HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Broncos To Sign Timmy Jernigan

September 30th, 2020 at 10:11am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos are set to sign veteran defensive lineman Timmy Jernigan, as Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The deal marks a quick turnaround for Jernigan, who was released by the Jaguars earlier this week.

Jernigan made his name as a hard-nosed run-stuffer with the Ravens, before a 2017 trade that sent him to the Ravens. In his first Philly season, Jernigan started 15 games and helped the Eagles on the way to their Super Bowl LII victory. The Birds moved quickly to ink Jernigan to a four-year, $48MM extension, but things didn’t work out as planned.

Back surgery in 2018 limited Jernigan to just three games. After the season, the Eagles 86’d his deal and signed him to a cheaper one-year pact for 2019. He started nine games last season, playing 306 snaps and rating as a middle-of-the-pack interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. After a so-so season, he moved on to the Texans in the spring, only to see them back out in June. That led him to the Jaguars, which ultimately amounted to a cup of coffee.

Now, Jernigan will backstop a Broncos’ defensive line that has been battered by injuries. His first action could come tomorrow night, when the Broncos take on the Jets in a battle of winless teams.

Eagles Place Jalen Reagor On IR

September 30th, 2020 at 10:02am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have placed Jalen Reagor on the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. The wide receiver will use the time to heal up following surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb.

[RELATED: Eagles Place Dallas Goedert On IR]

Reagor played through the pain in Week 2, but it wasn’t a sustainable situation. Based on the projections from earlier this month, Reagor is likely to miss at least another month as he recovers. Reportedly, the Eagles are planning to bring Reagor back sometime after the Week 9 bye, which could mean that he’ll re-debut on Oct. 22 when the Eagles face the Giants at MetLife Stadium.

Already down Alshon Jeffery coming into the season, Philadelphia has also lost several starting offensive linemen in Brandon Brooks, Andre Dillard and Isaac Seumalo. Jeffery is still working his way back, and the Eagles are 0-2-1 heading into Week 4. Next up – a Sunday night showdown with the 49ers, in San Francisco.

The first-round speedster out of TCU caught five passes for 96 yards in the first two games of the season. Without him, they’ll need DeSean Jackson and the rest of the WR group to deliver — and better play from Carson Wentz.

Latest On Texans, Earl Thomas

September 29th, 2020 at 6:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Some conflicting accounts emerged Tuesday after the cancellation of Earl Thomas‘ Texans workout. The All-Pro safety’s agents indicate Bill O’Brien informed them that the NFL informed him to nix Thomas’ workout because of COVID-19 concerns, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Thomas’ Houston audition was scheduled for Tuesday, but the Texans reportedly sent him home. The Texans are somewhat connected to the Titans-Vikings coronavirus situation, in being scheduled to host the Vikes on Sunday. However, the Texans worked out four other players Tuesday, Howard Balzer of SI.com tweets.

Another report points to the Texans souring on Thomas. The Texans were previously reported to be the likely destination for the former Seahawks and Ravens defender, but the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain notes that internal team discussions determined Thomas would not be a good fit (Twitter link).

The Ravens released Thomas in August after a practice skirmish with fellow Baltimore safety Chuck Clark. Ravens veterans supported the move. Other teams — most notably the Cowboys — have been connected to Thomas, but the Texans visit marked the most newsworthy development since the 31-year-old safety became a free agent. Interestingly, an August report categorized the Texans as a non-suitor as well.

While the Texans door may not be fully closed, the 10-year veteran remains unattached as October looms. Houston has used third-year starter Justin Reid and March free agency addition Eric Murray as its first-string safeties this season.

Latest On Titans-Vikings COVID-19 Situation

September 29th, 2020 at 5:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans and Vikings‘ football activities are on hold for the time being due to a Titans coronavirus outbreak. Here is the latest from perhaps the NFL’s defining September story:

  • The NFL is keeping open the possibility of moving the Steelers-Titans game to Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The league wants to keep the Tennessee home game scheduled for Sunday but views Monday as a contingency plan that would allow more time for testing and contract tracing.
  • Some of the players involved in the outbreak have surfaced. The Titans have placed defensive lineman DaQuan Jones, long snapper Beau Brinkley and practice squad tight end Tommy Hudson on the reserve/COVID-19 list, ESPN.com’s Field Yates and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero report (Twitter links). Three Titans players have tested positive for the virus, though it is not known if these are the three. Eight Titans players and staffers combined are believed to have tested positive. The five non-players who tested positive were all football-side staffers, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. This includes outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen, who received word of his positive test Saturday.
  • While the Titans are closing their facility doors until Saturday, the Vikings will not practice until at least Thursday, Breer tweets. The NFL has suspended in-person activities for both teams until further notice. The Vikings are set to play the Texans on Sunday in Houston. Both Minnesota and Tennessee’s games are scheduled for noon CT.
  • Family members of Titans and Vikings players and staffers will be tested as well, the league announced. No players and staffers were tested on Sunday, with the COVID-19 protocols stipulating tests occur daily but not on game days.
  • Referee Clete Blakeman’s crew, which worked Sunday’s Titans-Vikings game, will not work a Week 4 contest, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The crew will undergo daily testing this week.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/29/20

September 29th, 2020 at 5:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the Tuesday practice squad decisions:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: DL Joe Graziano

New Orleans Saints

Tennessee Titans

Giants Add Alfred Morris To Practice Squad

September 29th, 2020 at 5:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Alfred Morris has resurfaced on the NFL radar. The eight-year veteran running back agreed to join the Giants’ practice squad, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.

The Giants added Morris and quarterback Clayton Thorson to its taxi squad. Morris has been out of the NFL since the Cardinals released him in November 2019. To make room on their 16-man P-squad, the Giants cut running back Rod Smith and quarterback Cooper Rush.

This will bring a former Jason Garrett charge to New York. The Giants OC coached the former Pro Bowler in two seasons in Dallas. Morris served as Ezekiel Elliott‘s backup/suspension fill-in from 2016-17 but is certainly best known for his time in Washington.

Morris, now 31, strung together three straight 1,000-yard seasons with Washington and made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and ’14. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry with the 2017 Cowboys and gained 428 yards as a 49er in 2018. He played in one Cardinals game.

The Giants are down Saquon Barkley for the season, leaving them with Wayne Gallman, offseason addition Dion Lewis and recent signing Devonta Freeman. They rank last in the NFL in rushing, having gained just 170 yards (3.2 per carry) in three games.

Thorson spent time on the Cowboys’ practice squad in Garrett’s final season, playing behind Rush — who resided on Dallas’ active roster. The Giants brought Smith back earlier this month.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/29/20

September 29th, 2020 at 5:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed off Cowboys’ practice squad: DT Ron’Dell Carter
  • Released from IR: RB Bruce Anderson

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed off Buccaneers’ practice squad: TE Daniel Helm

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

NFL Workout Updates: 9/29/20

September 29th, 2020 at 4:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are some of the key developments from the NFL’s workout circuit as of Tuesday:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Football Team

Colts To Host S Tony Jefferson On Visit

September 29th, 2020 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tony Jefferson will have a chance to show he is ready to return to NFL action. The veteran safety is headed to Indianapolis for a Colts visit, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets.

The former Cardinals and Ravens defender suffered a torn ACL nearly a year ago. Although he was not ready to pass a physical during training camp, it appears he is close to being ready for workouts. Should Jefferson be healthy, he should not have trouble landing a gig soon. No Colts workout is scheduled, however, per Anderson, who adds (via Twitter) Jefferson’s visit is set for Friday.

Jefferson, 28, was a full-time starter during his Cardinals contract year and in each of his three Ravens seasons. The Ravens released him earlier this year but continue to hold him in high regard.

The Colts have run into injury trouble at Jefferson’s position. Fourth-year starter Malik Hooker‘s season-ending injury thinned out Indianapolis’ safety corps, though the team drafted Julian Blackmon in Round 3 this year. The Colts have 2019 fourth-round pick Khari Willis as a starter and signed fifth-year safety Tavon Wilson in August. Blackmon and Willis started the Colts’ Week 3 game on Sunday.

West Notes: Cards, Hawks, Raiders, Lindsay

September 29th, 2020 at 3:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals‘ defensive resurgence will be tested this week. Budda Baker is dealing with a torn thumb UCL, and Kliff Kingsbury expects the high-priced safety to undergo surgery soon, Howard Balzer of SI.com notes. Baker is expected to miss at least Sunday’s game against the Panthers, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, but given that this injury sidelined Drew Brees five weeks and will shelve Jalen Reagor longer, a multiweek absence would not be surprising. Baker confirmed surgery is in the cards (Twitter link). The fourth-year safety, however, played all but one of the Cards’ defensive snaps against the Lions — despite having sustained this injury previously.

An interesting name has surfaced as a possible replacement. The Cardinals brought in T.J. Ward for a workout, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Ward interestingly played three seasons with the Broncos, serving as one of the anchors for Denver’s No Fly Zone Super Bowl-winning secondary, but did not make their 53-man roster in Vance Joseph‘s first year as the team’s head coach. The then-Joseph-led Broncos cut the veteran safety in 2017, leading Ward to the Buccaneers. Joseph is now the Cardinals’ DC. Ward, 33, has not played since the 2017 season.

Here is the latest from the West divisions:

  • Pete Carroll said during a radio interview Chris Carson has a Grade 1 knee sprain, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter) the Seahawks‘ starting running back is in line to miss one or two games. A questionable tackle from Cowboys defensive lineman Trysten Hill, which included a post-play twist of Carson’s leg, led to the injury. Carson has dealt with injuries during his time as Seattle’s starter — including a broken leg in 2017 and a season-ending hip malady last year — but has only missed three games over the past two seasons. The Seahawks have Rashaad Penny on their PUP list, leaving free agent addition Carlos Hyde as the next man up.
  • Seahawks first-round rookie Jordyn Brooks suffered a knee injury as well, but he did not suffer ACL damage and should return this season. Brooks is recovering from an MCL sprain, per Rapoport (on Twitter). The first-year linebacker will likely miss a game or two.
  • Raiders first-round cornerback Damon Arnette is visiting a thumb specialist Tuesday, and Rapoport notes he could miss up to six weeks (Twitter link). This was an aggravation of a previous injury, with Arnette having broken his thumb prior to the regular season’s outset. Arnette fell awkwardly on the injured thumb during Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
  • Second-year Raiders safety Johnathan Abram played through an AC joint sprain Sunday, but questions about the injury persist. Abram collided with a TV cart during the Raiders’ Week 2 win over the Saints, and the NFL has engaged in discussions with ESPN about where the network’s carts can be during games, per Pelissero and Rapoport. The cart was closer to the field because of the COVID-19 pandemic restricting cheerleaders, photographers and other personnel from the sideline. Abram missed almost all of last season following an injury during the Raiders’ Week 1 game on a Monday night.
  • The Broncos are now down five of their six Pro Bowlers, after Jurrell Casey‘s season-ending biceps tear. But that number of injured standouts could be reduced to four soon. Phillip Lindsay returned to practice last week and may be on track to face the Jets on Thursday, Mike Klis of 9News notes. Lindsay has been battling turf toe since suffering the injury during Denver’s opener.
  • The stomach pains that caused Chiefs guard Andrew Wylie to be transported to the hospital prior to Monday night’s Chiefs-Ravens game are believed to have stemmed from appendicitis and not a COVID-related concern, Pelissero tweets.
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