2017 December - Pro Football Rumors

CFL To Allow Johnny Manziel To Join In 2018

December 28th, 2017 at 1:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The CFL has announced that it will approve a contract for Johnny Manziel to play in 2018. However, the approval is conditional and Manziel must meet certain requirements in order to take the field for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“[The eligibility process] has included an ongoing assessment by an independent expert on the issue of violence against women, a review by legal counsel, and an in-person interview of Mr. Manziel conducted by the commissioner,” Canadian Football League Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement. “As well, Mr. Manziel has been required to meet a number of conditions set by the league. As a result of this process, the Commissioner has now informed Mr. Manziel and the Tiger-Cats he is prepared to approve a contract for Mr. Manziel should one be negotiated. “The process that led to this decision does, however, continue. Mr. Manziel has been informed he must continue to meet a number of conditions in order to remain eligible. These conditions, while extensive and exacting, remain confidential.”

Rumors of Manziel taking his talents north of the border have been circulating for more than a year. However, the CFL has declined to get into business with Manziel given his ugly off-the-field behavior, including accusations of domestic violence. Now that he has satisfied his legal requirements here in the United States, Manziel may try to resurrect his career north of the border.

Manziel, 26, has not played in the NFL since the 2015 season. In eight career starts for the Browns, the former first-round pick completed 57% of his passes for 1,675 yards, seven scores, and seven picks. His overall passer rating was just 74.4. Still, he remains a celebrity in the sport for his incredible performances at Texas A&M as well as the hard partying that derailed his NFL career. If Manziel can demonstrate that he is back on the right track, the CFL may be a springboard for an NFL return.

Latest On Jarvis Landry Negotiations

December 28th, 2017 at 12:40pm CST by GregGoldstein

One of the highest profile free agents this offseason will be Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry. While there were rumors that the team could trade him during training camp and prior to the deadline, it appears that Miami is trying to keep their number one wideout. Over the last month, the Dolphins have exchanged contract figures with Landry hoping to make progress on a contract extension, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Anderson adds that while talks have been at a standstill over the past two weeks, it’s been Landry’s reps that have been making the “most recent recommendations”.

Even though the negotiations appear to be far away from an actual deal at the moment, it should be encouraging to both sides that there’s discussions taking place this close to the end of the regular season.

After the Dolphins took Landry in the second round of the 2014 draft, the fourth-year wideout has been steadily climbing the NFL’s tiers of receivers. More consistent than explosive, Landry has been one of the best wideouts in the league with the football in his hands. He ranks fifth among wideouts in yards after catch with 451 yards in 2017.

The 25-year-old has posted three straight seasons of at least 90 receptions and has caught a career-high eight touchdowns this year, even with a less than ideal quarterback situation. His yardage totals were superior in the previous two seasons, but much of that can be accounted for by shaky QB play and fellow receivers Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker needing to get in on the action.

Should the two sides not agree on a contract extension before the start of free agency, the franchise tag is always a possibility. Although, the Dolphins are projected to have the fourth fewest amount of cap space in the NFL for 2018, according to Spotrac’s calculations. Investing heavily in another pass catcher when the team already has receiving options under contract and other more urgent needs makes this a particularly interesting free agent situation.

Gruden, Shurmur, McDaniels and Reich Expected To Receive HC Interest

December 28th, 2017 at 11:19am CST by GregGoldstein

The league is expecting potentially double-digit head coaching jobs to open up this offseason. With so many openings that might become available, you can expect to see a number of offensive-minded head coaches get interviews with the way the current NFL is going. With that being said, current offensive coordinators Pat Shurmur, Josh McDaniels and Frank Reich expect to “draw the most interest” of the league’s highly regarded offensive minds, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Tomasson also mentions former Super Bowl winning coach and longtime ESPN analyst Jon Gruden as part of that group as well.

Gruden, 54, is clearly the biggest name on this list because of his media personality and previous success in the league. The former head coach won both in Oakland and Tampa Bay, posting six seasons of above .500 football during his 11 year tenure from 1998-2008. Teams have tried a number of times to snag him from the broadcaster’s booth over the years, but with no success. However, Gruden appears more intent to return to coaching this offseason and seemingly could be had if the right opportunity presented itself.

Shurmer, 52, was a head coach once before, guiding the Browns to a 9-23 record in two seasons in Cleveland. However, he’s had a ton of success with the Vikings since he became their offensive coordinator in 2016. Specifically this season, he’s helped Case Keenum come from relative obscurity to leading one of the best team’s in football.

McDaniels, 41, was also a head coach for two seasons, leading the Broncos to a .500 record in 2009, before being fired midseason the next year after going 3-9 in his first 12 games. Since latching on with the friendly confines of New England once again, McDaniels is hoping that his second foray as a head coach will go better than his first. The current Patriots offensive coordinator is clearly a smart offensive mind that should be sought after by any organization looking to develop a young quarterback this offseason.

Reich, 56, is the only member of this group who has no previous head coaching experience. However, his two-year tenure with Eagles QB Carson Wentz has demonstrated the former quarterback’s ability to lead an offense. In his second year at the offensive controls in Philadelphia, the team has seen better improvements in every area of the game, with him showing a clear aptitude to use a variety of different players effectively throughout a game.

Texans Sign QB Josh Johnson

December 28th, 2017 at 10:31am CST by GregGoldstein

With the Texans suffering more injuries to their quarterback depth chart on Monday, the team has signed veteran signal caller Josh Johnson for their regular season finale, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Houston placed safety Corey Moore on injured reserve with a sprained medial collateral ligament to make room for Johnson on the active roster.

Texans QB’s T.J. Yates and Taylor Heinicke both suffered concussions in the team’s blowout loss to the Steelers in Week 16. While Yates was able to return to the game after Heinicke was forced to exit, Houston obviously wanted more insurance on the roster to able to take some snaps should another injury occur this weekend.

At 31 years old, Johnson hasn’t seen regular season playing time since 2013 with the Bengals. His most extensive game action came in 2009 with the Bucs as the former fifth round pick completed 63 of 125 pass attempts for four touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Johnson has been a journeyman QB for most of his career was cut by the Giants before the start of this regular season. He had since signed with the Texans in the middle of the year before being released in November.

Breer’s Latest: Black Monday Preview

December 28th, 2017 at 9:31am CST by GregGoldstein

With the final week of the NFL’s regular season approaching, that only means two things; 12 teams will soon be focusing on reaching the Super Bowl, while the rest will start to look ahead to next season. One major part of looking forward is addressing who on the coaching staff will be returning in 2018. Many of these coaching questions are answered on the day following Week’s 17 conclusion, conveniently called “Black Monday”.

Veteran reporter Albert of Breer of Sports Illustrated, gave a preview of the coaches he expects to stay and the ones that will likely be shown the door in his most recent column. Breer ranked the potential firings as “Likely/Done”, “We’ll See”, and “It’s Complicated”. In total, there were 15 head coaches mentioned who could see their situations change starting next week.

Here’s a quick look at Breer’s takes on some of the league’s hottest coaching questions:

There were five head coaches included in the “likely/done” category including: Bears‘ John Fox, Bengals‘ Marvin Lewis, Lions‘ Jim Caldwell, Colts‘ Chuck Pagano and and the Giants‘ interim coach Steve Spagnuolo. The four full-time head coaches on this list have all had their fair share of success in the league. In fact, three of them led their current teams to multiple playoff appearances during their tenure. However, Caldwell and Lewis have been unable to win a postseason game with Pagano and Fox having failed at continuing the past success they have shown during their careers in football. Breer notes that while the “expectation is that Fox will be gone”, the decision on the fate of general manager Ryan Pace is true question facing the franchise this offseason. There’s been rapid speculation about Lewis, Caldwell and Pagano throughout the year, so their inclusion on this list is no surprise. Finally, the Giants are currently interviewing general manager candidates who will almost certainly be looking to lead their own head coaching search once hired.
Breer puts six current head coaches in the ‘we’ll see” part of the list. This portion mentions the Cardinals‘ Bruce Arians, Broncos‘ Vance Joseph, Raiders‘ Jack Del Rio, Buccaneers‘ Dirk Koetter, Titans‘ Mike Mularkey and the Redskins‘ Jay Gruden. There’s a variety of situations going on here with Breer noting that Arizona could see Arians retire, which could lead them to other current NFL head coaches: Todd Bowles and Bill O’Brien. Del Rio and Gruden have had their fair share of success because of quality quarterback play, but both have managed to decrease confidence because of an inconsistent 2017 season. However, Breer points out that both are signed long-term so their owners would have to eat the remaining years of their current deals. Mularkey and Koetter were rewarded for the relationships they formed with their QB’s, but there’s been disappointment with how this season has unfolded for their teams. Breer notes that should Mularkey lose this Sunday, he could be on the chopping block come Monday morning with the team looking to hire an offensive-minded coach like Josh McDaniels. Finally, Joseph has forced himself to the hot seat even in his first year of coaching the Broncos, though Breer says himself that this situation is “unpredictable” given that team president John Elway is just “not pleased with how the season’s gone”.
Browns head coach Hue Jackson, and the two previously mentioned O’Brien and Bowles of the Texans and Jets, find themselves on the “it’s complicated” section of Breer’s roundup largely because of just the many factors are at play in regards to their situations. Jackson got a vote of confidence from owner Jimmy Haslam himself, but new general manager John Dorsey could have his sights on implementing his own guy after a winless season. O’Brien has made the playoffs before, but has struggled committing to a QB even after the team selected Deshaun Watson in the first round. Bowles has done a lot with a little in New York this season, but ownership could go in a different direction with a new starting signal caller likely walking into the building next year. Also, there is the potential that all three coaches could move onto new head coaching gigs with the number of openings that could be available this offseason. The final and definitely most surprising inclusion on this list was Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who Breer mentions could retire at age 66 with a roster about to see major turnover in the next few years. Although, I would venture that nothing he’s said this season would indicate that being the case.

Jay Cutler On 2018: “I Want To Play Football”

December 28th, 2017 at 8:24am CST by GregGoldstein

The Dolphins seemed to sign veteran quarterback Jay Cutler as more of a place holder until Ryan Tannehill returned from injury in 2018. However, it looks like Cutler is intent on suiting up once again for a team next season.

When asked by reporters on Wednesday about his football future, Cutler simply responded, ““I want to play football” (via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald on Twitter).

Cutler will be entering his age 35 season in 2018, but will be a free agent after signing a one-year contract with Miami in training camp. The veteran signal caller’s openness to keep playing is rather surprising given that he was already set to retire as a broadcaster after a long 11-year career with the Broncos and Bears. His play has been inconsistent for a majority of his time in the NFL, but only appeared in five games in 2016 because of a shoulder injury.

This season has shown more of the same with Cutler throwing 19 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. He’s only completing 62% of his passes and has accumulated a QBR of 43.3 in the 13 games he’s played in this season. These are not quality starting QB numbers and I wouldn’t expect Cutler to be very sought after on the open market with how many promising signal callers are becoming available this offseason.

We’ll just have to wait and see whether Cutler follows through on his intentions, but it appears even if he does, it’ll likely be with another organization as the Dolphins already have their presumptive starter returning in Tannehill.

Could Cowboys Shop CB Orlando Scandrick?

December 27th, 2017 at 9:55pm CST by Micah Powell

During the 2017 NFL Draft the Cowboys were in trade talks to send CB Orlando Scandrick to the Saints for S Kenny Vaccaro, a source told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill Jr. Mike Fisher of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas confirmed the trade talks and believes the veteran cornerback will not be with the team next season.

Scandrick is unlikely suit up for the team’s finale vs. Philadelphia after missing the team’s previous three games with fractured bones in his back and with the Cowboys eliminated from playoff contention. In his absence, the team has relied on rookie cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis, and second-year CB Anthony Brown. Those results have been favorable and could make the 10-year veteran expendable.

Though signed through the 2019 season, Scandrick, as Hill notes, is in a favorable contract that will pay the 30-year-old cornerback $3 MM in 2018 and $4 MM in 2019. The team could again target Vaccaro, who was placed on IR earlier this month with a wrist injury, though it is not known if the Saints will be willing to part with the former first-round pick who played a role in helping New Orleans dramatically improve its defense in 2018.

Though known in the past as one of the league’s top slot cornerbacks, Scandrick has endured a down year. Entering Week 17, Scandrick has not registered an interception and has just three passes defensed on the season. Pro Football Focus ranked the veteran as the No. 113 cornerback heading into the season finale.

Steelers Players Criticize Harrison’s Exit

December 27th, 2017 at 9:28pm CST by Micah Powell

Late last week the Steelers made the surprising decision to cut linebacker James Harrison. The veteran went unclaimed but was quickly signed by AFC rival New England. He then let it be known he was unhappy about his playing time and asked for his release several times.

His Steelers teammates hit back at Harrison on Wednesday, saying it was exactly what he wanted to happen and that he went out of his way to try to get released, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

“Don’t make it look like it’s the team’s fault,” Maurkice Pouncey said. “You think the team and the organization wanted to get rid of James Harrison? Come on, now. If I wanted out, I wouldn’t let the team take the blame for it.”

According to Fowler’s source, Harrison would sleep during position meetings and snore loudly while linebacker’s coach, and Harrison’s former teammate, Joey Porter tried to teach. Another source said Harrison told teammates he was trying to get traded and would leave the facility or stadium at random times or during games when he was inactive.

With the Patriots and Steelers possibly set to meet in the AFC playoffs, some wondered if Harrison would share information with his new team. Linebacker Bud Dupree doesn’t think he will, saying, “I don’t know how many secrets about the playbook Harrison could give to [the Patriots] because I never saw him in meetings.”

Pouncey went as far to say that Harrison, who starred in Super Bowl XLIII vs. the Cardinals, “erased his own legacy” with the departure.

Though surprising to Steelers fans, the move obviously was one that was welcomed and expected by many within the organization. To say there is bad blood here would be putting it lightly.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/27/2017

December 27th, 2017 at 8:44pm CST by Micah Powell

Houston Texans

Signed: QB Josh Johnson
Placed on IR: S Corey Moore

Miami Dolphins

Placed on NFI: WR Leonte Carroo
Placed on IR: DT Vincent Taylor
Promoted from PS: WR Rashawn Scott
Promoted from PS: DT Gabe Wright

New York Giants

Promoted from PS: WR Marquis Bundy

Washington Redskins

Promoted from PS: TE Manasseh Garner

Contract Clause To Signal Apple’s Release?

December 27th, 2017 at 8:12pm CST by Micah Powell

On Wednesday, the Giants suspended second-year cornerback Eli Apple for conduct detrimental to the team. With the suspension, the team could have cleared the way to release the 2016 first-round pick without having to pay his contract guarantees for 2018 and 2019, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes.

Graziano says Apple’s contract includes a clause that allows the team to void his guaranteed money if “among other things, ‘Player is suspended by the NFL or by the Club’ or ‘Player engages in conduct reasonably judged by the Club to adversely affect or reflect on Club, in Club’s sole discretion.'”

Graziano reports the Giants could then argue that they wouldn’t be on the hook for his guaranteed salaries of $1,827,484 in 2018 and $2,516,226 in 2019 if they were to release him.

To say this has been a roller-coaster ride for the Giants is an understatement. The team entered the 2017 season as Super Bowl contenders with one of the most promising secondaries in the league. It will end, however, with captain Landon Collins calling Apple a cancer and the team suspending the young corner for a series of events we detailed earlier in the day.

The writing appears to be on the wall for New York to cut ties with the No. 10 pick in last year’s draft at the end of the season.