Robert Griffin III - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: Murray, Colts, RGIII

October 30th, 2016 at 12:37pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a quick swing around the AFC:

Titans RB DeMarco Murray had an MRI on his toe after Thursday night’s victory over Jacksonville, and the prognosis is good, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport’s source indicated that Murray will be fine.
Kevin Bowen of Colts.com believes that Colts TE Jack Doyle has established himself as a starting-caliber tight end, and that his free agent platform year has come at a perfect time for him. Bowen says Doyle will be one of Indianapolis’ most important free agents this offseason and that he could pull down a contract with a $5MM average annual value.
Colts DE Kendall Langford, who has the the longest active games-played streak among all NFL defensive linemen (135), will see that streak come to an end, according to Andrew Walker of Colts.com. Langford continues to deal with a right knee issue that required minor surgery during training camp, and he will sit out an indeterminate amount of time to give that knee a chance to fully heal.
Neema Hodjat of OverTheCap.com examines what a potential extension for Raiders QB Derek Carr might look like. This is Carr’s third year in the league, so he will be eligible to receive an extension at the end of this season. Assuming he continues to play at a high level, Carr should command a five-year deal worth upwards of $110MM, according to Hodjat. And the Raiders, who have done a terrific job managing the salary cap in recent years, will be able to shell out that kind of money without much hesitation.
Browns QB Robert Griffin III does not need surgery at this time, so he could possibly return somewhere between the November 20 game against the Steelers and the Dececmber 11 matchup against the Bengals after the bye week, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cabot believes the Browns should get RGIII some action this year if possible, as they have to decide if they need to draft a quarterback in April.
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe opines that the Patriots‘ recent trades for Kyle Van Noy and Eric Rowe indicate that the team is preparing for significant free agent losses this offseason. Both players are under club control through at least 2017, and they are playing on fairly inexpensive deals. Van Noy will serve as insurance should one or both of Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower depart in free agency, and Rowe will offset the potential losses of Malcolm Butler and/or Logan Ryan.
Volin tweets that Jacoby Brissett could be the Patriots‘ one player to return from IR this season.

RGIII Won’t Require Surgery

October 18th, 2016 at 2:18pm CST by Zachary Links

Good news for RG3. Doctors say that the Browns quarterback’s left shoulder is showing signs of healing and believe he will not require surgery, sources tell ESPN.com’s Jeff Darlington. However, Griffin’s prescribed plan of action could change if he suffers an unforeseen setback.

In the Browns’ season opener, Griffin went down with a fractured coracoid bone in his left shoulder. The initial word was that it would be “very tough” for Griffin to return, but today’s news could mean that the door is open for him to return this season. Technically, Griffin could suit up on Nov. 10 against the Ravens. However, it’s too early to tell whether that is a realistic possibility for the 26-year-old.

Cody Kessler, a third-round pick, has taken over the starting quarterback job in Cleveland. The gig was initially handed to Josh McCown when Griffin went down, but the veteran suffered a serious injury of his own last month.

Thanks to injuries and a bizarre final season in Washington, Griffin has appeared in just 10 games since the end of the 2013 season.

QB Notes: Kaepernick, Romo, Fitzpatrick

October 9th, 2016 at 10:11am CST by Rory Parks

We learned earlier today that Brian Hoyer will remain the starter in Chicago if he continues to play well, regardless of Jay Cutler‘s health. Now let’s take a look at some other teams facing various types of quarterback dilemmas:

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com chimes in on the Colin Kaepernick situation, reporting that the 49ers are indeed mulling a move to pull starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert in favor of Kaepernick. Although head coach Chip Kelly has not yet had conversations with his full staff regarding his quarterback conundrum, he has had informal, exploratory discussions about making a move. There are, of course, several factors that could influence Kelly’s decision, including Kaepernick’s contract situation–a restructured deal would make San Francisco more willing to put No. 7 on the field–and his health. Although Kaepernick is not yet back to his normal playing weight, his arm at least is back to full strength, and he appears more at ease with his teammates then he has in years past. He does not consistently outperform Gabbert in practice, but at this point, a change probably makes sense and could happen soon.
Despite a great deal of discussion to the contrary, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that there is “zero chance” the Cowboys will start Dak Prescott over a healthy Tony Romo. Romo remains on track to return for the team’s Week 8 matchup against Philadelphia, and the Cowboys believe a healthy Romo will help open up the offense. Although Prescott has played well and is viewed as the quarterback of the future, the Cowboys are running a constricted version of the offense for him, allowing him to be something of a game manager (he has attempted just seven passes that have traveled 20 yards or more in the air). So far all the talk that Romo would become Dallas’ answer to Wally Pipp, that does not appear to be the case.
In a separate piece, La Canfora writes that the Jets have seen enough of Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s turnover issues and that Gang Green is prepared to make a change if Fitz does not reverse the trend immediately. La Canfora says that Fitzpatrick is essentially playing for his job against Pittsburgh this week, and with Geno Smith showing some signs of life in practice, the team would not be averse to handing the reins to Smith if Fitzpatrick struggles against the Steelers (the Jets believe that neither Bryce Petty nor Christian Hackenberg is ready to become the next young quarterback to take the league by storm).
Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes that, if Robert Griffin III is able to play again this season, the Browns will give him a chance, regardless of how Cody Kessler is performing at that point (unless, of course, Kessler is playing at an Aaron Rodgers level). However, it is unlikely that RGIII will be healthy enough to return this year, so Cleveland will probably not have to make that decision.

Extra Points: RG3, Packers, Cardinals, Texans, Hawk

October 5th, 2016 at 3:55pm CST by Zachary Links

RG3‘s shoulder will be re-evaluated this week to gauge where he is in his recovery, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. The evaluation may determine whether surgery is needed for the Browns quarterback.

In the Browns’ season opener against the Eagles, Griffin completed 12 of 26 passes for 190 yards and added 37 rushing yards, but suffered a fractured coracoid bone in his left shoulder. He could technically return around the middle of the season, but early word is that he likely won’t see the field until 2017.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The Packers plan to stand pat with Richard Rodgers and Justin Perillo at tight end for the time being, as ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky writes. Starter Jared Cook will be sidelined from 4-to-6 weeks, but the Packers feel they can get by if Cook’s layoff is on the early end of that range. “That’s the plan as I stand here today,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
Punter Drew Butler — whom the Cardinals waived on Tuesday — can re-sign with Arizona in six weeks, reports Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That means Butler and the Cards must have agreed to three-week injury settlement, because a player cut with a settlement must wait an additional three weeks on top of the time of the original settlement before re-signing with the club.
Texans running back Jonathan Grimes (fractured fibula) will likely be out at least a few more weeks, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
A.J. Hawk‘s one-year deal with the Falcons is for the veteran’s minimum, but does contain a $15K signing bonus, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Hawk will play middle and outside linebacker for Atlanta, per McClure.
The Texans’ one-year deal with defensive end Antonio Smith is for the veteran’s minimum, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Prorated for 13 games, Smith will count for just under $500K on Houston’s salary cap
Former Green Bay defensive end Josh Boyd will work out for the Seahawks on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Boyd suffered an ankle injury in 2015 that limited him to just two games. In 2014, Boyd tallied 22 tackles and one pass deflection in 15 games (four starts).

North Notes: RGIII, E. Rogers, Swanson

September 18th, 2016 at 11:17am CST by Rory Parks

We learned earlier today that a number of veteran Browns scouts who were dismissed prior to the 2016 draft actually preferred Carson Wentz–last seen delivering a sterling debut against the Browns–to Jared Goff. Now let’s take a look at a few notes from the league’s north divisions, beginning with more on the Browns’ quarterback situation:

It won’t come as much of a surprise, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III is now expected to miss 10-12 weeks as a result of his shoulder injury, which means that his season could well be over. Even before Schefter’s report, however, it was expected that RGIII would miss the remainder of the 2016 campaign.
Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer believes that the Browns will draft a quarterback early in the 2017 draft and that the team will likely have whoever that quarterback is open the season as the starter. As such, Cabot thinks the RGIII experiment is over, even if the team holds an “open competition” in next year’s camp.
Steelers wideout Eli Rogers, a former UDFA out of Louisville, seemingly came out of nowhere to post six catches for 59 yards and a score in his debut against Washington last week. Rogers spent all of 2015, his rookie season, on IR, but he has earned the trust of coaches and teammates and is set for an expanded role with the team, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. Pittsburgh OC Todd Haley is an especially big fan of Rogers, and one member of the organization said Rogers has “kind of been [Haley’s] pet project for a while now and I give him a lot of credit. He’s worked very closely with him and brought him along, and he really thinks he can be an impact guy.” Rogers could be the latest in a long line of receivers not drafted in the early rounds that become an integral part of the Steelers’ offense.
Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes that Lions center Travis Swanson, whom the team selected in the third round of the 2014 draft, has finally begun to show signs of improvement. Swanson’s Week 1 performance against Indianapolis was stellar, and if he can continue along his current trajectory, Meinke says it may be a while before Lions fans see Graham Glasgow, the team’s third round pick in this year’s draft.

Extra Points: RG3, Falcons, Panthers, Revis

September 17th, 2016 at 12:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Robert Griffin III took some criticism for putting himself in danger during the Browns‘ season-opener against the Eagles. On a third and 14, the speedy quarterback ran towards the sideline, where his ribs collided with Eagles cornerback Jalen Mills‘ helmet. The result? Well, if you haven’t heard, RG3 landed on the injured reserve.

Griffin explained the hit (and defended the play) to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com:

“It was just an unlucky situation. I got pushed in the back — maybe not the hardest push — but I was running full speed, and I didn’t have an opportunity to slide before that. I felt like I could get out of bounds. That didn’t happen. I watched the play. I did get pushed in the back, and at the last second, the defender (Mills) came off of Gary, and hit me and I didn’t have an opportunity (to protect myself). That’s why I think what happened happened, because I didn’t get a chance to truly protect myself and that’s when I got hit underneath my shoulder pad.

“(But) not everybody wants to look at that. They want the sexy story. They want to say that I’m not protecting myself. It’s just something that happened and it’s unfortunate.”

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

Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley is on the “hot seat,” writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Despite playing 39 snaps in the team’s season-opener against the Buccaneers, Beasley didn’t compile a single tackle. The former eighth-overall pick understands that he needs to produce if he wants to stay on the field, and his coach is optimistic that he can be a force on the Falcons defense. “I’m looking for his arrow to be going up in this game,” said Dan Quinn. “He just didn’t perform the way he’s capable of. When those opportunities come up to go make a play, can we just nail the technique just right?”
The Panthers considered quarterback Blaine Gabbert with the first-overall pick in the 2011 draft, coach Ron Rivera told Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer. The team ultimately preferred Cam Newton, who impressed the organization during his pre-draft visit. “As you go through it, you look for certain things, certain characteristics. And probably the biggest difference was the situation Cam had been in, going through the adversity and then coming out on top,” Rivera said. “Cam was tremendously impressive, and Blaine did a nice job for us.”
The Jets need to handle the Darrelle Revis “problem” sooner than later, opines Mark Cannizzaro of The New York Post. The cornerback has struggled through his team’s first two games, and while the writer doesn’t anticipate a move to safety, he believes the Jets may start double-teaming the opposition’s top target.

Browns Notes: RG3, McCown, Thomas, West

September 15th, 2016 at 9:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Robert Griffin III‘s shoulder injury serves as a significant detriment to his hopes at resurrecting his once-promising career, some with the Browns don’t view it as too damaging to their current team. With Hue Jackson focused on reprogramming Griffin into an above-average quarterback, some Browns staffers view the injury as something that can help the franchise move on and begin assessing its future at the position, Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com report.

Browns sources told the veteran reporters third-round pick Cody Kessler is “not close” to being ready to debut, and expectations for the USC product aren’t particularly high. So, as 37-year-old Josh McCown prepares to return to the starting lineup, the team will continue to scout for its future. Should Kessler make a start this season, he’ll be the franchise’s 26th starting quarterback since its 1999 rebirth. That total leads the league.

Interestingly, the new regime’s last such scouting job revealed a dislike for two of the league’s hot-starting passers, Carson Wentz and Dak Prescott, while Cleveland’s new decision-makers liked Griffin, Kessler and Jared Goff, per Schefter and Mortensen.

Here’s more from Cleveland as its football team prepares to play the old Browns in Week 2.

McCown offered a reasonable plea, per Schefter and Mortensen, against the notion the Browns should tank for 2017 this season. The veteran quarterback and second-year Brown believed the team owed it to veterans like Joe Thomas to make a legitimate effort to compete in 2016.
Thomas, meanwhile, did not push the Browns to trade him to the Broncos last season due to the loyalty they showed him since making him the No. 3 overall pick in 2007, the ESPN duo reports. The six-time All-Pro’s name could well resurface on the trade block this season if the Browns perform as they’re expected to, especially since so few veterans are going to play for them this season.
Speaking of trades, former Browns running back Terrance West asked the team to be traded before last season, West said on the BmoreOpinionated podcast (via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). The Browns’ previous regime did end up trading West to the Titans, although it’s not known if it came as a result of the running back’s request. The current Ravens ball-carrier believes he’d still be with the Browns if he hadn’t asked to be dealt. “I think if I didn’t call for a trade, I would be still in Cleveland right now,” West said. “I was the leading rusher that year. I was the leading rusher in that preseason. I called for a trade. I didn’t think that was home for me.” West, though, saw the Titans cut him after he made only 16 rushing attempts last season. Ulrich writes attitude problems and shaky practice habits marred the former third-round pick’s time in Cleveland. He’s set to play a bigger role this season, as evidenced by the Ravens giving him 14 touches in Week 1. West rushed for 673 yards as a rookie to lead the Browns as a rookie in 2014, ahead of current starter Isaiah Crowell‘s 607.
While Jackson’s initial effort in northeast Ohio isn’t expected to go well, the first-year coach made some bold proclamations about the franchise’s future.

RG3 Unlikely To Return This Season

September 12th, 2016 at 8:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Thanks to the NFL’s new injured reserve rules, Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III was a candidate to return later this season even though he was placed on IR earlier today. But RG3 is unlikely to see action again this year, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who says it will be “very tough” for Griffin to return. RG3 won’t be evaluated again for three or four weeks, and then might have to undergo surgery.

Per the new rules, a player placed on IR may return to practice after six weeks but must be out for at least eight weeks before being brought back to the 53-man roster. Previously, teams had to designate their players for return at the time of being placed on IR. But given Griffin’s timeline and possible need for surgery, it doesn’t look like a return is in the cards.

Griffin signed with the Browns as a free agent in March. In the season opener against the Eagles, he completed 12 of 26 passes for 190 yards and added 37 rushing yards, but suffered a fractured coracoid bone in his left shoulder . While he’s out, the Browns will turn to backup Josh McCown, as the club has stated that it won’t trade for another quarterback.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Browns To Place RG3 On IR

September 12th, 2016 at 1:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are placing RG3 on injured reserve, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. Under the league’s new rules regarding IR, Griffin could return later on this season. The fractured coracoid bone in his left shoulder will be re-evaluated in October and the Browns will go from there.

“It’s very unfortunate, Robert came in and has worked extremely hard to learn our offense and earn the respect of his teammates,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said via press release. “This is a tough loss because everyone has seen how invested he has been in this team and his dedication to the work needed to improve his craft. We all know these are the realities of the NFL, injuries occur and you have to find ways to overcome them so they don’t impede your progress. Robert will do everything in his power to rehab and get healthy but Josh McCown is on this roster for a reason and we have great confidence in him. He is more than capable. His veteran presence has been an asset to our team throughout our process of preparing for the season. We look forward to him assuming the role of the starter and leading our offensive unit.”

Per the new rules, a player placed on IR may return to practice after six weeks but must be out for at least eight weeks before being brought back to the 53-man roster. Previously, teams had to designate their players for return at the time of being placed on IR.

Griffin signed with the Browns as a free agent in March. In the season opener against the Eagles, he completed 12 of 26 passes for 190 yards and added 37 rushing yards. While he’s out, the Browns will turn to backup Josh McCown.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

RG3 To Miss Multiple Games?

September 12th, 2016 at 12:33pm CST by Zachary Links

On Sunday, RG3 suffered a shoulder sprain and told reporters after the game that it wasn’t a significant injury. Apparently, the shoulder is in worse shape than the quarterback realized. Griffin is hurt and could be out for a while, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

The full extent of Griffin’s injury is not yet known. If he misses games, the Browns are fortunate to have veteran Josh McCown ready to step in. This offseason, Cleveland fielded interest from clubs who wanted to trade for the 37-year-old, but they rebuffed those offers knowing that Griffin is extra susceptible to injuries with the way he plays. The Browns told teams they wanted a high draft pick for McCown, a price that no team was willing to meet.

Griffin, a fifth-year pro, set NFL rookie records for passer rating (102.4), interception percentage (1.27), and rushing yards by a quarterback (815) en route to being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012. Starting 13 games in 2013, Griffin recorded a career-high 3,203 passing yards and became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to record 3,000 passing yards in each of his first two seasons. He was hoping to be reignited by a change of scenery in Cleveland, but it sounds like he may have suffered a setback to start off the 2016 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.