HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Jaguars To Start Trevor Lawrence In Week 1

August 25th, 2021 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite being placed in an unexpected competition for the Jaguars’ starting quarterback job, Trevor Lawrence prevailed and will start in Week 1. Urban Meyer announced Wednesday the No. 1 overall pick will start over Gardner Minshew.

Meyer has consistently praised Minshew this summer and refused to install the No. 1 overall pick as his official starter for several weeks during training camp, but the Jags had started Lawrence in both preseason games. He will take the field with Jacksonville’s first-string offense in the team’s final preseason tilt and do so against Houston next month. Meyer informed passing-game coordinator Brian Schottenheimer of his decision Wednesday morning.

The Jags lost 15 straight games last season and obtained the No. 1 pick. Mark Brunell‘s contributions notwithstanding, Lawrence is easily the highest-profile quarterback in franchise history. The 6-foot-6 rookie took over Clemson’s starting job early in his true-freshman season three years ago, supplanting incumbent Kelly Bryant, and led the Tigers to the 2018 national championship. Lawrence had been essentially penciled in as the 2021 No. 1 pick since that point, making this Jaguars quarterback competition slightly unusual.

Minshew and C.J. Beathard reside on Jacksonville’s roster, giving the team some experience behind the rookie first-stringer. Although Minshew ranked 27th in Total QBR last season, he does have a career 37-11 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio. It will be interesting to see how the Jags proceed with Minshew, who has two seasons left on his rookie contract. The former sixth-round pick came up in trade rumors earlier this year, but Meyer was quick to shoot those down.

Jets’ Vinny Curry Done For Year

August 25th, 2021 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

On Tuesday, the Jets placed defensive end Vinny Curry on the reserve/non-football injury list. On Wednesday, Curry disclosed that he’s dealing with a number of complications stemming from blood clots and a recent spleen removal (Twitter link). 

“In July, the Jets doctors diagnosed me with a rare blood disorder. The diagnosis required the removal of my spleen and projected me to return to the field in the middle of September. During my recovery blood clots formed and forced me to go on blood thinners preventing me from having physical contact for the next three to six months,” Curry wrote. “While I am incredibly disappointed that I will not be able to play with my teammates this year, I am thankful that the doctors identified my condition in time. They have informed me that I am expected to make a full recovery and return to the field next season.”

Before joining the Jets, Curry spent all but one of his nine seasons with the Eagles. He’s spent much of his career as a rotational player, though he worked as a first-stringer during the Eagles’ 2017 Super Bowl-winning season.

The Jets signed Curry in late March, giving him a one-year, $1.3MM deal with $1.1MM fully guaranteed. With 32.5 career sacks to his credit, head coach Robert Saleh was excited about what Curry could bring to the D-Line. Unfortunately, the 33-year-old will have to spend the year focusing on his health before evaluating a return to football.

Broncos To Start Teddy Bridgewater

August 25th, 2021 at 1:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Head coach Vic Fangio has named Teddy Bridgewater as the Broncos’ starting quarterback. That leaves incumbent starter Drew Lock as the team’s QB2, raising long-term questions about his future in Denver.

The Broncos have started ten players at quarterback since Peyton Manning‘s March 2016 retirement. They’ve tried all possible avenues: free agency (Case Keenum, the second Brock Osweiler acquisition), the trade market (Joe Flacco, Bridgewater) and the draft (Lock, Paxton Lynch). After all of that, they’ve done no better than 9-7 since Manning left.

Now they’ll hand things over to Bridgewater. His three-year, $63MM deal didn’t pan out for the Panthers, but the Broncos have him at a much more reasonable rate. Bridgewater’s 2021 cap hit will be just $4.4MM. After that, he’ll be a free agent.

Bridgewater finished 17th in QBR last season while Lock ranked 29th. The 2019 second-rounder tied for the NFL lead in INTs (15) despite missing three games. In his defense, he was thrust into an unusual spot in 2020 — learning a brand new offense in a virtual offseason. He was also without top receiver Courtland Sutton for most of the year.

Bridgewater, meanwhile, will aim for better results. He’s got a lot working in his favor, including familiarity with Pat Shurmur‘s offense.

Colts, Saints Tried To Claim Kahale Warring

August 25th, 2021 at 9:03am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots snagged Kahale Warring on Tuesday, but they weren’t the only contenders with claims on the former Texans tight end. The Colts and Saints also submitted waiver wire claims for Warring, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). 

Ultimately, the Pats won out thanks to their higher priority, by way of their disappointing 2020. The 2019 third-rounder will help to fortify New England’s TE group, which has lost Dalton Keene, a 2020 third-round pick, and Troy Fumagalli to injury.

Of course, the Patriots were already rock-solid up top, thanks to newcomers Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. At the same time, Henry is down with an injury of his own, so the Patriots had extra incentive to pounce on warring.

Warring, 24, has yet to produce as a pro. He’s got just three catches across two seasons, most of which were spent on IR. Still, scouts loved his potential coming out of San Diego State. He’s got upside between his 6’5″ frame and surprising athleticism — just ask Bill Belichick, Chris Ballard, or Mickey Loomis.

Texans Worked Out LB Tahir Whitehead

August 24th, 2021 at 9:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Tahir Whitehead got a look from the Texans earlier this week. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Houston hosted the free agent linebacker. The veteran presumably left the team without a deal.

[RELATED: Texans To Sign CB Rasul Douglas]

The 2012 fifth-round pick had a productive stint with the Lions to begin his career. Whitehead spent six seasons in Detroit, and he averaged 70 tackles and 5.8 tackles for loss between the 2014 and 2017 seasons. That four-year stint earned Whitehead a three-year, $19MM deal from the Raiders, and the linebacker started all 32 games for the organization before getting his walking papers in 2020.

The 31-year-old caught on with the Panthers last offseason, and he started each of his first eight games for his new squad. However, Whitehead saw a reduced role as the season went on, and he only saw 15 defensive snaps from Week 11 to the end of the season. The linebacker finished his lone season in Carolina with 51 tackles and one interception.

The Texans were busy revamping their linebackers corps this offseason, bringing in eight free agents and one rookie. However, Zach Cunningham and (perhaps) free agent acquisition Christian Kirksey are the only sure things on the depth chart, meaning a free agent like Whitehead could still come in and claim a roster spot.

Falcons Worked Out QB Blake Bortles

August 24th, 2021 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

Before the Falcons signed Josh Rosen yesterday, the team took a look at another disappointing former first-round pick. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), Atlanta worked out Blake Bortles recently.

The former third-overall pick has only seen the field for three games since the 2019 season. He spent the 2020 season bouncing on and off the Broncos active roster and practice squad, and he ended the campaign on the Rams practice squad. He signed a deal with the Packers earlier this offseason, but he was cut by the organization last month.

Bortles, of course, disappointed during his five seasons with the Jaguars, where he completed only 59.4-percent of his passes for 92 touchdowns and 58 interceptions. More notably, he had a 24-49 record as a starter, although he did have a three-game postseason run with Jacksonville in 2017.

The Falcons were hunting for a quarterback following the season-ending injury to backup A.J. McCarron. Rosen will likely step up as Matt Ryan‘s primary backup, and the team is also rostering rookie UDFA Feleipe Franks. If Rosen and/or Franks prove that they’re not worth their roster spot, perhaps the organization would give Bortles a second look.

Cardinals Place DL Jack Crawford On IR

August 24th, 2021 at 6:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals parted ways with some defensive line experience Tuesday. In cutting their roster down to 80 players, the Cardinals placed Jack Crawford on IR and released David Parry.

Crawford did not end up spending much time on Arizona’s active roster, arriving two weeks into training camp. Tuesday’s transaction means he cannot play for the Cards this season. Parry signed a reserve/futures contract with the Cardinals in January, but the former starter was attempting to craft a comeback after two seasons away.

A nine-year veteran who has been a frequent starter over the past five seasons, Crawford has now been with five teams in his career. That said, the seasoned D-lineman enjoyed multiyear stops in Oakland, Dallas and Atlanta before signing with Tennessee and landing an opportunity in Arizona this year. Crawford, 32, started nine games with the Titans last year and recorded six sacks with the Falcons in 2018.

Parry received a longer look, being with the Cards for nearly eight months. The former Colts starter had been out of football since 2019, when the Patriots cut him just before the regular season. Parry, 29, also spent time with the Saints and Vikings but has only played four games in the past four seasons. The 2015 fifth-round pick is running short on time to continue his career.

The Cards also waived offensive lineman Branden Bowen and waived linebacker Jamell Garcia-Williams with an injury designation.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/24/21

August 24th, 2021 at 6:01pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here. Teams had until 3pm today to cut their rosters down to 80 players.

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived: QB Kenji Bahar

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: OT Casey Tucker

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: K Ryan Succop
  • Waived/injured: OT Chidi Okeke

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Saints Place CB Brian Poole On IR

August 24th, 2021 at 5:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Veteran cornerbacks continue to cycle off the Saints’ roster. They placed Brian Poole on injured reserve Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 tweets. Poole is now ineligible to play for New Orleans this season.

The Saints signed Poole just before training camp started. While the former Falcons and Jets slot corner could play for a non-Saints team in 2021, he would need an injury settlement to do so. Either way, more cornerback issues have surfaced for the Saints, who are looking at outside options.

[RELATED: Saints Likely To Add CB Help]

While the Saints gave Poole barely veteran-minimum money and guaranteed him just $137K on a one-year deal, this strips another proven corner from their roster. Poole, 28, was one of the league’s top slot defenders over the last two years, representing one of the Jets’ few bright spots in that span. Pro Football Focus graded the former Falcons UDFA as a top-12 corner in 2019 and ’20.

New Orleans made Janoris Jenkins a cap casualty before free agency and has since seen Marshon Lattimore venture onto the suspension radar — for a March arrest — and prospective starter Patrick Robinson retire. The Saints also cut Prince Amukamara recently. They still have the likes of P.J. Williams, Ken Crawley and third-round rookie Paulson Adebo on the roster. But an outside addition should be expected soon.

Additionally, the Saints placed defensive tackle Jalen Dalton and offensive lineman Ethan Greenidge on IR, per Wilson. They also waived punter Nolan Cooney and waived defensive end Marcus Willoughby with an injury designation.

Bears Place DT Mike Pennel On IR

August 24th, 2021 at 4:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Pennel will not end up playing for the Bears this season. The team moved the defensive tackle to IR Tuesday, also placing safety Jordan Lucas on its season-ending injured list.

Both Pennel and Lucas were members of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning squad two years ago. While Pennel also contributed for the Chiefs’ 2020 AFC champion team last season, Lucas opted out. These IR placements will ensure neither plays with the Bears this season, though both could resurface in 2021 in the event injury settlements take place.

Pennel participated in the Bears’ minicamp on a tryout basis, and the team was sufficiently impressed. The 30-year-old defender has seven years’ experience, having played with the Packers and Jets before his Kansas City stay. The former UDFA has enjoyed quality stretches, which have continued to generate interest. His 2019 arrival helped a Chiefs defense on a historically bad run early that season.

Lucas started four games for the 2018 Chiefs, who acquired him via trade with the Dolphins. Those are his only four career starts. The Bears signed the ex-UDFA in 2020, but he is unlikely to play in a regular-season game for the team.

Chicago also waived running back C.J. Marable, guard Dareuan Parker and tackle Badara Traore to move its roster down to 80 players by Tuesday’s deadline.

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