Week In Review News & Rumors

Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension reinstated: The NFL’s ongoing legal battle with Elliott took another turn last week, as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the league, a decision which resulted in the restoration of the Cowboys running back’s six-game ban. Elliott still has options — he can re-file in either New York or Texas and keep himself on the field — but if he and his team don’t take action, he’ll be suspended until November 24, the day after Dallas’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Chargers. If Elliott decides to accept his ban, the Cowboys will turn to Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden as their primary backs.

Cardinals acquire Adrian Peterson: The Saints quickly abandoned any plans they had to utilize Peterson in 2017, as they shipped the former All Pro to Arizona for a conditional 2018 sixth-round pick. Peterson had lost time to fellow backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara in New Orleans, and had posted only 27 rushing attempts through four games. Peterson says he did not request a trade, but he’ll now have a chance to be the lead back for the Cardinals, who subsequently released veteran Chris Johnson. General manager Steve Keim & Co. didn’t take much of a risk in acquiring Peterson, as Arizona owes him only ~$700K for the rest of the season.

Giants lose all their wideouts: Not only is Big Blue now winless to start the season, but it’s witnessed injuries to their top four wide receivers. Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle), Brandon Marshall (ankle), and Dwayne Harris (foot) are all out for the rest of the year, while Sterling Shepard is expected to miss multiple weeks with a health issue of his own. New York has added several pass-catchers in recent days, but the club is not interested in a reunion with Victor Cruz (despite his best lobbying efforts). As if the Giants’ receiving problems weren’t enough, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has now been suspended indefinitely following multiple incidents.

Texans down their best defenders: J.J. Watt (tibial plateau fracture) and Whitney Mercilus (torn pectoral) are both out for the rest of the year, leaving Houston with only Jadeveon Clowney as the club’s only star along its front seven. For Watt, who is arguably still the NFL’s best defensive player, this latest injury means he’s now been sidelined by health questions in each of the past two seasons. For what it’s worth, the Texans did agree to terms with free agents Lamarr Houston (link) and Kendall Langford (link), but neither of those players can be counted on to replace the production of Watt and/or Mercilus.

End of an era in San Francisco: After unsuccessfully attempting to trade him, the 49ers released veteran linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who had spent his entire career in the Bay Area. San Francisco had actually agreed to ship the former All Pro to New Orleans, but Bowman preferred to become a free agent and pick his next club. Thus far, the Raiders have expressed the most interest, and Bowman will meet with Oakland in the coming days.

Danny Trevathan punished by NFL. Following a jarring helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers wide receiver Davante Adams on Thursday, Trevathan was suspended two games by the league, meaning he’ll miss the Bears’ contests against the Viking and Ravens. Trevathan can appeal the ban, however, and possibly see it reduced. From an on-field perspective, Chicago can ill-afford to lose another linebacker, as Jerrell Freeman is already on injured reserve while fill-in Nick Kwiatkoski is dealing with a pectoral issue. Adams, thankfully, escaped the violent play with only a concussion.

Quarterback returns on the horizon. Andrew Luck could potentially return for the Colts by Week 6, although his lack of practice time could delay that timeline. Luck didn’t practice last week, and would likely need some sort of ramp up period before getting back to game action. Still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, Luck would give Indianapolis a massive boost if he can return in the near future. Vikings signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater, meanwhile, should be ready to play by Week 7, which could complicate a Minnesota quarterback room that includes an injured Sam Bradford and backup Case Keenum.

Darren Sproles done for season, possibly career. Sproles suffered both a broken arm and a torn ACL on the same play in Week 4, meaning he won’t play again during the 2017 campaign. Whether or not he’ll return in 2018 is something of an open question — Sproles had indicated he’d retire following this year but backtracked on confirming it ahead of this season. Now that won’t finish out what could have been his final NFL season, Sproles could rethink his position. The Eagles signed old friend Kenjon Barner to join a backfield that includes LeGarrette Blount, Wendell Smallwood, and Corey Clement.

Canadian Football League in the news. The CFL was linked to two out-of-work quarterbacks this week, as both Colin Kaepernick and Johnny Manziel were attached to north of the border clubs. The Montreal Alouttes reached out to Kaepernick regarding his interest in joining the league, but Kaepernick reportedly doesn’t want to sign with a CFL team. Manziel, meanwhile, has been barred from playing in the CFL this season but is eligible to join the league in 2018.

Dolphins reinstate Lawrence Timmons. Miami allowed Timmons to return to the club following an indefinite suspension, one that was levied after Timmons went AWOL during the Dolphins’ Week 2 contest. Timmons reportedly visited his old team — the Steelers — during Miami’s Week 1 bye and expressed his regret at signing in South Beach. On the field, Timmons’ return is important given that the Fins already lost rookie ‘bakcer Raekwon McMillan for the season.

Injuries, injuries, injuries. Several contenders lost key players to health issues last week, including the Ravens, who saw All Pro guard Marshal Yanda join a ever-growing list of Baltimore contributors that is done for the year. Tight end Greg Olsen is done for at least eight weeks after suffering a broken foot, but there’s hope he could return to the Panthers later in 2017. Elsewhere in the NFC South, Falcons edge rusher Vic Beasley is expected to miss at least a month with a hamstring ailment, but he won’t go on injured reserve. And the Chargers’ string of poor injury luck continued, as No. 1 corner Jason Verrett decided to undergo season-ending knee surgery.

Adversaries get new deals. The NFL is still expected to extend commissioner Roger Goodell through the 2021 season, although the contract has taken a bit longer than expected to get done. That may have been because Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reportedly attempted to influence the process in the hopes of expanding the field of candidates. The NFLPA, meanwhile, re-elected DeMaurice Smith as executive director, although civil rights lawyer Cyrus Mehri is expected to contest the results.

Andrew Luck possibly nearing return. While the Colts are without Luck during Week 3 (but still winning), Indy could see its franchise quarterback back on the field in the near future. Week 6 is looking like a realistic date for Luck’s return, meaning the Colts would need to get through only two more games — against the Seahawks and 49ers — with Jacoby Brissett under center. If Indianapolis can hold onto against the Browns today, the club would be in a much better position if/when Luck comes back.

Dolphins’ linebacker room shaken up. Free agent addition Lawrence Timmons went AWOL prior to Miami’s Week 2 game, and has since been suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. Not only that, but Timmons took a bizarre trip to visit his old team — the Steelers — during the Dolphins’ Week 1 bye. Miami has since acquired former first-round linebacker Stephone Anthony from the Saints, although that deal was reportedly in the works before the Timmons saga began.

Su’a Cravens won’t play in 2017. The Redskins officially placed Cravens — who considered retirement earlier this year — on the reserve/left squad list, ensuring that he won’t suit up this season. Cravens had been planning to report to Washington, but that won’t happen now. He wants to continue his career in 2018, but it’s unclear if that will happen with the Redskins.

Bengals reshuffle staff after 0-2 start: The Bengals have scored nine points in two games and fired their offensive coordinator as a result. OC Ken Zampese is out in Cincinnati, and the team promoted quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor to its top offensive post. The son of longtime NFL assistant Ernie Zampese, Ken Zampese just began his second season as Bengals OC. But he did not appear to win over his players, who may or may not have assembled something of a mutiny to force the franchise to make a key change. Lazor’s previous OC gig ended when the Dolphins fired him from that post in November 2015. As a result of Cincy’s rampant struggles, longtime starter Andy Dalton may not be free from a demotion. Some Bengals players are also voicing support for a Colin Kaepernick signing.

Raiders re-up Donald Penn, again: Reporting late during the preseason after a lengthy holdout, the longtime left tackle received a belated extension after starting the season. The Raiders and Penn agreed to a two-year, $21MM extension. Despite Penn being 34, he’s remained one of the game’s best left tackles and is now signed through his age-35 season. Penn playing for Oakland in 2018 would mark a five-year Raiders run, and this contract leaves open the possibility of a 2019 stay as well. Penn won’t make top-10 left tackle money like he sought, but his new $10.5MM deal represents a healthy raise from his previous two-year, $14MM extension signed in 2016.

David Johnson out for months: The Cardinals’ hopes at returning to the playoffs encountered a significant barrier early this week, when their All-Pro running back opted for wrist surgery. He of more than 2,100 yards from scrimmage last season, Johnson will be out for months and is now on IR. Arizona signed both D.J. Foster off the Patriots’ practice squad and re-signed Chris Johnson, bringing the latter back for a third season. CJ2K started for the Cards in 2015 but was not nearly as productive as his successor.

More Pro Bowlers go down: Week 2 brought brutal injuries to some of the NFL’s best, with Marshal Yanda and Greg Olsen‘s seasons set to be cut short. While Olsen’s broken foot looks to shelve him “for several weeks,” Yanda broke his ankle and is out for the season. This continues a vicious spate of maladies for the Ravens, who also placed Danny Woodhead on IR this week. Yanda, though, has been a vital Baltimore cog for many seasons. He signed an extension in 2015 and has made six consecutive Pro Bowl teams. Olsen’s booked Pro Bowl spots in each of the past three campaigns.

More PED-related trouble for Brian Cushing: The Texans linebacker will serve a 10-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing substances. This will be the second such ban Cushing’s served in his nine-year career. The Pro Bowl ‘backer served a four-game ban for this offense in 2010. After appealing the 2010 suspension, Cushing will not fight this one and began serving it in Week 2.

Ezekiel Elliott officially files appeal. The Cowboys running formally appealed his six-game suspension, and a hearing is now set for August 29. While that’s still more than a week away, it’s already clear that Elliott and his legal team intend to shed doubt on his accuser’s credentials, highlighting the alleged victim’s inconsistencies and indicating that she sought to profit from her connection to Elliott. Harold Henderson — the man who reduced Greg Hardy‘s ban in 2015 — will hear Elliott’s case.

Tramaine Brock finds a home. After being released by the 49ers earlier this year following domestic violence allegations, Brock will stay in the NFC West after inking a one-year deal with the Seahawks. It’s not often that a starting corner with Brock’s track record reaches the open market this late in the offseason, but San Francisco opted to not wait for a resolution on the charges against Brock (which were ultimately dropped). Brock, 29, will give Seattle options at corner while DeShawn Shead recovers from a torn ACL.

Aaron Donald, Le’Veon Bell still holding out. The Rams control Donald, arguably the NFL’s best defensive player not named J.J. Watt, through the 2018 campaign at a relative pittance. Scheduled to earn just $1.803MM for the upcoming season, Donald wants a raise, and could potentially miss regular season action in order to achieve that goal. Bell, meanwhile, is expected to report before the season gets underway (he’ll earn north of $12MM in 2017). The Steelers reportedly thought they had a long-term agreement with Bell in place earlier this year.

Eagles release Ryan Mathews. As had been expected, Philadelphia finally parted ways with Mathews, only doing so after he could pass a physical so the club wouldn’t be on the hook for injury protection. While the Eagles are set to go forth with LeGarrette Blount, Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Donnel Pumphrey in the backfield, Mathews is now on the open market, and he may be the perfect backup running back.

Work stoppage possibly on the way. NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith calls a strike or lockout after the expiration of the current contractual bargaining agreement in 2020 “a virtual certainty.” While Smith cautions the stoppage may not lead to the loss of actual games, the strife between the player’s union and the owners is clear, as Smith says the league “lied and cheated” last time around. NFL players, including a union rep, confirmed that negotiations between the two sides will be difficult.

Jay Cutler to the Dolphins. After starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill went down with another ACL injury, Miami turned to former Adam Gase pupil Jay Cutler, luring the veteran signal-caller out of retirement with a one-year, $10MM deal. Cutler was the Dolphins’ primary target from the get-go, but he wasn’t the only candidate discussed, as Miami also talked about Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, Teddy Bridgewater, and others. Tannehill, meanwhile, is fully expected to be ready for the 2018 season.

Buffalo takes over the trade market. The Bills are squarely looking towards the future, as they shipped out two of their best players last week in exchange for lesser players plus draft picks. First, Buffalo sent wide receiver Sammy Watkins and a sixth-round choice to the Rams for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a second-rounder. Then, the Bills dealt cornerback Ronald Darby to the Eagles in exchange for wide receiver Jordan Matthews and a third-round pick. Buffalo now earns two selections in the first, second, and third round of the 2018 draft.

Zeke finally gets a resolution. The NFL officially brought the hammer down on Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, suspending him for six games as punishment for his involvement in a domestic violence episode. The ban, which is lengthier than most expected, reportedly made Cowboys owner Jerry Jones “furious,” and Elliott is expected to appeal the suspension (he has until Wednesday to do so). Elliott is also not ruling out using the court system to fight the penalty.

Falcons extend their running back. Atlanta finally reached a long-term deal with running Devonta Freeman, extending him through the 2022 campaign. The new five-year pact is worth $41.25MM, which means Freeman is now the NFL’s highest-paid running back in a multi-year pact (Le’Veon Bell is earning north of $12MM on the one-year franchise tag). Freeman, 25, received more than $18MM in full guarantees, and will now attempt to top 1,500 total yards for the third consecutive season.

The Branden Albert saga is over. Finally fed up with his antics, the Jaguars officially released left tackle Branden Albert from the reserve/retired list last week. Jacksonville acquired Albert from the Dolphins in the spring, but won’t have to sacrifice a pick now that Albert won’t make the roster. Albert, who un-retired last week and attempted to report to camp, is now a free agent and can sign immediately. The Jaguars will move forward with rookie Cam Robinson on Blake Bortles‘ blindside.

The trials and tribulations of Roberto Aguayo. Just 16 months after trading up in the second round to acquire him, the Buccaneers waived kicker Roberto Aguayo after only one NFL season. Aguayo, who will arguably go down as one of the NFL’s worst draft picks, converted only 71% of his field goal attempts during his rookie season. Luckily for Tampa Bay, the Bears claimed Aguayo today, relieving the Bucs of $428K in guaranteed money owed to Aguayo.

Holdouts from star players. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald didn’t report to training camp last week as he seeks a new contract, and he wasn’t the only player to fail to report. Left tackle Donald Penn didn’t show at Raiders camp, and the veteran offensive lineman is reportedly looking for top-10 positional money. Donald, meanwhile, presumably wants to be paid like the NFL’s best defender, but Los Angeles controls his right for two more years.

Ravens hit hard by injuries. Having already witnessed Dennis Pitta and Tavon Young go down with serious injuries, Baltimore lost several more significant players to health questions this week. Running back Kenneth Dixon is out for the year with a torn meniscus, leading the Ravens to sign Bobby Rainey. Tight end Crockett Gillmore also has a meniscus injury (severity unknown), so Baltimore added Larry Donnell, while quarterback Joe Flacco‘s back issue could lead the Ravens to bring in Colin Kaepernick.

Extensions galore. With the regular season fast approaching, many clubs are working on long-term deals that will lock in key players for the years to come. Among the players who’ve signed new pacts over the past weeks: Cowboys tackle La’el Collins (link), Jaguars center Brandon Linder (link), Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen (link), Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva (link), Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (link), Viking cornerback Xavier Rhodes (link), and Lions safety Glover Quin (link).

Not so Lucky Whitehead. Whitehead had one of the more eventful weeks for an NFL player in recent memory, and it all began with a case of mistaken identity. An arrest warrant was issued for the former Cowboys wideout after he failed to appear for an arraignment, but Whitehead wasn’t actually involved in the case. Nevertheless, he was still waived by Dallas. The Jets subsequently picked him up, but Whitehead is understandably miffed about the entire incident.

AFC retirements. Patriots defensive lineman Rob Ninkovich and Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel both announced their retirements over the past week, but each player is an entirely separate case. While Ninkovich is 33 years old and perhaps nearing the end of his road, Urschel is just 26. The former Baltimore center acknowledged a recent study showing the prevalence of CTE in ex-NFLers played a role in his decision, and could also be affecting the status of Steelers safety Daimion Stafford, who is also mulling retirement.