NFL - NEWS & NOTES

Welcome back, Jimmy Graham.

The tight end has played 12 NFL seasons but last played in 2021. He was anything but a lock to make the Saints’ roster after signing a one-year deal a month ago.

That’s why Graham played Sunday as the Saints rested many of their star players, including quarterback Derek Carr.

If there was any question about whether Graham has anything left, he answered it Sunday night against the Texans.

Graham made three catches for 34 yards, including a 25-yarder on a 50/50 ball and a 3-yard touchdown catch when he posted up on Texans cornerback Ka’dar Hollman.

He was so excited after the long reception that he nearly knocked over coach Dennis Allen on the sideline.

Graham, who played with the Saints from 2010-14, turned back the clock and likely earned a roster spot.

It came only nine days after Graham was arrested in California after experiencing what the team called a “likely seizure” that caused him to become disoriented. He did not play in last Sunday’s game against the Chargers and just returned to practice the middle of last week.

Saints backup quarterback Jameis Winston went 11-of-16 for 93 yards and the touchdown throw to Graham before departing.

PFT
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Graham and Winston had a nice connection going last night from the little I saw of the game.

 

Its all systems go in just over a week. Summer flew by for me. Here's a peak at week 1 NFL action.

 

Im wondering when the Chiefs blowout the Lions in Arrowhead, will the hype train in Detroit get derailed?

Im also wondering when the Lions go into Arrowhead and defeat the Chiefs, what does fried crow taste like?

 

Bill Belichick pushes back at criticism of the team’s offseason offensive line moves

The Patriots made a pair of trades on Sunday and they were both designed to address one area on the team.

Tackles Tyrone Wheatley Jr. and Vederian Lowe are joining the team in moves that underscore the difficulty that the Patriots have had finding a right tackle heading into the regular season. It was a trouble spot last year as well and head coach Bill Belichick was asked on WEEI on Monday about criticism that the team has not done enough to address the position this offseason.

“We signed Riley Reiff, we drafted three players on the offensive line. I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Belichick said, via Dakota Randall of NESN.

None of the players were drafted before the fourth round and none have extensive experience at tackle. The Patriots also re-signed Conor McDermott and signed Calvin Anderson, but Anderson has been out with an illness since the spring and neither McDermott nor Reiff locked down the job.

Those developments contributed to Sunday’s trades and the identity of the starter remains an open question with less than two weeks to go before the opener.

NBC
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I love BB's answer. Then the author of the article, Josh Alper, adds his critical take, lol...

 

Dolphins wide receiver Daewood Davis was released from a hospital in Jacksonville after being injured and transported there on Saturday night.

The game between the Dolphins and Jaguars was called off after Davis took a hit to the head and was taken off the field on a spinal board. The Dolphins announced that Davis had movement in all extremities on Saturday night and said on Sunday that Davis has been placed in the league’s concussion protocol.

“He’s doing better than last night in terms of strength and stuff,” McDaniel said, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com. “Like I said last night, there were certain things that we were worried about that were avoided. . . . There’s certainly a lot of guys that are very, very, very happy and relieved to see him.”

 

The Texans are releasing veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey, Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports.

Kirksey missed all of training camp with a strained hamstring.

His release will save the team $5.2 million.

The Texans have Denzel Perryman at middle linebacker after he signed a one-year deal worth up to $2.6 million this offseason. Perryman made the Pro Bowl with the Raiders in 2021.

Kirksey spent two seasons with the Texans and played 30 games with 29 starts. He totaled 217 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions and 13 passes defensed.

He was in Cleveland for six seasons after the Browns made him a third-round pick and with the Packers in 2020.

 

Veteran guard/center Dan Feeney is heading to Chicago.

The Dolphins are trading Feeney to the Bears for a 2024 sixth-round draft pick, according to multiple reports.

Feeney signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins in March, but they’ll send him to Chicago as the Bears try to add some depth to the middle of their offensive line.

The 29-year-old Feeney grew up in the Chicago suburbs. He was a third-round pick of the Chargers in 2017 and played for them for four years. He played for the Jets last year, appearing in all 17 games with two starts.

NBC

 

Will Vikings get Justin Jefferson signed before Week 1?



The Vikings have arguably the best receiver in the NFL under contract for two more years. Will they get that contract extended before the regular season starts?

Albert Breer of SI.com writes that the Vikings are “making an effort” to make it happen before Week 1. Making an effort and making it happen are, obviously, two different things.

We’ve written about the situation during the offseason. The Vikings do not typically use full guarantees that vest beyond the current year. They made an exception for quarterback Kirk Cousins. Unless they make that same exception for Jefferson, the deal might not get done in the short term — or in the long term.

To his credit, Jefferson is all in for 2023. He has not let his unsettled status affect him, even though he’s due to make a paltry $2.399 million in 2023.

The Vikings presumably will make their best offer before September 10. Will Jefferson take it, or will he roll the dice on getting more after the season?


For Jefferson, the risk is injury. For the Vikings, the risk is Jefferson will decide to not be so nice about the situation.

We’ve seen it with multiple great receivers in recent years, from Tyreek Hill to Davante Adams to A.J. Brown. An extension doesn’t happen, and the relationship becomes fractured.

The Vikings need to realize what they have in Jefferson and get the deal done, before he decides that he wants to go elsewhere. And they should not assume he won’t realize at some point that they have failed to fully appreciate what they have.

There’s one other wrinkle to consider, if the Vikings are truly thinking about trying to get themselves in position to draft a franchise quarterback in 2024. If rookie first-rounder Jordan Addison quickly develops into a player who could, in theory, replace most of Jefferson’s production in the offense, might the Vikings use Jefferson as part of a package to get into the top five of the next draft?

It sounds crazy on the surface. But great receivers can’t win championships without great quarterbacks who can — and who will — get them the ball in big spots. Last year, with the season on the line, Kirk Cousins should have thrown the ball up to Jefferson and let him do what we’ve seen him do, time and again. Cousins didn’t do it.

What if the Vikings decide giving up Jefferson is the key to getting a quarterback who can do what Cousins can’t or won’t do? The guy they get, whoever it might be, would then get the ball to the likes of Addison or tight end T.J. Hockenson or whoever else the Vikings develop at the skill positions.

No matter how good any receiver is, and Jefferson truly is one of the very best, he can only do what the quarterback allows him to do. Until the Vikings have a quarterback who will trust Jefferson under any and all circumstances, the Vikings aren’t getting the most out of him.

The easiest way to short-circuit such theories is to just pay Jefferson and be done with it. Will the Vikings do it? Will they secure Jefferson for the long haul?

In answering that question, ask yourself another question. What happened with Randy Moss? Percy Harvin? Stefon Diggs?

Ultimately, if the Vikings want folks to not think they’re thinking about using the NFL’s best receiver as a potential bargaining chip to help land the franchise’s first true franchise quarterback since Fran Tarkenton, there’s one way to do it. Get the deal done, even if it means using guarantees that don’t vest one year at a time.

PFT

 

Wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette is on the move ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s deadline to set 53-man rosters.

The Panthers announced that they have acquired Smith-Marsette in a trade with the Chiefs. The teams exchanged conditional seventh-round picks as part of the deal.

Smith-Marsette had nine receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns in three preseason games with Kansas City.

Smith-Marsette entered the league as a Bears fifth-round pick in 2021 and had five catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns in eight games as a rookie. He was waived last August and got claimed by the Bears, but wound up on the Chiefs practice squad in October.

DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall, and Laviska Shenault have been dealing with injuries in Carolina, so Smith-Marsette gives them a little more depth as they head toward Week One.

NBC

 

Will this become a nightmare just what is his plan the season is getting ready to begin and he still hasn't signed Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockensen will this end up with bad feelings all around

 

HBO’s Hard Knocks, which has been chronicling training camp for the Jets this season, caught an interesting exchange between Rodgers and Giants linebacker Jihad Ward, who exchanged words after a Rodgers completion on the touchdown drive.

Ward gave chase on the pass rush, and after Rodgers got rid of the football, Ward was not pleased with Rodgers trying to sell the shove that the Giants linebacker gave after the throw was released.

“That’s f------ bull---- bro. What the f— is that?” Ward was seen asking Rodgers. “Show some respect bro. Come on, what the f— is that? Five damn steps?”

Rodgers wasn’t having it.

“I don’t even know who you are, bro! I don’t know who the f— you are! I’ve never heard of you,” Rodgers fired back.

 

Well looks like he kinda broke the bank 68.5 million that's some big buck's like I said you better go wild añd not get hurt

 

Im wondering when the Chiefs blowout the Lions in Arrowhead, will the hype train in Detroit get derailed?
Im also wondering when the Lions go into Arrowhead and defeat the Chiefs, what does fried crow taste like?


LOL Will..........you have covered both sides of the street.

I'm taking the Lions.

And good luck signing JJ

 

Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp returned to practice a little over a week ago and said that he felt like he was on track to play in the season opener after missing time with a hamstring injury, but his availability has become a little cloudier.

Head coach Sean McVay told reporters on Thursday that Kupp suffered a “setback” with the hamstring. McVay called the injury a strain and said that Kupp is considered day-to-day as the team moves closer to their opening game against the Seahawks.

The fact that Kupp’s condition took a turn for the worse after several days of practice would seem to be reason for the Rams to exercise extra caution before turning him loose again.

Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, Tutu Atwell, Puka Nacua, and Demarcus Robinson are the other receivers on the Rams’ 53-man roster.

NBC

 

I certainly didn't expect Hockenson to be the highest paid TE in the NFL... now, in my opinion, Jefferson has to be paid the highest ever for a WR. Anything less than that is not acceptable, especially to JJ's agent.

 

Buccaneers, Mike Evans likely heading for a split

Receiver Mike Evans apparently will retire as a Buccaneer only if he retires after the 2023 season.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that talks on a new contract for Evans are at an impasse, and that Evans will enter “what likely will be his final season” with the team that drafted him in 2014.

Per Stroud, Evans is believed to be targeting Cooper Kupp money. The Super Bowl LVI MVP signed a three-year, $80.1 million deal in 2022. Of that amount, $75 million was guaranteed.

Evans currently is playing under a contract that pays an average amount of $16.5 million. He has a cap number of $23.698 million for 2023, and the Bucs will take a dead-money charge of $12.198 million in 2024.

Evans did not take a hard line in an effort to get a new deal. And he’s not happy that his decision to show up and not complain was used against him.

“It sickens [Evans] to see players hold out and get rewarded, when he does everything for the organization on the field, in the community, off the field, working with other players in the organization,” Evans’s agent Deryk Gilmore said Wednesday, via Stroud.

While Gilmore might regret those words the next time a client of his holds out, Evans rolled the dice on a non-squeaky wheel would get some grease. That’s usually not how it works.

So here’s how it will work. Evans will attempt to generate 1,000 yards for the tenth straight season of his career. And then the Bucs will either dig deep to pay him, apply the franchise tag (at $28.35 million based on his 2023 cap number, that’s not happening), or watch him walk away.

NBC

 

Mike Evans sets September 9 deadline for new deal

The Buccaneers and receiver Mike Evans are currently at a contractual impasse. They have eight days to break it.

Evans’s agent, Deryk Gilmore, set a deadline of Saturday, September 9, for getting a deal done.

“When Mike Evans was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization his promises were to win a Super Bowl and be a Buc for life,” Gilmore said. “He knew he would do everything in his power to make both come true.”

Evans is entering the final year of his current contract.

“For the past nine years, Mike has set records on the field that will surely put him in the Hall of Fame. He is considered one of the most selfless teammates by his peers and coaching staff and has been one of the most charitable players in the National Football League. He loves Tampa and the community surrounding the Bucs, and after keeping his promise of winning a Super Bowl, he hopes to uphold his promise to be a Buc for life. As he enters year 10, he is facing the prospect of doing so with uncertainty surrounding his future.”

Gilmore explained that he has worked with the front office over the past two years to do a new deal for Evans. Gilmore places the blame for lack of a deal directly on ownership.

“Many players with his status would have held out of camp to not risk injury, but Mike has continued practicing hard, as always, because he puts his team first,” Gilmore said. “When you have a player that will be a Hall of Famer and still has four to six more years to make an impact in the league, you move Heaven and Earth to keep him on your team, and we would hope ownership feels the same way.”

Gilmore insisted that “this is not a tactic and the ball is in the owner’s court.” He has given the team until next Saturday to do a deal. After that, Gilmore will “discontinue” discussions.

Of course, if the Buccaneers decide during the season to give Evans what he wants, chances are the deal gets done. But Evans has made it clear, through his agent, that he wants to see it done before the first game is played.

PFT

 

The owner, Malcom Glazer probably just said, ok, fine, no talks... for 2 years, the GM, the assistant GM and the owner have not said a word or made an offer. If I were Evans, id be pissed and move on as quickly as possible. Makes me wonder what is going on with these GM owner types as there is nothing but contract dilemmas everywhere in the NFL.