HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Texans, Phillip Dorsett Agree To Extension 

December 15th, 2021 at 11:23am CST by Zachary Links

Phillip Dorsett has a new deal. On Wednesday, the Texans agreed to a new extension with the veteran wide receiver that will take him through the 2022 season (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790).

The new portion of the deal carries a base salary of $1.035MM with $300K in guarantees ($100K signing bonus, $200K for skill, injury and salary cap). He’s also in line to receive a $50K workout bonus.

Dorsett, 29 in January, now stands as the Texans’ primary slot receiver following Davion Davis‘ season-ending leg fracture. Before that, he spent time with the Jaguars and Seahawks. Now, the 2015 first-round pick could see more action that he has in a while. His last season of significance came in 2019 with the Patriots when he tallied 29 grabs for 397 yards and five touchdowns. All in all, he has 125 receptions for 1,643 yards and eleven touchdowns across the last five-and-three-quarters seasons.

NFL To Allow HC Interviews On Dec. 28

December 15th, 2021 at 11:16am CST by Zachary Links

NFL owners have voted to allow head coaching interviews in the final two weeks of the regular season (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). This will be conducted as a one-year trial, beginning on Tuesday, December 28.

[RELATED: Jaguars’ Khan On Urban Meyer]

The league’s previous rule set prevented employed NFL coaches from interviewing in the final weeks of the season. The new rule may allow teams to accelerate the process, though the current employer still reserves the right to refuse any request.

In the near-term, this resolution could impact the Jaguars who are surely having second thoughts about head coach Urban Meyer. For what it’s worth, owner Shad Khan says he won’t make any rash decisions.

“I want to do the right thing for the team. I want to do the right thing for the city,” Khan said this week. “That, to me, is way more important than just acting helter-skelter on emotion. I think we have a history of really looking at the facts and then really doing the right thing.”

The Bears (Matt Nagy), Giants (Joe Judge), and Vikings (Mike Zimmer) could also take advantage of this new wrinkle.

Panthers Designate Sam Darnold For Return

December 15th, 2021 at 10:56am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have designated quarterback Sam Darnold and cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver III for return from the injured reserve list, per a club announcement. Both players will be allowed to practice starting today, enabling them to return at any point within the next 21 days. 

Darnold has been out with a shoulder injury since Week 10. Specifically, a partially fractured right scapula. While this was a new injury, Darnold is no stranger to the trainer’s table. The 2018 first-rounder has now missed at least three games in each of his first four seasons.

The ex-Jet was soaring early on this year, but that didn’t last long. Darnold was leading the league in interceptions before his injury. Now, thanks to missed time, his INT tally (11) has been leapfrogged by several QBs with No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence leading the way (14 INTs).

So far, Darnold has a 4-5 record across nine starts. Since then, they’ve used P.J. Walker and old pal Cam Newton under center. That worked out nicely in Week 10 as they upset the Cardinals, but they’ve dropped three straight ever since.

The Panthers traded second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks for Darnold and picked up his fully guaranteed 2022 option, which is worth upwards than $18MM. Still, they’re expected to go QB shopping in the offseason.

Per league rules, Darnold and Oliver will be eligible to play this Sunday against the Bills.

Ravens To Sign Josh Johnson

December 15th, 2021 at 10:24am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens are signing quarterback Josh Johnson off of the Jets’ practice squad (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The veteran will provide extra insurance for Baltimore this week if Lamar Jackson is unable to play. 

Johnson, 35, has signed with nearly half of the league at this point. His career has seen long stretches of inactivity and stints with startup football leagues. After getting into four games for Washington in 2018, he spent ’19 with the San Diego Fleet in the Alliance of American Football. In 2020, he was under center for the XFL’s Los Angeles Wildcats, until the league shuttered midway through it’s re-inaugural year.

This year, the Jets cycled him between the practice squad and active roster. He appeared in three games while Zach Wilson was sidelined, completing 64.4% of his throws for three touchdowns against one interception.

While Johnson will provide depth, the Ravens anticipate that Jackson will be able to go against the Packers on Sunday.

“The plans are right now, in my mind, for Lamar to be out there. So we’ll see where it goes this week. If he can go, he’ll go,” head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday. “If not, Tyler [Huntley] will be the quarterback. That’s where we’re at.”

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/15/21

December 15th, 2021 at 9:54am CST by Zachary Links

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: C Michal Menet

Indianapolis Colts

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: CB Lavert Hill, OT Wyatt Miller

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

  • Signed: QB Jordan Ta’amu, DT Tyler Clark

Minor NFL Transactions:  12/15/21

December 15th, 2021 at 9:54am CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB A.J. Klein

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Browns’ Baker Mayfield Tests Positive For COVID-19

December 15th, 2021 at 8:45am CST by Zachary Links

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has tested positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link via Adam Schefter and Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN.com). This means that Mayfield will be held out of this week’s game against the Raiders, unless he tests negative twice between now and Saturday. The same goes for cornerback Troy Hill, safety John Johnson III, defensive tackle Malik McDowell, and Ifeadi Odenigbo, all of whom were also placed on the reserve list today (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Browns Place Eight Players On COVID-19 List]

Mayfield is just the latest in a slew of positive tests for the Browns. On Tuesday, the Browns were forced to place eight players on the reserve list, including wide receiver Jarvis Landry, right guard Wyatt Teller, tight end Austin Hooper, left tackle Jedrick Wills, and defensive end Takkarist McKinley. As of this writing, roughly 16% of the Browns’ active roster could be shelved for their pivotal Week 15 game.

Mayfield is asymptomatic, or feeling “completely normal,” as one source tells Schefter (Twitter link). Still, the same COVID-19 protocols apply for the Browns’ star quarterback. If he’s unable to play, backup Case Keenum will be in line to start with Nick Mullens serving as the QB2.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski has also tested positive, leaving special teams coordinator Mike Priefer in charge for the week. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt — who does not typically call the plays — will run the offense on Saturday. And, on top of that, running back Kareem Hunt is expected to sit out as he heals up from his lingering calf injury. Ditto for cornerback Greg Newsome II (concussion) and safety Ronnie Harrison (ankle).

The Browns are 7-6 following last week’s W over the Ravens. They currently have a 40% chance of reaching the playoffs with a 25% chance of taking the division, per the stats at Five Thirty Eight.

Cowboys OT Tyron Smith To Miss Week 15

December 14th, 2021 at 10:15pm CST by Ben Levine

Tyron Smith won’t be on the field this Sunday when the Cowboys take on the Giants. The left tackle aggravated his ankle injury and won’t play this week, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter). Fortunately, head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters that he doesn’t think “it’s a surgical situation” (via Gehlken) meaning Smith should be able to return to the lineup sooner than later.

Smith missed three games earlier this season while dealing with the same ankle injury, so this is probably a frustrating development for the 31-year-old. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the lineman has been dealing with bone spurs in his ankle. Smith has otherwise started all 10 games for the Cowboys this season.

The offensive lineman was limited to only a pair of games in 2020 while he dealt with a neck injury. The seven-time Pro Bowler hasn’t had a fully healthy season since 2015, and he went on a remarkable run of 13-game seasons between 2016 and 2019.

With Smith out of the lineup against the Giants, the Cowboys will likely turn to either Terence Steele or Ty Nsekhe at left tackle.

Chiefs Add K Elliott Fry To Practice Squad

December 14th, 2021 at 8:18pm CST by Ben Levine

Elliott Fry has found a new home. The kicker has signed with the Chiefs practice squad, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter).

South Carolina’s kicker from 2013-16, Fry converted 66 of 88 field goal attempts during his collegiate career. After going undrafted in the 2017 draft, Fry had a brief stint in the Alliance of American Football. Since then, he’s logged many NFL workouts and spent time on a handful of practice squads, including stints with Bears, Ravens, Panthers, and Buccaneers.

Fry spent much of the 2020 campaign on the Falcons practice squad. He managed to get into his lone NFL game with Atlanta, converting his lone field goal attempt and one of his two extra point tries. He was expected to vie for the Falcons’ job this year, though he was a longshot to beat out Younghoe Koo. Fry spent the first part of the 2021 campaign bouncing on and off the Falcons’ practice squad, and he’s been a free agent since mid-November.

The Chiefs don’t necessarily need a kicker at the moment, although Harrison Butker is currently converting a career-low 87 percent of his field goal attempts. However, as Pelissero notes, COVID cases continued to spike around the NFL, so the Chiefs are adding some insurance in case Butker is suddenly sidelined.

Browns RB Kareem Hunt Expected To Miss Week 15

December 14th, 2021 at 7:53pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like the Browns will have to play without two key players on Saturday against the Raiders. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that running back Kareem Hunt and cornerback Troy Hill are considered week-to-week and aren’t expected to play this weekend.

[RELATED: Browns Place Eight Players On COVID-19 List]

This is unfortunate timing for Hunt, who just returned from a calf injury that he suffered in Week 6. Hunt was limited to a season-low 20 offensive snaps on Sunday after suffering an ankle injury, an ailment that will likely knock him out for additional contests. The running back had 1,145 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns during the 2020 campaign, but he’s been limited to only 560 yards and five scores this season.

“That is the nature of the beast,” Stefanski said (via Andrew Gribble of the team’s website). “Obviously, you hate injuries, and the competitor that Kareem is, you hate that he is going through this, but he has to rehab and get back as soon as he can.”

Hill has gotten plenty of run in Cleveland’s secondary this season, but his injury couldn’t come at a worse time. Cornerback Greg Newsome II is currently in concussion protocol, while safety Ronnie Harrison is dealing with an ankle injury. The Browns will presumably add another defensive back to their roster prior to Saturday night.

Load More Posts