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Ryan Mallett

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.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Texans, Broncos, Workouts

October 31st, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the possibility of losing the Raiders again continues to loom over the city, Oakland is continuing to formulate solutions on a path to a new stadium.

Mayor Libby Schaaf has initiated a process of bringing to light yet another stadium proposal with the goal of having it ready to present in the next couple of weeks, per Phil Matier and Andy Ross of the San Francisco Chronicle, who write this operation’s plan is to present this proposal to a special league committee — rather than the owners — by December.

Despite bringing in a consulting firm, Schaaf faces an uphill battle in procuring a land deal that will please the parties involved. The Raiders’ believing they should not have to pay for that part of the process is not sitting well with the city or Alameda County, Matier and Ross note.

The Bay Area scribes, however, hear that Oakland has the trump card in this standoff: the fact that Raiders owner Mark Davis does not have the votes to move and is lagging behind the Rams and Chargers, the latter once agreeing on a significant partnership for a Carson, Calif.-based stadium, in the Los Angeles sweepstakes.

The league desires a wealthier owner that will make an L.A. return profitable, per the Chronicle’s investigative-reporting tandem, and Davis doesn’t match up. He’s in the process of taking on a partner to help aid this potential relocation financially.

Let’s look at some additional AFC items.

  • Ryan Mallett remains eligible to collect $1.47MM from the Texans in termination pay, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. The Texans are carrying this figure on their 2015 payroll after extracting themselves from the two-year, $7.01MM contract they signed Mallett to in March. The reeling signal-caller can file for his remaining 10 game checks, each totaling $147K+, but the Texans are not on the hook for any money in 2016.
  • Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith‘s indecisiveness on their quarterback situation should put their jobs at risk, writes the Chronicle’s Jerome Solomon.
  • In advance of a matchup with the 6-0 Packers, the Broncos‘ coaching staff was noticeably stricter this week, players told Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post
  • The Colts kicked the tires on former free agent acquisition and starting guard Donald Thomas today, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Thomas played two games for Indianapolis in 2013 before suffering a season-ending injury. The former Patriots lineman sustained another in 2014, and the Colts cut his comeback short when they released him before the season.
  • The Jets worked out former Chiefs center and sixth-round pick Eric Kush on Friday, Wilson reports (on Twitter). Current Kansas City center Mitch Morse beat out Kush for the position this summer.
  • The Browns brought in defensive tackles Joe Vellano, Terry Williams and Toby Johnson for workouts this week, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • J.R. Tavai worked out for the Titans this week, Wilson tweets. The rookie outside linebacker who the Titans cut just before the season also tried out for the Packers earlier this week.

East Notes: Hardy, Bills, Marrone, Mallett

October 27th, 2015 at 3:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Cowboys executives Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have each said this week that they’d like to get a deal worked out with Greg Hardy to keep the veteran defensive end with the team beyond the 2015 season. While those comments could simply be interpreted as a public show of support for Hardy, the Cowboys are expressing a similar sentiment privately, having reached out to Hardy’s representatives to make it clear they have no issues with the pass rusher on or off the field, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

A report from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on Monday indicated that there was some confusion about Hardy’s absence from practice last Thursday, but Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com says the 27-year-old’s whereabouts was no mystery for the team. According to Mortensen, Hardy first sent a text message to the Cowboys’ head athletic trainer, Jim Mauer, at 5:30am to communicate an illness. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News has since published a similar report.

While the Cowboys insist no one was caught off guard by Hardy’s absence from practice, it’s hard to know for sure — after all, neither Hardy’s camp nor the Cowboys would be eager to confirm such a report, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to shoot down Rapoport’s report, whether or not it’s accurate. In any case, it’s clear that the Dallas organization isn’t upset about Hardy’s missed practice, or any of his other actions.

Here’s more on Hardy, along with a few other items from around the NFL’s East divisions….

  • Hardy and his agents “would love” to begin talks on a long-term extension with the Cowboys, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link), who admits that probably goes without saying.
  • In an engaging feature for ESPN, Elizabeth Merrill speaks to former Bills head coach Doug Marrone about his decision to leave Buffalo following the 2014 season.
  • Mike Rodak of ESPN.com explains why he has a hard time envisioning the Bills seriously pursuing quarterback Ryan Mallett, who was released by the Texans today.
  • The NFL officially filed its appeal of Judge Richard Berman’s ruling that overturned the league’s four-game suspension of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady several weeks ago, as Christopher Price of WEEI.com details. Within the filing, the NFL insisted Roger Goodell and the league acted within the parameters of the CBA, insisting that “the district court’s decision cannot stand.” The Deflategate saga figures to drag on well into 2016.

Texans Release Ryan Mallett

October 27th, 2015 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

Just days after he missed the team’s charter plane to Miami, quarterback Ryan Mallett has been released by the Texans, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). A Monday report indicated that head coach Bill O’Brien wanted to cut Mallett but was overruled by GM Rick Smith, so it appears Smith has come around on the decision.

Mallett, who also missed a training camp practice this year, claims that he missed last week’s flight because his cell phone died and his alarm didn’t go off. Whether or not that story is true, the missed flight was the last straw for the Texans, who will now have to find a backup for Brian Hoyer, since Mallett was the only other signal-caller on the roster. Tom Savage, the team’s third quarterback, would typically slide into that role, but he was placed on season-ending IR in September.

Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported earlier today (via Twitter) that the Texans had not yet reached out to veteran free agents like Jason Campbell and Rex Grossman. Still, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the team will indeed add a veteran to be the No. 2 behind Hoyer, with ESPN’s Tania Ganguli reporting (via Twitter) that the club is working to bring back T.J. Yates, who was cut by the Falcons prior to the regular season.

Mallett, who initially joined the Texans prior to the 2014 season, started six games over the last two years for the team, totaling 1,170 passing yards, five touchdowns, and six interceptions during his time in Houston. Having signed a new two-year, $7MM contract with the Texans earlier this year, Mallett still has a little guaranteed money coming his way this year. However, Houston won’t have to carry any dead money on its cap in 2016, since the 27-year-old’s deal didn’t include a signing bonus.

Because Mallett has more than four years of NFL experience, he’ll become a free agent immediately without having to pass through waivers. His stock isn’t particularly high at the moment, but Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link) wonders if the Bills – who have lost two games with EJ Manuel as their starter – might circle back on Mallett after showing interest last offseason.

Texans Unlikely To Add Running Back

October 27th, 2015 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Ryan Mallett saga, which features a disagreement between head coach Bill O’Brien and GM Rick Smith on whether to keep the quarterback on the roster, has dominated headlines over the last couple days for the Texans. However, Mallett’s future is a secondary issue in Houston, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, who tweets that the club’s priority is deciding how to proceed at running back following Arian Foster‘s season-ending Achilles injury.

With Foster headed to injured reserve, the Texans are left with Alfred Blue, Chris Polk, and Jonathan Grimes in their backfield. And for now, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the plan is to stick with those running backs, rather than bringing in an outside free agent. Rapoport notes that Houston is also carrying a fourth back, Kenny Hilliard, on its practice squad as a potential insurance policy.

Assuming the Texans decide not to add another running back to the roster with Foster out, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise — when the four-time Pro Bowler missed time earlier this season, the Texans brought in some veterans for auditions, but ultimately opted to stick with their in-house options.

Not adding a fourth running back to the roster would also give the team the flexibility to use that 53rd roster spot on another position. It’s not clear yet how Houston will use that spot, but with uncertainty surrounding Mallett’s future with the team, it’s fair to wonder if adding a third quarterback is a possibility.

Texans Coach Bill O’Brien Tried To Cut Mallett

October 26th, 2015 at 8:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Texans coach Bill O’Brien wanted and tried to cut quarterback Ryan Mallett after he missed the team’s flight last week, according to sources who spoke with Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. However, he was overruled by GM Rick Smith, and Mallett remained on the roster for Sunday’s blowout loss to the Dolphins.

The Texans now find themselves with a power conflict at the top of the organization. O’Brien’s fiery approach helped Houston turn things around in 2014 and the coach is supposed to have a good deal of control over personnel moves. However, it appears that Texans owner Bob McNair is allowing him GM of ten years to have final say. While the decision to keep Mallett on the roster wasn’t responsible for the Texans’ embarrassing loss to the Dolphins, the Houston Chronicle scribe opines that it undermined everything that O’Brien has stood for since taking over as coach.

Mallett, who also missed a training camp practice this year, claims that he missed the flight because his cell phone died and his alarm didn’t go off. The QB is due $2.5MM in 2016, the second year of his two-year contract. If the Texans do part ways with Mallett this season, they’ll have to sort out who will be their backup to Brian Hoyer. Former Rutgers/Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage would be the fill-in, but he was placed on season-ending IR in September.

On Monday, O’Brien said that the Texans were “talking about [their] options” with Mallett, as Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle writes.

AFC South Notes: Colts, Texans, Foster

October 26th, 2015 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

No NFL division has fewer wins on the season than the eight compiled by the AFC South, and the division had another forgettable Sunday in Week 7. The Colts and Texans – who entered the weekend as the South’s top two teams, trailed by a combined score of 61-0 after the first halves of their respective games on Sunday.

Needless to say, it hasn’t been a pleasant Monday morning in either Indianapolis or Houston. Here’s the latest from around the AFC South:

  • Colts owner Jim Irsay and general manager Ryan Grigson engaged in a “heated conversation” after the team’s loss to the Saints, says Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star. While Keefer doesn’t go into details about the specifics of the conversation, neither Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano is currently considered a lock to remain in Indianapolis beyond the 2015 season.
  • For his part, the typically mild-mannered Pagano delivered an “animated, emotional” halftime speech that featured “plenty of expletives,” according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com, who provides more details on a frustrated Colts locker room.
  • Following the Texans’ most embarrassing loss of the 2015 season, Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle writes that GM Rick Smith and head coach Bill O’Brien could be on the hot seat if the team continues to struggle, and wonders why quarterback Ryan Mallett is still on the roster.
  • There was speculation on Sunday that if Arian Foster’s Achilles injury is indeed a season-ender, he may have played his last game with the Texans, and Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) echoes that sentiment today. According to Cole, given the probable severity of Foster’s most recent injury, along with his history of health problems, his age, and his contract situation, there are plenty of factors pointing to Houston potentially moving on from him on the offseason.

Sunday Roundup: Mallett, Trades, Guion

October 25th, 2015 at 1:07pm CST by Rory Parks

Ryan Mallett missed the Texans‘ team charter to Miami Saturday and had to make the trip via commercial airline, per Karen Warren of The Houston Chronicle. Mallett is in uniform and will be the team’s No. 2 quarterback today, as expected–the Texans do not have another quarterback on the roster–but he will certainly be fined, and his future with the club has never been more in doubt. Mallett, who also missed a training camp practice this year–he said his cell phone battery died, so his cell phone alarm would not go off–is due $2.5MM in 2016, the second year of his two-year contract, but Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle believes the team will cut ties with Mallett after the 2015 season (Twitter link). If Tom Savage was not on injured reserve, Warren says it would not be a surprise if Mallett was cut today.

Now for some more links from around the league:

  • The Bears‘ Matt Forte, the 49ers‘ Vernon Davis, and the Falcons‘ Roddy White have been the biggest names included in this year’s trade rumors, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Kevin Patra of NFL.com) does not believe any of the three will be traded, and he sets forth his rationale for why each will stay with their current clubs for the remainder of 2015.
  • According to Rapoport (via Twitter), there are three notable college coaches who would be open to an NFL head coaching job after this season: UCLA’s Jim Mora, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, and Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin. In a separate tweet, Rapoport notes that NFL GMs believe Kelly would be an especially good fit with the Giants, if Big Blue has a head coaching vacancy after 2015.
  • Earlier this year, Johnny Manziel was saying and doing all the right things, and he had earned considerable praise for his on- and off-field behavior and for apparently turning his life around. But after an alcohol-related incident that culminated in an encounter with police several weeks ago–an incident for which he will not be facing any charges–questions about his future in the league have resurfaced. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Browns officials had been bracing for some sort of negative publicity, as Manziel’s demeanor and dedication had taken a turn for the worse after Josh McCown returned from injury to reclaim the starting quarterback job from Manziel, who led the club for one week. Some within the organization have been hoping to part ways with Manziel for some time, and this latest development will give that contingent a little more ammunition, as they have further proof that Manziel is not a team-first type of player.
  • Packers DT Letroy Guion‘s recent legal troubles have been well-documented, but according to Michael Cohen and John Diedrich of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Guion has faced domestic violence charges as well, which had previously gone unreported. In two of the three cases brought against Guion, the charges were dropped, and in the third, Guion paid restitution to avoid additional penalties. He has been accused of stalking and of hitting the mother of his child in the jaw. Those incidents occurred from 2011 to 2013 when Guion was with the Vikings, and if it turns out he never reported the charges to the club, he could face further discipline from the league.
  • The Bears are actively scouting college quarterbacks as they prepare for the post-Jay Cutler era, and Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune examines two potential targets, California’s Jared Goff and Michigan State’s Connor Cook, in detail.
  • Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post examines in detail how Broncos GM John Elway has methodically constructed Denver’s defense, which has been the league’s best in 2015.

Texans Name Brian Hoyer Starting QB

October 9th, 2015 at 2:51pm CST by Zachary Links

What’s old is new again in Houston. Weeks after benching quarterback Brian Hoyer in favor of Ryan Mallett, Texans coach Bill O’Brien told reporters, including Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (on Twitter), that Hoyer will once again be the team’s starter for the team’s Week 6 game against the Jaguars.

Mallett was pulled from the Thursday night game against the Colts after taking a big hit in the backfield. Hoyer, the team’s original starter for the season, was called in and he played decently the rest of the way. Hoyer completed 24-of-31 passes for 312 yards and tossed two touchdowns to rookie Jaelen Strong.

Despite lacking a franchise-caliber quarterback last year, the Texans finished 9-7 and nearly made their first trip to the playoffs since 2012. In the offseason, the team traded Ryan Fitzpatrick to the Jets for a conditional late-round pick. Fitzpatrick started 12 games, completed over 63% of his passes, and threw 17 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 2014. The 32-year-old is career journeyman who has never been a world-beater, but he did fare respectably enough last season to rank as Pro Football Focus’ (subscription required) 12th-best QB out of 28 signal callers who played at least 50 percent of their teams’ offensive snaps.

To replace Fitzpatrick, Houston signed free agent Brian Hoyer on a two-year deal worth $4.75MM guaranteed, and re-signed Ryan Mallett to a two-year of his own worth $7MM. Neither was on Fitzpatrick’s level in 2014 and, so far, they haven’t played up to that level in 2015 either.

Hoyer will now have an opportunity to reassert himself as Houston’s starting quarterback, but it’s starting to look like the Texans will need to address the position once again in the offseason.

 

Extra Points: Ravens, Mallett, Colts, Campbell

October 5th, 2015 at 8:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens completed a trade over the weekend, acquiring Chris Givens from the Rams for a future draft pick, and Peter King of TheMMQB.com wouldn’t be surprised if that’s not the last deal for a wide receiver Baltimore makes this season. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun agrees that the Ravens will certainly monitor the market, but notes that GM Ozzie Newsome isn’t the type to panic and trade future assets for a short-term fix.

Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Texans coach Bill O’Brien told reporters that Ryan Mallett is still the team’s starting quarterback heading into Thursday’s game against the Colts, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Mallett completed 12 of 27 passes for 150 yards and one interception with a passer rating of 46.8 on Sunday against the Falcons.
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised to see the Colts re-sign quarterback Josh Johnson on Wednesday.
  • Dolphins players “love” the newly-appointed interim head coach Dan Campbell but there’s concern about whether the play-calling will improve, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
  • After punter Thomas Morstead suffered a leg injury, the Saints are bringing in four punters for tryouts on Tuesday, a source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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