2019 October - Pro Football Rumors

Jaguars Won’t Trade Nick Foles

October 28th, 2019 at 1:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars plan to stick with Nick Foles, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Despite the emergence of Gardner Minshew, the Jaguars intend to keep the one-time Super Bowl winner on the roster.

The Jaguars spent significant dollars to sign Foles in the offseason, only to watch him suffer a broken collarbone in the season opener. Since then, Minshew has had some impressive moments, but the Jaguars are not getting carried away with Minshew Mania.

With that, Foles will stay on the roster, barring a drastic change in thinking between now and Tuesday’s trade deadline. The Jags reportedly plan to activate Foles for Week 11, after he’s had a few weeks of practice. In the meantime, Minshew will work to keep things up and try to keep a hold on the starting job. His latest resume booster came on Sunday, when he dissected the Jets for three touchdowns en route to an easy win.

The Jaguars, with Minshew under center, will take on the Texans in London on Sunday.

Broncos’ Joe Flacco Out For Week 9

October 28th, 2019 at 1:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos’ struggling offense will be in for a bigger test next week. Joe Flacco suffered a neck injury and will miss the team’s Week 9 game against the Browns, Vic Fangio said (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter).

That will move backup Brandon Allen into Denver’s starting lineup. Acquired just before the start of the regular season, Allen has never taken a regular-season snap. Drew Lock is eligible to come off IR this week, but Allen will get the call.

Flacco’s injury could mean a multi-week absence, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Fangio said IR is a possibility for Denver’s starter; Flacco going on IR would effectively end his season. Flacco is dealing with a herniated disk, the team announced. This puts the remainder of the 12th-year passer’s season in jeopardy.

This injury is not expected to require surgery, per 9News’ Mike Klis, who adds Lock will either be brought off IR this week or practice squad passer Brett Rypien will be promoted (Twitter links). The Broncos’ healthy quarterback contingent collectively has zero NFL pass attempts.

Flacco missed time in 2015 and 2018 due to injuries, and the longtime Raven dealt with back discomfort in 2017. The Broncos sent a fourth-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for Flacco. They also restructured his deal in September, tethering the 34-year-old quarterback to the 2020 cap sheet. Previously, Flacco had no guaranteed money on his deal post-2019. Now, $13.6MM in dead-money charges would come if the veteran is cut next year.

Flacco was critical of the Broncos’ play-calling in their loss to the Colts on Sunday and has them at 2-6 — Denver’s worst record after eight games since 2010. Allen was a sixth-round Jaguars pick out of Arkansas in 2016. He spent parts of the past two seasons with the Rams, before coming to Denver as a waiver claim.

Latest On Jets’ C.J. Mosley

October 28th, 2019 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets will be without linebacker C.J. Mosley for the next five or six weeks, head coach Adam Gase told reporters (Twitter link via Kimberly Jones of NFL.com). For now, the veteran will try to avoid surgery, but he’ll be re-evaluated towards the end of his estimated recovery timetable to determine next steps.

The Jets inked Mosley to a five-year, $85MM deal this offseason. So far, that deal hasn’t panned out. Thanks to a groin injury, Mosley missed every game from Weeks 2-6. He returned for the Jets’ Week 7 drumming at the hands of the Patriots, but that only made the issue worse.

Now, the four-time Pro Bowler is looking at another extended absence. At minimum, he’ll miss games against the Dolphins, Giants, Redskins, Raiders, and Bengals. It’s possible that he’ll be back to face the Dolphins in a second matchup between the AFC East’s worst teams, but the Jets could opt to keep him on the sidelines if they are completely out of the playoff picture.

Mosley’s contract pays him an average of $17MM/year with $51MM guaranteed in total. Practically speaking, the aggressive cash flow of the deal will not allow the Jets to escape the deal until sometime after the 2021 season, when they can release Mosley to save $15.5MM against $3MM in dead money.

In some positive Jets news: quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to play through his left thumb injury. That means he’ll be under center for the Jets’ Sunday afternoon contest against the Dolphins in Miami.

Giants Shopping Janoris Jenkins, Alec Ogletree

October 28th, 2019 at 12:17pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants might not be done dealing. Even after trading for Jets defensive lineman Leonard Williams, the Giants are shopping cornerback Janoris Jenkins and linebacker Alec Ogletree, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The Giants may also be open to trading tackle Nate Solder, RapSheet says, though we’ve heard conflicting word on that front over the last few days.

Rumors have swirled about Jenkins’ status with the team for some time now and the club may finally be ready to part ways with him. For his part, Jackrabbit has been frustrated by the constant talk coupled with a lack of communication from the front office about his future. Through eight games, Jenkins has 35 total stops and an eye-popping four interceptions, showing that he’s still among the best corners in the NFL. Tomorrow, he’ll turn 31 years old, and he’ll be celebrating with a new group of friends if the Giants can find a suitable deal.

Ogletree, 28, entered the league as a first-round pick of the Rams. He didn’t impress in terms of the advanced metrics, but that wasn’t a turnoff for Dave Gettleman‘s front office. In March of 2018, they gave up some later-round draft capital to acquire Ogletree and his contract, which runs through 2021. Ogletree has started in all 19 of his games for the G-Men since then and has made some big plays, including five interceptions in 2018, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

The Browns could be one potential destination for Solder and many other contenders in need of tackles could also come calling. However, the Giants are reportedly nervous about switching up Daniel Jones‘ front line and may opt to keep him well protected for the rest of 2019.

Jets Trade Leonard Williams To Giants

October 28th, 2019 at 11:25am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We’ve got another major trade to report. The Jets are sending defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Giants, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Per Schefter, the Jets are getting a third-round pick in next April’s draft, and a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft. Fortunately for Williams he won’t have to move far, as the Jets are sending him to their crosstown rivals. Schefter soon added in a separate tweet that the fifth-round pick becomes a fourth-rounder if Williams signs a new deal with the G-Men before the start of the next league year. Schefter also reports that the Jets are paying $4MM of the $6MM that Williams is owed for the rest of 2019.

There have been murmurs about Williams getting traded, and something finally materialized. All the way back in January we heard the Jets were considering moving him, and hoping to get a second-round pick in return. Just yesterday, we passed along word that the Cowboys had been interested in Williams before trading for Michael Bennett, and there were apparently multiple other teams in the mix.

The USC product is in the final year of his deal, and the Jets wanted to get something for him while they still could. The third-rounder they’ll be getting from the Giants will presumably be an early third-rounder given their current record. The Giants being buyers at 2-6 and adding a rental player might seem odd, but they’ll presumably try and sign Williams to an extension now. He’ll slide in next to Dexter Lawrence, the Giants’ first-round rookie, on New York’s defensive line.

The sixth overall pick of the 2015 draft, Williams is still only 25. He made the Pro Bowl in 2016 and has shown that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. As NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano pointed out in a tweet, this is the first time that the Jets and Giants have ever made a trade, so it’s a historic day.

Texans HC: We’re Done Trading

October 28th, 2019 at 10:28am CST by Zachary Links

There’s still time between now and Tuesday’s deadline for trades, but the Texans are done making moves. At least, that’s what head coach Bill O’Brien says (Twitter link via Aaron Reiss of The Athletic).

The chances of a transaction happening today (Monday) are “slim to none,” O’Brien says. Presumably, the same thinking applies to Tuesday, up until the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline.

The Texans, it seems, got their heavy lifting done last week when they acquired cornerback Gareon Conley from the Raiders. Beyond that, they are apparently content, even though star defensive end J.J. Watt has been shut down for the year.

If the Texans wanted to, they could explore trades for defensive ends like Derek Wolfe (Broncos), Solomon Thomas (49ers), Carlos Dunlap (Bengals), or even Jets star Leonard Williams. The Texans’ choice, if O’Brien is to be believed: none of the above.

After Sunday’s 27-24 win over the Raiders, the Texans are now 5-3, putting them just behind the 5-2 Colts in the AFC South. The historically wide-open division is very much in reach and they can distance themselves further from the pack on Sunday when they face the Jaguars in London.

Cowboys Eyeing Trades For Safeties

October 28th, 2019 at 9:45am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys will be scanning the trade market for safety help between now and Tuesday’s deadline, owner Jerry Jones says (via Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram). Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones also made similar comments over the weekend, which suggests that this will be an area of priority for Dallas.

Nothing is on the table right now, JJ says, but this could be an area of focus, potentially as a replacement for strong safety Jeff Heath. Heath, 28, has started in all seven of his games this year, but has lacked consistency. Currently, he ranks as just the No. 48 safety in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, way down from his best work in 2016 and 2017.

It’s a familiar refrain for the Cowboys: they have been after safety help, on and off, for years. Their past flirtations with Earl Thomas, Eric Berry, and others of that ilk went nowhere, but this could finally be the time for the Cowboys to make a substantial upgrade.

Just days ago, the Cowboys made a pre-deadline deal by acquiring defensive end Michael Bennett in a trade with the Patriots. The next move could be for a safety such as Damarious Randall, Reshad Jones, or Jessie Bates. The real home run would be Jamal Adams, but it’s not clear if the Jets are willing to consider deals for the young standout.

Dolphins To Trade Kenyan Drake To Cardinals

October 28th, 2019 at 9:05am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have reached agreement on a trade to acquire Dolphins running back Kenyan Drake, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. In the deal, the Dolphins will acquire a conditional sixth-round pick in 2020 that can become a fifth-rounder.

Drake will help to reinforce a Cardinals RB group that badly needs the support. Star David Johnson is expected to miss this week’s game due to an ankle injury and Chase Edmonds, a key fill-in, suffered a hamstring injury of his own over the weekend. Drake now figures to see significant work against the 49ers on Thursday night.

Drake gives the Cardinals a clear boost in the near term, but he does not necessarily give them a building block for 2020 and beyond. He’ll be a free agent after the season, so they’ll have some work to do if Drake impresses in the second half of the season. For the here and now: the Cardinals seem to believe in their roster and like their chances of climbing out of a 3-4-1 hole.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, seem to be keeping their eyes on the prize – a top draft pick in 2020. With no hope of contending this year, they’ve bolstered their draft capital and unloaded a player who was unlikely to suit up again in Miami.

Drake did not travel with the Dolphins for tonight’s game against the Steelers, a move that foretold a Drake deal. The Lions and Titans were linked to Drake, but the Cardinals seem to have wanted him more.

Miami’s bottom-tier offensive line has struggled this season, and Drake is averaging a career-low 3.7 yards per carry. However, the former third-round pick posted 4.8- and 4.5-yard YPC averages in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Drake, 25, has not rushed for 50 yards in a game this season, but he surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in a part-time role last year and has just 333 career carries under his belt.

Raiders Looking To Trade For WRs

October 28th, 2019 at 8:41am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are on the lookout for wide receivers as Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline approaches, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (Twitter link). One possible target for Oakland, he hears, is Jets wide receiver Robby Anderson, who is one of several Gang Green players on the block.

The Raiders already swung one October trade for a wide receiver when they brought in Zay Jones from the Bills, but their work might not be done. Besides Jones, the Raiders’ WR group includes Tyrell Williams, Dwayne Harris, Hunter Renfrow, Trevor Davis, Keelan Doss, and Marcell Ateman. They had Williams on the field this weekend, which is a positive development, but the Raiders’ No. 1 target came up short down the stretch in Sunday’s loss to the Texans.

“I’ll look back at this game and see missed opportunities for myself,” said Williams, who was being hard on himself, even after making some key plays in the second half. “I just have to make those plays on that last drive. There are easy fixes. I just have to make those plays.”

On that front – quarterback Derek Carr says he’ll continue to send the ball in Williams’ direction.

“There are two or three that he wants back, but you guys know me. I’m going to keep throwing it to him,” Carr said. “When we had [Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree] rolling, a drop didn’t matter. I was going to keep throwing them the ball. They are going to get chances. The ball is still coming with confidence…Whenever they want to single him up and make him beat us, we’re going to take that chance. There were probably two or three where I could’ve delivered a better ball or that he’d want back.”

If the Raiders can add another talented WR to the fold between now and tomorrow afternoon, Williams may benefit from some improved matchups.

Extra Points: Drake, Eagles, Giants, Winston

October 27th, 2019 at 9:19pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Lions were dealt a tough blow when they lost Kerryon Johnson to a knee injury, and they’re apparently planning on replacing him with outside help. Detroit has been “aggressively scouring the running back market” for potential trades, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Kenyan Drake is expected to be dealt by Miami in the next day or so, and we’ve already heard the Lions were interested. Robinson points out that Dolphins coach Brian Flores has a longstanding relationship with Lions coach Matt Patricia, which could help facilitate a deal. While the Lions need a running back and Drake is on the move, don’t necessarily bank on him landing in Detroit. It “didn’t sound like the Lions were close to anything on the trade front,” after speaking with a source, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Here’s more from around the league:

There are a few teams looking for offensive tackle help, most openly the Browns. We’ve hear Eagles backup Halapoulivaati Vaitai could be an option, and Robinson tweets that he continues to hear that Vaitai is the “most available” tackle on the market. He also notes that Vaitai had “several teams” interested in him during the preseason. Vaitai started 16 games between 2016 and 2017 and is entering the final year of his contract, so it makes sense why Philly would try and get something for him.
Conversely, teams might have a harder time prying Nate Solder away. We’ve heard the Browns are interested in the Giants’ left tackle, but Robinson notes in the same tweet that he’ll be a “tougher get” since the Giants are “reticent” to shakeup Daniel Jones‘ offensive line too much. The former Patriot hasn’t lived up to his massive contract, but it looks like New York will hang onto him through the end of the season.
Marcus Mariota has already been benched by the Titans, and it sounds like his 2015 draft-classmate Jameis Winston is going to be able to avoid a similar fate. Winston had another turnover-plagued game during the Buccaneers’ Week 8 loss, but Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes that the Bucs’ plan is to give Winston the rest of the season to make his case. Working in Winston’s favor is that unlike Mariota, he doesn’t have an experienced backup like Ryan Tannehill breathing down his neck. Winston’s current backup, Ryan Griffin, has never taken a regular season snap.
The Texans lost starting running back Lamar Miller to a torn ACL right before the start of the season, and ended up trading for running back Carlos Hyde. Although many thought Houston would be actively looking for running back help after Miller went down it was apparently the Chiefs who initiated the Hyde trade, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The Chiefs inked Hyde to a one-year, $2.8MM deal back in March, but clearly regretted it and didn’t want him on the team any longer. They landed offensive tackle Martinas Rankin in return.