NFL News

[Futureshock]

Chargers Waive DL Jerry Tillery


November 10th, 2022 at 7:42pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers have moved on from a former first-round pick. The team announced that they’ve waived defensive lineman Jerry Tillery.



The Notre Dame product was selected by the Chargers with the 28th-overall pick in 2019. The defensive lineman had a difficult time carving out a consistent role in Los Angeles through his three-plus seasons with the organization. After serving as a backup during his rookie campaign, he started 26 games between 2020 and 2021. He’s been back to a situational role in 2022, starting none of his seven appearances. He’s collected eight tackles and one sack this year, and had he earned enough snaps, he would have graded as a middle-of-the-road interior defender, per Pro Football Focus (with the site giving him a nod for his pass-rush ability).

Tillery’s Chargers career will end with him having collected 106 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles in 54 games (29 starts). The 26-year-old had his fifth-year option declined back in May, so the team won’t be on the hook for any future money. If a team claims Tillery off waivers, they’ll be responsible for paying the $1MM-plus remaining on his pact for this season.

“Jerry has been a valued member of our organization since arriving in 2019, and I want to thank him for all his contributions to the Chargers,” said general manager Tom Telesco (via the team’s website). “This was not an easy decision but, after careful consideration, it was a necessary one that is in the best interest of both team and player. We wish Jerry all the best moving forward in his career.”

The Chargers brought in a number of defensive linemen this past offseason, including Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, Morgan Fox, and rookie Otito Ogbonnia. That grouping will be more than capable of soaking up Tillery’s defensive snaps.

[Nick Pappageorgio]

I seen no downside to taking a flier on Tillery

[edindetroit]

But, of course, they won't.

[Nick Pappageorgio]

This is the time when the team should be taking risks like that.

[CGVT]

Benjamin St.-Juste: Commanders could use a “fresh start”

Posted by Mike Florio on November 10, 2022, 9:10 PM EST

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In 21-plus years of PFT, the stories we’ve share based on quotes from NFL players have always originally been provided in English. Tonight, that’s changing.

Commanders cornerback Benjamin St.-Juste, a Quebec native, gave an interview in his native tongue to a French-language newspaper. The folks at Audacy.com used Google Translate to convert the words into English. Here’s what the second-year defensive back had to say about the ongoing turmoil with his team.

“Since I arrived here, it’s been a dark cloud over our organization,” St.-Juste told Le Journal de Quebec. “Every time there is something good happening on the pitch, something bad is happening off it. It would give us great energy to have a fresh start and regain the confidence of the fans.”

It’s the strongest comment yet from any Commanders player regarding the impact of the chronic dysfunction, and regarding the value of turning the page with new ownership.

Kudos to St.-Juste for speaking the truth. Hopefully, some of his teammates will feel sufficiently emboldened to follow suit. As recent events have made entirely clear, the sooner Daniel Snyder sells the franchise, the better off the franchise will be.

The fucker has no credibility. He called a football field a pitch.

[Futureshock]

Maybe this explains why the Lions have an extraordinary amount of injuries. IDK...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sherman-n...074634856.html
Sherman, NFLPA call for immediate removal of slit-film turf at Paycor, five other venues

During Amazon Prime Video's "TNF Nightcap," Michael Smith discussed a "player-safety battle brewing between the league and the NFL Players Association," and a letter the NFLPA and board of player representatives sent to the NFL urging it to immediately remove slit-film turf surfaces being used by at six NFL stadiums, including the Bengals' home field.

Some argue that there is a significant difference in non-contact lower extremity injuries that have occurred on slit-film turf surfaces - used by the Bengals, the New York Giants and Jets (MetLife Stadium), Indianapolis Colts (Lucas Oil Stadium), Detroit Lions (Ford Field), Minnesota Vikings (U.S. Bank Stadium) and New Orleans Saints (Caesars Superdome) - compared to other turfs and natural grass surfaces.

"Statistically, there are higher in-game injury rates compared to other surfaces," Smith said. "Missed-time injuries, lower-extremity injuries, foot and ankle injuries."

[jaadam4]

Could be

[Nick Pappageorgio]

I wonder if any of these players have even seen old school astroturf?

The silver dome was concrete worth a thin layer of plastic putting green over it. I remember going to a football camp there in HS and couldn’t believe anyone would play on that.

[Fraquar]

I wonder if any of these players have even seen old school astroturf?

The silver dome was concrete worth a thin layer of plastic putting green over it. I remember going to a football camp there in HS and couldn’t believe anyone would play on that.

The Silverdome was a Posturepedic Mattress compared to Veterans Stadium in PA.....

[Futureshock]

Packers add Aubrey Pleasant to coaching staff

Posted by Myles Simmons on November 14, 2022, 11:31 AM EST

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A couple of weeks ago, the Lions fired their defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant.

But it didn’t take long for Pleasant to find a new job with a familiar face, all while sticking in the same division.

According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, Pleasant has joined the Packers as an assistant coach.

Though Pleasant has been a defensive coach in the league, he’s working with head coach Matt LaFleur on the offensive side to provide a defensive perspective. Pleasant and LaFleur previously worked together on Washington’s staff under Mike Shanahan and with the Rams in 2017 under Sean McVay.

Demovsky noted Pleasant joined the Packers last week, not long after the Lions let him go.

Green Bay is now 4-6 after defeating Dallas in overtime on Sunday. The Packers will take on the Titans this Thursday night at home.

[Futureshock]

Research shows “statistically significant higher risk” of lower extremity injuries on slit-film turf

Posted by Mike Florio on November 14, 2022, 10:25 AM EST

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The NFL has stirred up a hornet’s nest regarding the question of field safety.

It started last week, with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones trying to argue that artificial turf fields are every bit as safe as grass fields. The NFL, during a media conference call scheduled primarily to talk about the looming game in Germany, cited specific statistics that tend to.support Jones’s position. (Note: There’s almost always a specific statistic that will tend to support any position.)

On Saturday, the NFL Players Association fired back. NFLPA president JC Tretter posted a column with a series of action items, including a plea to remove all “slit-film” turf fields.

Many had never before heard that term. Seven of the league’s 32 teams (the Giants, Jets, Lions, Vikings, Saints, Colts, and Bengals) use slit-film turf. Slit-film also is used at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

“The injuries on slit film are completely avoidable — both the NFL and NFLPA experts agree on the data — and yet the NFL will not protect players from a subpar surface,” Tretter wrote.

Tretter’s column was followed by a social-media campaign from numerous players, who spoke out about the issue of field safety.

The NFL fired back on Saturday afternoon, with NFL executive V.P. of communications, public affairs, and safety Jeff Miller claiming slit-film surfaces “have 2-3 more injuries per year, most of them are ankle sprains — a low-burden injury — whereas slit film also sees a lower rate of fewer high-burden ACL injuries compared to other synthetic fields.” Miller added that “the league and NFLPA’s joint experts did not recommend any changes to surfaces at the meeting but agreed more study is needed.”

The NFLPA, which has yet to formally respond to Miller, would surely take issue with his statement. PFT has obtained a slide prepared recently by Biocore, an outside firm that provides engineering analysis for both the league and the union.

In the slide, Biocore explains that “slit-film has a statistically significant higher risk of LEX [lower extremity] injury than the League average,” explaining that independent analyses from Biocore and IQVIA agree on that point. The slide also says that “models suggest there are 2-3 more non-contact lower extremity injuries per season per stadium on slit film surfaces than other types of synthetic turf fields.”

Finally, the slide asserts that, when teams are considering new and replacement fields, “existing natural and synthetic surfaces in use in the League offer lower injury rate alternatives to slit-film.”

This is a conclusion from a company hired by the league and the union. And it’s not 2-3 injuries per year; it’s 2-3 injuries per stadium per year.

The problem with slit-film turf comes from the construction of the various fake blades of grass. Instead of a single blade of fake grass (monofilament), slit-film has openings in the pieces, creating a potential risk of cleats catching in the material.

And so, even if it’s impractical to retrofit domed stadium with grass, the six slit-film turf surfaces (the Giants and Jets share one of them) in the U.S. and the slit-film turf in London should be replaced ASAP with monofilament fields, in the opinion of the union.

Other than cost, what’s the argument against it? Then again, from the perspective of those who pay the bills, cost may be the only argument that is needed.

Ultimately, football is business. It’s a business premised on maximizing profit. And it’s no coincidence that the field regarded as the best and most pristine, despite its location, is maintained by the one team that doesn’t have an owner who eyeballs the net revenues for buying the next generation of superyacht.

[Nick Pappageorgio]

I read that earlier….I want to hear the response from the NFLPA. The article is critical of the NFL’s response but doesn’t refute it.

If what the NFL is saying is actually true…it creates a chicken-and-egg conundrum: Is it better to have less injuries overall….or is it better to have more injuries overall BUT less severe injuries? I understand the mentality behind sprains/strains are better than tears.

[Tom]

Eno Benjamin was released by the Cardinals. Would he be worth a look for the Lions?

https://sports.yahoo.com/cardinals-reportedly-released-rb-eno-benjamin-who-started-three-games-this-season-210544207.html

[froot loops]

A lot of these guys getting released might be worth a shot at looking at for the Lions but they are hard against the cap. They have to be somewhat selective because the free money they have needs to get them through the season. It's easier for them to sign him to the PS if he clears waivers so you could elevate him.

[Futureshock]

Emotional Ron Rivera tells Commanders’ locker room, “My mother would have been proud”

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 15, 2022, 4:52 AM EST

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Commanders coach Ron Rivera’s mother died two weeks ago, and after Monday night’s win over the Eagles, Rivera let his emotions show.

Rivera stood in the middle of the locker room to address the team but became too choked up to speak. He finally said only, “My mother would have been proud,” before stopping.

The Commanders posted video of their postgame locker room, which showed wide receiver and team captain Terry McLaurin taking over to address the team after Rivera couldn’t.

“You can see how much that means to him. It means a lot to everyone in this locker room,” McLaurin said.

Although Rivera was emotional, the Commanders’ locker room was celebratory, and with good reason: They just beat the NFL’s last undefeated team, they improved their record to 5-5, and they’ve now won four of their last five games. The Commanders are playoff contenders.