2020 November - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Claim Takk McKinley

November 18th, 2020 at 3:16pm CST by Zachary Links

3:16pm: This time, the 49ers’ claim went through. They landed McKinley through waivers Wednesday afternoon, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The 49ers have a Week 11 bye, which will allow the veteran defensive end to go through COVID-19 protocols and practice — provided he passes a physical — next week.

9:32am: The 49ers will take another shot at Takkarist McKinley, head coach Kyle Shanahan says (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports). The Niners were among the clubs who submitted waiver claims for the defensive end when he was first dropped by the Falcons.

On the first go ’round, the Bengals had the highest waiver priority of the bunch and snagged McKinley. His time in Cincinnati was short-lived – the Bengals released him after he failed his physical with the team. In addition to the Bengals, the 49ers, Browns, and Raiders also submitted claims — the 4-6 49ers have the highest priority of that group, so they should be poised to add him to the roster before the end of the business day.

Injuries have depleted the 49ers’ once-formidable defensive line. Without Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas for the rest of the year (and possibly Dee Ford), McKinley represents their best chance to salvage things and put the pressure on opposing QBs.

McKinley has 17.5 career sacks to his credit, though just one of those came in 2020 season. The UCLA product registered 13 sacks over his first two seasons. Since 2019, he’s logged just 4.5 in total. On the flipside, the first-round pick did notch seven QB hits in just 85 snaps this year.

Giants Fire OL Coach Marc Colombo

November 18th, 2020 at 2:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite the Giants winning two straight games and generating recent rushing production without Saquon Barkley, they will have a new offensive line coach when they return from their Week 11 bye.

The Giants fired first-year O-line coach Marc Colombo after a shouting match with Joe Judge. The incumbent O-line instructor did not react well to the team bringing in veteran assistant Dave DeGuglielmo to work alongside him (Twitter links via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan and NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo).

Colombo earned the gig this offseason, beating out DeGuglielmo and rejoining OC Jason Garrett. Colombo had previously served as the Cowboys’ O-line coach. DeGuglielmo, however, had worked with Judge in New England and was on Tom Coughlin‘s staff as assistant Giants offensive line coach from 2004-08. He will go through COVID-19 protocols before joining the Giants, who will retain assistant offensive line coach Ben Wilkerson, Duggan notes (subscription required).

This marks the second straight year DeGuglielmo will take over for an O-line coach fired months after accepting a position. The Dolphins added DeGuglelmo after firing ex-Giants line instructor Pat Flaherty in August 2019. DeGuglielmo worked with Judge with the Patriots from 2014-15, during Dante Scarnecchia‘s sabbatical.

Andrew Thomas ranks 65th among tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, and Football Outsiders slots the Giants last in adjusted line yards. A former Cowboys offensive lineman, Colombo joined Garrett’s staff in 2016 and rose to the position of offensive line coach two years later. The Cowboys promoted to Colombo during the 2018 season, upon firing Paul Alexander. Judge has recently allocated more of his time to working with the O-linemen, with Garafolo noting the first-year HC viewed that as a position group that needed his attention (video link).

Texans Won’t Hire Jack Easterby As GM

November 18th, 2020 at 1:38pm CST by Zachary Links

The Texans’ next GM remains TBD. But, no matter what, the title will not go to leading executive Jack Easterby (via Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle).

“Jack would be the first person to tell you he’s not a personnel guy,” Texans president Jamey Rootes said. “Jack will not be the General Manager of the Houston Texans. Jack realizes we need personnel expertise to put together the best football team. He doesn’t have enough time in the day. He’s working on sports science, working on nutrition. Spread the word. Jack has no intentions of being the General Manager.”

The Texans plan on naming their next GM in January. They’ll also be hiring a new head coach who, reportedly, will not be the same person as the GM. Bill O’Brien filled that dual role for the Texans up until his dismissal, and ownership would prefer to split the jobs. Romeo Crennel, the team’s 73-year-old interim head coach, may be considered for the “permanent” post, though the Texans have also been connected to Eric Bieniemy. The Chiefs’ offensive coordinator is a favorite of quarterback Deshaun Watson and his recommendation should carry some significant weight.

Panthers Rule Out Christian McCaffrey

November 18th, 2020 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have officially ruled out Christian McCaffrey for Sunday’s game against the Lions. This was the expected move as CMC continues to nurse an injured shoulder.

The good news is that McCaffrey’s season is not believed to be in jeopardy, though the Panthers will have to sort out the risk/reward of putting their franchise player on the field in the midst of a losing season. So far, he’s appeared in just three games in 2020 thanks to an ankle injury and his latest shoulder issue. Up until this season, McCaffrey had perfect attendance through his first three pro seasons.

In the seven games that McCaffrey has missed, Mike Davis has served as the Panthers’ lead back. That’ll be the plan once again when they face Detroit on Sunday. In CMC’s three games on the field, he’s totaled 59 carries for 225 yards and five rushing TDs, plus 17 catches for 149 yards and one receiving TD. Of course, this isn’t the encore that he had in mind. In 2019, McCaffrey managed 1,387 rushing yards off of 287 carries, giving him an average of 4.8 yards per tote. He also caught 116 passes for 1,005 yards through the air. All combined, he notched 19 touchdowns en route to a record-breaking four-year, $64MM extension.

Saints’ Drew Brees To Miss At Least 2 Games

November 18th, 2020 at 10:21am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints will be without Drew Brees for at least a little while longer. The latest round of tests on the quarterback more or less matched the previous one, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). With cracked ribs on both sides and a punctured lung, Brees will be out for the next two weeks at the minimum. After that, the Saints’ medical staff will closely monitor Brees’ condition to assess whether he can return to the field.

With Brees sidelined, Jameis Winston is expected to start for the Saints with his first assignment coming on Sunday against the Falcons.Winston filled in for Brees after his early exit against the 49ers, completing six of ten passes for 63 yards in the second half. This is a massive opportunity for Winston to reassert himself before free agency, even if his starting gig only lasts for a couple of weeks. The former first overall pick signed a one-year deal with the Saints back in April. Meanwhile, Brees is looking ahead to his broadcasting future, which means that Winston could be auditioning for the long-term position.

Given Brees’ impressive track record of playing through the pain — and the presence of Taysom Hill — many questioned the wisdom of Winston’s offseason decision. Now, he’ll have an opportunity to show what he can do at the helm of one of the NFL’s best teams.

Cardinals’ Corey Peters Done For Year

November 18th, 2020 at 9:00am CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals defensive tackle Corey Peters will miss the rest of the year, per a club announcement. Peters has started nearly every game for the Cardinals over the past five years. Now, he’ll focus on 2021 as he rehabs from a torn patellar tendon.

Recuperating from a knee injury is never easy, but it might be especially challenging for Peters at the age of 32. Also, on a personal level, the timing is less than ideal. The veteran is in the final season of his three-year, $12MM deal with the Cardinals and he won’t be negotiating from a position of strength as he seeks his next contract.

Peters, who will turn 33 over the summer, has started 121 games over the course of his ten-year career. The first half of his NFL journey was spent with the Falcons where he enjoyed some solid seasons, including a 2013 season in which he notched five sacks from the interior. A team captain, Peters has been a rock against the run for Arizona ever since joining the team in 2016.

The Cardinals — sans Peters — will take on the Seahawks in Seattle this week.

Rams Player Tests Positive For COVID-19

November 18th, 2020 at 8:52am CST by Zachary Links

One Rams player has tested positive for COVID-19, per a club announcement. In accordance with league guidelines, the player has entered self-quarantine. The Rams say that the player is in quarantine “out of an abundance of caution” — a possible indication that he is asymptomatic or only mildly symptomatic. Meanwhile, the Rams will conduct all Wednesday activities virtually.

The Rams are slated for a huge Monday Night Football matchup against the Bucs this week. Barring an outbreak of more positive tests, that game will still go on as scheduled. The Seahawks — the Rams’ last opponent — will be keeping a watchful eye on test results. To date, they are the only NFL team that has not reported a positive COVID-19 test since the start of the regular season.

On Tuesday, the Washington Football Team and the Giants both announced COVID-19 positives. Kicker Graham Gano is the Giants’ COVID-19 positive player; the Washington positive is unknown.

Chiefs To Sign DeAndre Baker To Practice Squad

November 18th, 2020 at 8:45am CST by Zachary Links

DeAndre Baker is back in the NFL. The Chiefs are set to sign the former first-round cornerback to their practice squad, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Earlier this week, the Broward County State Attorney’s Office dropped the armed robbery charges against Baker. He was away from football for much of 2020 and gearing up for a court battle, but he’s now in the clear, legally speaking. The NFL could still discipline Baker after an investigation from the league office. For now, he’s free to join the Chiefs’ reserve squad.

Garafolo hears that it won’t be long before Baker makes his way to the active roster, provided that everything checks out. That’s no surprise, considering Baker’s first-round pedigree. A standout at Georgia, Baker was widely regarded as the top cornerback in the class. The 5-foot-11 athlete turned in a standout 2018 season with the Bulldogs, compiling 40 tackles, two sacks, nine passes defended, and two picks.

Baker was expected to be a key part of the Giants’ secondary right off the bat. Instead, he clashed with coaches and wound up benched midway through his first pro season. Still, the talent is there, and there’s little risk for the Chiefs as they take a flyer on him.

Patriots Host DT Akeem Spence

November 17th, 2020 at 7:54pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots had a number of players in for workouts and/or visits today, including veteran defensive tackle Akeem Spence, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).

The 2013 fourth-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with the Buccaneers, where he compiled 195 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and four fumble recoveries in 56 games (30 starts). He’s bounced around the league a bit since, including a 2018 campaign where he had two sacks in 16 starts for the Dolphins.

The 28-year-old started the 2019 campaign with the Eagles, but he was released after compiling only seven tackles in six games. He signed with the Jaguars soon after, and he compiled 11 tackles in nine games with Jacksonville. Spence worked out for the Bills back in August, but it’s otherwise been quiet for the veteran.

The Patriots also auditioned offensive linemen Zack Bailey, Sam Jones, Timon Parris, Ross Reynolds, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Jones has the most NFL experience, having appeared in five games for the Broncos in 2018. The 24-year-old started the 2020 campaign with the Cardinals.

Injury Notes: Stafford, Bridgewater, Bears

November 17th, 2020 at 6:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Matthew Stafford is dealing with a hand injury, but there’s hope the ailment won’t sideline the veteran. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the Lions quarterback suffered a “partial tear in a ligament in the thumb on his throwing hand.”

The team will evaluate Stafford’s ability to throw the ball throughout the week, but it’s expected that Stafford will ultimately be in uniform on Sunday against the Panthers.

2019 aside, Stafford has been remarkably durable throughout his NFL career. Prior to his season-ending injury last season, Stafford had appeared in 136 consecutive regular season contests, the sixth-longest mark in NFL history. The 32-year-old has had a solid comeback season for the 4-5-0 Lions, completing 63.7-percent of his passes for 2,403 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

If Stafford were to miss any time, the Lions would likely turn to backups Chase Daniel or David Blough.

Let’s check out some more injury notes from around the league…

Speaking of Lions/Panthers, Teddy Bridgewater‘s MCL sprain “is consider minor,” according to Pelissero (via Twitter). The Panthers quarterback is expected to practice on a limited basis at tomorrow’s practice, and as the reporter notes, head coach Matt Rhule had previously expressed optimism that Bridgewater will play against the Lions. Bridgewater suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of his team’s loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Despite being carted off the field yesterday, Bears quarterback Nick Foles could be available following his team’s bye. While the veteran is dealing with both hip and glute injuries, coach Matt Nagy said Foles should be alright. “It wasn’t as bad as we once thought,” Nagy said (via Gene Chamberlain of the Associated Press). “He’ll be working through that here as we go, keeping an eye on that, kind of day to day.”
While Foles could play against the Packers in two weeks, Nagy wasn’t so confident that backup Mitch Trubisky will be in uniform. “I think there’s a possibility, but I don’t know that for sure,” Nagy said. “I think it’s going to be day by day. I don’t know if he knows that. So we’ll just keep an eye on that.” The former second-overall pick has seen only one snap since Week 3.