NFL News

[Forsh]

Oh, by Year 3, I'm sure Love will be fitting the football into keyholes and fastballing passes through three defenders.

Well, against one team, at least

[TheLondonLion]

Seems like half of the NFL has followed the Lions lead. There’s a first!

[jaadam4]

No joke....... just scrolled up to read the NFL news on this page,....... there was a very small piece of grit on my phone face which was changing Curtis Crabtree (reporting Bills news) to Cuntis Crabtree.
Juvenile I know, but had to laugh out loud slightly.
“Ok so that’s the Lions news, and we’ve got Cuntis on the line for Bills news, over to you Cuntis...... what’s ‘appenin’ in Bills land?”

Since I love juvenile jokes i laughed too

[Futureshock]

Since I love juvenile jokes i laughed too

Did you get your $ in? We draft tonight dude.

[Futureshock]

DAMIEN HARRISRB, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran reports Damien Harris took "almost all" of the first-team reps in Thursday's practice.


It's notable because Thursday was Sony Michel's second day back at practice. Of course, it is possible the Pats are simply easing Michel back in after he missed nearly all of camp. This remains a situation worth monitoring on a daily basis between now and Week 1. Harris seems to have a leg up, but it is too early to write Michel out of the picture.


SOURCE: NBC Sports Boston
Aug 27, 2020, 6:49 PM

[Futureshock]

DEVIN SINGLETARYRB, BUFFALO BILLS

The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia reports Devin Singletary has been having "fumbling issues" in Bills camp.


Buscaglia has charted Singletary with just two cough-ups, but they have occurred in "only seven padded practices and not a whole lot of team drills and rushing attempts." Coach Sean McDermott stressed ball security when talking about Singletary on Monday. Singletary had the league's worst fumbling percentage as a rookie. The report comes as rookie Zack Moss continues to generate hype. These are small sample sizes, while Moss needs to do more than just look good in practice, but there is no question that Singletary is a wild card in the RB2/3 range.


SOURCE: The Athletic
Aug 27, 2020, 4:46 PM

[Futureshock]

CAMERON HEYWARDDL, PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Athletic's Ed Bouchette contract-year DE Cameron Heyward could be part of a Steelers free agent exodus next offseason because of 2021's projected lower salary cap.


Heyward is due $9.5 million in the final year of his contract. As Bouchette notes, in normal times, Heyward probably would have already been extended as a means of reducing his 2020 cap number. These are not normal times, though, something GM Kevin Colbert alluded to this week. “The league has set in place a $175 million floor,’’ Colbert said of 2021. “So we know that’s the lowest it can go. Where it goes from there nobody knows because no one can predict their revenues at this point. None of us." Bud Dupree, James Conner, Ali Villanueva, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Matt Feiler, Mike Hilton and Zach Banner are amongst the other Steelers headed into the final year of their deals. Although Bouchette is correct that the cap downturn could create an exodus, it's also true that all 32 teams will be in the same boat. Veteran bargains will be a common theme next spring.

SOURCE: The Athletic
Aug 27, 2020, 4:00 PM

[Futureshock]

KALEN BALLAGERB, NEW YORK JETS

Jets acquired RB Kalen Ballage from the Dolphins in exchange for a conditional draft pick.


Just ... why. Ballage is coming off one of the worst running back seasons in NFL history, but since Adam Gase coached him in Miami, he apparently had to have him in New York. Coach and executives' undying allegiance to players they either coached or drafted leads to many bad decisions. It's hard to see where Ballage could earn any work in the Jets' Le'Veon Bell/Frank Gore/Lamical Perine backfield. The conditional pick is likely contingent on Ballage making the 53-man roster, something we doubt happens.


SOURCE: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
Aug 27, 2020, 2:26 PM

[Futureshock]

CARLOS HYDERB, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Carlos Hyde will be a "big factor for us."


Hyde reportedly had a strong scrimmage with starting running back Chris Carson watching on the sideline. At this point, Hyde has established himself as the No. 2 back in Seattle, particularly with Rashaad Penny still working his way back to full health. Expect Hyde to be the insurance to Carson as an early-down grinder with rookie DeeJay Dallas occasionally chipping in on passing downs. Carson should be an RB2 if healthy.

SOURCE: Bob Condotta on Twitter
Aug 26, 2020, 6:38 PM

[TheLondonLion]

Ngokeu to the Vikes. Annoying.

[Cody_Russell]

Leonard Fournette released.
Jags going full on tank for Trevor.
... as a fantasy owner of Fournette last year, I can say he was productive and inefficient at the same time.

Ngokeu to the Vikes. Annoying.

That sucks.
Worried about Big V vs some of the pass rushers in the NFC North.

[Futureshock]

I saw this yesterday and I turned away from sports. I am so tired of BQ and his ultra slow processing. He just won't make it in the NFL. We have a clear need for help there and all he had to do is give up a 2 and a future third day pick?

[Futureshock]

Jaguars releasing Leonard Fournette

Posted by Darin Gantt on August 31, 2020, 8:26 AM EDT

Getty Images

The Jaguars declined Leonard Fournette‘s fifth-year option this offseason, and they decided they didn’t want the fourth year either.

According to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com, the Jaguars are releasing the former first-round running back.

Not only was Fournette the fourth overall pick in 2017, he was taken four spots ahead of Christian McCaffrey, who has gone onto sign a four-year, $64 million contract extension with the Panthers this offseason.

Fournette ran for 1,152 yards last year in 15 games last year, so he should get opportunities (though the Jaguars were unable to trade him).

Ultimately, it’s another sad personnel chapter for a team that has collected talent, but continues to shed it at a rapid rate and hasn’t turned any of those good players into consistent winning.

He'd be a great 3rd back.

[Futureshock]

Reports: Vikings get Yannick Ngakoue for $12 million, with the ability to tag him next year

Posted by Mike Florio on August 30, 2020, 8:31 PM EDT

Getty Images

Yes, Yannick Ngakoue really, truly, badly wanted out of Jacksonville.

Per multiple reports, the final number of the salary Ngakoue will earn from the Vikings in 2020 comes in at $12 million. That’s a $5.788 million reduction, nearly a third of what he would have made this year if he’d stayed with the Jaguars. (Meanwhile, he wouldn’t have paid state income taxes for his eight home games; he’ll pay 9.85 percent for his eight homes games now. That’s another $591,000.)

Despite the pay cut, the Vikings retain the ability to tag Ngakoue in 2021. He’d either get the base franchise tag for defensive ends, which will drop from $17.788 million if the cap drops, down to a minimum of a 20-percent raise over $12 million, or $14.4 million. That 2021 tag also would become the starting point for a long-term deal.

Coincidentally, or not, Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter currently makes $14.4 million per year. Thus, the Ngakoue haircut will make Hunter less inclined to potentially want more money.

If the deal isn’t officially official, it’s possible that someone will realize that, in return for the $5.788 million haircut, Ngakoue should have greater protection under the franchise tag. If it isn’t officially official, it’s also possible that Ngakoue will realize that, for $5.788 million plus the absence of state income taxes for his home games, he should suck it up for one more year in Jacksonville and then become an unrestricted free agent in little more than six months.

[Futureshock]

Jaguars’ defense had six Pro Bowlers in 2017, all are now gone

Posted by Michael David Smith on August 30, 2020, 12:14 PM EDT

Getty Images

Two and a half years ago, the Jaguars had a fourth-quarter lead over the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. The Jaguars would go on to lose, but their future looked bright, thanks to a dominant defense that had six Pro Bowlers.

Today’s trade of Yannick Ngakoue to the Vikings means all six of those Pro Bowlers are now gone.

The Jaguars have moved on from all those Pro Bowlers because of a combination of salary disputes, personal issues and an effort to reshape the roster: Jalen Ramsey was traded to the Rams, A.J. Bouye was traded to the Broncos, Calais Campbell was traded to the Ravens, Malik Jackson was released and now plays for the Eagles and Telvin Smith retired.

The results have not been good. Since a Week Two win over the Patriots in 2018 had some describing the Jaguars as the team of the future in the AFC, Jacksonville is just 9-21.

The Jaguars are a reminder of how quickly things can change in the NFL. Just two years ago tey appeared to have the best young defense in football, and now the building blocks of that defense are gone.