Jordan Reed

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Packers, Reed, Hughes

Cowboys Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Jones participated in his first practice of the offseason today after being activated from the physically unable to perform list. While the 26-year-old will be a welcome addition to the secondary, head coach Jason Garrett said the team will bring Jones along slowly.

“He’s going to slowly get back into it and just kind of see where he is,” Garrett said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “He’s been working really well on the side. It’s time for him to get going again, so he’ll be out there for part of practice.”

Meanwhile, offensive guard Zack Martin and offensive tackle Tyron Smith are not expected to practice this week, but the duo should be good to go for the regular season opener. The same goes for wideout Amari Cooper, who has been dealing with a heel injury.

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

  • Packers starting linebacker Oren Burks isn’t expected to miss an extended amount of time due to a pec injury, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The 24-year-old won’t require surgery and should be back this season, and there’s even optimism that he’ll be able to avoid the injured reserve. The 2018 third-rounder had 23 tackles during his rookie campaign.
  • Redskins coach Jay Gruden said he expects tight end Jordan Reed to be available for the season opener at Philadelphia (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s John Keim). Reed entered the concussion protocol after a hit in Thursday’s preseason win at Atlanta. “We’re quite confident that Jordan will be fine,” Gruden said. That’s good news for a team whose passing game revolves largely around Reed.
  • The Vikings have removed cornerback Mike Hughes from the PUP list, according to a team announcement. That’s big news for Minnesota, especially with supporting cornerback Holton Hill suspended for the first half of the season. The 2018 first-round pick appeared in six games (two starts) before tearing his ACL in October. He ultimately finished his rookie campaign having compiled 22 tackles, three passes defended, a pick-six, and a forced fumble.
  • The Cowboys worked out a pair of tight ends today in Tyrone Swoopes and Zach Conque, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas News (via Twitter). Swoopes spent the first two seasons of his career in Seattle, appearing in two games. The 24-year-old was let go by the team earlier this month. Conque, 25, has had stints with the Texans, Jets, Jaguars, and Colts since 2017. While the team’s depth chart at tight end is pretty much set, both Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz have dealt with recent injuries.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Jordan Reed In Concussion Protocol

Awful news out of D.C. – Redskins tight end Jordan Reed has landed in the NFL’s concussion protocol, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). There’s no further update on his status just yet, but it’s troubling to hear as this is at least the fourth known concussion of his pro career. 

Reed, 29, is among the league’s most talented tight ends, when healthy. However, injuries – including head trauma – have been a major issue for him through his career. In his six NFL seasons, Reed has missed 31 regular season games.

Reed missed much of the 2017 season with a hamstring injury, but bounced back last year to haul in 54 catches for 558 yards and two scores across 13 games. Prior to that, he lost time due to concussions in 2013 and 2016.

For his career, the 6’2″, 242-pound tight end has 329 catches, 3,371 yards, and 24 touchdowns to his credit. He enjoyed his best season in 2015 (87/952/11) and earned his first ever Pro Bowl nod in 2016.

Redskins Place Reed, McCoy On IR

On Thursday, the Redskins placed quarterback Colt McCoy and tight end Jordan Reed on injured reserve. To take their places, they added defensive end Marcus Smith and defensive back Alex Carter. 

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The playoffs are out of reach for the Redskins, so there was little sense in jeopardizing the health of two key players for Sunday’s wrap-up game against the Eagles. Reed, who has missed the last couple of games with foot and ankle injuries, did not practice this week, so his IR placement does not come as a surprise. McCoy, meanwhile, was pushing to play roughly four weeks after suffering a broken fibula, but the club will now allow him to put himself in harm’s way for little gain.

Smith had a cup of coffee with the Redskins earlier this month and they may be curious to see what he can do in the final game of the season. At minimum, he’ll be an extra body over the next couple days of practice.

Injury Updates: Ekeler, Roethlisberger, Jackson, Reed

While Week 14 wasn’t nearly as bad as recent weeks in terms of carnage, there were still some significant injuries to big players today. The Chargers are already dealing with the loss of running back Melvin Gordon to an MCL injury, and may now be without his backfield mate Austin Ekeler for a while. Ekeler aggravated the stingers he’s been dealing with in the team’s win over the Bengals today, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Chargers play in Kansas City this Thursday night in a huge game for playoff seeding, and Schefter writes that “the short week will make it tough” for Ekeler to play.

Here are more injury updates from around the league:

  • Ben Roethlisberger missed most of the second half in the Steelers‘ loss to the Raiders with a rib injury, but is expected to be fine and play next week against the Patriots, Schefter writes in a separate tweet. Joshua Dobbs filled in for Roethlisberger today, and Big Ben’s absence ended up costing the team the game as they scored zero points with Dobbs under center. The Steelers are just 7-6-1 and in danger of falling out of the playoffs with a very tough upcoming schedule, so they’ll need Roethlisberger at full strength.
  • In the same tweet, Schefter notes that X-Rays on Lamar Jackson‘s ankle came back negative and that he’s expected to play next week against the Buccaneers. Jackson missed the final plays of the Ravens’ thrilling overtime loss to the Chiefs today, and Robert Griffin III filled in. If Jackson’s ankle ends up becoming an issue, it would further complicate the murky situation between him and Joe Flacco.
  • The Redskins have had some of the worst injury luck in the league, and got even more bad news today. Tight end Jordan Reed sprained his foot, Schefter notes, and will presumably miss some time. Reed has been plagued by injuries the past few years, but had been able to stay healthy so far this year. He’s dealt with foot injuries in the past, so this could very well wind up ending his season. The Redskins are looking to finish strong with new quarterback Josh Johnson, and this will make things significantly more difficult for the offense.

Injury Updates: Patriots, Colts, Lions, Redskins

The final injury reports for Week 7 came out earlier today, and there was a lot of news. Lots of key players will be missing their team’s games, while others will be returning after extended absence. One notable rule-out was the Patriots declaring that starting right tackle Marcus Cannon would miss their game against the Bears. It’s a big loss for New England, especially in a week where they have to go up against Khalil Mack. Mack will now be lining up across from a backup tackle, and could end up making life miserable for Tom Brady.

Here are more injury updates from around the league:

  • The Colts have been the most injured team in recent memory the past few weeks, but are finally getting some good news. Star receiver T.Y. Hilton has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, but is ready to make his return this week. Unfortunately for Indianapolis, they’ll still be without tight end Jack Doyle and receiver Ryan Grant as well as several key contributors on defense like safety Clayton Geathers and defensive tackle Denico Autry.
  • The Lions will be without running back Theo Riddick, who went down during the team’s win over the Packers. Riddick has been operating as the Lions’ third down back, and rookie Kerryon Johnson should get more run with him out of the way. On the bright side, the team looks like it could be getting back pass-rusher Ezekiel Ansah, who hasn’t played since Detroit’s Week 1 loss. Ansah is listed as questionable but practiced all three days this week.
  • The Redskins will be thin on pass-catchers, as Jamison Crowder has been ruled out for the team’s game against the Cowboys while Paul Richardson is listed as doubtful. Washington promoted Jehu Chesson from the practice squad yesterday, signaling they weren’t expecting Richardson to play. Tight end Jordan Reed should see a ton of looks as the Redskins’ receiving corp is completely depleted.

For a rundown of every team’s injury situation, you can view all 32 injury reports over at ProFootballTalk.com.

Extra Points: Jets, Kearse, Redskins, Reed, Titans, Ravens

There’s been a lot of discussion about which Jets players could get cut, but one name not frequently mentioned has been wide receiver Jermaine Kearse. Still, Kearse apparently isn’t guaranteed a roster spot, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Post. Mehta writes that since Kearse’s $5MM salary is non-guaranteed, he could be cut “if other pass catchers impress in training camp and the preseason.”

While Mehta describes Kearse as someone who was a “positive influence” in 2017 who helped “change the culture in the locker room”, the Jets may still decide they want to get a longer look at some of their younger guys in a year they aren’t likely to compete for a playoff spot anyway. Mehta notes that Kearse’s $5.5MM cap charge is greater than the next four receivers on the depth chart’s put together. Kearse is welcoming the challenge, saying he’s “not going to make it easy” for any of the young players to step up and force him off the roster.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • The Redskins could move on from Jordan Reed after this season, according to Rich Tandler of NBCSports Washington. Reed was one of the best tight ends in the game for a while, but injuries have derailed his career the past couple years. The guaranteed money in his contract is up after this year and if he can’t prove he can stay healthy in 2018, the team “might not have any choice but to let him go” next offseason writes Tandler.
  • Titans rookie Jordan Veasy has a real shot at making the team, according to Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. The undrafted receiver from Cal has reportedly “caught the ball well in practices” and “proven to be a pretty savvy route runner” this offseason.
  • Another undrafted free agent with a good chance of making his team’s roster is Ravens wide receiver Janarion Grant, according to Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com. Mink writes that Grant has impressed as a kick returner this offseason and has real shot at sticking as the Ravens’ primary returner after Michael Campanaro left in free agency.

Jordan Reed Will Miss Redskins’ OTAs

Having played in just 52 of a possible 80 regular-season games since being a Redskins 2013 draft choice, Jordan Reed remains mired in an injury battle. And it will be a bit before Washington sees him in action again.

When asked if his top tight end will be able to participate in OTAs this year, Jay Gruden replied, “Heck no.”

Gruden said (via Rich Tandler of NBC Sports Washington) Reed underwent a procedure on a toe that’s bothered him for many months. He finished last season on IR and experienced toe, foot and hamstring trouble last season, one featuring a career-low six games.

We’ve taken the necessary steps to get him right. He’s had some procedure done on his toes and now it’s just a matter of the rehab,” Gruden said this week. “He’s been working hard at it. He’s been working on his upper body while his toes are recovering.

“Hopefully we’ll see a healthy, 100 percent Jordan by training camp.”

The soon-to-be 28-year-old pass-catcher missed the final two months of last season. He suffered a toe injury early in training camp last year, one revealed to be a fracture, but returned in time for Week 1. However, the malady ended up sidetracking Reed’s season. Reed not returning until this year’s camp will mean the toe injury and subsequent rehab will have taken up roughly a year of his career.

Reed caught 27 passes for 211 yards last season. He played in 12 games in 2016 and posted a 686-yard, six-touchdown campaign. He’s set to count $10.14MM toward Washington’s cap this year.

Redskins Place TE Jordan Reed On IR

The Redskins placed tight end Jordan Reed on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. Running back Byron Marshall and linebacker Chris Carter are also headed to IR. 

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Reed has long been considered one of the league’s top talents at the tight end position. Unfortunately, he has been plagued by nagging injuries and concussion issues. Since entering the league in 2013, Reed has appeared in only 52 regular season games out of a possible 80.

Reed’s true break out season came in 2015 when he had 87 catches for 952 yards and 11 scores (all career highs) in 14 games. In the following offseason, the Redskins rewarded him with a five-year extension worth $46.5MM. In order for Reed to make that deal worthwhile for Washington, he’ll have to find a way to stay on the field. He’s slated to return in 2018 with a cap number of $10.3MM. In theory, the Redskins can save $4.9MM by releasing him, but that would be a surprising move on their part.

As we learned over the weekend, Carter will undergo surgery to repair a broken fibula in his right leg. Marshall, meanwhile, has been dealing with a hamstring issue.

In related moves, the Redskins promoted linebackers Otha Peters and Pete Robertson as well as running back Kapri Bibbs from the practice squad. To replenish the taxi squad, they signed running back Dare Ogunbowale, linebacker Alex McCalister, and safety Orion Stewart.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Redskins, Jones

Now that the Giants front office and coaching staff is set to go through a number of changes after the firing of Jerry Reese and Ben McAdoo, there’s a ton of speculation of who could be the person put in charge to bring the franchise back to perennial success.

While many people think the hire will come outside the organization, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network thinks interim GM Kevin Abrams should not be overlooked as the Giants begin their search.

Garafolo notes that Abrams is a “cap guy by trade”, but has worked on his scouting ability in recent years and has “attended multiple NFL seminars” to prepare to lead a football operations department. A number of names are likely to be floated for the job given that the team will likely have a high pick and has a track record of winning, but Abrams seems like he might get a realistic shot at turning his interim tag into a full-time position.

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • Apart from Abrams, Mike Sando of ESPN.com speculated a few candidates from outside the organization who could be contenders for the Giants general manager and head coaching gigs. Sando names front office guys like Nick Caserio from the Patriots, former Panthers GM Dave Gettleman and former Colts President Bill Polian. He also highlights many well known up-and-comers such as Eric DeCosta (Ravens), George Paton (Vikings), Eliot Wolf (Packers) and Terry McDonough (Cardinals) among many others. Sando added that former GM’s Scott Pioli (Falcons) and John Dorsey (free agent) could be intriguing hires as well. In terms of potential head coaching candidates, Sando names guys who were on the teams original list back before they hired McAdoo prior the 2016-17 season. This would include current coordinators like Teryl Austin (Lions) and Mike Smith (Buccaneers). An under-the-radar name to watch is Texans defensive coordinator, Mike Vrabel, who is best known for his time leading the Patriots defense to Super Bowl titles.
  • While the Redskins are out of the NFC playoff race after losing to the Cowboys last Thursday, that doesn’t mean that team will start resting their players, states John Keim of ESPN.com. He passes along that Head coach Jay Gruden said that he wouldn’t rest some of their injured starters just because the games don’t have postseason implications for the team. “They’re all trying to get back in the lineup,” Gruden said. “They’re going to play hard because they want to win and want to do well. That’s the reason they’re all here. We try to target guys that love football, are passionate about the game and are going to play hard no matter what. For the most part, we’ve got that here. So whether you are on one year left or five years left, doesn’t really matter.” Starters like left tackle Trent Williams, right tackle Morgan Moses and tight end Jordan Reed have all dealt with nagging injuries this season, but it appears that the Redskins won’t just solely be resting key players hoping that could lead to a better draft pick.
  • Eagles cornerback Sidney Jones has not played in a game this season as he’s continued to rehab the achilles that he had torn back in March. However, the rookie has yet to participate in practice, reports Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Jones has been eligible to start practicing since the beginning of Week 7, but has just a 21 day time period to be activated to the roster once he does begin to take part in practice. It’s important to note that Berman explains in a follow-up tweet, Jones could just use the last three weeks of the regular season to get extra reps and get a head start on his offseason training. The Eagles currently have corners Jalen Mills, Patrick Robinson, Ronald Darby and Rasul Douglas patrolling the defensive backfield.

NFC Notes: 49ers, Fox, Reed, Fisher

It was a long awaited day for 49ers fans, as they got their first look at newly acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in today’s loss to the Seahawks. The former Pats backup signal caller got into the game because rookie starter C.J. Beathard was forced to exit with an injury. Garoppolo made good use of his mild playing time, throwing a nice touchdown pass as time expired.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan chose not to shed much light on how he’s thinking about the QB position moving forward. Although, he did mention that Beathard’s leg injury was not too serious, reports Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). While Beathard’s injury does not appear to affect his playing status moving forward, he will get additional testing tomorrow. Nevertheless, it’s notable that Shanahan wouldn’t commit to a starter for Week 13 either way, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link). However, Barrows did also tweet that the 49ers coach didn’t think about pulling his rookie starter while he was healthy.

It’ll be a tough decision considering the way Garoppolo played when he entered the game and the high pick the front office gave up to get him. Shanahan hasn’t caved into public pressure as of yet, so it’s a decision that seems to remain truly up in the air.

  • If the Bears fire John Fox this offseason, Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com believes that Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo should be considered for the job. DeFilippo would be an out-of-the-box hire since he is not a coordinator, but the feeling in Philadelphia is that no one has been more instrumental in Carson Wentz‘s development than the 39-year-old. It’s possible that DeFilippo could be the guy to help rookie QB Mitch Trubisky reach his full potential. And, with anywhere from 7-10 teams potentially looking for a new head coach this offseason, DeFilippo can be expected to draw some interest.
  • Redskins star tight end Jordan Reed has missed a lot of time in 2017 and looks to miss another game in Week 13, according to John Keim of ESPN.com. Keim notes that Reed didn’t practice or do any side running today as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Coach Jay Gruden confirmed that Reed would be held out for the next few days as well. “We’re going to take off that part of it here for a couple days, see where he’s at,” Gruden said. While there will still be some time for Reed to get on the field after, it’s tough to expect him to heal quick enough to be effective in game action considering his past injury problems.
  • With the Rams surging to an 8-3 record under first-year head coach Sean McVay, a lot of criticism has been tossed at former head coach Jeff Fisher for the way he handled the offense. Fisher appeared on the Amazon show All or Nothing over this past summer and expressed desire to get back on the sideline for the 2018-19 season. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk opines that despite Fisher’s recent track record, he does bring a ton of experience in the game and has the skills to impress in the interview room. Florio hears that his name has already “bubbled up” for coaching jobs, so there’s some potential for interest to come from the NFL as well. They’ll also be a number of coaching jobs open, both head coach and as a coordinator. It’ll be a tough sell considering what has transpired in Los Angeles this season, but Fisher is clearly still held in high regard among the football community, so anything is possible.