NFL News

[Futureshock]

Packers claim Johnathan Abram

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 9, 2022, 4:17 PM EST

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Former Raiders first-round draft pick Johnathan Abram is heading to Green Bay.

Abram, a safety who was waived by the Raiders yesterday, has been claimed by the Packers today, according to multiple reports.

The Raiders selected Abram with the 27th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft and he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the first game of his rookie year. After that he never became the kind of impact player the Raiders envisioned, and this week they finally decided to move on from him.

The Packers are in need of some help on defense, and they’ll hope that Abram can give them something. Abram, who plays on special teams coverage units, surely got a strong endorsement from Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, who was the special teams coordinator and then interim head coach for the Raiders.

[Mainevent]

Packers place Rashan Gary on injured reserve

Posted by Charean Williams on November 9, 2022, 5:52 PM EST

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The Packers placed linebacker Rashan Gary on injured reserve to make room for the arrival of safety Johnathan Abram. Green Bay claimed Abram off waivers from the Raiders on Wednesday.

Gary is out for the season after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in the team’s loss to the Lions on Sunday.

He leads the Packers in pressures (38), sacks (6), quarterback hits (12) and tackles for loss (7).

Gary has missed only two games in his career.

The Packers also announced they have signed receiver Jeff Cotton to the practice squad.

Cotton, a first-year player out of the University of Idaho, originally signed as an undrafted free agent with Chargers in 2020. He also has spent time with the Jaguars and Cardinals, including a stint on Arizona’s practice squad in September.

Got to hand it to Gary - he's really become high level player, I was very iffy on him coming out, especially the fact that they were asking him to stand-up in a 3-4 D. I thought he was mis-used at DE at Michigan, but I actually thought he'd be better as a 3T, not as a stand up LB. Talent wins out with the right development, as always.

[Futureshock]

Where Will Sean Payton Coach in 2023? 6 Teams That Make the Most Sense

Dallas Robinson - November 9, 2022
Sean Payton will be a hot commodity if he decides to return to the head coaching ranks in 2023. Which teams would represent his best fits next season?
READ STORY

Detroit Lions


Dan Campbell engenders a lot of support thanks to his infectious personality, but it’s safe to say the on-field results haven’t been there during his first season and change with the Lions. He’s just 5-19-1 in the Motor City — if Detroit doesn’t feel he’s the coach to see the Lions into their next phase, they could make a change this offseason.

Detroit’s offense has cooled off since a hot start that saw them average 35 points per game over their first four contests, but this is still an offense that can compete every week. An excellent offensive line buoys a solid run game, and Amon-Ra St. Brown and — when he’s healthy — rookie first-round pick Jameson Williams are dangerous in the aerial attack.

MORE: Offensive Line Power Rankings

Now, take a projected top-five draft pick, select Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, and drop them the Lions’ offense. That’s a package that Payton could get excited about — the opportunity to craft an offense around a franchise quarterback and develop a partnership like the one he enjoyed with Drew Brees.

Issues for a Detroit pitch to Payton? The Lions’ defense is the worst in football, so Payton would have to have a strong defensive coordinator and talent acquisition plan in place. And Detroit — with just three playoff appearances this century — could be guilty of the endless dysfunction Payton specifically wants to avoid.

[jaadam4]

I like MCDC but Sean Payton would be a great hire.

[froot loops]

I think he might be a spent force.

[Cody_Russell]

Can the Lions demote Campbell and bring in Payton as HC? Joking of course…

No idea where Payton will go. Not really any attractive openings ready to win now. Maybe the Panthers would offer a crap ton of money to persuade Payton to coach there. If the Chargers fall apart and miss the playoffs, I’d watch out for that possibility. Sean Payton + Justin Herbert.

[Futureshock]

D.C. Attorney General takes aim at NFL and Commanders for covering up Beth Wilkinson investigation

Posted by Mike Florio on November 10, 2022, 1:29 PM EST

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District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine isn’t simply targeting the Commanders. He’s targeting the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell, too.

Racine announced on Thursday that his office will file a civil lawsuit against the Commanders, owner Daniel Snyder, the NFL, and Goodell. The lawsuit, arising from Racine’s jurisdiction over matters of consumer protection, will allege that the defendants “collud[ed] to deceive residents of the District of Columbia” about the investigation conducted by the NFL.

“The defendants lies about what they knew, and then the defendants lied about what they were going to do about it,” Racine said.

Racine contends that the NFL hid the truth in order to protect the image of the team, and to maximize profits. Racine said the NFL “effectively buried” the findings.

The victims, per Racine, are the citizens of the District of Columbia, based on the lies they’ve been told.

“They have a right to know the truth about the companies they support,” Racine said.

The NFL and the Commanders undoubtedly will fight this lawsuit. While it’s unclear whether it has any merit, one thing should be obvious. The NFL won’t be able to utilize Page One of its litigation playbook — attempt to force the case into the league’s secret, rigged kangaroo court of arbitration.

This means that, unless the NFL can find a way to get the case dismissed before the discovery process begins, people like Snyder and Goodell will be grilled under oath, in sworn depositions.

“The depositions are likely to occur not on a yacht, but in a conference room in the District of Columbia,” Racine said. “Because no one is above the law.”

[jaadam4]

I think he might be a spent force.

Meaning Payton sucks?

[Nick Pappageorgio]

Snyder is a piece of shit….the guy was stealing from his partners and his customers while turning one of the NFL’s flagship franchises into a dumpster fire.

Also…his team lost to the Lions a few weeks ago. That’s gotta be some salt in the wound

[kreton]

Snyder is a piece of shit….the guy was stealing from his partners and his customers while turning one of the NFL’s flagship franchises into a dumpster fire.

Also…his team lost to the Lions a few weeks ago. That’s gotta be some salt in the wound

According to the packers it stings quite a bit.

[froot loops]

Meaning Payton sucks?

No, meaning coaches have a shelf life. He is unlikely to bring the same energy to the Lions that we saw when he went to the Saints.

[Futureshock]

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.

[Futureshock]

Chargers cut 2019 first-round pick Jerry Tillery

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 10, 2022, 8:39 PM EST

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Jerry Tillery‘s tenure with the Chargers has come to an end.

Tillery, a defensive lineman who was the Chargers’ 2019 first-round draft pick, was cut today.

“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,” Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco said in a statement. “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.”

Tillery showed flashes of the talent that led the Chargers to pick him in the first round, but he never put it all together. Chargers coach Brandon Staley said during the offseason that Tillery needed to prove himself, and today’s decision shows that he never did that to the Chargers’ satisfaction.

Like all players released after the trade deadline, Tillery will now go on waivers, where any team can claim him. Despite his lack of production with the Chargers, it’s possible that some team will see that first-round talent and decide to put in a waiver claim. A team that claims him would have to pay him the remainder of his 2022 salary, which is a little over $1 million.

[Futureshock]

He still wouldn't make them better then the Eagles.... Wait, Birds aren't real. WTF...


Cowboys continue to campaign for Odell Beckham as Dak Prescott joins the chorus

Posted by Charean Williams on November 10, 2022, 7:08 PM EST

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Of the teams expected to make a play for Odell Beckham, none have campaigned harder than the Cowboys. That doesn’t mean they will end up with the star receiver, as free agent signings usually come down to money, but the Cowboys have made it clear to Beckham how much they want him.

Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb added their voices to the chorus Thursday.

“Anytime you have a chance to add a talent like that and knowing Odell and knowing his resume, it’s exciting,” Prescott said, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “But also understand it’s a business, and I’m sure there’s 31 other teams that would like to add him as well.”

Well, maybe 29 other teams. The Panthers have Baker Mayfield on their roster, and the Browns cut Beckham a year ago.

But only a handful of teams are Super Bowl contenders, and some of those are set at the position. That leaves the Cowboys as one of a few teams with a need and with a good enough chance to win a Super Bowl as to interest Beckham.

The Cowboys could use Beckham after trading Amari Cooper this offseason. James Washington has yet to return after undergoing foot surgery in training camp, leaving Lamb, Michael Gallup and Noah Brown as the top-three wideouts for the team. Gallup has played five games since his return from a torn ACL on Jan. 2.

“That’s my boy. I’m a fan of Odell,” Lamb said. “Why wouldn’t you want to add more firepower to the offense?”

[Futureshock]

NFL calls lawsuit filed by D.C. AG Karl Racine “legally unsound and factually baseless”

Posted by Mike Florio on November 10, 2022, 5:16 PM EST

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The Commanders weren’t the only ones to issue a statement in response to the lawsuit filed on Thursday by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine. The NFL, which along with Commissioner Roger Goodell was named as a defendant to the lawsuit, also has issued a statement.

“The independent investigation into workplace misconduct at the Washington Commanders was thoroughly and comprehensively conducted by Beth Wilkinson and her law firm,” Chief NFL Spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “Following the completion of the investigation, the NFL made public a summary of Ms. Wilkinson’s findings and imposed a record-setting fine against the club and its ownership.

“We reject the legally unsound and factually baseless allegations made today by the D.C. Attorney General against the NFL and Commissioner Goodell and will vigorously defend against those claims.”

The issue isn’t whether the league conducted an investigation or imposed punishment for it. The issue is why the league didn’t have Wilkinson prepare a report, and why the league stubbornly has refused to disclose any of the facts that Wilkinson determined to be true — or any recommendations she would have made in writing on what to do with Commanders owner Daniel Snyder.

As previously reported, she would have recommended that Snyder be forced to sell the team.

Instead, the league brushed all of it under the rug, clumsily and brazenly arguing that a request for anonymity from some of the employees who cooperated necessitated all facts to be forever hidden. Now, Racine wants to force all of it into the sunlight.

The Commanders seem to have no problem with it; “The public needs to know the truth,” they said. Let’s take them at their word and welcome the full disclosure of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.