HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Eagles Release LB L.J. Fort

September 27th, 2019 at 3:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

To make room for Orlando Scandrick‘s return, the Eagles released L.J. Fort. The former Steelers linebacker signed a three-year deal with the Eagles earlier this offseason.

The Eagles gave Fort a three-year, $5.5MM contract. They will have to eat a low-seven-figure dead-money hit, but a need at cornerback looks to have superseded any financial issues. Philadelphia entered its Week 4 game without Ronald Darby, and Avonte Maddox is out for an undetermined amount of time because of the scary head and neck injuries he suffered in the fourth quarter.

Fort did not play any defensive snaps for the Eagles but did see special teams action in all four games. The former UDFA graded well with the Steelers in 2018, leading to the modest Eagles pact. It’s certainly possible he could return once the Eagles’ cornerback issues are sorted out, but for the time being, the vested veteran will return to free agency.

Davante Adams Avoids Serious Injury

September 27th, 2019 at 3:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Packers wide receiver Davante Adams says he suffered a turf toe injury during Thursday night’s loss to the Eagles, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets.

Adams’ MRI, however, did not reveal significant damage to his injured foot, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Packers are set to exercise caution here, but it looks like they escaped a major setback. Green Bay’s No. 1 wideout may miss time, but it likely will not be a lengthy absence. 

Adams grabbed his right foot after being taken to the ground by defensive back Andrew Sendejo in the fourth quarter. The 13-yard catch proved to be costly – Adams later said that he didn’t even want to try putting his shoe on after the game.

The Packers didn’t win, but Adams had one heck of a game as he caught ten passes for 180 yards for a new career high. So far in 2019, the wide receiver has 25 grabs for 378 yards, putting him on pace for another strong season. If he misses significant time, he probably won’t get to flirt with 2018 watermark of 111 catches and 1,386 yards.

Adams, in theory, could just play through the pain – that’s what Julio Jones did throughout 2016 and 2017. The Packers now have the next nine days off, perhaps pointing to the sixth-year receiver making it back in time for a pivotal Week 5 clash against the Cowboys.

Eagles To Re-Sign CB Orlando Scandrick

September 27th, 2019 at 2:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the Eagles saw another cornerback go down, they are bringing back Orlando Scandrick. The veteran corner agreed to terms with the Eagles, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The veteran slot defender was with the Eagles in camp before being jettisoned just prior to cutdown weekend. But Philadelphia entered Thursday night’s game without Ronald Darby and saw Avonte Maddox stretchered off Lambeau Field. Maddox is back with his teammates but has been diagnosed with a concussion and a neck injury. He is without a return timetable.

Scandrick worked out for the Texans shortly after his Eagles release, but the 32-year-old has been a free agent for nearly a month. Prior to his 2018 stay with the Chiefs, Scandrick spent 10 seasons with the Cowboys. He is back in an insurance-type role with the Eagles.

The longtime cover man played in 15 Chiefs games last season, finishing with a career-high 13 passes defensed. Should the Eagles retain him for multiple weeks, Scandrick will have a chance to face his former team. This season’s first Philadelphia-Dallas matchup looms in Week 7.

NFC East Notes: Maddox, Cowboys, Redskins

September 27th, 2019 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Avonte Maddox was released from a Green Bay-area hospital with movement in all of his extremities. The Eagles cornerback was discharged and is back in Philadelphia with his teammates, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Maddox and safety Andrew Sendejo collided during a scary fourth-quarter sequence Thursday night, requiring the second-year cornerback to be stretchered off the field. Maddox has been diagnosed with a concussion and a neck injury, the Eagles announced. No return timetable has surfaced, but the Eagles regular will undergo additional testing.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Previously ruled out for Week 4, Michael Gallup may need a few more weeks to fully recover from the arthroscopic surgery he recently underwent. The Cowboys wide receiver has experienced swelling post-surgery, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). Gallup now appears unlikely to play in Week 5 against the Packers, per Hill. The second-year wideout missed Dallas’ Week 3 game.
  • Xavier Woods has, however, recovered from his injury and will be in uniform Sunday night in New Orleans. One of the Cowboys’ two starting safeties missed Week 3 due to a high ankle sprain. It is not certain Woods will reclaim his starting job immediately, with the third-year defender having not been told if he or spot starter Darian Thompson will trot out with the Cowboys’ first-stringers Sunday, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
  • The Redskins will have two key game-time decisions in their offensive lineup Sunday against the Giants. The hamstring injury Terry McLaurin suffered in practice this week has the emerging standout questionable to face the Giants. He joins Brandon Scherff in that regard. The Redskins have ruled out Jordan Reed for a fourth straight game due to a concussion. Jay Gruden, however, does expect Washington’s longtime starting tight end to be back this season.
  • While Golden Tate‘s return will boost the Giants’ receiving corps in Week 5, the team endured another receiver setback this week. Big Blue placed Russell Shepard on IR.

Melvin Gordon Week 4 Debut Possible

September 27th, 2019 at 2:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

After initially being slated to return to game action in Week 5, Melvin Gordon could get a head-start. The Chargers’ injury situation may move their back-in-the-fold Pro Bowler into action Sunday in Miami.

Anthony Lynn said Gordon could play in a limited capacity against the Dolphins, Eric Williams of ESPN.com tweets. This comes after the 26-year-old back ended his holdout Wednesday. Gordon, however, was to be held out for a week.

Justin Jackson is out with a strained calf, leaving Austin Ekeler and Troymaine Pope as the only running backs currently on Los Angeles’ 53-man roster. Gordon will need to be activated by the Saturday-afternoon deadline in order to play, but the Bolts will do so, it appears. The two-time Pro Bowl back will travel with the team to Miami.

Lynn said earlier this week Gordon will reclaim his starting job upon returning. That would stand to be the case in Week 5, likely with Ekeler retaining a major role in the Bolts’ offense, but the duo’s roles could be reverse in this in-case-of-emergency situation Sunday.

Gordon finished last season with 1,375 yards from scrimmage in 12 games. He will be a major boost to a Chargers team that’s dropped to 1-2.

PFR’s NFL Glossary: Waivers

September 27th, 2019 at 11:00am CST by Zachary Links

Here at Pro Football Rumors, you’ll see a number of stories posted on players being cut, waived, or released by their NFL teams. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they’re not quite synonymous. A player who is “cut” has been removed from his team’s roster, but whether he is “waived” or “released” generally depends on his NFL experience.

Between the day after the Super Bowl and the following season’s trade deadline, players with less than four years of service time – or “accrued seasons” – have to pass through waivers after they’re cut by an NFL team. The other 31 clubs around the league have a day to place a waiver claim on that player, adding him to their roster and taking on his contract. That’s why we refer to these players as having been waived, rather than released.

If a player with more than four years of service time is cut between the Super Bowl and the trade deadline, he is not subjected to the waiver process, meaning he becomes a free agent immediately, able to sign with a new team right away if he so chooses.

This isn’t the case all year round, however. Once the trade deadline passes, any player who is cut by his team must pass through waivers, regardless of how many accrued seasons are on his résumé. So if a team cuts loose a 12-year veteran in Week 10 of the season, that player must pass through waivers unclaimed before he’d be free to sign with a team of his choice.

Here are a few more details on the waiver process:

  • If two teams place a waiver claim on the same player, he is awarded to the team with the higher priority. Waiver priority is determined by the previous season’s standings — this year, for example, the Cardinals have first dibs, while the Super Bowl champion Patriots have 32nd priority.
  • However, the waiver priority order will change starting in Week 4. At that point, waiver priority is determined by records of the current season.
  • The window to claim a player closes at the end of the NFL’s business day, which is at 3:00pm central. So if a player is waived by one team on Monday, the other 31 clubs have until Tuesday afternoon to submit a claim. Players cut on Friday clear waivers (or are awarded to a new team) on the following Monday.
  • Prior to the first cutdown date in training camp, injured players with fewer than four years of service time cannot be placed on injured reserve until they pass through waivers. Teams will cut this sort of player with a waived-injured designation, allowing other teams to place a claim if they so choose. If the player goes unclaimed, his team can place him on IR or agree to an injury settlement, then fully release him from the roster.

This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Dolphins’ Reshad Jones Wants To Stay

September 27th, 2019 at 10:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins and Reshad Jones have had a rocky relationship in the past, but they seem to be on good terms now. The safety says he wants to stay put, even as other teammates are looking to get out of town. 

“I love my home,” Jones said (via Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald). “I’ve been here 10 years. It’s home for me. I love the guys in this locker room, love South Florida, want to see the Dolphins win football games. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes for us to win.”

In November, Jones pulled himself out of a game after just ten plays. He also clashed with Matt Burke and head coach Adam Gase for having him split time at safety, but the veteran appears to be happier under the new regime, led by Brian Flores.

Jones may also want to stay for fiscal reasons. The Dolphins are slated to pay him a $15.5MM salary if he’s on the team next year, but they can save $7.5MM against the cap by releasing him in the offseason.

Jones, who is set to return from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the last two games, says he has yet to have a sit down conversation with team brass about his desire to stay in Miami.

“I think they pretty much know,” he said. “If I wanted out, I had a chance to make that known. I’m here for the long haul, here to help this team win games.”

Jaguars’ Jalen Ramsey Reiterates Trade Demand

September 26th, 2019 at 9:41pm CST by Zachary Links

It doesn’t sound like things have softened between the Jaguars and Jalen Ramsey. On his latest podcast, Ramsey reiterated his demand for a trade. 

“I’m not sure if I’ve played my final game for the Jags yet or not but my trade request still stands,” Ramsey said on the “17 Weeks” podcast (audio link) “Once respect is lost for both parties I think it is time to part ways.”

From Ramsey’s perspective, the respect has been gone for a while. The Jaguars have been unwilling to engage in serious talks with the cornerback and owner Shad Khan‘s recent efforts to reignite discussions haven’t moved the needle. Ramsey, of course, reciprocated the perceived lack of respect when he got in a heated argument with head coach Doug Marrone.

Despite the noise, Ramsey suited up to face the Titans last Thursday, but he’s likely played his last down in Jacksonville. This week, Ramsey many called shenanigans on the young star when he called out sick from practice with a mix of maladies, including back soreness, hamstring issues, and the flu. However, his latest excuse from work is as legitimate as it gets – Ramsey flew home to welcome his daughter into the world.

The Jaguars, sans Ramsey, will challenge the Broncos in Denver this weekend.

AFC West Notes: Chargers, Broncos, Chiefs

September 26th, 2019 at 7:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Now that he’s back with the Chargers, running back Melvin Gordon will instantly vault to the top of the club’s depth chart. “He’s our starter. No doubt,” said head coach Anthony Lynn, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. “He was our starter for a reason… as soon as Melvin’s ready, he’ll go back. He’ll go back to number one.” Lynn also said backups Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson will continue to get work, but Gordon will become the No. 1 back. Meanwhile, Los Angeles received a roster exemption for Gordon, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Gordon’s exemption ends on October 7, so the Chargers don’t technically have to activate him for either Week 4 or 5.

Here’s more from the AFC West:

  • The Chargers placed left tackle Russell Okung on the non-football injury list prior to the beginning of the regular season, meaning he has to miss at least the first six weeks of the campaign. Lynn says Okung, who is dealing with a pulmonary embolism, could potentially return by Week 7 or 8, but that timeline is unclear, as Albert Breer of The MMQB.com writes. Amid the uncertainty, Trent Scott has taken over as LA’s starter on Philip Rivers‘ blindside, but he’s graded out as a bottom-10 tackle league-wide, per Pro Football Focus.
  • Broncos right tackle Ja’Wuan James is expected to miss two-to-four more weeks while dealing with a knee injury, while cornerback Bryce Callahan is out four-to-six more weeks after undergoing a procedure on his foot, according to Kyle Fredrickson of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Meanwhile, defensive back Kareem Jackson is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars because of a foot issue, tweets Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. As a result, Denver could potentially be without its top three free agent signings for its Week 4 contest.
  • Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is eligible for an extension at season’s end, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier this year that the Chiefs signal-caller is likely to land a deal worth more than $200MM. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk examines what’s changed in the months since while looking at just how soon Kansas City could give Mahomes a fresh pact.
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