HEADLINES

Month: January 2025

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/16/20

December 16th, 2020 at 5:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

  • Placed on IR: S Saquan Hamilton

Philadelphia Eagles

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/16/20

December 16th, 2020 at 5:08pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of the latest practice squad moves here:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

  • Signed: LS Anthony Kukwa

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars:

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Latest On NFL’s 17-Game Season Plan

December 16th, 2020 at 3:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

The new CBA gives the NFL leeway to expand to a 17-game season as soon as 2021. Given the COVID-19 pandemic’s affect on revenue this season, it would seem owners would move to institute the expanded schedule as soon as possible. While that is not certain yet, some clarity is emerging on how the new schedule would be structured.

The league approved a new scheduling formula Wednesday, Roger Goodell said. A fifth interconference game will appear on teams’ schedules, whenever the NFL greenlights the 17-game slate.

Wednesday’s agreement will lead to schedules’ extra game being AFC-NFC matchups pitting teams with corresponding divisional finishes from the previous year against one another, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets. A first-place team from the AFC would meet an additional first-place NFC squad and so on. The NFL has confirmed each team’s schedule will include a fifth interconference game, whenever the 17-game season becomes a reality, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The AFC and NFC will alternate hosting these extra games, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.

This may mean a four-year cycle similar to the league’s current AFC-NFC format. Schedules mandate teams face all four teams from at least one out-of-conference division, with that rotating each year, but the Super Bowl is the only other interconference matchup that occurs annually. This has led to certain marquee showdowns — be it games featuring Aaron Rodgers facing Tom Brady (for most of their careers) or Patrick Mahomes against Russell Wilson — occurring only once every four seasons. Schedules including games against multiple out-of-conference divisions would open the door to more key matchups being on dockets.

This year, the NFL schedule will feature two additional playoff games. While no votes were taken at today’s owners meetings regarding a 2021 move to the 17-game schedule, the decision on the new formula points to it becoming a reality soon. Indeed, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports hears that a vote will happen in the coming weeks and that the measure will easily pass. The NFL must renegotiate its ESPN TV contract before the end of next year, and its deals with the other networks expire in 2022. A plan for the 17th game emerging will provide more clarity in these negotiations.

Not everyone is convinced that the extra game will become a reality next season. The NFL is “far less certain” to implement its 17-game schedule than it was before the pandemic, according to Sports Business Daily’s Ben Fischer (Twitter link), who says that an expansion to 17 games would have been a certainty before the pandemic hit. However, the NFL losing upwards of nine figures due to the pandemic, which is expected to lead to a reduced salary cap in 2021, certainly points to the owners figuring out a way to expand the schedule as soon as possible.

Louis Riddick Interviewing For Texans GM Job; Jaguars Interested

December 16th, 2020 at 3:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Monday Night Football booth may see more turnover. Three of the teams that fired their GMs this season are interested in Louis Riddick, a former NFL front office executive-turned-TV analyst.

Ahead of his meeting with the Lions, Riddick is interviewing with the Texans, Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com report (on Twitter). The Texans are interviewing Riddick on Wednesday, while the Lions are scheduled to do so Friday.

The Jaguars have also expressed interest, Schefter adds (on Twitter), but have yet to schedule a meeting. The Jags fired Dave Caldwell a day after the Lions axed Bob Quinn. Both teams appear set to construct rebuilds, and one of the projects could mean ESPN again changing up its Monday-night booth.

A former NFL defensive back, Riddick worked as the Eagles’ director of player personnel from 2010-13. He spent nine years with Philadelphia. Before that, he broke into the scouting world with Washington from 2001-04. Riddick has been with ESPN for several years and joined Brian Griese and Steve Levy in the network’s latest reprise of its Monday Night Football team this season.

The Texans are using a search firm headlined by ex-coaches-turned-analysts Tony Dungy and Jimmy Johnson. They are moving on from a tumultuous GM period, with coach-GM Bill O’Brien making several splashy and scrutinized moves during his year and change in power. The Texans and 12-year GM Rick Smith parted ways after the 2017 season, and Houston employed Brian Gaine for barely a year before giving O’Brien personnel power. As a result, the Texans do not have a bevy of cornerstone players under contract beyond Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt. The latter may well be traded next year.

Jacksonville shifted front office structures during Caldwell’s tenure, using Tom Coughlin as its top decision-maker from 2017-19, but kept the former employed for nearly eight seasons. During that time, seven double-digit loss campaigns sandwiched the Jags’ outlier 2017 AFC championship game run. The next Jags GM is projected to inherit the NFL’s most cap space in 2021, and he will have two first-round picks — the first of those likely coming at No. 1 or No. 2 overall — to use to construct a rebuild.

Jaguars Move C Brandon Linder To IR

December 16th, 2020 at 3:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars will be without their top offensive lineman for the rest of the season. They placed center Brandon Linder on IR Wednesday.

Linder did not play in Jacksonville’s loss to Tennessee, with an ankle injury sidelining the veteran blocker. He will join guard Andrew Norwell on the Jags’ IR list. The Jags did designate Norwell to return from IR Wednesday, however.

Pro Football Focus’ No. 3-ranked center, Linder has missed some time this season. He has suited up for nine games in his sixth NFL slate but will now be shut down. The Jaguars have Linder under contract through 2022. He is due a non-guaranteed $8MM base salary next season.

Linder will now see a season capped at nine games for the second time in three years. A knee injury sidelined him midway through the 2018 campaign. The 28-year-old snapper has only played one 16-game season (2019) in his career.

While the Jaguars are 1-12 and reside as the only non-Jets team with a realistic chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick (widely expected to be the Trevor Lawrence slot), rookie UDFA running back James Robinson has already cleared 1,000 yards and sits third in rushing yards this season. Linder certainly played a key part in Robinson’s breakout and should be expected to reprise that role next year.

Buccaneers Place Ronald Jones On Reserve/COVID-19 List

December 16th, 2020 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ronald Jones underwent surgery on a fractured pinkie finger this week, leaving his status for Week 15 in doubt. The Buccaneers running back now has another hurdle to clear before returning to action.

The Bucs placed their starting back on their reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday. It is not yet known if Jones has contracted the coronavirus, but he will be out of practice this week while on the list. Jones being a high-risk close contact would shelve him for five days, but depending on when the contact with a COVID-positive person occurred, the third-year back could return in time for Sunday’s game.

This comes a day after the Bucs placed specialists Ryan Succop, Bradley Pinion and Zach Triner on their virus list. With Jones joining them, this is a situation to monitor going into Week 15. Jones did not practice Wednesday.

Jones suffered the fracture during Tampa Bay’s win against Minnesota last week. The former second-round pick leads the Bucs with a career-high 900 rushing yards.

Washington To Sign RB Lamar Miller Off Bears’ Practice Squad

December 16th, 2020 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Lamar Miller is set to join his third team this season. Washington plans to sign the veteran running back off the Bears’ practice squad, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter).

The Bears added Miller to their practice squad in October and have used him in one game this season. He does not have any 2020 carries, however, and has not logged one since the 2018 season. Miller missed all of 2019 due to injury.

Washington played without Antonio Gibson on Sunday and currently has J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber in place as its top backs. Gibson did not practice all last week due to turf toe. While McKissic has functioned as a frequent Alex Smith outlet option (58 catches), Barber is averaging 2.7 yards per carry. Miller, 29, must go through the near-week-long COVID-19 testing protocols before suiting up with his new team.

Washington will be Miller’s fifth NFL franchise. After a four-year run with the Dolphins, Miller started for the Texans from 2016-18. A knee injury wiped out his 2019 season, and after a lengthy stay in free agency, the ninth-year veteran caught on with the Patriots this summer. The Pats, however, released Miller to lead him to Chicago.

Miller has two 1,000-yard seasons (in 2014 and ’16) and was a Pro Bowler in his final Houston slate (2018), when he rushed for 973 yards on 4.6 per tote.

Lions To Interview Louis Riddick

December 16th, 2020 at 12:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions plan to interview Louis Riddick for their GM vacancy on Friday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Riddick, who currently works for ESPN, last worked in the NFL in 2013 in the Eagles’ front office.

Riddick is now the first known out-of-house candidate to be interviewed by the Lions. He’s best known for his time in Philly from 2005-13, including his run as the Eagles’ director of player personnel from 2010-13. Before that, he broke into the scouting world with the [Washington Football team] from 2001-04, so his executive tenure has come entirely in the NFC East.

The former NFL defensive back could now transition to the NFC North, though the Lions are expected to cast a wide net in their search. Their pool of candidates may include former Giants general manager Jerry Reese. Reese, who was fired by the G-Men in 2017, has the support from advisors to the Ford family and his predecessor Ernie Accorsi.

Bengals Place Geno Atkins On IR

December 16th, 2020 at 10:10am CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals placed defensive tackle Geno Atkins on injured reserve, per a club announcement. The veteran has played through his right shoulder injury all year long, but he’ll need surgery and time off in order to fully recuperate. 

The injury may also mark the end of Atkins’ time with the Bengals. Atkins played in just eight games and, even when he was healthier earlier in the season, he voiced frustration about his role. The Bengals have the perennial Pro Bowler under contract through 2022, but his $14.8MM cap hit for 2021 might not make sense for Cincy.

Atkins has eight Pro Bowls to his credit to go along with the second-highest sack total in franchise history. Earlier in the year, he watched his longtime counterpart Carlos Dunlap — the No. 1 all-time Bengals sack leader — get shipped out to the Seahawks. The Bengals are clearly in need of another reboot and the 33-year-old probably wouldn’t fit the budget.

Atkins’ forgettable 2020 will end with zero sacks and zero starts. He’ll look to add to his 75.5 career sacks in 2021 — perhaps in another uniform.

Drew Brees Without Return Timetable

December 15th, 2020 at 6:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

While it would aid the Saints’ Super Bowl hopes if Drew Brees were able to suit up against the Chiefs on Sunday, it is starting to look like that will be a long shot.

The future Hall of Fame passer does not have a return timetable, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com notes the Saints want to see their starter have a full range of motion before returning. Brees would not have been able to play against the Eagles and is expected to be questionable “at best” to suit up against the Chiefs. Brees’ last throwing session did not go especially well, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link). He will attempt to throw again Wednesday.

This comes several days after Schefter reported Brees was progressing well and was a good bet to return for the Chiefs matchup. The Saints are hoping Brees can practice on a limited basis this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com adds (video link). New Orleans still holds a de facto three-game NFC South lead, thanks to its sweep of Tampa Bay, and has games against Minnesota and Carolina on tap to close the regular season.

Brees suffered numerous cracked ribs and a punctured lung last month, and the Saints have used Taysom Hill as their starter over the past four games. New Orleans’ loss in Philadelphia, however, gave Green Bay the inside track on the NFC’s lone bye. No team has qualified for a Super Bowl without a bye since 2012, and the Saints have only won one road playoff game in franchise history. However, more teams figure to advance to Super Bowls sans byes in the coming years due to the new playoff format, and a trip to Green Bay this season would not be as daunting for playoff teams — due to COVID-19 attendance restrictions. The Saints are one game up on the Rams and Seahawks for the NFC’s No. 2 seed.

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