2018 September - Pro Football Rumors

Rams CB Marcus Peters To Miss Time

September 24th, 2018 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Rams cornerback Marcus Peters is believed to have suffered a calf strain that could sideline him for two to four weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The good news is that the initial tests show no structural damage, so it shouldn’t be a long-term absence for the standout corner.

The Rams acquired Peters from the Chiefs this offseason in exchange for second and fourth-round picks. In terms of talent, Peters is one of the league’s very best young cornerbacks, but Kansas City grew tired of the headaches.

The Rams, so far, have been treated to the good side of the 25-year-old. Peters nabbed a pick six in the team’s Week 1 win over the Raiders and has graded out as a top-30 cornerback through three weeks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Veteran Sam Shields saw 37 snaps on Sunday and wound up leading all L.A. corners in that area as Peters and Aqib Talib (ankle injury) were forced out of action. Shields is a good bet to move into the starting lineup, but the Rams may also need to bolster their cornerback group with an outside addition.

Browns Name Baker Mayfield Starting QB

September 24th, 2018 at 12:05pm CST by Zachary Links

As expected, the Browns have named Baker Mayfield their starting quarterback. Browns coach Hue Jackson announced the news to his team this morning, days after Mayfield led the Browns to a come-from-behind victory over the Jets.

“I informed the group this morning that we’re going to start Baker Mayfield and Tyrod will be the backup if healthy,” Jackson said (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com). “Baker understands there’s still a lot of work to do. … Now the other added pressure of being out there first is there. But I think he can handle it. He’s demonstrated that.”

This year’s No. 1 overall pick will become the 30th QB to start for the Browns since 1999 when they take on the Raiders this week. The decision was something of a no-brainer after Tyrod Taylor struggled early on against the Jets before being forced out with a brain injury. When Mayfield took over in the second quarter, he led the Browns on a thrilling comeback from a 14-0 deficit to a 21-17 victory on national television.

If Mayfield can lead the Browns to victory against the Raiders, he’ll give the Browns their first winning streak since 2014 and their best start since 2001.

49ers’ Richard Sherman To Miss Time

September 24th, 2018 at 11:38am CST by Zachary Links

49ers cornerback Richard Sherman will miss a few weeks with a mild calf strain, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It’s not ideal, but after a weekend of serious injuries in the NFL, it’s certainly not the worst news that the Niners could have received.

Sherman, 30, joined the Niners on a three-year, $21.15MM deal this offseason. The veteran can earn another $18MM by way of per-game roster bonuses, playing-time incentives, and other sweeteners, but his injury will hinder his earning potential in 2018.

Sherman has yet to record an interception for his new club, but he has been one of the ten best corners in the NFL thus far, according to Pro Football Focus. Before his injury on Sunday, Sherman looked sharp as he made some big plays, including a touchdown-saving pass breakup while guarding Chiefs speedster Tyreek Hill.

Without Sherman, it’s likely that Ahkello Witherspoon and Jimmie Ward will be used as the club’s starting outside cornerbacks with K’Waun Williams remaining in the slot.

Bengals’ Ryan Glasgow Done For Season

September 24th, 2018 at 11:06am CST by Zachary Links

The season is over for Bengals defensive tackle Ryan Glasgow. Glasgow, who was carted off the field yesterday, has been diagnosed with a season-ending knee injury, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The Bengals feared the worst after Glasgow left the stadium in crutches. A Monday morning MRI confirmed the bad news.

Glasgow, a fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft, appeared in all 16 games last season, mostly as a reserve. This year, he tallied eleven tackles off of the bench through two games and change.

Although he was not a starter, the injury is a definite blow to the Bengals’ defensive line depth. After placing Glasgow on IR, it’s likely that the Bengals will either promote defensive tackle Andrew Brown from the practice squad or make an outside signing.

The Bengals dropped to 2-1 after losing to the Panthers 31-21 on Sunday. This week, they’ll take on the Falcons in Atlanta.

Giants TE Evan Engram To Miss Time

September 24th, 2018 at 11:00am CST by Zachary Links

Giants tight end Evan Engram sprained his MCL and will be considered week to week, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The second-year tight end will be out for Sunday’s game against the Saints and his availability is in doubt for subsequent weeks.

Engram, chosen 23rd overall in the 2017 draft, was hit low by Texans defensive back Kareem Jackson after a catch on Sunday. The tight end gained 19 yards on the play, but it proved to be his only reception of the day.

The Giants are expected to lean a bit more on Rhett Ellison while Engram is out, and they also have Scott Simonson on the roster as a backup. Ellison is known mostly for his blocking ability, however, so the Giants may look to survey outside options.

Dolphins DL William Hayes Done For Season

September 24th, 2018 at 10:53am CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins defensive lineman William Hayes is out for the season, coach Adam Gase told reporters on Monday morning. Hayes suffered a torn ACL while sacking Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

“He was trying to not put his body weight on the quarterback and that happened,” Gase said.

Hayes was traded to Miami in the 2017 offseason following five years with the Rams organization. The 33-year-old proceeded to play in ten games for the Dolphins, compiling 19 tackles and a single sack. This was a far cry from his performance with the Rams, as Hayes collected at least four sacks each season between 2012 and 2016. Despite the underwhelming numbers, Pro Football Focus was fond of his performance in 2017.

This year, Hayes was off to a productive start with two sacks through three games in a part-time role. Unfortunately, he’ll be shelved for the rest of the year before hitting free agency in March.

Bucs QB Jameis Winston Hires Agent

September 24th, 2018 at 10:44am CST by Zachary Links

Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston has hired agent Joel Segal of Lagardère Sports to represent him, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He’ll be co-represented by Segal’s longtime colleague Greg Barnett, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter) adds.

Winston dumped agents Greg Genske and Kenny Felder shortly after reaching a compromise with the league on his suspension. His three-game ban is now up, but his job may now belong to Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is off to a scorching hot start through two games. If Fitzpatrick keeps the magic going on Monday night when the Bucs take on the Steelers, it could be a while before Winston sees the field again.

The Buccaneers control Winston’s rights through 2019 thanks to his $20.9MM fifth-year option, which is guaranteed for injury only. In theory, the Bucs could keep Winston on the shelf to avoid triggering the guarantee, but the club plans to reinsert him into the lineup whenever they feel it is in the team’s best interest to do so.

Winston understands that the Bucs can bail on him after the season, which made his agency decision all the more important. With an agent that has a wealth of NFL experience (as opposed to MLB experience), he’s arguably in better hands than before.

Falcons’ Ricardo Allen Done For Season

September 24th, 2018 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

Falcons safety Ricardo Allen tore his Achilles and is out for the season, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a tough blow for an Atlanta defense that has already lost multiple defensive starters to injury this year.

Allen inked a three-year, $19.5MM extension with the Falcons before the start of the season, tying him to the club through the 2021 campaign. In his previous four seasons with the team, Allen played in 46 games, including 45 starts. During that time, he racked up six interceptions, ten deflected passes, one fumble recovery, and 158 tackles. This year, he added an interception in the team’s Week 2 victory over the Panthers plus 14 total tackles through three contests.

After a crushing overtime loss to the Saints, the 1-2 Falcons will look to rebound against the Bengals on Sunday. They’ll do so without one of their better players in the secondary.

The injury may force the Falcons to promote Jordan Richards or Keith Tandy to the starting lineup, but those are uninspiring options for a team that is already without starting safety Keanu Neal. Instead, one has to wonder if the Falcons might inquire on free agent Eric Reid, or pursue Seahawks safety Earl Thomas via trade.

Saints’ Drew Brees Has No Plans To Retire

September 24th, 2018 at 9:13am CST by Zachary Links

Saints quarterback Drew Brees will turn 40 in January, but he isn’t looking to retire anytime soon. After leading the Saints to an overtime victory over the Falcons on Sunday, Brees told Peter King of NBC Sports that he wants to continue playing for the foreseeable future.

“I’m having a lot of fun playing still. I hope there are lots more years,” Brees said.

With another 418 passing yards, Brees will eclipse Peyton Manning‘s record for passing yardage. He can also top Manning’s passing TD record with another 46 scores. Major records are within reach, and Brees already owns a Super Bowl ring, but he sounds as motivated as ever to continue playing and winning.

“I love to compete,” he said. “I love to work, I love to set a goal, embark on the journey and accomplish the task. So many incredible people in my life have put me in position to succeed. So many who have helped make me a confident person when maybe I was lacking in it in some parts of my life. So an accomplishment like this is for them too. A lot of receivers caught those passes. I hope they’re proud. This is for them, too. I’ve had the same head coach, Sean Payton, the same offensive coordinator, Pete Carmichael, for all my years here, and the same quarterback coach, Joe Lombardi, for 11 of the 13 years. This is for them, too.”

This offseason, Brees re-signed with the Saints on a two-year, $50MM deal without giving serious consideration to outside offers. His deal will expire after the 2019 season, but if Brees continues to play at a high level, his Saints career could extend into 2020 and beyond.

Investigation Into LeSean McCoy Still Open, Suspension Still Possible

September 23rd, 2018 at 9:36pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

For a while now, it has seemed like Bills running back LeSean McCoy was in the clear. But that’s apparently not entirely true, as new reporting has revealed the case, and McCoy’s involvement, are still unresolved.

McCoy was at the center of a disturbing incident involving his ex-girlfriend over the summer, but was never arrested. A couple of weeks ago it was reported that he was unlikely to face a suspension as long as he wasn’t charged in the case, but the investigation is in fact still open according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. A source told Florio that “the league has decided to defer to local authorities, who continue to investigate the situation.”

Florio reports that “the league would act only after McCoy is formally charged, or after the official investigation concludes with no action taken against him.” All this means is that there’s been no determination within the league office about possible punishment, and a suspension remains a very real possibility.

According to Florio, detectives investigating the break-in into the home where McCoy’s ex-girlfriend, Delicia Cordon, was staying haven’t been satisfied with McCoy’s level of cooperation. It’s highly possible the league ultimately concludes there isn’t enough evidence to suspend McCoy, but it definitely isn’t a settled matter like many have suggested recently. McCoy missed Buffalo’s shocking upset of the Vikings today as he was sidelined with a rib injury. Through the Bills’ first two games, he had 16 carries for 61 yards, adding five catches for 28 yards.