Luke Kuechly - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers Rumors: Davis, Olsen, Kuechly

October 27th, 2017 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Thomas Davis provided some clarification about his health this week, making a slight correction to his wife’s assessment of an injury with which he’s dealing. During a TV interview, Kelly Davis said her husband was broken “completely broken ribs” for several weeks. The longest-tenured Panthers player said (via David Newton of ESPN.com) his wife didn’t lie and he is dealing with a broken bone in that area, but only one rib is affected. The 13th-year linebacker added the injury has healed to the point he doesn’t have to treat it any further. The Panthers called Kelly Davis’ comments “heartfelt” but “overstated,” noting Thomas Davis did appear on the team’s injury report for multiple weeks due to a rib ailment. Having started each of Carolina’s seven games this season, the linebacker is not in danger of missing Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers.

Here’s the latest out of Charlotte.

Greg Olsen says he’ll test his surgically repaired foot on the field next week, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. That’s when Olsen will first become eligible to resume practicing after going on IR in Week 3. If he’s healthy enough, Olsen could suit up again in mid-November. League rules dictate that players can return from IR after spending eight weeks on the list.
Ryan Kalil has played in just two of Carolina’s seven games this season and is unlikely to see action Sunday, although Ron Rivera said the longtime center could play in an emergency situation. Kalil’s dealing with a neck injury, one he aggravated in Week 7 after returning to the lineup. Rivera said (via Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer, on Twitter) the Panthers are not ready to discuss an IR move for the 11th-year snapper. Tyler Larsen has started in Kalil’s place.
Luke Kuechly is in the final stage of concussion protocol, needing to be cleared by an independent doctor in order to play this week. The All-Pro middle linebacker practiced fully all week, per Newton, and is just more than two weeks removed from the latest concussion he suffered. Signs point to Kuechly playing against the Bucs. Should Kuechly return after missing just one game, it will mark his shortest concussion-induced absence as an NFLer. He missed three games in 2015 and six last season because of head injuries.
Rivera added the Panthers will get Kurt Coleman back after three missed games. The safety missed time because of a knee injury.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

NFC Notes: Peterson, Vikings, Kuechly

October 20th, 2017 at 1:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bruce Arians came up with the idea for the Cardinals to acquire Adrian Peterson, doing so after his team’s blowout loss to the Eagles. Arians was driving to the team facility when the concept emerged, Lars Anderson of Bleacher Report notes. The Cardinals coach watched every Peterson carry with the Saints to make sure the 32-year-old future Hall of Famer still had enough to be a solution for an Arizona rushing attack that still ranks last in the league because of its anemic start. Arians then took the idea to Steve Keim, who called Saints GM Mickey Loomis, Anderson reports.

“He ran hard and could get something out of nothing,” Arians said. “We had finesse backs on our team. I was looking for that power guy. He was it, brother, he was it.”

Immediately installed as Arizona’s starter, Peterson turned back the clock and rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns in his Cardinals debut. The former five-time All-Pro said previously he wants to play into his late 30s, but that dialogue stopped in New Orleans. But Peterson has resumed that talking point now as a Cardinal, eyeing “four or five” more seasons.

“I felt like my ability was going to waste in New Orleans,” Peterson said, via Anderson. “The system just wasn’t a good fit for me. But I still want to play four or five more years. I still can run a high-4.3 40. And I’ve always loved getting the ball deep in the backfield, which is what we’re doing here. I feel like I’m built for this offense.”

Here’s the latest from the NFC, shifting to Peterson’s first two NFL employers.

The Vikings are starting Case Keenum again this week, the team announced. Mike Zimmer, though, said he believes Sam Bradford will play again this season, per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. This will be Keenum’s fifth start of the year. Bradford’s status has gone from somewhat surprising inactive in Week 2 to being potentially out for six weeks to having the knee be categorized as worse than what’s been reported. Bradford consulted with a specialist last week, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com notes. The eighth-year quarterback saw this same specialist previously, per Zimmer. Teddy Bridgewater returned to practice but likely remains far away from playing in a game.
Luke Kuechly will miss the Panthers‘ Week 7 tilt against the Bears after suffering a concussion in Week 6. David Mayo will replace Kuechly at middle linebacker, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk notes. Kuechly has missed time because of concussions in each of the past two seasons but was progressing in the protocol earlier this week.
Minnesota will also be without Stefon Diggs this weekend, with the Vikes’ No. 1 wide receiver set to miss a second straight game because of a groin injury.
Saints practice squad offensive lineman Cameron Tom recently had his salary bumped to $27K+ per week, according to a source who spoke with Nick Underhill of The Advocate. He was previously making $7,200 per week. Assuming he stays on the taxi squad through the end of the season, he’ll earn $344K as opposed to $122K. His weekly pay is now equal to a minimum salaried player on the 53-man roster ($465K). It’s a sign that the Saints think highly of Tom and that other teams have thought about signing him away.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

NFC Notes: Avril, Redskins, Panthers, Sloter

October 19th, 2017 at 8:29pm CST by Ben Levine

After being placed on injured reserve earlier this week, there were whispers that Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril could decide to hang up his cleats. While the player subsequently denied those reports, coach Pete Carroll addressed the rumors earlier today.

“We have to wait and see on that,” Carroll said (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson). “That’s really up to the docs and Cliff and all that kind of stuff, and I’m one-thousand percent supportive of whatever we need to do here to help him, and so that’s why we’re taking our time. The IR thing gives him six weeks at least to figure whatever else we can figure out. But he’s not sure what’s best for him right now and he’s trying to find that out. We’re giving him hopefully a good sense and a comfort that we’re going to support it all the way throughout and figure out what’s best and all that.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…

The Redskins placed rookie defense end Jonathan Allen on the injured reserve earlier today, but ESPN.com’s John Keim reports that the team is hoping he’ll be back before the end of the season. Coach Jay Gruden said the team’s prognosis changed after the player underwent surgery on Wednesday night. “We got better news after the surgery that it wouldn’t be as lengthy as they typically are,” Gruden said. “That’s good news. But we still have to rehab it. He’s a big man and sometimes bigger guys take a little bit longer. We’ll wait and see. Hopefully we see him again, but it’s up to the rehab.”
While it was initially believed that Kurt Coleman could miss up to a month, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer reports that the Panthers safety could return this weekend after missing only a pair of games. Coleman suffered a sprained knee ligament earlier this month in a win over the Patriots. Meanwhile, linebacker Luke Kuechly made more progress towards passing the concussion protocol, as the Pro Bowler was seen riding a stationary bike earlier today.
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is confident that he’ll return this season, and the team may be forced to make a difficult roster decision. With the team currently rostering Sam Bradford and Case Keenum, third-stringer Kyle Sloter appears to be the odd man out. Of course, the undrafted rookie isn’t worried about future transactions, as he’s confident he’ll find a job elsewhere. “I’m not really too concerned day in and day out with my NFL future,’’ Sloter told Chris Tomasson of TwinCities.com. “I think that I’ll have a job.” The reporter also tweets that the organization could look to pass Sloter through waivers with hopes that he’ll land on their practice squad.

Latest On Luke Kuechly

October 15th, 2017 at 8:45am CST by Rory Parks

Panthers star linebacker Luke Kuechly left the team’s Thursday night game against the Eagles and subsequently entered Carolina’s concussion protocol. This morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter offered some encouraging news on Kuechly, reporting that he has passed all tests and that the team does not believe he suffered another concussion, which would be his third in three seasons.

Nevertheless, David Newton of ESPN.com clarifies that Kuechly is still in the concussion protocol, and although he “looks good,” there is no timetable on his return. As defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said, “It’s always encouraging, not just from a standpoint of Luke getting back on the field, but with his health. It’s good to know he was feeling a lot better today, in good spirits, and being his old self. I’m excited about that.”

Head coach Ron Rivera did not offer any comments as to Kuechly’s long-term future, saying, “I have not talked with the doctors. I have not talked with Luke about this. I will eventually, but we’re going to wait till he’s no longer in the protocol before I say anything about this.”

Should Kuechly be forced to miss games, David Mayo and Ben Jacobs will share his duties.

Luke Kuechly In Concussion Protocol

October 12th, 2017 at 9:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Luke Kuechly did not come out for the second half of Thursday night’s Eagles-Panthers game due to being evaluated for a concussion.

Those evaluations led to the All-Pro linebacker going into Carolina’s concussion protocol, the Panthers announced. Kuechly left the game during the second quarter.

This is the third concussion Kuechly has suffered in the past three seasons. He missed the final six games of last season due to a concussion, one also suffered during a Thursday-night home game. The Panthers’ cornerstone defender missed three games because of a concussion suffered during the franchise’s 2015 Super Bowl season.

Kuechly has met twice with Dr. Micky Collins, a concussion specialist, over the past two years, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter) in an effort to take his health “very seriously,” and it’s possible a third summit could commence as this problem’s now encountered another troubling chapter. A three-time first-team All-Pro, the 26-year-old Kuechly’s in his sixth season with the Panthers.

The Panthers lost Kuechly backup A.J. Klein to the Saints in free agency. A fifth-round 2015 pick out of Texas State, David Mayo is in the game at middle linebacker for Carolina.

NFC Notes: Panthers, Bears, Eagles, Cards

December 21st, 2016 at 7:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Multiple concussions have felled superstar Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly this season, though the 25-year-old unsurprisingly told media Wednesday that he isn’t mulling retirement. “I’m holding off that retirement word for a little ways down the road,” he said (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “It’s something you appreciate everybody concerned with how you’re doing, but whenever my opportunity comes back I’ll be back out there.” Kuechly has recovered from the concussion that he suffered Nov. 17, but the Panthers haven’t cleared him to return to action. Considering they’re 6-8 and all but out of playoff contention, it would behoove the defending NFC champions to keep Kuechly out until next season.

Luke Kuechly Passes Concussion Protocol

December 17th, 2016 at 2:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Luke Kuechly has cleared the league’s concussion protocol, the Panthers announced today. However, he remains questionable for Monday night’s game.

“We are excited to have Luke healthy and cleared from the protocol,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “I know he is extremely motivated to get back on the field and help us win games. Whether he plays this week or not, I don’t know. We have to balance our enthusiasm with what’s best for Luke and the team long term.”

Late last month, the Panthers were adamant that they would not shut Kuechly down for the season. Now, it sounds like the team is giving that some further thought, particularly given their slim playoff hopes.

Five Thirty Eight projects the Panthers to have less than a 1% chance of making the postseason. At 5-8, Carolina must run the table to have any chance of getting in and, even then, they need a lot of things to go their way. The best (and perhaps only) path we can find is a scenario in which the Panthers win out, the Falcons and Buccaneers lose out, and the Saints lose to the Cardinals this week before topping the Bucs and Falcons in the final two weeks. That infinitesimal shot of extending the season is probably not worth risking further injury to the team’s defensive star.

NFC Notes: Kuechly, Packers, Lions

December 7th, 2016 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Saints running back Tim Hightower has a new appreciation for the business side of the NFL after having negotiated his own contract last offseason.

“I don’t regret anything,” Hightower told Nick Underhill of The Advocate. “It forced me to learn and have some conversations. Whether it was with (general manager) Mickey Loomis, whether it was with coach (Sean) Payton, it forced me to have some conversations that I probably wouldn’t have had before.”

Hightower ultimately landed a one-year deal worth $840K. The running back has run for 422 yards and one touchdown this season.

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

The Panthers announced that Luke Kuechly has returned to practice. The linebacker hasn’t suited up for the team in 20 days, when he was concussed during his team’s win against the Saints. The 25-year-old has 102 tackles and two sacks this season.
Packers linebacker Nick Perry had surgery to repair several broken fingers, sources told NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The veteran will be out for this weekend’s contest against the Seahawks, but it doesn’t sound like the 26-year-old will be out for long. Rapoport notes that the organization is hoping Perry can continue playing in a cast.
The Lions cleared out tight end Brandon Pettigrew‘s locker today, and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that it’s only a matter of time before the team moves on from the 31-year-old. Pettigrew, who has sat out the entire season as he’s recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, is under contract through 2017.
The Lions shouldn’t expect much from running back Joique Bell, writes ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein. The team could certainly use a running back, and Bell did have an 860-yard campaign with Detroit in 2014. However, Rothstein believes the 30-year-old’s best days are behind him. The Lions added the veteran running back yesterday.

Panthers Not Ready To Shut Down Kuechly

November 26th, 2016 at 4:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Luke Kuechly will not play against the Raiders on Sunday and remains in the concussion protocol, the Panthers are not discussing shutting their cornerstone defender down for the season, Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports.

The three-time All-Pro has made “encouraging progress” this week after sustaining what is believed to be the second concussion of his career, per Pelissero. However, there is no timetable for a Kuechly return.

The 25-year-old defender suffered a concussion last season that caused him to miss three games. He returned to land on his third All-Pro first team on a team that eventually went 15-1 and appeared in Super Bowl 50. Kuechly missing the same amount of time obviously hurts the Panthers’ chances at returning to the playoffs, but that opportunity may well have slipped away when Kuechly was available given the team’s non-injury issues.

Kuechly’s value to the franchise considered, Carolina making the decision on whether or not to shut its middle linebacker down for 2016 likely hinges on its playoff hopes to some degree. The defending NFC champions are two games behind the NFC South-leading Falcons, with six teams ahead of the Panthers in the wild-card race as well. Bringing Kuechly back if the team loses to the Raiders without him Sunday might involve a more substantial conversation. Carolina did shut down Michael Oher after a lengthy battle with a concussion sustained in September, so long-term thinking has already entered the equation for another key starter.

Kuechly has 102 tackles this season, along with six pass deflections, a forced fumble and an interception. The player set to replace Kuechly, fourth-year man A.J. Klein, just completed the final stage of the concussion protocol, per ESPN.com’s David Newton. So, head trauma has been a key issue for the Panthers this season, its two franchise players being at the forefront.

Luke Kuechly In Concussion Protocol

November 18th, 2016 at 11:58am CST by Zachary Links

Last night, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly gave fans reason for concern after taking a big hit in the fourth quarter of last night’s game against the Saints. The Carolina star suffered an apparent concussion and bawled as he was carted off of the field. Today, coach Ron Rivera confirmed to reporters that Kuechly did indeed suffer a concussion and is now in the league’s required protocol program.

This marks the linebacker’s second concussion in two years. Concussions come in varying degrees and aren’t always detected or reported, so it’s possible that he has had even more. When Kuechly suffered his concussion in last year’s season opener, he wound up missing three games. If this one is as severe as it looked, he could be out for a longer stretch. Rivera declined to comment on the Pro Bowlers’ status but we should know more about his condition by early next week.

Kuechly, 25, has established himself as one of the game’s best defenders and as the heart of the Panthers’ D. In each of the last three seasons, he has earned both First-Team All-Pro selections and Pro Bowl nods. Before the 2015 season, the Panthers rewarded Kuechly with a five-year, $62MM deal. He rewarded them with stellar play as they captured the NFC Championship.