HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Injury Updates: Fournette, Texans, 49ers, Jackson

September 9th, 2018 at 7:10pm CST by Ben Levine

Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette left today’s win over the Giants with a hamstring injury. While the second-year star was forced to sit out more than half the contest, the team isn’t overly worried about his availability for next week’s game against the Patriots.

“They said it was in a good part,” said head coach Doug Marrone (via Hays Carlyon of 1010XL on Twitter). “I don’t know if there’s any good part of those things. It’s something that he felt like, he’s had it before, he knows how to treat it. That makes things pretty optimistic, which normally I’m not that optimistic.”

Before exiting today’s contest, Fournette had run for 41 yards on nine carries. He also added another three receptions for 14 yards. If the running back were to miss any time, the Jaguars would presumably turn to backup T.J. Yeldon.

Let’s take a look at some more injury notes from around the NFL…

  • Texans right tackle Seantrel Henderson broke a bone in his ankle during today’s loss to the Patriots, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). It’s uncertain how much time the 26-year-old will miss. The lineman suffered the injury after getting his ankle stuck under Patriots defensive lineman Keionta Davis. Henderson missed the preseason after having a noncancerous cyst removed, but the free agent addition was expected to still serve as a starter for the Texans.
  • 49ers linebacker Brock Coyle suffered a concussion during today’s loss to the Vikings, reports Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter). The 27-year-old had compiled six tackles during the contest. Coyle appeared in 16 games (10 starts) for San Francisco last season, finishing with 64 tackles. 0.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Maiocco adds that offensive guards Mike Person and Joshua Garnett both looked fine in the locker room after leaving the game with foot injuries.
  • Buccaneers wideout DeSean Jackson suffered a concussion during today’s win over the Saints, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine. The receiver suffered the injury in the fourth quarter following a hit from Ken Crowley. The 31-year-old had a standout day for Tampa Bay, hauling in five catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns.

Dez Bryant Interested In Joining Patriots, Redskins

September 9th, 2018 at 6:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Dez Bryant has now rejected a pair of contracts, and he’s indicated that he’s willing to wait until he receives the right offer. While it’s uncertain if that offer will ever materialize, the wideout hinted this evening that he has at least two teams on his radar.

When asked on Twitter if he’d be willing to sign back with the Cowboys, Bryant said he could instead envision a role with the Patriots or Redskins.

“Naw I’m ok,” Bryant said. “I rather go somewhere I can show case my skills for real.. if I line up next to Gronk hogan Edelman I’m for sure getting a 1 on 1 match up plus I won’t be getting criticized controlled for expressing my love for the game..Washington is cool as well.”

Later, the wideout made it clear that he wasn’t “making a pitch.” However, the tweets could be somewhat telling. We’re still not entirely sure exactly what Dez is seeking from his next destination, as he’s already turned down long-term security (via Baltimore) and a clear path to playing time (via Cleveland).

We could assume that the star receiver is looking for a proper “fit” when it comes to joining his next team. While it’s uncertain is either the Patriots or Redskins would come knocking, we at least know a contract could actually materialize should they show interest in the 29-year-old.

The Patriots depth at wide receiver is clearly lacking, although they managed to get a win today thanks to tight end Rob Gronkowski, receiver Phillip Dorsett, and running back James White. With Chris Hogan in the picture and Julian Edelman set to return, it’s uncertain if New England would be willing to take a flyer on Bryant. If they were to have interest, the team presumably would have already had him for a workout during the offseason or preseason.

The Redskins offense also looked plenty competent on Sunday. While top receiver Josh Doctson didn’t play much of a role, the team still got plenty of production out of running back Chris Thompson and tight end Jordan Reed.

5 Key NFL Stories: 9/2/18 – 9/9/18

September 9th, 2018 at 4:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

No Le’Veon in Pittsburgh. Nearly every observer expected running back Le’Veon Bell to report to the Steelers last Monday, but that didn’t happen. He didn’t show up during the week at all, in fact, and missed Pittsburgh’s first game (and an $850K+ game check) today. Rookie back James Conner was incredibly impressive in Bell’s absence, but the Steelers surely want to get the All-Pro back on the field. The club has no plans to trade Bell or adjust his contract, so it’s a battle of wills at this point.

Earl Thomas comes back. While Bell didn’t show for the Steelers, the Seahawks appear to have outlasted Thomas in their ongoing stalemate. Thomas, of course, wants a new contact or a trade out of Seattle, but the Hawks have no inclination to honor either request. The veteran defensive back re-appeared in Seattle last week and started against the Broncos today. The Cowboys, for one, reportedly are still interested in acquiring Thomas, but view a second-round pick as their maximum offer.

Falcons lose Keanu Neal. Atlanta sent Neal for a precautionary MRI following Thursday’s loss to the Eagles, but the club felt the safety would be ready for Week 2. That won’t be the case, as Neal was diagnosed with a torn ACL and will now miss the entire 2018 season. For now, the Falcons will roll with 2017 draft pick at strong safety, but other intriguing options are available. Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn has familiarity with the aforementioned Thomas, while Eric Reid is still sitting on the free agent market.

Off-field trouble rears it heads. After being cut by the Raiders last week, wide receiver Martavis Bryant is reportedly facing a yearlong suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. It’s an unfortunate occurrence for Bryant, who was shipped from Pittsburgh to Oakland in the spring in exchange for a third-round pick. Elsewhere, Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregoy is today playing in his first game since 2016, but he too could be in for another ban. Sadly, Gregory mye have suffered a drug relapse during the summer, and could be suspended after missing the entire 2017 season with a drug ban.

LeSean McCoy unlikely to be suspended. McCoy was linked to a unsettling incident earlier this year when his ex-girlfriend accused him of involvement in a home invasion incident which left her battered. However, McCoy is not expected to face any criminal charges as a result of the episode. And while the NFL has its own authority to suspend players regardless of legal outcomes, McCoy isn’t likely to face a league-imposed ban.

Raiders Sat On Khalil Mack Contract Proposal

September 9th, 2018 at 3:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders could have potentially re-signed edge rusher Khalil Mack to a deal that was cheaper than the six-year, $141MM pact he eventually received from the Bears, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

Oakland reportedly sat on a proposal from Mack and his camp for six months, per La Canfora. While the details of the offer are unknown, it clearly wouldn’t have made Mack the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. And because it would have been signed before Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald reset the defensive market with a $22.5MM annual average value of his own, Mack’s theoretical deal would have likely come in lower than Donald’s.

The Raiders agreed to send Mack, a 2020 second-round round pick, and a conditional 2020 fifth-round pick to the Bears in exchange for a 2019 first-round pick, 2020 first-round pick, a 2020 third-round pick, and a 2019 sixth-round pick. Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie recently admitted his club’s plan was never to trade Mack, but it became clear a contractual agreement was not going to be reached with the star pass rusher.

Mack, 27, has been a wrecking ball since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2014. A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro, Mack has totaled 40.5 sacks over his first four NFL seasons. In 2017, Pro Football Focus graded Mack as the NFL’s seventh-best edge defender.

PFR Originals: 9/2/18 – 9/9/18

September 9th, 2018 at 2:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

NFC Notes: D. Johnson, D. Williams, Thielen

September 9th, 2018 at 12:16pm CST by Rory Parks

Although it was not expected that the two sides would be able to come to terms before the start of the season, the Cardinals and David Johnson agreed to a three-year extension yesterday that will keep Johnson in the desert through 2021. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the key to getting the deal done was the team’s agreement to give Johnson a short-term extension that gives him a chance to hit free agency again at a time when a new CBA will be in place and when owners’ income streams will be at an all-time high thanks to renewed TV deals and gambling revenue.

As Week 1 gets underway in earnest, let’s take a look at more news from around the NFC:

  • Former NFL agent Joel Corry is less optimistic about Johnson’s chances to cash in a second time. Although he thinks the Cardinals‘ tailback did well for himself with his new deal, he points out (via Twitter) that Johnson will be 30 by the time he is eligible for unrestricted free agency again, so he will need to defy conventional wisdom concerning RBs to get another big contract.
  • Just last month, it appeared as though the Panthers would have to place starting right tackle Daryl Williams on IR, but Carolina finally got some good news with respect to its O-line. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Williams has a good chance to start the team’s opener against the Cowboys this afternoon, and that the structural damage to his injured knee is minimal. That is good news for Williams as well, as he is eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the year.
  • Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen has a number of incentives that could boost his $4.85MM 2018 salary, but even if he hits all of those incentives, Thielen will still be significantly underpaid relative to the WR market. Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune details the incentives and suggests that, if Thielen performs in 2018 has he did in 2017, his reps could approach Minnesota about redoing his current contract, which runs through 2020.
  • Eagles QB Carson Wentz could return to action in Week 3.
  • Cowboys DE Randy Gregory could be suspended yet again after suffering a relapse.

Steelers Bracing For Lengthy Le’Veon Bell Absence

September 9th, 2018 at 11:22am CST by Rory Parks

The Le’Veon Bell saga could end at any time, or it could drag on indefinitely. The Steelers star running back has yet to report to the team and will miss Pittsburgh’s season opener against the Browns today. While there has been speculation that the Steelers could look to trade Bell, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the team has no interest in dealing him, and some around the league believe he could return before the end of the month (Twitter link).

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com agrees (via Twitter) that Pittsburgh will not look to trade Bell, though he does not offer a potential timeframe on Bell’s return. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, though, says that team brass is bracing for a lengthy absence of at least four to six weeks, and some within the organization do not believe that Bell will return prior to Week 10 (by returning for Week 10, Bell will be able to preserve his free agent status at the end of the season).

Bell’s teammates, meanwhile, appear perplexed by the situation. Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com tweets that Bell told the Steelers’ offensive lineman that he would be with the team this week, and when he failed to report, the O-lineman called and texted their teammate but could not get a straight answer from him.

2017 third-rounder James Conner will start for the Steelers in Bell’s absence, and while he will surely not be able to replicate Bell’s production, he has the ability to be a quality back in the league and should give the team enough of a threat out of the backfield to keep its offense humming.

Carson Wentz Could Return For Week 3

September 9th, 2018 at 10:59am CST by Rory Parks

After a report yesterday indicated that Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was still “multiple weeks away” from making his 2018 debut and officially completing his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered last December, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com has good news for Eagles fans. Mortensen tweets that Wentz’s return will come sooner rather than later, and that Week 3 is a realistic target.

Week 3 has also been mentioned as the potential return date for Philadelphia’s top wide receiver, Alshon Jeffery, so the Eagles’ offense could be back to full-strength in short order. The team was able to scratch out a win in the season opener on Thursday night against the Falcons, and the hope is that Nick Foles will be able to quarterback another victory against the Buccaneers — who are also missing their No. 1 QB — next Sunday before handing the reins back to Wentz for the Week 3 matchup against the Colts. Although Mortensen reported that Wentz could theoretically return for the Bucs game, he says Week 3 is more realistic.

Foles was not particularly impressive in the victory over Atlanta, and he put together a horrible preseason. Although the Super Bowl LII MVP remains one of the best backup signal-callers in the game, Philadelphia is understandably anxious to get Wentz back on the field.

If Wentz does return for Week 3, he would still be on the early end of the ACL recovery timeline; typically, it takes nine to 12 months for a player who has suffered a torn ACL to return to game action. Wentz was playing at an MVP level prior to his injury, and there is no reason to believe he will be unable to return to that form.

LeSean McCoy Not Expected To Face Charges From Offseason Incident

September 9th, 2018 at 10:34am CST by Rory Parks

LeSean McCoy was in the headlines for the wrong reasons this summer, as he was accused of abusing his ex-girlfriend, Delicia Cordon, and was linked to a home invasion that left Cordon battered and bloodied. However, he reported to training camp just as he normally would and has been treated like any other player.

And, while Cordon has filed a civil lawsuit against McCoy, the Bills running back is not expected to face criminal charges stemming from the home invasion, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (story via Austin Knoblauch of NFL.com). Plus, while the NFL has the power to suspend a player for violations of the league’s personal conduct policy even if that player avoids criminal charges, Rapoport tweets that McCoy is not likely to be suspended, as there is simply not enough evidence of wrongdoing at this point.

McCoy, of course, has denied all allegations from the outset. The 30-year-old tailback has been one of the most productive rushers in the league since the Eagles selected him in the second round of the 2009 draft. He has six 1,000-yard rushing seasons to his credit, including his 2017 effort in which he tallied 1,138 yards and averaged 4.0 yards per carry.

The Bills are short on receiving talent this year, so the offense is likely to run through McCoy once again.

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