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Geoff Schwartz

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Giants, Redskins

October 20th, 2014 at 7:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFC East looks to be a competitive division, at least near the top, where the Cowboys and Eagles have a combined record of 11-2. Let’s take a look at some injury updates from Philadelphia, New York, and Washington:

  • Making his weekly appearance on CSNPhilly, Eagles guard Evan Mathis said he has been cleared to resume practicing (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN). Mathis, who sprained his MCL in Week 1, is on injured reserve/designated to return and isn’t eligible to return to game action until Week 10.
  • Mathis also told CSNPhilly that center Jason Kelce, who has been sidelined since Week 3, is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery from a sports hernia, and could play for the Eagles again as soon as Week 9 (Twitter link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
  • Though Giants linebacker Jon Beason is expected to travel to North Carolina to meet with an ankle specialist, New York has no intention of shutting down the veteran as of yet, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger.
  • Meanwhile, guard Geoff Schwartz is expected to begin practicing next week, but he likely won’t make his regular season debut for the Giants until Week 9, per Raanan.
  • The Redskins will be without linebacker Brian Orakpo for the rest of the season, leading John Keim of ESPN.com to examine how Washington will aim to replace a key cog in its defense. Rookie Trent Murphy will see more snaps, and a team source tells Keim that the Redskins will consider re-signing Rob Jackson, who played for the team until 2013.

PUP, IR-DTR Players Soon Eligible To Practice

October 10th, 2014 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Week 6 of the NFL season will come to an end after Monday night’s game between the 49ers and Rams, and when teams begin preparing for Week 7, many of those clubs may be welcoming some players back to practice. Six weeks into the NFL season, players who were placed on the physically unable to perform list or the injured reserve list with the designation to return prior to Week 1’s games will be eligible to return to practice.

Of course, just because those players are able to return to the practice field doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be healthy enough to do so. Players on the PUP list have a five-week window to begin practicing. Once they return to practice, they have three weeks to be added to their respective teams’ active rosters. In other words, a player on the PUP list could theoretically return for his team’s Week 7 game, or could return as late as for his team’s Week 15 contest. If the player doesn’t return to practice or game action in time, he’ll revert to season-ending injured reserve.

Here are the players currently on the physically unable to perform list who can begin practicing as soon as next week:

Players who began the season on the PUP list didn’t participate in any preseason practices, but that’s not the case for players on the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Teams can use this spot on one player per season, placing him on the injured reserve list without necessarily ruling him out for the season. As we explained in an earlier post, players given this designation can begin practicing after six weeks and can return after eight weeks.

That means that players who were placed on IR-DTR prior to Week 1 can begin practicing next week. A player who was placed on IR-DTR after – for instance – Week 2 will have to wait another two weeks to return to practice.

Here’s the list of players currently on IR-DTR who can begin practicing as soon as next week:

Giants Sign Adam Snyder

September 3rd, 2014 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

10:56am: The Giants have confirmed the signing of Snyder in a press release. As expected, Schwartz was placed on the IR-designated to return list to make room on the active roster.

10:38am: The Giants will sign veteran offensive lineman Adam Snyder to help bolster their offensive line, reports Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We heard yesterday from Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports that the team was working to sign the ex-Niner.

Snyder, 32, was one of the final cuts in San Francisco, despite having started several games for the team last season. Since being selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2005 draft, Snyder has appeared in 137 total contests, including 87 starts. All but 14 of those games (and starts) came for the Niners. The Oregon product is also capable of playing anywhere on the line, having spent time at all five positions at various times in his career.

A corresponding move will be necessary for the Giants to make the signing of Snyder official, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it involved Geoff Schwartz. The veteran guard has a foot injury and is a candidate for the injured reserve list, with a designation to return.

East Notes: Sanchez, Hill, Schwartz, Cowboys

August 26th, 2014 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

As one of the league’s premier backups, Eagles signal-caller Mark Sanchez figures to be the subject of trade rumors when starting QBs like Sam Bradford go down for the season. However, as he tells Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sanchez isn’t interested in listening to that sort of speculation.

“I’m an Eagle. I love being an Eagle,” Sanchez said. “There’s a ton of quarterbacks. Talk about someone else.”

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • With final cuts approaching, some trade chatter is starting to surround Jets wide receiver Stephen Hill. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter) notes that the team has already tried to move Hill this summer, with no takers so far, while Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter) is skeptical that the Jets could get anything for the wideout. On the other hand, one AFC exec tells Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com that he thinks there’d be some interest, since the free agent market for receivers is thin.
  • The Giants received some good news on Geoff Schwartz’s foot injury, announcing today in a press release that the guard will be in a walking boot for the next seven to 10 days, then will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis. The timetable suggests that Schwartz will avoid hitting any sort of PUP or IR list.
  • Cowboys linebacker DeVonte Holloman tells Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that it was an “easy decision” to retire after sustaining his latest neck injury, though he admitted it’ll be “tough not to be out there” on the field with the team.
  • As Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram outlines, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones weighed in on position battles at a few key positions in Dallas as the team prepares to cut its roster down to 53 players.

East Notes: Griffin, Brent, Branch

August 24th, 2014 at 12:20pm CST by Rory Parks

Robert Griffin III struggled in the Redskins‘ third preseason game against the Ravens on Saturday night, and that has led to a great deal of chatter as to whether he or backup Kirk Cousins represents the team’s best option under center. Redskins’ legend Joe Theismann weighed in on the conversation in the fourth quarter of last night’s game (as transcribed by Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post) stating:

“Let’s stop beating around the bush. Kirk Cousins has played much better at the quarterback position than Robert Griffin III has…Now, if there was a quarterback competition, it wouldn’t be a competition. Kirk Cousins would be the man I believe [head coach Jay Gruden] would have to go to.”

Theismann continued to sing Cousins’ praises after the game ended. Former Redskin Brian Mitchell, an analyst on the team’s post game show, disagreed with Theismann’s assessment, stating that Griffin, not Cousins, gives Washington the best chance of winning. For what it’s worth, Liz Clarke of the Washington Post writes that Griffin rejects the belief that he has regressed this preseason.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com points out the obvious flaw in Theismann’s analysis, writing that, since there never was a quarterback competition in Redskins camp–Griffin entered the offseason as the undisputed starter–there is no way to determine whether Griffin or Cousins would have won such a competition. If the starting job was up for grabs, Cousins would have had a chance to work with the first team offense against the Ravens’ first-team defense, and no one can say how that would have altered the evaluation.
  • Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com reports that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expects a decision from the league regarding a potential suspension for DT Josh Brent “imminently.” Jones has previously stated that the team will have a roster spot for Brent if the NFL allows him to play.
  • Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes that undrafted free agent wideout Corey Washington has had a monster preseason for the Giants and has thrust himself into serious consideration for a roster spot.
  • Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com tweets that it will be a few days before a final diagnosis is made on Geoff Schwartz, and in a full-length piece Ranaan describes how the Giants might go about replacing him.
  • In a pair of articles, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post offers a little more on Schwartz, some Giants‘ roster machinations, and he describes the quality performances displayed by a few of the Giants’ younger players.
  • I rounded up a few Eagles links here.
  • In the wake of Alan Branch‘s recent arrest, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reexamines the financial ramifications the Bills would face if they were to release Branch.
  • Marc Sessler of NFL.com writes that Bills coach Doug Marrone is open to shopping for a new backup quarterback. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com wonders (via Twitter) if the team would consider Luke McCown if he is cut by New Orleans, as the Saints and the Bills have a similar offensive system.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe describes how the new practice squad rules could impact several players on the Patriots‘ roster bubble.
  • Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe provides a closer look on how the Patriots will pare their roster down to 75 players by Tuesday’s deadline.
  • The Jets released six players earlier today.

 

NFC East Links: Schwartz, Cowboys, Redskins

August 23rd, 2014 at 4:07pm CST by Rob DiRe

Giants‘ guard Geoff Schwartz was brought in this offseason to sure up the offensive line, but in light of his recent injury, the team needs to look at potential replacements on the roster, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Rookie center Weston Richburg is the logical replacement, although he was thought of as the center of the future and was already competing to be the starter at the other guard spot with Brandon Mosley. John Jerry and Dallas Reynolds are the other guards on the roster.

Here are some more links from around the NFC East:

  • The Giants‘ offensive line is not the only cause for concern heading into the regular season, as the team’s tight ends and their quarterback Eli Manning have struggled as well, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The team is also short on wide receivers with rookie Odell Beckham Jr. and former practice squad star Marcus Harris struggling with injuries. Harris was thought to be a lock to make the roster before his injury, writes Raanan.
  • There are still a few starting spots on the Cowboys‘ depth chart up for grabs, and David Moore of DallasNews.com points out three places where those jobs are up for grabs. The team still has a decision to make at left guard, left defensive end, and middle linebacker.
  • The writers of DallasCowboys.com have highlighted two players each to watch going into the Cowboys‘ preseason game against the Dolphins. The players to watch are not necessarily in straightforward position battles, and range from rookie Devin Street to franchise quarterback Tony Romo.
  • The Redskins‘ cornerback depth chart is still up in the air, with multiple players impressing so far during camp. Tracy Porter seems to have the slot corner spot locked up, but if his injury history comes back to haunt him, that could open up a roster spot for a player like Chase Minnifield, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. Bashaud Breeland has also had an excellent camp, but must learn how to play the slot before he sees significant playing time.

Friday Night Game Notes: East Edition

August 23rd, 2014 at 9:38am CST by Matt Feminis

Patriots third-year pass rusher Chandler Jones, who is being used as a stand-up rusher this season, had six tackles and two sacks in a win over Carolina last night, earning praise from Bill Belichick: “Chandler’s worked really hard at whatever we’ve asked him to do since he’s been here. Last year, he also played some inside over the guard. He’s played outside over the tackle or the tight end, up, down. He’s a versatile player and he’s very conscientious to try to do whatever we ask him to do and playing in all those different spots. He’s a very athletic player with good length, good playing strength so he has a lot of versatility athletically, he has a lot of versatility mentally.” CSNNE’s Greg Bedard believes Jones is poised to become an elite defender.

Here’s some more news and notes produced after Friday night’s batch of preseason games:

J’Marcus Webb To Sign With Chiefs

May 19th, 2014 at 11:03am CST by Matt Feminis

11:03am: Webb’s deal is for one year at the veteran minimum ($730k), per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter).

8:44am: After visiting a few teams this offseason, offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb has decided to sign with the Chiefs, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter). Webb, who will be 26 this August, has 45 career starts under his belt and will likely vie for a role as a swing backup tackle behind starters Eric Fisher and Donald Stephenson. The Chiefs lost offenisve linemen Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah and Geoff Schwartz — who combined for 28 starts in 2013 — before adding a pair of late-round, developmental prospects in Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and Zach Fulton.

NFC East Notes: Allen, Cowboys, Schwartz

March 19th, 2014 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

We heard yesterday that free agent defensive end Jared Allen was unlikely to sign with the Cowboys after visiting the team, and his asking price may be contributing to that fact. Ed Werder of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that Allen is seeking an annual salary close to $10MM, in the neighborhood of what DeMarcus Ware and Julius Peppers received. Of course, the guaranteed money on Ware’s and Pepper’s deals varies significantly, but either way, the Cowboys may not have the flexibility to fit Allen into their 2014 cap.

Here’s more on the Cowboys and one of their NFC East rivals:

  • Now that the official numbers are out on Ware’s contract with the Broncos are out, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders why the Cowboys weren’t more aggressive about trying to trade the veteran pass rusher before releasing him. Considering he didn’t end up taking a huge pay cut, Ware could have had some trade value, particularly if he’d been willing to rework his previous contract. However, a league source says the Cowboys didn’t attempt to trade Ware to Denver, and Florio suggests it doesn’t seem like Dallas tried to trade the 31-year-old to any team.
  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com wonders if the terms agreed to by the Cowboys and Henry Melton could provide a road map for a deal for Anthony Spencer.
  • In an interesting piece for Bleacher Report, Geoff Schwartz shares a first-person account of his experience in free agency, which fell on the calendar during the same week as his wedding. The veteran offensive guard ultimately signed with the Giants.

Giants Sign Geoff Schwartz

March 12th, 2014 at 1:40pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 1:40pm: Schwartz has signed his four-year deal with the Giants, and it will be worth $16.8MM, with $6.2MM in guaranteed money, his agent tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 4:12pm: The Giants are set to sign guard Geoff Schwartz tomorrow, according to Kim Jones of WFAN (on Twitter). We learned earlier today that Big Blue was interested in the former Chiefs guard.

The 27-year-old moved into the starting lineup at right guard for Kansas City late in the season. The Chiefs will have to work diligently to make sure their offensive line is solid in 2014. In addition to Schwartz, KC’s other primary right guard, Jon Asamoah, is also on the verge of hitting unrestricted free agency.

Schwartz was a seventh-round pick of the Panthers in 2008 and made enough of a mark there to see time in all 16 games during his rookie season, including three starts. In his sophomore campaign, he started all 16 games at right guard. He went a couple of years without another start until this past season with KC.

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