HEADLINES

Month: October 2024

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/20

August 26th, 2020 at 3:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: TE Dominique Dafney
  • Released: RB Bruce Anderson III

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadephia Eagles

  • Waived: LB Dante Olson
  • Placed on IR: TE Josh Perkins

Tennessee Titans

Seahawks Meeting With Paul Richardson

August 26th, 2020 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks are looking at one of their former draft choices to potentially help out at wide receiver. Paul Richardson is at the team’s facility Wednesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

A former four-year Seahawks contributor, Richardson may be on track to sign. He is taking a COVID-19 test with the team and could be back with Seattle soon, Garafolo adds. Richardson spent the past two seasons with Washington.

Washington gave Richardson a lucrative deal — five years, $40MM — to join its receiving corps in 2018, but that partnership did not last. The team released the veteran deep threat two seasons into that deal. Richardson, 28, did not eclipse 300 yards in either of his two injury-shortened Washington seasons. Excepting his promising contract-year showing in 2017 (703 receiving yards, six TDs), Richardson has never exceeded 300 yards in a season.

Richardson was Seattle’s top pick in the 2014 draft, being selected 45th overall out of Colorado. He mostly served as a depth cog with the Seahawks, but they used him as a starter in 13 games during his breakout 2017 slate.

Seattle added a depth piece already this offseason, signing former first-round pick Phillip Dorsett. However, the former Colts and Patriots target is currently dealing with a foot injury. The team has also been the primary suitor connected to Antonio Brown, but the mercurial superstar is set to serve an eight-game suspension.

AFC North Notes: Green, Browns, Ravens

August 26th, 2020 at 2:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

In addition to the lengthy foot rehab in which A.J. Green participated recently, the veteran Bengals wide receiver missed more than a week of training camp because of a hamstring issue. Green entered Wednesday having not practice since August 17, but the 10th-year receiver was back in action this afternoon, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Tyler Dragon (on Twitter). While Green was wearing a sleeve on his left leg, he was working in pads for the Bengals for the first time since last year. The 32-year-old wideout missed all of last year but did practice at points during the season. The Bengals placed the franchise tag on their longtime standout, who is set to play the 2020 season on a $17.9MM salary.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • Already down rookie safety Grant Delpit for the season, the Browns will be without their other LSU cog in the secondary for an undetermined time frame. Greedy Williams is dealing with a shoulder injury, and new Browns HC Kevin Stefanski has yet to indicate that the first-string cornerback will be able to return soon, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Williams missed four games last season but started all 12 in which he played.
  • The Browns should be expected to explore an Earl Thomas addition, per Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson (on Twitter), but the team may not be a frontrunner. Cleveland lost Delpit but has offseason acquisitions Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo in the fold.
  • On the subject of Thomas, his subtraction from the Ravens secondary will indeed bump third-year safety DeShon Elliott into the starting lineup. John Harbaugh confirmed the former sixth-round pick will receive the first crack at replacing Thomas alongside Chuck Clark, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (subscription required). This will be an interesting promotion, with Elliott having only played in six games during his two-year career. Elliott landed on Baltimore’s IR in both 2018 and ’19, missing all of his rookie season and the latter portion of last season.
  • The quartet of kickers the Browns worked out last week does not represent an immediate threat to Austin Seibert‘s job. Instead, the team is forming an emergency list due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Of course, other teams can and have adjusted this list. The Patriots signed one of the kickers the Browns previously brought in, Nick Folk, earlier this week. The Browns also worked out Cody Parkey, Kai Forbath and Matthew McCrane.

Bengals CB Mackensie Alexander Arrested

August 26th, 2020 at 1:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mackensie Alexander left Bengals camp Tuesday in search of his father, whom Okeechobee County (Fla.) authorities reported missing. Shortly after arriving in Florida, the veteran cornerback was arrested on a battery charge Tuesday night, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Collier County (Fla.) authorities arrested Alexander, 26, on one count of battery. The arrest is in connection with the disappearance of Alexander’s father. Alexander is believed to have confronted the man who left his father after a Monday berry-picking trip in Okeechobee County, Pelissero tweets.

Alexander’s father, Jean Odney Alexandre, was reported missing Monday night. Okeechobee County authorities reported Alexandre, 65, had traveled with an unnamed man Monday but did not report the latter as missing.

The Bengals defender is on track to be released from jail soon, according to Pelissero (on Twitter), and is expected to rejoin the search of his missing father. Alexander is expected to plead not guilty to the battery charge, Ben Baby of ESPN.com tweets. This arrest may still trigger a suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Alexander signed a one-year, $4MM contract with the Bengals this offseason, coming to Cincinnati after four seasons in Minnesota.

Giants’ Xavier McKinney Suffers Broken Foot

August 26th, 2020 at 1:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Giants rookie safety Xavier McKinney fractured the fifth metatarsal on his left foot, per a club announcement. The second-round pick out of Alabama will undergo surgery on Wednesday afternoon and he’s likely to miss at least a couple months of action. 

McKinney was expected to be a contributor in the Giants’ secondary, serving as the understudy to Julian Love at free safety. Instead, he’ll likely start the year on injured reserve before, hopefully, rejoining the club down the stretch.

Like Landon Collins in 2016, the Giants used an early second-round pick to draft McKinney out of Alabama. The standout Crimson Tide safety was on the first-round radar, starting for the past two seasons and registering 95 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions in 2019. He represents a key long-term piece alongside contract-year safety Jabrill Peppers.

This represents another major blow to a Giants secondary already without 2019 first-round pick DeAndre Baker, who currently resides on the commissioner’s exempt list. The Giants ranked 31st in pass-defense DVOA last season and did not make a concerted effort to upgrade their edge rush. These setbacks will make it difficult for the team to excel in this department, even considering the team’s pricey James Bradberry addition.

Several experienced veteran safeties are on the market, though the Giants do not profile as the kind of team who would win an Earl Thomas pursuit at this juncture. In addition to the recently released All-Pro, Eric Reid, Tony Jefferson, Reshad Jones and Clayton Geathers are available. The Giants did not re-sign 36-year-old Antoine Bethea, who started 16 games for them last season.

The Giants also lost linebacker David Mayo, who will go under the knife following a meniscus tear in his left knee. Luckily, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Mayo will just need a meniscus trim rather than a full repair, so he should be able to return in about three weeks (Twitter link). The sixth-year defender started a career-high 13 games for the Giants last season, making 82 tackles.

Titans To Sign Jeremy McNichols

August 26th, 2020 at 11:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have agreed to sign running back Jeremy McNichols, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Even though McNichols is a late addition, he figures to get a real chance to make the cut as one of Derrick Henry‘s backups.

[RELATED: Titans Sign Siemian]

McNichols, 24, entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Bucs in 2017. He didn’t stay in Tampa for long and wound up touring a wide chunk of the NFL. In the last few years, McNichols has signed deals with the 49ers, Colts, Broncos, Titans, and Jaguars. The Jaguars wound up giving McNichols his first live action last year, but the Titans were impressed with the speedster’s work in the preseason.

The Titans have been keeping their eyes peeled for pickups throughout the month, including recent workouts with quarterbacks Trevor Siemian and DeShone Kizer. They’ve since inked Siemian to replace seventh-round rookie Cole McDonald on the depth chart behind Ryan Tannehill and Logan Woodside.

Patriots Activate Sony Michel From PUP

August 26th, 2020 at 10:25am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots officially activated running back Sony Michel from the PUP list on Wednesday. It’s a promising sign for Michel, who was previously considered questionable for the start of the season. 

Michel underwent foot surgery earlier this year, prompting the Pats to sign Lamar Miller as additional insurance. Michel has undergone surgery in each of the last three offseasons, including knee operations in 2018 and ’19. This was less-than-ideal for the 25-year-old, especially after a so-so season. Michel surpassed 900 rushing yards for the second straight year and led the team in rushing, but he averaged just 3.7 yards per tote, down from 4.5 per carry as a rookie.

Had Michel remained on the PUP list to start the year, he would have been shelved for the first six weeks of the season. Now, he’s set to lead the pack once again, with support from Miller, James White, Rex Burkhead and Damien Harris. Brandon Bolden, meanwhile, will spend 2020 away from the team after opting out.

Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy Doesn’t Want Earl Thomas?

August 26th, 2020 at 9:40am CST by Zachary Links

Jerry Jones is still on board, but Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is less-than-enthusiastic about the prospect of signing Earl Thomas, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears. McCarthy, who places a major emphasis on locker room culture, is concerned about the veteran safety’s fit in Dallas.

Thomas, a seven-time Pro Bowler, left his past two clubs on bad terms. As one league source told Werder, “Contact anyone you know with the Ravens or the Seahawks and ask if the positives outweigh the negatives.” In Seattle, Thomas literally left the team with an extended middle finger as he was carted off of the field. In Baltimore, Thomas failed to grasp the playbook in his first year and wore out his welcome last week when he got into an altercation with a teammate.

Still, the final decision ultimately lies with Jones, who has made no secret of his fondness for the safety. Thomas has reciprocated, on several occasions through multiple channels. Thomas might not be the prototypical team player, but his potential as a game-changer is undeniable. Thomas has spent the bulk of his career as one of the NFL’s very best safeties, resulting in 713 tackles and 30 interceptions over the course of his career.

For now, the Cowboys are set to start the season with new addition Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Xavier Woods, and Darian Thompson as the leaders of the group.

49ers DE Nick Bosa To Miss Time

August 25th, 2020 at 5:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries interrupted Nick Bosa‘s final Ohio State year and his first 49ers training camp. The 2019 defensive rookie of the year has run into another health hurdle in his second NFL camp.

The standout San Francisco defensive end underwent an MRI and will miss some time due to a muscle strain, according to the team. The 49ers have tabbed Bosa as week-to-week. It’s a lower-body issue, with Bosa experiencing leg pain this week.

Bosa missed the 2019 preseason because of a high ankle sprain. That came after a core muscle injury ended his junior season and Buckeyes career early. Considering his history, protecting the former No. 2 overall pick certainly makes sense.

Despite missing most of the 49ers’ 2019 camp, Bosa became one of the league’s best defensive players last season. He played in all 19 49er games and played perhaps the lead role in the team assembling the No. 2 DVOA defense.

The 49ers are also down Dee Ford for the time being. The seventh-year pass rusher is dealing with a calf malady, though the team has labeled its older defensive end as day-to-day. Unlike Bosa, Ford was not able to shake off his preseason injury issues last year. Ford either played hurt or missed time last season, with hamstring and knee issues limiting him to a part-time role. Ford underwent knee surgery this offseason.

NFC East Rumors: Rivera, Sanders, Cowboys

August 25th, 2020 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ron Rivera announced last week he is battling lymph node cancer. The new Washington HC will attempt to coach the team through his treatment process, though Jack Del Rio is in place as the emergency fill-in. Rivera will undergo a mixture of chemotherapy and proton therapy, and John Keim of ESPN.com notes the veteran coach’s treatment schedule will feature five per week over a seven-week period. Upon hiring Del Rio, Rivera prioritized having someone with head coaching experience on his staff — which he did not have in Carolina. Del Rio served as an acting head coach for part of the 2013 season, leading the Broncos while John Fox recovered from heart surgery.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Gerald McCoy‘s Cowboys tenure may not be over. Despite the organization taking advantage of the injury protection it included in the Pro Bowl defensive tackle’s contract, and releasing him months after he signed the three-year deal, McCoy would like to play for the Cowboys in 2021, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News tweets. The 10-year veteran indicated he will help the younger defensive linemen still on this year’s Cowboys roster, Ed Werder of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter). McCoy underwent successful quadriceps surgery last week, per Watkins.
  • A key component in the fantasy drafts taking place worldwide this week, Miles Sanders is currently not practicing with the Eagles. And the team has been vague as to why. Philadelphia’s starting running back is dealing with a “lower-body injury,” according to the team. However, the second-year back is expected to be ready to play by Week 1, Tim McManus of ESPN.com notes. Having lost Jordan Howard in free agency and seeing the Seahawks sign one of their UFA targets, Carlos Hyde, the Eagles are set to rely on Sanders more than they did last season. The Eagles were also interested in Devonta Freeman, and while the ex-Falcons Pro Bowler remains available, the team is going with Boston Scott and Corey Clement as its backup backs at this point.
  • Graham Gano‘s Giants deal is worth up to $2.5MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Giants guaranteed their new kicker $1MM. This is more money than the team gave Chandler Catanzaro, whose Giants stay lasted barely three weeks. Gano has 10 years’ experience, though he missed all of last season with a knee injury.
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