Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
Oakland Raiders
Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian suffered a dislocated shoulder in tonight’s contest and will miss the final two games of the 2017 season, according to Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link).
Siemian’s third NFL campaign will end after a year-long run of disappointing results, as the former seventh-round pick couldn’t live up to his surprisingly effective 2016 season, his first as a starter. Nearly every metric showed a drop-off, as his adjusted net yards per completion dropped by nearly 25%, while his total quarterback rating slipped by 25 points. On the year, Siemian tossed 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions after posting a 18:10 ratio a year ago.
Unlike 2016, Siemian didn’t enjoy an uninterrupted string of success this season, as he was initially removed from the starting lineup after eight starts. Both Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch were utilized without success, and Lynch is now injured. With Osweiler the only healthy signal-caller on their roster, the Broncos will likely need to sign another quarterback to get through the remainder of the season.
It’s unclear if Siemian (or any of Denver’s current quarterbacks) will remain in the club’s 2018 plans, but if so, it will likely be as a reserve. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) reported earlier tonight that the Broncos are likely to explore any and all outlets — including free agency, the draft, and trade — in search of a franchise quarterback this offseason.
The Cardinals have placed veteran running back Adrian Peterson on injured reserve, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Peterson is dealing with a neck injury, but won’t require surgery, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.
Peterson hadn’t played since Week 12, and just yesterday Arizona head coach Bruce Arians indicated he “had no idea” if Peterson would play again this season. The Cardinals’ decision-makers evidently decided that running Peterson out for the final three games of the year wasn’t worth the risk, especially given that the 6-7 club has virtually no chance of earning a postseason berth in a stacked NFC.
Arizona acquired Peterson from the Saints in early October, shipping a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick in exchange for the 32-year-old back. The exact parameters of that trade have yet to be reported, so it’s unclear exactly what kind of return the Saints will get for Peterson. But clearing his salary off their books was likely incentive enough for the deal, and allowed New Orleans to move on from an unwise two-year contract.
Upon hitting the desert, Peterson was immediately more involved in the Cards’ offense that he’d ever been with the Saints, and posted 134 yards on the ground and two touchdowns in his Arizona debut. He’s been up-and-down since that point, however, and topped 80 yards just once more in his final five games of the 2017 campaign. In three of those contests, Peterson didn’t even manage two yards per carry.
Peterson is under contract in 2018 with a cost of $3.5MM attached, but it’s not readily apparent as to whether general manager Steve Keim & Co. have any intention of retaining Peterson. The Cardinals will see the return of dynamic third-year pro David Johnson in 2018, meaning Peterson would be relegated to backup duty. Arizona would clear Peterson’s entire cap charge by cutting ties.
The Browns‘ previous regime wasn’t the only target for new general manager John Dorsey today, as he also added some pointed words for wide receiver Kenny Britt — whom Dorsey waived earlier this week — on Thursday morning. “I have no problem making that decision,” Dorsey told reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “From a cultural standpoint I don’t think he fits in the prototypical character point of what I’m looking for in terms of a leader. He did not live up to his expectations as a player.” Dorsey went on to say Britt “may have a higher opinion of himself than I have of him as a player, so I thought that was easy.” Britt, who signed a four-year, $32.5MM deal with Cleveland in March, is now with the Patriots on a cheap two-year contract.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
While there’s still plenty of time for evaluation before the 2018 draft gets underway in April, it would be a “surprise” if Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield isn’t selected in the first round, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. Mayfield, this year’s Heisman winner, completed 71% of his passes this season for 4,340 yards, 41 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Per Breer, there are character questions about Mayfield, and his height (6’1″) could also present concerns. But Todd McShay of ESPN.com placed Mayfield in the first round of his first 2018 mock draft, and new Browns general manager John Dorsey — who will certainly be in the quarterback market next year — recently sang Mayfield’s praises.
Here’s more on next year’s NFL draft, all courtesy of Breer:
Today’s practice squad updates:
Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs
Philadelphia Eagles
Before Kenny Britt signed with the Patriots, both the Chiefs and Jaguars had interest in the veteran wide receiver, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Details Of Kenny Britt’s Patriots Contract]
Kansas City has been searching for a secondary wideout to step up ever since Chris Conley suffered a ruptured Achilles in mid-October. Both Demarcus Robinson and Albert Wilson have seen more playing time, but neither has been a focal point of the Chiefs’ offense. Of course, there are only so many balls to go around on a roster that includes Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Kareem Hunt, but Robinson and Wilson have managed only 25 combined receptions since Conley went down.
The Jaguars, meanwhile, have recently seen the emergence of Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole behind Marqise Lee, but they could have used another weapon for an offense which ranks 15th in passing DVOA. Jacksonville is currently without Allen Robinson (who tore his ACL in the first game of the season) and Allen Hurns, who’s been sidelined by an ankle injury since Week 10.
Both the Chiefs and Jaguars (and Patriots, for that matter) had the option of claiming Britt off waivers from the Browns, as every player — vested veterans included — must go through the waiver process once the NFL’s trade deadline passes. As Miguel Benzan of the Boston Sports Journal notes (Twitter link), Kansas City and New England are both tight on cap space, which could have made taking on the rest of Britt’s salary (roughly $940K) difficult.
Jacksonville, however, has more than $30MM in reserves, so it clearly could have claimed Britt’s cost without worrying about cap space. All of Britt’s guarantees will expire after the 2017 campaign, so the Jaguars could have released him before next season with no further cost. Instead, Jacksonville allowed Britt to pass through waivers and sign with a direct AFC competitor.
The Dolphins have (at long last) decided they want to extend wide receiver Jarvis Landry, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Of course, that doesn’t mean a long-term deal is a foregone conclusion, but Miami is close to beginning negotiations with its slot receiver, per Salguero.
Landry, 25, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next spring, and the franchise tag hasn’t been thought to be on the table given that the $16MM price tag is a bit steep for a slot weapon. The Dolphins hadn’t made an extension offer to Landry as of August, and given that he was mentioned in multiple trade rumors, it was fair to wonder whether Miami had any interest in keeping Landry for the long haul.
Landry ultimately stayed put while the NFL’s trade deadline passed, and now the Dolphins are ready to talk contract. Notably, the club has reportedly been impressed with Landry’s professionalism this season, per Salguero. Landry hasn’t said a word about his lack of an extension even as other players on the Miami roster have been handed long-term deals, and the team’s decision-makers have noticed.
On the field, Landry has already matched his touchdown total from the 2015-16 seasons combined (eight), but he’s still not getting down the field with any regularity. In fact, his yards per reception is now at a career-low of 8.5, down from 12.1 a year ago. Football Outsiders ranks Landry just 60th among 74 qualifiers in DYAR, a metric that grades a receiver in relation to replacement level production.
Landry is thought to be receptive to a potential negotiation, but the Dolphins will likely have to make a few financial maneuvers before signing him. Miami is currently in the red, according to Over the Cap, and has only $15MM in space for the 2018 season.
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
Denver Broncos
Houston Texans
A look at the NFC East: