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Jets Looking For Options At Quarterback

November 1st, 2015 at 6:55pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn’t been a revelation at quarterback, but for a team built on defense and running the football, he had been enough through the first six games.

The team had to turn to Geno Smith as Fitzpatrick suffered an injury early in the loss to the Raiders. It was initially reported as a ligament issue on his non-throwing hand, according to Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press (via Twitter). He was ruled out for the game, although he did return for one play late in the fourth quarter after Smith left the game with an injury.

At that point, the Jets were already making phone calls to inquire about quarterbacks who could potentially be available, either via trade or free agency, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio mentions that there aren’t many options available, highlighting Ryan Mallett and Zach Mettenberger as two potential targets. Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com adds Buccaneers backup Mike Glennon to the list of quarterbacks the Jets should consider (via Twitter). He also mentions Chad Henne, Kellen Clemens, Matt Schaub, Chase Daniel, Colt McCoy, and Dan Orlovsky as quarterbacks with expiring contracts (via Twitter).

To add another level of complexity, Smith was also injured in the game, consulting with a doctor presumably to have X-rays taken after the game, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post (via Twitter). Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News specifies that Smith is dealing with shoulder and ab issues (via Twitter).

Fitzpatrick is assumed to have torn ligaments in the thumb of his non-throwing hand, according to head coach Todd Bowles as reported by Mehta (via Twitter). Based on how quickly the organization looked to add another signal caller, the expectation is that he could miss some time.

The only quarterback left on the depth chart besides Smith is fourth-round pick Bryce Petty. If Smith also misses time is , which isn’t expected right now, Petty would likely take over, and the team would need to bring in another passer to round out the roster.

NFC South Notes: Jones, Brown, Glennon, Griffin

August 30th, 2015 at 5:56pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Falcons went all in on Julio Jones during the 2011 draft, trading five picks to move way up in the first round to take the star receiver out of Alabama. Despite a trip to the NFC Championship game in 2013, the last two seasons have gone less than perfectly for the Falcons. Yet the team is going all in on Jones again, giving him a five-year extension with $47.5MM in guaranteed money, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His injury history derailed the top-heavy roster before, and with his new deal he needs to stay on the field to give the offense a chance to score.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC South:

  • Despite six dropped passes in two preseason games, Panthers wide receiver Corey Brown is still a lock to make the final roster, writes David Newton of ESPN. He notes that Brown has the confidence of head coach Ron Rivera.
  • For teams who may need to scramble for a starting quarterback due to an injury in preseason or early in the regular season, the first call they should make should be to the Buccaneers concerning Mike Glennon, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. A source ranked Glennon as the best trade target, ahead of other notable backups Zach Mettenberger, Kirk Cousins, and Ryan Mallett. For the record, Cousins might not be a backup any longer.
  • The Saints are set at starting quarterback with Drew Brees, but the depth chart after him is in flux. Luke McCown took over after Brees during today’s preseason game, followed by rookie Garrett Grayson, writes Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter). That may leave Ryan Griffin on the outside looking in, in terms of a roster spot.

South Notes: Bucs, Glennon, Martin

June 9th, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Titans receivers coach Shawn Jefferson sees big things in rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota‘s future, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com writes.

“He is deadly accurate,” Jefferson said. “I am just giddy about his future going forward …He’s the real deal. A couple years ago I was back in Detroit and when Matthew Stafford stepped into the huddle the first time, once I heard his voice and the way he called a play, I said, ‘OK, that’s a real one right there.’ Same way with this one. He’s real. He’s got the goods.”

Here’s tonight’s look at the South divisions..

  • The Buccaneers gave some thought to trading Mike Glennon this offseason, but GM Jason Licht pulled back when he found how many teams were interested in the young QB, Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com writes. Ultimately, the Bucs felt they were better off with Glennon for at least one more season in case of injury or ineffectiveness from No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston.
  • More from Reynolds, who writes that the hire of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter extended Doug Martin‘s stay with the Buccaneers. “Dirk Koetter, once he started watching tape of all our players, he came away impressed with Doug,” Licht said. “You saw the tape when he’s healthy, he’s still a very effective runner.” The Muscle Hamster is in Tampa Bay for 2015, but they declined his fifth-year option, putting Martin in a “prove it” situation. In his rookie year, Martin made a heck of an impact by running for 1,454 yards off of 319 carries with 11 touchdowns while catching 49 passes for 472 yards and a TD.
  • Eighth overall pick Vic Beasley is expected to sign his rookie contract with the Falcons “soon,” tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Beasley is in line for a signing bonus worth $8.8MM+, with an overall four-year contract value of about $14.495MM.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Mailbags: Washington, Glennon, Panthers, McClain

June 6th, 2015 at 11:33am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes from the NFC…

  • If DeSean Jackson struggles in 2015, John Keim could envision the wideout playing elsewhere in 2016. Washington selected Jamison Crowder in the fourth round, so they have young wideouts to move forward with. However, if the veteran produces, Keim could see the Pro Bowler sticking around.
  • Pat Yasinskas believes Mike Glennon will spend this season with the Buccaneers, even if the quarterback has a good preseason and improves his trade value. The 25-year-old is a solid backup, and the writer believes the team would have already dealt Glennon if they had any intention to move him.
  • With the Cam Newton deal wrapped up, David Newton would expect the Panthers to sign linebacker Thomas Davis to a new deal prior to training camp. Since Luke Kuechly will definitely be on the roster for the 2016 season, the writer believes the team won’t rush to sign the former Defensive Player of the Year.
  • When asked why Rolando McClain took so long to opt for surgery, Todd Archer clarified that surgery is always a “last-case option.” However, the writer questions why the Cowboys linebacker hasn’t been at Valley Ranch for rehab.

NFC South Notes: Winston, Newton, Coffman

May 16th, 2015 at 12:00pm CST by Zachary Links

In today’s mailbag, a reader asks ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas if he feels the Buccaneers will bring in a veteran quarterback to support Jameis Winston. Of course, Mike Glennon is also on hand, and every indication Yasinskas has received is that the Bucs are content to roll with him as the backup to Winston. They also believe that he’s enough of a team player to embrace a backup role. Here’s today’s look at the NFC South..

La Canfora’s Latest: Bennett, Eagles, Titans

May 6th, 2015 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Michael Bennett and his agent have “made it clear” he’d rather not return to the Seahawks, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Of course, as La Canfora points out, the Seahawks typically don’t budge when it comes to trades or contract situation, so while the two sides may be able to work something out that makes sense for all parties, Bennett may not go anywhere or sign a new contract in the next few months.

Bennett and various members of the Seahawks organization have repeatedly denied a rumor that he wants to be traded. However, that initial report came from another reporter, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, so the fact that La Canfora has heard similar rumblings suggests there may be something to it. It wouldn’t be surprising if, at the very least, Bennett wants to rework his deal, considering he’s one of the league’s best pass rushers and is earning a relatively modest $7MM per year.

Here are a few more tidbits from La Canfora’s piece on potential trade candidates:

  • Whether it’s this week or the week before the season begins, the Eagles will trade Evan Mathis at some point, in La Canfora’s opinion. The CBSSports.com scribe adds that Chip Kelly was trying to move Mychal Kendricks for a second-round pick in the week leading up to the draft. La Canfora predicts that Philadelphia will eventually get a late-round pick for Mathis and a fourth-rounder for Kendricks.
  • While the Titans say they don’t plan to move Zach Mettenberger after drafting Marcus Mariota, the second-year QB would “relish a change of scenery,” per La Canfora.
  • La Canfora views the Browns as the most logical potential suitor for Muhammad Wilkerson, suggesting that while the Jets won’t shop the standout defensive lineman, they should at least be willing to listen. The Bears, Saints, and Raiders would all be reasonable fits as well, according to La Canfora, who thinks a team should offer a first- and third-round pick for Wilkerson.
  • A veteran backup like Jason Campbell or Tarvaris Jackson would be a better match for Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers than Mike Glennon, who continues to be a trade candidate, writes La Canfora.

Extra Points: Glennon, Pats, Panthers, S. Moss

May 2nd, 2015 at 5:19pm CST by Rob DiRe

As soon as the 2015 NFL concludes, there will be a flurry of news related to undrafted free agent signings. Each team will add 10-12 extra players in the coming days, and while we’ll cover each transaction, we won’t rush to get all the information out as quickly as possible. As we did last year at this time, we’ll wait until a club confirms its UDFA moves before we post them — it’s a policy that will make the information a bit more palatable for readers (and surely, for us as well).

With that said, let’s take a look at some notes as the draft wraps up:

  • Despite their selection of Jameis Winston with the first overall pick, the Buccaneers did not receive any calls about backup quarterback Mike Glennon, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter). As Cummings notes, Tampa has made it clear that Glennon isn’t on the trade block, so it’s not a total surprise that no other clubs expressed interest.
  • The Patriots selected Navy long snapper Joe Cardona with their fifth-round pick, but might not have the four-year starter when they open up the regular season in September, Cardona has a pending military service commitment, and is required to serve five years as a Naval Officer following his graduation and commission in May, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Cardona will apply for an exemption that will allow him to postpone his service in order to pursue an NFL career.
  • The Panthers selected linebacker/safety hybrid Shaq Thompson with their first-round pick, but drew some criticism about not trading down and selecting him where he was likely to be available early in round two. General manager David Gettleman defended the pick, noting the value of having the fifth-year option on a first-round pick, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
  • Washington drafted a pair of receivers in Jamison Crowder and Evan Spencer, but that doesn’t mean the end of the line for Santana Moss, writes John Keim of ESPN (via Twitter). Crowder specifically poses a threat to Moss, at 5’8″ and with speed and value returning punts and kicks. Moss caught only 10 passes for 116 yards in 2014, all in the last five games of the season.
  • The Saints were prepared to trade up to select linebacker Davis Tull, said head coach Sean Payton, according to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com (Twitter link). The Chattanooga product ultimately fell to New Orleans in the fifth round.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

NFC Mailbags: Rams, Saints, Packers, Bucs

April 11th, 2015 at 11:28am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening the mailbags to answer questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some notes out of the NFC…

  • If the Rams were to select a quarterback in the upcoming draft, Nick Wagoner would expect either Austin Davis or Case Keenum to not make the roster.
  • When focusing on Washington‘s positions of need in the draft, John Keim points to an edge rusher, defensive lineman, receiver or quarterback. Meanwhile, he eliminates a running back, tight end and inside linebacker from consideration for the team’s first-round pick.
  • Despite the Saints signing veterans Brandon Browner and Kyle Wilson, Mike Triplett says the team shouldn’t hesitate to select top cornerback prospect Trae Waynes if the Michigan State product is available.
  • Rob Demovsky believes it’s a 50-50 chance the Packers will match the Raiders‘ offer sheet to safety Sean Richardson. The $2.55MM could ultimately prove to be too pricey to retain the backup safety.
  • The Panthers should begin exploring an extension for cornerback Josh Norman, according to David Newton. “Big corners with that type of ability — and attitude — are rare and don’t come cheaply,” the writer explained.
  • Pat Yasinskas writes that the best value the Buccaneers could get for quarterback Mike Glennon is a third-round pick, but he clarifies that a fourth or fifth-rounder is much more realistic.

NFC Notes: Huff, Mosley, Saints, Glennon, Long

April 4th, 2015 at 2:44pm CST by Rob DiRe

Eagles receiver Josh Huff gives his opinion on a number of the team’s offseason moves to Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. Huff, who played for Chip Kelly at Oregon before coming to Philadelphia, has an interesting perspective on Kelly’s thoughts about each move.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • After losing Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley this offseason, it was expected that the Lions would attempt to re-sign defensive tackle C.J. Mosley. The team has not pursued him yet, and Kyle Meinke of MLive.com believes his suspension for marijuana possession the caused him to miss a game against the Falcons last season could be a reason why the team is hesitant to bring him back.
  • The Saints are caught in between win-now and rebuilding mode after a disastrous 2014 season. They traded away their best receiving threat in Jimmy Graham, but still have franchise signal caller Drew Brees at the helm. They are the only team with five selections in the first three rounds, and have the ammo to rebuild quickly despite their cap troubles, writes Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.
  • If the Buccaneers do select Jameis Winston with the first overall pick, quarterback Mike Glennon will become available for a trade, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com. He writes if any team wants Glennon, he could be had as the team would just sign another veteran backup to replace him.
  • The Rams have yet to pursue offensive tackle Jake Long in free agency, and Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com doesn’t see the Rams or any team actively trying sign Long at this point in the offseason. Wagoner cites his injury concerns as a reason teams would not be rushing to sign the former All-Pro tackle.
  • The 49ers may have a pair of starting inside linebacker despite the retirements of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, but NaVorro Bowman is coming off an injury and Michael Wilhoite is still relatively inexperienced. Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com believes that Lance Briggs could be an interesting option to add to their depth, as he would not command big money but is looking to continuing his NFL career.

Bucs Notes: Winston, Mariota, Glennon

March 25th, 2015 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers are coming off a 2-14 season, but all eyes will be on Lovie Smith and company over the next weeks, as the 2015 NFL draft nears, since Tampa Bay holds the first overall pick. With most observers, reporters, and fans believing the Bucs will snag Jameis Winston, that pick may be lacking a little intrigue, but speaking to the media today, Smith didn’t fully commit to the Florida State quarterback. Here’s what the Bucs head coach had to say about Winston and a handful of other topics:

  • Smith said today that he’s never done so much research on a player as the Bucs have done on Winston, tweets John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. The team has also done plenty of work on Marcus Mariota, but has spent more time on Winston, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Bucs ownership has given the OK to both players (link via ESPN.com).
  • Odds are good that either Winston or Mariota will be Tampa Bay’s pick at No. 1, but Smith belives “you have to keep your options open.” According to the head coach, the Bucs would be “very comfortable” selecting one of the quarterbacks, but there’s no rush to make the decision yet, and Smith points out that “there are mega-deals that have come up” in past drafts (all Twitter links via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).
  • More from Smith on having the first overall pick, via Stroud (Twitter link): “We realize how important that position is and very seldom do you get a chance to have your pick of the litter like that.”
  • Putting a bow on the No. 1 pick talk, Smith indicated that it wouldn’t be an erroneous assumption to forecast Winston as the first overall pick, tweets Stroud. However, the team continues to go through the research process.
  • With the Bucs preparing to draft a quarterback, one signal-caller on their roster has drawn trade interest. According to Smith, teams have inquired on a potential Mike Glennon deal (Twitter link via Stroud). I’d imagine that’s something the Bucs will consider as the draft nears if they’re comfortable with Winston (or Mariota). For now though, Glennon and Seth Lobato are the only QBs on the roster, so the team may have to sign a veteran if Glennon is dealt, and there aren’t many still on the market.
  • Asked about how much longer veteran guard Logan Mankins wants to continue playing, Smith replied, “Forever. He’ll tell you forever.” So it doesn’t sound as if retirement is imminent for the former Patriot (Twitter link via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald).
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