HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Latest On Adam Gase, Jamal Adams

June 26th, 2020 at 1:36pm CST by Rory Parks

Jets safety Jamal Adams formally requested a trade last week, and since then, the already lengthy saga took another couple of turns. For instance, we learned that Adams may be seeking an extension worth upwards of $20MM per year, and that his relationship with head coach Adam Gase is one of the reasons why he wants out.

Adams, among other Jets players, reportedly do not “trust” Gase and are skeptical of his leadership abilities. Offensive lineman Alex Lewis, however, took to Instagram to defend his HC.

“I have mad respect for Coach Gase,” Lewis wrote. “We are building a winning culture and mentality from the top down. I believe in this staff, this organization, and most importantly my teammates.” 

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News was the one who reported the animosity that Adams and his teammates feel towards Gase, and Lewis addressed Mehta directly.

“I felt like all of this needed to be said on the heels of reading Manish Mehta’s article lumping all players in one mindset disparaging the head coach,” Lewis continued. “You (Mehta) don’t speak for the locker room or myself. You got no place in the locker room if you are going to overgeneralize all players. Manish you are a poison to this team.” 

Regardless of how he is perceived by his team, plenty of folks outside of the Jets’ locker room are also unsure about Gase’s viability as a head coach, but he remains at the helm for now. Gase was asked today about his relationship with Adams, and he had nothing but good things to say.

“My relationship with Jamal has been good since the time I’ve gotten here,” Gase said (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). … “To me, we’ve always gotten along well. There’s been a lot of dialogue between us, especially about on and off the field type topics.”

Gase confirmed that he wants Adams to stay with the Jets, though he did not say whether the team is amenable to giving him the extension he wants before the season starts. He did, however, talk about Adams as a player.

“He’s been one of our best players and most consistent guys that we had last year,” the 42-year-old HC said. “I covered a lot of this at the end of the season, the value that he brings to this team and what he does on not only game day but in practice. This is the tough part of the business. It’s something that we’ve got to keep working through.”

Lions Notes: COVID, Stafford, Kaepernick

June 26th, 2020 at 12:10pm CST by Rory Parks

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has authorized the return of professional sports, as we learned earlier this morning. She made it clear that capacity crowds will not be permitted until there is a COVID-19 vaccine, but Lions team president Rod Wood is trying to get Ford Field opened up to fans just the same. Wood released the following statement via the team’s official Twitter account.

“Governor Whitmer’s most recent Executive Order is an exciting step forward in our preparation for the 2020 season. We are working closely with her office to evaluate when and how we can safely play in front of our fans. With nearly 3 months until our regular season home opener at Ford Field, I’m optimistic and encouraged by our progress.”

It seems that most, if not all, teams will be playing in front of empty or partially-full stadiums in 2020, and Wood is hopeful that his club will be able to generate at least some gate revenue this year.

Now for more on the Lions:

  • Lions QB Matthew Stafford has been saying for some time that he is fully healthy, and the team posted a brief video clip of its signal-caller working out with teammates, which suggests that Stafford is indeed ready to go (Twitter link). While that’s certainly encouraging, it’s also notable that the workout is in contravention of the advice of NFLPA medical director Thom Mayer, who said players should not be practicing together privately. Stafford is by no means the only QB1 to be participating in workouts, and as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes, the 32-year-old signal-caller has made adjustments to try and keep himself and his teammates healthy.
  • Sheila Ford Hamp will take over her mother’s duties as principal owner and chairperson of the Lions, and she said she is going to take a very hands-on approach (Twitter link via Rothstein). Given Lions fans’ general feelings towards the Ford family, that may or may not be welcome, but Hamp said her first course of business will be to meet with members of the organization’s departments that she is less familiar with. As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets, Hamp specifically noted that she wants to learn more about the analytics side of the operation.
  • Hamp has also said that she would sign off on the team’s acquisition of QB Colin Kaepernick if her football people thought it was in the club’s best interests (video link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). The Lions, though, appear to be an imperfect schematic fit for Kaepernick, and in any event, neither Detroit nor any other club has reached out to him yet.

No Teams Have Reached Out To Colin Kaepernick

June 26th, 2020 at 10:50am CST by Rory Parks

Earlier this month, we heard that there has been significant recent interest in free agent signal-caller Colin Kaepernick, much more than there has been in the past several years. Given the sustained nationwide outcry over George Floyd’s death at the hands of the police, as well as recent statements made by commissioner Roger Goodell, it seems that clubs are increasingly amenable to signing Kaepernick.

But according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, if teams are indeed interested, they have not let Kaepernick or his agent know about it. So while it’s possible that clubs are simply waiting to pull the trigger until they can bring him in to their facilities — which is why a number of high-profile free agents are still on the market — it’s also possible that the general push to see Kaepernick back in the league may eventually blow over without him getting another opportunity.

Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said that Kaepernick should be on every team’s emergency workout list, but he has not spoken with the 32-year-old passer directly and does not have immediate plans to bring him in for a look. Meanwhile, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll recently expressed regret over not signing Kaepernick after he took a free agent visit in 2017, but Seattle is not interested at this time.

As Kaepernick has not played in an NFL game since 2016, any team that does sign him would obviously view him as a backup. Presumably, such a team would be one with a mobile starting quarterback and an offensive system that plays to its QB’s running abilities.

Kaepernick took the league by storm in 2012, when he led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance. And while he was solid the following year, his play subsequently began to taper off, and he was ultimately benched in favor of Blaine Gabbert in 2015. Gabbert won the starting job prior to the start of the 2016 campaign, though Kaepernick replaced Gabbert a few weeks into the season and played pretty well down the stretch.

Seeking Writers For Pro Hockey Rumors

June 26th, 2020 at 9:56am CST by Tim Dierkes

As our sister site Pro Hockey Rumors celebrates its four-year anniversary, we’re looking to add to the writing staff! In particular, we’re seeking someone with strong daytime availability Monday through Friday. The position pays hourly. The criteria:

  • Exceptional knowledge of all 31 NHL teams, no discernible bias.
  • Knowledge of the salary cap, CBA and transaction-related concepts.
  • At least some college education.
  • Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both strongly preferred.
  • Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
  • Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
  • Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
  • Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance creating quick copy with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers or links to other relevant articles.
  • Ability to use Twitter and Tweetdeck.
  • Multi-tasking is crucial.
  • If you’re interested, email prohockeyrumorshelp@gmail.com and explain how you stand out and qualify in a couple of short paragraphs. Please attach your resume to the email. Unfortunately we may not be able to reply to every applicant.

Michigan Allows Pro Sports To Resume

June 26th, 2020 at 9:15am CST by Rory Parks

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has authorized the return of professional sports, as Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press writes. Whitmer’s statement reads as follows:

“Good news, sports fans. We are now ready to gradually and safely allow professional sports to resume in Michigan. While this is an encouraging step in the reopening of our economy, it is critical for athletes to continue social distancing and taking precautions to stay safe. We want to keep our momentum going and keep moving forward, so it’s incumbent on everyone doing their part to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

Whitmer’s executive order makes it clear that live audiences are still not permitted. However, the order does allow for the Lions to start training camp at the end of July as planned, and perhaps for the team to host a preseason contest at Ford Field.

Whitmer has maintained for some time that capacity crowds will not be permitted until there is a COVID-19 vaccine, which could happen at the end of 2020 or early 2021. But even partially-filled stadiums feel like something of a stretch for most teams, the Lions included.

“[T]he fact of the matter is, COVID-19 is a novel virus and that means it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” Whitmer said in May. “We’re learning a tremendous amount. Every week that goes by, we’ve learned so much more about this disease and what it’s going to take to keep us safe and to avoid that second wave.”

So if the NFL season moves forward, the Lions will be at Ford Field. It just doesn’t sound like any of their fans will be joining them.

AFC Rumors: Adams, Manning, Broncos

June 25th, 2020 at 5:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jets safety Jamal Adams has submitted a trade request and may well have issues with Adam Gase — months after voicing frustration with GM Joe Douglas listening to offers at last year’s trade deadline. However, Jets DC Gregg Williams came to the All-Pro’s defense Thursday.

“He has to handle his contract,” Williams said, via the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta. “He’ll do all that kind of stuff. … I’m hoping everything goes well. I love coaching him. And I got his back.

“… I think the world of him. I’ve had a chance to coach a lot of really good players. Some that are already in the Hall of Fame. And many others that are going to go in the Hall of Fame. And he’s going to have a legitimate chance staying healthy to be one of those guys later on that we’ll all talk about.”

The second-year Jets defensive boss added that he wants Adams to “feel good about being here.” Given the events of the past eight months, that will take some doing. Here is the latest from the AFC:

  • Were the Jets to trade Adams, they do have rookie third-rounder Ashtyn Davis as a candidate to replace him alongside contract-year starter Marcus Maye, Connor Hughes of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Jets were also interested in Tony Jefferson before he signed with the Ravens in 2017 and a month before they drafted Adams. Jefferson is back in free agency after Baltimore released him earlier this year. Eric Reid also remains unsigned, providing some options if the Jets seriously entertain trading their top player.
  • Bryce Callahan‘s injury altered the Broncos‘ cornerback plans last season, forcing slot dynamo Chris Harris to play almost exclusively on the outside. Callahan has recovered from his latest bout of foot trouble, and the Broncos are hoping to play him in the slot, per The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala. Denver still appears thin at corner, but Jhabvala adds the team hopes third-round rookie Michael Ojemudia can seize the outside corner job opposite A.J. Bouye. That may be difficult, however, with Vic Fangio using a complex scheme and the Broncos having seen multiple third-round corners (Brendan Langley and Isaac Yiadom) struggle in recent years.
  • Peyton Manning has said years ago he was close to signing with the Titans, but the Broncos won out for the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Discussing the fallout from Manning’s 2012 free agency, ex-Titans exec Mike Reinfeldt said the acclaimed passer’s timetable affected the Titans’ plans. “The only thing I wished had happened was that Peyton could have made the decision earlier,” Reinfeldt said, via The Athletic’s Mike Sando. “But I don’t know that he was in position to do so because of his health. … There is no magic way to build a team, but what you can’t do is get caught in between one plan and the other plan. That is what happened to us.” The Titans earmarking Manning money during the first week of free agency, and then waiting on the ex-Colt’s decision, caused them to miss out on pursuits of Mario Williams and Pro Bowl guards Carl Nicks and Ben Grubbs, with Sando adding each was a target of then-GM Ruston Webster. Tennessee finished 6-10 in 2012 and would not post a winning season again until 2016.

Titans Add NFL Exec Adolpho Birch To Front Office

June 25th, 2020 at 5:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans made a move to add a longtime NFL executive to their front office. They hired Adolpho Birch as a senior vice president and chief legal officer.

Birch spent 24 years working for the NFL, most recently as a senior VP in charge of labor policy and league affairs. This will mark a homecoming for the veteran exec; Birch is a Nashville native.

The Harvard graduate played roles in helping the NFL form its personal conduct and drug policies while also working with the CBA. He will join a Titans front office that includes GM Jon Robinson and VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden.

This news comes a month after longtime Titans president Steve Underwood retired, ending a 40-year run with the franchise. The Titans elevated Burke Nihill to the president/CEO role. Birch’s experience could make him a fit for this position at some point.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Steelers, Ravens

June 25th, 2020 at 4:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Odell Beckham Jr. will be good to go when the Browns convene for training camp. Kevin Stefanski confirmed the three-time Pro Bowl wideout has 100% recovered from the core muscle surgery he underwent earlier this offseason, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes. Beckham battled this problem for much of last season, often not being able to practice until Fridays, while also navigating a hip injury. While the star receiver suited up for 16 games — after failing to do so in three of his five Giants seasons — OBJ did not develop much of a rapport with Baker Mayfield. In Year 2 with the Browns, Beckham attended the team’s virtual offseason meetings. He skipped much of Cleveland’s onsite OTAs last year.

Jarvis Landry also underwent winter surgery — a hip procedure — and is behind Beckham in recovery. Stefanski expects his other Pro Bowl wideout to be healthy at some point in August. So it appears Landry will miss some time in camp, and Stefanski said he would be cautious with Beckham as well. Moving away from Cleveland, here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will begin training camp with right tackle Matt Feiler at left guard (Twitter link via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). The Steelers need a new left guard after Ramon Foster‘s retirement. However, a Feiler position switch would create a hole at right tackle — where he started 16 games last season. The Steelers signed Stefen Wisniewski as a possible Foster replacement, and Dulac does not expect Feiler to ultimately make the move to guard. Should Feiler be a genuine option at left guard, third-year tackle Chukwuma Okorafor and fourth-year blocker Zach Banner would compete for the Steelers’ right tackle gig.
  • Both James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster are in contract years. While nothing has transpired on the Conner extension front, Dulac expects the Steelers to extend Smith-Schuster and avoid the franchise tag to do so. The Steelers have displayed an excellent ability to identify receiver talents for many years and have often let starters walk in free agency (Plaxico Burress, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace) or traded them (Santonio Holmes, Martavis Bryant). But the team does not have a veteran contract in its current receiver stable, leaving the door open for JuJu to get paid.
  • The Ravens have several standouts either in contract years (Matt Judon, Ronnie Stanley), extension-eligible now (Marlon Humphrey) or set to become free to negotiate in 2021 (Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews). John Harbaugh is optimistic the team will be able to keep some key players, even as the threat of a reduced 2021 salary cap looms. “We’ll keep as many guys as we can,” Harbaugh said, via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). “I’m very optimistic about the fact that we have a good cap situation going forward. We have not been in good cap shape for the last six years or so. Really, seven years. Every year, we’ve been behind the eight ball with the cap. That’s just the way it was. This year was a little better, and next year will be a lot better.”

NFL, NFLPA Discussing Preseason Length, COVID-19 Reserve Lists

June 25th, 2020 at 3:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the NFL canceled this year’s Hall of Fame Game, Roger Goodell confirmed Thursday there have been no changes to the standard reporting date. Most teams remain on track to report to training camp July 28, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).

However, the commissioner said the preseason’s length is one of the items the league and the NFLPA are discussing. So is a possible reserve list designed specifically for the coronavirus, according to NFL general counsel Jeff Pash (via SI.com’s Albert Breer, on Twitter).

With the NFL planning to go ahead with its season amid the pandemic, players will continue to test positive — as many have this month. It appears the league is open to helping teams organize their rosters to deal with these scenarios. The prospect of expanding practice squads has already surfaced. Major League Baseball is expected to introduce a COVID list to help teams manage their rosters as well, so it is unsurprising the NFL is considering following suit.

Additionally, NFL executive VP Peter O’Reilly confirmed a report from earlier this week indicating the league will allow teams to follow local guidelines regarding attendance. The NFL will work with the CDC, with O’Reilly (via Mark Maske of the Washington Post, on Twitter) noting teams will set their own guidelines as to the number of fans that can attend games. While this will open the door to fans being allowed to attend games, it also creates uncertainty across the league and will muddle ongoing talks about managing the 2021 salary cap.

After the cancellation of the Cowboys-Steelers Canton contest, the NFL preseason slate consists of four games per team. But with no pre-training camp re-acclimation period scheduled, the solution for bringing players up to speed may well mean canceling more games and using that space to do so.

Latest On Josh Gordon

June 25th, 2020 at 2:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Josh Gordon‘s camp says he’s sober, clearheaded, and ready to resume his football career. However, his camp isn’t sure whether he’s been drug tested in recent months (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). 

[RELATED: Josh Gordon Applies For NFL Reinstatement]

Naturally, the pandemic has complicated matters. Over the last few months, elective surgeries and other non-life threatening medical appointments have been postponed, making it difficult for anyone to undergo drug testing. Testing sometimes calls for a proctor, as well, and that’s tough to pull off in the social distancing era.

Gordon formally applied for reinstatement earlier this month in hopes of getting yet another chance from the league office. Meanwhile, the 29-year-old has been working out in the Seattle area. If Gordon is allowed to play, it’s safe to say that he’ll have interest from teams. The Ravens – who recently ruled out Antonio Brown – could theoretically be one landing spot. The Seahawks have also indicated that the door remains open to Gordon after he posted seven catches for 139 yards in five games for them last year.

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