2017 November - Pro Football Rumors

49ers To Start Jimmy Garoppolo In Week 13

November 28th, 2017 at 5:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a brief cameo caused by a C.J. Beathard injury, Jimmy Garoppolo will begin his tenure as the 49ers’ starter.

Kyle Shanahan notified the quarterbacks Garoppolo will start against the Bears, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports (on Twitter). This will mark only Garoppolo’s third career start, but it could well be the first of many as a 49er. Shanahan announced the move, and it looks like Garoppolo will have a five-game sample upon which to judge going into the offseason.

Shanahan and John Lynch have been openly cautious about deploying their recently acquired passer, but management appears ready to begin the experiment. While they’ve made it clear this isn’t an audition, with the franchise tag being the likely offseason outcome to further judge if Garoppolo is the long-term solution, the franchise will begin to see if its quarterback of the future is presently on the team.

Garoppolo has thrown 96 career passes, being 2-for-2 with a touchdown toss as a 49er, but has only played one game from start to finish — the 2016 Patriots opener against the Cardinals. He suffered an injury against the Dolphins the following week.

This game being at Soldier Field will mark a unique moment for the Eastern Illinois-developed quarterback; Garoppolo grew up in nearby Arlington Heights, Ill.

Beathard started the previous five games for the 49ers, who acquired Garoppolo midway through that stretch. The rookie suffered knee and hip injuries against the Seahawks and may not have been able to go this week anyway. He figures to return to the backup role he occupied when the season began. Beathard completed 55 percent of his passes and has a 4-to-6 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio for the 1-10 team.

NFC East Notes: Redskins, Cousins, Cowboys

November 28th, 2017 at 4:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are reportedly no longer considering the $28.8MM transition tag for Kirk Cousins in 2018. Instead, Washington wants to evaluate the quarterback down the stretch of the season to determine whether it wants to use the $34.5MM franchise tag on him, sign him to a long-term deal, or allow him to test free agency unencumbered. That’s just fine with Cousins.

“You know, I can understand the unique situation that it is, and you’re trying to find value in every player at every position,” Cousins told 106.7 The Fan (transcription via Chris Lingebach of CBS DC). “If you still need five more games, or five-plus, to make a decision, so be it, but I’d like to think that I’ve played a lot of football here. I’ve been here six years and I think the people in the building have gotten to know me, who I am as a man, who I am as a football player, what I’m about and who I’m gonna be going forward and I’d like to think they can make an informed decision regardless. But if they need five more games, so be it, but I understand the need to find value and understand what you’re getting.”

At 5-6, the Redskins have just a 6.7% chance of reaching the postseason, per Football Outsiders, but there is still plenty riding on these final games.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Recently, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated that he was backing down from his lawsuit threat against the NFL because the league promised to “get input from all the owners” on Roger Goodell‘s new deal, rather than leaving it up to just the Compensation Committee. No such deal has been made, however, according to NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart. Lockhart reiterated that the six-man committee has the sole power to approve an extension for the commissioner (link via PFT).
Redskins coach Jay Gruden says defensive lineman Jonathan Allen remains on course for returning from injured reserve this season (link via ESPN.com’s John Keim). Allen, who has missed the bulk of the season with a Lisfranc injury, can be activated off IR for the Week 15 game against the Cardinals.
Eagles defensive Brandon Graham registered his seventh sack of the season on Sunday and that triggered a $250K incentive in his 2017 contract, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. By hitting that milestone, he also boosted his 2018 salary by $250K.
On Tuesday, the Giants announced that Eli Manning will be benched this week in favor of Geno Smith.

Raiders To Bring Antonio Hamilton Off IR

November 28th, 2017 at 4:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have designated cornerback Antonio Hamilton to return from injured reserve, as Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. The move will trigger a three-week window for Hamilton to return to the 53-man roster. If he is not activated within that timeframe, he will not be eligible to play for the remainder of the season.

The move officially means that will will not see kicker Sebastian Janikowski or offensive lineman Denver Kirkland take the field again in 2017. Each team has only two IR-DTR spots to use and one has already been burned to activate safety Obi Melifonwu.

Hamilton underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus back in October. Before that, the second-year player appeared in four games, primarily as a special-teamer. Last year, he made ten appearances. Per league rules, Hamilton will be eligible to play against the Cowboys on Dec. 17.

Texans Cut LB Lamarr Houston

November 28th, 2017 at 4:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Lamarr Houston‘s time in Houston has come to an end. The linebacker has been waived, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The release isn’t necessarily a reflection on his performance – Rapoport hears the Texans are shifting focus to younger players.

Houston joined the Texans on a one-year deal in October. At the time, the Texans were still in the mix for the AFC South crown. Today, they’re 4-7 with no real chance at reaching the playoffs. By cutting Houston, the Texans will get a chance to evaluate edge rushers who could be a part of the solution in 2018. Meanwhile, Houston may get a chance to hook on with a contending club.

Although Houston is a vested veteran, he’ll be subject to waivers since we are beyond the trading deadline. If no one claims Houston within a 24 hour period, he’ll be free to sign with any team of his choosing.

Darren McFadden Announces Retirement

November 28th, 2017 at 2:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Darren McFadden is calling it a career. The former Cowboys running back announced his retirement from football on Tuesday afternoon.

“Today, I am announcing that I am retiring from the NFL. I have been extremely privileged to play in the league for a long time,” McFadden wrote. “And now that time for me is done.”

McFadden, 30, was waived by the Cowboys over the weekend. It was reportedly a mutual decision. At the time, it seemed like McFadden might seek work elsewhere, but has decided to walk away from the game instead. In theory, McFadden was free to sign with any team after passing through the post trade deadline waivers.

The running back first broke into the league as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 draft. While he showed flashes of serious potential, injuries hampered him in Oakland. His best Raiders season came in 2010 when he ran for 1,157 yards plus 507 yards receiving.

McFadden had a late career re-emergence with Dallas, eclipsing 1,000 yards in 2015. Unfortunately, he lost most of 2016 to injury and didn’t see much action this year. His 2017 season ends after one game played with one rushing attempt for negative two yards. Some expected McFadden to get back into the fold after Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension, but that never came to fruition.

McFadden’s career ends with 5,421 yards rushing, at an average of 4.2 yards per attempt, and 28 rushing touchdowns. He also had 2,114 yards receiving and five TDs through the air.

We here at Pro Football Rumors wish McFadden the best in retirement.

Giants To Start Geno Smith On Sunday

November 28th, 2017 at 2:33pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants announced that Geno Smith will start at quarterback on Sunday against the Raiders. The move will allow the Giants to evaluate their younger quarterback in what has become a lost season.

“Geno will start this week,” coach Ben McAdoo said in a press release. “Over the last five games, we will take a look at Geno, and we will also give Davis [Webb] an opportunity.”

It’s a historic move for the G-Men given that Eli Manning has started 210 consecutive regular-season games. It is the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history, second only to Brett Favre’s 297. According to the press release, Manning was given the option to continue his streak, but declined.

“Coach McAdoo told me I could continue to start while Geno and Davis are given an opportunity to play,” said Manning, who has started every Giants game since Nov. 21, 2004. “My feeling is that if you are going to play the other guys, play them. Starting just to keep the streak going and knowing you won’t finish the game and have a chance to win it is pointless to me, and it tarnishes the streak. Like I always have, I will be ready to play if and when I am needed. I will help Geno and Davis prepare to play as well as they possibly can.”

The Giants will be re-evaluating every area of the team in the offseason, including the quarterback position. Manning isn’t necessarily being forced out, but the Giants are expected to look towards the future as his 37th birthday comes in January. McAdoo & Co. are about to find out whether the former Jets bust is a potential option. Meanwhile, they’ll have to decide on Manning’s future before he collects on a $5MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2018 league year in March.

Smith played in 33 regular-season games with 30 starts for the Jets, but he has not started a game since October of last year. His stint in green was defined by poor play, injuries, and a locker room brawl that left him with a major jaw fracture.

Heading into the season, the Giants believed that Manning, Odell Beckham Jr., and free agent pickup Brandon Marshall would power them into the playoffs. Unfortunately, injuries to OBJ, Marshall, and scores of other key players have taken them out of contention. The Giants are 2-9 with no mathematical chance of reaching the postseason.

“This is not the way it should be, but unfortunately, it’s where we are,” McAdoo said. “Our number one priority every week is to go win a game, but we owe it to the organization to get an evaluation of everybody on the roster, and that includes at the quarterback position. I’ll say it again, I have the utmost respect for Eli and everything he has done for this organization throughout his career. He is the consummate professional. He doesn’t like the position we are in, and neither do any of us. Eli has had to deal with a lot this season. Through it all, he has done everything we have asked of him in getting that unit ready to play. He has been steady, just like he has always been.”

Buccaneers Cut DE Darryl Tapp

November 28th, 2017 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers are releasing defensive end Darryl Tapp, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). To fill his spot, the team has promoted rookie defensive end Pat O’Connor from the practice squad.

Tapp’s stint in Tampa ends after two tackles in four games. The Bucs signed Tapp in late October when several edge rushers fell victim to the injury bug, but his play just wasn’t up to par. At this stage of his career, it’s not clear what the 33-year-old has left in the tank. He’s basically been a rotational defensive end since 2009 and his best years as a starter for the Seahawks in 2007-08 are long behind him.

The Lions drafted O’Connor in the seventh round of the 2017 draft. The Eastern Michigan product was not able to make Detroit’s Week 1 cut, but he has impressed since joining the Bucs’ taxi squad seven weeks ago. He may get a chance to see live NFL action this Sunday against the Packers, though he’ll slot behind Robert Ayers (if healthy), William Gholston, Will Clarke, and Ryan Russell.

As a senior at Eastern Michigan, O’Connor had 8.5 sacks and five forced fumbles.

Latest On Seahawks, Kam Chancellor

November 28th, 2017 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Kam Chancellor‘s neck injury has ended his 2017 season. Coach Pete Carroll has indicated that the injury could also be a career-ender for the safety, and that could have serious long-term ramifications for the Seahawks both on and off the field. As noted by Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter links), the Seahawks could be on the hook for $12MM if he cannot suit up again. That’s because Chancellor’s $6.8MM 2018 base salary and a $5.2MM portion of his 2019 base salary are guaranteed for injury.

The Seahawks won’t have much time to evaluate things before Chancellor’s 2018 skill and salary cap guarantees lock in. As dictated by the contract, the $6.8MM will be iron clad five days after 2018 waivers begin. This year, that falls on February 10. In theory, the Seahawks could cut Chancellor loose before that date, but the safety would have serious ammo to file a grievance case against the team.

Chancellor, 30 in April, had 49 tackles and two passes defended before suffering the neck injury in Week 10. The metrics at Pro Football Focus rank him as the sixth-best safety in the NFL this year, so it’s clear that he’s still playing football at a very high level. Hopefully, he’ll be able to continue doing what he does best.

Giants Sign Darryl Morris, Brandon Dixon

November 28th, 2017 at 12:18pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have added a pair of players to the secondary. The team announced that defensive back Brandon Dixon has been promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. In addition to Dixon, the Giants have also signed free agent Darryl Morris.

Dixon, 27, has traveled the league since being drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2014 draft. The Northwest Missouri State product has also spent time with the Bucs, Seahawks, Colts, Patriots, Saints, and Steelers. His only real NFL action came with Tampa Bay as a rookie, however, when he appeared in 14 games and had one interception, two passes defensed, and nine total tackles. In what has become a lost season for the Giants, he could have an opportunity to add to his resume.

Morris, also 27, has had multiple NFL stops, but he comes with more in-game experience. The 5’10” cornerback has 48 games to his credit thanks to time spent with the Niners, Texans, and Colts, including 12 games and two starts last year for Indy. He had a career-high 34 tackles, six passes defensed, and one interception for the Colts in 2016.

The 2-9 Giants lost a defensive back this week when Donte Deayon was placed on season-ending IR. They might also be without star Janoris Jenkins for a bit thanks to his injured ankle. With the additions of Morris and Dixon, they have replenished their reserves in advance of Sunday’s game against the Raiders.

To take Dixon’s place on the taxi squad, defensive back Jeremiah McKinnon has been added to the ten-man unit.

Details On Darrelle Revis’ Deal With Chiefs

November 28th, 2017 at 11:33am CST by Zachary Links

Darrelle Revis‘ new deal with the Chiefs could prove to be very lucrative for this season and next. After Revis is done double-dipping in 2017, he could collect up to $13.5MM in 2018, Field Yates of ESPN.com hears.

That’s a ton of money for a player who some say is over the hill and under-motivated, but the Chiefs felt they had to take the risk to beef up their secondary. It also helps that KC can bail on the deal without major penalty before the start of next season.

Revis’ $1.015MM base salary for next year becomes guaranteed if he is on the roster on the fifth day of the 2018 league year, plus $185K more available through a workout bonus. If he stays on the roster, he’ll earn a weekly roster bonus of $550K for each game. All in all, he’d see $8.8MM in bonuses if he remains with the team throughout the season – even if he’s on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list.

The Chiefs’ success this year could also impact Revis’ 2018 paycheck. The cornerback will get $1.75MM in roster bonuses for next year if he plays more than half of the snaps in a victorious AFC Championship Game for the Chiefs. If he plays more than half of the snaps in a Super Bowl LII win, he’ll boost that number to $3.5MM. That bonus would be paid out to Revis on the first day of the 2018 league year. Interestingly, he can still qualify for the SB bonus even if he does not achieve the conference game bonus.

For the rest of this year, the veteran will earn roughly $353K per week, the total of his Chiefs pay plus the prorated portion of his $6MM guarantee from the Jets. There’s a lot of money (potentially) being paid out to Revis, but it will be all worthwhile for KC if he can help right the ship for this season. And, if he looks a lot like his 2016 version, the Chiefs can rid themselves of the obligation pretty easily.

Revis had 43 tackles, one interception, and five passes defended in 15 games for Gang Green last year. He graded out as the league’s No. 64 corner in 2016, per Pro Football Focus, a far cry from where he was in his first Jets stint.