NFL News

[Nick Pappageorgio]

My thoughts on that one are:

1) it was a dumb idea to schedule joint practices between the two teams who just played in the super bowl…too many feelings still raw.
2) joint practices are described as a “free for all” by many players….there is a ton of shit going down between guys who a fighting for high paying jobs.
3) while swinging helmets could be described as excessive…i’ve not heard anyone ask why he was so pissed, it’s quite possible (even probable) that someone was doing dirty shit to him…..which is probably what set him off.

if you’re going to schedule an unregulated and unofficiated battle royal between a bunch of guys where there’s probably already bad blood and some are fighting for millions of dollars in contract money….isn’t this to be expected? This isn’t professional backgammon

to paraphrase Chris Rock….I don’t condone the behavior but I understand.

[Forsh]

I'd rather have Rosen than Sudfeld

[edindetroit]

Boy. You are out of touch. They have talent spread all over their roster of 1st and second round players. Sprinkled around high priced FAs. They and Cincy are the most talented teams in that division. And yes, I know who the other 2 teams are.

They have talent for sure with all those draft picks they had. The team itself though seems disfunctional.

[Futureshock]

A lot of that was coaching AND youth

They're actually younger then the Lions.

[Futureshock]

Oh, and history.

We'll be fighting against that too

[Futureshock]

Jimmy Garoppolo says he didn’t try to force release because he doesn’t like to “ruffle feathers”

Posted by Mike Florio on September 1, 2022, 10:37 PM EDT

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49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be staying with the 49ers, after slashing his 2022 pay by more than $19 million. There’s a lingering question as to why he didn’t just force his way out by showing up at the outset of camp and insisting on being included in practice — practice at which he could have suffered a season-ending injury that would have put the team on the hook for his full $25.62 million salary.

“That just wasn’t the way I wanted to go,” Garoppolo said. “There was a thought of that at one point, trust me there was, but that came and went and I don’t know things just kind of kept falling into place. And I’m one of those people that I don’t really want to ruffle the feathers too much here and there and I kind of want to just go with the flow. And that’s kind of the way the training camp was going and I was happy with it. And like I said, things worked out and I’m happy now.”

As we’ve suggested on PFT Live, the 49ers knew that Garoppolo isn’t a fan o confrontation, and that the team used it against him. It was one of the key ingredients in the 49ers being able to get him to agree to reduce his base salary all the way to $6.5 million.

While, at this point, it’s a win-win for the 49ers and Garoppolo, it would have potentially been a bigger win for Garoppolo, if he’d forced his way out in late July. But he’s not wired that way, the 49ers knew it, and they used that knowledge to their advantage in order to get Garoppolo to choose to stay put.

[Futureshock]

Brett Favre has been questioned by FBI in Mississippi welfare-money scandal

Posted by Mike Florio on September 1, 2022, 8:14 PM EDT

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Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre continues to deal with a legal entanglement that could blossom into a full blown mess, the likes of which he has never seen.

Favre’s involvement with a Mississippi welfare-money scandal continues. And it has reached a new level. According to NBC News, Favre’s lawyer says that Favre has been questioned by the FBI.

Favre received $1.1 million in federal welfare funds for alleged money-for-nothing speaking engagements. He eventually paid the money back, even though he insisted that he did nothing wrong. He was sued for interest on the money he received.

Favre has not been accused of any crime. But it’s never ideal to be questioned by the FBI.

During the summer, Mississippi fired lawyer Brad Pigott, at a time when he was trying to get more information about the involvement of Favre and former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant in the scandal.

Also, Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson sent a letter this month to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting that the Department of Justice focus on Favre and Bryant.

Based on the news that the FBI has interviewed Favre, maybe they are.

[Futureshock]

Week 1 opponent


Andre Dillard fractures forearm in Thursday’s practice

Posted by Charean Williams on September 1, 2022, 7:30 PM EDT

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The Eagles lost backup left tackle Andre Dillard in Thursday’s practice. The former first-round draft choice has a nondisplaced fracture in his forearm, NFL Media reports.

Dillard is undergoing further testing, but the expectation is that he will be available for most of the season, according to Mike Garafolo.

The Eagles received calls with trade interest for Dillard, but the team kept him for depth purposes. He started four games starter Jordan Mailata missed with a knee injury last season and did not allow a sack.

Dillard is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He has not lived up to the expectations that came with being the 22nd overall selection in 2019, starting only nine games with 31 total appearances.

The Eagles have undrafted rookie Josh Sills on their active roster and Le'Raven Clark on the practice squad, with Clark a likely replacement. Clark has played 51 games with 16 starts in his career, including one start for the Eagles last season.

[Futureshock]

Cardinals put Antonio Hamilton on NFI list after reported cooking accident

Posted by Josh Alper on September 1, 2022, 5:25 PM EDT

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The kitchen has reportedly proved to be a more dangerous place for Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton than the football field.

Hamilton has been out of action with an undisclosed injury and the team placed him on the non-football injury list on Thursday. NFL Media reports that the injury was the result of a cooking accident at Hamilton’s home, but the precise nature of the injury remains unknown.

In addition to the Hamilton move, the Cardinals also moved wide receiver Antoine Wesley (groin) and safety Charles Washington (chest) to the injured reserve list. All three players will have to miss at least four games before they will be eligible to return to the active roster.

The Cardinals filled the roster spots by signing long snapper Aaron Brewer, tight end Stephen Anderson and cornerback Christian Matthew. All three were cut by the team this week.

Arizona also brought linebacker Devon Kennard back to their practice squad. Safety Steven Parker, safety Josh Thomas and offensive lineman Badara Traore are joining Kennard on that roster.

[Futureshock]

Week 1 opponent:

Eagles claim Trey Sermon off waivers

Posted by Michael David Smith on September 1, 2022, 4:12 PM EDT

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Trey Sermon is now an Eagle.

Sermon, the running back who was waived by the 49ers yesterday, was claimed by the Eagles today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

The 49ers’ decision to trade up to select Sermon in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft turned out to be a big mistake, as he lasted just one year in San Francisco and ran for just 167 yards. But the Eagles apparently think he’s talented enough to make an impact on their offense.

The 49ers said they were still high on Sermon but ultimately cut him because undrafted rookie running back Jordan Mason played too well not to get a roster spot, making Sermon the odd man out. Now Sermon will see if he can make an impact in Philadelphia.

[JGSpartan]

My thoughts on that one are:

1) it was a dumb idea to schedule joint practices between the two teams who just played in the super bowl…too many feelings still raw.
2) joint practices are described as a “free for all” by many players….there is a ton of shit going down between guys who a fighting for high paying jobs.
3) while swinging helmets could be described as excessive…i’ve not heard anyone ask why he was so pissed, it’s quite possible (even probable) that someone was doing dirty shit to him…..which is probably what set him off.

if you’re going to schedule an unregulated and unofficiated battle royal between a bunch of guys where there’s probably already bad blood and some are fighting for millions of dollars in contract money….isn’t this to be expected? This isn’t professional backgammon

to paraphrase Chris Rock….I don’t condone the behavior but I understand.

I agree that fighting in that environment is understandable and that they are essentially set up to fail. I still feel the use of a helmet as a weapon was an avoidable line that shouldn't have been crossed.

If the message the Rams put forth (because the league is powerless to do anything atm) isn’t a strong one it's a great disservice to all players who aren't Aaron Donald.

[Futureshock]

Like I reported before, The CIN OG snatched off and threw a LAR helmet and Donald snatched off 2 and went into Whack-a-Mole mode.

Both deserve to be suspended

[Futureshock]

PFT’s Week One 2022 NFL power rankings

Posted by Mike Florio on September 6, 2022, 9:32 AM EDT

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1. Rams: Good news, the defending champs always start on top. Bad news, there’s only one direction to go.

2. Buccaneers: It feels like Tom Brady‘s last ride. And it has always felt as if he’s destined to walk away with a trophy under his arm.

3. Bills: They’re carrying the target of a Super Bowl winner without getting to the game in nearly 30 years.

4. Chiefs: How are they not more widely regarded to be ready to get right back to where they’ve been for four straight years?...

5. Packers: With a depleted receiver room, the Cheeseheads soon may pivot to ayahuasca.

6. Bengals: Will 80-percent turnover make the offensive line better? It can’t really be much worse than it was in the postseason.

7. 49ers: If they can get adequate performance from the quarterback position and avoid a rash of key injuries, they could make it back to the Super Bowl.

8. Titans: Is this Ryan Tannehill‘s last chance to take the Titans to the next level?

9. Eagles: Five years after winning a Super Bowl, they’re ready to contend again.

10. Cowboys: Can they win in the playoffs this year? First, they have to get back there.


...23. Panthers: They’ve got the talent to contend. Which will only make the seat even hotter for the coaching staff.

24. Washington: This is Carson Wentz‘s last chance to be an NFL starter. Will that be enough to get him to stop being reckless with the ball?

25. Seahawks: The presence of Pete Carroll forces us to take them more seriously. Even then, it feels like they’ll have a hard time — especially in a tough division.

26. Falcons: Matt Ryan was the cornerstone of the franchise since 2008. How will they not take a step back without him?

27. Giants: It’s going to take more than a year to fumigate the roster.

28. Lions: Can they climb the ladder? Absolutely. Will they? We’ll see.

29. Jaguars: If they were in the NFC, they’d be a fringe playoff contender. In the AFC, there are just too many good teams.

30. Bears: They’re tearing it down to build it up. It may take a while to build it up.



I definitely believe them to be better then CAR, SEA, ATL and the NYG. I also think PHI is better then they're getting

[Futureshock]

Jerry Jones: We have to ease Jason Peters along

Posted by Josh Alper on September 6, 2022, 9:58 AM EDT

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The Cowboys officially signed veteran tackle Jason Peters on Monday, but they don’t plan to have him on the field against the Buccaneers on Sunday night.

During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that the signing allows the team to “be in manageable shape” at left tackle and stressed the need to take things slowly with Peters after he was away from football for the entire offseason.

“We want to be prudent and recognize this isn’t his first year. In other words, we’ve got to ease him along,” Jones said.

Jones said that Peters’ playing time will be determined by how he looks in practices and by how rookie Tyler Smith looks in his first regular season action. Jones also said he thinks Peters’ experience will help Smith make the transition to the NFL and that process will begin in earnest in the days leading up to the matchup with Tampa.

[Futureshock]

Aaron Donald still isn’t saying much about his helmet-swinging

Posted by Mike Florio on September 6, 2022, 12:03 AM EDT

USA TODAY Sports

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald spoke to reporters on Monday, for the first time since an ugly incident during a joint practice with the Bengals that had Donald swinging orange helmets, one in each hand.

He didn’t have anything more to say than he did during last week’s media tour. (Which wasn’t very much.)

“My main focus is Buffalo right now,” Donald said. “I’m happy nobody got hurt in the practice, but my main focus is Thursday night against Buffalo right now.”

He was asked whether he understands it could have been a dangerous situation.

“Yeah, for sure,” he said. “Everybody protected each other, everybody got out of the situation clean, healthy. So that’s what matters. [I’m] ready for Week One.”

But Donald wasn’t protecting anyone when he was slamming helmets against them. He was on the offensive, and he’s lucky he didn’t seriously harm someone, or worse.

Donald also was reminded that he’s a role model, and he was asked if he heard from his kids about the situation.

“My kids didn’t see,” he said.

Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris also met with reporters on Monday. He was a bit more talkative, but the underlying message from the entire organization is the same — it was a practice, no one got hurt, and what do you expect us to do when the guy who did it is Aaron Donald?

“The greatest thing about it is our guys know the difference between practice and the games,” Morris said. “It’s really important to know that. We like to practice like pros, like professionals, practice how we play. The whole thing with it is you never let anybody cross the line. When things cross the line, sometimes things get out of the way. The team disciplined him internally without a doubt. He had a conversation with Sean [McVay]. We take all those things very seriously. [Donald] is very close to the vest kind of guy. I just supported everything that we did with Sean, [Donald] and everything that we had to do to contribute. For me, talking to him is just making sure that we don’t cross the lines when the games go down. That’s my role and responsibility and all that stuff. I think we kind of understand that. He’s been a pro for a long time. I think our young guys will understand that. I think he’s respected so much in our locker room and in locker rooms across the league. I think that we all know what that looks like.”

We all definitely know what it looks like when he blows a fuse in practice. And, frankly, he has blown that same fuse more than a few times during games. Though not to the same extent, Donald has been chippy to the point of being on the wrong side of the line a time or two during his career. His greatness usually gets him a pass.

Morris seemed to realize that Donald clearly crossed the line, even if Morris wouldn’t or couldn’t say it as bluntly as it needed to be said.

“You don’t want to swing a helmet ever, just at anybody in general, but there’s been some helmets ripped off at times,” Morris said. “You never ever want to do those things. You don’t want to have that on the resume. You don’t want to have that on paper. You don’t want to have that on a look. But at the same time, those things happen in practices. They’re mistakes, they’re errors and they’re correctable when it happens at these times.”

A missed assignment is a mistake. A dropped pass is a mistake. A bad read by the quarterback is a mistake. Donald allowed his anger to compel him to do something that should never happen, anywhere. Practice, game, locker room, parking lot. It falls beyond the limits of anything that ever should be deemed acceptable in football, and it’s bullshit (frankly) that the Rams are tiptoeing around it in the name of having him available for Week One against the Bills.

He shouldn’t have been “talked to,” or whatever they did to discipline. (Since they won’t say what they did, we’ll assume they didn’t do much.) He should have been suspended. Everybody knows it. The Rams surely do, too. That’s the only way to make sure every player knows that certain lines can’t be crossed, regardless of whatever lame excuse the player’s team may offer to justify not taking the action that absolutely should have been taken.

The message is simple, and clear as crystal. Certain players are good enough to get away with this. As a result, certain players will do it, from time to time. And when someone ends up with a fractured skull after getting whacked over the head with a helmet swung by a player who believes he’s sufficiently important to the team to not be properly punished for doing it, no one should act surprised.
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I agree with this, however, why is no one talking about the CIN OG that started it? They BOTH should be at least fined. LAR know Donald is a hot head and they don't want to "lose" him so of course no one on their end will do anything unless forced to. They are going for it all again and don't GAF about the league as a whole or other player's safety.