Brock Osweiler - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: M. Williams, Reich, Broncos, Jets

December 2nd, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

There are only 10 NFL players who will have higher cap hits than Mario Williams in 2016, and eight of those players are quarterbacks. As such, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com thinks it would be wise for the Bills to give serious consideration to moving on from the standout defensive end in the offseason. Buffalo could use the cap room, and simply releasing Williams would give the club much more flexibility than trying to restructure his contracts.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who received consideration for a couple NFL head coaching positions last winter, interviewed this week for the head coaching job at the University of Maryland, according to Don Markus of the Baltimore Sun.
Even if Brock Osweiler continues to have success for the Broncos down the stretch, the quarterback could likely be signed on a multiyear deal worth about $10MM per year, Mike Klis of 9News suggests in his latest mailbag. In Klis’ view, there’s virtually no chance that Von Miller doesn’t get the franchise tag from the Broncos.
When Osweiler took over as the Broncos‘ starting quarterback, Troy Renck of the Denver Post thought the team may look to bring back James Casey as a fullback. However, he concedes that adding a fullback would be a luxury for Denver at this point.
With Brandon Marshall having emerged as the “go-to guy” for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes that the Jets‘ acquisition of the veteran receiver is looking like a steal for general manager Mike Maccagnan.
New Patriots slot wide receiver Damaris Johnson will probably factor into the mix in 2016 if things go well, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. Johnson inked a two-year deal with the Patriots on Tuesday and he’s ostensibly being brought aboard for his return skills.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: Gronk, Hightower, Broncos, Bengals

November 30th, 2015 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

After checking in on a few items from out of the NFC earlier this afternoon, let’s shift our focus to the AFC and round up the latest….

The MRI on Rob Gronkowski‘s knee revealed only a minor knee strain, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). The star tight end will likely be good to go in a week or two, which is great news for the Patriots.
The Patriots also got relatively good news on linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who is week to week with his knee injury, per Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Russini adds that Hightower will be re-evaluated within the next few days.
The Broncos suddenly have a contracts problem on their hands for 2016, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who notes that the team will only be able to rely on the franchise tag to retain one of Brock Osweiler and Von Miller. Osweiler has won his first two starts as a Bronco, but it seems a little too early to assume he’s worthy of a significant investment. After five more regular season games and at least one playoff contest, Denver should have a much better idea of Osweiler’s value.
The Bengals worked out six defensive backs today, including cornerback Bradley Fletcher, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. According to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link), cornerback Chykie Brown was also a part of that group. With Darqueze Dennard out for the season, and other members of the secondary banged up, Cincinnati seems to be keeping an eye out for possible depth additions.

AFC Notes: Osweiler, Manning, Dennard, Hoyer

November 23rd, 2015 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

After picking up a victory in his first career start on Sunday, Brock Osweiler will face a tougher test in Week 12. As first reported by Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link) and since confirmed by head coach Gary Kubiak, Osweiler will make another start for the Broncos next Sunday against the undefeated Patriots.

While Osweiler prepares to start a second consecutive game, Peyton Manning is in Charlotte, getting a second opinion on his foot injury, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. Multiple reports on Sunday suggested that the future Hall-of-Famer is considering playing one more season, assuming he can get healthy, but Kubiak denied those rumors, suggesting today that Manning is focused solely on his recovery, rather than on 2016 (Twitter link via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).

Let’s check in on some other items from across the AFC….

The Bengals‘ fears on cornerback Darqueze Dennard were confirmed by an MRI today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who tweets that Dennard requires shoulder surgery and will be out for the rest of the season. Cincinnati should be able to overcome losing the 2014 first-rounder, since he was only serving as the club’s No. 4 corner in recent weeks.
Schefter also passes along the latest on the Texans‘ quarterback situation, with head coach Bill O’Brien announcing on ESPN’s NFL Insiders that Brian Hoyer will return to action in Week 12 (Twitter link). That may spell the end of Brandon Weeden‘s time in Houston, unless the team moves forward with three quarterbacks on its roster.
In the wake of Quinton Coples‘ release, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that it was “well known around the league” that the Jets had the linebacker on the trade block for most of 2015. Obviously, there were no takers prior to the deadline, which doesn’t bode particularly well for Coples’ odds of being claimed on waivers. Meanwhile, head coach Todd Bowles hinted today that he has a player – possibly a kick returner – in mind for Coples’ old roster spot (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com).
It wasn’t that long ago that it seemed like Colts head coach Chuck Pagano could be fired any day. While he’s still no lock to keep his job beyond the 2015 season, Pagano has his team believing in him, as Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star details.

Broncos Tried To Trade Osweiler In 2014

November 22nd, 2015 at 4:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler won his first NFL start today, beating the Bears 17-15 on the day he turned 25 years old. But his future with Denver was once very uncertain, as Michael Silver of NFL.com reports (Twitter link) that the Broncos attempted to trade Osweiler during the 2014 season, and would have accepted as little as a sixth-round pick.

The news shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise, as Peyton Manning was in the midst of another solid season in 2014, and given the demand for quarterbacks around the league, it would have made sense for general manager John Elway to see what he could get in return for Osweiler. However, the fact that Elway would have apparently accepted so little in terms of draft pick compensation seems to show that Denver’s front office didn’t value Osweiler very highly.

Circumstances have changed in the year-plus since those talks reportedly occurred, however, as Manning has dealt with injuries and effectively been benched. It’s conceivable that Osweiler will be the Bronco’s QB for the remainder of the season, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported this morning that that the Denver front office is split on their evaluation of Osweiler, which is why he hasn’t been extended as of yet.

Osweiler played well today, completing 74% of his passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and the hope is that his mobility will allow head coach Gary Kubiak to more effectively run his offense. But whether Kubiak is wholly sold on Osweiler also remains an open question, as we know that Kubiak wanted to bring in Tyrod Taylor as the backup QB for 2015, and Denver reportedly offered more money than did Buffalo.

Latest On Brock Osweiler, Peyton Manning

November 22nd, 2015 at 11:44am CST by Rory Parks

The Broncos are in no rush to get Peyton Manning back on the field, and they intend to give Brock Osweiler at least two games under center, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Manning, who is dealing with a partial tear in his foot along with the rib and shoulder issues that have been plaguing him for some time, is not expected to play until he is able to practice regularly in preparation for a game. And if Osweiler performs well, or even decently, there is a chance that the Broncos will not turn back to Manning at all. Indeed, after speaking to sources inside the organization, Mike Silver of the NFL Network has concluded that Osweiler is not merely keeping Manning’s seat warm until the future Hall-of-Famer returns. Instead, Silver says, Manning has simply been benched (Twitter link via NFL Media).

To say that Manning has performed poorly this season would be an understatement. He leads the NFL in interceptions (17) and ranks 31st in overall passer rating. If his name were not Peyton Manning, he may have been benched several weeks ago. And, since the Broncos will likely be in rebuilding mode next season, the switch to Osweiler represents something of a win-win scenario; Osweiler, who is considerably more mobile than Manning, will allow head coach Gary Kubiak to open up his playbook and therefore help the team in its current playoff push while also allowing Denver to determine if he can be the permanent answer under center.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com agrees with La Canfora’s report, although he adds that Broncos officials are split as to whether Osweiler is the team’s quarterback of the future. That is why the team has not yet discussed a possible contract extension with Osweiler, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the season. However, if Osweiler can effectively manage the next several games, the Broncos’ approach to their quarterback situation could begin to take shape.

The expectation is that Manning, after he retires, will ultimately pursue a front office position. Whether that happens immediately after he retires is another story, but La Canfora writes in a separate piece that if Manning is ready for such a role in 2016, there will be a number of teams willing to give him a shot. Per La Canfora, the Titans and Browns are two clubs that would love to bring Manning aboard, and there are a few factors to suggest that either team would be an attractive landing spot. For instance, Manning has strong ties to Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, and he has long held that he would like to live in Tennessee when his playing days are over. Of course, someone with Manning’s reputation can afford to wait for the perfect opportunity, but as the end of his playing career may be accelerated this afternoon, it is natural for the rest of us to speculate as to what will come next for an all-time great.

QB Notes: Osweiler, Winston, Manziel, Kaep

November 21st, 2015 at 6:58pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Three years after the Broncos selected him in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, quarterback Brock Osweiler will finally make his first career start Sunday. Osweiler has sat behind the now-injured Peyton Manning as QBs who were taken after him have garnered far more playing time. Seattle’s Russell Wilson, chosen 18 picks after Osweiler, is already a Super Bowl winner and one of the most decorated signal callers in the league. Kirk Cousins – who went 31 choices behind Osweiler – is doing a fine job in his first season as Washington’s starter. On the other hand, Nick Foles (45 picks after Osweiler) has cooled off significantly since a red-hot 2013 and is currently riding the bench in St. Louis.

The Broncos opted for Osweiler with the 57th pick in 2012 rather than someone like Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David – who went 58th – for multiple reasons, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com: 1. General manager John Elway liked Osweiler’s size (6-foot-8, 240 pounds), especially compared to the diminutive Wilson’s (5-11, 206). 2. Manning came to the Broncos that year off a major neck injury, so Denver wanted to make sure it could find an insurance policy as early as possible in the draft. In Elway’s opinion at the time, Osweiler was the best fit. We’ll begin finding out whether he can be the answer for 7-2 Denver when its struggling offense goes on the road Sunday to face 4-5 Chicago.

Here are some more QB notes from around the league:

Buccaneers rookie Jameis Winston has notified CNN that he could sue the network if it goes through with its Sunday plan to broadcast “The Hunting Ground,” a documentary about college campus rape, according to ESPN. The documentary centers on Winston’s rape investigation from his time at Florida State and includes the first public interview with his accuser, Erica Kinsman. “We urge CNN to reconsider the reckless decision to proceed with the broadcast of this deeply-flawed documentary in the face of the overwhelming evidence the film’s producers consciously and intentionally failed to adhere to any accepted journalistic standards,” Winston’s lawyer wrote in a letter to CNN.
The Browns decided earlier this week that second-year man Johnny Manziel, not veteran Josh McCown, will start the rest of the season under center. Head coach Mike Pettine was committed to McCown earlier this season, but Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer opines that he made the choice because it’s time to truly see what Manziel can do. At 2-8, the Browns need to find out whether Manziel, a first-rounder in 2013, can be the answer going forward. If not, they might need to spend another top pick on a QB in next year’s draft. If the draft were today, they’d pick No. 1, which has often been a prime spot to land a franchise passer. Manziel has acquitted himself well statistically this season, especially in a 372-yard effort in a loss to Pittsburgh last Sunday, and will obviously need to continue doing so in order to convince the Browns to use their first-rounder on another position.
After the 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick landed on season-ending injured reserve with a torn left labrum earlier Saturday, his brother tweeted that he played four and a half games with the injury. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora subsequently deduced that Kaepernick sustained the injury during a Week 4 loss to Green Bay. The 49ers are now acknowledging that they did examine Kaepernick’s shoulder after the Packers game, though they concluded at the time that he didn’t suffer a significant injury (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee).

Extra Points: Jaguars, Broncos, Jets

November 21st, 2015 at 12:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com lays down a potential plan for a 17-game NFL season. Potential switches to the schedule could include:

17 regular season games
two preseason games (instead of four)
a second bye week, thus pushing the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day Weekend

There would be a possible 16 neutral-site games, allowing the NFL to expand anywhere. Florio suggest London, Mexico City, China, and Australia.

NFLPA president Eric Winston recently discussed the addition of an extra game with FOX Sports 910 Phoenix (via Florio).

“As far as expanding regular season games, I just don’t see what the use is at this point,” he said. “We’ve got a great game. 16 games is plenty. . . . I don’t think there’s a lot of guys around the league that are interested in playing more games. I don’t know how it makes sense.

“I never say never about anything. . . . To me if just doesn’t seem to make sense, but you never know what comes down in the future.”

Let’s check out some more assorted notes from around the league…

The Jaguars worked out a trio of defensive lineman this week (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter): Da’Quan Bowers, Tim Jamison, and Ishmaa’ily Kitchen.
If Brock Osweiler plays well this weekend, Troy Renck of the Denver Post opines that the Broncos quarterback should start the following week against the Patriots. This would give Peyton Manning extended time to recover from any lingering injuries.
Jets defensive back Calvin Pryor had a tumultuous rookie campaign last season, and the second-year player has missed three games recovering from an ankle sprain. Still, the 23-year-old has seen several changes in himself, making him confident that he can transition back to the lineup. “Maturity,” he told Justin Tasch of the New York Daily News. “Not being late to meetings and not doing things the wrong way. I feel like that’s the biggest thing.”

AFC Notes: Titans, H. Jackson, Fitzpatrick, Jets

November 19th, 2015 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

While there’s a chance that interim head coach Mike Mularkey could hang onto the Titans‘ job with a solid showing down the stretch, the team is believed to be interested in Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, among other potential candidates, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links).

Although he cautions that it’s still very early, Rapoport says that Jackson is a “hot candidate” in Tennessee, and would have joined the Titans a couple years ago if the team had hired Mike Zimmer as its head coach instead of Ken Whisenhunt.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the Jets have not yet initiated exploratory discussions on a contract extension for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. In Mehta’s view, however, it would make a lot of sense for the team to start pushing for a new deal for the veteran signal-caller, whose current pact expires after the 2015 season.
Ravens wide receiver Breshad Perriman confirmed today to reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), that the injury keeping him out the rest of the season is a partially torn PCL. The rookie wideout, placed on IR this week, doesn’t feel like he’ll need to undergo surgery on the knee.
With an opportunity to start for the Broncos in Week 11 and perhaps beyond that, quarterback Brock Osweiler would put himself in a good position for a contract extension from the team with a strong performance, as Rand Getlin of the NFL Network explains (video link).
The Jets are bringing in free agent offensive lineman Blaine Clausell for a visit this evening, according to his agent, Brett Tessler (Twitter link). Clausell was cut from the Patriots’ practice squad earlier today.

Peyton Manning Has Torn Plantar Fascia

November 16th, 2015 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

2:25pm: Osweiler will start against the Bears in Week 11, head coach Gary Kubiak confirmed today. Kubiak stressed that the focus will be on getting Manning healthy, so he won’t dress for Sunday’s game — Trevor Siemian will back up Osweiler (Twitter links via Troy Renck of the Denver Post).

10:56am: Schefter has updated his initial report, clarifying (via Twitter) that Manning’s torn plantar fascia is actually in his left foot, not his right foot. Nonethless, as Schefter adds, it’s hard to imagine that Osweiler won’t be starting in Manning’s place next week.

10:16am: The foot injury isn’t a new one for Manning, who had it get worse on the turf in Indianapolis in Week 9, according to various reports. Mike Klis of 9News tweets that Osweiler appears likely to get the Week 11 start vs. the Bears, though the team has yet to make that official.

8:43am: Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is coming off the worst game of his long NFL career, and according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), a foot injury may have played a significant role in the future Hall-of-Famer’s poor performance on Sunday. Schefter reports that Manning, who had been battling plantar fasciitis, had the injury worsen, suffering a torn plantar fascia in his right foot.

As Schefter explains (via Twitter), it’s possible to play through such an injury — Peyton’s brother, Eli Manning, was able to play through a fully torn plantar fascia during the 2009 season, for instance. However, according to Schefter, Peyton has a partial tear, which is even more painful to play through.

Manning became the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yardage on Sunday, but the milestone was the lone bright spot in a dreadful performance that included four interceptions and just five completions on 20 passing attempts. While it seems unlikely the 39-year-old will continue to play that poorly, he hasn’t looked right for most of the 2015 season, and he has also been dealing with a rib issue. Ultimately, given how Manning is struggling to push of his back foot, the Broncos may prefer to let him rest for a little while, giving Brock Osweiler a shot.

Osweiler, who turns 25 next Sunday, wasn’t great in relief of Manning in yesterday’s game against the Chiefs, but he at least injected a little life into the offense, throwing for 146 yards and a touchdown. If Osweiler gets some additional playing time this season, it could go a long way to determining his potential stock on the open market this winter, since the former second-round pick is in a contract year.

AFC Notes: Manning, Osweiler, Manziel

November 15th, 2015 at 7:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest on some AFC quarterbacks:

Peyton Manning‘s dreadful 2015 season reached a new low Sunday when he completed just 5 of 20 passes for 35 yards and four interceptions in the Broncos’ 29-13 loss to the Chiefs. Head coach Gary Kubiak removed Manning from the game in the second half in favor of backup Brock Osweiler, but Kubiak took the blame for Manning’s poor showing afterward. Kubiak said that he “made a bad decision” in playing Manning, who entered the game with a rib injury (Twitter link via Troy Renck of The Denver Post). Kubiak added, “Peyton is our quarterback,” per Renck (via Twitter).
Osweiler was better than Manning on Sunday, completing 14 of 24 passes for 146 yards, a touchdown and an interception. But he doesn’t expect to parlay that into increased playing time. After the game, the fourth-year man echoed Kubiak and threw his support behind Manning. “Peyton is our QB,” he said, according to Renck (Twitter link). “We all support him 100 percent. I don’t expect to start.”
Browns head coach Mike Pettine will have a hard time taking the starting job away from Johnny Manziel and giving it back to Josh McCown after Manziel’s Sunday showing, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Though the Browns dropped a 30-9 decision to Pittsburgh, Manziel was impressive in completing 33 of 45 passes for 372 yards. In Manziel’s previous start, a 31-10 loss to the Bengals in Week 9, the second-year man hit on 15 of 33 throws for 168 yards. From at least a statistical standpoint, then, Manziel significantly improved this week. Pettine acknowledged as much, saying (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com), “He took a big step forward.”