HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/19

August 15th, 2019 at 7:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: TE Micky Crum, LB Christian Kuntz
  • Waived: LB J.T. Jones, CB Jermaine Ponder

Oakland Raiders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: DT Shane Bowman
  • Placed on injured reserve: WR Bryant Mitchell

Tennessee Titans

“Guarded Optimism” Andrew Luck Will Be Available For Week 1

August 15th, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Colts have “guarded optimism” that Andrew Luck will be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

On Wednesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com reported Luck’s Week 1 availability was “really in question,” and noted that unless the star quarterback makes a “miraculous recovery,” backup Jacoby Brissett could be under center. However, Garafolo also indicated Indianapolis felt as though it “finally” had a handle on the exact nature of Luck’s injury, which could have led to today’s “optimistic” report.

Luck originally underwent an MRI on his calf in March that revealed a strain, but began to experience ankle trouble in May. Another test Monday revealed Luck could be dealing with some sort of high-ankle issue, though it’s not evident if he’s been diagnosed with a dreaded high-ankle sprain. At the moment, it doesn’t appear Luck is experiencing any Achilles trouble.

Luck won’t play during the preseason, and his absence will give Brissett even more time to prepare for the regular season. Brissett, of course, was the Colts’ full-time starter in 2017 when Luck st out the year with a shoulder injury. In 15 starts, Brissett completed 58.8% of his passes for 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Among the 29 quarterbacks with at least 300 attempts that season, Brissett finished 22nd in adjusted net yards per attempt.

Chargers, Melvin Gordon Have Not Made Progress

August 15th, 2019 at 6:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers and running back Melvin Gordon have not made progress on a new contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Per Schefter, Gordon still wants to return for Week 1 of the regular season, but will sit out if no deal is reached.

As Dan Graziano of ESPN.com recently explained, Gordon can’t sit out the entire season — or at least, he can’t if he wants to become a free agent next spring. If Gordon doesn’t report by November 29, he won’t be eligible to play during the 2019 campaign. At that point, his contract would toll: his $5.605MM salary would simply carry over to 2020, and he’d remain under the contractual control of the Chargers.

Gordon has both said that he’d like to remain with Los Angeles and formally requested a trade. Meanwhile, “mounting pessimism” exists that Gordon and the Chargers will strike any sort of deal before the regular season gets underway. The Chargers are reportedly offering Gordon something in the neighborhood of $10MM annually, but the former first-round pick is looking for an additional $2-3MM per season.

Gordon, 26, has averaged 907 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground during his four-year career. He’s averaged 46 catches, 395 yards, and three scores via the passing game during that same timeframe. The Wisconsin product was named to the Pro Bowl in both 2016 and 2018.

Biggest Roster Weakness: NFC East

August 15th, 2019 at 6:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 2019 regular season is right around the corner, but every NFL team still has at least one position on its roster that could use improvement. And there’s still plenty of time to address those areas of need! Free agents are readily available on the open market, while preseason trades provide another avenue of player procurement. 19 NFL trades were executed between August 1st and September 1st of 2018, and that number could increase this year.

Let’s take a look at the weakest positional group — and a potential solution — for each NFL club. Today we’ll examine the NFC East:

Dallas Cowboys

  • Weakness: Defensive tackle. Antwaun Woods and Maliek Collins each played more than 45% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps in 2018, but neither proved particularly effective, as both ranked in the bottom-half of Pro Football Focus‘ interior defender grades. Christian Covington has played well during training camp, and Dallas used a second-round pick on defensive tackle Trysten Hill, but the Cowboys could look to the free agent market for another veteran to play inside. Safety was another consideration here, but the Cowboys seem to be all-in on starting Jeff Heath despite his lack of 2018 production.
  • Solution: Sign Muhammad Wilkerson to a cheap one-year deal. Given the need to extend Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, and Byron Jones, the Cowboys probably aren’t willing to spend much on a late free agent addition. And that’s just fine, because Wilkerson shouldn’t cost much after a fractured ankle limited him to three games last season. Wilkerson’s deal with the Packers was worth $5MM and carried $3MM in available incentives, but he could be hard-pressed to earn anything more than a minimum salary this time around.

New York Giants

  • Weakness: Wide receiver depth. Nearly any position on the Giants’ defensive depth chart could use help, but have you taken a look at New York’s possible Week 1 receivers? Golden Tate is suspended through Week 4, so if Sterling Shepard can’t return from a fractured thumb in time for the season opener, Big Blue would likely roll out Cody Latimer, Russell Shepard, and Bennie Fowler as its top three wideouts. Even if Shepard is able to make it back for Week 1, the Giants could still use more help at receiver.
  • Solution: Trade for Keelan Cole. The now 26-year-old Cole played well to start the 2018 campaign, but ultimately couldn’t live up to the expectations set by his 2017 season. The former undrafted free agent’s yards per reception fell from 17.8 in 2017 to just 12.9 in 2018, and he’s now listed as a third-team receiver on Jacksonville’s latest depth chart. Capable of lining up in the slot or outside, Cole could help tide the Giants over until Tate and Shepard are back.

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Weakness: Cornerback. Thanks to a smart front office headed by general manager Howie Roseman, the Eagles don’t have many weaknesses on their roster. One area of potential concern is at cornerback, where Ronald Darby may not be ready for Week 1 and Cre’Von LeBlanc could be a candidate for injured reserve after suffering a foot injury.
  • Solution: Trade for a Patriots or Saints corner. Rumblings in the past week have indicated the Patriots and/or Saints could have a spare corner to deal, and the Eagles could make for a potential trade partner. New England defensive back Jonathan Jones could make sense for Philadelphia — he’s on a one-year, restricted free agent deal, so the Eagles could evaluate him in 2019 before deciding whether to extend him through 2020 and beyond. The Patriots and Eagles already lined up for one veteran trade this offseason when New England acquired defensive lineman Michael Bennett in March.

Washington Redskins

  • Weakness: Linebacker. Zach Brown and Mason Foster were the Redskins’ primary inside linebackers last season, but both have since been released. Foster isn’t a tremendous loss, but PFF graded Brown as the third-best ‘backer in all of football in 2018. Reuben Foster, claimed off waivers last November, isn’t going to play this year after tearing his ACL, so Washington is relying on journeyman Jon Bostic and 2018 sixth-rounder Shaun Dion Hamilton to hold down the middle of its defense.
  • Solution: Wait for Wesley Woodyard to get cut by the Titans. Even at age-33, Woodyard is still a solid linebacker, but with the Titans turning to Rashaan Evans and Jayon Brown, he’s not expected to be a starter in 2019. Most Tennessee roster projections still have Woodyard making the team, but the Titans might be loathe to keep a backup who accounts for more than $4MM on their salary cap. If and when he’s released, Woodyard should become a target for Washington.

Colts WR Reece Fountain Fractures Ankle

August 15th, 2019 at 5:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts wideout Reece Fountain suffered a dislocated and fractured ankle during practice today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Fountain will likely undergo immediate surgery and should be expected to miss the 2019 season.

A fifth-round pick in 2018, Fountain didn’t make it through final cutdowns and was waived just prior to the start of the regular season. The Northern Iowa product was promoted to the Colts’ active roster in December, but played only six total snaps (three offense, three special teams) and didn’t record any statistics.

Fountain was far from a lock to make Indianapolis’ roster this season, as the club boasts receving options such as T.Y. Hilton, Devin Funchess, Parris Campbell, Chester Rogers, and Deon Cain. The 23-year-old Fountain will likely be placed on injured reserve, but could compete for a role in 2020.

Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott In Shape

August 15th, 2019 at 3:42pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s no telling when Ezekiel Elliott will report to the Cowboys, but it sounds like he’s ready to go at any time. Currently, Elliott’s weight is in the low 220s, the lowest it has been since his rookie year, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears.

[RELATED: No Deadline For Cowboys’ Elliott, Cooper, Prescott]

Elliott’s weight has been a cause for concern in the past. Known for his midriff cut-off jerseys, Elliott has taken some flack for being seen with a (minor) amount of belly fat in place of his once-defined abs. Nitpicking aside, Elliott’s apparently solid conditioning is a good indicator that he is prepared to play football this season, despite his reported threat to miss games if he does not get a new deal.

The Cowboys have reportedly pitched a contract to Elliott that would be closer to Le’Veon Bell‘s than Todd Gurley‘s, making Elliott the second-highest paid running back in the league. Zeke, meanwhile, is probably gunning for the top RB spot.

XFL Signs Landry Jones

August 15th, 2019 at 2:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The XFL has its first player. On Thursday, former Steelers quarterback Landry Jones agreed to sign with the XFL. 

Jones’ exact destination is TBD. He will be drafted by “one of the XFL’s eight teams” in October, according to the league’s press release.

“We’re excited to welcome Landry to the XFL as our first player and first quarterback,” said XFL Commissioner and CEO, Oliver Luck. “He’s an accomplished athlete with outstanding college credentials and pro experience, and his heart and desire to play football epitomizes the type of individual we want in the XFL.”

Jones, meanwhile, says he “can’t wait to suit up.” Indeed, it’s been a while since Jones saw meaningful action. His last NFL game came in December 2017 when he started in place of Ben Roethlisberger. In previous seasons, Jones flashed some ability in his Big Ben fill-in opportunities.

Last year, Jones had a cup of coffee with the Jaguars. Then, this offseason, he spent some time with the Raiders before being released in May. Earlier this month, he worked out for the Lions, but left Detroit without a deal.

Despite his recent unemployment spell, Jones remains on the NFL radar. He first put himself on the map at Oklahoma where he set Big 12 Conference records in passing yards (16,646), completions (1,388) and touchdown passes (123).

Complaint Against Kamrin Moore Dropped

August 15th, 2019 at 1:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The domestic violence complaint against suspended Giants safety Kamrin Moore has been dismissed and the temporary restraining order against him has been vacated, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. The court determined that the allegations against Moore were not substantiated and lawyers for the 22-year-old (23 in October) tells Raanan that he feels “vindicated” by the outcome.

Moore was arrested in mid-July on assault charges after allegedly punching a woman, knocking her unconscious and stepping on her neck. Police were not called to Moore’s home, however, and we’ve heard little about the case in the last month.

The initial police report indicated that the alleged victim got into an altercation with another woman at Moore’s residence. When the accuser was knocked to the ground, she says that Moore intervened, stepped on her neck, and punched her when she returned to her feet.

Immediately after the story broke, the Giants suspended Moore, pending further investigation. There’s no word yet on whether the Giants will welcome him back.

The Giants claimed Moore off waivers last summer from the Saints. He went on to appear in two games for the G-Men in 2018.

 

ESPN Hires Jack Del Rio

August 15th, 2019 at 11:47am CST by Zachary Links

Jack Del Rio won’t be coaching in 2019. The former Raiders head coach and longtime defensive coordinator has accepted a new job as an analyst for ESPN, per a press release from the network. 

Del Rio was ousted by the Raiders late in 2017 to make room for Jon Gruden. Since then, he’s been in the mix for a few high profile DC gigs. Soon after he was canned by Oakland, the Giants were said to be giving him real consideration. Then, this past February, he nearly became the Bengals’ new DC before things went bust. Even though he’s still a viable coaching candidate, Del Rio will be taking at least a year off before considering new opportunities.

“This excites me about being able to learn about myself and the media business,” Del Rio said during a phone interview. “I’m not going to be afraid of having an opinion and something to offer.”

Del Rio, 55, was either a head coach or defensive coordinator every season from 2002-17. While his Broncos defenses (two top-five units) were better than his Raiders crews — 22nd, 20th and 20th in points allowed, respectively — Del Rio did guide the Silver and Black to their first playoff berth in 14 seasons.

Cardinals Host Corey Liuget

August 15th, 2019 at 10:35am CST by Zachary Links

Former Chargers defensive tackle Corey Liuget will visit the Cardinals on Thursday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). At this stage of the offseason, Liuget is arguably one of the top free agents left on the board and is a name worth monitoring. 

Earlier this offseason, Liuget met with the Jaguars, Giants, and Seahawks. So far, he’s exercised patience in finding a landing spot, but the Cardinals could hold appeal for him. With $6MM in available cap space, Arizona could offer him more than the veteran’s minimum and give him an opportunity to shine. On the flipside, the Cardinals’ D is less than world-class, so there might not be a ton of openings for Liuget to exploit.

Earlier in his career, Liuget made noise as a defensive end and managed 18 sacks for the Chargers between 2011-2014. His sack totals, predictably, plummeted when he was moved to the interior on a full-time basis, and his 2018 suspension for PEDs further diminished his stock.

Still only 29, there’s reason to believe that Liuget can turn things around.

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