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Trevor Siemian

AFC Notes: Siemian, Watt, Cutler, Bengals

October 2nd, 2016 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos tabbed Trevor Siemian as their emergency quarterback after he left Sunday’s game. Denver’s first-year starter suffered what an AC joint sprain on his non-throwing shoulder, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Siemian will undergo additional tests before the team determines the course of action.

Gary Kubiak categorized Siemian as day-to-day, per Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (via Twitter). The Broncos, who received 170 passing yards and one touchdown from Paxton Lynch in relief, host the Falcons in Week 5.

Here’s more from the AFC as its signature game of Week 4 continues its one-sided course.

  • J.J. Watt underwent surgery on the same disk he injured during the spring, Rapoport reports. The Texans defensive end herniated the disk again this season despite passing the tests needed to play. Per Rapoport, Watt felt like he’d regressed back to where he was before the first back surgery this summer. He will stay in Los Angeles to rehab and be able to resume training in two months. However, the 27-year-old perennial All-Pro will still be out for the season despite the call to resume workouts during it. Rapoport adds the Texans don’t have any long-term concerns about Watt.
  • While Ryan Tannehill hasn’t impressed in Adam Gase‘s system, the last quarterback who did is not a target for the Dolphins. Any Jay Cutler-to-Miami talk “has never come up,” with a source close familiar with the Dolphins’ thinking telling Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that scenario is “never happening.”
  • Former Dolphins DC Kevin Coyle did not draw rave reviews from his Bengals secondary charges, according to a report earlier this week. However, the Bengals — who beat the Dolphins 22-7 on Thursday night — refute the report the new Cincinnati defensive backs coach is unpopular among his players, per Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Bengals “blew off” that contention, instead pointing to the usual adjustment period associated with new coaches. The Dolphins fired Coyle midway through last season.
  • Titans nose tackle Al Woods will miss at least a month of action after pulling his calf muscle on Sunday, Mike Mularkey told media, including Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. Woods is in his third season with the Titans but the first of a three-year, $10.5MM deal he signed to stay in Tennessee this offseason.

Trevor Siemian To Start For Broncos

August 29th, 2016 at 10:21am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos have announced that Trevor Siemian will be their starting quarterback to open the 2016 season. Siemian cemented his status asTrevor Siemian (vertical) the Broncos‘ starting quarterback after turning in a solid performance during Saturday night’s preseason victory over the Rams.

Siemian offers no real NFL experience, but he impressed Broncos brass this offseason with his arm and overall poise. Mark Sanchez was widely expected to come away as the team’s starter this offseason, but he quickly fell behind the 2015 seventh-round pick. Now, one has to wonder if Sanchez will be on the Broncos’ roster to start the season. The Broncos haven’t asked Sanchez to take a pay cut yet, but that could be coming soon.

Rookie Paxton Lynch has received rave reviews for his raw talent in practices this offseason, but the team believes that he will need some more seasoning before being thrown into the NFL fire.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Patriots, Broncos, Woodhead

August 28th, 2016 at 11:30am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots signed Terrance Knighton to a one-year, $4.5MM deal this offseason to serve as a key cog in the interior of the club’s defensive front, but now Pot Roast is in danger of being cut, as Kevin Duffy of MassLive.com writes. Knighton struggled in the team’s second preseason game against Chicago, and he did not log a single defensive snap during New England’s third preseason contest against Carolina on Friday night.

Knighton, who insisted that he is completely healthy, expressed his frustration afterwards. He said, “It’s disappointing just because, you know, I’ve played a lot of ball in this league, seen a lot of things. I’m not going to make too much of it. It is what it is. Whatever happens, happens. If I’m here, I’m here. If I’m not, I’m not. I’m just taking it a day at a time.”

If Knighton does indeed receive his walking papers, he should be able to find work with a club looking for a dependable and durable run-stuffer.

Now for some more notes from the AFC:

  • It’s looking more and more like Patriots WR Danny Amendola will stay on the PUP list and miss at least the first six games of the regular season, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe.
  • The Patriots had assigned rookie corner Cyrus Jones the same grade as several other players who were still available when the club was set to make its first draft pick (No. 60 overall) this year. As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes, the team selected Jones because of his dynamic return ability, which he demonstrated in a big way with a 60-yard punt return Friday night. Reiss points out that Jones taking over the role could help preserve 30-year old returners Julian Edelman and Amendola from taking additional pounding.
  • Trevor Siemian likely cemented his status as the Broncos‘ starting quarterback after turning in a solid performance during last night’s preseason victory over Los Angeles, Mike Klis of 9News.com writes. At this point Klis would be surprised if the Broncos didn’t release Mark Sanchez, a move that would save the team $4.5MM and a seventh-round pick.
  • Troy Renck of Denver7 believes that Tavon Austin‘s new four-year, $42MM deal with Los Angeles will set the floor in Emmanuel Sanders‘ contract negotiations with the Broncos (Twitter link). As Renck observes, Sanders is older than Austin, but his production level has thus far been superior.
  • Danny Woodhead is entering the final year of the two-year extension he signed with the Chargers in 2014, and he would like to remain with the club long-term, as Michael Gehlken of The San Diego Union-Tribune writes. However, contract talks between team and player prior to training camp were unproductive, with the Chargers determining it was not in position to extend Woodhead for a variety of cited factors, including cash committed to other contracts this year. Woodhead, though, will not publicly comment on his contract situation, and simply indicated a desire to focus on the 2016 season.

Latest On Broncos’ Quarterback Competition

August 25th, 2016 at 5:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In news that could spell more trouble for Mark Sanchez, Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak revealed Thursday that experience will have “zero” impact on how he puts together the team’s depth chart at quarterback.

“I’m looking at what’s taken place the last six months: how they’ve handled themselves, how they’ve handled the team and how they respond to things. That’s what I’m looking at,” said Kubiak (via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com).

Mark Sanchez (vertical)

Among Sanchez, Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, the former is the only Broncos signal-caller with any real NFL experience. Sanchez, whom the Jets chose fifth overall from USC in 2009, has started in 72 of 75 career appearances with New York and Philadelphia. The majority of his appearances haven’t gone particularly well, though, which explains how the Broncos acquired the 29-year-old from the Eagles for a conditional seventh-round pick in the offseason. Sanchez’s track record of uninspired play has carried into Denver, where he has tossed an interception and lost two fumbles in parts of the club’s first two preseason games.

At 17 of 23 for 163 yards and a pick-six in the preseason, Siemian hasn’t exactly resembled an in-his-prime Peyton Manning this summer, either. Nevertheless, Siemian will start the Broncos’ important third exhibition contest against the Rams on Saturday. Siemian, whom the Broncos selected from Northwestern in the seventh round of last year’s draft, didn’t attempt a pass as a rookie, but the 25-year-old’s inexpensiveness could help give him the edge over Sanchez. Siemian is owed a minimum salary this year, while Sanchez is set to earn $4.5MM ($1MM guaranteed). The Broncos would save $3.5MM by releasing Sanchez, and they’d keep the pick they agreed to send to Philadelphia in exchange for his services.

Unlike Sanchez, there’s no chance Lynch is going anywhere. The first-round pick from Memphis has begun garnering some first-team reps lately, according to Legwold. However, the 6-foot-7, 244-pounder remains a work in progress – particularly with respect to calling plays – as Tom Pelissero of USA Today detailed Thursday.

“When I first got here, my head was kind of spinning,” Lynch told Pelissero. “I had the playbook. I was trying to learn everything. But now it’s kind of slowing down and I can come out here and relax and play a little bit. I’m a lot more confident.”

If Kubiak thinks the 22-year-old Lynch is capable of backing up Siemian (assuming he takes the starting job), Sanchez might find himself on the free agent market in short order.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC West Notes: Chiefs, Bosa, Sanchez

August 10th, 2016 at 6:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

John Dorsey is confident Eric Berry will show up at some point for the Chiefs‘ training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., which runs through August 18, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.

“The agent has said … at some juncture during this course he will show up here,” Dorsey said. “I haven’t talked to Eric one on one about when he’s going to show up. Knowing what a prideful professional he is, I think he will show up at the appropriate time.”

Dorsey and the Chiefs weren’t able to work out an extension with the two-time All-Pro safety, and Berry is among a few high-profile Chiefs not participating in training camp. Berry’s absence leaves the Chiefs with only Ron Parker back from their strong core of safeties from 2015, a group that included since-retired Husain Abdullah and current Cardinal Tyvon Branch.

Berry has yet to sign his $10.86MM franchise tender and as late as July 26, the 27-year-old defender was not expected to report to camp. Since he hasn’t signed the tender, he’s not obligated to do so, leaving the Chiefs thin at safety.

Here’s more from the Chiefs and their division rivals.

  • Dorsey, though, was confident that Jamaal Charles would be ready by Week 1, with the fourth-year GM’s stance on Justin Houston was much murkier, according to Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star. Dorsey referred to Charles as “ahead of schedule” despite the running back undergoing knee surgery last October, and he sees the eighth-year starter practicing within a couple of weeks. As for Houston, Dorsey did not want to offer a prospective return date like he did with Charles. After undergoing knee surgery in February, Houston is expected to miss the start of the season.
  • Nick Foles‘ deal is worth $1.25MM this season, with no signing bonus included, Terez Paylor of the Star reports. However, the fifth-year quarterback will earn a $200K roster bonus if he makes the 53-man team, as he’s expected to. The Chiefs hold a team option for Foles, who would see his price rise significantly if the Chiefs pick it up. At a $10.4MM base, Foles’ 2017 salary seems contingent on him becoming the starter. Since that’s not in the Chiefs’ plans as of now, with Alex Smith signed through 2018, it’s unlikely Kansas City picks up that option.
  • Joey Bosa‘s camp made the last offer in the edge defender’s impasse with the Chargers, putting the ball in San Diego’s court, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets. The sides are still believed to be haggling over offset language and the structure of Bosa’s signing bonus.
  • Trevor Siemian has looked the best this offseason for the Broncos, per Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). But sources within the organization informed him the team will likely start Mark Sanchez in Week 1 due to his experience. However, the Broncos won’t be afraid to make a switch to Siemian if he continues to show them more than seventh-round picks typically do. Siemian is slated to play the second quarter of the Broncos’ preseason opener on Thursday.
  • Projected to be the Broncos’ right guard starter after moving from right to left tackle last year, Ty Sambrailo is now expected to miss the preseason due to an elbow injury he sustained in late July, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. The Broncos are thin behind Sambrailo after losing starters Evan Mathis (in free agency) and Louis Vasquez (cut) from their Super Bowl championship lineup, placing Sambrailo and Max Garcia in at guard. But the team is now using Darrion Weems, a fifth-year player but one who hasn’t suited up for a game since doing so with the 2013 Cowboys, in relief. Swing tackle Michael Schofield is also working sporadically at right guard in Sambrailo’s stead.

AFC West Notes: McKenzie, Chargers, Sanchez

July 30th, 2016 at 4:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

On the heels of his four-year extension, Reggie McKenzie will be ready to discuss extensions for Khalil Mack and Derek Carr after this season, when the 2014 draft choices become eligible to negotiate long-term contracts with the Raiders. The fifth-year Oakland GM said there has been a “constant dialogue” with the two standouts’ representatives, ones who profile as the best players the Raiders have had the opportunity to extend in many years.

“The plan is to keep good players,” McKenzie told media, including Jerry McDonald of Ibabuzz.com. “Y’all could come beat me across the head if I let a Hall of Fame-type player leave this building. I’ll take [their agents] out to dinner any time I see him. We’ve fostered good relationships.”

McKenzie’s most recent offseason — one that featured the most notable Raiders free agent signings this decade in Kelechi Osemele, Bruce Irvin and others — centered around free agency, but in 2017, Mack, Carr and Gabe Jackson become extension-eligible. Both Carr and Mack could soon be $20MM-per-year players, McDonald estimates.

Here’s more from the Raiders, along with the rest of the AFC West.

  • One of McKenzie’s free agent signings hasn’t worked out on the field, but the GM said the Raiders plan to stick by Aldon Smith despite his pattern of unavailability, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com reports. McKenzie did describe the sixth-year player’s situation as an “uphill battle,” though. “We knew his situation,” McKenzie said. “It’s not like we had blinders on. Going into last year, we knew a suspension was probable. It’s going to be an uphill battle for him. He’s going to have to fight the good fight, but we’re not going to bail on him. He has to do his part.” Oakland has now signed the mercurial pass-rusher twice in two seasons and could see the second commitment fail to result in any Smith playing time this season. The former 49ers All-Pro checked himself into rehab earlier this week.
  • McKenzie’s decision to cut bait on disappointing former first-round picks Michael Huff, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Rolando McClain, while absorbing a $13.7MM dead-money hit upon releasing Richard Seymour, helped the Raiders’ rebuild in 2013, Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News writes. Those releases comprised part of the reason the Raiders held so much cap space the past two offseasons.
  • The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce endorsed the Chargers‘ downtown stadium initiative, Roger Showley of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. However, the backing might not mean too much since the measure, as of now, needs a two-thirds majority to pass in November.
  • That prospect remains a long-odds proposition, Union-Tribune’s Logan Jenkins points out. Jenkins doesn’t envision the measure passing at 50%. The California Supreme Court’s recent decision to review an appellate court’s ruling requires the measure to receive a two-thirds majority to pass. That 66.6% number is not finalized, however. Jenkins adds that the Chargers’ preferred downtown stadium not being likely to pass opens the door to a compromise in the form of a renovated Qualcomm Stadium. While the team’s efforts are being put into moving downtown, the Chargers will have options of becoming the Rams’ tenants in Los Angeles or making it work at their current Mission Valley site. Jenkins writes the latter choice would work out best for the Chargers’ standing in the community, staying in San Diego and not forcing what seems to be a largely unwanted downtown measure on taxpayers. A move to L.A. could decimate their fanbase as well, with the Rams having already set up shop there and the Chargers having essentially no footprint in the city.
  • Eric Fisher‘s contract extension — one that tacks on four years and $48MM to the left tackle’s deal — doubles as a huge leap of faith by the Chiefs, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com writes. Teicher points out the 6-foot-7 blocker from mid-major Central Michigan has been even more of a project than the franchise thought he’d be and that the team is rewarding Fisher for future performance as opposed to the modest production he’s shown.
  • Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian split first-team reps at Broncos practice Saturday, although the veteran’s command in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage is noticeable, Troy Renck of TheDenverChannel.com reports. Paxton Lynch took reps with the third team, per Renck.

QB Notes: Fitzpatrick, Kaepernick, Broncos

July 23rd, 2016 at 9:11am CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals may play the Jets in mid-October, but Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer is still rooting for Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s pursuit of a new contract. The two signal-callers were teammates on the 2008 Bengals squad, and they remain good friends today. Palmer has been watching from afar as his free agent pal has been battling the Jets at the negotiation table.

“He’s a good friend of mine, he’s an ex-teammate of mine, and I know what he means to a locker room, I know what he means on the field,” Palmer said (via Dom Cosentino of NJ.com).

“He’s been a great player for them. I hope they take care of him the way they should because he means so much to that team, that team wants him there. They have a legit shot, with him at quarterback.”

Let’s check out some more notes pertaining to the league’s quarterbacks…

 

Extra Points: Broncos, Long, Eagles

June 19th, 2016 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Trevor Siemian, the Broncos‘ presumptive No. 2 quarterback, was more consistent in many ways than presumptive starter Mark Sanchez during the team’s OTAs and minicamp, and given that head coach Gary Kubiak said in his offseason-ending press conference last week that Sanchez and Siemian are in a virtual tie for the starting job, there has been some speculation that Siemian could be under center when Week 1 rolls around. But Mike Klis of 9News.com, while acknowledging Siemian’s strong performance, agrees with the prevailing consensus that, unless Sanchez completely flops in the first two games of the preseason–which is a distinct possibility–his experience will force Kubiak’s hand and he will be named the starter prior to the all-important third preseason contest.

Now let’s take a look at some more links from around the league:

  • Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says that a long-term deal between Von Miller and the Broncos remains the most likely outcome, but if the July 15 deadline for a new contract comes and goes, the two sides could work out an alternative one-year agreement that provides Miller with a little more incentive to sign. For instance, the team could promise to not use the tag on Miller again in 2017, which means that Miller, assuming he is willing to risk injury/ineffectiveness in 2016–while earning the full $14.129MM of the franchise tender in the process–would be guaranteed to hit the open market and get his big payday in 2017. If stubbornness prevails and there is no new deal by July 15, that currently unlikely scenario suddenly becomes more plausible.
  • Before coaching at yesterday’s University of Michigan Big Man camp, free agent left tackle Jake Long said that he is finally healthy. The former No. 1 overall pick added, “This is the healthiest and best I’ve felt in probably about five, six years. My knee’s back. I’ve just been working out, feeling good and ready for the opportunity when it comes along” (article via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com). Long, of course, spent the first five years of his career with the Dolphins and was widely-regarded as one of the best left tackles in the league during that time, but he tore his ACL in each of his two subsequent seasons, which he spent with the Rams, and he appeared in only four games with the Falcons last year, starting none. If he is, in fact, completely healthy, he should be able to land a job as teams look to replace injured or underperforming players during training camp and the preseason.
  • Two of the Chiefs‘ best players, Jamaal Charles and Justin Houston, are recovering from torn ACLs, and the team is being cautious with both, as Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com writes (citing Adam Teicher of ESPN.com). Houston will not be ready for the start of training camp and may not suit up until sometime after the regular season begins, while Charles will be eased into camp and should be ready for Week 1. Neither player, though, will be on the field before they are completely healthy, as they are too important to the team’s plans to risk re-injury.
  • In the Eagles‘ crowded and confusing defensive backfield, it is too early to predict who will emerge as the regular contributors. But Mark Eckel of NJ.com writes that a source with knowledge of the way DC Jim Schwartz and DB coach Cory Undlin are thinking says that, if the season started today, the top of the cornerback depth chart would look like this: Leodis McKelvin, Nolan Carroll, Jalen Mills, Ron Brooks, and Eric Rowe.

AFC West Notes: Von, Broncos QBs, Chiefs, Berry

June 15th, 2016 at 4:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Star linebacker Von Miller is embroiled in a contract dispute with the Broncos, leading to questions as to whether he’d go so far as to sit out at least some of this season, but the Super Bowl 50 MVP may have put that notion to rest. On the possibility of skipping regular-season games this year if the franchise-tagged pass rusher and the Broncos don’t work out a long-term deal by the July 15 deadline, Miller told Netflix’s Chelsea Handler, “No, I mean .. we still have a month. I just can’t see myself with any other team. My boys — T.J. Ward, Aqib Talib, Kayvon Webster, DeMarcus Ware. All those guys, I built very, very close relationships with those guys, and I would like to continue to build that for the rest of my career.” Miller also stated that he’d like the franchise to reciprocate his desire to be a career-long Bronco (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post).

More regarding Denver and one of its division rivals:

  • Another franchise player from the AFC West, Chiefs four-time Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry, is also disenchanted with his contract situation. Unsurprisingly, Berry is absent from the Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp as he tries to sort out his future, writes Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Berry could sign his one-year, $10.8MM tender and play this season under that, or he could continue to wait for a long-term deal from the Chiefs or another team. As is the case with Miller, Berry has until July 15 to work out a multiyear accord. Otherwise, he’ll either have to play this season as a franchise player or sit out.
  • First-round rookie Paxton Lynch is on the outside looking in when it comes to the Broncos’ three-man quarterback derby, according to head coach Gary Kubiak. Both Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian are well ahead of the ex-Memphis standout as of now. “I think they’re looking each in the eye throughout the course of the offseason,” Kubiak said of Sanchez and Siemian (via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com). “Who’s ahead? Who’s [No.] 1? I think those two guys are right there with each other; it’s a very competitive situation. They’re obviously ahead of the young guy. … Those two guys have been very close.”
  • The Chiefs have invited four free agents – cornerbacks Trenton Cole and Chris Greenwood, and receivers Seantavius Jones and Devonte Robinson – to try out at mandatory camp, reports Paylor (Twitter link).

Broncos Notes: Siemian, Marshall, Latimer

May 31st, 2016 at 6:47pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Although Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch are generating the vast majority of attention at quarterback for the Broncos, the door is also open for second-year man Trevor Siemian to start. “I think Trevor has a maturity to him. He’s kind of the sleeper, I would say. Trevor knows the offense. He’s very comfortable and can throw the ball too,” head coach Gary Kubiak said (via Troy Renck of the Denver Post). Kubiak added that he “wouldn’t sleep on Trevor to win the job.” A seventh-round pick from Northwestern in 2015, the strong-armed Siemian appeared in one game as a rookie, but he didn’t attempt a pass.

Here’s more on the defending Super Bowl champions:

  • Linebacker Brandon Marshall told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Tuesday that negotiations on a long-term contract “are going well,” though he’s prepared to sign his one-year, $2.533MM restricted free agent tender if a deal isn’t struck. “I have no problem playing the deal out, I have no problem with doing that. But I do want to be here long-term, so that’s what I’m working towards, but I have no problem playing it out,” he stated. Earlier this month, PFR’s Sam Robinson examined what a new contract might look like for Marshall.
  • Third-year receiver Cody Latimer was arrested Monday in Colorado for failing to pay a year-old traffic ticket, according to KUSA. Latimer called the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office to report a domestic dispute, accusing his girlfriend, Jaimee Rando, of putting “her hands on” him. A background check revealed that Latimer didn’t show up for an April 2015 court date regarding a ticket, which led police to arrest him. He settled the matter by paying $311.50. Rando, meanwhile, was arrested for assault and disturbing the peace, and Latimer bailed her out of jail Tuesday.
  • In case you missed it, Sanchez spoke Monday about how he’s fitting in with the Broncos thus far.
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