HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Broncos To Promote TE Brian Parker

September 29th, 2018 at 1:53pm CST by Ben Levine

Following Jake Butt‘s season-ending ACL injury, the Broncos have added another tight end to their roster. Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the team has promoted Brian Parker to the active roster. To make room on the roster, the Broncos are expected to place Butt on the injured reserve (via Mike Klis of 9News on Twitter).

The 26-year-old Parker entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Albany in 2015. He bounced between the Chargers, Chiefs, and Jets before landing with the Broncos in 2017. He played in nine games with Kansas City as a rookie, hauling in a single catch for six yards. He’ll likely slide behind Jeff Heuerman and Matt LaCosse on the tight ends depth chart.

It was expected that Butt would be placed on the injured reserve after he suffered a torn left ACL during Thursday’s practice. The 23-year-old had already suffered a pair of ACL’s during his playing career, although his recent injury was in a different knee.

“I made a cut and I knew it right away,” Butt told Klis (via Twitter). “But I feel lucky. I have so many wonderful people around me for support. I’ve had so many people reach out to me and tell me they’re praying for me and thinking of me. I’m so blessed.”

Butt also told Klis that he’s prepared for the grind of rehab, noting that being unable to play in games is the toughest aspect of the recovery process.

Packers Place Muhammad Wilkerson On IR

September 29th, 2018 at 1:09pm CST by Ben Levine

We learned earlier this week that Packers defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson was done for the season after undergoing surgery. Today, the team officially placed the 28-year-old on the injured reserve, according to Packers.com. Cornerback Tony Brown has been promoted from the practice squad to take the open roster spot.

Wilkerson suffered some sort of ankle ailment last Sunday’s contest, and the injury has only been described as “significant.” It’s a tough blow for Wilkerson, who was looking to recoup his free agent value after two straight underwhelming seasons. The veteran signed a one-year, $5MM deal with the Packers this offseason, and he had the ability to make an additional $3MM via incentives. The former first-round pick failed to impress through his first three games with Green Bay, compiling only five tackles. For the time being, the team will have to turn to Dean Lowry to start alongside Mike Daniels.

Wilkerson was once one of the top defensive players in the NFL, but he’s seen a decline in production since inking a lucrative extension with the Jets back in 2016. Wilkerson reportedly had problems with effort, tardiness, and coaches during his last few years in New York. Last year, the lineman appeared in 13 games, but he graded as just the 50th-best interior defender in the league, per Pro Football Focus.

Brown, an undrafted free agent out of the University of Alabama, signed with the Packers’ practice squad after being cut by the Chargers. He was touted for his special teams ability during his time in college.

This Date In Transactions History: Panthers Acquire Jared Allen

September 29th, 2018 at 12:13pm CST by Ben Levine

Three years ago today, the Panthers added a much-needed pass rusher to their squad. The team acquired defensive end Jared Allen from the Bears, with Chicago receiving a conditional sixth-round pick in return. While the five-time Pro Bowler had clearly lost a step by the time he made it to North Carolina, he still played a role in helping the Panthers win their conference.

After having spent six seasons with the Vikings, Allen inked a four-year, $32MM deal ($15.5MM) guaranteed with the Bears in 2014. The veteran put up solid stats during his lone full season in Chicago, compiling 56 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two passes defended. With Vic Fangio hired as defensive coordinator in 2015, Allen was forced to switch from defensive end to linebacker. While he embraced the change, he failed to show the same kind of pass-rushing prowess, compiling only five tackles and zero sacks through the team’s first three games.

Meanwhile, the Panthers found themselves struggling with injuries among their front seven, as Luke Kuechly, Charles Johnson, and Frank Alexander were all hobbled. Having started the season 3-0, the organization decided to add some reinforcement to their defensive line, and they acquired Allen for a conditional pick.

Allen was plenty solid during his tenure with the Panthers, compiling 27 tackles and a pair of sacks in 12 games (12 starts). The veteran sat out the team’s NFC Championship Game victory over the Cardinals, but he returned in time for the Super Bowl. Allen finished that contest with a single tackle, as the Panthers fell to the Broncos, 24-10. Less than two weeks later, Allen announced his retirement, and he subsequently signed a one-day contract with the Vikings.

While Allen certainly isn’t known for his time in North Carolina, the veteran still played an important role in guiding the Panthers to their second Super Bowl appearance.

Patriots Notes: Kraft, McClellin, Rowe

September 29th, 2018 at 10:43am CST by Ben Levine

Back in January, an explosive piece from ESPN.com detailed a major rift within the Patriots organization. Since that time, there have been continued whispers about the tension in Foxborough, particularly between head coach Bill Belichick and franchise quarterback Tom Brady. Owner Robert Kraft has continually denied those rumors, and he did that once again on Friday. Appearing on CNBC, Kraft attributed the reports to “envy and jealousy.”

“We’ve been together 19 years, which is unheard of for a head coach, a quarterback and an ownership group,” Kraft said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “Thankfully, we have had a lot of success and whenever that happens you become a target. We understand that and there is always tensions and issues and different things you’ve got to deal with. That is part of the privilege of owning a team and being successful. I have a little saying that envy and jealously are incurable diseases. You’d rather be a recipient than a donor. That is what is going on now.”

A new book by ESPN’s Ian O’Connor has renewed interest in the dynamic between Belichick and Brady. In “Belichick: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time,”O’Connor reports that Brady would “divorce” Belichick if he could, but feared alienating New England fans after the Patriots traded backup (and possible successor) Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers last season.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of New England…

  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets that retired Patriots linebacker Shea McClellin filed for Injury Protection last night, which entitles him “to 50 percent of the base salary he was supposed to make this year.” Therefore, the team ended up losing another $1.075MM worth of cap space, dropping them down to $1.17MM of room. As Volin observes, it’s an interesting predicament for the Patriots, who haven’t been so close to the cap in at least a half decade. The team doesn’t have a whole lot of high-priced players, leading the reporter to wonder whether the issue is by design or due to “poor cap management.”
  • Eric Rowe returned to practice yesterday, but Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal points out that the cornerback was limited after having missed the past two sessions. It’s still no guarantee that the 25-year-old will end up playing this weekend, and he’s currently listed as questionable (along with 10 other teammates, including tight end Rob Gronkowski, offensive lineman Marcus Cannon, safety Patrick Chung, and defensive end Trey Flowers).
  • Despite adding Josh Gordon to the mix, the Patriots are still eyeing some reinforcement as wide receiver. Over the past week, the team has auditioned three wideouts: Breshad Perriman, Jeremy Kerley, and Dontrelle Inman.

Rams CB Aqib Talib Expected Back This Season

September 29th, 2018 at 9:59am CST by Ben Levine

When cornerback Aqib Talib was placed on the injured reserve earlier this week, there seemed to be some optimism surrounding an eventual return. Rams coach Sean McVay echoed that sentiment on Friday, telling reporters that he expects the veteran to return before the end of the regular season.

“We’re very encouraged,” McVay said (via ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry). “And I know Aqib feels that way and we’re looking forward to getting him back. I don’t know exactly what that date would be but I know that the anticipation is to get him back.”

Talb suffered a high ankle sprain in the Rams’ win over the Chargers on Sunday, and there was initially some worry that his subsequent surgery “would reveal a season-ending injury.” That didn’t end up being the case, but the Rams still placed the 32-year-old on the IR. Talib will be eligible to return during the first week of December.

After having made five straight Pro Bowls, the Rams acquired Talib from the Broncos back in March. The defensive back had started each of his three games with Los Angeles, compiling nine tackles, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. During his absence, the Rams will likely turn to one of Nickell Robey-Coleman or Sam Shields to team up with Marcus Peters in the starting lineup. The team is also rostering cornerbacks Troy Hill and Dominique Hatfield.

Eagles Place Rodney McLeod On IR

September 29th, 2018 at 8:51am CST by Ben Levine

Eagles safety Rodney McLeod‘s season is presumably over. The team announced on Twitter that they’ve placed the safety on the injured reserve. The Eagles have promoted wideout DeAndre Carter to take the open roster spot.

McLeod underwent knee surgery earlier this week after suffering a torn MCL, and many assumed he’d ultimately land on the IR. However, Doug Pederson initially refused to comment about whether the safety would end up missing the remainder of the season. Instead, the head coach simply said the defensive back would be out for “a while.” Considering these comments, perhaps the Eagles are optimistic that McLeod could return to the field towards the end of the season.

McLeod signed a five-year, $35MM deal with the Eagles prior to the 2016 season. He’s proven himself to be worth the expenditure, as he has notched three interceptions in each of the last two years. After compiling 10 tackles and four passes defended through the first three weeks of this season, Pro Football Focus ranked McLeod as a top-20 safety in the NFL.

With McLeod sidelined, the Eagles will likely turn to Corey Graham as the replacement in the starting lineup. Otherwise, the team is rostering only two other healthy safeties: starter Malcolm Jenkins and recent trade acquisition Deiondre’ Hall. As our own Dallas Robinson notes, the safety market is starting to dry up, with Mike Mitchell, T.J. Ward, Lardarius Webb, Tyvon Branch, and Jairus Byrd among the top available free agents.

Carter has bounced around the league since going undrafted out of Sacramento State in 2015, spending time with the Ravens, Raiders, Patriots, and 49ers. He has one catch for 10 yards this season with Philly, and he could temporarily serve as a returner. The Eagles decision to promote Carter instead of practice squad safety Tre Sullivan could be an indication that Alshon Jeffery won’t be ready to go for tomorrow’s game against the Titans (as noted by Jeff McLane of Philly.com on Twitter).

Extra Points: Dolphins, Wake, Patriots, Simon, Cowboys, Williams

September 28th, 2018 at 9:36pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Cameron Wake is 36-years-old, and as such the Dolphins were hoping to conserve him early on this season to preserve his body for later in the year. Wake, the five-time Pro Bowler from Penn State, was being used in an even rotation early on this year, but now may be forced to take on a bigger role. The Dolphins’ plan for Wake “might have lasted all of three games” according to Adam Beasley of The Miami Herald, due to injuries on Miami’s defensive line.

William Hayes tore his ACL on a controversial play where he was trying to avoid a roughing the passer penalty, and fellow defensive lineman Andre Branch also went down. The Dolphins now have only three healthy defensive ends, and Wake will now likely be forced to play nearly the entire game. It’s a big ask for a player of Wake’s age, and the Dolphins can’t afford anymore injuries to their defensive front.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • The Patriots recently signed pass-rusher John Simon, and now the details are in on his contract. He’ll receive a base salary of $800K, with another $412K available in incentives and roster bonuses according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). The Patriots have been unable to generate any pressure through three games, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Simon ends up playing a large role.
  • Terrance Williams recently missed practice, and rumors began circulating online that the Cowboys wideout was facing a suspension, but those rumors are untrue according to Calvin Watkins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Watkins reports that Williams, who has been lightly used this year despite recently signing an extension, was given an excused absence from practice.
  • In case you missed it, another weak area for the Patriots has been their receiving corp, and they continued to look for help by working out former first round pick Breshad Perriman.

Breer’s Latest: Cardinals, Rosen, Dolphins, Chiefs, Kafka, Bears, Trubisky

September 28th, 2018 at 7:21pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Cardinals finally made the decision to insert Josh Rosen into the game last week, giving the public their first look at the last of the ‘Big Four’ quarterbacks to make an appearance. All four of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, and Rosen are starters now, and Rosen was the last to see game action. The Cardinals’ plan had reportedly been to continue to start Sam Bradford moving forward, but he played so poorly that he forced Arizona’s hand.

Apparently for Cardinals coaches, Rosen’s command of the huddle in his brief relief appearance last Sunday “was the final piece of the puzzle in deciding to the pull the trigger on the quarterback switch” reports Albert Breer of SI.com. Breer notes that Cardinals sources told him Rosen has “been outstanding of late in practice”, and it sounds like they have full confidence in the rookie signal caller. The tenth overall pick from UCLA will get his first start this Sunday at home against the Seahawks.

Here’s more from Breer’s latest column:

  • The Dolphins have shocked everyone with their 3-0 start, and Breer has identified at least one reason behind the unexpected strong first few weeks. “There was an effort from coach Adam Gase, EVP Mike Tannenbaum and GM Chris Grier to get faster” across the board. Breer points to the team’s offseason addition of speedsters Albert Wilson, Mike Gesicki, and Jerome Baker as evidence of the identity change.
  • Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka is a “name to keep an eye on” according to Breer in future coaching searches. Reid apparently assigned Kafka, then a quality control coach, to do one-on-one work with Patrick Mahomes last year, and thinks quite highly of him. Reid has an extensive coaching tree of former assistants, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kafka, a former quarterback under Reid in Philadelphia, become the next one.
  • Scouts are concerned that Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky is too quick to tuck and run, and isn’t processing the field, according to Breer. Breer writes that “Trubisky seems to be making a single read, and running if it’s not there”, and that his processing ability had previously been seen as one of his biggest strengths coming out of college.
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