2017 October - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Botched A.J. McCarron Trade

October 31st, 2017 at 4:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns almost landed quarterback A.J. McCarron from the Bengals before the trade deadline, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) reports. However, the two sides could not reach agreement before 4pm ET/3pm CT on Tuesday.

The two sides actually agreed to a McCarron trade at 3:55 pm ET/2:55pm CT, a source involved tells Schefter (on Twitter). The Bengals approved the trade with the league office in time, but the Browns did not. After the fact, the Browns argued to the NFL that the trade should be allowed, a source tells Schefter (Twitter links). The league refused, even though the Browns’ notification of the deal arrived just moments too late.

The proposed deal had the Browns sending a second-round pick and a third-round pick to the Bengals for McCarron, according to Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The near-trade could be a sneak peak into the Browns’ offseason plans. McCarron is headed for restricted free agency in the spring, so Cleveland could theoretically make another run at him. Then again, given the way that the Bengals have valued McCarron in trade talks over the last couple of years, he could still be extremely costly.

In April, the Bengals told teams that they wanted a first-round pick for McCarron. The belief was that the Bengals were not all that interested in trading the backup QB and were simply naming an out-of-range price rather than rejecting offers outright. One unknown club did offer up a second-round choice for him. In a poll, many PFR readers speculated that it was the Browns who made that pitch. We know now that Browns coach Hue Jackson pushed hard for a reunion with McCarron.

McCarron has limited NFL experience after years of playing behind Andy Dalton, but he showed potential down the stretch in 2015 when Dalton was injured. The Browns saw him as someone who could be an upgrade over their murky QB situation, but they did not offer enough to get a deal done at the deadline. Their stockpile of picks remain untouched, but they missed out on an opportunity to spark the offense in the second half. The Browns have also made it clear to second-round pick DeShone Kizer that he is not viewed as the answer under center.

Panthers Trade WR Kelvin Benjamin To Bills

October 31st, 2017 at 3:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have traded wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin to the Bills, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The buzzer beating deal comes as one of the biggest trades of the week, and that’s saying a lot for what has been a historically eventful deadline. In return, the Panthers receive Buffalo’s third- and seventh-round picks in 2018, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).

Benjamin’s name was not involved in rumors leading up to the NFL’s Halloween trade deadline. However, it was the old connection between executive Brandon Beane and Carolina that brought the deal together. The Bills traded away one of the game’s brightest talents in Sammy Watkins earlier this year, but they have replaced him with another big target.

The Bills are off to a 5-2 start with a very real chance of toppling the Patriots for the AFC East crown. The move to acquire Benjamin reads as a go-for-it deal, and Buffalo fans are happy to see that in the wake of the Marcell Dareus trade.

Benjamin, 26, was a first-round pick of the Panthers in 2014 when Beane was in the front office and Sean McDermott was on the sidelines. In that season, he caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and nine scores. Unfortunately, the 2015 season was lost to injury and the football world is still waiting for Benjamin to replicate that season. The good news is that the health and conditioning problems that were plaguing the Florida State product appear to be behind him. In his half-season for Carolina this year, he has 32 grabs for 475 yards and two touchdowns.

The Panthers previously exercised the fifth-year option on Benjamin, meaning that the Bills will have him under contract through the 2018 season. His paltry $2.44MM cap number will increase to $8.46MM under the option, which is guaranteed for injury only.

49ers Trade CB Rashard Robinson To Jets

October 31st, 2017 at 2:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers made their second deadline deal in two days, this time agreeing to send cornerback Rashard Robinson to the Jets, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Jets gave the Niners a 2018 fifth-round pick in exchange, a source tells Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter).

Robinson, a fourth-round pick last year, has started seven games for San Francisco this season. The Jets are hurting in the secondary presently, but the 22-year-old corner is under contract through the 2019 season. So, this represents a possible long-term piece for Gang Green.

The LSU product has started 13 games over the past two seasons. He’s deflected eight passes, forced a fumble and intercepted a pass during his sophomore NFL campaign. Robinson, though, ranks among Pro Football Focus’ worst-graded corners this season. This could be a short-term depth addition and a long-term developmental project.

New York is currently dealing with injuries to Morris Claiborne and Buster Skrine, making this an interesting way to go about patching up a secondary.

Giants Suspend Janoris Jenkins

October 31st, 2017 at 2:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have suspended a second starting cornerback this season. This time, it’s Janoris Jenkins who has encountered a team-imposed suspension, Kimberly Jones of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Jenkins violated team rules and will miss at least this weekend’s game against the Rams, per Jones. This follows the Giants’ suspension of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie earlier this month.

When the Giants returned from their bye on Monday, Jenkins was not with the club. At the time, coach Ben McAdoo said he was excused for “personal reasons”. On Tuesday, McAdoo said that was not really the case.

“At that point, neither myself nor any of the coaches had heard from Jackrabbit,” McAdoo explained, referring to Jenkins by his locker room nickname.

So far this year, Jenkins is ranked as the No. 28 cornerback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. His 81.5 grade is solid, but it’s a step back from his 88.0 showing in 2016.

We’re still waiting to hear why Jenkins was MIA on Monday, just one day after his 29th birthday.

“As a member of this team, there are standards and we have responsibilities and obligations,” said McAdoo. “When we don’t fulfill those obligations, there are consequences. As I have said before, we do not like to handle our team discipline publicly. There are times when it is unavoidable, and this is one of those times.”

Latest On Jarvis Landry, Martavis Bryant

October 31st, 2017 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jarvis Landry and Martavis Bryant do not look to be going anywhere as the trade deadline nears. Despite the Dolphins unloading Jay Ajayi and the Steelers deactivating Bryant in Week 8, the AFC squads will be hanging onto two of the bigger names to be thrown into trade rumors this month.

Adam Schefter reports Landry will not be traded today, while NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport said the same for Bryant (Twitter links). A report earlier today indicated the Dolphins were willing to part with Landry for the right price, but either that price hasn’t materialized or the Fins are determined to hang onto their fourth-year slot starter.

Rapoport, though, adds other teams tried to pry Bryant away from the Steelers. But the build-from-within-based organization does not appear eager to budge from its proclamation of holding onto Bryant. Rapoport reports multiple teams called the Steelers about Bryant, but he’ll have to work things out with the coaching staff in order to get back on the field.

Landry’s in the final year of his contract, and no substantial negotiations have reportedly taken place. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports Landry has not completely bought into the Adam Gase regime’s methods, and that may be causing friction between the sides. The Dolphins were once set to make a Landry extension a priority in the most recent offseason. The team is also anticipating a third- or fourth-round compensatory pick if Landry departs as a free agent, Salguero notes.

Ravens’ Danny Woodhead To Come Off Of IR

October 31st, 2017 at 1:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Ravens running back Danny Woodhead has officially returned to practice, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The plan is for Woodhead to return from injured reserve.

The Ravens parked Woodhead on IR in September when he was taking longer than expected to recover from a hamstring strain. With some extra time to recover, Woodhead should be able to give Baltimore’s running game a boost. As an added bonus, he’s entering the midway point of the season with fresh legs.

Woodhead signed with the Ravens on a three-year, $8.8MM deal with $4.25MM guaranteed back in March. It remains to be seen whether he can truly earn his salary given his age and injury troubles.

Woodhead missed most of last season and played in only three games for the 2014 Chargers due to injury. In 2015, however, Woodhead totaled 1,091 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns.

Fallout From Jay Ajayi Trade

October 31st, 2017 at 1:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins sent their starting running back of the past two years to the Eagles, and Jay Ajayi will join the team with the best record in football. The teams look to view the ball-carrier differently. Here’s the latest coming out of Miami and Philadelphia regarding this high-profile swap.

Miami was planning to look for running back help this offseason regardless of an Ajayi trade, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com tweets. Robinson writes the team has been doing its due diligence on backs, and it looks like Miami could well pursue a new starter for 2018. Miami saw Ajayi average just 3.4 yards per carry this season after debuting as a starter at 4.9 per tote. But the Dolphins handed him the ball on 138 of their 168 rushing attempts thus far. Damien Williams (12 2017 carries) and Kenyan Drake (10) are the next men up.
The Dolphins also don’t think Ajayi has much longer to play before the knee problems that dogged him coming out of Boise State catch up to him, Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com tweets. Ajayi fell to the fifth round partially because of concerns about his knees. But he played in 15 games last season, missing the one because of a disciplinary issue, and has suited up for each of the Fins’ seven 2017 contests.
Roseman said the Eagles did “the necessary medical work” on Ajayi and are comfortable with his knees, per Jeff McLane of Philly.com (on Twitter). Ajayi will take a physical upon arriving in Philadelphia tonight, and McLane notes he’s expected to be at Eagles practice on Wednesday.
Ajayi won’t turn 25 until next summer, and much like Philadelphia’s Ronald Darby trade, a key part of this deal was Ajayi being under contract through 2018, Howie Roseman said (via Zach Berman of Philly.com, on Twitter). LeGarrette Blount, though, will remain the Eagles’ starter, per the GM. Roseman added the Eagles being 7-1 puts them in a better position to unload a draft pick — their third 2018 selection traded away.
The Dolphins believe this trade will represent an addition-by-subtraction effect, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports. Ajayi’s “selfish” attitude contributed to him falling out of favor with the Dolphins, with Salguero reporting the running back on multiple occasions stormed out of the locker room after games due to discontent about his workload. Ajayi had four games featuring 27-plus touches, but three others (all Dolphins losses) featured fewer than 17. Salguero reports Ajayi complained to Dolphins running backs coach Danny Barrett but never addressed his concerns with Adam Gase.

Browns’ Josh Gordon Applying For Reinstatement

October 31st, 2017 at 1:39pm CST by Zachary Links

1:39pm: Gordon’s meeting with the NFL is scheduled for Wednesday, not today, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. This means that Gordon will not be reinstated before this afternoon’s trade deadline.

12:59pm: Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon will meet with the league office in New York City on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Schefter adds that the Browns could trade his rights today if he is reinstated.

The Browns have waffled a bit when it comes to Gordon. Earlier this year, coach Hue Jackson indicated that the team would be moving on from the troubled wide receiver. Then, as the season approached, he seemed to soften that stance. Right now, it sounds like the Browns are intent on turning Gordon into draft capital if he is allowed back into the league.

In order for Gordon to earn reinstatement, he’ll have to show that he has made significant changes to his lifestyle. For some time, it was believed that Gordon was suspended due to marijuana use. Recently, he opened up about the full scope of his issues, including the misuse of Xanax, cocaine, codeine, and prescription cough syrup.

Gordon has not played since the end of the 2014 season. He had 24 catches for 303 yards in the final five games of that campaign. In 2013, he secured First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors when he hauled in 87 receptions for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns.

Teams Calling On Bears G Josh Sitton

October 31st, 2017 at 1:21pm CST by Zachary Links

Teams are calling the Bears with interest in guard Josh Sitton, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).With a couple of hours to go until the trade deadline, the 3-5 Bears could be motivated to trade the lineman to a contending club.

Sitton, 31, carries a $6.8MM cap number this year before that jumps to $8.66MM in 2018. Sitton doesn’t come cheap, but he has been regarded as one of the league’s best guards for nearly a decade, so he is worth it for a team looking to win right now.

Sitton currently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ ninth-best guard, which is actually lower than where Sitton has been situation in previous years. Sitton, who has spent his entire career to date in the NFC North, is coming off of his fourth career Pro Bowl nod.

49ers Tried To Trade For Jimmy Garoppolo This Offseason

October 31st, 2017 at 1:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers made a seismic move on Monday night in trading for Jimmy Garoppolo, but the franchise attempted to make this trade earlier this offseason.

John Lynch said he pursued a Garoppolo swap earlier this year, but the 49ers and Patriots evidently couldn’t agree on terms.

“We studied him hard,” Lynch said, via 49ers.com (video link). “We studied him hard this offseason. We tried to do a deal this offseason. It didn’t come to fruition. It presented itself now and we felt like it was an opportunity we had to jump at.”

The 49ers made multiple moves to bring in new quarterbacks this offseason, only Lynch continued to say the team was monitoring the situation regarding the acquisition of a franchise quarterback. The team’s Brian Hoyer and C.J. Beathard transactions did not move the needle in this area, as expected, and Lynch said Tuesday that Beathard will now move into a situation where he can learn from Garoppolo long-term. The 49ers do not have a contract with Garoppolo yet, but that or a franchise tag would seem logical now that he’s under team control.

The Browns joined the 49ers in pursuing Garoppolo, being far more closely connected to the then-Patriots backup than the 49ers were, and made an offer during the draft. But there may have been a disconnect among the Browns about that potential move.

As for the Patriots, they are now without a Tom Brady successor. Bill Belichick said this choice was looming the past couple of years. Brady is signed through the 2019 season, and while there aren’t many parallels of quarterbacks playing well into their 40s, he’s defied age norms to this point. Belichick added today he views the 40-year-old passer as a year-to-year proposition, but in making this trade, it’s fairly clear the 18th-year Patriots coach believes Brady will be around for the foreseeable future.

“As [Garoppolo’s] career moves forward, we have to look at our team, both this year and beyond. We probably had, in my opinion, the best QB situation in the league for the last, call it, 2½ years,” Belichick said, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “It is just not sustainable given the way that things are set up.

“[The Brady-Garoppolo setup is] definitely not something we wanted to walk away from, and I felt we rode it out as long as we could. We’ve, over a period of time, explored every option possible to sustain it but, at this point, it felt like we had to make a decision. It’s a very complex situation on multiple levels. This is really the last window that we had and we did what we felt was best for the team.”

New England could look to add former Brady backup Brian Hoyer, whom the 49ers released on Monday night, as the post-Garoppolo insurance policy.