2020 November - Pro Football Rumors

Jaguars’ Gardner Minshew To Miss Time?

November 1st, 2020 at 12:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Nov. 1: Minshew is expected to be inactive for next week’s game against Houston, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Glennon and sixth-round rookie Jake Luton will battle for the starting job in practice, and while Glennon obviously offers far more experience than Luton, coaches have been impressed with the young Oregon State signal-caller. With Jacksonville sitting at 1-6, it would not be surprising to see Luton get the nod.

Oct. 29: Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew has been diagnosed with multiple fractures in his right thumb, plus a strained ligament (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). With that, his availability is in question for the Jags’ next game against the Texans after the bye week.

Minshew has been in pain since Oct. 11, when he suffered the injury in the team’s last meeting with the Texans. Jaguars staffers only just found out about Minshew’s injury this week, which means they may prompt them to start backup Mike Glennon in Week 9.

The injury would help to explain his recent performance. Against the Chargers, Minshew completed just over half of his passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He was also sacked multiple times early on, which didn’t help matters either.

Last year, Minshew went 6-6 as the Jaguars’ starter while setting franchise records in yards (3,271) and touchdowns (21) for rookie QBs. This year, he’s gone 1-6 with 1,855 yards and 13 touchdowns against five interceptions.

In other Jaguars injury news, return specialist Dede Westbrook has been ruled out for the rest of the year with a torn ACL. Fortunately, Minshew’s injury is far less severe.

Patriots Notes: Gilmore, Newton, Edelman

November 1st, 2020 at 11:41am CST by Rory Parks

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is usually tight-lipped when it comes to, well, just about everything, but he was quite candid in discussing his team’s struggles this season. The 2-4 Pats are in the midst of their first three-game losing streak since 2002, and Belichick suggested that one of his club’s goals in 2020 was to get right with the salary cap after years of heavy investments.

“This is kind of the year that we’ve taken to, I would say, adjust our cap from the spending that we’ve had in accumulation of prior years,” Belichick said (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com). “We just haven’t been able to have the kind of depth on our roster that we’ve had in some other years.”

In addition to their league-leading eight COVID-19 opt-outs, the Pats are carrying about $26MM of dead cap charges this season, and as Reiss indicated back in March, the club’s financial picture in 2021 is much brighter. New England may be taking its lumps in 2020, but it is still lurking in the AFC East and is eyeing a major rebound next year.

Now for more out of Foxborough:

Stephon Gilmore‘s name has come up in trade rumors, but Reiss says the Pats are not actively shopping their star corner, which is consistent with what we heard several days ago. However, the ESPN scribe suggests that Belichick could be willing to listen if a rival club were to offer a first- or second-round draft choice. Assuming that does not happen, then Gilmore is likely to finish out the season with New England. The two sides would need to address his contract situation at that point, as Gilmore is under club control through 2021 and will be seeking a healthy extension.
As of this writing, the Patriots have not done much to suggest that they will be sellers at this week’s trade deadline, but if they fall to the division-rival Bills today, that could change, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirms.
QB Cam Newton was benched in a blowout loss to the 49ers last week, and though the time he missed due to COVID-19 certainly could explain his recent struggles, the Pats are still alarmed by the number of mistakes he’s making, per Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (video link). While Newton’s job is not in imminent danger, he could lose the starting gig if he does not turn it around soon.
New England’s WR depth chart, which is already quite thin, took another hit when Julian Edelman was placed on IR with a knee injury. Belichick said he expects the veteran pass catcher to be back this season, but several people close to Edelman have their doubts, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Edelman’s knee has been bothering him for awhile, and although his recent surgery helped alleviate some discomfort, the knee is still bone-on-bone. The Pats could save $4MM against the cap by moving on from the 34-year-old at season’s end, and one wonders if he might have played his last game for New England.
In an effort to bolster their WR group, the Pats plan to have veteran wideout Donte Moncrief come in for a workout, per Reiss (via Twitter). The former third-rounder has generally struggled to live up to expectations in his career, and he was recently released off the Jets’ practice squad. Given Gang Green’s own receiver issues, that’s not a good sign, but Moncrief is only 27 and still possesses plenty of physical tools.
In addition to Moncrief, the Pats are also bringing in fellow WR Darius Jennings and DT Ryan Glasgow, according to Reiss. Albert Breer of SI.com says the team recently hosted FB Roosevelt Nix (Twitter link).

Vikings Will Not Trade WR Adam Thielen

November 1st, 2020 at 10:36am CST by Rory Parks

There are a number of teams that would like to add a wide receiver in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, and Vikings wideout Adam Thielen would probably pique the interest of all of those clubs. However, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports, Minnesota has no intention of dealing its 30-year-old receiver (Twitter link).

The Vikes are 1-5 and have already sold off one major asset by trading Yannick Ngakoue. They are also willing to deal safety Anthony Harris. However, both Ngakoue and Harris are set to hit free agency at the end of the season, while Thielen is under club control through 2024.

And while Minnesota looks dead in the water this year, there is still enough talent on the roster — including Thielen — to suggest that a rebound in 2021 could be in the cards. If the club plans to retool rather than rebuild, having Thielen in the fold would go a long way towards a return to contention next year.

Thielen and the Vikings agreed to a lucrative four-year extension in April 2019, and though injuries limited him to 10 games last season, he is on track for about 85 catches and over 1,100 receiving yards in 2020. That would be a little off the pace he set in his 2017-18 Pro Bowl campaigns, but those are still respectable numbers, and his 13.0 yards-per-reception average is right in line with his best seasons. He is also currently leading the league with seven TD catches this year.

There’s always a chance the Vikings could be blown away by an offer, especially since Thielen’s salaries throughout his contract are fairly manageable and since it would be easy enough for a team to get out of that contract at any point after the 2020 season is over. It just doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen, and WR-needy teams like the Browns, Ravens, Patriots, and Packers, among others, will need to turn their attention elsewhere (not that Minnesota would ever trade Thielen to Green Bay anyway).

Ryan Kerrigan Has Requested Trade

November 1st, 2020 at 10:08am CST by Rory Parks

Washington edge defender Ryan Kerrigan has requested a trade, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes. However, WFT has said that it will not deal its 32-year-old stalwart.

Of course, that could just be a negotiating ploy. Although the 2-5 Washington outfit is somehow in second place in the NFC East, it hardly profiles as a championship contender, and Kerrigan is on the last year of his current contract. Plus, his playing time has gone down considerably, as he has appeared in just 36% of the club’s defensive snaps this season.

As John Keim of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter), Kerrigan requested the trade some time ago (though he did say back in June that he would like to finish his career in Washington). The bigger issue is that teams just might not be all that interested in Kerrigan. Keim indicated that rival clubs have not been calling WFT about the 2011 first-rounder.

Kerrigan is Washington’s all-time leader in sacks with 94, including four this season. And Pro Football Focus still considers him an above-average pass rusher, giving him a 69.6 rating in that metric, good for 32nd among the league’s qualified edge defenders. It seems that a team in need of a boost to its pass rushing rotation could certainly use Kerrigan, but for now, it looks like he’ll stay put.

As we heard last week, however, the less-accomplished (but considerably younger) Ryan Anderson could be on the move.

NFL Suspends K Aldrick Rosas

November 1st, 2020 at 9:48am CST by Rory Parks

Free agent kicker Aldrick Rosas has been suspended for four games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter).

Rosas, then a member of the Giants, was arrested in June following a hit-and-run incident. Per the police report, Rosas was driving erratically before he blew through a red light and smashed into the side of a pickup truck. Then, cops say he continued driving, stopped only when his SUV broke down, and took off running. Initial reports suggested the 25-year-old may have been intoxicated.

The Giants cut Rosas in July, and he signed with the Jaguars’ practice squad late last month. He was promoted for Jacksonville’s Week 4 loss to the Bengals, a game in which he converted four of five field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder. He also sank his only PAT. However, he was injured in that contest and moved to the Jags’ practice squad injury list. Per ESPN.com, Jacksonville released him on October 30.

Luckily for Rosas, he will not receive any jail time for the June incident. As Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post wrote shortly before the Jags signed the Southern Oregon product, Rosas pleaded no contest to reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving without a valid license. He did receive three years of probation as part of the plea deal.

Assuming he is healthy, he could be on the shortlist for teams in need of kicking help after his suspension is up.

Has Odell Beckham Played His Last Game For The Browns?

November 1st, 2020 at 9:17am CST by Rory Parks

The Browns have lost wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for the season thanks to a torn ACL, and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network says there is a “very real possibility” that OBJ has played his last game for Cleveland (video link).

Of course, this is not the first time we have heard reports that Beckham’s days with the Browns could be numbered. Towards the end of his disappointing first season in Cleveland in 2019, it was reported that Beckham wanted out and that he had approached opposing players and coaches before (and even during) games and told them, “come get me.” His name cropped up in trade speculation again in the spring, but team sources refuted the notion that OBJ could be on the move, just as they did a few months later.

It would be a stretch to suggest that the Browns are a better team without Beckham, who is a premium talent. But it’s also true that QB Baker Mayfield performed well as a rookie in 2018 without Beckham, struggled in 2019 with him, and was terrific in a win over the Bengals last week after Beckham left the game due to injury. There are a whole host of explanations that have nothing to do with Beckham, but as Rapoport observes, OBJ has never really embraced Cleveland and has never developed a rapport with Mayfield, who often looks as though he is trying to force-feed the ball to his star wideout.

Beckham cannot really be traded until the spring or summer of 2021. $12MM of his 2021 salary will become fully guaranteed in March, before he will be recovered from his ACL injury. After that, though, all of his guarantees will have been paid out, and the rest of his contract looks quite palatable for an interested team (Beckham is due to earn $14.5MM in 2021 and $13.75MM in 2022 and 2023, with $1MM roster bonuses and $250K workout bonuses each season).

So depending on how the rest of the year goes for the Browns — who are sitting at 5-2 and have a very favorable schedule the rest of the way — OBJ may find himself on his third team before the 2021 season begins.

Trade Rumors: Thomas, Njoku, Watt, Jets

November 1st, 2020 at 8:50am CST by Rory Parks

Saints head coach Sean Payton has said his team has no interest in trading star receiver Michael Thomas, though Thomas’ camp was recently said to be looking for potential deals. There has been no movement towards a Thomas trade, and whether that’s because New Orleans has no interest in dealing him or because the club has not received an offer it likes, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Thomas will stay put.

With the trade deadline two days away, let’s round up a few more rumors on players who could be on the move:

The Browns don’t want to trade tight end David Njoku, but Njoku has renewed his request to be dealt, and Rapoport says Cleveland has been fielding calls on the former first-rounder. It may take at least a fourth-round pick to get a deal done, but with Austin Hooper set to return and with the emergence of rookie Harrison Bryant, the Browns may elect to move Njoku.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that the Texans are at the center of the trade market, with one executive saying Houston could move as many as five players if it wants to. Rapoport expects the Packers‘ interest in Will Fuller — which dates back to the summer — to ramp up, but it will likely take a high pick to convince the Texans to move Fuller. Fellow WR Kenny Stills has also drawn some interest, though rival clubs see the contracts for Stills and Randall Cobb as prohibitive. DE J.J. Watt may be receptive to a trade, but considering his contract and age, other teams probably don’t value him like the Texans do.
The Jets have received calls on LB Avery Williamson, OTs George Fant and Chuma Edoga, and CB Quincy Wilson, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says the Steelers — who recently lost Devin Bush for the season — could be in the market for Williamson, and Edoga also seems like a good bet to be dealt since he does not look like a fit with the current regime.
La Canfora says teams have also called the Jets about WR Breshad Perriman and TE Chris Herndon, though Breer notes that safety Marcus Maye has not drawn much interest.
Rapoport names Dolphins RB Jordan Howard and Seahawks TE Jacob Hollister as two other players who could be moved. And though the Bengals are shopping disgruntled wideout John Ross, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com says there hasn’t been interest in Ross (Twitter link).

Saints To Place Emmanuel Sanders On Reserve/COVID-19 List

November 1st, 2020 at 8:00am CST by Sam Robinson

Nov. 1: Although Sanders will miss the Saints’ game against the Bears today, he is recovering and is expected to rejoin his club for its critical divisional matchup with the Bucs on November 8 (Twitter link via Schefter).

Oct. 23: The Saints’ wide receiver issues have continued into Week 7. They are placing Emmanuel Sanders on their reserve/COVID-19 list, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

This will sideline Sanders for New Orleans’ Week 7 game against Carolina. With Michael Thomas encountering a hamstring issue this week, the Saints will be without their top two wideouts. They declared Thomas out with the hamstring malady. This will be his fifth straight absence.

Players who land on the reserve/COVID-19 list must isolate for at least five days. This will put New Orleans in an unusual position. Coming into this season, Thomas had missed just one game since arriving in 2016. His latest issue will result in the Saints’ receiving corps being unusually shorthanded.

The Saints gave Sanders a two-year, $16MM deal to fill their years-long need for a proven No. 2 wide receiver. Tre’Quan Smith will now slide up to the No. 1 spot.

Thomas practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday but did not participate Thursday or Friday. He missed Weeks 2-4 because of an ankle injury and was down in Week 5 because of a team-imposed suspension. Sanders helped fill Thomas’ role, despite a slow start. He has 18 receptions for 215 yards in the past two games.