2019 October - Pro Football Rumors

Jaguars To Place Marqise Lee On IR

October 29th, 2019 at 2:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are placing wide receiver Marqise Lee on injured reserve, as Mark Long of The Associated Press tweets. The Jaguars were gearing up for Lee’s return, but his shoulder injury will sideline him for at least the next eight weeks.

It has been a frustrating couple of years for Lee, who missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL. Before all of that, in 2016 and 2017, he totaled 119 receptions for 1,553 receiving yards. Until his ankle – and ultimately his shoulder – did him in this year, Lee managed just three catches for 18 yards across six games.

It’s a real bummer for the Jaguars, who advanced to 4-4 with their recent win over the Bengals. The AFC South is up for grabs, but they’ll have to fight for it without Lee grabbing at passes from Gardner Minshew (or Nick Foles).

This could very well end Lee’s Jacksonville tenure. Since signing a four-year, $34MM deal, he has not been the same player. The Jags have added wideouts D.J. Chark and Chris Conley to their mix in that span. Both have become more reliable contributors. It would cost the Jags $3.5MM in dead money next year to release Lee while saving the franchise more than $5MM in cap space.

In a related move, the Jags have promoted undrafted rookie cornerback Tae Hayes from the practice squad.

Patriots To Release K Mike Nugent

October 29th, 2019 at 2:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots are cutting kicker Mike Nugent, sources tell The MMQB’s Albert Breer (on Twitter). Nugent’s replacement is TBD, but we know this much: The Pats will be moving on to their third kicker of the 2019 season.

The Patriots worked out other kickers before signing Nugent this year, including Giorgio Tavecchio, Nick Folk, Greg Joseph, and Austin MacGinnis. They could circle back to those names, or bring in a new group of kickers, as they look to sort out the situation.

Nugent went 5-of-8 on field goals during his short Patriots run, but it was his two misses against the Browns that cost him his job. The Patriots still won and advanced to 8-0, but head coach Bill Belichick decided he was through with Nugent anyway.

The Pats’ search for a new kicker, in theory, could lead them to Matt Bryant. The veteran, who was cut loose by the Falcons on Tuesday, could give them an experienced option in crunch time.

Jets Plan To Retain Le’Veon Bell

October 29th, 2019 at 2:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Teams are interested in Le’Veon Bell, but it doesn’t appear the Jets are ready to move him. The interest, as of now, is has not moved the needle to the point the Jets plan to trade their 2019 addition, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Less than 40 minutes remain until this year’s deadline.

The Jets have discussed Jamal Adams with the Cowboys and dealt Leonard Williams on Monday. Joe Douglas is reorganizing Mike Maccagnan‘s roster, and while Adam Gase was not reported as being a big fan of shelling out $13MM-plus AAV to Bell, the Jets appear ready to give the two-time All-Pro the rest of this season.

Still, it’s a notable news development the Jets are even discussing their 27-year-old running back, given the fact they signed him seven months ago. Bell has underwhelmed in New York, playing behind an offensive line that is far worse than what he worked with in Pittsburgh. The 27-year-old back is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry and has yet to rush for 75 in a game.

Bell is signed through the 2022 season, but the deal’s guaranteed money only runs through the 2020 campaign. That certainly would make Bell’s contract more palatable for other teams than, say, Todd Gurley‘s top-market deal would. And with the Jets entertaining offers at this year’s deadline, it’s a good bet they plan to give serious consideration to unloading Bell in 2020.

Dolphins To Place Xavien Howard On IR

October 29th, 2019 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

There could be more big names changing teams today before the trade deadline. Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard won’t be one of them, however.

Howard is headed to injured reserve after suffering a knee injury on Monday night, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The good news: it’s not an ACL or MCL tear, but the Dolphins are choosing to exercise caution with the young star.

The Dolphins inked Howard to a five-year, $72.25MM extension in May, so they’re keeping their eyes on the prize. Of course, this year’s prize is the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft. Beyond that, the Dolphins view Howard as a major franchise cornerstone.

In related news, the Dolphins have released tight end Nick O’Leary, hours after his ill-time drop led to a Monday night loss against the Steelers. His release leaves the ‘Fins with Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe as the team’s only TEs.

Before the injury, the Dolphins were receiving calls of trade interest on Howard. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether they would have considered moving him and, now, we may never now.

Eagles Eyeing Broncos’ Chris Harris Jr.

October 29th, 2019 at 2:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have called the Broncos about Chris Harris Jr., according to sources who spoke with Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). At this time, however, their asking price is too high.

The Broncos are paper thin at cornerback, but they also have no real shot at contention this year. With a chance to add to their draft stockpile, they could move Harris to a team that could put the veteran to good use, like the Eagles.

Meanwhile, the Broncos have no plans to trade Von Miller, sources tell Russini (Twitter link). The former Super Bowl MVP and perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher is signed through the 2021 season. Harris, however, is in a contract year and expressed a desire to test the market after a weeks-long holdout this offseason.

Denver landed Harris as a 2011 UDFA and paired the slot defender with Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby in 2014. While that trio helped the Broncos to the 2015 title, Harris is now the team’s only reliable corner. The four-time Pro Bowler could profile as a player the Broncos would like to extend, despite Harris being 30, due to an inability to find cornerbacks since that 2014 offseason. However, the Broncos are staring at a rebuild and have only a handful of starters from their Super Bowl team left. They traded Emmanuel Sanders last week.

Philadelphia finished second in the Jalen Ramsey derby and inquired on Detroit’s Darius Slay. It’s clear Howie Roseman recognizes his group of corners could use help, with the Eagles’ pass defense having struggled for much of this season. Harris has traveled with No. 1 wide receivers this year, as opposed to locking down the slot, so that would obviously be a key asset for a team looking to get back in the surefire contender mix. The Eagles have been in on Harris for a bit now but may have to deal a second-round pick to acquire him.

Jets, Cowboys Discussed Jamal Adams Trade

October 29th, 2019 at 1:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys inquired on Jets safety Jamal Adams, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, there will be no deal – the asking price proved to be too high for the Cowboys, Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter) hears.

The Jets were open to dealing big-name players at the deadline and Adams – a Texas native –was open to a change of scenery.

“I know he wants to play [for the Cowboys]. I know he wants to go home,” former NFL safety Ryan Clark told ESPN. “This is from speaking to him.”

The Jets’ high asking price was and is understandable. They wanted a first-round pick and then some for their high-end safety, Rapoport tweets. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have balked in giving up major assets for a safety for two offseasons now, so making another trade involving a first-rounder — after 2018’s Amari Cooper swap — was a scary proposition.

Adams is one of the very best young safeties in the game, but he ranks just 19th in salary. That means the Cowboys, or any other team acquiring Adams, would have had to give him a pay bump. The Jets, meanwhile, were thinking about allocating those dollars in different areas. For now, the Adams Era continues in New York, even as the Jets continue to struggle.

The Cowboys flirted with significant safety upgrades over the years, but they never closed on Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, or the other Pro Bowlers linked to Dallas. Adams would have arguably been the greatest get of ’em all, due to his age and rookie contract.

The Jets may be star-crossed and, at times, downright dreadful, but Adams has been nothing but stellar throughout his young career. The former No. 6 overall pick turned in a strong rookie year, earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2018, and, so far, he’s stopped defenders 39 times in 2019. Pro Football Focus presently has him ranked as the seventh-best safety in the league – ahead of Thomas and other multiple-time Pro Bowlers.

Latest On Redskins, Trent Williams

October 29th, 2019 at 12:59pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The NFL trade deadline is just a few hours away, and one of the biggest name players on the block is Redskins tackle Trent Williams. Williams hasn’t played or practiced this season as he continues to hold out due to his unhappiness with Washington’s management, and the ‘Skins just recently became open to trading him.

Washington got the trade ball rolling very late in the process, and it could end up ruining their chances of getting a deal done. The Redskins haven’t budged off their asking price of a first-round pick, according to John Keim of ESPN.com. Williams is 31 with a somewhat significant injury history, so it’s unclear if anyone will meet that asking price. Additionally, we have another report that suggests Washington’s front office isn’t taking a realistic approach here.

The Redskins “aren’t just asking for draft picks,” and are “big-game hunting” while asking for players like Browns cornerback Denzel Ward in a potential trade, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). As Rapsheet points out, that’s a “non-starter.” Cleveland just drafted Ward fourth overall last year, and he’s shown a ton of promise.

The Browns have been the team most heavily linked to Williams for a while now, as they continue to search for offensive tackle help. They’re still in the mix but the Browns have expressed concern about including a first-round pick due to a potential Williams injury, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.

Rams Trade Aqib Talib To Dolphins

October 29th, 2019 at 12:49pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Rams are making a move at the deadline. Los Angeles is shipping cornerback Aqib Talib off to Miami, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Schefter reports that the Rams are sending a fifth-round pick to get the Dolphins to take on Talib. The Rams will get a future seventh-rounder back, per Albert Breer of SI.com (on Twitter). This is a straight up salary dump, and not a move Miami is making for the player. We heard just a couple of days ago that the Rams were open to moving Talib, so this isn’t too surprising. Los Angeles is reportedly looking to free up money in order to extend the recently acquired Jalen Ramsey.

It makes perfect sense for the Dolphins too as they continue to stockpile draft picks, and they have plenty of cap space. Talib is currently on injured reserve, so he won’t be eligible to play until Week 15 anyway. It’s quite possible, if not likely, that Talib never ends up playing a snap for the rebuilding Dolphins. The Rams picked up $4.2MM in cap space by making the trade, tweets Jason Fitzgerald of Overthecap.com. It’s the latest in a growing trend of NBA-style salary dump trades to non-contending teams. Prior to a few years ago, these moves were virtually unheard of in the NFL.

Talib is 33 now, and he didn’t look his best before going on IR with a rib issue. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and it’ll be very interesting to see what his market looks like. He’s obviously getting up there in age, but he should still receive some interest due to his pedigree. The former Buccaneer, Patriot, and Bronco made five straight Pro Bowls from 2013-17.

Bengals Bench Andy Dalton, Will Start Ryan Finley

October 29th, 2019 at 12:06pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Andy Dalton era in Cincinnati appears to be coming to an end. The Bengals are sending Dalton to the bench following their bye week, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Pelissero notes that rookie Ryan Finley is expected to start. The Bengals sit at 0-8 so the decision isn’t shocking, but it’s still monumental. Dalton was drafted by the Bengals back in 2011, and immediately became their starter. He’s been under center for the team for the past 8.5 seasons, and has had a lot of success in Cincy. The Bengals can move on from Dalton after this season without any dead cap charge, so this is probably it unless he’s reinserted before the end of this season.

There’s also a small chance Dalton could be traded in the next few hours now that he’s no longer the starter. It still seems unlikely, but it’s at least worth pondering. Zac Taylor’s first year as head coach has gotten off to a disastrous start, and the team is entering a full-blown rebuild. The Bengals are making the move so they can get a good look at Finley to help determine whether or not they need to draft a quarterback early next April, a source told Albert Breer of SI.com (Twitter link). Obviously, the Bengals are on track for a high draft pick.

Cincinnati took Finley in the fourth-round of this past draft. An N.C. State product, Finley was a three-year starter for the Wolfpack. Finley had a weird college career that included multiple redshirts and a transfer, so he’s pretty old for a rookie. He started college in 2013, and will turn 25 in December. His first career NFL start will come following the team’s bye against the Ravens in Week 10.

The 35th overall pick of the 2011 draft, Dalton made three Pro Bowls with the team. At one point under Marvin Lewis he led the Bengals to five straight playoff appearances, although he never was able to win a postseason game. Word of the move came on Dalton’s birthday. Not the gift he was looking for.

Falcons Cut Matt Bryant, Sign Younghoe Koo

October 29th, 2019 at 11:51am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Matt Bryant‘s second stint as the Falcons’ kicker is over. The Falcons have released the longtime veteran, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Atlanta worked out kickers Younghoe Koo and Elliott Fry yesterday, foreshadowing this move. Shortly after we heard Bryant was getting released, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweeted that the team is indeed signing Koo. Bryant spent ten years as the Falcons’ kicker from 2009-18, then was cut after last season. He spent all summer as a free agent, then was re-signed right before the start of the season when Giorgio Tavecchio and Blair Walsh struggled during the preseason.

Bryant is 44 and has been one of the league’s most recognizable kickers for the better part of two decades. After originally spending some time in the AFL and NFL Europe in the early 2000’s, he was finally able to latch on with the Giants. Bryant has already missed five field goals and an extra point this season, and this is likely the end of the road for him. In Atlanta’s Week 6 loss to the Cardinals, he missed a crucial extra point late in the game as the Falcons ended up losing by a single point.

Koo started the 2017 season off as the Chargers’ kicker, but was quickly released after missing a few clutch kicks. He has bounced around soon, including a stint in the AAF, and was on the Patriots’ practice squad earlier this season. Koo, the South Korean native who played his college ball at Georgia Southern, is definitely talented and a worthwhile flyer for a rebuilding Falcons team.