2016 November - Pro Football Rumors

AFC East Notes: Sheard, Patriots, Jets

November 26th, 2016 at 9:59am CST by Ben Levine

Following a productive 2015 season, many expected Patriots defensive end Jabaal Sheard to get paid this offseason. Instead, the Patriots have continued to reduce the 27-year-old’s playing time, culminating in the former second-rounder being inactive for last weekend’s game against the 49ers.

For what it’s worth, the impending free agent isn’t sweating his reduced role.

“It is what it is,” Sheard told WEEI’s Ryan Hannable. “I can only control what I can control.”

Sheard has compiled 18 tackles and 3.5 sacks this season, and he still has plenty of time to pad those numbers before he reaches free agency. Ultimately, the veteran understands that there’s only so much he can control.

“Just do my job, I think,” Sheard said. “Everything else, leave it up to coach. Just practice hard and when I get the opportunity play hard.”

Let’s check out some more notes out of the AFC East…

Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com examines what the Patriots could do with all of their cap space this offseason. The writer believes the team will look to retain many of their key free agents, including Dont’a Hightower, Malcolm Butler, and Martellus Bennett. Curran notes that Sheard and defensive tackle Alan Branch “don’t figure to be high-priority guys at this juncture.”
The Jets will likely miss the playoffs for the sixth straight season, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News says it’s time for owner Woody Johnson to “tear it down and set a proper foundation.” The writer believes it’s best to build through the draft, and he cautions that the organization should avoid “the quick fix” signings.
If the Jets finish the season with a 5-11 or 6-10 record, ESPN’s Rich Cimini believes coach Todd Bowles will keep his job. The writer notes that the organization is valuing continuity, and firing Bowles after only two seasons would certainly contradict that strategy.

Ray Horton Discusses Job Security

November 26th, 2016 at 9:07am CST by Ben Levine

Ray Horton‘s first season in Cleveland hasn’t gone as planned. The Browns’ defensive coordinator has struggled mightily through the team’s first 11 games. Not only are the Browns winless, but the defense ranks towards the bottom of the league in nearly every statistical category.

To make matters worse, a report earlier this month from CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora indicated that Horton could be on the hot seat. La Canfora reported that Horton “is facing a very uncertain future.”

“Horton is a very unpopular pick in various quadrants of the organization to return as defensive coordinator but is supported staunchly by [head coach Hue] Jackson,” the reporter wrote.

Horton addressed these reports yesterday. Unsurprisingly, the long-time coach told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that he’s not worried about his job security.

“I don’t live that way, I don’t want my kids to live that way and I don’t want my players to live that way,” said Horton. “I would think, ‘man, what an awful life if you have to worry all the time about stuff.’ You do the best job you can in life with what you have, meaning personally. Do I worry that way? I think you guys know me very well. I try to be very honest and very fair. I don’t live that way.”

Horton cited the mediocre records of Tom Landry, Bill Walsh and Jimmy Johnson when they were first getting started in the NFL, noting that it takes some time to build a competent team or unit.

“I’m not comparing myself to them, please do not think I am – but you go through things in this business,” he said. “Locally, you look at the Cleveland Cavaliers. They had LeBron, LeBron left and LeBron came back. There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle, and to answer your question very bluntly, I don’t live that way. I never have, and hopefully, I never will.”

Is the coach at least seeing some improvement from his defense?

“It’s hard to see maybe from the score and the record, but we are getting better,” said Horton. “Our guys are getting better, and we’re going to put this together. I’m encouraged every day because our guys are getting better. They’re understanding more. They’re seeing more. They’re getting live action out there.

“When you talk to coaches on other teams, they see it. A lot of times, it is hard to see the forest through the trees, but we have some guys that are playing very well that are going to be the foundation of our team. They’re going to be the ones that help us get over the top.”

Following two seasons with the Titans, Horton returned to the Browns this offseason. The 56-year-old was Cleveland’s defensive coordinator in 2013.

Poll: Are Cowboys NFL’s Best Team?

November 25th, 2016 at 9:31pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In pulling out a 31-26 win over the NFC East rival Redskins on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys improved to 10-1 and became the first team in the NFL this year to reach double-digit victories. Most of Dallas’ success has come thanks to an elite offense fronted by a dominant line and two sensational rookies – fourth-round quarterback Dak Prescott and first-round running back Ezekiel Elliott.

As those who pay any attention to the league know, Prescott was only supposed to be a temporary fill-in while Tony Romo recovered from an August back injury. The 23-year-old instead stole the four-time Pro Bowler’s job and has combined for 23 touchdowns (18 passing, five rushing) against two interceptions. Thanks to Prescott’s stinginess, the Cowboys are tied for first in the league in giveaways per game (0.6).

While Prescott’s resounding early success has come as a shock, Elliott has been as advertised. The former Ohio State star went fourth overall because his greatness with the Buckeyes was supposed to transfer to the pros, which it has. Elliott entered Thursday as the league’s rushing leader, and he increased his advantage over second-place DeMarco Murray – a former Cowboy – with a 97-yard performance. Elliott is now up to 1,199 yards on a league-high 243 carries, and he ranks second in the sport in rushing touchdowns (11).

With so much going for them on offense – including tight end Jason Witten, receivers Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley and, should something happen to Prescott, the league’s premier backup QB (Romo) – it doesn’t appear an attack that entered Thursday first in DVOA is going to fade down the stretch. The Cowboys’ defense is another matter, though: While the unit has given up a fairly meager 19.4 points per game – good for 10th in the league – it’s a distant 22nd in yards allowed per contest, and 25th in both DVOA and takeaways per game (0.9). Dallas’ work against the pass has been especially problematic, and its ineptitude was on display when it allowed Redskins signal-caller Kirk Cousins to complete 41 of 53 passes for 449 yards and three touchdowns on Thursday. The Cowboys also failed to sack Cousins, and have taken down opposing QBs only 20 times.

One thing the Cowboys’ defense has going for it – and one thing that helps explain the team’s lack of points surrendered – is that it doesn’t spend much time on the field. Dallas’ offense leads the league in time of possession (33:12 per game), as Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today noted Friday, thereby taking even more pressure off a less-than-stellar defense. That formula has worked swimmingly so far, but it could backfire in the playoffs against a team like the 7-2-1 Seahawks – who rank in the league’s top 10 in both offensive and DVOA and might stand as the Cowboys’ top competition in the NFC.

The likes of the Patriots (8-2), Raiders (8-2) and defending champion Broncos (7-3) are among those that should also be in the discussion for the league’s No. 1 team, though any of them would only serve as a hindrance to the Cowboys in a potential Super Bowl matchup. Having to face one of those teams this season would be a welcome task for Dallas, whose latest Super Bowl appearance came in a January 1996 win over the Steelers.

As things stand, the Cowboys are on track for a first-round bye in the postseason and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That indicates that they’re the league’s preeminent team, but do you fully buy into their nearly spotless record? Are they the current Super Bowl favorites?

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Oher, Vikes, Seahawks, Redskins

November 25th, 2016 at 7:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

After landing on injured reserve with a concussion Friday, it’s possible Panthers left tackle Michael Oher has played his final snap, David Newton of ESPN.com suggests. Oher emphatically shot down that notion on Instagram a few weeks ago, however. At the very least, the soon-to-be 31-year-old is done for 2016, having last appeared in a game Sept. 25. Oher is under contract through 2019 on the three-year, $21.6MM extension he signed in June.

Kirk Cousins Seeking $23.94MM Per Year

November 25th, 2016 at 6:10pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Redskins’ Kirk Cousins has continued to make the case this year that he’s a franchise quarterback, most recently completing 41 of 53 passes for 449 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-26 loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. The impending free agent stands to cash in over the coming months, and he’ll look to do just that after the season.

Cousins’ starting point for long-term contract negotiations will be $23.94MM per year, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). Placing the franchise tag on Cousins in the offseason would also cost the Redskins $23.94MM – a notable increase from the $19.95MM salary he’s making this year as their franchise player.

Given his remarkable output since midway through the 2015 campaign, multiple general managers told Rapoport that Cousins is likely to receive upward of $20MM per annum on a long-term deal. After getting off to a rough start last year, his first as a starter, Cousins had a breakout Week 7 showing against the Buccaneers – the “You like that!” game – and hasn’t looked back.

As Wesseling notes, Cousins has completed 70.1 percent of throws with 43 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 8.4 yards per attempt and a 108.1 passer rating across his past 20 starts. The Redskins have also done their share of winning with the 2012 fourth-round pick, having gone 15-11-1 since he took the reins from Robert Griffin III entering last season, and the 6-4-1 club currently holds a wild-card spot a year after earning an NFC East crown.

There are conflicting reports over whether the Redskins would tag Cousins again, but it’s hard to imagine the team letting him hit the open market after the season. A quarterback-desperate franchise would surely dip into free agency and give Cousins $20MM-plus per year in advance of his age-29 season, which would make him the 13th signal-caller in the league to receive at least that much annually. If a team matches his asking price of $23.94MM, he’d fall behind only Andrew Luck, Carson Palmer and Drew Brees in average yearly value. It’s unknown how much guaranteed money Cousins is seeking, but Luck landed a league-high $87MM as part of the extension he signed over the summer. No other QB comes close to that figure, though both another salary cap increase and having several teams vying for Cousins’ services would certainly improve his odds of approaching it.

Bears’ Kyle Fuller To Return From IR

November 25th, 2016 at 5:14pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller is primed to come back from injured reserve, perhaps early next week, head coach John Fox said Friday.

“I’d be pretty surprised depending on how it goes after [Friday] because he had a pretty brisk workout [Friday], if he’s not practicing Monday,” Fox told Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Fuller underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in August and has been on IR since Sept. 27. Once the Bears designate him to return, they’ll have a three-week window to activate the 24-year-old. At 2-8, Chicago’s hopes for 2016 are dashed, but it would be beneficial for the team to continue evaluating Fuller in advance of the offseason. The Bears have to decide on Fuller’s fifth-year option for 2018 by the spring, though they’re unlikely to exercise it, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune wrote in September. A 2014 first-round pick, Fuller has started in 30 of 32 games – including all 16 last year – and intercepted six passes.

When Fuller comes back, the season will officially end for another of the Bears’ recent first-rounders, receiver Kevin White. The second-year man landed on IR on Oct. 5 with a fractured fibula. Injuries have limited White to just four games since the Bears chose him seventh overall in 2015.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/25/16

November 25th, 2016 at 4:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Friday’s minor moves…

Texans defensive end Ufomba Kamalu is moving from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game against San Diego, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (Twitter link). The undrafted rookie from the University of Miami racked up 94 tackles and eight sacks in three years with the Hurricanes.
The Broncos signed long snapper Thomas Gafford and waived defensive tackle Darius Kilgo, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Gafford will help fill the gap while Casey Kreiter is out with a calf injury.

Cardinals Promote Marquis Bundy

November 25th, 2016 at 4:31pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Cardinals have promoted wide receiver Marquis Bundy from the practice squad to the active roster and cut fellow wideout Chris Hubert, per a team announcement.

Bundy, a Phoenix native, signed with the Cardinals in June as an undrafted free agent from New Mexico and had been on their practice squad since September. Bundy caught just 31 passes in 35 games during his college career, but he’ll now join an Arizona receiving corps that, like the team itself, has been a disappointment this year. One of the unit’s letdowns, Michael Floyd, has a hamstring injury and is questionable for the Cardinals’ game against the Falcons on Sunday.

Hubert, also an undrafted rookie, originally signed with the Cardinals in May after playing college football at Fayetteville State. The club promoted him to its active roster Oct. 26 to take the place of receiver Jaron Brown, who tore his ACL, but Hubert didn’t see any game action.

Vikings Sign Bishop Sankey To Practice Squad

November 25th, 2016 at 3:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Bishop Sankey has been wandering the NFL all season long but he’s hoping to take his coat off and stay a while with his new team. The Vikings announced that they have signed the young running back to the practice squad.

Sankey, a 2014 second-round pick, was released by the Titans’ new regime this fall. At one time, Sankey was being groomed for the primary running back role in Tennessee. This offseason, he didn’t demonstrate enough progress to keep his place on a team carrying four running backs.

After his release, Sankey spent time on the Patriots’ practice squad and the Chiefs’ 53-man roster. Earlier this week, KC released Sankey in an apparent endorsement of Knile Davis‘ as the last back behind Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West.

Currently, the Vikings have Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, and fullback Zach Line on the 53-man roster. It stands to reason that they could add another tailback to the mix. Sankey now stands as the only RB on the p-squad and has a prime opportunity for a promotion.

Panthers Place LT Michael Oher On IR

November 25th, 2016 at 12:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Michael Oher‘s season is over. The Panthers announced that he will be placed on injured reserve, along with cornerback Zack Sanchez. In a related move, tackle Donald Hawkins has been waived.

After a down year with the Titans in 2014, Oher found his way to Carolina last year and enjoyed a rebound season. Oher appeared in all 16 regular season games and graded out as a top-30 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. Over the summer, he was rewarded with a lucrative three-year, $21.6MM extension. Unfortunately, Oher has not played since Week 3 of this season due to a concussion. He apparently hasn’t made enough progress over the past two months and he’ll be shut down for the year with an eye on getting healthy for 2017.

Sanchez was one of three cornerbacks drafted by the Panthers this year as they attempted to replace Josh Norman on the cheap. Surprisingly, Sanchez missed the cut in early September, but he was quickly signed to the practice squad. The youngster’s 53-man break came last month when one-time starter Bene Benwikere was released. His year ends with five games played (one start) and eight total tackles.