2019 September - Pro Football Rumors

Colts Waive QB Chad Kelly

September 18th, 2019 at 5:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Instead of reinstating Chad Kelly after his two-game suspension’s conclusion, the Colts opted to waive the third-year passer. But Kelly remains an option for the team going forward.

If Kelly clears waivers, the Colts are expected to stash him on their practice squad, Mike Chappell of CBS4 notes. The Colts had two days to either activate Kelly, thus promoting him to their 53-man roster, or cut him.

Kelly landed with the Colts in May. The team does not currently have a third-string quarterback or a passer on its practice squad.

The Broncos made the Ole Miss product 2017’s Mr. Irrelevant, and while he missed all of his rookie season, Kelly usurped Paxton Lynch on Denver’s depth chart during the 2018 preseason and entered that year as Case Keenum‘s backup. However, an October 2018 arrest led to Kelly’s Broncos departure and this two-game suspension.

Raiders Acquire Trevor Davis From Packers

September 18th, 2019 at 4:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers and Raiders agreed on a trade that will send Green Bay return man Trevor Davis to Oakland, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The fourth-year wide receiver has spent his entire career with the Packers.

The Raiders will send a 2020 sixth-round pick for Davis, with ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky relaying there do not appear to be any conditions about the pick (Twitter link).

Davis has returned both kickoffs and punts with Green Bay but has caught just nine passes. He stands to have a better opportunity to contribute as a wide receiver in Oakland.

Although there were no kick or punt returns when the Raiders and Packers met on a makeshift 80-yard field in their Winnipeg-based preseason game, Davis stood out. He caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. He’ll soon join other Hard Knocks cast members. A fifth-round pick out of Cal in 2016, Davis has one career receiving touchdown and none as a return man.

The Raiders now have seven wide receivers on their roster. Considering Davis’ skill set, this may spell trouble for veteran return man Dwayne Harris‘ roster spot. As for the Packers, they recently claimed former Chiefs return man Tremon Smith, who is under contract through the 2021 season. Davis’ contract expires at season’s end.

AFC Notes: Ramsey, Wynn, Conner, Brady

September 18th, 2019 at 3:59pm CST by cwcrouse

Coach Doug Marrone confirmed at Jalen Ramsey will play for the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football, as Tiffany Blackmon of NFL Network relays (Twitter link).

“Jalen and I have always had a good open relationship,” Marrone said. “…we sat down yesterday and talked about what went on with him and I… that’s behind us right now…”

Blackmon adds that Ramsey is focused on the game against the Titans. It was reported earlier today that the team may be targeting Friday as the ideal time to trade the cornerback. While we await to see if Ramsey ends up elsewhere, let’s take a look at some notes from the AFC:

With LT Isaiah Wynn on injured reserve with a toe injury, the Patriots may move starting LG Joe Thuney to the tackle spot, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Wynn isn’t eligible to return for another eight weeks but it’s possible he finds his way back on the field at that point.
James Conner‘s knee injury doesn’t appear to be serious, Jeff Hathhorn of 93.7 The Fan relays (Twitter link). Conner expects to play for the Steelers this Sunday.
Tom Brady is dealing with a “minor” calf ailment, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com passes along on Twitter. Brady was limited today in practice, though there’s been no indication that his status for the Patriots’ game this week is in jeopardy.

Cowboys Release Taco Charlton

September 18th, 2019 at 3:13pm CST by cwcrouse

Taco Charlton, who the Cowboys selected in the first round of the 2017 draft, has been released, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports and the Cowboys confirm. It was reported earlier today that the Cowboys would shop the defensive end or cut him if they couldn’t find a suitor on the trade market.

Robert Quinn, who the Cowboys acquired in the offseason, is set to return from a two-game suspension and with Quinn in the defensive line rotation, playing time for Charlton would have likely been minimized.

Charlton has been ineffective during his time in Dallas, though injuries have robbed him of a chance to get better. He finishes his Cowboys career with four sacks in 27 games.

Raiders Interested In Jalen Ramsey

September 18th, 2019 at 2:23pm CST by cwcrouse

Jalen Ramsey‘s time in Jacksonville may be coming to an end. The Jaguars play on Thursday night and it’s been reported that Friday is the “likely target date” for the team to trade the 24-year-old.

The Raiders are one of the teams that have checked in with the Jaguars about the cornerback, a source tells Vic Tafur of The Athletic. Ramsey has previously indicated that the Raiders and Titans would be his ideal destinations, though that was back in August before any serious chatter of the team trading him.

“I like (Las) Vegas,” Ramsey said back in August. “They don’t have any state income tax.”

The Raiders will move to Las Vegas next season. The move will be costly for the team and adding Ramsey, who will be expecting a new deal, could be problematic. Cash flow for an extension could be an issue for the Raiders, as Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune tweets.

Jacksonville is reportedly asking for two first-round picks for Ramsey with a 2020 first-rounder as a baseline in negotiations. The Raiders have two selections in the upcoming draft: their own and the Bears’ pick (from the Khalil Mack trade).

Antonio Brown Won’t Face Criminal Charges For Alleged 2017 Incidents

September 18th, 2019 at 12:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The Allegheny County District Attorney will not pursue criminal charges against Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown for two alleged incidents that took place in 2017 (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). Former Brown cohort Brittney Taylor has accused him of three separate incidents, in total, so he is not necessarily out of the woods in terms of legal repercussions. It is presently unclear whether Brown will face charges for the third alleged incident, which is said to have taken place in May of 2018.

The DA will not pursue charges against Brown for these two alleged sexual assaults, which Taylor says took place in June of 2017, due to the statute of limitations. That is to say, the DA is not speaking to the merits of the accusations one way or another by declining to press charges.

While football is secondary in this entire matter, we must note that this will potentially impact Brown’s availability for the Patriots moving forward. If no charges, or convictions, come any of Taylor’s three separate accusations of sexual assault, it is possible that Brown will not face league discipline. Of course, the league office still reserves the right to suspend Brown based on the results of their own investigation.

In his Patriots debut on Sunday, Brown caught four passes for 56 yards and one touchdown. This week, he’s slated to turn his attention to the Jets. Brown’s status is very much day-to-day due to the issues surrounding him, but the NFL typically makes these types of rulings on players by Wednesday morning of any given game week. Barring something unforeseen, the Patriots will have Brown on the field at the Meadowlands.

Cowboys To Cut Taco Charlton?

September 18th, 2019 at 11:56am CST by Zachary Links

One way or another, Taco Charlton won’t be with the Cowboys much longer. The Cowboys continue to seek a trade for the former first-round pass-rusher, but if they can’t find a suitable deal, they’ll release him, Ian Rapoport and Jane Slater of NFL.com (on Twitter) hear.

With Robert Quinn set to return from his two-game ban, there’s little room for Charlton, who has not lived up to expectations so far. The 2017 first-round pick has lacked explosiveness at the pro level and a string of injuries prevented him from taking a step forward this offseason. This year alone, Charlton has already undergone two surgeries.

Given his potential, it seems likely that Charlton will hook on elsewhere if the Cowboys cut him. The 24-year-old (25 in November) will look to improve upon an iffy 2017 season in which he struggled, despite three sacks as a part timer.

Saints Won’t Place Drew Brees On IR

September 18th, 2019 at 11:46am CST by Zachary Links

Saints coach Sean Payton says he does not plan to place quarterback Drew Brees on injured reserve. That means Brees will be eligible to return in less than eight weeks, which is excellent news for the Saints.

This jibes with what we heard shortly after Brees was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his thumb earlier this week. The initial estimate was six weeks, so he’s likely on track for that same window.

If he’s out for six weeks, Brees will miss games against the Seahawks (this Sunday), Cowboys, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Bears, and Cardinals. After that, the Saints have a bye week, which would put Brees on target for a Nov. 10 return at home against the rival Falcons.

In the interim, the Saints are moving forward with Teddy Bridgewater as the starter and Taysom Hill as his lone backup. With Brees still on the 53-man roster, the club is unlikely to consider an outside arm to round out the QB room.

Jaguars To Trade Jalen Ramsey On Friday?

September 18th, 2019 at 9:31am CST by Zachary Links

One of the league’s very best cornerbacks is on the block. The Jaguars seem willing and ready to move Jalen Ramsey, but they won’t deal him before Thursday night’s game against the Titans, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Instead, Rapoport hears that Friday is the “likely target date” for a trade.

For a trade to come together between now and then, rival teams will have to step up their offers, or the Jags will have to reduce their asking price. Currently, the Jaguars are said to be seeking two first-round picks for Ramsey. Meanwhile, as far as we know, they’ve only received offers of one first-round choice from two different clubs.

Despite all the noise, Ramsey says he’s focused on balling out against the Titans.

“I have nothing bad or negative to say about anyone in the building. I don’t want to speak on it or give too much detail. I will let God do his work,” Ramsey said on Tuesday.

Jamal Adams: “I’m Focused On [The Jets]”

September 18th, 2019 at 8:36am CST by Zachary Links

Jets star safety Jamal Adams caused quite the stir this week when he unfollowed the Jets on Instagram (In this day and age, that’s a big deal.) However, in a radio interview this week, Adams indicated that he isn’t looking to force a trade.

“It’s social media. It’s outside noise,” Adams said, while refusing to explain why he created the social media drama in the first place (via Howie Kussoy of the New York Post). “I’m not focused on that..I’m focused on this team. I’m not focused on the outside noise. I’m just focused on how we can get better and get a win.”

The Jets have gone 9-25 since Adams was drafted by the club and things probably aren’t going to get better in the coming weeks as Sam Darnold remains sidelined with mono and Luke Falk runs the offense. Still, Adams says everything is cool between him and coach Adam Gase – even after Gase pulled him off the field late in Monday night’s loss due to back-to-back penalties.

“He wants to win as much as anyone I’ve ever been around. I’m sure at that point in the game he was extremely frustrated,” Gase said. “When he gets like that, and you want to go make a play, and the score’s a little lopsided like that, you get a little over-aggressive. … I thought it was a smart idea as far as just trying to do that and get him settled down.”

Gang Green – also known as the Walking Wounded – will face the Patriots on Sunday.