said. “He’s a good all-around football player, and he has a chance in this scheme to do some things, as you say, because the matchups are favorable.” Barrows notes that among NFL tight ends with at least 20 receptions, McDonald is No. 2 behind New England’s Rob Gronkowski in averaging 17.4 yards per grab. There should be a lot of changes for the 1-10 Niners in the offseason, but McDonald could be playing his way on to the 2017 team.
The Rams, Cardinals, Seahawks, and Cardinals were all on hand to watch the tryouts of two rugby stars who are hoping to transition to the NFL.

Jets Notes: Marshall, Whalen, Jennings

November 29th, 2016 at 10:55am CST by Zachary Links

Brandon Marshall hopes his future is with the Jets, Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday writes. The Jets are currently 3-8, but that hasn’t dampened Marshall’s spirit for the team.

“Physically I feel like I can play well into my mid-30s, so obviously no plans on retiring, no plans on switching teams,” Marshall said. “Would love to stay here and retire as a Jet. So I’ve just got to continue to focus on what I can control. Lead where I can, on and off the field.”

Marshall, 33 in March, carries a $7.5MM cap hit next season. That’s a lot of coin, particularly when considering the way his numbers have dropped this year. Right now, he’s on pact for roughly 70 catches and 975 yards. Last year, he had 109 grabs for 1,502 yards. Also, despite what Marshall says, it’s fair to wonder whether he’d want to be a part of a rebuilding team at this stage of his career. When asked if he’d be alright with returning to a rebuilding club, he didn’t give a clear answer.

Here’s more on Gang Green:

Rich Cimini of ESPN.com seems skeptical as to whether the Jets would look to retain Marshall. If the Jets commit themselves to a youth movement powered by Quincy Enunwa, Robby Anderson, Charone Peake, and Jalin Marshall, then the veteran is almost definitely a goner. For what it’s worth, Marshall says he feels like a “proud uncle” in his mentor role. The Jets may see value in that, but it might require a pay cut to make it all work.
The Jets worked out wide receivers Griff Whalen and Darius Jennings, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Yesterday, coach Todd Bowles announced that the Jets will continue with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starting quarterback. Fans hoping to see what Bryce Petty can do in a larger sample size did not react favorably to the news.

NFL Teams Showing Interest In Rugby Stars

November 29th, 2016 at 9:10am CST by Zachary Links

Last year, rugby star Jarryd Hayne signed with the 49ers and tried his hand at the NFL. His stay in the league was short, but there are now a pair of rugby standouts that are hoping to follow his footsteps. Australian Rugby League players Valentine Holmes and Jason Taumalolo tried out for teams on Saturday, as Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com tweets.

The Bills, Bears, Browns, Packers, Colts, Jaguars, Chiefs, Rams, Jets, Eagles, Chargers, Seahawks, Cardinals, and the 49ers were all in attendance for the workout (Twitter link). Taumalolo, 23, and Holmes, 21, ran passing routes, underwent speed and agility tests, and ran the 40-yard dash, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Taumalolo hears that he could project to fullback, tight end, or linebacker while Holmes was pegged as a wide receiver or safety.

At least four NFL teams expressed interest in taking a second look at the duo, the Australian Associated Press reports. Scouts from the Packers, Eagles, Jets, Chiefs and Cardinals appeared to be the most interested. The AAP writes that both players intend on fulfilling their NRL contracts for 2017, but one has to imagine that they could change their minds if presented with an NFL offer.

Bears Promote WR Daniel Braverman

November 29th, 2016 at 8:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Bears are promoting wide receiver Daniel Braverman to the active roster, as Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. The slot receiver will take the roster spot of linebacker Danny Trevathan, who has been put on IR.

Braverman, a slot receiver, was taken in the sixth round of this year’s draft. The No. 230 overall pick out of Western Michigan missed the final cut in September but signed on with the Bears’ practice squad that same weekend. As a junior, Braverman had career highs across the board with 108 catches for 1,367 yards and 13 touchdowns. He opted to go pro after that breakout campaign, perhaps not realizing that he would be taken in the final round.

At 5′ 10″ and 177 pounds, Braverman is smaller than your average NFL wide receiver. He’s also unique in that he is one of the few Jewish players in the league. He currently stands as the sixth wide receiver on the Bears’ 53-man roster behind Cameron Meredith, Eddie Royal, Marquess Wilson, Joshua Bellamy, and Deonte Thompson. Star receiver Alshon Jeffery is currently serving a four-game suspension for PEDs.