HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Bengals’ A.J. Green Doesn’t Want Franchise Tag

October 30th, 2019 at 10:33am CST by Zachary Links

Bengals star A.J. Green says he’ll be ready to return on Nov. 9 against the Ravens (Twitter link via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic). Meanwhile, he says he’s not on board with the possibility of being franchise tagged in the offseason. 

It’s a mix of good news and not-necessarily-good news for the Bengals. Obviously, getting the star wide receiver back in time for Ryan Finley’s first start is a step in the right direction. Green believes that the Bengals would not be 0-8 if he was healthy and it’s hard to argue. The Bengals have other weaknesses, but Green’s absence has been glaring in an offense that has relied on him for years.

Green’s franchise tag concerns, however, could signal trouble in Cincinnati. Before the injury, the Bengals and Green were unable to come to terms on a long-term extension that likely would have kept him in the fold for the rest of his career. Now, Green is making it known that he wants to restart talks ASAP. For reference, this year’s franchise tag for wide receivers projects to be around the $18.5MM range.

Green’s last full season was in 2017, when he compiled 75 receptions for 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns. On the whole, he’s been one of the game’s most productive WRs since entering the league in 2011. Green earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first seven seasons and has topped 1,000 yards in six different seasons.

Falcons, Lions Discussed Devonta Freeman Trade

October 30th, 2019 at 9:38am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons and Lions discussed a Devonta Freeman trade, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Lions inquired on the running back, and the two sides spoke at length, but the Falcons ultimately decided against parting with him. 

A former fourth-round pick, Freeman became the Falcons’ starter in his second season and made back-to-back Pro Bowls in 2015 and 2016. Then, in 2017, the Falcons signed him to a five-year, $41.25MM extension.

Freeman lost the bulk of 2018 due to injury and he hasn’t looked like his old self thus far in 2019. In eight games, Freeman has averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. Through the air, he’s got 35 catches for 272 yards and three scores.

Then again, the entire Falcons offense seems to be sagging. The Lions are among the many Freeman believers out there, but, ultimately, they could not come to terms on a would-be blockbuster.

The Falcons are still optimistic about Freeman, but they’re also realistic about the financial constraints. The 27-year-old’s signing bonuses are on the books through 2021 and that’s a serious barrier to moving on from him.

Giants Rework Rhett Ellison’s Deal

October 30th, 2019 at 8:41am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants had to do some cap adjusting before acquiring Leonard Williams from the Jets. This week, they got it done by converting $1.88MM of tight end Rhett Ellison‘s base salary into a signing bonus,, a source tells ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). That bit of cap trickery

That bit of cap trickery gave the Giants an additional $938K in space, giving them just enough to accommodate the arrival of Williams. Still, their cap situation remains tight. Before bringing the defensive lineman over from New Jersey’s other team, the Giants had roughly $2MM in cap room. The Jets picked up the tab on $4MM of Williams’ $7.5MM in remaining salary, so the Giants had to make way for about $3.5MM in salary.

By tweaking Ellison’s contract and releasing linebacker Tae Davis, the Giants got the job done, but their work isn’t finished.

Ellison, 31, has 13 catches for 108 yards and one touchdown through eight games. The bulk of the tight end targets have gone to youngster Evan Engram, who has 38 grabs for 419 yards and three scores this year.

Kamrin Moore Cleared Of DV Charges

October 30th, 2019 at 8:31am CST by Zachary Links

Former Giants safety Kamrin Moore has been cleared of domestic violence charges by a grand jury, according to a statement from agent Eugene Lee (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 

“We have continually asserted Kamrin’s innocence from the outset of this ordeal and believed that it was only a matter of time before he would be vindicated of these fabricated charges through the course of due process. I’m thankful for our legal team,” Lee said. “Kamrin now looks forward to resuming his NFL career.”

Moore was arrested in mid-July on assault charges after a woman claimed that Moore knocked her unconscious and stepped on her neck. Police were not called to Moore’s home, but the Giants acted swiftly by suspending Moore. He was later placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and the Giants dropped him from the roster in late August.

Moore entered the league as a sixth-round draft pick of the Saints in 2018. He didn’t stick there, but he did find a spot with the Giants after being waived. Last year, he appeared in two games for the G-Men.

Deadline Fallout: Penny, Rams, Adams

October 29th, 2019 at 7:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Since using a first-round pick on Rashaad Penny last year, the Seahawks have not given him a lead backfield role. They preferred Chris Carson and Mike Davis leading the ball-carrying group last season and have Carson entrenched atop the depth chart this year. As such, the Lions expressed interest in Penny prior to Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline, John Clayton of ESPN 710 AM Seattle notes. Seattle sought a second-round pick for Penny, though it doesn’t sound like the team was shopping the second-year back. Penny can be under Seahawks control through 2022. The Lions have run into trouble in their backfield, losing starter Kerryon Johnson. They were interested in Kenyan Drake, but the Cardinals ended up making a deal with the Dolphins. Ty Johnson, Tra Carson and ex-Seahawk J.D. McKissic represent the Lions’ primary running back options for the stretch run.

Here is the latest deadline fallout:

  • The Dolphins will send the Rams a 2022 seventh-round pick for Aqib Talib, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com. With Talib on IR until at least Week 15, the rebuilding team is likely only interested in the fifth-round 2020 choice it acquired. The 33-year-old cornerback looks headed toward free agency for the first time since 2014.
  • As for the Rams, they want to use some of the savings from this move to re-sign emerging linebacker Cory Littleton, Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Littleton is one of a few key Rams on expiring contracts, joining Michael Brockers and Dante Fowler in that group. Playing on a second-round RFA tender, Littleton has operated as Los Angeles’ top linebacker this year and would stand to attract considerable interest as a 2020 UFA. With a high-end Jalen Ramsey re-up coming, the Rams will be tight on cap space, however, and may have to bid farewell to a few role players — like they did this offseason.
  • Chris Harris has stuck to his guns about testing free agency this time around. He signed a five-year, $42.5MM extension with the Broncos in late 2014, and that deal became one of the most team-friendly pacts in the league in the latter part of the 2010s. The 30-year-old cornerback does not plan to sign a Broncos extension before reaching the market, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes. However, Harris has said he wants to finish his career in Denver. He and the Broncos were not close on terms this offseason, but Renck added a that third Broncos contract could be in play for the four-time Pro Bowler.
  • The Day 3 pick the Cowboys offered the Jets, in addition to the first-round pick included in the proposal, for Jamal Adams was either a fourth- or fifth-rounder, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets. The Jets wanted a first and a pair of seconds for the Pro Bowl safety, one GM Joe Douglas still calls firmly part of the team’s long-term plan, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini.

South Rumors: Panthers, Colts, Watt

October 29th, 2019 at 7:48pm CST by Marc Delucchi

Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen will get a chance to rebound from the worst start of his career. After a three-interception performance against the 49ers, Allen will make his sixth start of the season, Ron Rivera confirmed. Cam Newton will not return from his foot injury this week against the Titans. Instead, Newton will continue to rehab, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. Newton has been out since re-injuring his foot in Week 2 against the Buccaneers.

Here’s some other notes from the South:

  • J.J. Watt underwent a successful surgery on his torn pectoral muscle earlier Tuesday, according to James Palmer of NFL.com. Watt, who has consistently been one of the best players in football since entering the league in 2011, suffered a season-ending injury Sunday against the Raiders. Currently in prime playoff position, the Texans will have to make another push without Watt on the field. Houston did not have Watt for its 2016 playoff run.
  • Colts ownership has given Chris Ballard full autonomy in player personnel decisions, according to Stephen Holder of The Athletic (subscription required). Owner Jim Irsay encouraged the front office to pursue an unnamed linebacker in free agency, but did not force them to join a bidding war for a defender his football operations office did not deem worth a certain price tag. “I gave (Ballard) unfettered approval …” Irsay said, via Holder. “And he still backed out. He said, ‘They went to this number and, Jim, I just couldn’t.” This doesn’t necessarily name C.J. Mosley, but the Colts were interested in the ex-Ravens standout before the linebacker signed a record-setting contract with the Jets.
  • Although the Falcons have slipped well out of contention, Matt Ryan is set to return after their Week 9 bye.

NFL Workout Updates: 10/29/19

October 29th, 2019 at 6:59pm CST by Marc Delucchi

Here is an update on workouts around the league:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

NFC North Notes: Pineiro, Cousins, Vikings

October 29th, 2019 at 6:26pm CST by Marc Delucchi

The Bears‘ kicking woes continued Sunday when Eddy Pineiro missed a 41-yard field goal attempt as time expired in a 17-16 loss to the Chargers. Matt Nagy is not publicly wavering from Pineiro, though, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. Nagy said, “We love Eddy. We’ve got all the faith in the world in him.” Chicago, of course, has struggled to replace kicker Robbie Gould since the team let him go in 2015. Last postseason, the Bears were eliminated after then-kicker Cody Parkey missed a 43-yard field goal in a 16-15 loss to the Eagles. Nagy did not shy away from making the team’s kicker situation a front-and-center issue throughout the offseason. However, the second-year Chicago coach is sticking with Pineiro going forward.

Here’s more from around the NFC North:

  • Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has not been consistent during his time in Minnesota, despite stringing together some strong weeks to help his team to a 6-2 record. Cousins signed a fully guaranteed, three-year, $84MM contract in March 2018. Now that Cousins is exactly halfway through his contract, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune examines what to make of Cousins’ tenure in Minnesota and whether the team will look at extending him.
  • Five misdemeanor charges surfaced for Vikings safety Jayron Kearse, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. Among them: operating a vehicle while intoxicated, carrying a pistol while intoxicated and carrying a gun without a permit. Kearse was arrested Sunday. Considering Kearse has been mostly a backup in his Vikings career and is playing on an expiring contract, this may not bode well for his status with the team going forward.
  • The Packers were interested in Jets wideout Robby Anderson, but the fourth-year player — like most of Tuesday’s trade candidates — will stay put.

Latest On Trent Williams

October 29th, 2019 at 6:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Trent Williams reported to the Redskins on Tuesday, but his contract could still toll by a full year, Mike Florio of PFT writes. It has been assumed that by reporting before Week 10, Williams will ensure that he still gets credit for the 2019 year. However, the precedent of the Joey Galloway ruling doesn’t necessarily cover him – the Redskins could delay him by using a roster exemption for up to three weeks, giving him fewer than eight weeks on the roster. And, if they do that, the Redskins could argue that 2019 does not count on Williams’ contract, which would push his free agency entry all the way to 2021.

Here’s more on the Redskins and Williams:

  • By reporting before 4pm on Tuesday, Williams ensured that the Redskins will not have to petition the commissioner for his reinstatement this week (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s John Keim). That’s at least one hurdle cleared for Williams, who wants to protect against the possibility of the Redskins robbing him of an accrued season.
  • Near the deadline, the Browns tried, and failed, to get the Redskins to take a second-rounder and a current player for Williams (via John Clayton of 710 Seattle). The Browns had Giants tackle Nate Solder as their fallback option, but they were unable to beat the buzzer.
  • No deal for Williams was ever close, Mike Jones of USA Today (via Twitter) hears. That may, or may not, make the Browns feel better.

New York Notes: Bell, Jets, Williams, Giants

October 29th, 2019 at 6:02pm CST by Zachary Links

On what turned out to be a slow deadline day, the Jets’ negotiations involving Jamal Adams turned out to be the top story. But more came out of New York this week. Here is the latest on the Jets and Giants, beginning with a key Jet that was not dealt:

  • Douglas says he did not shop Le’Veon Bell, but the first-year Jets GM did admit that he listened to offers for both stars (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post). The Jets were rumored to be shopping Anderson, and Adam Schefter of ESPN said during a Tuesday TV appearance the team was asking for a second-round for the contract-year wideout. Both Bell and Anderson are set to finish the season with the Jets.
  • The Jets‘ trade talks with the Giants started weeks ago, Douglas says (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the Daily News). Remarkably, they managed to keep the rumors away from the New York tabloids before they pulled the trigger on the historic deal that sent Leonard Williams to the G-Men.
  • The Giants will obviously try to lock up Williams beyond his current deal, but no one can really agree on his value, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes. Some have speculated that Williams could land ~$100MM based on his age and potential. Others, meanwhile, think he’s looking at something closer to a deal worth $10-$12MM on an average annual basis. When and if a deal gets done, it could very well land in the middle, Vacchiano hears from execs, with a five-year, $75MM deal with about $20MM guaranteed.
  • Moving back to non-trade business, the Jets worked out a few notable veterans on Tuesday. Cornerbacks Trevor Williams and E.J. Gaines auditioned for Gang Green, with Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio noting (via Twitter) linebacker Ramik Wilson did as well. Williams has been with both the Cardinals and Chargers this year, while the Bills released Gaines via August injury settlement. A member of the Rams’ 2018 NFC champion squad, Wilson spent time with the Jaguars and Cards this year.
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