2017 December - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Place DB Obi Melifonwu On IR

December 15th, 2017 at 7:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders have activated cornerback Antonio Hamilton from injured reserve and placed safety Obi Melifonwu on IR, the club announced today.

Melifonwu, whom Oakland selected earlier this year with the 56th overall pick, will now see his lost rookie campaign come to an end. The former UConn Huskie underwent knee surgery in August and missed eight weeks, and has now had an operation on his hip, as head coach Jack Del Rio told reporters, including Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review Journal (Twitter link).

While the Raiders had hoped Melifonwu would aid a pass defense which ranks dead last in DVOA, he ended up playing only 34 defensive snaps over five games. Oakland will need Melifonwu at full health in 2018, as the club is likely counting on him to step into the starting lineup given that veteran safety Reggie Nelson will hit free agency.

Hamilton, who went undrafted out of South Carolina State in 2016, has appeared in eight total games during his two-year NFL career. The 24-year-old will likely see most of his action on special teams as the season comes to a close, but he’ll also serve as a reserve cornerback behind T.J. Carrie, Sean Smith, and David Amerson.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/15/17

December 15th, 2017 at 6:04pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s practice squad updates:

Cleveland Browns

Signed: DT T.Y. McGill
Waived: OL Andrew Wylie

Houston Texans

Signed: DT Jarrod Clements

Minnesota Vikings

Signed: S Jack Tocho

49ers Shut Down Trent Brown

December 15th, 2017 at 3:18pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers will place Trenton Brown on injured reserve, coach Kyle Shanahan announced on Friday. The tackle will miss the team’s final three games.

With little to play for this season, it was the logical move for the Niners. The team views the right tackle as a cornerstone of the offensive line and it is expected that they will discuss an extension with him in the offseason. Brown’s current deal is slated to expire after the 2018 campaign.

Brown, 25 in April, ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 19 ranked tackle. His 84.7 pass block grade is eight amongst all players at his position, though his 50.3 run blocking score leaves something to be desired.

Left tackles earn more money than their counterparts on the right side, but we’ve seen some right tackles cash in with big contracts in recent years. Eagles veteran Lane Johnson leads all RTs with a deal averaging $11.25MM per year. This past offseason, Ricky Wagner pushed the market with his five-year, $47.5MM free agent deal in Detroit.

NFC West Notes: Garoppolo, Peterson, Ward

December 15th, 2017 at 2:27pm CST by Zachary Links

49ers GM John Lynch is in constant contact with Jimmy Garoppolo‘s agent Don Yee, but their conversations have not included contract negotiations.

“It’s kind of refreshing to talk to him because of the way he’s dealt with Tom [Brady], a lot of people have learned: He really wants these guys just to go focus on their business,” Lynch told KNBR (transcription via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle). “We’ve agreed that ‘Hey, there’s going to be a time for that, let’s keep in regular contact.’ But, no, we haven’t started discussions. I’m sure that will come in due time. And we’re looking forward to that time.”

Recently, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he does not expect an extension for the quarterback to be completed before the end of the year. Garoppolo is technically eligible for free agency this offseason, but the Niners are expected to use the franchise tag on him if they cannot hammer out a long-term deal.

Here’s more from the NFC West:

When asked if Adrian Peterson could be on the Cardinals in 2018, coach Bruce Arians said yes (Twitter link via Darren Urban of the team’s site). Arians added that Peterson and the returning David Johnson could co-exist. On Friday, Peterson announced that he intends to play next year, but the Cardinals have the option of cutting him without any financial penalty.
An extension for safety Jaquiski Tartt appears to be high on the 49ers‘ list of priorities this offseason, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Tartt’s season ended in early November with a broken forearm, but was among the team’s leaders in tackles. This will be the first offseason in which the Niners are able to negotiate a multi-year extension with the 2015 second-round pick.
Meanwhile, the 49ers have defensive back Jimmie Ward under contract for next year thanks to his fifth-year option, but they’ll have to think long and hard about retaining him, Maiocco writes. Ward’s inability to stay on the field (he’s missed 14 games over the last two seasons) could deter the team from bringing him back at that rate. His ability to play either cornerback or free safety is a plus, but it’s also something of a double-edged sword in this case. Because he played cornerback last year, his option price for 2018 jumped from $5.597MM to $8.526MM.
49ers like safety Eric Reid, but it’s hard to imagine them getting into a bidding war for him in free agency with Tartt, Ward, and Adrian Colbert under contract, according to Maiocco. But, at the right price, the Niners would probably welcome him back.

Chiefs Place C Mitch Morse On IR

December 15th, 2017 at 1:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs will have to make their playoff push without their starting center in the lineup. On Friday, the team announced that Morse is headed to injured reserve with a foot injury. Cornerback Keith Reaser has been promoted from the practice squad to take his place on the roster.

Without Morse, the Chiefs will be forced to put fourth-year pro Zach Fulton in the starting lineup. Swingman Cameron Erving will serve as Fulton’s primary backup.

Morse, 25, first suffered the injury in the Chiefs’ Week 2 game against the Eagles. He returned in late October, but the issue flared up again in the Chiefs’ recent loss to the Jets. Morse was carted off the field in that game and had to be held out of Sunday’s win over the Raiders.

The loss of Morse comes at a particularly bad time as the offensive line has to contend with the Chargers’ tenacious pass rush.

“They’re playing very well right now,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week (via the Chargers’ website). “Their pass rush is tremendous right now. It was good against us. Look at our third downs the last time we played them; they got after us. They’re playing at a very high level, and the secondary, they don’t do a lot but they do it very well. They have a great defensive coordinator. Gus does a great job there. They’re in good hands.”

The Chiefs have a 64% chance of winning the division, according to the playoff odds calculated by the New York Times. Of course, those odds decrease significantly if they lose on Saturday.

Bengals Place LB Kevin Minter On IR

December 15th, 2017 at 12:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals placed linebacker Kevin Minter on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. To take his place, they have promoted fellow ‘backer Brandon Bell from the practice squad.

Minter signed a one-year, $4MM deal with the Bengals in free agency this past spring. The Bengals were willing to give Minter a longer deal, but Minter wanted the opportunity to hit the 2018 free agent market. Unfortunately, he did not give himself a great platform for the open market. Injuries limited Minter to just nine games this year and his 32 tackles were the lowest of any of his seasons as an on-field regular.

Before coming to Cincinnati, Minter spent the first four seasons of his career with the Cardinals. He started all 32 regular season games for Arizona in 2015 and 2016 and played the most snaps (1,003) of any Cardinals linebacker last year. In that time, he racked up 81 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and four passes defensed while grading as the league’s No. 25 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.

Minter will miss the Bengals’ final three games against the Vikings, Lions, and Ravens.

Jerome Felton To Retire

December 15th, 2017 at 12:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Unable to land an NFL contract this year, former Pro Bowler Jerome Felton spent the 2017 season out of the game. Unless something changes in the next few weeks, he says he’s walking away from football.

“I guess if I were to get a call over the next few weeks I would answer, but this will be my last year regardless,” the nine-year veteran told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “I had a good run. I’m happy with how my career has went. I played a long time, but times are changing for fullbacks. I’m not going to just hang around waiting for a call. That’s not my mentality.”

Felton did not receive any offers as a free agent, though he says he did draw some interest from the Jets. The 31-year-old spent the last two years with the Bills, but the new regime was not interested in a reunion. The lack of opportunities, he says, stems from a growing number of teams who are not utilizing a fullback.

“A lot has to do with the quarterbacks coming out of college; they run that scheme,” Felton said. “And sometimes offensive coordinators want to be the latest, greatest in new inventions, and they think they have to do a bunch of crazy stuff to operate on offense.”

Felton played nine seasons in the NFL with the Lions, Colts, Panthers, Vikings, and Bills.

Latest On Jets’ Muhammad Wilkerson

December 15th, 2017 at 11:53am CST by Zachary Links

This could be the beginning of the end for the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson. Wilkerson will not make the trip with the team to New Orleans, coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Friday. Bowles added that it’s a coach’s decision.

Wilkerson has failed to show up on time for several team functions this year, leading to serious friction between him and the coaching staff. Earlier this month, the Jets benched the defensive lineman for the first quarter of their game against the Chiefs. The Jets went on to win that game without one of their highest-paid players on the field at the outset.

The Jets gave Wilkerson a five-year, $86MM deal in the summer of 2016 and, so far, that’s looking like a huge mistake. Insubordination aside, Wilkerson’s production has been all around flat. The Temple product ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 51 ranked interior defender in the NFL while getting paid as though he is one of the league’s very best. The traditional numbers also indicate a slide. Wilkerson had 12 sacks in his contract year (2015), but he has recorded just eight sacks combined over the last two seasons.

The Jets can create $11MM in cap space by releasing Wilkerson this offseason, and that seems like a definite possibility at this point. Recently, a team source told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News that Wilkerson will be “gone” this offseason.

Bills Place Cordy Glenn On IR

December 15th, 2017 at 11:29am CST by Zachary Links

Cordy Glenn has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. On Friday, the Bills placed the offensive tackle on injured reserve.

Glenn remains under contract with the Bills, but it’s far from certain that he’ll be back in 2018. The team is likely frustrated with Glenn’s injuries that have kept him off the field for 15 games over the last two years. He’s also expensive with base salaries of $9.25MM, $7.25MM, and $7.25MM over the next three seasons, plus $2MM in roster bonuses each year. With rookie Dion Dawkins waiting in the wings, they have options.

“I’ve been impressed with the way [Dawkins] has come into the league,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said earlier this season (via Rick Kowalski of USA Today). “His mindset, his approach, he’s an aggressive player, he really fits our personality upfront – what we want to be all about upfront and as an offensive unit. He’s bounced around, [has] played different positions. That’s been a challenge, but he’s embraced that challenge the whole way.”

If the Bills release Glenn, they can save $4.85MM against the cap by cutting the 28-year-old. Alternatively, they can put him on the trade block. Glenn drew interest from teams at this year’s trade deadline, including the Seahawks, so there’s at least some market for him, despite his health concerns and hefty contract.

Adrian Peterson To Return In 2018

December 15th, 2017 at 8:39am CST by Zachary Links

Adrian Peterson‘s season is over, but his career is not. The veteran running back says that he’ll be back on the field in 2018.

“The good news is my neck injury doesn’t require surgery, but I’m told by Dr. Robert Watkins that the best thing for me is just more rest than the length of the season. Obviously, I’m disappointed about going on IR when my body is still able to produce but I look forward to returning completely healthy for another season in 2018,” Peterson said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity that the Arizona Cardinals have given me to show that I can still contribute on an NFL team.”

Peterson averaged just 3.5 yards per carry for the Cardinals, but he did show flashes of his old self on a couple of occasions. In his Cards debut, Peterson ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns off of 26 carries. A couple of weeks later, he racked up 159 rushing yards against the Niners.

Peterson remains under contract for one more season, but the Cardinals could instead release him and save $3.5MM against the cap. With David Johnson returning, the Cardinals will have to ask themselves whether it’s worthwhile to pay Peterson that much to serve as a backup. Even if they like the idea of Peterson as an insurance policy, it’s not a given that the veteran will be willing to come off of the bench.

The future Hall of Famer turns 33 in March.