2018 September - Pro Football Rumors

Patriots Nearing Deal For Josh Gordon

September 17th, 2018 at 2:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns-Patriots trade pipeline might be set to produce its biggest deal yet. The Patriots are discussing a deal for Josh Gordon, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter) they are getting close to hammering out an agreement.

Cleveland announced intentions of jettisoning its mercurial pass-catching talent on Saturday, and as many as 10 teams have contacted the Browns about Gordon. The Patriots appear to be one of them. They’ve been discussing wideouts with other teams as well, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).

New England would make sense for Gordon, given its issues at wide receiver and Tom Brady now in his age-41 season. The superstar wideout would be an upgrade for the Pats, who are still two games away from getting Julian Edelman back. Edelman and Gordon obviously do not have similar skill sets, so the two could (on paper) coexist for a team trying to keep its Super Bowl championship window open.

While not all of Bill Belichick‘s gambles have worked out, the additions of Corey Dillon in 2004 and Randy Moss three years later paid off massively for the Patriots. Gordon has encountered far more trouble than either but is not believed to be facing another suspension. He played in Week 1 for the Browns, catching a touchdown pass, but was deactivated on Sunday after apparently injuring his hamstring during a promotional video shoot.

The 49ers and Jets were believed to be interested, John Lynch admitted he inquired about the 27-year-old talent, and rumblings about a Gordon-to-Philadelphia scenario have surfaced. But Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports doesn’t believe the Eagles are in the Gordon hunt (Twitter link).

The Patriots may be willing to make the best offer. New England and Cleveland have agreed to deals on Jamie Collins, Danny Shelton, Jason McCourty and Barkevious Mingo in recent years. A Gordon-to-Foxborough agreement, though, would easily surpass these in terms of headline impact.

Best known for his rampant unavailability and a historically dominant 2013 season, earning him a first-team All-Pro honor prior to his slew of suspension troubles, Gordon going to New England would be fascinating. He’s obviously never played with a quarterback on Brady’s level and has two possible years of team control on his 2012 rookie contract. Gordon will be a restricted free agent after this season.

Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett reside as the Pats’ top available receivers. No player is perhaps further away from being a sure thing than Gordon, his having missed all but 11 games since the start of the 2014 season, but Albert Breer of SI.com notes Gordon could potentially be had for a late-round pick. With so many teams inquiring, it’s conceivable Cleveland could net a mid-round selection for its most talented receiver, but Gordon’s baggage could limit the haul.

Vikings To Waive Daniel Carlson, Sign Dan Bailey

September 17th, 2018 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zane Gonzalez isn’t the only young kicker whose rough Week 2 will cause a relocation. The Vikings are cutting ties with fifth-round rookie Daniel Carlson, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

In Carlson’s place, the Vikings will go with experience by signing Dan Bailey, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Bailey figured to draw interest from multiple teams after kicking issues impacted multiple games on Sunday, and he’ll join up with a Super Bowl contender.

While interest came Bailey’s way, it appears he was willing to wait for the right opportunity. Four teams offered Bailey a contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). A dome team coming off an NFC championship cameo piqued his interest.

The second-most accurate kicker in NFL history, Bailey did not make the Cowboys’ active roster. Salary concerns helped lead him out of Dallas. He’ll be in Minneapolis in time for Week 3 and can be expected to provide more consistency than Carlson gave the veteran-laden Vikings roster.

That said, the Vikings are cutting the cord on a young kicker quite early. Minnesota drafted Carlson to lead to a Kai Forbath cut. The Vikings had just re-signed Forbath this offseason but jettisoned him for Carlson this summer. Carlson will be an interesting waiver item for a team keen on seeing if the coveted Auburn prospect can quickly rebound.

Carlson missed three field goals in Minnesota’s 29-29 tie in Green Bay, the last of which coming from just 35 yards out. Two misses occurred in overtime.

The 30-year-old Bailey made the 2015 Pro Bowl and has 27 career 50-plus-yard field goal makes. Missing four games due to injury last season, Bailey made 15 of 20 attempts and 26 of 28 PATs. He’s made 88.2 percent of his career field goal tries (second only to Justin Tucker‘s 90.3 percent) and closed three seasons — 2012, ’13 and ’15 — with a 90 percent-plus conversion rate.

Browns To Waive K Zane Gonzalez

September 17th, 2018 at 1:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

As expected after the Browns’ signing of rookie kicker Greg Joseph, Zane Gonzalez will no longer be on the roster.

The Browns are waiving the second-year kicker, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports (on Twitter). Gonzalez endured a brutal afternoon in a narrow Browns loss to the Saints on Sunday and will head to the waiver wire, or potentially the Browns’ IR.

This transaction could involve an injury designation. Gonzalez has been kicking with a groin injury that required a Monday MRI. It’s not clear if an injury waiver will be required, which would send Gonzalez to Cleveland’s IR if he went unclaimed, but that’s possible.

Joseph will take over kicking duties in Cleveland in advance of the Browns’ Thursday-night game against the Jets. Gonzalez missed two field goals and an extra point in New Orleans and had his game-winning field goal attempt blocked in the rain against the Steelers in Week 1. He’s played a big role in why the Browns are 0-1-1 and not 2-0 to start the 2018 slate.

Vikings To Add WR Aldrick Robinson

September 17th, 2018 at 12:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aldrick Robinson couldn’t quite make the 49ers’ 53-man roster out of camp but will have another opportunity.

The Vikings are signing the eighth-year veteran wide receiver, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (on Twitter). He’ll join a receiving corps that carried five players going into Monday afternoon.

Although the Vikings were the only known team to work out Robinson, the Patriots and Bills also explored adding him as well, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets.

Set to turn 30 next week, Robinson will be the oldest Vikings wideout. Minnesota rosters third-year man Laquon Treadwell, second-season cog Stacy Coley and rookie Brandon Zylstra behind its starters. If the Vikings aren’t keen on carrying six wideouts, one of the latter duo could be on the chopping block.

Robinson worked out for the Vikings prior to Week 1, and it apparently went well enough the team had him in its wait-and-see queue. The former sixth-round Redskins pick has twice averaged more than 20 yards per catch, with the 2012 and ’13 Redskins, and has followed Kyle Shanahan to three cities — trekking to Atlanta and then San Francisco. With the 2017 49ers, Robinson caught 19 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns.

Treadwell’s four receptions represent the only passes a Vikings receiver not named Stefon Diggs or Adam Thielen has caught this season.

Cowboys Working Out QB Landry Jones

September 17th, 2018 at 12:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys could be looking for an upgrade behind Dak Prescott. Former Steelers backup Landry Jones is working out in Dallas on Monday, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets.

Jones, 29, has not participated in a known workout since being cut by the Steelers after the preseason. He backed up Ben Roethlisberger for the past three seasons, playing in Pittsburgh for five total, but couldn’t beat out Joshua Dobbs for the veteran-reserve spot in Pittsburgh alongside Mason Rudolph.

A 2017 UDFA success story, Cooper Rush is in his second season backing up Prescott. The Cowboys also have rookie fifth-rounder Mike White on their roster. Rush has thrown three NFL passes, White zero, illustrating how thin Dallas is at this spot.

Roethlisberger’s issues with short-term injuries, and the Steelers’ preference to rest him the past two Week 17s, forced Jones to make five starts. Completing 63 percent of his passes, Jones went 3-2 and has thrown for 1,310 yards, eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

Browns To Sign K Greg Joseph

September 17th, 2018 at 12:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zane Gonzalez‘s rough day in New Orleans has prompted the Browns to sign another kicker. They’re bringing rookie UDFA Greg Joseph aboard, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Joseph worked out for Cleveland prior to Week 1 and then again on Monday morning. The Florida Atlantic product landed with the Dolphins shortly after the draft but could not make their 53-man roster.

Indications coming out of Cleveland earlier today pointed to Gonzalez being replaced. The Browns also worked out Cairo Santos and Blair Walsh but will go with a far less experienced player. Gonzalez missed two field goals and two extra points in a three-point loss to the Saints. The Browns remain in search of their first win since Christmas Eve 2016 but have seen kicking woes potentially stop them from being 2-0 to start 2018.

Gonzalez, though, has been battling a groin injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter), helping to explain his recent trouble. Gonzalez will undergo an MRI Monday. This could lead to the Browns waiving him with an injury designation.

Joseph was Florida Atlantic’s kicker from 2014-17. He made 71.4 percent of his field goals in each of his final two Owls seasons and connected on 64 of 68 extra points as a senior.

The Browns chose Gonzalez in the seventh round out of Arizona State last year, and if he’s off the roster soon, this will mean yet another previous regime’s investment is out of the picture. John Dorsey‘s continued to go in that direction since taking over in Cleveland. Gonzalez made 15 of 20 field goals and 25 of 26 PATs as a rookie but struggled immensely against the Saints, essentially negating any progress he’d made in Year 1.

Texans Audition DL Anthony Lanier

September 17th, 2018 at 11:55am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans are working out free agent defensive lineman Anthony Lanier on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Lanier, 25, spent the 2016-17 seasons with the Redskins after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama A&M, but was waived just before the 2018 campaign got underway. Last year, Lanier appeared in 11 games and made two starts while playing on 44% of Washington’s defensive snaps and 21% of the club’s special teams snaps. In total, Lanier racked up 11 tackles and an impressive 5.5 sacks.

Houston is in need of defensive line depth as both Jadeveon Clowney and Christian Covington are dealing with injuries. Clowney missed Sunday’s loss to the Titans with elbow and back issues, while thigh and knee questions prevented Covington from suiting up.

Giants C Jon Halapio Out For Season

September 17th, 2018 at 11:29am CST by Dallas Robinson

Giants center Jon Halapio will miss the remainder of the 2018 season after fracturing his lower leg and ankle Sunday, the club announced today.

New York addressed its offensive line this offseason by adding free agent Nate Solder at left tackle and draft pick Will Hernandez at left guard, but the unit hasn’t looked improved through two games (both losses). Losing Halapio will be a further blow to the front five’s continuity as the club looks to rebound from its early-season struggles.

Having traded Brett Jones (who started 13 games at center in 2017) earlier this year, the Giants will have to look elsewhere to replace Halapio. While undrafted rookie Evan Brown is listed as Halapio’s direct backup, veteran Spencer Pulley might be a more realistic candidate to take over at the pivot. Pulley, whom New York acquired off waivers earlier this month, started all 16 games at center for the Chargers last season. John Greco took over for Halapio on Sunday, so he’s another option to fill in at center.

For Halapio, his injury represents a devastating turn for a journeyman who had finally secured a starting job. Halapio, 27, bounced around the league after being drafted in 2014, but had overtaken Jones this summer to become the Giants’ starting center. He’ll be an exclusive rights free agent in 2019, so New York will be able to easily retain him.

Carson Wentz To Start In Week 3

September 17th, 2018 at 11:05am CST by Dallas Robinson

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has been medically cleared and will start against the Colts on Sunday, the club announced today.

Wentz is roughly nine months removed from tearing his ACL, so it’s no surprise Philadelphia used a cautious approach with its franchise signal-caller. While he’d been cleared for 11-on-11 drills, Wentz hadn’t been cleared for full contact until today. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson has previously indicated Wentz will need a week of full contact practice before he’ll be re-inserted as the club’s starter.

The Eagles had the luxury of deploying Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles during their first two games and managed to post a 1-1 record. Foles wasn’t very effective during Philadelphia’s Week 1 win over the Falcons, as he completed just 56% of his passes for 117 yards and one interceptions. He performed much better against the Buccaneers on Sunday (73% completion rate, 334 yards, one touchdown), but the Eagles still lost 27-21.

Wentz, of course, was playing at an MVP pace before going down last December. In 13 starts, Wentz posted 3,296 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions and was named second-team All-Pro despite missing three games. Among the 26 quarterbacks with at least 350 attempts in 2017, Wentz ranked second in ESPN’s Total Quarterback Rating, fourth in passer rating, and fourth in adjusted yards per attempt.

Wentz won’t return with his full arsenal at hand, as wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is still recovering from shoulder surgery while Mike Wallace injured his ankle on Sunday. However, Jeffery is expected to practice on a limited basis this week, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com, so he could return to game action in the near future. And Wallace will not be placed on injured reserve after fracturing his fibula, Pederson said today, which means the Eagles may believe he could return later this year.

Redskins Working Out WR Breshad Perriman

September 17th, 2018 at 10:51am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins are auditioning former Ravens receiver Breshad Perriman today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Perriman, the 26th overall selection in the 2015 draft, has never lived up to his draft billing, as injuries and ineffectiveness have prevented him from reaching his potential. After missing his entire rookie campaign, Perriman posted 33 receptions in 2016, but managed only 10 catches last year.

Washington doesn’t have a glaring need at wide receiver, as their pass-catching group is mostly healthy. Paul Richardson was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury but ultimately played, while Maurice Harris is recovered from a concussion but has still been inactive both of the Redskins’ contests. Jamison Crowder, Josh Doctson, and the recently-added Brian Quick and Jehu Chesson round out Washington’s depth chart.

Perriman certainly isn’t wanting for free agent interest, as he’s met with the Jets, Giants, Bills, Vikings, and Eagles since getting cut by the Ravens.