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Chad Greenway

Injury Updates: Sunday

September 21st, 2014 at 8:43pm CST by Rob DiRe

The NFL is almost through another week of football, and the injuries are piling up yet again. An unfortunate reality of the league is that no team will leave healthy from week to week.

Zach Links and Luke Adams have already discussed some of the bigger names to go down. Matt Cassel‘s foot injury paved the way for Vikings‘ first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater‘s NFL debut. Dennis Pitta left the Ravens‘ win with a dislocated hip, and Chargers‘ tailback Danny Woodhead could miss the rest of the season with a high ankle sprain and fractured fibula.

Here are some other injury notes from around the NFL:

Teammates React To Peterson’s Absence

September 14th, 2014 at 8:06pm CST by Rob DiRe

While the Vikings have decided not to address the Adrian Peterson situation until Monday, his absence became a huge part of the story of the team’s 30-7 loss to the New England Patriots.

Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune captured some of head coach Mike Zimmer’s press conference following the loss.

“I don’t want to discuss the Adrian issue at all today,” said Zimmer. “This is about the football game here. We’ll talk about it Monday or whenever we have the press conference on.”

While Tesfatsion noted many players declined to comment on playing without the star running back, there were some players willing to discuss it. Tom Pelissero of USA Today noted that even players who were willing to broach the subject, they had no answers for the media.

“He’s one of the best players in the NFL. Obviously, everybody knows that,” said linebacker Chad Greenway. “The reality is there’s going to be some interesting times ahead. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“I don’t think we have any excuses for what happened out there today,” said center John Sullivan. “If you go out and execute the way we did on the first drive the entire game, this question isn’t being asked right now.”

“We obviously don’t condone any of the alleged (actions),” said safety Harrison Smith. “But we’re going to stand behind our guys, and that’s pretty much all I’ve got to say.”

The entire organization was still frustrated following the blowout loss. Zimmer made an emphasis on how little the lack of Peterson influenced the game.

“It didn’t affect the team,” said Zimmer. “You know what affected the team? Throwing interceptions. Getting a field goal blocked. Not tackling well enough. Having penalties on defense.”

The team will likely not have Peterson rejoin the team anytime soon, and must go into a game against the 0-2 Saints without their best offensive weapon. The team’s new best player on the offense also commented on how the team is handling the situation, according to Mark Craig of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).

“We just have to get that mindset,” said Cordarrelle Patterson. “28 probably ain’t going to be here with us.”

Vikings Notes: Ponder, Turner, Greenway

August 20th, 2014 at 5:01pm CST by Rob DiRe

While Christian Ponder is reportedly open to a trade, he has not asked the Vikings’ management or coaching staff for one, reports Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (via Twitter).

Ponder was in the running to be the team’s starter earlier this offseason, sharing first-team reps, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. More recently, he has been relegated to the third string as Matt Cassel and first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater continue to compete for the starting spot.

While he would like a chance to start, he is saying the right things as he has accepted his current role with the team, according to Tomasson.

“I’m learning so much right now. I do feel like it’s beneficial for me to be right here right now,” said Ponder. “As a competitor, though, you want to be the guy that’s out there playing. But I do feel like in the situation I’m in right now, I am getting better though I’m not playing.”

Here are some other notes from around Vikings organization:

  • Ponder may no longer be in contention in Minnesota, but the team has yet to announce an official depth chart at quarterback. However, offensive coordinator Norv Turner may have revealed a bit about his selection process, writes Jim Souhan of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Cassel will start the season opener, and will remain the start if he is healthy and performing well. Bridgewater will be inserted into the lineup only when he is ready. “I know Teddy’s getting himself ready to play,” said Turner. “And he’s got to be ready to play, because this league is tough on quarterbacks. You can be in there real fast.’’
  • New head coach Mike Zimmer is enjoying his new chess pieces on defense, trying to balance his versatile players while installing his fundamental system, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. “It’s a little bit of, ‘What can the guy do and still be effective?'” Zimmer said. “Once I feel like we have the fundamentals down and the techniques down, then you can worry about tricking somebody else or disguising. You don’t always have guys like Everson Griffen, Anthony Barr, Brian Robison that can do a number of different things. Those three guys can stand up and drop, play outside linebacker and rush.” 
  • Linebacker Chad Greenway missed practice with a wrist injury, allowing second-year player Michael Mauti to get some extra reps, writes Matt Vensel of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Mauti is still on the bubble, but a strong performance in Greenway’s absence could go a long way to help him make the team.
  • While Mauti fights to make the team, and Zimmer tries to find ways to use his other defensive players, the Vikings are still looking for a third linebacker to step up and take the middle linebacker spot, writes Derek Wetmore of 1500ESPN.com. Jasper Brinkley and Audie Cole are fighting to earn that spot. “Jasper seems to be a little bit more communicative and Audie seems to have a little more range. As far as the running game they’re very close and the passing game they’re similar,” Zimmer said. “You have to look at all the different things: how it affects the rest of the guys on the team; you have to look at their blitz ability; their communication on different formations that you get. There’s so many variables with that position that goes into it that you just kind of overall look at it.”
  • Griffen is not letting any of the scheme and roster uncertainty get in the way of the basics, writes Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. After signing a huge contract to remain with the team, he knows the basic philosophy of the defense will be to get after the football. “We’re going to be in attack mode and we’re going to be able to play,” Griffen said. “Just go out there and have fun. Football’s fun.”

NFC Links: Greenway, Graham, Riddick

July 7th, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Matt Feminis

Vikings veteran linebacker Chad Greenway, coming off a disappointing 2013 season in which a wrist injury affected his play, is a player with “something to prove,” according to ESPN’s Ben Goessling: “Greenway took a paycut after a disappointing 2013 season with the Vikings, and he has just one year left on his contract after this season. The Vikings would have to count only a $1.7 million bonus proration against their 2015 cap if they cut Greenway after this season, and they’d save $7.1 million, meaning Greenway could be looking at another contract restructure or a release if he doesn’t pick things up at age 31 this season.”

Here’s some more NFC-related reading:

  • ESPN’s Mike Triplett did his best to clarify an arbitrator’s ruling that — for the purpose of the Saints’ franchise tag designation — Jimmy Graham was a tight end, in part, because of the so-called “4-yard benchmark.”
  • Late last month, Tim Twentyman wrote about Lions running back Theo Riddick turning heads with an impressive spring which caught the eye of head coach Jim Caldwell in particular. Now backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky is adding to the hype. Talking on Ross Tucker’s podcast, Orlovsky said, “I’m telling you, if [Riddick] doesn’t 50 catches this year, I’ll be surprised because he’s going to have opportunities and he’s very talented at it. I think he’s going to play that Sproles role, for sure.”
  • Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is rehabbing from back surgery for the second consecutive offseason, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, but Romo says his conditioning is “miles ahead of last year.”
  • Barry Church will hold down one safety spot for the Cowboys, but his running mate is to be determined. Bryan Broaddus of DallasCowboys.com thinks it will come down to J.J. Wilcox or Jakar Hamilton. “Wilcox has lost weight and is playing with better movement along with a better understanding of what his responsibilities are,” says Broaddus. Matt Johnson, a 2012 fourth-rounder out of Eastern Washington, is the most talented of the bunch, according to Broaddus, but Johnson hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
  • The Redskins drafted Josh LeRibeus in the third round in 2012 anticipating he would develop into a starter. Two years later, he must prove himself a capable backup just to stick on the roster, writes Mike Jones in the Washington Post.
  • In a rundown of NFC South depth chart notes, Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness recognized the encouraging play of a pair of 2013 rookies: Saints offensive tackle Terron Armstead and Buccaneers running back Mike James, both of whom made the most of limited opportunity.

NFC Links: Foles, Lions, Vikings

June 7th, 2014 at 6:23pm CST by Ben Levine

Following Colin Kaepernick‘s recent extension, many young quarterbacks are likely counting down the days until their new contract. One signal caller who isn’t thinking that far ahead is Eagles field general Nick Foles.

As Jeff McLane of Philly.com writes, Foles has never been financially motivated to play the sport. It certainly helps that his father sold a chain of Texas-based restaurants for $59MM, but as the writer says, Foles “is his own man and will want to forge his own path.”

Besides the lack of desire for a large payout, there may be many factors that stands in Foles’ way. One could be the lingering belief that a more mobile quarterback would fit better into coach Chip Kelly‘s system. Another is the hesitance to buy into Foles completely until he’s proven that he can sustain his success.

Regardless, the entire thing isn’t bothering the 25-year-old.

“If you try to think about all that, it’s hard to play,” Foles said.

If the quarterback continues with that focused mindset, he may be in line for his own large contract soon enough.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…

NFC North Notes: Finley, Allen, Greenway

May 30th, 2014 at 9:05pm CST by Rob DiRe

It was reported earlier that former Packers‘ Jermichael Finley was cleared medically by his personal doctor, but that does not mean that he will be cleared by team doctors anytime soon, writes Louis Bien of SBNation.com. With Finley in in free agent limbo after his injury, Bien notes that it could make sense for Finley to pursue the $10MM insurance policy that would go into effect if his injuries were too sever to allow him to return to the field.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC North:

  • If Finley does prove himself healthy, he should have a number of options in terms of teams looking for playmaking tight ends. A healthy Finley would rank among the top remaining free agents. Additionally, he could be a fit with the Patriots according to Isaac Moore of Patriots.com, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report sees the Giants as a potential landing spot, and Nick Silverman of Rant Sports throws out the Raiders as a good match for his talents.
  • New Bears‘ pass rusher Jared Allen is focused on proving he’s worth taking a chance on, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com. “My motivation to be the best at what I do is a self-motivation,” Allen said. “It’s probably more of a fear of failing than it is necessarily thriving to be the best. I just want guys, when I leave this league, I want them to say, ‘He did it the right way, he gave everything he had, and not one day he was stealing checks.'”
  • Vikings‘ star linebacker Chad Greenway is adjusting to new head coach Mike Zimmer’s defense, writes Brian Hall of Fox Sports North. Greenway was used primarily as a strong side linebacker under Leslie Frazier, but is practicing across all three linebacker spots under Zimmer. “This is the first chance, really, for me to learn something completely new,” said Greenway. “It’s been good. I go through the same growing pains as the young guys, as far as learning new stuff. Sometimes it’s even harder for me, because I have everything so ingrained over the years. It’s been great. It’s been a fun defense to start to learn, and we’ve just got to get good at it now.”

NFC Notes: Greenway, Melton, Miller

March 15th, 2014 at 12:29pm CST by Matt Feminis

The Vikings have restructured Chad Greenway‘s contract, according to Jason Fitzgerald at OverTheCap.com (via Twitter). Greenway will take a $1MM pay cut in 2014 in exchange for the the club guaranteeing his $5.5MM base salary. Factoring in prorated signing bonus money, Greenway will now count $7.2MM against the cap in 2014.

In other Vikings/NFC-related news:

  • Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press expanded on Greenway’s restructuring here, including news of fullback Jerome Felton and safety Jamarca Sanford also reworking their deals to free up some cash. The Vikings now have just over $16MM in cap space.
  • Bears free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton is on an extended visit with the Seahawks, tweets Josina Anderson, but still plans to meet with the Cowboys if a deal doesn’t get done.
  • The Seahawks and Zach Miller have agreed to restructure his deal, enabling him to stay in Seattle for the next two years, writes Danny O’Neil of 710 ESPN Seattle. The team was prepared to cut Miller, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • Free agent kick returner Trindon Holliday is visiting with the Falcons today, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS (via Twitter).
  • Speaking of return men, free agent Devin Hester spoke with the Sun Sentinel’s Chris Perkins about free agency and claims he still has 4.38 speed.