NFL - NEWS & NOTES

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns' kicking competition wasn't decided by makes or misses.

An injury knocked out Cody Parkey.

Parkey was placed on injured reserve Monday with a quadriceps injury, ending his 2020 season and seeming to point to Chase McLaughlin at least beginning the season as Cleveland's kicker.

 

Panthers, Robby Anderson agree to two-year extension



Robby Anderson will be sticking around Charlotte for a couple more years.

According to multiple reports, the wide receiver and the Panthers have agreed to terms on a two-year, $29.5 million contract extension. The deal includes $20 million guaranteed.

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Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift is dealing with a groin injury that could keep him from being 100 percent for the season opener.

Coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday that he's concerned about Swift's conditioning with just under three weeks ahead of Week 1.

"We don't know if he's gonna be there," Campbell said, via Chris Burke of The Athletic. "We don't know, even if he is, how much we're going to get out of him."

The second-year pro is expected to get a heavy workload in practice Tuesday to test that conditioning, per Campbell.

Swift missed three games during his rookie campaign due to injury.

The shifty back is expected to split carries with Jamaal Williams this season. However, if Swift isn't full-go for Week 1, that workload for Williams would be larger than projected.

NFL.com

 

Man I love seeing him under center. He's a much better QB as a game manager. Fichtner tried to make him Brady. He doesn't have what it takes from the neck up for that role.

 

We might have found a gem of a TE. He has zero drops as a Steelers TE , in practice or in a preseason game

 

Didn't drop them in college. Just needs to get a little stronger and he's a Top 10 tight end.

 

Rosen signs with Falcons, Hawkins released

The team finally confirmed it. Every media source reported yesterday that unnamed "sources" and "reports" said the Falcons had signed Josh Rosen to be the team's backup QB in the wake of the injury to A.J. McCarron. But news from the team itself? Nothing but crickets.

Apparently they were waiting to announce their five roster cuts, as all teams have to trim their rosters again today. McCarron going on IR already made room on the 85-man list for Rosen, but they still had to trim from 85 to 80 today. Now that they've announced the five hopefuls whose NFL dreams have been crushed, they also announced Rosen's signing.

For mock draft fans, the interesting name on the cut list is Louisville RB Javian Hawkins, who was released in spite of rushing for 46 yards on 5 carries in the second preseason game. The speedster was projected as a mid/late draft pick but ended up signing with Atlanta as a UDFA.

His release means fellow UDFA Caleb Huntley (Ball State) beat him out for a potential practice squad berth or perhaps even a spot at the back end of the regular roster. Huntley stood out in pass protection and showed he's capable of running pass routes in addition to rushing for 57 yards and a touchdown in the exhibition vs. Miami. Houston's former 2017 third round pick D'Onta Foreman is also in the mix for a roster spot.

 

Travis Etienne having foot surgery, likely to miss entire season



Jaguars running back Travis Etienne went for further tests on his foot Tuesday after injuring it in Monday night’s game against the Saints and the results aren’t good for the first-round pick.

According to multiple reports, Etienne suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot. He will need to have surgery to repair the injury and will likely miss the entire 2021 season as a result.

It’s not the way the Jaguars wanted Etienne to start off his career, but the team does have depth to fall back on in the backfield. James Robinson and Carlos Hyde are both on hand, but neither one profiles as the kind of receiving threat that Jacksonville hoped Etienne would be in their offense.

That offense has not impressed to this point in the preseason and their bid to change that will have to come without the help of Etienne.

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Ronnie Stanley says he’ll be “full-go” for Ravens’ Week One game



Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who hasn’t played since breaking and dislocating his ankle on November 1, says he’ll be ready to go when the regular season starts.

Stanley said he’ll be “full-go” for the Week One game against the Raiders on September 13, according to the Baltimore Sun.

“I think I’m just building up that flexibility,” Stanley said. “It’s just taking some time, but other than that, I feel really good. My technique feels good.”

The Ravens have made some changes to their offensive line since Stanley last played 10 months ago. Kevin Zeitler and Alejandro Villanueva came to town this offseason, and the left guard position remains in contention.

“Whoever I’m playing next to, we’re gonna figure it out and we’re gonna work through it,” Stanley said. “I’m happy I can still be there to help guide whoever’s playing.”

The last time he played a full season, in 2019, Stanley was a first-team All-Pro. If he’s all the way back to that level in Week One, the Ravens’ offensive line should be in great shape.

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Patriots trade Sony Michel to Rams



Sony Michel is heading west.

The Patriots have traded Michel to the Rams. The Rams are sending 2022 fifth- and sixth-round draft picks to the Patriots in the deal, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of TheAthletic.com.

The Rams were in the market for a running back after they lost Cam Akers for the season to a torn Achilles tendon, then lost Darrell Henderson to a thumb injury. The Patriots were known to be open to trading one of their veteran running backs after drafting Rhamondre Stevenson this year, and Michel is the one.

New England selected Michel with the 31st overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. He played well at times (including scoring the only touchdown in the Patriots’ Super Bowl win over the Rams) but the Patriots did not pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, signaling that he didn’t have much of a future in New England.

Now he’ll join a Rams offense that is expecting big things this year with the arrival of Matthew Stafford, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Michel jump into the starting lineup immediately.

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Free-agent acquisition Kyle Rudolph is officially back in action after starting training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

The New York Giants announced the tight end has passed his physical and will return to practice Wednesday.

Big Blue is holding joint sessions with the New England Patriots this week ahead of the final preseason action. It's likely the Giants will ease Rudolph into work as he returns to action.

Rudolph was on the PUP list after undergoing foot surgery in the spring. The Giants staff flagged the medical issue during a physical after sides agreed to a deal. Despite needing surgery, the former Minnesota Viking still signed a two-year, $12 million contract in New York.

The 31-year-old was expected to be ready by training camp, so starting on the PUP list was a bit of a concern for a player expected to have a significant role in the offense. Getting Rudolph back at practice now, however, gives him just under three weeks to ramp up before the regular season kicks off.

Rudolph should play a sizable part alongside Evan Engram for a Giants offense looking for more consistent production from the tight end position in 2021.

NFL.com

 

I wonder will Capt Kirk and the Vikings will they miss him?

 

John Johnson: Browns have a “vindictive vibe” facing the Chiefs in Week One



Safety John Johnson III wasn’t with the Browns last year when they lost to the Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the AFC playoffs. He was in Green Bay that weekend, playing his last game with the Rams before departing the franchise that drafted him in free agency.

But Johnson has been around Cleveland long enough to get a sense of how his new team views going back to Kansas City for Week One of the 2021 season.

“That’s the last one from last year, it’s going to be the first one from this year so there’s definitely a little — it’s a vindictive vibe, you know,” Johnson said on Tuesday, via Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan. “We definitely want to get back at those guys but, you know, I always want to win the opener regardless of who it is so that’s what we got to go out there and do.”

Johnson noted he’d reviewed the film of that playoff loss to Kansas City and came to the conclusion that the Browns “weren’t far off” — including the fourth-and-1 pass from Chad Henne to Tyreek Hill that sealed the game late in the fourth quarter.

“That wasn’t an unstoppable play,” Johnson said. “I think that type of play you just got to see it coming, you know, when Tyreek goes in motion and he’s in the position where he can beat you to the flat, especially that down and distance, I think that’s just something you got to like alert the whole defense before it happens.”

Johnson’s done that type of thing before, having served as Los Angeles’ defensive signal-caller. As a talented young safety, Johnson should be a key piece to taking Cleveland’s defense to the next level.

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Hope not, but hard to say. Irv Smith JR. catching a few balls early will make fans forget real fast.

 

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers wide receiver Devin Funchess has been placed on injured reserve after hurting his hamstring in a joint practice with the New York Jets last week.

The move ends the season for Funchess, who hasn’t played a regular-season game since September 2019.

 

Man that guys building a nice career for himself as a football player who never plays football.

 

New York Jets defensive end Vinny Curry will miss the entire 2021 season after being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, he announced via Twitter Wednesday.

The discovery of the blood disorder led to the removal of his spleen. Doctors initially thought he could return to the field in September. However, Curry developed blood clots and had to go on blood thinners that will force him to avoid physical contact for up to six months.

Yardbarker

 

damn Ouch if it's one thing it's something else just sounds ugly

 

Bills WR Isaiah McKenzie faces NFL discipline for failing to wear mask at facility

Buffalo Bills receiver Isaiah McKenzie revealed he faces NFL discipline for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols for unvaccinated players by failing to wear a mask inside the team's facility.

McKenzie wrote: "They got me! @NFL you win!" in a Thursday social media post in which he included a copy of the first page of a letter he received from the league informing him of the violation. It was McKenzie's second violation; the league issued him a warning on July 27, a day before the Bills opened training camp.

Under league rules, the first offense for violating the protocols will result in a fine of $14,650. Repeat violations could result in a player being suspended or fined a week's salary.

"It's unfortunate when players get fined, right?" Bills coach Sean McDermott said Thursday of McKenzie's discipline. "That being said, these rules have been agreed upon and in place and well communicated for some time. So it's important for us that we focus on being safe and healthy, that's No. 1, that's always been No. 1, and then No. 2 is doing our best to stay focused on the goal and the purpose of why we're here, which is to win football games."

The NFL wrote that McKenzie twice failed to wear a mask on Wednesday. The first violation came while he walked through the team's fieldhouse to the trainer's room, and the second was later in the day while he was in a meeting area of the weight room near other players.

The league also noted his violation came shortly after NFL staff made a presentation reminding players of the mask-wearing requirements and that penalties may result to players who fail to do so.

"For players who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, like you, your conduct is expressly prohibited by the protocols," the NFL wrote. "Again, your conduct potentially compromised not only your safety, but the safety of others, as well as the league's ability to ensure that your club's training camp is conducted in a safe manner."

McKenzie was sidelined on Wednesday and wore his left arm in a sling after being hurt in practice a day earlier.


His violation comes days after four Bills players were required to spend at least five days in self-quarantine after being deemed to have close contact with a trainer who tested positive for COVID-19.

The four players are receivers Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis and defensive tackles Star Lotulelei and Vernon Butler. All four tested negative on Tuesday, while general manager Brandon Beane said the trainer -- who is vaccinated -- is experiencing mild symptoms.

Beasley responded to McKenzie's tweet Thursday, writing, "Don't worry they got me too. But I was wearing a mask when I was in close contact with fully vaxxed trainer who tested positive and still got sent home. So what's the point of the mask anyways? Meanwhile I'm here still testing negative and can't come back. Make it make sense."

Fellow Bills receiver Stefon Diggs noted in a following tweet, "15k is a lot of money lol..."

NFL.com

 

Report: Ravens close to trading Shaun Wade to Patriots



It looks like the Patriots will bring in some competition for their secondary.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Baltimore is close to trading rookie cornerback Shaun Wade to New England.

The Ravens selected Wade in the fifth round of this year’s draft out of Ohio State. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last year.

Wade intercepted Saints rookie quarterback Ian Book in Baltimore’s first preseason game. He’s played 35 defensive snaps across the first two exhibition matchups.

For the Patriots, Wade provides more depth to a unit that still has star cornerback Stephon Gilmore on the physically unable to perform list.

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