Tagged in: NFL

NFL, Sports

49ers QB Nick Mullens at QB for injured Jimmy Garoppolo

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San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Friday what he’s hinted at all week: Nick Mullens will start at quarterback in substitution of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday versus the New York Giants.

Shanahan stated Wednesday that Mullens would “most likely” start in place of Garoppolo, who is dealing with a high right ankle sprain, but he made it official Friday on KNBR radio in San Francisco. Shanahan told “The Murph and Mac Show” that Mullens will start for Garoppolo and that Garoppolo will not be active for the game, leaving C.J. Beathard as Mullens’ backup.

Mullens will be making his first start since Dec. 30, 2018, which was the final appearance in an eight-game stretch for him as the starter after Garoppolo tore his left ACL in Week 3 of that campaign. He threw for 2,277 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and had a passer rating of 90.8 as the Niners went 3-5 in his starts.

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Early in the week, the Niners had expressed some positivity that Garoppolo could play, but it became apparent by Wednesday that it was unlikely. Garoppolo suffered the ankle injury in the first quarter of last week’s win versus the New York Jets and played through it before being removed from the game at halftime.

Mullens ended the game, going 8-of-11 for 71 yards with an interception as the 49ers rolled to a 31-13 win.

During training at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, this week, Mullens has taken on the role of starter in practice, with Beathard as the backup.

Garoppolo did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and is not expected to on Friday.

“He’s locked in,” tight end George Kittle stated Thursday about Mullens. “He’s got the game plan down, he’s got a rocket for an arm, he’s slinging it, he’s confident. And I know he’s just excited to get the opportunity to play. If he gets to play, I know he’s going to take advantage of that situation because that dude loves football.

He’s going to give it his all, so we’re definitely in good hands if Jimmy can’t go.” “I’m very confident in Jet,” Shanahan said Wednesday. “He’s done a great job in all the reps that he’s gotten in these two weeks.

Every time he’s gotten opportunities, he came through for us. Obviously, with those two guys being out, he should get more opportunities this week and he deserves it. I know he’s excited for it and we’re excited to see him.”

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NFL, Sports

Chiefs start title defense with 34-20 victory over Texans

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Just about the only thing that looked familiar about the NFL’s long-awaited return Thursday night was the sight of Patrick Mahomes effortlessly leading the Kansas City Chiefs up and down the field.

The Super Bowl MVP threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns, Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran through the rain for 138 yards and another score, and the Chiefs started defense of their first championship in 50 years by defeating the Houston Texans 34-20 on Thursday night before a socially distanced crowd of about 17,000 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill each caught TD passes for the Chiefs. They have won 10 consecutive dating to last season. That run includes a come-from-behind 51-31 victory over the Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs.

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The Texans’ Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score, but he also was under relentless pressure and was intercepted once.

David Johnson provided the biggest bright spot for Houston, running for 77 yards and a score.

The world has changed dramatically in the seven months since the Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in Miami.

Within six weeks, the term COVID-19 had become a part of everyday life, the disease killing more than 900,000 people around the globe. The death of George Floyd at the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer in May touched off the Black Lives Matter movement, which in turn has led to a summer of social unrest that has gripped the country.

Against that backdrop came an NFL opener unlike any other: masks worn by everyone from fans to the coaching staffs; a series of videos raising awareness of social justice initiatives and encouraging the public to vote; and ultimately both teams locking arms in a display of unity previous to the coin toss.

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NFL, Sports

Patriots place RB Damien Harris on IR with hand injury

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The Patriots are doing some roster reconstruction two days after cut-down day.

Running back Damien Harris will join Beau Allen on the Patriots’ injured reserve, the team revealed Monday. To replace Harris, running back J.J. Taylor will be signed from the team’s practice squad.

Harris has missed a week’s worth of practices due to a reported hand injury. The second-year running back was expected to play a big factor in the Patriots’ running game this campaign after playing in just two games his rookie season.

“Damien has had a really good camp,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said in a SiriusXM NFL Radio interview last week. “He came to camp in very good condition. He’s taken a lot of reps. He’s handled everything in the running game and passing game very well, which he did last year. I think everybody had a lot of confidence in him but they’ve all gained a lot more in him just because of his consistency and dependability.”

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With the NFL’s injured reserve rules for the 2020 season, Harris can return to practice in three weeks.

If he returns to practice, the Patriots will have 21 days to place him on the active roster.

Taylor was cut by the Patriots as part of their roster cut-down on Saturday. No team claimed Taylor and the Patriots signed him to their practice squad on Sunday.

Taylor, who signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in May, reportedly had a good showing in Patriots training camp. In four years at Arizona, Taylor rushed for 3,263 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also had 62 catches for 487 yards and two touchdowns in his college career.

Taylor will join Sony Michel, James White and Rex Burkhead in the Patriots’ backfield.

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NFL, Sports

Jadeveon Clowney signs with Titans

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Jadeveon Clowney made clear for months he wanted to be with a team that can win a Super Bowl, and he’s finally made his choice even if he didn’t get the long-term deal in the process.

The Tennessee Titans announced Sunday they agreed to terms with the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker on a one-year contract. The Titans did not reveal the terms Sunday. But ESPN.com reported the deal could be worth up to $15 million.

The No. 1 overall pick of 2014, Clowney went into free agency looking for a mega-contract that never came calling. The pandemic shut down travel for physicals, and Clowney didn’t visit anybody once the NFL permitted free agents to meet teams in person.

Clowney spent most of his career with the Houston Texans before being traded to the Seattle Seahawks before the 2019 campaign. He hit free agency this past spring and came to an settlement with the Titans nine days before their 2020 season opener.

They play the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football in Week 1.

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Since 2016 according to Sportradar, only Aaron Donald and Chandler Jones have combined for more tackles for loss, forced fumbles and quarterback pressures than Clowney who has 60 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles and 159 total pressures.

Clowney, 27, is rejoining coach Mike Vrabel.

They worked together for three seasons in Houston when Vrabel was the defensive line coach. One of those years, Clowney reached the Pro Bowl after he had 59 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

Vrabel and the Titans reached the AFC championship game in 2019 and lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. In six NFL seasons, Clowney has 236 tackles, 71 tackles for loss and 32 sacks.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection was one of the biggest stars left in the free agent market ahead of the 2020 season openers. He is coming off a core injury that required offseason surgery.

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NFL, Sports

Cam Newton named Patriots starting QB, Team captain

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For the first time in nearly two decades, the Patriots will hit opening day with a new starter under center. That starter is Cam Newton.

Newton was informed during a team meeting Thursday before practice, a league source confirmed to the Herald. He was also voted one of three offensive captains by his teammates.

Newton outperformed Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer throughout training camp for the right to succeed Tom Brady.

He accomplished a higher percentage of passes in live team periods than Hoyer and recorded half as many interceptions as Stidham, despite throwing double the number of passes.

Newton also adds a new dimension to the Pats’ run game, as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in NFL history.

He will lead the Patriots versus the Dolphins in their Sept. 13 season opener at Gillette Stadium at 1 p.m.

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The former MVP officially joined the Pats in early July after being released from Carolina, where he played the first nine years of his career. Faced with an unusually poor free-agent market, he signed a one-year, prove-it deal. From then on, Newton quickly won over teammates and coaches in Foxboro.

It started with his health. Injuries to Newton’s shoulder and foot prematurely ended his last two seasons and required surgery in Carolina. With the Patriots, Newton opened training camp in perfect health, showcasing a strong arm and dangerous running ability during practices.

Inside the locker room, teammates were drawn to his effervescence.

“Cam has been a joy to be around. He brings positive energy to work every day. He loves his job. He’s just a fun guy to be around,” special teams captain Matthew Slater said recently.

“I’m glad that we’ve gotten a chance to spend some time with him as a teammate and really get to know him.”

Over barely a summer, Newton has proven himself as a unique presence in the long, storied history of the franchise. He is the rare Patriot to become a captain in his first year during the Bill Belichick era. This week, Belichick said no player has worked harder.

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NFL, Sports

Packers rookie Kamal Martin has surgery on knee, to miss at least six weeks

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The Green Bay Packers got some unsatisfactory news on the injury this week. Head coach Matt LaFleur alluded to some injuries on Monday during his press availability, noting that there were a few players who were banged up and whose statuses could affect the makeup of the 53-man roster.

Indeed, it appears that the team will be without a promising young player for at least the first several weeks of the 2020 regular season. That player is linebacker Kamal Martin, the Packers’ fifth-round draft pick in April.

According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Martin will be having knee surgery that will keep him out for an extended period of time. The injury is to Martin’s meniscus, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who notes that it is not expected to be season-ending. It would therefore appears that Martin may be a candidate to start the regular season on injured reserve.

He injured a knee last campaign while playing for the University of Minnesota, though it is unclear if the injuries are related.

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The Packers can maintain Martin’s eligibility to return this season from injured reserve if they keep him on the active roster through the 53-man roster deadline on Saturday and place him on IR afterwards. However, if they send him there before the cut-down deadline, he would be lost for the entire season.

Martin has fascinated heavily in training camp this summer and was reportedly taking snaps with the starting defense early in camp before the team cracked down on the detail that media members could report about the depth chart in practice.

This is just the latest injury at a position that keeps to be a problem for the Packers

Oren Burks missed a few days of practice late in camp and Curtis Bolton remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list in his attempt to return from a torn ACL he suffered last preseason.

That leaves the Packers with just presumed starter Christian Kirksey plus youngsters Ty Summers, Krys Barnes and potentially Tipa Galeai (who seems to be a better physical fit on the inside than on the edge) at the position.

Martin and Burks appeared to be the front-runners to start this season next to Kirksey, but if both of them are unavailable or unready to play, this could drive defensive coordinator Mike Pettine back to using a safety like Raven Greene at the second linebacker spot.

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NFL, Sports

Buccaneers sign kicker Ryan Succop, waive Elliott Fry

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have reshuffled their kicking competition with less than two weeks left before they open up the regular season versus the New Orleans Saints.

On Tuesday, the club announced that it has signed veteran kicker Ryan Succop and released Elliott Fry. Succop takes Fry’s place on the roster and will now directly compete with second-year incumbent kicker Matt Gay for the job in 2020. 

Succop signed a minimum one-year deal with Tampa Bay, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, that will pay him just $150,000 in guarantees so there isn’t much financial risk here.

The 33-year-old will have to make quick work proving that he’s a better option than Gay, however, as there are just four days left before Saturday’s roster cuts. 

The veteran has 11 seasons in the NFL under his belt and has netted 82.2% of his field goals throughout his career. Injuries derailed his 2019 campaign but he was able to hit 86.7% of his field goals and 90.3% of his extra points during his last full season in the league in 2018.

After coming off of IR in late October last year, Succop appeared in six games before landing back on IR in December.

Over that stretch, he hit one of his six field-goal tries and was 24-of-25 on extra points. 

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“I’m looking for consistency on the gimmes,” head coach Bruce Arians stated on Sunday when he was asked about what he’s looking for in a kicker.

“We can’t miss extra points. We can’t give away easy points. Kicks inside the 30-yard line should be automatic. If you can make a 56 yarder, that’s great. But, when we drive the ball down to the 10[-yard line] and miss a field goal, there’s nothing that tears a team more apart on offense than, ‘Hey, we just took the ball down the field and we didn’t get any points.’ So, the ‘gimmes’ – who’s the most consistent? If you can do that and still kick 56, 57[-yard field goals], now you’re All-Pro.”

Arians added on Monday that it’s mildly unsettling that the Buccaneers do not have a stable kicker with the regular season approaching, but said: “Whoever we line up out there, we’re going to have confidence in.”

As for Gay, he converted 77.1% of his field goals during his rookie year after Tampa Bay picked him in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Utah. Gay also hit 89.6% of his extra-point attempt.

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NFL, Sports

Philadelphia Eagles starting left tackle Andre Dillard tears biceps

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Eagles left tackle Andre Dillard will miss the 2020 campaign with a biceps injury, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

Derrick Gunn, formerly of NBC Sports Philadelphia, first reported Dillard suffered a biceps injury Thursday, and he added the team hoped it was not a tear. Later, NFL Media and ESPN confirmed Gunn’s report and added that Dillard will need season-ending surgery.

Dillard’s injury is a heavy blow to an Eagles offensive line that already lost Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Brooks for the season to a torn Achilles in June.

Dillard was present at practice early Thursday but left before team drills began. Dillard, 24, was slated to take over the starting left tackle job in 2020. The team traded up to select him with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, and after sitting behind future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Peters for a season, Dillard was poised to take over the starting spot.

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The Eagles have a deep group of offensive linemen, but it’s young and inexperienced after Halapoulivaati Vaitai’s exit in free agency. In Dillard’s absence, the most logical move seems to be moving Peters, who returned to the Eagles to replace Brooks at right guard, to left tackle and moving third-year pro Matt Pryor up in Peters’ place.

The Eagles, however, already signed Peters to play over Pryor during the offseason.

Pryor started camp working as the backup right guard behind Peters, but after right tackle Lane Johnson suffered a lower body injury that caused him to miss a week of practice, Pryor has been working as the top right tackle.

Third-year pro Jordan Mailata took Dillard’s spot at left tackle with the first team Thursday, but he’s had his share of struggles in camp.

Still, the easiest move would be to slide Peters over and promote Pryor, but it depends on the rest of the offensive line staying healthy.

Dillard had an up-and-down camp. He was not “dominant” by any stretch as suggested above by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He missed practice earlier this week with an upper body injury, and while he mostly held his own, he was involved in a scary moment Wednesday.

Dillard was bull-rushed by defensive end Joe Ostman, lost his balance and fell into quarterback Carson Wentz’s legs. Wentz got up slowly, but he was fine. It was an alarming moment. The Eagles appeared for Dillard in Year 2 despite some physical and mental struggles in his rookie season.

The former Washington State standout stated he added 20 pounds of muscle this offseason and felt much stronger. Unfortunately for Dillard and the Eagles, he’ll have to wait a year to show off his improvement.

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Arizona Cardinals making Budda Baker highest-paid safety in NFL history

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The Arizona Cardinals are making two-time Pro Bowl selection Budda Baker the highest-paid safety in NFL history by giving him a four-year extension worth $59 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Baker was Arizona’s second-round pick in 2017, and his rookie contract was set to expire after this campaign.

The deal will average $14.75 million per year, but no other financial aspects were disclosed. The Cardinals announced the four-year extension Tuesday.

Baker’s extension comes four years after the Cardinals gave another star safety, Tyrann Mathieu, a long-term extension. Mathieu’s deal was for five years and worth $62.5 million, but he was released after the 2017 season. Baker is the first second-round pick to receive either an extension or second deal under general manager Steve Keim, who was hired in 2013.

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The 24-year-old Baker is coming off his second Pro Bowl year and his first as a safety.

He recorded 147 tackles last season and led the NFL with 104 solo tackles, the only player with at least 100 solo tackles in 2019.

Baker does not have an interception since entering the NFL in 2017 from the University of Washington, however, and has played the most coverage snaps (1,261) of any player during that span not to have intercepted a pass.

He also has recorded 33 quarterback pressures since entering the NFL, the most by any defensive back during that span. Baker has been a steady presence for the Cardinals in both their pass and run defense. Arizona permitted just two completions of 30 yards or more last season.

Baker has also been a factor in Arizona’s run defense. His 33 run stuffs, defined by NFL Next Gen Stats as tackles on run plays for no gain or a loss, are tied with Jamal Adams for second most among defensive backs since 2017.

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Titans sign veteran QB Trevor Siemian as backup

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Logan Woodside is no longer the second-most experienced quarterback on the Titans roster.

The team on Wednesday signed veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian to a one-year deal, according to his agent, Mike McCartney. Siemian will contest Woodside for the backup quarterback role behind starter Ryan Tannehill.

Also, the team cut seventh-round pick Cole McDonald, a source confirmed to The Tennessean. McDonald had struggled through the early portion of training camp.

Siemian, 28, was a seventh-round pick of the Broncos in 2015 and brings with him the NFL experience that Woodside lacks. Siemian has played in 27 matches in his NFL career, including 25 starts. He’s 13-12 in those games.

For his career, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Siemian has completed 59.2% of his passes and has thrown for 5,689 yards with 30 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. He signed a one-year deal with the Jets in March 2019, but an ankle injury ended his season in September. Before appearing in one game for New York, Siemian’s last time seeing game action came in December 2017.

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Woodside, a seventh-round pick out of Toledo in 2018, has yet to take a snap in an NFL game.

He spent time on the Titans’ practice squad in each of the past two seasons and has earned high praise this offseason as he vies for the backup quarterback role.

“He’s earned the opportunity right now to earn the job,” Titans quarterbacks coach Pat O’Hara stated last week of Woodside. “The rest remains to be seen.” Earlier this month, Tannehill said, “I love playing with guys like (Woodside) who enjoy playing the game, enjoy the daily grind, the preparation, the hard work. He’s been a guy like that since Day 1. … He’s accurate. He can make all the throws. I feel like mentally, he’s mastering this offense just from being in it for a few years now. I feel like he has all the tools needed. It’s just a matter of going out and making it happen.”

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