HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Jaguars To Work Out S T.J. Ward

August 24th, 2019 at 1:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after Darian Stewart caught on with the Buccaneers, another Florida team will look at the other safety from the Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning secondary.

The Jaguars are working out T.J. Ward on Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Ward did not play in 2018. This marks the first known workout for the two-time Pro Bowler in well over a year.

Ward last played for the Bucs in 2017, starting five games. The Broncos released him just before the ’17 regular season, with Justin Simmons having beaten him out for a starting job. Ward, 32, has eight seasons of experience, beginning his career as a Browns starter for four seasons. He signed with the Broncos in 2014 and made the Pro Bowl that season. Over the next two years, Ward was part of the Broncos’ dominant secondaries that led the league in pass defense DVOA by wide margins.

The Jaguars, top six in pass defense DVOA over the past two seasons, released Tashaun Gipson in March. They have Ronnie Harrison set to start at one of their safety jobs and former UDFA Jarrod Wilson in place as well. Harrison graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 72 safety last season, with Wilson receiving a better grade as a part-time contributor. Ward graded as PFF’s No. 58 safety in 2017, his production having dipped since his Denver exit. The Jags did not draft a safety this year.

Injury Notes: Gabbert, Gary, Ragnow

August 24th, 2019 at 12:44pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard earlier today that Buccaneers backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert had dislocated his non-throwing shoulder during last night’s preseason win over the Eagles. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like the veteran will be out for an extended amount of time. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that it isn’t expected to be a long-term injury.

While Gabbert may not be sidelined for all that long, the team is still eyeing some reinforcement at the position. ESPN’s Jenna Laine tweets that the Buccaneers have looked at signing Vincent Testaverde. The 23-year-old had spent the early parts of camp with Tampa Bay, and his head start on the offensive playbook could give him an edge over other free agent quarterbacks. Besides starter Jameis Winston, the only other healthy quarterback on the roster is undrafted rookie Nick Fitzgerald.

Let’s check out some more injury notes from around the NFL…

  • Packers linebacker Rashan Gary was carted off the field during Thursday night’s loss to the Raiders. Fortunately, it sounds like the 21-year-old is doing alright. RG Sports Agency tweets that Gary is “fine and doing well.” The rookie had suffered a lower-body injury early in the game, and he was later carted off the field after taking a hit to the head and neck area. The Michigan product was the 12th-overall pick in this past year’s draft.
  • Lions center Frank Ragnow was carted off the field after suffering a right leg injury during last night’s loss to the Bills. If the 2018 first-round pick has to miss time, Detroit’s offensive line situation will be bleak. As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets, the team currently has journeyman Kenny Wiggins and former fifth-rounder Joe Dahl slotted in at offensive guard. The team was originally counting on Wiggins to be their top backup offensive tackle with Tyrell Crosby out of the lineup.
  • There’s some good injury news! Free agent cornerback Chris Campbell has been cleared from his mild hamstring strain and is now ready to audition for teams, tweets ESPN’s Mike Triplett. The 23-year-old was waived/injured by the Saints early in training camp. Campbell was a 2018 sixth-round pick out of Penn State, but he didn’t make an appearance during his rookie campaign.

Latest On Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys

August 24th, 2019 at 12:08pm CST by Ben Levine

We learned earlier this week that the Cowboys had extended a lucrative contract extension to Ezekiel Elliott, but it still doesn’t sound like either side is making much progress on talks. Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram tweets that there’s been no new movement on the extension front. Hill passes along a brief quote from Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones, who said the two sides aren’t close because there hasn’t been a lot of “activity.”

Elliott has reportedly been eyeing a contract that would be worth around $15MM per season. The Cowboys reportedly offered a contract that would have made the 24-year-old one of the two highest-paid running backs in the NFL. For reference, Todd Gurley is leading running backs with an average annual value of around $14.38MM, and Le’Veon Bell is currently at second with a $13.13MM AAV.

For what it’s worth, the running back retweeted a comment from former NFL lineman Joe Thomas, who indicated that Elliott should top Gurley’s deal:

“Throughout the course of NFL history, if you are the best player at your position (or clearly one of the best) when you re-sign a second contract with the team that drafted you, you usually beat the highest paid current contract at your position by 15 to 20%,” Thomas said.

Owner Jerry Jones recently made comments that the team is going to hold firm on their offer, which means there might be a significant monetary discrepancy if Elliott is indeed seeking $15MM per year.

While it doesn’t sound like Zeke’s holdout will be ending anytime soon, Jones apparently isn’t concerned. During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, the executive sounded optimistic about the prospect of signing their star running back (as well as wideout Amari Cooper).

“We feel confident things will get done,” said Jones (via Twitter). “Things happen real quick, sometime within hours.”

Ravens LB Paul Worrilow Retires

August 24th, 2019 at 10:29am CST by Ben Levine

Linebacker Paul Worrilow‘s tenure with the Ravens last all of 24 hours. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the veteran has decided to retire. The 29-year-old signed a contract with Baltimore yesterday.

Worrilow’s pairing with Baltimore seemed to make sense; Jeff Zrebiec of the Athletic notes (on Twitter) that the team is currently rostering only seven healthy defensive linemen. The Ravens will likely keep Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce out of the lineup for the preseason finale, and potential starters Chris Wormley and Willie Henry were forced to play much of the second half during the Ravens win on Thursday. At the very least, they’ll need a healthy body to get them through the final preseason contest.

Worrilow, a 2013 undrafted free agent out of Delaware, quickly established himself as a dependable rotation piece for the Falcons. Worrilow started 43 games over his first three seasons in the NFL, including a 2014 campaign where he finished with a career-high 142 tackles. The inside linebacker played a backup role for the NFC-winning 2016 Falcons before moving on to the Lions, where he started eight games in 2017.

He signed with the Eagles in 2018 but tore his ACL on the first day of OTAs. He re-signed with the organization back in January, but he was released by the organization earlier this month.

Dolphins Shopping LB Kiko Alonso, S Reshad Jones

August 24th, 2019 at 9:56am CST by Ben Levine

In the midst of a rebuild, the Dolphins are shopping some of their older players. Barry Jackson and Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald report that Miami has dangled several of their veterans in trade talks.

However, one of the players who hasn’t been shopped is offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Earlier today, Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reported (via Twitter) that the Dolphins were shopping the 25-year-old, but Jackson and Beasley write that the organization has “assured the Tunsil camp that there is no truth to that.”

Jackson and Beasley note that the front office has received calls about Tunsil, but the team hasn’t acted on any of the inquiries. Further, the reporters write that they personally received a call from a credible source who said “Tunsil’s name had come up in trade discussions,” but it was uncertain whether the Dolphins initiated the calls.

It wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense for the Dolphins to move on from Tunsil. The former first-rounder has established himself as an up-and-coming lineman, and he’s under team control for another two seasons. Plus, the team is looking to build their offensive line as they prepare for the future with either Josh Rosen or a 2020 rookie under center. Moving on from one of their assets would contradict that logic.

While Tunsil might not be on the block, the Dolphins have been shopping safety Reshad Jones and linebacker Kiko Alonso. Jackson and Beasley write that rival organizations are expecting Alonso and wideout Kenny Stills to be cut, limiting Miami’s trade flexibility. The Dolphins would also consider offers for linebacker Raekwon McMillan, who could be pushed for playing time by Sam Eguavoen.

The organization kicked off their rebuild this past offseason by moving on from a number of veteran players, including quarterback Ryan Tannehill and linebacker Cameron Wake. The team currently owns 13 draft picks in the 2020 draft.

Bucs QB Blaine Gabbert Dislocates Shoulder

August 24th, 2019 at 8:37am CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like the Buccaneers may need another quarterback. Coach Bruce Arians said that backup signal-caller Blaine Gabbert dislocated his non-throwing shoulder during last night’s preseason win (via The Athletic’s Greg Auman on Twitter). ESPN’s Jenna Laine tweets that it’s not yet known if Gabbert will need surgery.

Arians also added that the team could end up signing another quarterback (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times on Twitter), although the head coach acknowledged that he’s very content rolling with Ryan Griffin as Jameis Winston‘s primary backup.

“More than comfortable,” Arians said. “He’s proven with some of the guys he’s playing with, directing them, poise. He’s moved our team up and down the field, just like he did again tonight.”

The Buccaneers signed Gabbert back in March, and his addition was partly attributed to his familiarity with Arians’ offense. The 29-year-old got into eight games (three) starts last season for the Titans, completing 60.4-percent of his passes for 626 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions. He previously teamed up with Arians in Arizona, including a 2017 campaign where he started five games.

As Arians mentioned, the team is comfortable having Griffin as Winston’s main backup, and the former undrafted free agent proved his worth last night. Griffin finished last night’s game having completed 11 of his 17 passes for 121 yards and one score.

Lions LB Jarrad Davis To Undergo MRI

August 23rd, 2019 at 8:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

These past two days have not provided a strong endorsement for preseason football, with a game being played on an 80-yard field and several key players going down. The Lions saw multiple starters suffer injuries on Friday night and may have lost Jarrad Davis for an extended time period.

After being helped off the field after the second play of Detroit’s game against Buffalo, the third-year linebacker will undergo an MRI on his right foot Saturday, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com notes. Davis left for the Lions’ locker room on a cart.

This strikes former Chargers team doctor David Chao as a significant injury, with the current San Diego Union-Tribune injury expert estimating the best-case scenario for Davis may be a high ankle sprain (Twitter link).

Davis has started all 30 games he has played for the Lions, who took him in the 2017 first round. The Florida product registered 100 tackles and six sacks last season.

West Rumors: 49ers, Metcalf, Raiders

August 23rd, 2019 at 7:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

It’s been a rough year for 49ers injuries. A few of their key players may not be ready for Week 1. It is now possible Nick Bosa and Jason Verrett will join the likes of Garrett Celek and Jerick McKinnon (in all likelihood) as being sidelined for San Francisco’s opener. During an interview with KNBR (via Pro Football Talk), John Lynch called both Bosa and Verrett 50-50 to suit up for the 49ers’ opener against the Buccaneers. Bosa is battling a high ankle sprain — his latest in a string of maladies since his junior year at Ohio State — and Verrett is also dealing with ankle trouble. The injury-prone cornerback, who tore an Achilles’ tendon in July 2018, sprained an ankle August 7.

Shifting first to some issues the Seahawks’ Week 1 contingent may have, here is the latest from the West divisions:

  • Two key Seahawks wide receivers may not be ready for the team’s 2019 opener. D.K. Metcalf underwent knee surgery this week and is uncertain for Week 1, while Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets David Moore will not be ready for Seattle’s 2019 debut. Moore will seek a second opinion on a shoulder injury, one Pelissero notes is not expected to require surgery. But Pete Carroll confirmed Moore (26 receptions for 445 yards and five TDs in 2018) will not suit up in Week 1. Moore and Metcalf are expected to play key roles for the post-Doug Baldwin Seahawks. They may have to supplement Tyler Lockett with lower-profile players early.
  • Thought to be on the wrong side of the 49ers‘ roster bubble, Jordan Matthews may be on the verge of making the team. The 49ers held the veteran receiver out of action Monday in Denver, and Kyle Shanahan confirmed he did so to get a look at his younger talents. “Jordan’s had a hell of a camp,” Shanahan said, via Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required). “He’s done very good in practice; he’s been consistent in OTAs. He’s been very consistent in training camp, and we’ve seen him a lot on tape before he got here. I’ve got a lot of confidence in Jordan, and I know we can win with Jordan.” This, of course, does not mean the 27-year-old pass catcher is a roster lock. But it does paint a picture of the 49ers potentially opting for dependability here.
  • Hard Knocks has chronicled rookie UDFA Keelan Doss‘ attempt to make the Raiders, and after three preseason games, Vic Tafur of The Athletic has the receiver making the team over Ryan Grant. As for the former Redskins and Colts talent, the Raiders held him out of action Thursday in Winnipeg. While that could mean Grant has secured a spot on Oakland’s 53-man roster, Tafur expects a trade to occur in the coming days rather than the team keeping seven wideouts.
  • The most recent Hard Knocks episode showed plenty of an irritated Jon Gruden, with the ire being primarily directed toward backup quarterbacks. But Tafur expects the Raiders to keep both Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman, pegging Gruden as viewing the former as the more reliable player and the latter with greater upside (despite his previous regular-season resume).

Panthers Optimistic Newton Can Play Week 1

August 23rd, 2019 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cam Newton left Thursday night’s game early due to injury, and Panthers GM Marty Hurney said Friday the ninth-year quarterback suffered a sprained foot. Newton left Gillette Stadium in a walking boot.

The Panthers are “cautiously optimistic” Newton will be able to suit up in Week 1, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. While Hurney called the injury a “mild” sprain, it is officially a mid-foot sprain, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link).

A first-quarter sack (Twitter link via SI.com’s Albert Breer) ended Newton’s night and shifted uncertainty surrounding the Carolina quarterback from his throwing shoulder to his left foot. This particular injury can linger. Although Newton has been incredibly durable throughout his career, this is certainly not ideal after the months of shoulder rehab the 30-year-old passer went through this year.

Newton’s troublesome throwing shoulder, which required another surgery in January, prompted the Panthers to hold him out of their first two preseason games. It may now come down to the wire for Week 1 because of this sprain. Newton has battled shoulder problems since 2017 and underwent left ankle surgery in 2014. He has only missed five games in his career.

Carolina featured an underwhelming contingent of backups behind Newton last season but drafted Will Grier in this year’s third round. Rivera turned to Kyle Allen over Grier after Newton’s exit Thursday, however, pointing to the former UDFA (and Week 17 Panthers starter) being first in line to replace Newton if necessary. The Panthers do not plan to bring in any additional quarterbacks, with Rapoport adding Allen indeed will likely take the majority of the first-team reps in near-future practices.

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