Jordan Reed

NFC Notes: Reed, Redskins, Lions, 49ers

November 22nd, 2017 at 8:27pm CST by Micah Powell

Just days after Terrelle Pryor was placed on season-ending injured reserve, the Redskins’ pass catchers received another blow on Wednesday. The team’s star tight end Jordan Reed was ruled out for the team’s Thanksgiving tilt with the Giants, according to Kimberly Martin of the Washington Post (Twitter link).

The oft-injured Reed, who was labeled as questionable by head coach Jay Gruden an hour before the announcement, will miss his sixth game of the year. Reed also missed four games in 2016 and two during his breakout 2015 season.

There are few better tight ends than Reed when he is on the field. Of the 11 players at his position to record 250 receptions since 2013, he is the only one to average at least five receptions per game. The team will once again turn to Vernon Davis in the division clash on Thursday night.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Though the 49ers will start C.J. Beathard again on Sunday, team general manager John Lynch is convinced Jimmy Garoppolo is going to be the team’s future starting quarterback writes Cam Inman of The Mercury News. “We really, genuinely believe that this guy’s got the makings of a guy who could be our guy for years to come,” Lynch said. “That’s all got to come to fruition on the field.”
Staying with San Francisco, Lynch also believes defensive end Arik Armstead has a bright future with the team despite missing 18 of 32 career games with an injury, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. “We think he’s a fit with what we are and who we are going forward,” Lynch said. Though he is a fit, Armstead will need to find a way to stay on the field to stay in the 49ers’ plans.
Matt Prater has been the Lions’ most valuable free agent signing in the last five seasons, writes ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. Though he has stiff competition from Golden Tate and Glover Quin, the veteran kicker is without a doubt in the mix for the honor.

NFC Notes: Winston, 49ers, Cards, Pryor

November 17th, 2017 at 2:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The woman who accused Jameis Winston of groping her in an Uber vehicle in 2016, via Buzzfeed report earlier today, said only she and Winston were in the car at the time. But Winston’s representatives assert there were several people in the car, with the Buccaneers quarterback sitting in the backseat, NFL.com reports. Winston’s statement pointed to there being multiple passengers in the vehicle as well. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) listened to the voicemail an Uber representative sent Winston, with the phrase “you or someone else in your vehicle engaged in inappropriate behavior” used. This led to Winston being banned from Uber but also has the third-year passer’s representatives saying there were more people in the car than the accuser’s account suggests.

Here’s the latest from the NFC.

The knee sprain Drew Stanton suffered will lead to the Cardinals starting a third quarterback this season. Bruce Arians said Blaine Gabbert will start Sunday against the Texans, marking the first time since October 2016 Gabbert will have started a game. Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com notes it will be a game-time decision for who will be Gabbert’s backup. Stanton, who sprained a knee against the Seahawks, being healthy enough to be an in-case-of-emergency option will make him the No. 2. If not, recently signed Matt Barkley will serve as the backup. This marks the second time in four seasons the Cardinals have needed to start three quarterbacks. This happened in 2014, when Carson Palmer, Stanton and Ryan Lindley opened with that playoff-qualifying team’s first unit.
John Lynch said the 49ers don’t need to see Jimmy Garoppolo start a certain number of games in order to make a judgment about him for the future. The rookie GM the franchise’s view of the longtime Patriots backup has been enhanced by Garoppolo’s first few weeks in San Francisco despite him not seeing game action yet. “We know what we like about Jimmy Garoppolo. And that’s only been strengthened by the time that’s he’s been here,” Lynch said (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area). “We’re just going to let these things play out. People have had all these ideas about why we got Jimmy. We got Jimmy because we think he has big-time ability at the quarterback position. And we believe so much – to get where we need to get – you have to have a franchise quarterback. We think he’s got that ability. Whether that happens, when that happens, we’ll see. But we certainly like his future with the 49ers.”
Both Terrelle Pryor and Jordan Reed will miss the Redskins‘ Week 11 against the Saints, and Pryor’s ankle injury looks like one that could shelve him for multiple weeks. Pryor will see Dr. James Andrews about his ankle, Master Tefatsion of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter). Signed to a one-year contract, Pryor has been demoted from Washington’s first unit and now hopes he can return this season — one that’s doubled as a grim contract year. Center Spencer Long will also miss Washington’s game in New Orleans.
On the subject of less-than-ideal contract years, Ziggy Ansah will miss a second straight game with a back injury, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports. Injuries have limited the Lions defensive end for the past two seasons and figure to be a key part of the discussion once his contract expires after 2017. He has four sacks — all coming in two games — this season.
Mike Remmers experienced a concussion protocol setback this week and will miss the Vikings‘ Week 11 game against the Rams, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. Andrew Sendejo will also miss Sunday’s game, the safety being out due to groin and hamstring pain. Rashod Hill and Anthony Harris will respectively replace the ailing duo in Minnesota’s starting lineup.

NFC Injury Notes: Sturgis, Elliott, Redskins, Vaccaro, Swaim

November 10th, 2017 at 6:04pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Eagles picked up kicker Jake Elliott from the Bengals’ practice squad to replace the incumbent Caleb Sturgis after he suffered a hip injury the first week of the season. The team hasn’t looked back since then and it looks like Philadelphia has no plans to change their special teams unit moving forward. While Sturgis is eligible to come off the disabled list this week, Eagles special teams coach Dave Flipp told reporters today that, “right now there’s no reason to make a change,” reports Zach Berman of The Inquirer. It’s understandable why the team would not feel the need to mess with the status quo. Elliott has made 17-20 of his field goal attempts this season, but is best known for his 61 yard bomb he hit to beat the Giants in Week 3.

The Redskins have a few big names that are questionable to play for the team’s game this Sunday. Defensive lineman Matt Ionanidis has already been ruled out for the team’s affair vs. the Vikings, but offensive stalwarts Trent Williams and Jordan Reed are listed as questionable to play too, according to Jonah Keim of ESPN.com. Washington has 11 players listed as 50-50 for Sunday with other offensive lineman Morgan Moses (ankles), Brandon Scherff (knee), Spencer Long (knee/quad) and Ty Nsekhe (core muscle). It’s unlikely that the majority of the Washington offensive line will miss the game, but the team’s depth is something to keep an eye as we get closer to kickoff.
The Saints will be without a key member of the defense vs. the Bills this Sunday. Saftety Kenny Vaccaro will miss the contest with a groin injury, but expressed optimism that the situation will be more of a short-term issue, reports Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. The 26 year-old defensive back told the reporter, “Oh, yeah, I’ll be fine,” when referring to the timeline of the groin issue. Meanwhile, while New Orleans will certainly miss their starting safety, the team has a considerable amount of depth at the position with the likes of Vonn Bell, Rafael Bush and Chris Banjo all likely getting playing time in his absence.
Cowboys third-string tight end Geoff Swaim missed practice on Friday with a right knee injury and as is waiting on MRI results that should bring light to what his recovery may look like, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Archer opines that Swaim could miss Sunday’s game and may be in line for arthroscopic surgery, which would sideline him for a few weeks. Swaim just has two receptions on the season with Jason Witten and James Hanna getting most of the reps in two tight-end sets.

NFC Notes: Elliott, Reed, Saints

September 10th, 2017 at 11:56am CST by Rory Parks

As we get prepared for the first slate of Sunday games in 2017, let’s take a quick swing around the NFC:

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott was granted a temporary restraining order against the NFL, thereby putting his six-game suspension on hold and allowing him to be available for the remainder of the season while his case is sorted out. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the NFL is considering appealing that restraining order and is still discussing the matter with its attorneys.
The toe injury that has been ailing Redskins TE Jordan Reed is actually a fracture in his big toe that impacts the way he runs, and he will be battling that injury for at least the early part of the season, as Rapoport writes. Reed is one of the most talented tight ends in the league, but he has yet to play a full 16-game season.
The Eagles have returned the 2019 seventh-round selection they received from the Saints in the Jon Dorenbos trade in light of Dorenbos’ need for heart surgery and his release from New Orleans via injury settlement, as Howard Eskin of 94 WIP reports (via Twitter).
Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro is eligible for unrestricted free agency next offseason, but Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune does not expect the two sides to agree to an extension during the season. He still believes they will reach a long-term deal at some point next year, but as Vaccaro’s value is up for debate, the team may prefer to see how he performs in 2017 before making a big commitment to him.
Rams head coach Sean McVay was a key figure in getting star DT Aaron Donald to end his holdout, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Rather than traveling with the team to Green Bay for the Rams’ final preseason game, McVay went to Atlanta with Rams executives to meet with Donald’s representatives, and his presence underscored how important Donald was to McVay and to Los Angeles. It also helped to facilitate dialogue between the two sides.
Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com believes the Lions will wait to see if any of their young talent along the defensive line breaks out before going after an established veteran. Detroit’s pass rush is currently suspect at best, but the team could be hesitant to make a move until next week because if a veteran signs before the first game, his salary is guaranteed for the year. Plus, it’s not as though the free agent market is currently brimming with DL talent, as former Lions Wallace Gilberry and Darryl Tapp are among the best players available.

East Notes: Dolphins, Glenn, Reed, Eagles

August 6th, 2017 at 4:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins‘ Jay Cutler addition easily became the NFL story of the week, and more specifics on the agreement are emerging. Cutler’s $5MM base salary will be augmented by $5MM in bonuses and $3MM in incentives, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Between Cutler, Ryan Tannehill and Matt Moore, the Dolphins are spending more than $32MM on quarterback salaries this season. This salary will represent Cutler’s lowest in a season since 2013, prior to his second Bears pact.

Rapoport (video link) didn’t rule out the possibility of a multiyear Dolphins/Cutler union, but said as of now the plan is just for this season. He cites Cutler’s desire to play, noting the interest he had in the Texans’ job, and possible success with Adam Gase as a reason the door is slightly ajar for the 34-year-old passer to have a beyond-2017 future with the Dolphins.

Here’s the latest from the Eastern divisions.

Of course, Tannehill is under contract through the 2020 season. But Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com notes (via Twitter) the Dolphins can escape from Tannehill’s contract after this season, if they choose. No fully guaranteed money remains on Tannehill’s deal, although a $5.25MM injury guarantee for 2018 is in place. Breer categorizes the 2018-20 portion of Tannehill’s contract as team options. The Dolphins, though, don’t have another long-term solution lined up beyond the suddenly injury-prone Tannehill.
This Cutler signing will make a Jarvis Landry extension more difficult, James Walker of ESPN.com offers. The Dolphins entered Sunday with $17MM-plus in cap space, with just $3MM projected to be available in 2018. While the latter figure doesn’t mean a ton yet due to roster moves that could me made to increase it, the Dolphins lost some possible carryover money due to the Cutler signing, one Walker calls a mistake. Gase’s Bears campaign produced the 23rd-ranked passing offense in 2015 and a 6-10 record. Although, the Bears were playing without some skill-position talent that season. But Cutler has only led one team, the ’10 Bears, to the postseason and is coming off an injury-marred season. As for Landry, not much has developed on that front.
Cordy Glenn has struggled with lower-leg and foot problems since last season, and the Bills‘ franchise left tackle still has some uncertainty surrounding his status. That said, Glenn returned to practice on Sunday after seeing a foot specialist, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). Glenn recently received a second opinion on his foot from foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports. Sean McDermott called the veteran blocker day-to-day.
Jay Gruden is optimistic Jordan Reed will be able to shake his toe injury and be ready to go by the time the Redskins take the field in Week 1. “From every indication I’ve received from the doctors and trainers and from Jordan, I feel he’ll be ready for the season,” Gruden said, via John Keim of ESPN.com. “But you never know, so we’ll still have to wait and see. Things are odd from time to time, but I have total faith that he’ll be ready.” Reed is on the Active/PUP list and struggled with the toe malady throughout last season. Reed also visited with Dr. Anderson last week but has ramped up his work since.
Corey Graham has experience at both secondary positions, but Jim Schwartz plans to use his former Bills charge at safety despite the Eagles being weaker at corner, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com notes, adding that Malcolm Jenkins could shift into the slot on sub-packages. Graham has played most of his career at corner but moved to safety full-time in 2015.

Extra Points: Redskins, Reed, Gruden, Texans, Fuller

August 2nd, 2017 at 4:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from around the NFL:

Redskins coach Jay Gruden says “nothing earth-shattering” came from Jordan Reed‘s visit to see a specialist on his toe (Twitter link via Mike Jones of The Washington Post). The team is not publicly discussing Reed’s timetable for a return, but if the comment is to be taken at face value, then that could be an overall good sign for the tight end.
Jon Gruden is looking to slow down talk of a return to coaching. “I don’t foresee myself coaching again anytime soon,” the former Super Bowl-winning coach and current color commentator said (Twitter link via Roy Cummings of FanRag Sports). Comments by Gruden back in July seemed to hint at different plans.
Texans wide receiver Will Fuller broke his collarbone during practice on Wednesday, sources tell Adam Schefter and Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com (on Twitter). At this time, there is no timetable for Fuller’s recovery. Fuller, the team’s 2016 first round pick, is expected to reprise his role as a deep threat to take defensive pressure off of DeAndre Hopkins. If he misses significant time, it could be a major setback for the Houston offense. Braxton Miller and Jaelen Strong can be expected to see increased roles if Fuller is out, but the Texans could also look into adding additional depth.
Dolphins seventh round wide receiver Isaiah Ford has suffered a setback that may end up costing him a spot on the 53-man roster. Ford has meniscus damage that will require surgery, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes, and depending on the extent of the tear, he’ll either miss the remainder of training camp or potentially the entire season. Lately, Ford has been gaining traction as a backup possibility in the slot.
Alejandro Villanueva‘s new four-year, $24MM deal with the Steelers has base salaries of $1.5MM, $3MM, $5MM, and $5MM, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The remaining $9.5MM in the deal comes in the form of signing and roster bonuses.

Redskins TE Jordan Reed Suffers Injury

August 1st, 2017 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Redskins tight end Jordan Reed went to Charlotte to see a specialist about his toe injury, head coach Jay Gruden announced. There is currently no timetable for his return.

When he’s on the field and mostly healthy, Reed is one of the game’s most dynamic tight ends. Unfortunately, injuries have set Reed back throughout his career. Most notably, the 27-year-old has dealt with concussion issues as well as a separated shoulder that sidelined him late in the 2016 season. The team was hoping that his toe issue would clear up quickly, but one can’t help but wonder if this latest ailment could cost him time in 2017.

Reed earned his first Pro Bowl nod last year as he recorded 66 catches for 686 yards and six scores. The Redskins are counting on him more than ever this year after losing both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson to free agency.

The Redskins have depth at tight end, but Vernon Davis and Niles Paul do not offer the same kind of elite athleticism as the 6’3″, 237 pound Reed. The presence of fifth-round pick Jeremy Sprinkle also gives the team some additional padding, but they’ll be at a distinct disadvantage if they are without Reed to start the season.

Redskins Notes: Cousins, Gruden, Doctson

January 25th, 2017 at 10:30am CST by Sam Robinson

Although reports of a potential trade being on the table have surfaced in recent weeks, Jay Gruden expects Kirk Cousins to be back with the Redskins in 2017. “I totally anticipate him coming back to the Washington Redskins,” Gruden said, via JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com. Gruden said he’s texted back and forth with Cousins this offseason. Washington is in a similar situation with its starting quarterback compared to last year, although the franchise tag price will escalate to $23.94MM due to the team having used this on its passer in 2016. Cousins is thought to be targeting that $23.94MM threshold as an AAV goal, which would make him the third-highest-paid quarterback in the league on a per-year basis. Washington is projected to hold just more than $60MM in cap space — prior to any action on Cousins, of course.

Here’s more regarding the player who may soon become the Redskins’ franchise QB, along with more coming out of Washington.

A scenario in which the Redskins use the tag and then trade Cousins would cost the 49ers — mentioned as one of the prospective suitors, especially if former Washington OC Kyle Shanahan takes the HC job as expected — more than the No. 2 overall pick, Mike Jones of the Washington Post writes. Considering the Redskins’ run of quarterbacks since their 1991 Super Bowl title, and even the team’s second and third Super Bowl championships came with second-tier veterans at quarterback, Jones argues Cousins is a known commodity compared to the alternative of attempting a reboot without such a passer. Regardless, if the team pursued that, Washington should be able to ask for a first-, a second-, and possibly a third-round pick, Jones writes.
Gruden having to go with may his third or fourth choice in the form of Greg Manusky as DC puts his fate in Washington in the coordinator’s hands to a degree, Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com notes. Tandler expects Gruden to be on the hot seat entering 2017 thanks to a seven-loss 2015 season being his high-water mark in three years. The OC behind Washington’s No. 3-ranked offense is now in Los Angeles, and Gruden will be counting on Manusky — who takes command of a 28th-ranked defense — and GM Scot McGloughan to provide defensive improvement and thus a long-term path for him in D.C. Cousins figures to factor into this equation, too.
Josh Doctson has not progressed especially well in his recovery from the Achilles’ tendon injuries that hijacked his rookie season, Jones reports. Gruden said the wideout hasn’t received clearance to run without restrictions but added the team will take it slow with its 2016 first-rounder. Doctson should be needed this season, with the Redskins likely to lose at least one, and possibly both, of their veteran duo of Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson in free agency.
Jordan Reed won’t need offseason shoulder surgery after seeing a separated shoulder sideline him late in the season, Gruden said (via Jones).

Extra Points: Raiders, Cowboys, Redskins, Draft

December 10th, 2016 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

More details of Oakland’s scrutinized plan to keep the Raiders emerged this weekend, but things aren’t too much smoother on the Las Vegas front for the franchise. As recently as two weeks ago, Mark Davis was told he did not have enough votes from his fellow owners to move the team to Sin City, Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com reports.

This status could obviously change since a relocation vote hasn’t been scheduled yet, but the Raiders owner has not participated in the Oakland plan. Despite owners’ public preferences on Vegas mostly a mystery at this juncture, although obvious hesitancy persists due to the market size and Vegas’ gambling connections, the recent emergence of a Bay Area plan without the Raiders on board leaves the league in a strange spot regarding the future of one of its most famous franchises.

Ratto notes the NFL is not particuarly fond of a business arrangement with either Sheldon Adelson in Las Vegas, or the Fortress Group in the Bay Area despite Ronnie Lott‘s involvement. He can envision a scenario where the league stalls this process until one of the solutions becomes tenable in its view.

Here’s more from around the league on the eve of Week 14 Sunday.

Today’s extension for Jamar Taylor could mean the new Browns regime is eyeing a trade of Joe Haden. The veteran corner has struggled in back-to-back seasons, and Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets the Browns will potentially see what kind of market exists for the veteran corner on draft weekend. Pro Football Focus rates Haden as its No. 96 overall corner, and the former first-round pick — signed to a five-year, $67.5MM deal in May of 2014 — played in just five games in 2015.
The Cowboys will be playing without return specialist Lucky Whitehead against the Giants due apparently to a Snapchat-induced issue, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. A team-rules violation officially kept Whitehead from traveling with the team to New Jersey, and Charean Williams and Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram report a missed meeting factored into this as well. Whitehead’s returned 19 punts and 10 kickoffs this season. Lance Dunbar and Cole Beasley are listed as the specialty backups.
Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson are headed for free agency and it has been said that the Redskins will not retain both players. Which wide receiver should be retained? Mark Bullock of The Washington Post dove deep into game footage to figure out which player is more valuable for Washington. He concludes that the Redskins should keep Jackson because he is still a legitimate deep threat, something the team lacks without him. In addition to his own touchdown bombs, Bullock says that DJax can open up space for Jordan Reed and Jamison Crowder.
Reed is expected to return to action Sunday against the Eagles after missing Week 13 with a shoulder injury, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Cancer survivor James Conner will forego his final season at Pittsburgh and enter the draft, Jared Shanker of ESPN.com reports. Conner scored 56 touchdowns — the most in ACC history — in just three seasons and beat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma just as Eric Berry did. The running back claimed ACC player of the year honors in 2014 but tore his MCL a year later and misssed that season. The cancer diagnosis came in December of 2015, but Conner returned to the field in September and rushed for 1,060 yards this season. He joins Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey and D’Onta Foreman as early-entry backs but isn’t expected to go in the first or second round like that trio is.

Zach Links contributed to this report

East Notes: Coughlin, Jets, Petty, Reed, Giants

December 7th, 2016 at 3:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Could Tom Coughlin return to the Meadowlands…as the Jets‘ coach? Brian Costello of the New York Post argues that Gang Green could use a disciplinarian like the 70-year-old Coughlin and lists him as one of 12 possible names in the event that the Jets move on from coach Todd Bowles. Others on the list include Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher, coach-turned-commentator Jon Gruden, and New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. While speculation around Bowles’ job security has ramped up in recent weeks, I would be surprised if he was not given a third year to turn things around. However, if the Jets do seek a new head coach this spring, I think it would behoove them to seek an offensive-minded coach. Since the Rich Kotite disaster of more than 20 years ago, the Jets have only had head coaches with defensive backgrounds.

Here’s more from the East divisions:

Now that Bryce Petty has been installed as the Jets‘ starting quarterback, is it possible that we’ll see rookie Christian Hackenberg take the field this season? “Not unless Bryce gets hurt,” Bowles said (link via Costello). “Right now, I do not see him getting any playing time.” It’s pretty telling that the Jets are not willing to put the Penn State product on the field, even in a lost season. Word is that Hackenberg is green, but he might be even more raw than scouts realized at the time of the draft.
There’s still no clear timetable for Jordan Reed‘s return to the field, JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. “Jordan will be day-to-day,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. “You know, we just have to wait and see.” For the season, Reed has 59 catches for 630 yards and five touchdowns in just nine games. Considered to be one of the best tight ends in the game, Reed is dealing with a painful shoulder injury.
The Giants could finally be getting Justin Pugh back in the lineup. When asked about returning to action, the left guard said that he is preparing as though he will suit up this week, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes. The interior lineman has been out with a sprained MCL since Nov. 6.

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