2019 September - Pro Football Rumors

Broncos’ Bradley Chubb Suffers Torn ACL

September 30th, 2019 at 1:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

News keeps getting worse for the Broncos. The 0-4 team received word one of its top players, linebacker Bradley Chubb, will miss the rest of the season. Chubb suffered a torn ACL Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Chubb left the Broncos’ Week 4 game against the Jaguars but returned. The emerging talent does not appear to have played on a full tear, with 9News’ Mike Klis tweeting this is a partial tear. But that’s hardly any consolation. With Chubb set for surgery, per Schefter, Denver will have to play the rest of the way without Von Miller‘s sidekick. Vic Fangio confirmed this is a partial tear, per NFL.com’s James Palmer (on Twitter).

The Broncos took Chubb with the No. 5 overall pick last year and saw him post 12 sacks as a rookie. After three sackless games, the Broncos broke out for five against the Jags. Miller picked up two. However, the perennial Pro Bowler will have a tougher time on this front going forward. The chips and double-teams Miller has frequently seen in his career figure to increase, with the Broncos not as deep as they once were on the edge. Chubb returned to help Miller apply pressure on Gardner Minshew on Denver’s final drive. The Jags still kicked a game-winning field goal and sent the Broncos to 0-4 for the first time in 20 years.

The team did not address the position in the draft or free agency, letting Shaquil Barrett and Shane Ray walk. Barrett leads the NFL in sacks, and Ray is again a free agent. Rookie UDFA Malik Reed is in line to succeed Chubb. The Broncos played Sunday without offseason additions Kareem Jackson, Bryce Callahan and Ja’Wuan James. They have a Week 5 game against the Chargers in Los Angeles. Denver has never started 0-5.

Baylor, Matt Rhule Agree To Extension

September 30th, 2019 at 12:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Baylor head coach Matt Rhule has drawn significant interest from NFL teams in recent years. But, after agreeing to a new contract extension with the Bears, he might not consider a jump to the pros for a while.

Per an announcement from the school, Rhule has a new deal that will tie him up through the 2027 season. The new pact includes performance bonuses, retention incentives, and a bump in base salary.

Like records, college football coaching contracts are meant to be broken. But, the new deal probably includes a seven-figure buyout clause for an NFL team to buy him out, and that could be a barrier for any team looking to hire Rhule.

Rhule, who turns 45 in January, interviewed for the Colts job in 2017. Then, in January, he nearly became the Jets’ new head coach before the club ultimately landed on Adam Gase. Reportedly, Rhule was offered the gig, but turned it down when the Jets tried to influence his staffing hires.

No IR For Lions’ T.J. Hockenson

September 30th, 2019 at 12:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Lions rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson won’t be forced to go on injured reserve, despite a scary scene on Sunday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter hears. Still, Hockenson will need some time to recuperate.

Hockenson took a hard hit in the Lions’ loss to the Chiefs, resulting in an injury to his right shoulder and a concussion. The No. 8 overall pick will rest up for a bit with an eye on picking up where he left off later this year. Against the Chiefs, he notched three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown, giving him an 11/166/2 line through four games (three starts).

His production will be missed, but the Lions will be able to turn to veterans Jesse James and Logan Thomas in the interim. If the Lions move to add another tight end to the mix, they’ll have to create roster room elsewhere.

After their bye week, the Lions will resume action against the Packers on Monday, October 14.

Cowboys’ Tyron Smith Suffers Ankle Sprain

September 30th, 2019 at 12:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys could be without Tyron Smith for a little while. The left tackle suffered a high-ankle sprain, according to owner Jerry Jones, and those sprains often rule players out for multiple games.

Smith, pictured here with biceps that would make the Incredible Hulk turn even greener with envy, made five straight Pro Bowls from 2014 through 2018 and was named as a first- or second-team All-Pro in four of those campaigns.

Unfortunately, injuries have been a roadblock in recent years. In 2017, he finished the year on IR due to a mix of knee, back, groin, and hip injuries. Last year, he was once again limited to just 13 regular season games.

Though not as celebrated as stars Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, or Amari Cooper, the Cowboys’ stellar offensive line is at the heart of the unit’s success. Smith has been a major part of that, without him, they won’t be quite as strong. The Cowboys can insert Cameron Fleming into their starting front five, but another O-Line pickup might make sense.

Smith, 29 in December, is under club control through 2023 thanks to the eight-year, $97.6MM extension he inked with the club in 2014.

Eagles’ Avonte Maddox Considered Week-To-Week

September 30th, 2019 at 12:07pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s the best news Avonte Maddox and the Eagles could have hoped for. Doctors have diagnosed the cornerback with a neck sprain, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Maddox is now considered week-to-week and likely to miss a few games. Given the scary scene that unfolded on Thursday night, it’s a huge relief. Maddox was carted off of the field after colliding with teammate Andrew Sendejo, and, initially, this appeared to be something much worse.

In addition to the neck sprain, Maddox was believed to have suffered a concussion. Given the serious nature of both injuries, the Eagles are expected to play it safe with the 23-year-old and not rush him back out on to the field.

So far in 2019, Maddox has tallied 16 tackles across four games (three starts). Last year, he notched 35 stops, plus four passes defensed, one tackle for a loss, and one forced fumble.

The Eagles’ CB group has been thinned out by injuries to Maddox and Ronald Darby, who figures to miss roughly a month with a hamstring ailment. One has to imagine that the Eagles are seriously interested in acquiring Jaguars star Jalen Ramsey to fill the void, though the asking price has climbed to new heights.

Giants’ Ryan Connelly Done For Year

September 30th, 2019 at 11:56am CST by Zachary Links

It’s official. Doctors have confirmed that Giants linebacker Ryan Connelly is done for the year after suffering a torn ACL.

The Giants will place Connelly on injured reserve, which will formally end his 2019 campaign and open up another spot on the 53-man roster. It’s a bad blow for the G-Men, who also have fellow ‘backers Alec Ogletree and Tae Davis dealing with injuries.

Connelly, a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft, notched his first career interception against the Bucs in the club’s Week 3 victory and doubled up with another pick against the Redskins on Sunday. He seemed ticketed for more big moments in the final 12 games of the season – instead, his rookie campaign will end after four games, 20 total tackles, two tackles for a loss, and one sack.

The Giants are riding high behind the play of rookie Daniel Jones, who has taken over for Eli Manning and has the club at 2-2. However, their two-game winning streak is now in jeopardy thanks to injuries to Connelly and other key defenders. They’ll try their luck against the Vikings at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

Raiders’ Vontaze Burfict To Appeal Ban

September 30th, 2019 at 11:44am CST by Zachary Links

As expected, Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict will appeal his season-long suspension, agent Lamont Smith tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). If Burfict cannot overturn the ban, he’ll be sidelined for the remaining 12 games of the 2019 season.

The NFL moved to keep Burfict off the field for the final 13 weeks of the ’19 campaign after he drove his head into Jack Doyle‘s helmet on Sunday. This is, by far, the lengthiest suspension ever levied against a player for an on-field infraction, so Burfict may have a good chance at getting the suspension reduced.

Obviously, Burfict’s history of rules violations is playing a big role here. Burfict has racked up 14 fines and/or suspensions from the league office throughout his career, including three league office penalties in 2018. Throughout his career, Burfict’s tenacity has been a major double-edged sword and source of controversy. He’s been one of the league’s most feared defenders for all of the right, and all of the wrong, reasons.

Regardless of what happens in his appeal, Burfict figures to be on extremely thin ice with the NFL moving forward. It’s worth noting that the veteran will be eligible for free agency once again in March, after the expiration of his one-year, $2MM deal with Oakland.

Texans To Sign Mike Adams

September 30th, 2019 at 11:32am CST by Zachary Links

The Texans will sign safety Mike Adams, according to Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). The veteran will now join the sixth team of his career in a quest to shore the Texans’ secondary.

Adams has appeared in 222 NFL games to date, with his most recent contests coming with the Panthers. If he plays in two more games, he’ll knot John Lynch and Brian Dawkins for the next spot on the NFL’s all-time list for safeties.

Adams did not find a home in the offseason, but he beat the September buzzer to suit up for a 16th NFL campaign. He’ll have an opportunity to eclipse 1,000 career tackles (currently 946) and add to his resume of 30 interceptions and 13 forced fumbles.

For now, Adams looks to be a supporting option behind starters Justin Reid and Tashaun Gipson.

Raiders’ Vontaze Burfict Facing Season-Long Ban

September 30th, 2019 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

Vontaze Burfict is facing a season-long suspension for his late-game hit on Colts tight end Jack Doyle, a source tells ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen (on Twitter). Burfict has a history of player safety violations and the NFL appears poised to send a message.

“There were no mitigating circumstances on this play,” NFL V.P. of Football Operations Jon Runyan said in an open letter to Burfict. “Your contact was unnecessary, flagrant and should have been avoided. For your actions, you were penalized and disqualified from the game. Following each of your previous rule violations, you were warned by me and each of the jointly-appointed appeal officers that future violations would result in escalated accountability measures. However, you have continued to flagrantly abuse rules designed to protect yourself and your opponents from unnecessary risk. Your extensive history of rules violations is factored into this decision.”

A suspension was viewed as likely after Burfict’s ejection from the game, but a season-long ban was not necessarily expected. Burfict may fight the suspension, but he’s facing an uphill battle – in seven seasons, Burfict has earned 14 total fines and/or suspensions from the league office, including three times in 2018.

In Sunday’s game against the Colts, Burfict lowered his helmet and rammed it into the helmet of Doyle. It’s an awful look for Burfict, given his checkered past, and a not-so-great look for the Raiders, who made Burfict a captain this offseason.

If Burfict is indeed suspended for the length of the season, it would be the longest ban for an on-field act in league history, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The previous watermark is believed to belong to Albert Haynesworth, who drew a five-game suspension for stomping on the face of Cowboys center Andre Gurode.

Burfict, 29, has 628 tackles and 8.5 sacks to his credit over the course of seven seasons with the Bengals and 1/4 season with the Raiders. In the Raiders portion, he has tallied 18 total stops.

After beating the Colts 31-24, the Raiders are at the .500 mark as they head into Week 5 against the Bears. They’ll try to advance to 3-2 as they take the field, likely without Burfict.

Ravens Sign LB L.J. Fort

September 30th, 2019 at 8:51am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens have signed linebacker L.J. Fort, according to a club announcement. The team met with Fort on Saturday and inked him to a deal less than 24 hours after their poor defensive showing against the Browns.

Fort spent 2015-2018 with the Steelers, so the Ravens are plenty familiar with what he has to offer. This year, he signed a three-year, $5.5MM deal with the Eagles, but he was displaced after Avonte Maddox‘s injury necessitated the signing of veteran Orlando Scandrick.

The Eagles were thought to be eyeing a quick reunion, but the Ravens have spoiled those plans. The Ravens placed ‘backer Otaro Alaka on IR on Saturday, so Fort will be brought in to fortify the LB group. With Alaka off the 53-man roster, the club will not have to make a corresponding move for his arrival.

Fort earned solid grades for his work with the Steelers, per PFF’s advanced metrics. He’ll be eligible to play against his former squad on Sunday when Baltimore travels to Pittsburgh.