HEADLINES

DeMarco Murray

Murray Suffered Third Degree MCL Tear

December 26th, 2017 at 6:10pm CST by Micah Powell

An MRI revealed that Titans running back DeMarco Murray has a third degree MCL tear, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The veteran back believes he can play through the injury with the Titans aiming for a playoff spot. DeMarco Murray

This is a change from Schefter original report on Sunday night that Murray sprained his MCL in the Week 16 tilt with the Rams. Murray’s status is still up in the air, with head coach Mike Mularkey saying on Sunday night the back was day-to-day and commenting on his toughness.

The Titans currently own the final wildcard spot in the AFC with an 8-7 record and just need a win vs. the Jaguars, or losses from both the Chargers and Bill, to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Though in front for the final spot, Tennessee has dropped three consecutive games.

If Murray was to be held out of action, 2016 second-round pick Derrick Henry would assume the role of lead back. Henry has been the better back, out-gaining Murray by 34 yards on 36 fewer carries.

DeMarco Murray May Not Play In Week 17

December 25th, 2017 at 1:25pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Titans dropped their third game in a row when they fell late to the Rams in Week 16. However, that was not the only bad news that came from their defeat. Starting running back DeMarco Murray was helped off the field after suffering a knee injury in the fourth quarter of the contest, according to the team’s official website.

DeMarco Murray

While there was no immediate diagnosis, Titans head coach Mike Mularkey did not like what he saw when Murray went down.

“We’re going to get an MRI on him and see the extent of it,” Mularkey said. “Didn’t look good. He’s a pretty tough guy, watched him walk off, and it didn’t look good.”

Murray will be 30 years old next month and has not looked as dynamic as he did a season ago. The veteran back has averaged just 3.6 yards per carry in 2017, which is a notable step down from his 4.4 yards per carry mark from last year.

If the injury turns out to be as bad as it appeared on the field, Tennessee would lean heavily on backup running back Derrick Henry to help carry them to the postseason.

The 23-year-old has clearly been the more effective back this season and has seen his workload increase in his second full year in the NFL. Henry has totaled double-digit carries seven times in 2017, but would be in-line for at least 20 touches should Murray be forced to sit.

He’ll, obviously, he’ll get a bigger load,” Mularkey said. “It’s good for him, I’m glad we have him. That’s what he’s here for, and (David) Fluellen as well. And again, that’s me speaking right after the game. I’ve seen him before come back pretty strong. He’s about as tough a player we got.”

The Titans are still in a prime position punch their postseason ticket for the first time since the 2008-09 season. All Tennessee needs to do is beat a Jaguars team that could have nothing to play for should the Steelers win their game this afternoon. Nevertheless, the prospect of losing another playmaker for a franchise that has stumbled mightily towards the finish line is not an ideal situation entering the final week of the 2017 regular season.

 

AFC Notes: Broncos, Murray, Steelers, Hill

October 31st, 2017 at 12:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos are under .500 for the first time since October 2012 and have seen their aerial attack sputter this month. They are considering benching Trevor Siemian for Brock Osweiler, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Osweiler was once ahead of Siemian in Denver’s pecking order prior to departing as a free agent, starting seven games in relief of Peyton Manning in 2015, but has seen his stock plummet considerably in between Broncos stays. Siemian, though, threw three interceptions against the Chiefs and has now thrown 10 this season — as many as he did in 14 games in 2016. Paxton Lynch would be the more logical choice for a longer-term change but has only practiced three times thus far. Still, if the Broncos’ losing streak continues — and games against the Eagles and Patriots loom the next two weeks — it would stand to reason Lynch could see the field soon for the lengthy audition he’s yet to receive.

Here’s the latest from the AFC on trade deadline day.

  • DeMarco Murray has heard “rumblings” he could be traded, Ed Werder tweets. This would be an obviously interesting move given the Titans‘ placement in the AFC South and wild-card races and their affinity for ground success under Mike Mularkey. Murray has no guaranteed money left on his through-2019 deal. The Cowboys are reportedly calling about running backs after Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension was restored, and Werder notes Murray makes sense due to his All-Pro season for Dallas in 2014.
  • Martavis Bryant has been informed he’s going to be part of the Steelers‘ Week 10 game plan, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports, continuing to squelch the notion the mercurial pass-catcher could be traded today. The Steelers have said they are not trading the fourth-year wide receiver, one who has another season remaining on his rookie contract since it tolled while he was suspended. Fowler notes Pittsburgh could get blown away by an offer but doesn’t see a trade coming.
  • Steelers rookie cornerback Cameron Sutton returned to practice on Tuesday, the team announced. He remains on IR, and the Steelers have 21 days to activate the third-round pick. Pittsburgh has six cornerbacks on its active roster presently.
  • Jeremy Hill‘s contract year is not going especially well, and the Bengals running back made an agency switch, Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports (on Twitter). Hill will now be represented by Joel Segal and Greg Barnett, per Owczarski. The fourth-year ball-carrier has just 113 rushing yards on 37 carries. He profiles as a possible trade candidate due to Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard being signed long-term. Hill rushed for at least 790 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons, which would seemingly make him an intriguing free agent despite the role reduction this season.

Notable 2017 Pro Bowl Incentives/Escalators

December 20th, 2016 at 9:08pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL announced the 2017 Pro Bowl rosters earlier tonight, and aside from determining which players will spend a week in Orlando early next year, the rosters also dictate several important bonuses and/or contract escalators for individual players. Former NFL agent and current CBSSports.com contributor Joel Corry has rounded up the notable incentives earned tonight, and we’ll pass those along below. As Corry notes (Twitter links), only first ballot Pro Bowlers who actually participate in the game (unless injured or playing in the Super Bowl) can earn bonuses, which are typically paid out by the end of March.

Here are the notable Pro Bowl bonuses and escalators that were preliminarily netted this evening (all links to Corry’s Twitter):

Incentives

  • Raiders G Kelechi Osemele, $300K (link): Under general manager Reggie McKenzie, the Raiders have employed what is often referred to as an “all cash” salary cap management system, wherein prorated signing bonuses are rarely used while base salary guarantees, roster bonuses, and — as evidenced by the number of Oakland players on this list — incentive clauses are heavily employed. Osemele, the league’s highest-paid interior offensive lineman, is signed through 2020 with cap charges north of $10MM in each season.
  • Colts P Pat McAfee, $250K (link): McAfee, who signed a five-year extension with the Colts in 2014, ranks third in the NFL in net punting average at 42.8 yards. The Indy special teams unit ranks fourth in the league in DVOA, while McAfee himself has been worth four points of field position on punts, third-best in the AFC.
  • Raiders S Reggie Nelson, $250K (link): Nelson sat on the free agent market until April, but has rewarded the Raiders for signing him by earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl season. The 33-year-old Nelson, who’s posted four interceptions after leading the NFL with eight picks in 2015, is in the middle of a two-year, $8.5MM deal.
  • Raiders T Donald Penn, $200K (link): Penn is the definition of stability, as the veteran left tackle hasn’t missed a game since becoming a starter during his rookie season in 2007. Penn signed a two-year, $11.9MM contract with the Raiders this spring, and is set to count $6.1MM against Oakland’s cap in 2017.
  • Raiders C Rodney Hudson, $100K (link): The third member of the Raiders’ offensive line to earn a Pro Bowl bonus, Hudson is the fourth-highest paid center in the league, earning $8.9MM annually. The No. 4 center in the NFL this year according to Pro Football Focus, Hudson is signed through the 2019 campaign.
  • Titans RB DeMarco Murray, $100K (link): After a putrid season in Philadelphia during which he barely topped 700 yards rushing, Murray has rebounded since being traded to the Titans, and is currently second in the league with 1.224 yards on the ground. He’s scored nine rushing touchdowns, and has added three more scores thorugh the air.

Escalators

  • Browns T Joe Thomas, $1.5MM 2017 roster bonus escalator (link): Thomas is due a roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year, and that bonus’ value has now increased from $1MM to $2.5MM. That bonus could factor in (in a minimal way) to any trade talks the Browns might have with other clubs, but Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson has been adamant that the Browns won’t deal Thomas.
  • Titans LB Brian Orakpo, $200K 2017 base salary escalator (link): Orakpo’s 2017 base salary will increase to $5.95MM after he was selected to the Pro Bowl and played in more than 65% of the Titans’ defensive snaps. Orakpo, who has posted 11 sacks during his second season with Tennessee, is signed through 2018.
  • Titans DT Jurrell Casey, $100K 2017 base salary escalator (link): Casey, 27, is arguably one of the more underpaid defenders in the league, as he’s due only $36MM from 2014-2018. His 2017 base salary will now increase to $5.9MM in 2017, and he’s also due a $200K roster bonus next spring.

AFC Notes: Murray, Colts, RGIII

October 30th, 2016 at 12:37pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a quick swing around the AFC:

  • Titans RB DeMarco Murray had an MRI on his toe after Thursday night’s victory over Jacksonville, and the prognosis is good, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport’s source indicated that Murray will be fine.
  • Kevin Bowen of Colts.com believes that Colts TE Jack Doyle has established himself as a starting-caliber tight end, and that his free agent platform year has come at a perfect time for him. Bowen says Doyle will be one of Indianapolis’ most important free agents this offseason and that he could pull down a contract with a $5MM average annual value.
  • Colts DE Kendall Langford, who has the the longest active games-played streak among all NFL defensive linemen (135), will see that streak come to an end, according to Andrew Walker of Colts.com. Langford continues to deal with a right knee issue that required minor surgery during training camp, and he will sit out an indeterminate amount of time to give that knee a chance to fully heal.
  • Neema Hodjat of OverTheCap.com examines what a potential extension for Raiders QB Derek Carr might look like. This is Carr’s third year in the league, so he will be eligible to receive an extension at the end of this season. Assuming he continues to play at a high level, Carr should command a five-year deal worth upwards of $110MM, according to Hodjat. And the Raiders, who have done a terrific job managing the salary cap in recent years, will be able to shell out that kind of money without much hesitation.
  • Browns QB Robert Griffin III does not need surgery at this time, so he could possibly return somewhere between the November 20 game against the Steelers and the Dececmber 11 matchup against the Bengals after the bye week, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cabot believes the Browns should get RGIII some action this year if possible, as they have to decide if they need to draft a quarterback in April.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe opines that the Patriots‘ recent trades for Kyle Van Noy and Eric Rowe indicate that the team is preparing for significant free agent losses this offseason. Both players are under club control through at least 2017, and they are playing on fairly inexpensive deals. Van Noy will serve as insurance should one or both of Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower depart in free agency, and Rowe will offset the potential losses of Malcolm Butler and/or Logan Ryan.
  • Volin tweets that Jacoby Brissett could be the Patriots‘ one player to return from IR this season.

DeMarco Murray On Cowboys, Eagles

October 15th, 2016 at 11:38am CST by Connor J. Byrne

Before the Eagles traded running back DeMarco Murray to the Titans in March, the ex-Cowboy was “95 percent sure” Philadelphia was going to send him back to Dallas.

“I was very close to going back there,” Murray told Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. “There were some things that fell through and just didn’t happen.”

DeMarco Murray

While the Cowboys and Eagles did discuss Murray during the offseason, Philly was reluctant to trade with an NFC East rival, a source informed Williams. Nevertheless, the two nearly agreed to a deal, the source added.

Murray “was very involved in the talks,” he revealed to Williams. The 28-year-old also said that his heart wasn’t into continuing his career as an Eagle, though he called executive vice president Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie “really good people.”

When Murray signed a five-year, $42MM contract with the Eagles as a free agent in March 2015, he was fresh off a season in which he rushed for an NFL-high 1,845 yards and earned AP Offensive Player of the Year honors. But Murray was nowhere near as productive as part of then-Eagles head coach Chip Kelly‘s offense in 2015. Under Kelly, Murray set a career low in yards per carry (3.6) on 193 attempts – 199 fewer than he racked up during his last year in Dallas.

“Obviously, the scheme just wasn’t a fit for me, and I wasn’t a fit for them,” he said of his time in Philadelphia. “It wasn’t pointing fingers or anything. It just wasn’t a good relationship. Those things happen, and you learn from them. I was fortunate enough to come here and be here and be a Titan now.”

Now that he’s no longer in an Eagles uniform, Murray once again looks like one of the league’s premier backs, having averaged 5.0 yards per rush and totaled three touchdowns on 93 carries. The ex-Oklahoma Sooner has also piled up two more scores as a pass catcher and amassed 24 receptions on 27 targets.

As for the Cowboys, “they’ve got a pretty good young back over there as well,” Murray quipped, referring to rookie Ezekiel Elliott. Just under two months after a reunion with Murray fell through, the Cowboys selected Elliott fourth overall in the draft. The only rusher in the league with more yards than Murray this year is Elliott, who has 546 (and five TDs). Clearly, then, the non-trade has worked out for both Murray and the Cowboys.

AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Murray, Titans, Luck

July 21st, 2016 at 4:51pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jaguars seemingly have five wide receivers locked into roster spots, according to Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com: Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Rashad Greene, Marqise Lee, and Bryan Walters.

That means there could be seven wideouts competing for a single roster spot. The group includes Arrelious Benn, Tony Washington, Rasheed Bailey, Rashad Lawrence, Jamal Robinson, Shaq Evans and Shane Wynn.

If one of those players was going to emerge, O’Halloran points to Benn. The former second-round pick was set to earn a roster spot last season before breaking his collarbone.

“He’s a big, strong, physical guy,” receivers coach Jerry Sullivan told O’Halloran. “He should be a top-notch special teams guy and be a dependable guy who can come in and be a relief pitcher.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes from the AFC South…

Extra Points: Von, Ryans, D. Murray, Adams

June 22nd, 2016 at 8:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Few in the NFL expect superstar linebacker Von Miller to sit out the season if he and the Broncos don’t resolve their contract dispute, writes Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post, but Kiszla believes doing so in protest of the franchise tag could revolutionize the NFL. If Miller eschews the $14MM tag, skips the 2016 campaign and signs elsewhere next offseason with a team willing to treat him like a full partner – as LeBron James is with the Cleveland Cavaliers, notes Kiszla – it could have a significant impact on the league, the writer opines. However, given Miller’s love for Denver, Kiszla expects the Super Bowl 50 MVP and the franchise to ultimately reach a long-term accord by the July 15 deadline.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • DeMeco Ryans is hoping to play in 2016 but he also understands if that opportunity doesn’t come around. “Either way, I’m happy spending time with the family,” the former Texans and Eagles linebacker told Mark Inabinett of AL.com. “It’s just a blessing for me to be able to play 10 years in the NFL and have a great career. I have no regrets about it, so it’s great either way. If I could play again, that’ll be great. If not, that’s great as well.” Ryans, 31, spent the last four seasons with the Eagles after playing his first six in Houston. A two-time Pro Bowler with the Texans, Ryans had a pair of strong seasons with the Eagles before an Achilles injury and a reduced role slowed him down from 2014-15. Ryans recorded 49 tackles to go along with an interception, a forced fumble, and five passes defended last season.
  • This is usually the time on the calendar in which players who had poor years during the previous NFL season predict better things during the approaching campaign, so it’s no surprise that DeMarco Murray is excited about 2016. Murray’s situation is unique, however, as he went from AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year two seasons ago in Dallas to a free agent bust with the Eagles in 2015. Having once again switched uniforms, this time going from the Eagles to the Titans in a trade, the 28-year-old sees himself as a better fit in Mike Mularkey’s offense than he was in Chip Kelly’s. “It’s strictly downhill and that’s what I’ve been accustomed to my entire life,” Murray told Jim Rome on Wednesday (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “Nothing against last year or what happened, it just didn’t work out, but I’m very excited about this upcoming season and looking forward to it.”
  • Former Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams is adjusting to life with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes and while it’s not what he envisioned for himself, he says that he is focusing on being at his best north of the border, ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert writes. “I can tell you I am not worried about the NFL,” Adams said, “and they’re not worried about me. I’m not even starting here. I want to get bigger and faster and play here. If the NFL comes calling in five or 10 years or whatever, then maybe I might consider it. But as of right now. I’m fine.”

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

Titans Acquire DeMarco Murray

March 9th, 2016 at 5:14pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

5:14pm: The Titans have officially acquired Murray and the Eagles’ fourth-round pick (15th in the round) from Philadelphia in exchange for Tennessee’s fourth-round pick (second in the round), the Eagles confirmed today (via Twitter).

WEDNESDAY, 10:28am: The Eagles and Titans are expected to swap fourth-round picks as part of this deal, tweets Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic. That would allow Philadelphia to move up 13 spots in the round, giving the club the second pick on Day 3 of the draft.

TUESDAY, 6:08pm: Murray’s new contract has a four-year term and base value of $25.5MM, $12.5MM of which is guaranteed, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who adds that it’s unclear whether or not that $12.5MM is fully guaranteed. Escalators can push the total value to $33MM.

For comparison’s sake, Murray had $31MM remaining on his old deal — $12MM of that total was guaranteed, and further $9MM of that was fully guaranteed.

MONDAY, 7:47pm: Even with Kelly out of the equation, Murray had been pressuring the Eagles to trade him since the season ended, tweets ESPN’s Ed Werder.

6:10pm: The Titans are finalizing a trade to acquire running back DeMarco Murray from the Eagles, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). There’s no word yet on what the Eagles will get in return. The deal will be consummated Wednesday, the first day of the league year, and will also include a new contract for Murray, his agency, SportsTrust Advisors, announced (Twitter link). However, Murray’s guarantees won’t change, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). He’s due $7MM in 2016 and $7.5MM from 2017-19.

The Eagles shopped Murray over the last few weeks, per Rapoport (Twitter link), after the 28-year-old experienced a disastrous season in Philadelphia. Murray inked a five-year, $42MM deal to leave Dallas for Philly last offseason. At the time, Murray was coming off a season in which he earned AP Offensive Player of the Year honors thanks to a 392-carry, 1,845-yard, 13-touchdown showing. All of Murray’s numbers dropped precipitously under Chip Kelly, though, as he amassed 199 fewer attempts (193), over 1,100 fewer yards (702), and finished with six scores. Murray also averaged just 3.6 yards per rush, a full yard below his five-year career mark.

The Cowboys discussed the idea of reacquiring Murray, but that idea didn’t go very far, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

In Tennessee, Murray will join a club that ranked 25th in rushing yards last season and 17th in per-carry average. Quarterback Marcus Mariota beefed up both stats, though, with his lofty 7.4 YPC. Their running back corps was much less threatening. Antonio Andrews led Titans backs in attempts (143), yards (520) and touchdowns (three). He matched Murray with a paltry 3.6 YPC.

The Murray trade is one of at least two the Eagles will finalize Wednesday. We learned earlier today that they will send cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso, two other Kelly acquisitions from last winter, to the Dolphins for draft-pick compensation. The Eagles might also deal running back Ryan Mathews, but that could change with Murray on the outs. Mathews was also a Kelly pickup a year ago. Regardless of whether Mathews exits, it’s clear that Eagles vice president Howie Roseman and Kelly’s replacement, Doug Pederson, are taking the club’s roster in a vastly different direction than it went in under Kelly.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Campbell, Murray, Cowboys, Suh

March 8th, 2016 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

Contradicting a report from another outlet, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic writes that the Cardinals aren’t trying to trade Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell, and haven’t received any inquiries from teams asking if he’s available.

Still, while Campbell may not be on the trade block, his situation is still worth keeping an eye on this offseason, as Somers points out. The standout defensive lineman is entering the final year of his contract, and has a cap hit of $15.25MM, making him a prime extension candidate if Arizona wants to keep him around for the long term.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL on a busy Tuesday:

  • There was some discussion about the Cowboys, rather than the Titans, acquiring DeMarco Murray from the Eagles, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link). However, Werder says Dallas wasn’t on board with the compensation or the guaranteed money necessary to make a deal.
  • The Dolphins created $16MM in cap room when they restructured Ndamukong Suh‘s contract, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). James Walker of ESPN.com breaks down the specifics.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the details on Tyrunn Walker‘s new one-year deal with the Lions, which features a $150K signing bonus, $550K in total roster bonuses, and $650K in playing-time incentives.
  • Safety Andrew Sendejo will receive $2.5MM fully guaranteed on his new deal with the Vikings, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Goessling adds that Sendejo will make $4MM in the first year and $7MM through two years.
Load More Posts