HEADLINES

Percy Harvin

AFC East Links: Goodwin, Jets, Solder

November 29th, 2014 at 9:29am CST by Ben Levine

It hasn’t been the easiest season for Bills wideout Marquise Goodwin. Following a rookie season where he caught 17 passes for 283 yards and three scores, the former third-rounder only has a single catch in 2014. Making matters worse is the team’s recent acquisition of return man Marcus Thigpen, making Goodwin’s role on the team even more unclear.

“I don’t like being inactive,” Goodwin said (via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com). “I don’t practice hard just to be an inactive. But it is what it is. If I don’t fit the game plan, I just don’t. I just do what I’m told, work hard and just try to help the team win in any way that I can.”

“It has been a humbling experience this whole year, coming from scoring a few touchdowns last season to having one reception right now and not really being able to help my team be victorious.”

Let’s see what else is going on in the AFC East…

  • ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini believes Robert Griffin III would be a Percy Harvin-like fit for the Jets, and the writer suggests the team could take a flyer on the embattled quarterback. Cimini also looks at other quarterbacks the team could pursue, including Jay Cutler, Sam Bradford and Brian Hoyer.
  • Meanwhile, Cimini writes that the Jets may have to trade up in the draft to get one of Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. The team will have to hope they finish ahead of other quarterback-needing squads, particularly the Titans and Buccaneers.
  • Cimini thinks Percy Harvin could be back with the Jets next season, but not for the $10.5MM he’s owed. The writer says a renegotiation makes the most sense for both sides.
  • Mike Girardi of CSNNE.com sees the Patriots drafting a pass rusher in next year’s draft. They could also anticipate Nate Solder‘s expiring contract and draft an offensive tackle.

Extra Points: Goodell, Vikings, Harvin, Dogra

November 22nd, 2014 at 11:08pm CST by Rob DiRe

In the wake of the Adrian Peterson decision, tensions between the NFL and the player’s union are high once again, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post. Commissioner Roger Goodell exerted significant power in suspending Peterson for the season, singular power the the union was under the impression he would no longer be wielding on his own. According to Maske’s source, the two sides have no good will between them.

“I think it reflects a fundamental disagreement about the role of the commissioner’s office in the disciplinary process,” said Gabriel Feldman of the sports law program at Tulane University. “I think it’s a reflection of the tension that has existed. It’s not surprising. It would have been surprising if the Players Association had not sought so vigorously to have Peterson reinstated. To some extent, it is each side playing the role it’s supposed to play.”

Here are some other notes from around the NFL this Saturday evening:

  • In Peterson’s absence, the Vikings will be forced to continue the season using a running back-by-committe approach, and that may be the plan going forward, writes Matt Vensel of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. He writes that the player taking carries for the Vikings next season could be any one of the players on the active roster, Peterson, or someone they take in the 2015 NFL Draft.
  • The Jets‘ have seen a lot of improvement with their midseason acquisition of Percy Harvin, and are happy with how he has fit in so far, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. They will have a tough decision to make at the end of the season on whether to keep him at his hefty price tag of $10MM, but Harvin hopes to remain with the team.
  • Since Ben Dogra has been fired, CAA Sports has also terminated the contracts of a number of employees who worked closely with the embattled NFL agent, writes Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal. On behalf of Dogra, his attorney, Rusty Hardin, stated that he was unsure of any “supposed cause” for his firing and ensured that none of the agent’s clients had left (via Twitter). He also commented on Dogra’s future, saying he “hasn’t decided where he is going to land or whether he is going to start his own firm.” (via Twitter).
  • Three of the top four quarterbacks selected in this past NFL Draft have seen significant game action this season, and Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post has compared their play to see who has played best and who has shown the most promise for the future. The answer to both questions so far point to Derek Carr, who has impressed with his decision-making and his quick release, according to Gabriel. Blake Bortles has struggled and Teddy Bridgewater has yet to be unleashed, while Johnny Manziel is the only one of the four to not receive any significant playing time this season.

New York Notes: Workouts, Coughlin, Harvin

November 11th, 2014 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Cornerback Derek Cox was among the free agents to work out for the Giants today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), but Cox was far from the only veteran in for an audition. Per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, the Giants looked at 13 players in total. Here’s the full list, along with a few other notes on the NFL’s two New York teams:

  • The full list of players who tried out for the Giants today, in addition to Cox, via Raanan: Defensive backs Jalil Brown, Kanorris Davis, Thomas Gordon, Robert Steeples, Brandon Taylor, and Josh Victorian; quarterback Dominique Davis; wideouts Lee Doss and Chris Matthews; defensive tackle Clifton Geathers; linebacker Uani Unga, and tight end Evan Wilson.
  • As the Giants stumble toward the finish line in another disappointing season, head coach Tom Coughlin should make this his last year, announcing his retirement at season’s end before the team has a chance to ask him to “retire,” argues Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. Of course, we’ve seen Coughlin’s Giants squads make surprising late-season runs before, but it’s unlikely that this year’s team gets back into playoff contention.
  • Many players wouldn’t be happy making the move from the defending champions to a 2-8 club, but wideout Percy Harvin is “at peace” with the Jets, as he tells Danny Knobler of ESPNNewYork.com.
  • After watching Mark Sanchez light up the Panthers in Philadelphia last night, Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post writes that the only way the Sanchez saga could get stranger is if he somehow made his way back to the Jets. Of course, as Hubbuch points out, the Jets figure to be in the market for a quarterback this offseason, and Sanchez will be eligible for free agency. A reunion seems awfully unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
  • George Willis of the New York Post outlines a handful of reasons why the Jets shouldn’t tank in the hopes of landing the No. 1 pick and quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Extra Points: McCoy, Woodyard, Mosley, Smith

October 25th, 2014 at 10:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers and Gerald McCoy exchanged countless proposals and they have been working on a deal every week since before camp, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It’s a deal that both sides wanted and they got it done with a reported seven-year, $98MM extension earlier today.

Here are some other notes from around the NFL:

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Harvin, Jones, Pats

October 25th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

New acquisition Percy Harvin should make an immediate impact for the Jets, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Jets probably won’t overload the 26-year-old playmaker in his first game, but he should have a ripple effect on the rest of the offense. In Mehta’s mind, Harvin is the Jets’ only pass-catching option that puts a scare into opposing defenses. Here’s more out of the AFC East…

  • The Jets made waves with their acquisition of Percy Harvin this year, but they could have had him in the 2009 draft, as Justin Tasch of the New York Daily News writes. After selecting Mark Sanchez, the Jets thought about trading for another first-round choice to get Harvin, who ultimately went to the Vikings at No. 22. “No,” Ryan replied when asked if he wonders whether he and then-GM Mike Tannenbaum could’ve pulled it off. “Why spend that kind of time? You should be looking at what you have right now. (There will be) time to reflect maybe 20 years from now or something.”
  • Bad news for Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones. The team is fearing that in a worst-case scenario, his hip injury could keep him out of the lineup for the rest of the regular season, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. The best case for the Pats is that he’ll be out six weeks from the point on injury, which would allow him to return for Week 13 against the Packers. The Pats traded for Titans’ defensive lineman Akeem Ayers in the wake of Jones’ injury.
  • When the Patriots signed Brandon Browner in the offseason, many believed that he was brought aboard to stifle bigger receivers at the line and make the matchups easier for Darrelle Revis. As the Patriots look ahead to a matchup against Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey, Browner doesn’t neccessarily agree with that idea, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com. “I wouldn’t say anything like that. I’m here because they wanted me here,” Browner said. “It’s a good matchup for me this week, me and [Revis].”

Extra Points: Trades, Harvin, Rice, Bengals

October 22nd, 2014 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

With next Tuesday’s trade deadline now just six days away, and one blockbuster trade (Percy Harvin to the Jets) already in the books, a few outlets have proposed several more league-changing deals. Greg Garber of ESPN.com, for instance, has put forth four separate trade ideas, all of which are extremely unlikely to happen, but are interesting to consider nonetheless. Garber’s proposals include sending Tom Brady to the Texans, LeSean McCoy to the Raiders, Marshawn Lynch to the Chargers, and Ndamukong Suh to the Bengals.

Here are a few more Wednesday items from around the NFL, including some more plausible trade ideas:

  • Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, and four other writers discuss trade ideas of their own in an NFL.com piece. They range from proposals we’ve heard many times before (Larry Fitzgerald to the Patriots) to outside-the-box blockbusters (Jay Cutler to the Buccaneers). Again, in all likelihood, none of these deals will happen by next Tuesday, but they’re fun to mull over, and it’s easy to see the logic behind some of them.
  • With a hand from a reader of TheMMQB.com, Jenny Vrentas suggests an alternative for installing an NFL franchise in London. The idea, which includes a 19-week regular season that features 17 games and two bye weeks for each team, is “definitely something to be studied,” according to members of the league office.
  • In his latest mailbag for ESPN.com, John Clayton writes that the price the Seahawks paid for what amounted to about a half-season of Harvin will revive concern around the league about trading for big-name receivers.
  • Harvin’s departure from Seattle and his potential effect on Rex Ryan‘s job status with the Jets are among the topics touched upon by Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report in his latest 10-Point Stance column. Freeman also hears from NFL executives that even if Ray Rice‘s appeal is successful and he’s reinstated at some point this season, it’s extremely unlikely that any team will be signing him anytime soon. “Ray Rice will be radioactive for a long time,” one exec said.
  • Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer addresses several Bengals-related inquiries in his latest piece, discussing the possibility of a free agent addition at linebacker.

Seattle Would Have Cut Harvin Barring Trade

October 19th, 2014 at 3:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks suffered a surprising 28-26 loss to the Rams today, but that stunner was nothing compared to Friday’s trade of Percy Harvin to the Jets, a deal which has led to endless reaction and speculation. We’ve learned a bit more about the trade today, as Chris Mortenesen of ESPN reports that Seattle would have released Harvin had it not worked out a trade with New York (or presumably, some other interested team).

Because Harvin is a vested veteran, he would not have been subject to waivers, meaning he would have been eligible to sign with a new club immediately. Financially, it made little difference to Seattle whether Harvin was dealt or cut — either way, the Seahawks would’ve carried $7.2MM in dead money on their 2015 cap. The Hawks are off the hook for the remainder of Harvin’s 2014 base salary $10.5MM base salary. Had it cut Harvin, Seattle would have had to pay Harvin that cash, as his salary became fully guaranteed when he was on the Week 1 roster.

Mortenesen also downplays speculation that Harvin had a rift with quarterback Russell Wilson, noting that Wilson wanted to help Harvin work through his anger management and trust issues. However, Seahawks brass preferred that Wilson focus on football matters, rather than having to worry about Harvin’s attitude. As Mortensen adds (via Twitter), Wilson didn’t give up on Harvin, but the team’s management did.

For his part, general manger John Schneider seems willing to admit that he mad a mistake in acquiring Harvin.“We made a bold move in acquiring him,” Schneider told 710 ESPN in Seattle. “But it became apparent that things weren’t going to work out, and it wasn’t a good fit.”We have to prepare this team for moving forward all the time, and I’m not just talking about this week or next week. I’m talking about 2015 and 2016. We constantly have to look at how we improve the team. This was the appropriate move at the appropriate time.”

East Notes: Foles, Cousins, Mayo

October 19th, 2014 at 12:33pm CST by Rory Parks

As the games get underway, let’s take a look at some notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Although the Eagles are currently sitting pretty with a 5-1 record, Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Nick Foles has been neither very good nor very bad in the team’s first six games, and he wonders “[w]hether [head coach Chip] Kelly is fine with Foles as the long-term guy.”
  • Speaking of NFC East signal-callers, John Keim of ESPN.com writes that the Redskins have not lost confidence in QB Kirk Cousins, but he has to prove that he can handle adversity better.
  • We heard earlier today that the Cowboys may have interest in dealing for Bills RB C.J. Spiller in advance of the October 28 deadline, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes that it makes no sense for the Giants to consider adding Spiller to their backfield.
  • Although Jerod Mayo‘s injury certainly hurts the Patriots on the field, it may actually help Mayo financially, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Volin writes, “Per [Mayo’s] contract…$4.5 million of his $6.25 million base salary is guaranteed for injury only. If he had stayed healthy this year and through the offseason, Mayo would have $0 in guarantees in 2015. But if he can’t fully return from the injury and the Patriots decide to move on, he’ll have recourse to still collect a fat check.”
  • We learned earlier that the Patriots may be targeting offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker help prior to the trade deadline.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork has a few more notes on new Jets wideout Percy Harvin.

More Harvin Notes: Cameron, Ryan, Wilson

October 19th, 2014 at 9:14am CST by Rory Parks

More and more interesting storylines continue to arise from the Percy Harvin trade, including a big name player that could have been shipped off to Seattle in return for the explosive wideout. Let’s have a look:

  • We heard several days ago that the Browns, Buccaneers, and Bengals were most interested in a Harvin deal, but the Colts and Broncos were apparently also interested, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Per Rapoport, the Jets, Browns, Bucs, Broncos, and Colts had the best offers.
  • The Seahawks are on the lookout for tight ends, and one of the names that was floated in a possible Harvin deal was Browns TE Jordan Cameron, tweets Rapoport.
  • As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reiterates, the Harvin deal could end up being a very short-term move for the Jets. Since Harvin’s base salary for 2015 is $10MM, the Jets may choose to cut or trade him in the offseason. That decision, Florio writes, will “hinge on whether [head coach Rex] Ryan remains as the coach, whether a new coach would want Harvin, and whether Harvin will accept less than $10 million next year to stay with the Jets.”
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes that Harvin’s poor fit in the Seahawks‘ locker room serves as a reminder as to why “some teams shy away from investing big in players until they’ve spent time with them through the draft-and-develop process.”
  • Dave Boling of the News Tribune wonders if the Seahawks have sent a message to the rest of the team by dealing Harvin.
  • Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that the deal heated up Friday morning, after the Jets‘ loss to the Patriots.
  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes that the Jets dealt for Harvin to help Geno Smith, not Rex Ryan.
  • Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes that the Vikings have once again been vindicated for the original deal that sent Harvin to Seattle.
  • In a pair of articles, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora writes that although many Seahawks players like Harvin, his poor relationship with Russell Wilson threatened to divide the locker room, and La Canfora also wonders if this deal will signal Jets‘ owner Woody Johnson‘s return to his high-spending ways.

Poll: Will Rex Ryan Coach In The NFL Next Year?

October 18th, 2014 at 5:45pm CST by Rob DiRe

With the Jets’ season on the brink, a future that includes Rex Ryan as part of the organization seems more and more unlikely. General manager John Idzik will make a Ryan a scapegoat for the season, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Percy Harvin trade will help Ryan incidentally, but Mehta believes that the true motivation for the trade will be to properly evaluate Geno Smith.

From Mehta’s article:

Rex Ryan will be the scapegoat after the season.

Idzik was never fully committed to helping Ryan make the playoffs in 2014, but he has plenty at stake with Smith, who is near or at the bottom of nearly every meaningful statistical category this season. The organization will make a definitive call on Smith in 10 weeks…

His decision to give up a conditional 2015 sixth-round pick (that could turn into a fourth rounder), according to a source, for a wildcard like Harvin was purely driven by his desire to find out what Smith can do with more offensive firepower in the huddle. If Smith thrives with Harvin, the Jets will steer clear of drafting a quarterback in the first round next spring. If Smith continues to fight inconsistency, Idzik will jump ship and go after a signal caller early in next year’s draft.

While the Jets have struggle this year, the schedule has been brutally tough aside for the week one matchup with the Raiders. The schedule also gets far easier from here on out, with the Steelers, Chiefs, Vikings, and Titans in the back nine to go with two games against the Bills and two against the Dolphins. This team may not be drafting so high as to find a no-brainer selection at quarterback.

I do not like assuming that Ryan or any other coach will be fired with so much season left to play, but since Gary Myers of the New York Daily News already did so, it opens up the idea. He sees the Falcons, Dolphins, and 49ers as good fits if those teams are in the market for a coach. Of course, if Ryan so chooses, or if he can’t get a job right away, he will be more than welcome on television as an on-air personality.

Load More Posts