NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Indianapolis Colts 21, Carolina Panthers 18
1) The Panthers are hoping they have their franchise quarterback in Sam Darnold. They might have a viable backup in P.J. Walker. The former XFL star shined in Sunday's preseason opener versus the Colts. With Carolina's projected starters reduced to spectators, Walker wasted no time making his mark on the competition between him and Will Grier. The 5-foot-11 dual-threat bounced around in the pocket before finding an open Terrace Marshall Jr. for a 60-yard gain on the Panthers' first possession. He completed four of his first five throws for 94 yards but the drive stalled in the red zone, which would repeat itself a couple times. He did ensure at least one offensive trip reached the end zone. After dropping a dime between a Colts corner and safety for a long completion, Walker scrambled to his right and hit Tommy Tremble for an 8-yard score and the team's fourth scoring drive of the half. The 26-year-old QB made his NFL debut last year in a spot start for the Panthers after spending three years on Indianapolis' practice squad -- with an impressive stint in the XFL mixed in-between. He was easily the best QB to play for Carolina on Sunday, with his legs proving to be just as valuable as his right arm.

2) Indianapolis signed Pro Bowler Eric Fisher a few weeks after the NFL draft to be its left tackle for 2021. The only issue is Fisher, coming off a torn Achilles, isn't expected to be available for the start of the season. The Colts' alternatives did nothing to quell those concerns. Julie'n Davenport got the start versus Carolina and immediately struggled in pass protection. Will Holden soon entered and was beaten badly off the line by Marquis Haynes, leading to a strip-sack by the Panthers pass rusher inside Indy's 20-yard line. He was then called for holding the following drive. His performance proved quite a bit better in run blocking as the game wore on. Carolina's reserve defensive front also had its way with OT Sam Tevi, another candidate to occupy the blind side and who allowed a sack while manning right tackle. It especially made life interesting for Jacob Eason in his NFL debut. The Colts might need to consider external options until Fisher is ready to return.

NFL.com

 

Philadelphia Eagles first-round pick DeVonta Smith is back at practice.

The rookie receiver was spotted on the practice field on Monday morning as the Eagles conduct a joint session with the New England Patriots. Smith suffered an MCL sprain earlier this month that was expected to knock him out two to three weeks.

Coach Nick Sirianni noted over the weekend the club wouldn't push the rookie to return for Thursday's preseason game versus the Pats.

"Right now, he's day to day," Sirianni said Saturday. "I don't want to put a timetable as far as if he'll be ready for Thursday. I don't know yet. So, he's working hard and working hard to get back, and our trainers and our strength staff is doing a great job of bringing him back. So, he's day to day, and look forward to seeing him out there in practice soon."

Soon was Monday.

It's unclear at this stage how much work Smith will do during joint practices, and the Eagles likely won't push him to play Thursday night if he's not 100 percent. But getting the WR back in the flow after two weeks on the shelf is a good sign he'll be ready for the season opener.

NFL.com

 

The Falcons might not finish first in anything else this season, but they are first in vaccination rate.

The Falcons confirmed, via multiple reports, that all of their players are vaccinated. That makes them the first team in the NFL to reach a vaccination rate of 100 percent.

PFT

 

Niners expect Nick Bosa to be full participant in practice next week

Nick Bosa is nearing another milestone in his return from an ACL tear.

Bosa is expected to fully participate in practice next week, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Monday, via The Athletic's David Lombardi.

The news is an encouraging development for Bosa's progress, which the defensive end acknowledged in late July had the benefit of ample time available. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans told reporters on Aug. 4 the 49ers aren't rushing Bosa back onto the field, following a day-to-day pace that is about ramping the defensive end up for action, not forcing him into the lineup. Bosa passed his physical ahead of 49ers camp, and Monday's news means he remains on the positive side of a timetable for return in time for Week 1.

The 49ers will be elated to have Bosa back in the mix in their first season without former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who now roams the sideline in New York as the head coach of the Jets. With Bosa able to play, San Francisco should be more effective in getting after the passer in 2021.

He's not quite declared as a Week 1 starter, but a return to practice as a full participant means he's on track. Barring any setback, San Francisco can realistically expect Bosa to be ready to roll when the 49ers travel to Detroit to face the Lions on Sept. 12.

NFL.com

 

Ryan Pace operates this exact way. Terrible cap management, increasingly having to absorb dead money on contracts even multiple years after that contract has ended. Now having to cut top players to, as you say, pay the piper(See Kyle Fuller).

The Bears hired Pace away from the Saints.

 

Seeing the billion tears Browns fans have shed over this subject i've steered around it for months. And at the risk of going down a rabbit hole on this one....

Would it have felt satisfying to you to know your team only won that game because of a soft ass penalty gifted to you by the officials? Is that really the direction you want football to go in? And im not trying to start a fight here, this is a genuine question i've had since it happened.

You've been watching football a long time. Bullshit rule changes that make the game worse to one side for a second, that was a straight football play. I know that. I think you would too if it was any other team.

 

49ers hope deeper receiver corps helps boost passing game

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Whoever ends up playing quarterback for San Francisco this season figures to have a much deeper set of receivers at his disposal than what the 49ers had last season.

With starters Deebo Smauel and Brandon Aiyuk dealing with injuries last season that limited them to just a handful of games when both were healthy and not much proven depth behind them, the Niners struggled to get a consistent downfield passing game going in 2020.

But now with the top two targets healthy to start the season, the return of Mohamed Sanu, a strong camp from special teams ace Trent Sherfield and the emergence of Jauan Jennings after sitting out his rookie season injured, Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance should have plenty of options.

“We don’t have 1, 2, 3 or 4 settled,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. “You guys know who’s probably going to make it, at least with those groups, but those guys have got to go out there and play. I mean, we had a lot of young guys play last year by default with the injuries that happen and some of the situations we were in. I want those guys going out there competing and showing they can play good football.”

While Samuel and Aiyuk both figure to start, it’s the performance of some of the other players that has been most encouraging so far this summer.

Sherfield caught just nine passes the previous two seasons in Arizona when he played mostly on special teams but has proven he can contribute as a receiver as well.

“We were hoping he could, we just didn’t study him a ton on it,” Shanahan said. “There wasn’t a ton of tape on it. We liked how he was wired and how he could run and stuff and how physical he played on special teams. But getting him here right in OTAs, we saw the receiver ability.”

That has been evident on the practice field and in the exhibition opener when he caught an 80-yard TD from Lance on Saturday against Kansas City.

Sherfield and Lance have built a strong connection getting plenty of time together as part of the second-team offense.

“Just building that relationship with him has been really, really good,” Sherfield said. “Not just with Trey, but also with Jimmy, too. All the quarterbacks. ... All those guys and being able to work with all of them has been a really, really fun opportunity and whenever the ball come my way, no matter who it’s from, got to catch it and make a play.”

Jennings has also been a bit if a surprise this season after being drafted in the seventh round in 2020. He started the season on the practice squad but hurt his hamstring and never got a chance to play.

But now he is showing off the skills that helped him catch 59 passes his final year at Tennessee when he was also dynamic after the catch with the ability to break tackles.

He caught two laterals from Lance on Saturday that he turned into gains of 11 and 12 yards for first downs, added a 26-yard catch and was a strong run blocker.

“He’s a physical guy who loves to play football and I wanted to see it transfer over to the game and make sure he could still stay under enough control and do his assignments also,” Shanahan said. “When he got his opportunities when the ball was thrown to him, he came through.”

Sanu, a nine-year vet who played three games in San Francisco last season, is back for another stint and is showing he can be a part of the offense as well. He caught a TD pass in practice from Garoppolo on Monday to end a drive.

NOTES: DE Nick Bosa could take part in team drills next week as he works his way back from a season-ending knee injury in 2020. ... DT Javon Kinlaw hurt his shoulder last week and is week to week. ... The Niners signed LB Mychal Kendricks to a one-year deal. Kendricks has played nine seasons in the NFL, including 2020 with Washington. ... The team cut CB Ken Webster, LB James Burgess Jr., LB Donald Payne and DL Eddie Vanderdoes. ... Rookie WR Austin Watkins (broken foot) will be placed on IR.

 

Can I do this?

Babyfan's 13th Annual NFL Pick'em Contest!

For anyone interested in playing Pick'Em!

 

Absolutely!

This is the people of L4SN's thread. Anyone can post anything at anytime... I like it like that.

Sorry i didnt think of a promo for the contest... my baddd.

 

The Tim Tebow tight end experiment in Jacksonville has come to an end.

Tebow was released by the Jaguars today, ending a very brief return to football and likely ending his NFL career.

“Thankful for the highs and even the lows, the opportunities, and the setbacks,” Tebow wrote on Twitter. “I’ve never wanted to make decisions out of fear of failure and I’m grateful for the chance to have pursued a dream. Thank you to the Jaguars organization and everyone who has supported me in this journey.”

Anyone who saw Tebow’s “highlights” from the Jaguars’ preseason opener had little doubt that he was failing as a tight end. He did nothing as a receiver and was painfully bad as a blocker.

The 34-year-old Tebow was a first-round draft pick of the Broncos in 2010 and led them to some spectacular comeback victories as a quarterback, but he never developed enough as a pro passer. He then spent a year on the Jets and finally had short training camp stints with the Patriots and Eagles before leaving football for six years and trying his hand at baseball.

Once among America’s most popular athletes, Tebow is probably now done in pro sports.

PFT

 

is it finally over please let it be over

 

Some independent league baseball team would sign him for some pub and ticket sales if he wants to milk it a few more years, but I imagine going back to CFB broadcasting will be the smart play for him here.

 

Thank you Willie!!

 

is it finally over please let it be over

Badd

 

I wanted to Send him out crying

 

Seahawks, Jamal Adams agree to contract



Jamal Adams will now be a happy camper in Seattle.

The Seahawks and Adams have agreed on a new contract. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, it’s a four-year, $70 million deal with $38 million guaranteed.

Seattle took the risky step of acquiring Adams in a massive trade with the Jets without having a new contract for him already agreed to. That gave Adams serious leverage in contract talks, as no team would want to risk losing a player after trading two first-round draft picks for him. In recent days the sides appeared far enough apart that the Seahawks were considering just letting Adams hit free agency and using the franchise tag to keep him, while Adams was plotting to challenge the safety franchise tag and argue that he’s actually a linebacker.

Now that won’t happen, and Adams will get back to work with a big new deal in place.

PFT

 

Report: Chase Claypool does not have significant injury



Chase Claypool‘s injury apparently looked worse than it is. Thankfully for the Steelers, who surely are breathing a sigh of relief.

Claypool was helped off the field by teammates near the end of practice Tuesday, but Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports it was not a significant injury.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said after practice the team’s medical staff was evaluating Claypool.

The receiver remained on the ground after trying to catch a long pass on the next-to-last play of the day. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and tight end Eric Ebron helped Claypool off the field, and Claypool headed directly to the training room.

Claypool, 23, caught 62 passes for 873 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie after the Steelers made him a second-round choice.

PFT
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Great news for the Steelers and their fans.

 

And people who just turned his name in for their keeper leagues…

 

Amari Cooper hoping to play for Cowboys this weekend



It’s been a week since Amari Cooper was activated off the physically unable to perform list for the Dallas Cowboys.

With a week of work under his belt testing out just how close his surgically repaired ankle is to being 100 percent, Cooper is itching to progress to preseason game action for the next examination.

Via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Cooper is looking to ramp up his workload with the regular season inching closer.

“I would really have to run the full route tree,” Cooper said of how his ankle is currently doing. “There’s just a lot that I haven’t done. When I was 100 percent, I did everything. I ran every route. Some things on the football field are harder to do than others. I haven’t really done the more challenging aspects of my position yet.”

Cooper had a setback in his recovery from ankle surgery after last season. While the surgery did what it was supposed to do to increase his mobility, it also came with some bone inflammation that hampered the recovery process.

“(It’s a) whole lot better now,” Cooper said.

Cooper has been practicing with the Cowboys since coming off the PUP list. He was given a lighter day of work on Tuesday after a padded practice the day before.

The Cowboys host the Houston Texans this Saturday night.

PFT

 

Browns DEs Garrett, Clowney still slowed by camp injuries

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Jadeveon Clowney worked on his conditioning off to the side. Myles Garrett ran — before practice — and then wasn’t seen again.

For the second straight week, Cleveland’s bookend defenders are on the shelf.

Following a day off, the Browns resumed training camp on Tuesday, but once again Garrett and Clowney were limited by injuries.

Garrett is dealing with a hamstring issue while Clowney, who has been slowed by injuries throughout his NFL career and had season-ending knee surgery in 2020, has an unspecified injury.

Cleveland signed Clowney to a one-year, $8 million contract in April with the idea of pairing him up front with Garrett, an All-Pro and one of the NFL’s best edge rushers.

But they haven’t had much time together on the field lately.

Garrett last practiced on Aug. 8 at FirstEnergy Stadium. With general manager Andrew Berry and a member of the training staff watching, Garrett tested his hamstring along with cornerback Denzel Ward with some short sprints before Tuesday’s workout.

It’s possible the Browns are just being overly cautious with Garrett, who had 9 1/2 sacks in his first nine games last season before contracting COVID-19.

In Clowney’s case, it could be the Browns are holding him out to keep him as fresh as possible heading into a 17-game schedule.

“With everybody, we’re just trying to make sure that we’re smart,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “As you know, the guys that maybe aren’t practicing are getting a ton of work inside. We’re just going to make sure we’re smart with all these guys.”

Like other teams, the Browns have had their share of soft-tissue injuries in camp and they lost a couple of players in their first exhibition.

Linebacker Mack Wilson, who is projected to start, avoided a long-term shoulder injury on Saturday against Jacksonville, but he’ll be sidelined for an indefinite period. Wilson does not need surgery and is currently listed day to day.

Stefanski did not give any specifics on Wilson’s injury or provide a timeframe on when he’ll be fully back.

“I think we dodged anything long term,” he said before practice. “He’s going to work hard and hopefully we see him sooner than later.”

Wilson’s absence could give rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah more time with Cleveland’s starting defense. The second-round pick from Notre Dame had a strong debut against the Jaguars, with eight tackles and a sack in Cleveland’s 23-13 win.

“He played really well,” said linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. “As good as advertised and I kind of advertised him, so he made me look good, sound like a smart man. Quick reads, got to the point of attack right away.”

The Browns did get back some injured players as safeties Grant Delpit and Ronnie Harrison Jr. along with rookie receiver Anthony Schwartz all came back week after being out with injuries sustained during training camp.

Stefanski rested the majority of his starters last weekend against Jacksonville. He will wait until after a pair of joint practices this week against the New York Giants before deciding on playing time for Sunday’s exhibition between the teams.

Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to participate in team drills in camp as he comes back from a season-ending knee surgery. Stefanski said the team will continue “ramping him up appropriately.”

Stefanski wouldn’t say if Beckham will face the Giants, who traded him to Cleveland in 2019.

Beckham did join Cleveland’s first-team offense for a session going against no defense and made two catches.

Tight end Stephen Carlson (knee) and wide receiver Ryan Switzer (foot) will both need surgeries after getting hurt against the Jaguars. The team placed both on injured reserve Monday.

NOTES: WR Davion Davis, who made a leaping 27-yard TD catch against the Jaguars, hauled in a long pass from Case Keenum with his finger tips during practice. ... QB Baker Mayfield greeted military personnel following practice, which ended just before rain showers began.