HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Chiefs DE Frank Clark Resolves Criminal Charges

September 18th, 2022 at 8:12am CST by Rory Parks

2021 was a difficult year for Chiefs DE Frank Clark from a legal perspective. In March 2021, the three-time Pro Bowler was arrested for possession of a concealed firearm, and in June 2021, he was arrested again when police officers conducted a traffic stop and noticed an Uzi in an open bag in Clark’s vehicle. Earlier this month, it was reported that Clark has resolved those charges.

Per the Associated Press, Clark pleaded no contest to two counts of misdemeanor possession of an assault weapon, and he was sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service. Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk writes that Clark will be due back in court on March 29, 2023 to prove that he has completed his sentence. Williams also notes that the judge required Clark to host four free youth football camps, which he has already done.

Now 29, Clark was rumored as a release candidate earlier this year given the hefty cap charges that he was due to carry over the 2022-23 seasons. Rather than release him, Kansas City ultimately decided to keep Clark in the fold via a new two-year deal worth $29MM (with incentives that could push that number to $36MM).

Over the first two games of the 2022 campaign, both Chiefs wins, Clark has appeared in 60% of the team’s defensive snaps. He has yet to record a sack and has posted three total tackles.

Under his present contract, Clark is due a $20.5MM base salary in 2023, and KC can release him to save $10MM against the cap while incurring a $9.075MM dead money charge. Given his declining sack totals over the past several years and his slow start to the current season, a release or another restructure presently looks like the most likely outcome next offseason.

As Williams observes, Clark could still face punishment under the league’s personal conduct policy for the gun charges.

Latest On 49ers TE George Kittle

September 18th, 2022 at 7:26am CST by Ben Levine

SEPTEMBER 18: Kittle’s current groin ailment was initially expected to keep him on the shelf for three weeks, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported Sunday morning that the three-time Pro Bowler is not expected to play in the 49ers’ Week 2 contest against the Seahawks (Twitter link). That may be true, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted roughly an hour later that Kittle did practice on Friday and is pushing to play.

San Francisco suffered a disappointing defeat to the Bears in their opener, while Seattle pulled off an upset over the Broncos. The Niners and second-year QB Trey Lance would obviously love to have Kittle on the field to help them avoid an 0-2 start.

SEPTEMBER 8: Following an injury on Monday, George Kittle‘s status for this weekend’s season opener was already in doubt. It’s now sounding like the 49ers tight end probably won’t take the field. According to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com, Kittle’s groin injury is considered serious and he’s unlikely to play against the Bears on Sunday.

A source described Kittle’s groin injury as “not good,” although they noted that the situation remained fluid. Considering Kittle’s past issues with injuries, that source said it may be best if the tight end sits out a week or two. Another source told Wilson that Kittle suffered a Grade 2 strain that has limited his speed. While Kittle’s toughness means he’s always a candidate to take the field, it sounds like the organization is more confident in his long-term health if he takes it slow to start the year. Kittle suffered the groin injury on Monday and was absent from practice on Wednesday.

Kittle is one of the NFL’s top tight ends when he’s on the field, but he’s missed at least two games in each of the past three seasons. He missed three games last season while nursing a calf injury, but he still managed to finish the campaign with 71 receptions for 910 yards and six touchdowns.

San Francisco does have some depth behind Kittle. Charlie Woerner would likely draw the start in place of Kittle, with Ross Dwelley and Tyler Kroft serving as the primary backups.

Latest On Raiders’ Offensive Line Situation

September 17th, 2022 at 9:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders entered the season with one of the most highly-regarded skill-position groups in the league, but a number of questions on the offensive line. That was reflected by a rotation at multiple spots in Week 1, something which is expected to continue tomorrow. 

As noted by Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the team deployed two players at both right tackle and right guard, with starters Jermaine Eluemunor and Dylan Parham sharing time with Thayer Munford and Lester Cotton, respectively. Overall, the Raiders allowed five sacks in their loss to the Chargers, but the play of that quartet drew praise from the coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi.

“I think they’ve earned the right to play again this week,” he said of the aforementioned linemen. The two starters drew encouraging PFF grades, but Bonsignore adds that Munford “will remain in the mix” for significant playing time. Of course, outside additions remain a distinct possibility as well.

The Raiders hosted a number of veterans earlier this week, including Billy Price. That resulted in a practice squad deal for the 27-year-old, who was a full-time starter for the Giants last season. In addition, Vegas worked out former Cardinal Justin Murray recently, along with far less experienced options in Myron Cunningham, Shamarious Gilmore and Willie Wright (Twitter link via SI’s Howard Balzer).

“We’re playing the guys that deserve to play,” head coach Josh McDaniels confirmed. “There are seven guys that played [Sunday] because they earned the opportunity with their performance throughout the course of the preseason and in training camp.”

With the rotation apparently set to continue for the foreseeable future, the Raiders will look to find a full-time starting unit while aiming for their first win tomorrow against the Cardinals.

NFC Injury Notes: Giants, Cowboys, Seahawks, Vikings

September 17th, 2022 at 8:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Kadarius Toney‘s NFL tenure has been marred by injuries, and another one appears to have popped up. Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters that the Giants wideout is dealing with tightness in his hamstring, an issue which began earlier this week in practice (Twitter link via Dan Duggan of the Athletic).

The 2021 first-rounder also dealt with a hamstring issue in training camp last summer, and made frequent appearances on the injury report throughout the campaign. He was limited to 10 games in his debut season, and required knee surgery this past offseason. Between availability concerns and a number of other issues, the Florida product was involved in trade talk, though the Giants’ new front office made it clear that Toney was not being shopped.

The 23-year-old played just seven snaps during New York’s season opener. While he may suit up tomorrow, the workload he will be able to handle will be worth monitoring closely.

Here are some other injury updates from the NFC:

  • Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that receiver Michael Gallup will sit out once again tomorrow, as noted by Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Gallup continues to recover from the torn ACL he suffered in January, and was expected to miss a few weeks to begin the 2022 campaign. “There is still a process of return to play that he has to finish,” McCarthy added. The news will once again make CeeDee Lamb the undisputed focal point of Dallas’ WR room as they look to bounce back from last week’s league-worst offensive output.
  • The Seahawks‘ secondary has suffered another blow. Starting nickel corner Justin Coleman has been ruled out for Week 2, per a team announcement. The 29-year-old played 77% of defensive snaps in the team’s upset win over the Broncos, but Seattle will likely now turn to rookie Coby Bryant on the inside. In addition, the team confirmed that depth safety Joey Blount will be sidelined, something which will further test their depth given the fact that Jamal Adams will miss the remainder of the season.
  • Second-round Vikings rookie Andrew Booth exited Minnesota’s Week 1 win with a quad injury. He has not recovered in time to be able to suit up on Monday, as confirmed by a team announcement. With the Clemson product sidelined, Chandon Sullivan could be in line for the start opposite Patrick Peterson once again. Kris Boyd and Akayleb Evans will provide depth as the Vikings look to move to 2-0.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/22

September 17th, 2022 at 7:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the league, including practice squad elevations for tomorrow’s action:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

  • Promoted from practice squad: CB Daryl Worley, WR Raleigh Webb

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

New York Jets

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Colts Elevate WR Keke Coutee, K Chase McLaughlin

September 17th, 2022 at 6:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The wide receiver and kicker positions are in flux in Indianapolis at the moment, so it comes as no surprise that each are being addressed with their two allotted practice squad elevations. Per a team announcement, the Colts are bringing up Keke Coutee and Chase McLaughlin to the active roster. 

Coutee, 25, is continuing his Colts tenure which began last season. The former Texans fourth-rounder spent three years in Houston, setting career highs in receptions (33), yards (400) and touchdowns (three) in 2020. His 11.3 yards-per-catch average throughout his time with his first team made the slot man an intriguing candidate for a reserve/futures deal.

While the 5-11, 180-pounder was among the Colts’ final roster cuts before the start of the season, he returned to their taxi squad. That left the door open to him playing a potential rotational role, but he could see a significant workload tomorrow given the injuries to top wideouts Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce. Coutee will join Parris Campbell, Ashton Dulin, Mike Strachan, and Dezmon Patmon in trying to replace those two.

McLaughlin, meanwhile, has obviously gotten the nod over undrafted rookie Lucas Havrisik to step in for Rodrigo Blankenship. The latter was waived earlier this week, after his struggles greatly contributed to the Colts having to settle for a Week 1 tie. McLaughlin finished the 2019 campaign in Indianapolis, making five of his six field goal attempts. The team will look for him to replicate that level of success, after he went just 15-for-21 with the Browns last season.

The Colts will lean on Coutee and McLaughlin tomorrow as they look to get in the win column against the Jaguars. The pair could play their way into a full-time roster spot with encouraging performances at positions of need, making their contributions a storyline to watch.

Falcons Place RB Damien Williams On IR

September 17th, 2022 at 4:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

The depth in the Falcons’ running game will be tested somewhat over the next several weeks. The team announced on Saturday that Damien Williams has been placed on IR due to a rib injury, meaning that he will miss at least the next four games. 

Williams, 30, spent the first four years of his career in Miami. He operated strictly as a rotational rusher and special teamer, never registering a start. A much more productive, two-year stint in Kansas City followed, where he racked up over 1,100 scrimmage yards and 13 total touchdowns. The former UDFA put up less impressive numbers last season with the Bears.

As a free agent, Williams signed a one-year deal with the Falcons, whose front office now includes ex-Bears GM Ryan Pace. That provided the team with an experienced back to make up for the departure of Mike Davis, following his release. In his Falcons debut last week against the Saints, Williams received just a pair of carries and totaled two yards.

Atlanta will be able to move forward with Cordarrelle Patterson as their lead back in Williams’ absence, of course, but they will now exclusively rely on inexperienced options below him on the depth chart. 2021 fifth-rounder Avery Williams, as well as rookies Tyler Allgeier and practice squad elevation Caleb Huntley will operate as Patterson’s backups on Sunday.

With 120 rushing yards and a touchdown in the team’s season opener, Patterson may not need much in the way of support when the Falcons visit the Rams, or for the next several contests after that. If he does, though, the team will be missing one of its more experienced offensive contributors.

Bills DT Ed Oliver Ruled Out For Week 2

September 17th, 2022 at 3:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bills will once again be on primetime in Week 2, but they will be missing a key member of their defensive front on Monday night. Per a team announcement, defensive tackle Ed Oliver has been ruled out. 

The 2019 first-rounder took on a starting role midway through his rookie campaign. Since then, he has been a steady presence on the Bills’ d-line, appearing in every contest so far in his career. With 12 sacks, he has shown the pass-rush ability which made him a top-10 pick in addition to his work against the run.

The latter skillset has been poorly graded by PFF, but Buffalo still generated little surprise when they decided to pick up his fifth-year option. As a result, Oliver will make $10.75MM in 2023 while the Bills look to keep their young, championship-caliber core intact.

While it remains to be seen how long the 24-year-old will be out, the fact that he will be absent against the Titans could prove significant. Derrick Henry represents the obvious focal point of Tennessee’s offense, especially since they traded away A.J. Brown in the offseason. The All-Pro running back ran for 82 yards in the team’s Week 1 loss to the Giants, but has shown himself capable of much more when healthy.

The Bills, meanwhile, put up the best defensive performance against the run during their win over the Rams last week. The defending champions were held to just 52 yards on the ground; a repeat of that could help lead the Bills to a 2-0 start on Monday night, but it will require a larger workload from the likes of Jordan Phillips, DaQuan Jones and Tim Settle. 

Cowboys Sign QB Cooper Rush, K Brett Maher To Active Roster

September 17th, 2022 at 2:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

In anticipation of only his second career start, Cooper Rush is set to officially join the Cowboys’ 53-man roster. He is being signed from the practice squad, along with kicker Brett Maher, per a team announcement. 

Both players suited up last week, of course, but in that instance they were designated as the two taxi squad elevations each team is permitted every week. For Rush, the move confirms the fact that he will take over for Dak Prescott as the team’s starting signal-caller. The duration of Prescott’s absence could be shorter than initially expected, but for the time being, Rush is tasked with keeping the Cowboys afloat and improving on the team’s underwhelming offensive performance in Week 1.

The 28-year-old’s only other start resulted in a victory last season, but with just 63 career pass attempts, little will be known or expected of him. Dallas also has a weakened offensive line in front of him, and a less accomplished assortment of pass-catchers compared to 2021, so the challenge facing him will be significant. Not surprisingly, the Cowboys are elevating Will Grier from the practice squad to operate as Rush’s backup. With Prescott expected to be back relatively soon, that pair will be leaned on, instead of a stop-gap veteran addition.

Maher wasn’t initially in the Cowboys’ kicking plans this offseason. Not long after the team began looking for outside options, however, the 32-year-old returned to Dallas. The Cowboys’ kicker in 2018 and 2019, Maher was responsible for the team’s only points in Week 1, making his only attempt. For his career, he has converted 77.6% of his field goals, a figure which, coupled with his familiarity with the organization, allowed him to make a late push to operate as Greg Zuerlein‘s successor.

Rush, Maher and the Cowboys will look to get into the win column on Sunday against the defending AFC champion Bengals.

Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. Won’t Play Sunday

September 17th, 2022 at 12:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Colts will have to take on the Jaguars tomorrow without their top wideout. The team announced that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. has been downgraded to out for tomorrow’s game.

Pittman suffered a quad injury during practice on Wednesday and sat out the rest of the week. It doesn’t sound like the injury is a long-term concern, and there’s a chance he’ll play next weekend against the Chiefs.

The 2020 second-round pick made a name for himself in 2021 after finishing with 1,082 receiving yards and six touchdowns. It didn’t take long for him to build chemistry with Matt Ryan. In Week 1, Pittman hauled in nine of his 13 targets for 121 yards and one touchdown.

The rest of the Colts wide receivers were limited to a combined eight receptions last weekend, so Indy will need someone to step up tomorrow against Jacksonville. The rest of the Colts receiving depth chart consists of Parris Campbell, Ashton Dulin, Mike Strachan, and Dezmon Patmon. Receiver Alec Pierce will also miss tomorrow’s game, so there’s a good chance Indy promotes a fifth receiver from the practice squad (a grouping that includes Ethan Fernea and Keke Coutee).

In addition to Pittman and Pierce, linebacker Shaquille Leonard has also been ruled out for tomorrow’s game.

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