HEADLINES

Year: 2024

Giants GM Dave Gettleman Unlikely To Return In 2022

November 28th, 2021 at 8:15am CST by Rory Parks

The Giants are sitting at 3-7 and are at the bottom of the NFC East. They are on pace for their fifth consecutive season of 10 or more losses, and if they pull off that dubious feat, GM Dave Gettleman — who was hired at the end of 2017 — will have presided over four double-digit loss campaigns. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, Gettleman is not expected to return to the club in 2022.

It seems as though Gettleman has been under fire ever since he first took the job. Even late last December, the Giants were reportedly prepared to part ways with him and bring in a new top exec to head up the personnel department. However, Big Blue has traditionally given its GMs a long leash, and co-owner John Mara knew when he hired Gettleman that his team was embarking on a multi-year rebuild. He also knew that hiring a a new head coach (Joe Judge) last season could delay that rebuild a bit, as Judge would be implementing new systems and a new culture.

Gettleman, 70, managed to hit on a few of his free agent pickups in 2020 — cornerback James Bradberry, linebacker Blake Martinez, and defensive back Logan Ryan — which may have helped him retain his position for 2021. But Mara made it clear this summer that while he was not issuing a playoff mandate, any stagnation or regression could prompt an organizational shakeup.

And not only might the Giants fail to match last year’s six wins, but they also have not seen any progress from two of Gettleman’s defining draft choices, QB Daniel Jones and RB Saquon Barkley. Both selections garnered a fair amount of criticism when they were made — Gettleman’s use of the No. 6 overall pick on Jones in 2019 was widely regarded as a reach, and his use of the No. 2 overall pick on Barkley in 2018 was deemed too high for a running back for a rebuilding outfit — and between Jones’ struggles and Barkley’s injury problems, the G-Men are getting very little production from two picks that they needed to get right.

Of course, the team recently fired OC Jason Garrett, and it sounds as though Gettleman will be following him out the door. If Mara opts for an internal replacement, Rapoport names VP of football operations and assistant GM Kevin Abrams as one possibility. Any candidate from outside the organization would ideally have a background in the Patriots’ scouting system and would have philosophies more in line with those of Judge, an ex-New England staffer.

The clear implication is that Judge’s job is safe for at least one more season.

Release Candidate: Packers’ Za’Darius Smith

November 27th, 2021 at 7:19pm CST by Ely Allen

A year ago, Za’Darius Smith was closing in on his second straight season with double-digit sacks. Through his first two years with the Packers, Smith had done nothing but validate the 4-year, $66MM contract he’d earned in free agency. Unfortunately, a back injury that has forced the seven-year veteran to miss all but 18 snaps of the 2021 season will require the Packers and Smith to have some tough conversations. 

A fourth-round pick out of Kentucky, Smith was drafted by the Ravens in the 2015 NFL Draft in hopes that he would replace pass rusher Pernell McPhee who had left in free agency to sign with the Bears. Little did they know, Smith would do quite an impressive imitation of McPhee. Both players had impressive rookie seasons – McPhee had 6.0 sacks and Smith had 5.5 – and fairly pedestrian numbers their second and third years – McPhee had 3.5 sacks over those two years and Smith had 4.5. Both players saved their best performances for their contract years with McPhee tallying 7.5 sacks and Smith racking up 8.5.

Smith leveraged that 8.5 sack season into his current contract with Green Bay. As a Packer, Smith started every game of the 2019 and 2020 seasons leading the team in sacks both years. When Smith missed Green Bay’s second game of the season it marked the first full game he had missed due to injury since Week 14 of the 2017 season.

Still, this injury has proven to be a major one. Smith started the season with his health in doubt due to a lingering back injury and it was clear after only 18 snaps that he was not ready to return to the field. Smith was shut down and hasn’t seen a snap since. The implications of an injury this debilitating have an unfortunate effect on the pass rusher’s contract status.

Now issues have already arisen with Smith’s contract after he showed dismay in the Packers’ handling of restructures this offseason. The Packers chose not to restructure quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ contract during a tumultuous offseason but utilized an automatic conversion clause in Smith’s contract to help subsidize an extension for running back Aaron Jones. The restructuring of Smith’s contract created a monster $28.1MM cap hit for next year, up from $14MM this season. If the Packers were to release Smith to avoid the cap hit, they would be left with $12.38MM in dead money vs. $15.75MM in cap room.

If Green Bay only had to deal with the cap hit, it would be an easy conversation of how to extend a new deal to Smith and avoid the massive number in 2022. But, in conjunction with a lingering back injury, the cap hit makes Smith’s potential to end up as a cap casualty more and more likely.

Now it’s not a foregone conclusion that Smith won’t work out a deal with Green Bay, but he’d have to be willing to take a bit of a pay cut from a team that has already shorted him in a contract situation. More likely would be Smith’s acceptance of a release that allows him to test his value on the free agent market. The Packers also probably wouldn’t mind the market setting the price, as it will likely be lower than Smith’s initial demands.

It’s also worth noting that a late season return has not been ruled out for the ‘backer, possibly giving him a chance to make his case for another big pay day.

Poll: Who Will Win The AFC West?

November 27th, 2021 at 5:50pm CST by Ely Allen

The race for the AFC West is far from over. There is no team with a losing record in the division, setting for up an exciting final stretch of the regular season.

The Chiefs (7-4) began the season as clear favorites to win the division, but they’ve failed to create the distance they’d hoped for between themselves and their divisional foes. Kansas City’s first five games were defined by shootouts in which its defense struggled to contribute to team success, leading to an opening record of 2-3. After the Chiefs’ 27-3 loss to the Titans in Week 7, their defense seems to have found its footing. The Chris Jones-led unit is allowing 11.75 points per game since then en route to a four-game win streak.

In Los Angeles, Justin Herbert has benefitted from having healthy weapons in running back Austin Ekeler and receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, an improvement from the 6-4 Chargers’ injury-riddled 2020 season. Much like the Chiefs, though, the Chargers’ defense has struggled to turn that success into wins as they’ve only managed to hold two opponents under 20 points this season.

The Raiders (6-5) have been a team of streaks this season. They began the year 3-0 with impressive wins over the Ravens and Steelers. They then lost two, won two, and lost three in a row through their next seven games with concerning losses to the currently reeling Bears and Giants. Las Vegas rebounded with an impressive Thanksgiving Day win in Dallas. The Raiders’ current winning record is all the more impressive when you consider the off-the-field controversies that have rocked the franchise.

The Raiders cut promising second-year receiver Henry Ruggs after he was arrested for his role in a fatal car accident. Their other 2020 first-round pick, Damon Arnette, is also gone after appearing in a video which showed him threatening a person with a gun. All of this after former head coach Jon Gruden was forced to resign in the wake of an email scandal that revealed the coach’s use of derogatory and offensive language. Las Vegas currently sits in third in the division at 6-5.

Over their first eight games of the season, the Broncos (5-5) were fairly easy to decipher. They beat teams currently under .500 — the Giants, Jaguars, Jets and the Football Team — but they could not get past teams currently over .500 (Ravens, Steelers, Raiders, Browns). They did buck this trend in their past two games by beating the Cowboys (7-4) and losing to the Eagles (4-6). They certainly hope that trend is over, as the Lions represent the only team they face over the rest of the season with a sub-.500 record. Offseason pickup Teddy Bridgewater leads an offense that has seen the return of Pro Bowler Courtland Sutton, though Denver’s latest run of injury misfortune involved second-year receiver Jerry Jeudy missing most of the season’s first half. The running game has been split pretty evenly between seven-year veteran Melvin Gordon and second-round rookie Javonte Williams.

With seven weeks remaining in the regular season, potential for divisional chaos remains. The Chiefs don’t have any remaining opponents currently under .500. The Raiders are set to play just one — the Washington Football Team. The Bolts potentially have a softer route, with two teams remaining under .500 in the Giants and Texans. In addition, there’s plenty of divisional play left to ensue before the playoff field forms.

So who do you see taking control of the AFC West? Do the Chiefs regain their supremacy and claim the division for the sixth straight year? Or do any of the other contenders take advantage of Kansas City’s four early-season losses? Vote in our latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Latest On Raiders’ Darren Waller

November 27th, 2021 at 4:45pm CST by Ely Allen

After initial speculation that Darren Waller‘s season might be over due to the knee injury he sustained during the Raiders’ Thanksgiving Day win in Dallas, the team has received good news on its top pass-catching weapon.

Waller only suffered a strain to the IT band in his knee, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (on Twitter). Indeed, no major damage is believed to have occurred here, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.

Waller may need to miss some time to recover, though even this is not certain just yet. Even if Waller needs to sit next week, this update represents good news for a Las Vegas team hoping to have something to play for as this season winds down.

The former reclamation project is on pace for his third straight 1,000-yard season, and given the turmoil the Raiders have gone through this year, he serves as a key constant for the team going into a pivotal stretch. Waller has racked up 53 receptions this season, turning them into 643 yards and two touchdowns.

Before leaving Thursday’s game early, Waller had only missed one game this season — against Philadelphia in Week 7. He initially left his team’s Thanksgiving game with a back ailment but returned before ultimately being forced out because of his knee. The Raiders managed to win without notable Waller assistance, halting their three-game skid.

With Waller out, Las Vegas would stand to look to Foster Moreau and Daniel Helm to cover the tight end position. The Raiders will look forward to a speedy Waller recovery, as they sit one game back behind the division-leading Chiefs and a half-game back of the Chargers in the competitive AFC West.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/21

November 27th, 2021 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here is how teams finalized their Week 12 rosters:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

  • Promoted: WR Matt Cole, OL Austen Pleasants

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

  • Promoted: LB La’Darius Hamilton

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

49ers Activate LB Dre Greenlaw From IR

November 27th, 2021 at 3:21pm CST by Ely Allen

SATURDAY: Greenlaw will return this week. The 49ers officially activated the starting linebacker from IR on Saturday. The third-year veteran will suit up for the first time since Week 1.

WEDNESDAY: The injury-ridden 49ers are set to see one of their promising young defenders return this week. Kyle Shanahan expects Dre Greenlaw to be activated from IR before Sunday’s game against the Vikings, Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets.

This comes four days after fellow defender safety Jaquiski Tartt returned to the 49ers’ active roster. Similar to the 2020 season, the 49ers have seen a large number of role players spend time on injured reserve — including Greenlaw and Pro Bowlers Dee Ford and Jason Verrett. Recent first-round picks Mike McGlinchey and Javon Kinlaw, who are both out for the season, joined them.

Greenlaw is on track to return after a nine-game absence. The third-year linebacker underwent groin surgery following the team’s season-opening win in Detroit. Greenlaw returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown in that game but has not suited up since.

A fifth-round pick out of Arkansas, Greenlaw has been a starter since being drafted in 2019. Prior to this extended absence, Greenlaw played in all but three games over his first two seasons. His presence alongside Fred Warner has been a saving grace after the Reuben Foster and Kwon Alexander moves did not work out.

Ford is also set to return to practice, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes, following a four-game absence due to a flareup of ongoing back issues. Ford, 30, is still on San Francisco’s IR. It is expected the 49ers will monitor the veteran edge rusher’s snap count, as they did earlier in the season, to accommodate the back issues that Shanahan says “he’ll deal with most likely forever.”

After a one-game 2020, Ford returned to play in San Francisco’s first six contests this season. The former Chiefs first-rounder has tallied three sacks and a forced fumble this year.

Steelers Place TE Eric Ebron On IR

November 27th, 2021 at 3:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Following a knee injury Eric Ebron sustained in last week’s loss to the Chargers, the Steelers placed the veteran tight end on injured reserve. His time in Pittsburgh might be over as well.

Surgery has emerged as a possibility; that would most likely put an end to the tight end’s season. Ebron had missed two games earlier in the season with a hamstring injury but had returned to normal snap counts in the past two weeks. Ebron’s two-year Pittsburgh contract expires at season’s end.

Rookie Pat Freiermuth has become the primary tight end for Pittsburgh this year, and the second-round pick will only see his usage increase as a result of Ebron’s absence. Ebron’s production has been limited in his second Steelers season; he has pulled in just 12 receptions for 84 yards and one touchdown. The Steelers also have backups Zach Gentry and Kevin Rader — the latter promoted from the practice squad ahead of Week 12 — to help pick up the slack.

In corresponding moves, Pittsburgh promoted guard John Leglue to the active roster and moved guard J.C. Hassenauer to the IR alongside Ebron. The team also bumped up defensive lineman Daniel Archibong and wide receiver Anthony Miller from its practice squad for week’s matchup against the Bengals.

Pernell McPhee Underwent Knee Surgery

November 27th, 2021 at 2:29pm CST by Ely Allen

Placed on IR last weekend, Pernell McPhee will be sidelined for at least two more Ravens games. But the team did not shut him down merely for rest purposes. McPhee is recovering from knee surgery, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (subscription required).

McPhee’s latest knee operation was arthroscopic in nature, giving him a chance to return later this season. The Ravens are indeed hoping they will have him back at some point in December, Zrebiec adds.

Knee procedures are not uncommon for the 11-year veteran. Over the course of his career, McPhee has seen both knees go under the knife for injuries in different years. Before this most recent procedure, he had last seen his knee worked on just before the start of the 2017 season in what was described as a cleanup surgery.

The Ravens re-signed McPhee to a one-year deal just before the start of the season, following a 2020 slate in which he started 13 games and was third on the team with three sacks. The 11th-year veteran returned to the team that drafted him in 2019 after injury-riddled stints in Chicago and Washington.

McPhee’s 2021 campaign has been somewhat quiet. He has tallied just one sack and 14 tackles in nine games this year. But the rotational rusher stands to have a chance to contribute more to the Ravens’ latest playoff push.

Bradley Chubb To Return In Week 12

November 27th, 2021 at 1:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos will have their top pass rusher back Sunday. After a two-plus-month absence, Bradley Chubb is set to return, with Mike Klis of 9News tweeting the Pro Bowl outside linebacker will be activated off IR.

Chubb’s progress slowed late this week, due to a setback in practice, per Klis (on Twitter). Vic Fangio declared him “50-50” to suit up against the Chargers. It appears the fourth-year defender has shown enough to return, a development that represents big news for a Broncos team that has seen much change at the linebacker spot since Chubb’s lone 2021 cameo — in Week 2.

Two ankle surgeries marred Chubb’s 2021. The second knocked him out for a lengthy stretch, providing the former top-five pick’s second extended absence of his career. In the time since Chubb last played, the Broncos saw inside starters Josey Jewell and Alexander Johnson suffer season-ending injuries. The team also ended the Chubb-Von Miller partnership, one that saw injuries prevent it from making much of an impact over the past three seasons, by trading the future Hall of Famer to the Rams.

After recovering from the ACL tear that ended his 2019 season early, Chubb recorded 7.5 sacks and 19 QB hits last season. The North Carolina State product registered 12 as a rookie. New GM George Paton, after picking up Chubb’s fifth-year option, called him a core player. Given Chubb’s injury issues, this upcoming stretch run stands to be pivotal for his future — and the Broncos’ hopes at making a late playoff push.

Titans Place WR A.J. Brown On IR

November 27th, 2021 at 12:24pm CST by Ben Levine

The Titans are down another skill player. The team announced that they’ve placed wideout A.J. Brown on injured reserve.

Having suffered a chest injury, Brown did not practice all week and had already been ruled out for tomorrow’s showdown against the Patriots. Fortunately, the Titans and Ryan Tannehill should have their top receiver back before the end of the season. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the injury isn’t a season-ender and Brown is expected to be back in December. The earliest that Brown could come back is Week 16 against the 49ers, although that TNF game comes on a short week.

The offense the Titans deploy in Week 12 will not look especially similar to the one it hopes to trot out come January. Tennessee already has Derrick Henry and Julio Jones on IR. The team also lost fill-in wideout Marcus Johnson for the season last week. Wideout Golden Tate could have been one candidate to fill one of those roster spots, but the veteran wasn’t elevated for tomorrow’s contest.

Temporarily, Tannehill will be throwing to the likes of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Chester Rogers. The team also has a fully stocked tight ends depth chart with Geoff Swaim, Anthony Firkser, and MyCole Pruitt.

The Titans have also elevated four players from the practice squad: wideout Cody Hollister, defensive back Breon Borders, quarterback Kevin Hogan, and defensive lineman Kevin Strong. Fullback Khari Blasingame has also been activated from injured reserve.

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