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Month: November 2024

NFC Notes: Bosa, 49ers, Cowboys, Vikings

August 7th, 2019 at 10:06pm CST by Ben Levine

49ers fans will have to wait a bit until they see Nick Bosa in game action. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the rookie defensive end was diagnosed with an ankle sprain. The second-overall pick had an MRI after leaving practice earlier today.

Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like the injury will linger into the regular season. Rapoport notes that Bosa might sit out the preseason as the team proceeds cautiously, but it doesn’t sound like his status for Week 1 is in doubt. The 49ers will be counting on the Ohio State product to be an every-down player from the get-go.

Meanwhile, Rapoport also reports (via Twitter) that 49ers cornerback Jason Verrett was diagnosed with a minor ankle sprain following a MRI. The veteran is likely day-to-day.

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

  • The Cowboys are eyeing some tight end depth. ESPN’s Todd Archer tweets that the organization auditioned Marcus Lucas today. The 27-year-old has bounced around the NFL since going undrafted out of Missouri in 2014. Dallas cut Rico Gathers last week, but the team could be looking for a fresh body in an attempt to give Jason Witten days off.
  • Cornerback Bene Benwikere‘s one-year, $1MM contract with the Vikings has an $805K base salary, tweets the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. The deal also includes a $90K roster bonus and up to $105K in per-game bonuses, although none of the contract is guaranteed.
  • Running back Corey Grant‘s one-year deal with the Packers is worth $895K, tweets ESPN’s Rob Demovsky and Jim Owczarski of the Journal Sentinel. The only guaranteed money comes via a $60K signing bonus, while Grant will have to earn an $805K base salary and ~$30K per-game roster bonuses. His cap charge is around $714K.

Latest On Antonio Brown’s Foot Injury

August 7th, 2019 at 7:36pm CST by Ben Levine

We finally have some clarity on Antonio Brown‘s foot injury, and it’s a doozy. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Raiders wideout suffered frostbite during a “cryogenic chamber mishap.” An ESPN.com report provides even more context, noting that Brown wasn’t wearing the proper footwear when he entered the chamber last month in France.

Brown opened training camp with his new team on the active/NFI list, and the receiver subsequently visited a foot specialist for a “very minor” foot injury. The Raiders offseason acquisition was later categorized as “day to day,” but it sounds like that designation has since changed.

Today, coach Jon Gruden told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio that Brown was “still collecting information” on the injury. While the team is hoping to learn more later this week, there currently isn’t a timetable for the receiver’s return.

Brown ended his prolific Steelers career with a trade request, and he was ultimately dealt to the Raiders for a third- and fifth-round draft pick. Naturally, Gruden is excited to add the seven-time Pro Bowler into his offense, but he’ll have to be patient for the time being.

“You know me, it is like waiting for Santa Claus,” Gruden said of anticipating Brown’s return. “I have been really excited to coach this man. I think he is a great player and he is a great competitor. We need his life in this offense and on this football team. We will just cross our fingers. I will make no speculation whatsoever. He has to get it evaluated. He has to get the information he needs, and when he does, he will be back.”

Brown finished last season with 104 receptions for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns. It was his sixth straight season with at least 1,200 receiving yards and 100 receptions.

AFC East Notes: Patriots, McCourty, Dolphins

August 7th, 2019 at 7:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Ben Watson is now in his second stint with the Patriots, and the veteran tight end acknowledged that he has a greater respect for coach Bill Belichick than he did during his first go-around.

“I definitely have a different appreciation for him than I had 15 years ago,” Watson told SiriusXM Radio (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). “There are many ways he hasn’t changed. Sitting in the team meeting room, he says a lot of the same things, because they are still true. Being much older than I was before, I’m able to appreciate that a lot more — a lot of the coaching, and embrace it in a way I wasn’t before. I can also see him separate from the coach, he does enjoy himself, he does smile, he does do all those things as a young player you thought he never did.”

The 2004 first-round pick spent the first six seasons of his career with New England, and he came out of retirement to (partly) replace the offensive production of Rob Gronkowski. Watson will sit out the first four games of the upcoming season after failing a drug test.

Let’s check out some more notes out of the AFC East…

  • The Patriots have had an undrafted rookie make their 53-man roster for 15 straight years, and Reiss writes that NC State wideout Jakobi Meyers is the leading candidate to earn a spot this year. The six-foot-two wideout was seen practicing with the first team all week, and the Patriots’ depth chart is currently struggling with Julian Edelman sitting out. Meyers hauled in 92 receptions for NC State last season, breaking Torry Holt‘s school record.
  • Safety Devin McCourty is about to start his 10th NFL season, but the Patriots veteran hasn’t thought about when he’s going to hang up his cleats. “I’ve been having a lot of fun this year,” McCourty told Jeff Howe of The Athletic. “I haven’t thought about next year or anything else. I’m just trying to see how much better I can get in year 10 and see how good I can be still at, in a couple weeks, (when I turn) 32 years old and still playing football and trying to embrace that.”
  • The Dolphins defense should look a whole lot different next season, and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes that much of that can be attributed to the defensive-minded Brian Flores. The team’s new head coach is planning on having several different looks (or “groups,” as Flores calls them) on defense, including 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, and something else altogether different. “It really comes back to trying to put the right personnel groupings out there to match up with what the offense is doing and try to maximize the skill set of our players,” explained defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. “If it’s five or 10 safeties, then that’s what it is.”
  • Defensive lineman Tank Carradine is a fan of the defensive scheme, noting that it could help him become a three-down player. “There are different schemes that we run, and I have to be able to set the edge, play inside,” Carradine said. “They’re trying to move me all over the field. That’s something that I like. It’s giving me a chance to play different positions and be all out there and be an every-down player.”

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/19

August 7th, 2019 at 6:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Dallas Cowboys

  • Signed: OL Kiwanis Bushell-Beatty
  • Waived/injured: WR Lance Lenoir

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Teams Eyeing Trades For Patriots/Saints CBs?

August 7th, 2019 at 3:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A number of teams are potentially interested in trading for a cornerback, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, and some clubs view the Patriots and Saints as teams that might be willing to deal away a defensive back.

Breer’s report is sparse on details, as we don’t know what teams might potentially inquire on New England or New Orleans’ corners, or what they might might be willing to give up in return. But it’s still worth examining each club’s defensive back depth chart to see what players might be considered spare parts.

In New England, first-team All-Pro Stephon Gilmore, recently re-signed veteran Jason McCourty, and 2018 undrafted free agent J.C. Jackson almost certainly aren’t going anywhere. The same goes for 2018 second-round pick Duke Dawson, who missed his entire rookie campaign, and 2019 second-rounder Joejuan Williams.

One name does stand out on the Patriots’ stacked depth chart as potential trade bait, however, is fourth-year pro Jonathan Jones. An undrafted free agent in 2016, Jones has played between 40-50% of New England’s defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. As a restricted free agent, he’s signed through 2019 on a non-guaranteed salary of $3.095MM. Given the Patriots’ depth at corner and Jones’ expiring contract, he’d make sense as a potential trade target.

The Saints also have several corners who almost assuredly won’t be going anywhere, including starters Marshon Lattimore, Eli Apple, and Patrick Robinson. But P.J. Williams and Ken Crawley are both entering contract years and have significant experience under their belts (67% playtime for Williams in 2018, 40% for Crawley). Even veteran Kayvon Webster, who signed a one-year deal with the Saints in June, could potentially be on the table if rival teams are desperate for corners.

Seahawks TE Ed Dickson Out 4-5 Weeks

August 7th, 2019 at 3:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Seahawks tight end Ed Dickson underwent knee surgery and Seattle is “hoping” for a four-to-five week recovery, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).

Given Dickson’s recovery timeline, he’s likely to miss at least one regular season game, but complications could potentially extend that timeframe. Starting tight end Nick Vannett will continue to see the bulk of Seattle’s tight end load, but 2018 fourth-round pick Will Dissly — who posted eight receptions and two touchdowns in four games before going down with a patellar tendon injury during his rookie campaign — could see more time. Trade acquisition Jacob Hollister, whom Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic reports has “been as impressive as anyone on the [Seahawks’] roster”, might also be in line for extra work.

Dickson signed a three-year, $10.7MM contract with the Seahawks last spring, but his 2018 debut was delayed by various injuries. After spending the first part of the year on the non-football injury list, Dickson was activated in October, and went on to post 12 receptions and three touchdowns in 10 appearances.

Colts DE Jabaal Sheard Could Miss Regular Season Time

August 7th, 2019 at 2:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After undergoing knee surgery earlier this month, Colts defensive end Jabaal Sheard could potentially miss regular season action, according to Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star.

Sheard experienced soreness and swelling in his knee on the first day of Indianapolis’ training camp and subsequently underwent the procedure. Head coach Frank Reich said it’s too early to definitively say Sheard will miss regular season games, but admitted it’s a possibility.

“If it does (cause him to miss time), Jabaal’s the kind of guy that you know he’s the ultimate pro, he’s going to do whatever it takes,” Reich said. “But because he’s had the procedure on his knee, we’ve just got to take it slow and be cautious and make sure that we have Jabaal for the long haul.”

Sheard, 30, played the most snaps (813) of any Colts defensive lineman in 2018, racking up 5.5 sacks and 13 quarterback hits in the process. Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 36 edge defender in the NFL, the highest ranking of any Indianapolis pass rusher last season. Sheard, who joined the Colts in 2017, is entering the final season of a three-year, $25.5MM contract.

Al-Quadin Muhammad has soaked up most of Sheard’s snaps during training camp, but other players could also see more action. Kemoko Turay, rookie Ben Banogu, or even nose tackle Margus Hunt could see snaps along the edge, according to Erickson.

Buccaneers OL Mike Liedtke Done For Season

August 7th, 2019 at 12:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Buccaneers backup offensive lineman Mike Liedtke will miss the 2019 season with a shoulder injury, according to Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Liedtke, 27, went undrafted out of Illinois State in 2015, and spent time with the Dolphins, Chiefs, Jets, and Browns before finding a home in Tampa Bay in 2016. After spending parts of two seasons on the Buccaneers’ practice squad, he was promoted to the active roster for good in December 2017. Last year, Liedtke appeared in nine games but played only three offensive snaps.

Tampa Bay has other reserve guards capable of backing up starters Ali Marpet and Alex Cappa, including Earl Watford and Caleb Benenoch. But if the club looks to the open market for depth, free agent options could include Brandon Fusco, Chance Warmack, Jermon Bushrod, and John Greco.

Texans QB A.J. McCarron Could Miss Preseason

August 7th, 2019 at 10:52am CST by Dallas Robinson

Texans quarterback A.J. McCarron may miss the entirety of the preseason after suffering a thumb injury during practice on Tuesday, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Houston gave McCarron a $2.5MM guarantee in March, so there’s no question that he’ll still be in line to be Deshaun Watson‘s backup, regardless of how his injury plays out. However, given that the only other quarterback on the Texans’ roster is gadget player/special teamer Joe Webb, the club will need to sign another signal-caller in order to make it through training camp and the preseason.

While veterans such as Matt Cassel, Landry Jones, and Brandon Weeden are still available on the free agent market, it seems unlikely any of those players will be options for the Texans. Given that McCarron figures to ready for the regular season, it’s difficult to imagine a veteran signing with Houston while knowing they’ll likely be cut within a month. Weeden, though, does have a history with the Texans (2015-16, 2018), so perhaps he’d be amenable to returning, if only for a short period.

Saints To Sign TE A.J. Derby

August 7th, 2019 at 10:17am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints are expected to sign free agent tight end A.J. Derby, according to Herbie Teope of The Advocate (Twitter link). Offensive lineman Nate Wozniak will be waived in a corresponding move.

New Orleans currently has six tight ends on its roster, but two of them — Garrett Griffin and Alize Mack — are dealing with injuries, so the club is aiming to add a bit more depth by bringing Derby onto the roster. Veteran Jared Cook, who inked a two-year, $15MM contract with the Saints during the offseason, will be the team’s starter, but Josh Hill should still see a relatively large role after playing on more than 60% of New Orleans’ offensive snaps in 2018.

Derby, 27, has bounced around the NFL since entering the league as a Patriots sixth-round pick in 2015. The Arkansas product’s most significant action came in 2017, when he racked up 21 catches on 40 targets while splitting time between the Broncos and Dolphins. Last season, Derby appeared in four games and managed three receptions for Miami before being placed on injured reserve in December.

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