NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Lamar Miller is the odd man out in the Patriots’ crowded backfield.

Miller has been released as the Patriots make their way down to 53 players.

New England also has Sony Michel, James White, Damien Harris and Rex Burkhead in the backfield, so Miller had a lot of competition for a roster spot. The Patriots have also been mentioned as a potential suitor for Adrian Peterson, just as they were mentioned as a potential suitor for Leonard Fournette before Fournette went to Tampa Bay.

Miller missed the entire 2019 season with a torn ACL, and his 2020 is now up in the air. From 2012 to 2018 Miller totaled 5,864 rushing yards and 1,565 receiving yards.

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Somebody got paid!

The Chargers have locked up their Pro Bowl receiver.

Keenan Allen has agreed to terms on a four-year, $80 million deal with the Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports. It makes Allen the second-highest paid receiver in the league, according to Rapoport.

It follows the Chargers’ signing of pass rusher Joey Bosa to a five-year, $135 million extension this offseason.

“Mood!LFG!” Allen wrote on Instagram. “Want to thank the organization. Tom Telesco especially for giving me a opportunity! Super juiced about this. CHARGER FANS WE LOCKED IN FOR ANOTHER ROUND, FOREVER A CHARGER!”

Allen, 28, has made the Pro Bowl each of the past three seasons but has never made All-Pro.

He has four 1,000-yard seasons in his seven seasons.

Over the past three seasons, he has played all 48 games and made 303 receptions for 3,788 yards and 18 touchdowns. That’s an average of 101 catches, 1,263 yards and six touchdowns per season.

Allen recently complained about his placement on the NFL Network’s countdown of the Top 100 players, coming in at No. 77. He had a career-best 104 catches last season, though his 11.5 yards per catch were not as good as the previous two seasons.

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Bills CB Tre'Davious White agrees to terms on four-year, $69M extension

Tre'Davious White has quickly established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the game. It didn't take long for him to get paid like it either.

The Bills All-Pro has agreed to terms on a four-year extension worth $69 million with $55 million in guarantees, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Saturday, per sources. No corner is making more per season than the new money ($17.25 million average annual value) in White's deal. Rapoport added White can earn an extra million in Pro Bowl incentives.

After two strong seasons to begin his career, his 2019 campaign prompted the market reset. White tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions and didn't allow a touchdown in coverage despite 83 targets, the most for any defensive player that didn't surrender a score. Add in 17 pass deflections, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, and it makes sense that Buffalo was urgent about locking up its lockdown corner.

The new contracts culminates an interesting few weeks for White, who seriously considered opting out of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, he'll lead what figures to be one of the NFL's best secondary units.

Presumably, for a while.

NFL.com

 

Surprise releases are only surprises for those not making the decisions. The coaches know who deserves a roster spot and who doesn’t.

The Steelers surprisingly (to those not making the decision) have decided that receiver Ryan Switzer does not deserve one, at least not for now.

Originally a fourth-round draft pick of the Cowboys in 2017, he was traded to the Raiders then to the Steelers in 2018. Switzer had 30 catches in 2018, but only eight last year. He was on the field for only 81 offensive snaps.

Also gone are quarterback Paxton Lynch, running backs Trey Edmunds, Kerrith Whyte, Jr., and Wendell Smallwood, receivers Saeed Blacknail, DeAndre Thompkins, Deion Cain, and Amara Darboh, offensive linemen Christian DiLauro, John Keenoy, Derwin Gray, Anthony Coyle, and Jarron Jones, tight ends Kyle Markway and Kevin Rader, defensive linemen Cavon Walker, Henry Mondeaux, Calvin Taylor, and Daniel McCullers, linebackers Tuzar Skipper and Jayrone Elliott, defensive backs Trajan Bandy, John Battle, and Antoine Brooks Jr., punter Corliss Waitan, and long snapper Liam McCullough.

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The Washington Football Team has officially set its initial 53-man roster for the 2020 season and it includes quarterback Alex Smith.

Smith was expected to make the team once he was cleared to resume practicing during training camp this summer as his entire $16 million salary for the season is guaranteed. Dwayne Haskins is going to start at quarterback and Kyle Allen also made the cut.

Several of Washington’s moves were reported ahead of their announcement on Saturday afternoon and they announced the release of running back Adrian Peterson on Friday. Safety Sean Davis was also released, center Ross Pierschbacher was waived and the team placed linebacker Reuben Foster and guard Mike Liedtke on injured reserve.

Defensive tackle Ryan Bee, cornerback Simeon Thomas and wide receiver Jordan Veasy are also on injured reserve. Washington also released cornerback Aaron Colvin, defensive end Nate Orchard and tight end Richard Rodgers.

Tackle Paul Adams, defensive tackle David Bada, defensive end Jordan Brailford, wide receiver Tony Brown, guard Joshua Garnett, tight end Hale Hentges, wide receiver Johnathon Johnson, cornerback Ryan Lewis, quarterback Steven Montez, linebacker Jared Norris, tackle Timon Parris, linebacker Donald Payne, wide receiver Trey Quinn, safety Jeremy Reaves, wide receiver Cam Sims, tackle David Steinmetz, and wide receiver Jester Weah were all waived.

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The Bears are bringing in some veteran help for their defensive line.

Mario Edwards has agreed to terms with the Bears a day after he was cut by the Saints, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Edwards originally arrived in the NFL as the 35th overall pick in the 2015 draft and spent his first three seasons with the Raiders. He spent 2018 with the Giants and 2019 with the Saints.

The 26-year-old Edwards had eight tackles and three sacks on 293 defensive snaps last season.

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Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny won’t make his 2020 debut until at least the seventh week of the season.

The Seahawks announced that Penny will remain on the physically unable to perform list to open the season. He is recovering from the December knee injury that ended his 2019 season.

The Seahawks also confirmed that they have cut quarterback Danny Etling, linebacker Shaquem Griffin, quarterback Anthony Gordon and wide receiver Paul Richardson.

Seattle waived tackle Tommy Champion, defensive tackle Demarcus Christmas, wide receiver Aaron Fuller, wide receiver Penny Hart, defensive back Gavin Heslop, defensive tackle P.J. Johnson, defensive tackle Cedrick Lattimore, wide receiver Lance Lenoir, tight end Tyler Mabry, defensive back Chris Miller, defensive back Ryan Neal, defensive back Debione Renfro, defensive back Jayson Stanley, wide receiver Stephen Sullivan, wide receiver Cody Thompson, and tackle Chad Wheeler.

They also released fullback Nick Bellore, put guard Kyle Fuller on the suspended list and placed tight end Colby Parkinson, defensive back D.J. Reed and defensive end Darrell Taylor on the non-football injury list.

NBC

 

Jadeveon Clowney has finally found his team.

Clowney has chosen the Titans, he told Josina Anderson. There’s no word on the value of the contract.

“It came down to familiarity over economics,” Clowney said. “Packing now to head there in morning.”

The Saints and Seahawks had also been mentioned as potential destinations for Clowney, the former No. 1 overall pick of the Texans who played in Seattle last year.

The Titans’ opener is on Monday night, September 14, against the Broncos, so Clowney will have an extra day to learn Tennessee’s defense. Clowney should provide an immediate impact, both as a pass rusher and a run stopper, and a Titans Defense that was mediocre last year should get better.

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Adrian Peterson is returning to the NFC North.

The Lions are signing Peterson, according to multiple reports.

Peterson played most of his career in the division with the Vikings before his career went on the long journey that has had stops in New Orleans, Arizona and Washington.

The Lions have used second-round picks on running backs Kerryon Johnson and D'Andre Swift in recent drafts, and have also taken a third-day running back in each of the last three drafts. Despite that youth movement at the position, they’re now turning to Peterson, the second-oldest running back in the NFL. Johnson has had trouble staying healthy during his time in Detroit, and Swift’s rookie training camp has had injury concerns as well.

Peterson is fifth in NFL history in career rushing yards, with 14,216. In fourth place is Lions great Barry Sanders, with 15,269 career rushing yards. There’s now a chance that Peterson could pass Sanders, while wearing a Lions uniform.

NBC

 

Where are all the veteran cuts we normally see? Usually you can add a nice addition to your team from the cuts. There’s nobody worth signing off the waiver wire.

 

Not enough practice time and no preseason games for the young guys to push them off the rosters. Everyone predicted it would be really difficult for late picks and UDFA’s to make rosters this year, and they were right. The Pats didn’t make a single waiver claim or lose any of the guys they cut. Don’t ever remember that happening before. 2020, man.

 

Yeah, strange year. No team traded for a player the Bills were going to cut, either.

 

Damn...

That’s greasy. lol

 

Josh McCown isn’t done in the NFL just yet.

McCown, the 41-year-old veteran quarterback, is signing with the Eagles’ practice squad, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

As part of an unusual agreement, the Eagles are allowing McCown to continue living in Texas. But he’ll stay in shape and in touch with the Eagles’ game plan, and they can call on him in an emergency. If a COVID-19 outbreak should hit the Eagles’ quarterback room, having McCown available could be a game-saver.

McCown will be by far the oldest player ever to participate on an NFL practice squad. In the past, practice squads were the domain of young and inexperienced players, but this year the NFL allowed teams to sign up to four practice squad players with unlimited experience. McCown’s experience is virtually unlimited; his pro career has seen him go from Arizona to Detroit to Oakland to Miami to Carolina to the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League to San Francisco to Chicago to Tampa Bay to Cleveland to the New York Jets and then last year to the Eagles. And now he’ll have a new experience, staying home in Texas while serving on the Eagles’ practice squad.

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I’m not a real fan (by definition) of a lot of players. I follow careers and there are some that I watch closer than others. The list of guys that I would actually consider myself within the definition of a fan probably totals around 50 (current and former combined).

I’m a fan of Josh McCown.

 

Cam Heyward agrees to multiyear extension with Steelers



The Steelers are finalizing a four-year extension with defensive captain Cam Heyward, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. The deal is worth $65.6 million in new money, and it keeps Heyward under contract with the Steelers through the 2024 season.

Heyward confirmed a new deal, tweeting a meme and “Pittsburgh is where I belong!”

The Steelers then replied to Heyward, writing, “HERE. WE. GOOOOOOOOOOO! We’re excited that you’re staying in Pittsburgh with a new 5-year deal through 2024!”

Heyward repeatedly said this offseason that he wanted to remain in Pittsburgh, but last month added that it takes “two to tango.” The Steelers don’t negotiate once the season begins.

Heyward, 31, was entering the final year of his deal due to make a $9.5 million base salary. He now is under contract for five years and $75.1 million.

He is in his 10th season since the Steelers made him a first-round choice, and Heyward now has a chance to finish his career in Pittsburgh as hoped.

Heyward was first-team All Pro in 2017 and 2019 and has made three consecutive Pro Bowls.

NBC

 

I'm happy about this. He's a high caliber player and, from what I hear, a great guy and role model.

 

I guess kickers are people too... SB champ P Colquitt signs with Steelers. Thought you'd like to know.