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East Notes: Mincey, Morris, Wake, Jets

January 12th, 2016 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

After recording six sacks in his first season with the Cowboys in 2014, defensive end Jeremy Mincey failed to get to the quarterback in 2015, finishing the year without a sack. Still, Mincey was solid against the run, and thinks there’s “probably a 50-50 chance” that he’ll re-sign with Dallas as a free agent (link via Dallas Morning News).

During an appearance on KDFW-TV Channel 4 in Dallas, Mincey was also asked about Greg Hardy‘s impact on the Cowboys, and whether it would be difficult for the team to bring Hardy back and have a cohesive locker room.

“Yeah, it will be,” Mincey said. “I think it will be good for the younger guys, which I don’t know how they feel about him personally, I mean I haven’t spoken to them or asked. It would be me or him, you see what I’m saying? It would be either-or. It’s hard to have two type of line mentality guys in one room, so it’s tough to figure out who the younger guys are going to follow. Of course they’re going to look up to a guy who’s a prolific player. But I just understand the game, and I know what it takes to win.”

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

  • With rookie running back Matt Jones cutting into Alfred Morris‘ workload this season, it’s not clear if Morris is a part of Washington‘s long-term plans. According to John Keim of ESPN.com though, the free-agent-to-be hopes not to go anywhere. “When I first came into the league, no matter what team I went to, I just wanted to do my whole career with the same team,” Morris said. “That’s still my goal. I would love to return, but a lot goes into that. I haven’t thought about that. You all keep bringing it up, but we’ll see what happens.”
  • The Dolphins will face a very difficult decision on defensive end Cameron Wake this offseason, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. Wake, who is on the books for $9.8MM in 2016, is confident he can return “better than ever” from a torn Achilles, but the club will likely have to make a call on the 34-year-old’s $8.4MM salary before he’s back to full health.
  • The Jets hosted a pair of players for workouts, taking a look at offensive lineman Lamar Holmes and CFL defensive lineman Freddie Bishop, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Holmes, a former third-round pick, started 19 games at tackle for the Falcons in 2013 and 2014, while Bishop has played for the Calgary Stampeders since ’13.

NFC Notes: Gruden, Thurmond, Bears, Hardy

January 8th, 2016 at 8:57am CST by Luke Adams

When Paul Domowitch of Philly.com wrote on Thursday that Jon Gruden had expressed interest in the Eagles‘ head coaching job, it seemed like the sort of report that would get denied almost immediately. Domowitch himself said Gruden’s interest was conveyed “through an intermediary,” which would give the former Raiders and Buccaneers head coach plausible deniability. So it’s no surprise that Howard Eskin of FOX 29 tweets that he received a text from Gruden saying he’s “not interested” in the Philadelphia job.

So what to make of the various reports on Gruden? It wouldn’t surprise me if, as Domowitch reported, the Monday Night Football analyst did reach out to the Eagles through back channels. Does that mean he wants the job, or that he’s actively pursuing it? Maybe not — if he did reach out, Gruden could have been simply kicking the tires on the opening, getting a sense of what sort of candidate owner Jeffrey Lurie is seeking. If Lurie wants a less-established coach, one who won’t make a play for Howie Roseman‘s power like Chip Kelly did, then perhaps Gruden isn’t a fit in Philadelphia.

It’s possible that at some point Gruden will head back down to the field from the broadcasters’ booth and return to coaching, and the Eagles’ job may be one that interests him. But over the years, we’ve seen him leverage the possibility of returning to head coaching into what is reportedly the highest-paid contract for an ESPN broadcaster, and he seems satisfied with his MNF gig. So I’d be surprised if there’s enough mutual interest between Gruden and the Eagles to make this the head coaching position he finally takes.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Considering they still need to hire a head coach and make a decision on Sam Bradford‘s future, the Eagles have more pressing issues to address than Walter Thurmond‘s situation. Still, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer outlines, the club will have an interesting call to make on Thurmond, who is eligible for free agency after playing surprisingly well as a safety in 2015.
  • Don’t expect the Bears to make one giant splash in free agency this offseason, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. As general manager Ryan Pace explains, the club prefers to spread out its resources on several different players in free agency. “You kind of limit your risk a little bit when you do that,” Pace said. “I think last year there might’ve been a little more one-year deals than we would typically do just because I think part of that is, hey, we’re just getting here, we want to evaluate our team, these one-year deals give us a little bit of flexibility. But I don’t like to put all our eggs in one basket in free agency.”
  • After staunchly defending Greg Hardy and insisting the team wanted to extend the defensive end earlier in the 2015 season, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones sounds far less committed to Hardy these days, as Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk details. Jones’ comments on Hardy come via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News.

East Notes: Coughlin, Eagles, Fins, Jets, Hardy

January 3rd, 2016 at 6:44pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Beleaguered Giants head coach Tom Coughlin isn’t a lock to go quietly, according to Pro Football Talk. The site tweets that Coughlin’s resignation isn’t definite, which would obviously require the team to fire the longtime coach if it wants to get rid of him. It isn’t out of the question that Coughlin will end up back with Big Blue for a 13th season, as co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch could be at odds over his fate, per PFT.

Mara and Tisch will meet Monday to discuss Coughlin’s future, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Vacchiano adds (on Twitter) that neither Coughlin’s assistant coaches nor some members of his family know his fate.

More from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase will interview with the Eagles and Dolphins regarding their head coaching vacancies in the coming days, ESPN’s Dianna Marie Russini reports (Twitter link).
  • Speaking of the Dolphins, while they’re unlikely to promote interim head coach Dan Campbell to the full-time role, his players hope he gets the job. “I know, 100 percent, he has the support of the locker room,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said Sunday, ESPN’s James Walker writes. Owner Stephen Ross had kind words for Campbell after Miami’s 20-10 victory over New England, but he doesn’t exactly sound ready to promote the 39-year-old. “I guess in 2016, we are undefeated. It’s 2015 that I am disappointed in and the way this team,” Ross said. “But I really have to thank Dan Campbell for the great job I think he’s done in really elevating this team. I’m very pleased with that.”
  • Though Pro Bowl Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson suffered a broken leg Sunday in the team’s season-ending loss to Buffalo, he’ll make a full, normal recovery, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (on Twitter). As La Canfora notes, despite the injury, the free agent-to-be is in position to earn a big payday this offseason.
  • Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy, a pending free agent, wants to return to Dallas next season. “If the Cowboys offer me an opportunity to stay, I would love to stay here,” he said, per ESPN’s Jean-Jacques Taylor. Owner Jerry Jones seems open to re-signing Hardy. “He was an outstanding player and we may not have gotten his individual sack total up, but he made an impact across the board. He was a good player for us, and we’ll evaluate real close any good player.”

Panthers Waive Wes Horton

December 28th, 2015 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

A little over a month after he was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, defensive end Wes Horton has been waived by the Panthers, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.

After he sat out for four games, Horton received a roster exemption this past week that was set to expire today. The exemption allowed Carolina to carry the defensive end as a 54th man, without activating him to the club’s 53-man roster. The Panthers then had to decide by today whether to activate him or cut the 25-year-old, and have chosen to part ways with him.

Horton, an undrafted rookie in 2013, made 15 starts for the Panthers last season in place of suspended teammate Greg Hardy. Following a rookie campaign that saw him compile eight tackles and two sacks, the former USC standout finished 2014 with 26 tackles and three sacks. In 2015, Horton compiled just seven total tackles and one sack in eight games (two starts) prior to his suspension.

Horton will become a free agent if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

East Notes: Cowboys, Wilkerson, Pouncey

December 23rd, 2015 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys‘ 2015 season was derailed by multiple collarbone injuries to quarterback Tony Romo, with the team struggling to win even a single game in his absence. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), there are members of the Cowboys organization who want to avoid risking that scenario again in 2016 by selecting a quarterback early in this year’s draft.

Drafting a quarterback early would give the club a more viable backup option in the short term, and would potentially provide a long-term replacement for Romo. However, Cole adds that owner Jerry Jones may be more inclined to use the team’s top-10 pick on a player at another position that could help the team return to contention immediately. Considering Jones said earlier this season that he thinks Romo still has four or five years left in him, that’s not a real surprise — I’m not sure I believe the 35-year-old can play that long, but if Jones believes it, there’s no reason he’d feel the need to draft Romo’s replacement yet.

Here are a few more items from around the NFL’s East divisions:

  • Noting that rumors of a potential contract extension have died down within the last few weeks, Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk wonders if Jones’ comments this week about the Cowboys‘ disappointing pass rush indicate “some degree of buyer’s remorse” on Greg Hardy.
  • Muhammad Wilkerson has had a great season, and he’ll get paid at some point, but given the other talent they have on their defensive line, the Jets don’t necessarily be the team that gives him a long-term deal, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, who suggests once again that a tag-and-trade approach might work best for New York.
  • Center Mike Pouncey was the only Dolphin selected as a Pro Bowler on Tuesday night, and while it’s not clear yet whether he’ll be able to finish the season and play in the Pro Bowl, he at least won’t require surgery on his injured left foot. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets that Pouncey sprained his foot and ankle, and is currently wearing a boot on that foot.
  • Addressing a Tuesday report that suggested the Eagles were considering shutting down Bennie Logan for the season due to a calf injury, head coach Chip Kelly denied that, indicating that the defensive tackle is day to day (Twitter link).

NFC East Notes: Kelly, Eagles, Hardy

November 25th, 2015 at 8:09pm CST by Zachary Links

This probably isn’t how LaRon Landry figured things would wind up when Washington took him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Earlier this week, the NFL suspended Landry indefinitely for what appears to be a third violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

The former sixth overall pick has played in 103 career games with 97 starts over the course of eight seasons. In 2012 while with the Jets, Landry made his first (and, to date, only) Pro Bowl. Now, it’s not clear when or if Landry will play again. Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter recently appeared on SiriusXM and opined that Chip Kelly’s days as the Eagles‘ head coach may be numbered. Some listeners took that to be fact rather than opinion, and Schefter took exception to that. “I was completely taken aback by the way that was portrayed,” Schefter told 97.5 The Fanatic (via Rob Tornoe of Philly.com). “I never said his days in Philadelphia are numbered. I never said he’s out after this year..I think there’s a question as to whether or not Chip will be back next year. Is that an unfair statement? That’s my belief talking to various people, and we’ll see how it plays out.”
  • Multiple sources within the Cowboys organization tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) consider Thursday night’s contest against the Panthers to be a big test for Greg Hardy. Hardy has had trouble keeping his emotions in check on the field and Dallas has some concern about how he’ll handle himself against his former team. How Hardy handles himself in this game and for the remainder of the season will affect how the Cowboys approach contract talks to keep the defensive end beyond 2015.
  • Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins told reporters that he hasn’t spend “one second” thinking about his contract situation (video via CSNWashington.com). We learned earlier this week that Washington has had preliminary contract talks the QB. However, there is no real reason for Cousins to sign an extension anytime soon, as the rewards for not doing so outweigh the risks.

Extra Points: Manning, Goodell, Hardy, Flacco

November 22nd, 2015 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

As Week 11 winds down, here’s the latest news from around the league.

  • Peyton Manning‘s acceptance of a potential front office position could have to wait, with both Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Florio (on NBC’s telecast) hearing the 39-year-old quarterback may want to play one more season. It’s doubtful the Broncos keep Manning around at a figure close to the $21.5MM he’s set to earn in 2016 during the fifth year of his five-year contract, but Florio reported Manning would consider continuing his career on another team. Cabot reports Manning might be hesitant to join the Browns‘ front office since his wife Ashley, a part owner of the Memphis Grizzlies, would prefer to stay in the south.
  • An old topic appears to be regaining some steam, with Roger Goodell telling Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (on Twitter) a move to expand the regular season is on the table. This would apparently involve reducing the preseason, per Tomasson, who didn’t specify whether this means the 18-game figure that caused so much contention between the NFL and NFLPA years ago. NFLPA president Eric Winston recently didn’t rule out an expansion to 18 games, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk views this subject’s resurfacing centering on the growing number of international games aligning schedules and some teams’ reluctance to give up home contests.
  • The Cowboys‘ patience with Greg Hardy is waning, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (as relayed by NFL.com’s Conor Orr). In addition to the on-field blowups and photos of Nicole Holder emerging recently, Hardy’s late nights are a concern to the team despite the defensive end being on a one-year deal. Hardy also showed up late for a meeting last Saturday night before the Cowboys’ game against the Buccaneers. This has induced dialogue between Hardy and Jason Garrett, Jerry Jones and various team veterans.
  • As he’s done throughout the season, though, Jones came to Hardy’s aid. “He is aware that everything he does — his personality, his style, his enthusiasm — it’s all going to be interpreted negatively,” Jones told ESPN.com’s Jean-Jacque Taylor. “If he’s not aware of that, then he’s hurting a lot of people. I think he really gets that. We certainly feel that way. He understands it, and he has agreed to really work on it.” This seems to contradict the above report, but it’s in line with Jones’ comments on the embattled defender throughout the season.
  • The Ravens will bring in another quarterback (Twitter link via Jeff Zreibec of the Baltimore Sun) after Joe Flacco‘s torn ACL injury, which Zreibec notes (on Twitter) the Ravens are confident is a torn ACL and MCL. Zreibec tweets Jason Campbell, Rex Grossman and Bengals practice squad member Keith Wenning are options. Wenning spent time on the Ravens’ roster last season.
  • Brian Hoyer will stay as the Texans‘ starter when he returns from a concussion, Bill O’Brien informed the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson. T.J. Yates has helped the Texans to back-to-back wins, while Hoyer sports a 13-to-4 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio.

Sunday Roundup: Sanchez, Cousins, Graham

November 22nd, 2015 at 12:48pm CST by Rory Parks

Just like Brock Osweiler in Denver, Mark Sanchez has the opportunity to secure a full-time starting job with the Eagles, and his audition starts today. As Sam Bradford continues to deal with a concussion and shoulder injury, Sanchez will get the start against the Buccaneers this afternoon, and per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Kevin Patra) he will also start Thanksgiving Day against the Lions. Since the Eagles did not sign Bradford to an extension this offseason, it will be easy for Philadelphia to move on from him if it so chooses, and it would not be a surprise if Sanchez took hold of the job for the remainder of 2015. What happens beyond that, though, is anyone’s guess.

Now let’s take a look at some links from around the league:

  • Washington has had preliminary contract talks with Kirk Cousins, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter). However, as former NFL agent Joel Corry tweets, there is no reason for Cousins to sign an extension anytime soon, as the rewards for not doing so outweigh the risks.
  • Rapoport tweets that the Cowboys‘ support for embattled DE Greg Hardy is waning. Hardy was late for practice last Thursday and late for a team meeting last Saturday, and it is unclear how much longer he can test the team’s patience. Of course, it would be strange if tardiness is the reason Dallas ultimately chooses to part ways with Hardy.
  • Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald looks back at what went right for the Dolphins this offseason and what they should have done differently.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com details the reasons for Jimmy Graham‘s disappointing 2015 season and likens his tenure with the Seahawks to Randy Moss‘ time in Oakland. Fitzgerald believes that Graham’s statistical output is artificially low because of the offense he plays in, and although there are risks if a team should choose to pursue Graham in the offseason, the potential rewards outweigh those concerns.
  • In a separate piece, Fitzgerald explores why Nick Foles‘ benching does not mean he will be leaving the Rams next year.
  • Matt Vensel of The Star Tribune examines how the Vikings have successfully navigated the draft and deftly handled difficult personnel decisions to assemble one of the league’s best defenses.
  • Likewise, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle discusses how the Texans‘ youth movement on defense is giving the club hope for the future.
  • Although it does not come as much of surprise, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says that teams hoping to lure Alabama head coach Nick Saban back to the professional ranks are facing very steep odds, and La Canfora details why Saban will stay right where he is.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reviews the performance of the 2015 draft class to date, observing that, with a few notable exceptions, the class has largely been a disappointment.
  • Nick Korte of OverTheCap.com explores some potential impacts of the NFL’s decision to make compensatory draft picks tradeable.

East Notes: Williams, Collins, Cowboys, Eagles

November 21st, 2015 at 4:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are some rumors coming out of the Eastern time zone as those squads prepare for Week 11, or in the Giants’ case, Week 12.

  • Rex Ryan admits there’s a 50-50 chance the Bills‘ wild card push won’t include Kyle Williams, the Associated Press reports. The 10th-year Buffalo starter and four-time Pro Bowler’s been out since Week 7 with a left knee injury. A setback in the defensive tackle’s recovery caused his season to be in jeopardy.
  • Jamie Collins will miss his third straight game with an undisclosed illness, but the Patriots‘ standout linebacker doesn’t have MRSA, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Unlike recent scenarios where the Giants and Buccaneers had to disinfect their facilities for MRSA, the Patriots have not had to do this, Howe reports.
  • Greg Hardy‘s recent tardiness issues stemmed from being “humiliated” by a Twitter mishap and the embattled Cowboys defensive end needing time to regroup before facing his teammates, Jeremy Mincey conveyed to Albert Breer of NFL.com.
  • Jerry Jones admits the Cowboys have tried to get “cute” at the quarterback spot in his tenure, bringing in players like Quincy Carter and Brandon Weeden, the Dallas owner said on 105.3 The Fan (as relayed by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “I’ve tried to get cute — and I don’t mind saying tried to be cute — at the quarterback spot,” Jones said. “I tried to get us what I thought was the equivalent of a Romo with Quincy Carter in the (second) round (in 2001). We tried to get one that was drafted high, obviously in somebody’s eyes had high potential, in this case Mike Holmgren thought Weeden was certainly a first-round pick.” Jones also lamented not trading for Matt Cassel prior to the season, believing the Cowboys would not be 2-7 had they given Cassel more time to learn the system.
  • With the Eagles moving to Mark Sanchez after Sam Bradford‘s latest injury, Breer writes of the lose-lose trade that now has both one-time starters — Bradford and Nick Foles — on the bench in their new locales. But Sanchez being a superior runner to Bradford at least makes teams account for another dimension in a disappointing Philadelphia attack. “If they just use the zone-read and run the ball, yes. Otherwise, he’ll throw the ball to the other team in crucial situations,” an NFC executive told Breer when asked if the Eagles are better off with Sanchez. Technically, Sanchez is a better runner than Bradford, but he’s never gained more than 110 yards in a season, so it’s a limited upgrade.
  • Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall is transitioning to safety, playing on the back line on passing downs as free agent signing Jeron Johnson lined up there in run situations last week, the Washington Post’s Mike Jones reports. A starter at corner for the Falcons, Raiders and Washington from 2004-15, the 32-year-old Hall’s been supplanted at his natural position this season.
  • In an itinerary of how the Giants can book their first playoff berth since their latest Super Bowl year, 2011, Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News suggests Orleans Darkwa be given a bigger role in Big Blue’s muddled running back corps. The second-year UDFA sports a team-best 4.7 yards per carry but on just 23 totes. Top ball-carriers Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams‘ per-carry figures sit under 4.0, with Williams’ sitting at 2.8.

 

NFC Notes: Rams, Hardy, Lions

November 21st, 2015 at 10:18am CST by Ben Levine

Rams wideout Tavon Austin will be returning to his hometown of Baltimore to take on the Ravens this weekend. The former West Virginia University standout is happy playing in St. Louis, but he did tell Joe Lyons of STLToday.com that the Ravens did check up on him during the 2013 draft.

“They were definitely staying in touch,’’ the receiver said. “I had a great meeting with them. The GM (Ozzie Newsome) is an awesome guy. I thought they were going to pull the trigger, but Coach Fisher did. I’m proud he did and I’m happy to be a Ram.’’

Let’s check out some other assorted notes from around the NFC…

  • The Cowboys have shown that they’re willing to deal with all of Greg Hardy‘s on and off the field issues, leading Jon Machota of DallasNews.com to predict that the defensive end will play in Dallas next season. The 27-year-old appears to like the organization, and the writer believes Hardy would willingly return, assuming Dallas offers him close to what he wants.
  • Following news that Lions interim general manager Sheldon White would be a candidate for the full-time gig, the executive acknowledged that his team needs to win if he wants to keep the job. “Obviously if we don’t then, I won’t be a candidate,” White told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But if we win these games and we find ways to get better and improve our roster, maybe I will be.”
  • New Lions president Rod Wood is confident that his team isn’t far away from contention, and with that mindset, Birkett believes quarterback Matthew Stafford could be sticking around. However, Wood did acknowledge that the decision would be up to the general manager. “I’m going to leave that to the general manager, but they’re great players,” Wood said, adding, “Matthew is my quarterback on my fantasy team if that means anything.”
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