The Arizona Cardinals announced Wednesday they signed cornerback Carrington Byndom and defensive tackle Olsen Pierre to their practice squad.

Pierre signed with the Chicago Bears in May as a rookie free agent out of Miami. The 6-foot-5, 293-pound defensive lineman remained with the team until he was released on Aug. 30. In four seasons with the Hurricanes he appeared in 44 games, tallying 96 tackles, 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Byndom and Pierre will take the place of cornerback Leon McFadden, who was claimed by the New York Giants, and defensive end Lawrence Okoye, who was released by the Cardinals.


(arizonasports.com)

Falcons wideout/returner Devin Hester has ditched his walking boot and expects to return in Week 13 at Tampa Bay, reports Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.

The bout with turf toe eventually forced the team to place Hester on the IR/designated-to-return list after the first four weeks, pushing back his initial appearance of 2015.



(cbssports.com)

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave plans to have rookie Clive Walford watch footage of a few other tight ends in the NFL this offseason.

That list will almost surely include San Diego's Antonio Gates, the eight-time Pro Bowl tight end who Walford will get a firsthand look at this week when the Raiders play the Chargers.

For now, however, Oakland's coaches only want Walford to focus on continuing to catch up with the rest of the offense after the third-round draft pick missed large chunks of training camp with a variety of injuries.

Walford showed he's getting close in the Raiders' Week 5 loss to Denver when he caught a pass from quarterback Derek Carr, broke a tackle and turned it into a 33-yard reception that set up Oakland's only touchdown of the day.

It was only one play but the Raiders hope it's the beginning of something more important.

''It felt great to actually go out there and make a play for the team,'' Walford said. ''It's a matter of being comfortable out there. By me making that play hopefully the coaches can see that I'm capable of doing big things and my snaps will increase.''

Oakland scored 64 points in back-to-back wins over Baltimore and Cleveland but has scored just 30 points in the two games since then. Some of the problems on offense have stemmed from opponents doing a better job of defending wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree.

The Raiders' tight ends as a group haven't been much involved in the passing game. They've caught just 16 passes through five games, nine by Mychal Rivera. Lee Smith, the more accomplished blocker of the three, has four receptions while Walford has three.

Gates, who recently returned to the Chargers after sitting out the first four weeks while serving an NFL suspension for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, has 18 catches in the past two games alone.

Musgrave, who is in his first season as Oakland's offensive coordinator, believes Walford could learn from watching tape of Gates. He just doesn't want his rookie tight end getting distracted by it now.

''During the season he's really focused on our side of the ball,'' Musgrave said Thursday. ''Our game plan . definitely in the offseason we have projects and we'll have projects where we can study guys to glean from their successes. Antonio Gates would be a very good candidate (to watch).''

While Smith is used primarily as an extra blocker and Rivera is the more polished receiver of the two, Walford is a hybrid of both. He's got the size (6-foot-4, 250 pounds) and strength to go against defensive linemen coupled with speed and reliable hands that helped Walford catch 121 passes for more than 1,700 yards in college.

Oakland coach Jack Del Rio fully expects Walford's role in the offense to continue to grow now that he's healthy.

''I think he's a guy that will begin to emerge more and more,'' Del Rio said. ''He's a good size guy that is a very capable blocker, who is also a guy who has the athleticism to be a threat as a route runner. So when you combine those things, you feel like he's got a lot of upside in terms of being a complete tight end, a guy who can do a little bit of both. Good to see him getting more involved and we'll continue to look for ways to do that.''


(foxsports.com)

Vince Wilfork lost just three games during the entirety of his stellar three-year career at the University of Miami.

This year’s Miami Hurricanes are on the verge of potentially losing their third game this month, with powerhouse Clemson coming to town this Saturday.

Now with the Texans after spending his first 11 seasons with the Patriots, Wilfork shared his views on the state of the Canes’ football program during a conference call with the Miami media in advance of Sunday’s Texans-Dolphins game.

“That’s one of those things where no matter where we go we’re gonna always be Hurricanes,” Wilfork said, “but it’s time for us to start winning the big ones. I’m not blaming nobody down there but there’s a certain level of play that is acceptable down there and right now, for me, I haven’t been happy for 11 years now being in the league, and there’s a lot of guys who feel the same way as me. But we’ll never turn our back on our Hurricanes. Hopefully sooner rather than later we can get it going and get it fixed. But we’re running out of time.

“You’ve got a lot of frustrated Hurricanes that’s in the league and that played in the league. We’re frustrated because that’s not the type of football we’re used to seeing and we’re just waiting for it to get back to where it used to be. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Like all former players of this once prestigious program, big Vince is yearning for his program to thrive again. Dropping a juggernaut like Clemson this weekend would be a nice start.


(miami.cbslocal.com)

Chiefs fans haven't had much to cheer about through a five-game losing streak.

They should rise together to applaud Allen Bailey, though. On a team chock full of underperforming stars, he's been the surprise All-Pro candidate.

Consider the sacking talent on this Chiefs team with Justin Houston et. all. But Bailey, a 3-4 defensive end, currently has more quarterback takedowns than his newly-extended linebacking teammate.

And Houston doesn't play the run nearly as well as Bailey does. He leverages his gigantic, 6-foot-3 frame for a bull rush that few NFLers can block.

Bailey was extended at a minimal rate last offseason. It could be a steal of a deal to team him with a healthier Dontari Poe for years to come.


(foxsports.com)

Bailey is ridiculously strong. How many times have you seen Peterson stopped dead and knocked backwards like this? pic.twitter.com/m9rljwJEfh

— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) October 21, 2015

Bailey is too strong (and low) for the RT. Pushes him back (good hand placement), then whips All Day to the ground. pic.twitter.com/cogfxMnivH

— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) October 21, 2015

If you let Allen Bailey get into your pads, you're going to lose. Grown man strength, he's got. Push you, he will. pic.twitter.com/Cqh8qY6NBT

— Seth Keysor (@RealMNchiefsfan) October 19, 2015

Brandon Meriweather uses his shoulder to give Jordan Matthews the gift of flight pic.twitter.com/fftLMmBcpA

— The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) October 20, 2015

Jaguars right guard Brandon Linder is back in the team's facility this week.

Linder's second season with the Jaguars ended on Oct. 5 when the team put him on injured reserve. The 23-year-old Linder tore the labrum in his left shoulder during practice on Sept. 23. He played in a loss at New England four days later before being shut down for the season.

Linder had surgery on Oct. 7.

"The first couple days were bad, but it was something I had to get fixed," Linder said. "I am pleased with what they're telling me. I'm happy with the surgery and am on the road to recovery. I've got to stay positive."

Linder is expected to be fully recovered in six months.

"That's pretty standard," Linder said. "I should be set to go in May."

Linder, the team's third-round pick in 2014, has started 18 games in his career. He is considered the best offensive lineman on the roster.


(jacksonville.com)

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- Miami Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon says he has been fined by the NFL for a late, low hit on Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota and plans to appeal.

Vernon declined to say Wednesday how much he was fined. He hit the Tennessee rookie's knee Sunday and was criticized afterward by Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt, who said it appeared Vernon was trying to hurt Mariota.


(foxnews.com)

Jerry Olsavsky smiles when you ask him about the talent he has at inside linebacker. Lawrence Timmons. Ryan Shazier. Sean Spence. Vince Williams. All players who have started for the Steelers. Add in Terence Garvin and the position is stacked.

That depth has come in handy as Shazier has missed the last four games with a shoulder injury, and Spence stepped in to start and Williams saw significant playing time.

“That is a great problem to have,” said Olsavsky. “You can never have enough good football players. You need everyone you can get. My goal is those guys in my room I am going to give them everything however they need it, not how I want to give it to them. That is how I have been doing it.

“Inside linebackers, we stand in front of the huddle, we set the defense, those things are important. That starts everyone off for the play. These are guys who can handle the job. I have really good guys in my room and it’s hard not to be happy.”

Timmons leads the team in tackles with 44, Spence is sixth with 25 tackles. Shazier, who Coach Mike Tomlin expects to return to action this week, is seventh with 22 despite missing time, and Williams has 16 stops.

“I feel like our corps of linebackers can be the best corps of linebackers in the NFL,” said Shazier. “Me Timmons, Vince, Spence, and Terence. I feel like we can be the best group in the NFL. We have to keep working and feed off each other.”

The talent level at the position makes for great competition in practice, helping each of them continually grow. 

“Just our backgrounds make us competitive,” said Spence. “All of us come from big Division I colleges where competition is high. It’s the same here, guys are talented and we push each other.

“The competition pushes you a lot. You see a guy make a play and you want to come back and make one. They see you make a play they want to come back and make one. It’s pushing us in the right direction to be great as a linebacker unit and a defense.”


(steelers.com)

Giants middle linebacker Jon Beason was back on Monday night after suffering a concussion the previous week, but his role was limited.

Beason split snaps at middle linebacker with Uani Unga during a 27-7 loss to the Eagles. Unga was on the field for 40 defensive plays, Beason 38.

Unga handled most of the passing downs when the Giants were in their nickel defense with three cornerbacks on the field. This seems to be a trend. Even before Beason suffered the concussion early in the previous week's game (on the fifth play) against the 49ers, Unga was on the field with the nickel defense.

Some of this is a result of Beason having trouble staying healthy and being in playing shape. He struggled with a knee injury before the concussion.

But with Unga showing a knack for making plays (he had seven tackles and a forced fumbled), it seems fair to wonder if the platoon will continue even when Beason, 30, is back at full strength. It's possible at this point of Beason's career – when he's not great in pass coverage anyway – that he's a part-time middle linebacker.


(nj.com)

Well, this is more like it. After catching two passes for a total of 5 yards in his first four games, rookie tight end Clive Walford broke free in the Raiders’ last game.

It was just one catch for 33 yards, in the loss to the Broncos before the bye week, but Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio hopes it was the tip of the iceberg.

“Yeah, no question about it,” said Del Rio, whose 2-3 team plays the Chargers (2-4) in San Diego on Sunday. “I think he’s a guy that will begin to emerge more and more. You look at some of the young players that we’ve been working hard to bring along: Mario Edwards, Neiron (Ball), Clive.

“Some of these guys that have been growing here with us, developing. We’re going to count on them to be big contributors for the remainder of the season.”

Walford broke free across the middle and then made a defender miss after the catch on the 33-yard reception against Denver.

“Felt great,” Walford said, “to actually go out and make a play for the team.”

The third-round pick from Miami looked good in offseason workouts before dealing with both a hamstring and then a knee injury in training camp.

“It was tough mentally because I wanted to be out there so bad,” Walford said. “Watching my guys play without me was kind of bothering me. But the worst thing you can do is rush back and then have another setback.”

Walford (6-foot-4, 250 pounds) is seen as a combination of both a catching and a blocking tight end, whereas the coaching staff sees Mychal Rivera and Lee Smith, respectively, as one or the other.

Walford is “a good-size guy that is a very capable blocker, who is also a guy who has the athleticism to be a threat as a route runner,” Del Rio said. “So when you combine those things, you feel like he’s got a lot of upside in terms of being a complete tight end, a guy who can do a little bit of both.”

The plan was — and is again — for Walford to stretch the defense down the middle, and further complement new receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper in what is now the league’s 15th-ranked passing attack.

“He’s a big-play guy,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “We saw it in college. In big games, he made big plays.”

Carr added that it will be harder for defenses to double-team either Crabtree or Cooper the more Walford does.

“I think that stuff will open up for those guys,” Carr said.


(sfgate.com)

One of the highlights from the Giants' loss to the Eagles didn't take place on the field on Monday night. It happened on the sideline when, after Rashad Jennings' second-quarter fumble in the middle of the unraveling of the team, rookie offensive tackle Ereck Flowers was shown on the broadcast delivering a fiery address to his teammates.

He pulled them in. He looked them in the eyes. He spoke his mind.

It's uncommon for a rookie to do that, especially on a team with a lot of veteran talent. So why did Flowers step into that role?

"Because," he said simply, "I wanted to win."

Flowers doesn't show that persona much away from the games. He's very limited in sharing his thoughts with the media. But at that moment, he was revved up something fierce.

"You feel more comfortable the more games you play," Flowers said of his growing role on the team as a young leader.

The Giants have spoken about that dynamic for several weeks. Second-year center Weston Richburg said he believed this year's team was more "self-governing" than teams in the past that waited for coaches to spark them. There have been times when other, more established players have rallied the group the way Flowers did on Monday night, players such as Jennings and Eli Manning and Justin Pugh.

Flowers certainly felt the need to speak his mind then, if not now. Asked if he didn't like what he was seeing from his teammates, he shrugged: "Nah."
It didn't exactly work. The Giants offense never regained its footing and lost, 27-7.

"I wish we had a different result," Flowers said.

But that likely won't dissuade him from doing it again.

"Just when needed," he said. "Just when needed."


(newsday.com)

Falcons wide receiver Leonard Hankerson (ribs/hamstring) was limited in practice Wednesday.

Hankerson burst onto the scene as the clear-cut No. 2 wideout to Julio Jones, accruing 17 receptions (on 29 targets) for 241 yards and two touchdowns in his first four contests. But he sustained a rib injury in Week 5, and his output has subsequently fallen off a cliff (five catches for 50 yards on 10 targets over the last two weeks).


(cbssports.com)

Browns RB Duke Johnson suffered a shoulder stinger in Sunday's loss to the Broncos, but is expected to suit up for Week 7.

Johnson could miss some practice time, but it's not a serious issue for a running back. Johnson has been catching a lot of passes, but his workloads are not the easiest to predict. He's just an RB3 for Week 7 against the Rams.




(rotoworld.com)

TEMPE, Ariz. -- If Calais Campbell makes his second-straight Pro Bowl this season, it won't be as a defensive end.

The eight-year veteran had his position reclassified as a defensive tackle. He spent the first seven years of his career -- including his 2014 Pro Bowl campaign -- as a defensive end. The change appeared on the Arizona Cardinals weekly depth chart this week.

The decision to officially enter the world of interior lineman wasn't a surprise to Campbell because of how his role in Arizona's defense this season has him playing primarily inside. Campbell gave his permission to change his position when the Cardinals asked.

But the difference to Campbell is just a matter of letters.

"My position hasn't changed," Campbell said. "I still do the same thing I've been doing every year of my career, so it's kind of like a hybrid. At times, I play D-end but most times I play D-tackle. In passing situations, I'm inside. There are a few blitzes I play outside but 85 percent of my work is done in the interior so it makes sense to be a D-tackle."

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Campbell has played 70.8 percent of his snaps this season as a defensive tackle -- with the large majority coming at right defensive tackle. That number has skyrocketed from the past two seasons, when Campbell played 14.7 percent of his snaps at defensive tackle in 2014 and 8.4 percent in 2013.

While it's a matter of changing one letter, becoming a defensive tackle puts Campbell in a new Pro Bowl category -- from which it may be easier for him to earn the annual accolade.

Last season's Pro Bowl interior defensive lineman included Buffalo's Marcell Dareus, St. Louis' Aaron Donald, Tampa Bay's Gerald McCoy, Kansas City's Dontari Poe, former Lion Ndamukong Suh and Buffalo's Kyle Williams.

If Campbell was listed as a defensive tackle last year, he would've been a clear-cut Pro Bowler, leading that group in tackles, finishing fourth in sacks with seven, and was one of four with a forced fumble and one of two with an interception.

Thus far this season, Campbell has the most tackles with 32 and his 1.5 sacks are third most among that group of interior offensive linemen. As a defensive tackle, Campbell won't have to compete against the likes of Robert Quinn, Cameron Wake, DeMarcus Ware, J.J. Watt and Mario Williams to earn his annual trip to the NFL's all-star game.

"I do think it's a lot easier to get to the Pro bowl from a D-tackle than it is as a D-end, especially for a guy that's a 3-4 kind of hybrid D-end but really line up in the three technique most of the time, where mostly tackles play," Campbell said. "I think it'll be a lot easier."

But saying goodbye to his days as a defensive end wasn't completely easy.

He knows how defensive tackles are perceived compared to defensive ends, but he's out to prove he can be a new breed of interior linemen.

"People consider D-ends a little more fast and athletic so there is an emotional connection," he said. "I'm just fast and athletic. I'm just a very athletic D-tackle."


(espn.com)

BEREA, Ohio -- In the final year of his rookie contract, Travis Benjamin is hoping to re-sign with the Browns, either during the season or afterwards.

"I'm not looking for (free agency),'' he said. "Me and the Browns have a great relationship. I love them, they love me and I love the community so if we get a deal done that'll be great for me."

He said his ultimate goal is to sign a long-term deal with the Browns.

"I love it here, my wife loves it here and we're just happy to be here,'' he said.

He said there's still time to get an extension done this season, and seemed optimistic the Browns are interesting in doing so.

 "It's not too late now, its only week seven so we're kind of in the middle of things,'' he said. "Hopefully in a couple week something gets brought up."

Benjamin stands to get paid thanks to the great season he's having. He's tied for seventh in the NFL with five touchdowns (four receiving and one punt return) and is leading the league with four receptions of 40-plus yards.

Since entering the NFL in 2012, he's first in the NFL with an average of 13.7 yards per punt return and third with an average of 17.3 yards per catch.
But for now, Benjamin is not all about the Benjamins.

"I'm really not paying attention to (the contract issue) right now,'' he said. "My mind and focus is just keep going to every game and just put on my best performance. At the end of the day or end of the year, the dice may roll where they roll."


(cleveland.com)

WASHBURN, Va. -- Former Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis on Tuesday said ex-coach Jim Zorn lost the players' support because he split the locker room based on faith.

Portis, during his weekly appearance on ESPN980, said Zorn, who coached the Redskins in 2008-09 before being fired, divided the locker room between "Christians and ballplayers."

"So if you didn't believe in what he believed in, if you weren't Antwaan Randle El, if you weren't the guys who sat and prayed with him and did everything the way they thought your life should be, you kind of got, 'Well, you're not doing right' speeches directed toward you," Portis said.

The Redskins won six of their first eight games under Zorn, only to finish 8-8 before falling to 4-12 his second season. Under Zorn, Portis rushed for 1,487 yards in 2008 -- the third-best total of his career. He played in only eight games because of injuries in the second season.

"I'm grown," Portis said. "I can do what I want to do. I don't have a police record. If I don't get in no trouble, don't assume the way that I live my life, don't preach to me about what's right. Because you're not right, you're phony, you're sitting here in my face telling me one thing and then you go behind my back and say something else."

Former Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, a co-host on the show in which Portis appeared, said on the air that his ex-teammate wasn't wrong. Cooley, however, said Zorn did not do it with intent or by saying, "I want Christians."

"But he sold his pitch," Cooley said. "His sales pitch was: 'Believe in and have faith in my program.' And it was basically a sales pitch to a Christian team. It wasn't, 'We're going to be smart. We're going to adapt. We're going to make sense.'

"Literally any time there was anything that came up on offense that was, 'Hmm, this doesn't make any sense, Jim. Why are we doing this?' [The answer] was, 'This was how Bill Walsh did it.' Much like saying, 'Go to the Bible and read it.' It was the West Coast Bible that he sold over and over and over again."

Both Cooley and Portis also played for Joe Gibbs, whose devotion to faith is well-known.

"I'm fine with praying in moments of turmoil," Cooley said. "But the way Joe Gibbs sold his team was to football players and guys believing in each other, not believing in a system and a coaching base with it. ... [Zorn's system] was designed around the way a religion is designed: faith."


(espn.com)

After playing with injuries for the latter stages of the season, Justin Turner and Yasmani Grandal are having their ailments remedied this week.

The Dodgers announced that Grandal had an arthroscopic procedure performed on the AC joint in his left shoulder on Wednesday morning and Turner will have an arthroscopic procedure performed on his knee on Thursday "to clean up loose bodies."

Both surgeries are being performed by team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, and both players are expected to be ready for spring training.

Turner had a breakout season with the Dodgers this year, hitting .294/.370/.491 with career highs of 16 home runs and 60 RBI. His carried his hot bat into the postseason, where he batted .526 with a 1.392 OPS and drove in four runs in five NLDS games.

Grandal began his first season in Los Angeles on a tear at the plate, but his shoulder injury, which he sustained while catching in Philadelphia in August, hampered his success for the remainder of the season. He finished the year with a .234 batting average, 16 home runs and 47 RBI.


(foxsports.com)

THREE #‎proCane TDs were scored in Week 6 of the NFL!

#‎Jags WR Allen Hurns (1), #‎Dolphins RB Lamar Miller, #Panthers TE Greg Olsen.

Lamar Miller’s TD, which was his first of the 2015 season, extended the streak to 12 straight weeks a #proCane has scored a TD in the #‎NFL.

Greg Olsen snagged seven of 11 targets for 131 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' Week 6 win over the Seahawks.

Five of Olsen’s seven grabs came after half time including a 26-yard touchdown on a gorgeous throw from Cam Newton with 32 seconds remaining. That score helped put the finishing touches on an epic fourth-quarter comeback. Olsen has long been Newton’s security blanket and Sunday proved that once again. He’s now on pace for 1,197 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Those are Gronk numbers. Make sure Olsen is in your lineup next week against the Eagles.


(rotoworld.com)

Miami Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon found himself engulfed in controversy after hitting Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota low in the fist half Sunday on a play that injured the quarterback but didn't keep him out the game.

Tennessee head coach Ken Whisenhunt and players were upset about the hit, and word got back to Vernon after the game in the locker room.

Via his Twitter page, Vernon sent a message to Mariota and the public to give his explanation of the play.

I’ve never been a dirty player. I never intended to hurt anyone. I even checked to make sure Marcus was ok. #mariotagetwellsoon

— Olivier Vernon (@oliviervernon50) October 19, 2015

Vernon expressed a similar sentiment to the media Sunday night after the game.

"I know one thing: It wasn't intentional," Vernon said. "I've never been a dirty player in my whole career.

"Nobody tries to get personal fouls. I know one thing, they are expensive."

Intentional or not, the play certainly will be reviewed by the NFL this week. Low hits on quarterbacks often result in fines.


(espn.com)

The tight end had his most productive game of the season, with eight catches for 140 yards on 12 targets. Graham was especially effective finding room downfield when Russell Wilson scrambled. Four of his catches gained 20 yards or more.





(espn.com)

Travis Benjamin caught 9-of-13 passes for 117 yards in the Browns' Week 6 loss to the Broncos.

Benjamin continues to get the job done as the Browns' No. 1 receiver. He continues to dominate targets outside the numbers, while Gary Barnidge and Duke Johnson do the damage in the middle and short areas of the passing game. Benjamin's big gain was a 47-yard pickup down the left sideline when he out-leaped FS Darian Stewart to haul in the jump ball. Benjamin will remain a viable WR3 next week when the Browns travel to take on the Rams. He's getting a ton of volume.


(rotoworld.com)

Dolphins featured back Lamar Miller rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, and added five receiving yards on two targets Sunday in Tennessee.

Miller had failed to top 53 rushing yards in a game this season coming in, but he exploded in the debut of head coach Dan Campbell. One game isn't a definitive sample size, but it seems that Miller and the Dolphins have been revitalized by the coaching change. Miller will try to take his momentum and run with it next week against Houston.


(cbssports.com)

It may have been the best game of Allen Bailey’s career, but it unfortunately came in the form of a 16-10 loss to the Vikings on Sunday afternoon.

Without defensive lineman Dontari Poe, who was out with a high ankle sprain, Bailey and the Chiefs defense managed to shut down Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who finished with 26 carries for just 60 yards.

In the first half alone, Bailey had 7 tackles, 3 of which were for loss, 1 sack, 1 quarterback hit and a forced fumble.

He was all over the place for the Chiefs defense.

It’s the second-lowest yards-per-carry average for Peterson since 2009 (min. 25 carries).

Bailey now has 4.5 sacks on the season, which is just a half-sack shy of his single-season career best of 5 (2014).


(kcchiefs.com)

Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson rushed nine times for 38 yards while also chipping in three catches for 18 yards against the Denver Broncos.

Fantasy Impact: The three receptions actually come as a disappointment, as the Broncos entered Week 6 allowing the second most receptions to running backs. Johnson gets a tough matchup agains the Rams next week and is better left on benches.


(fantasypros.com)

Two days after releasing TE Richard Gordon, the Broncos brought the 6-foot-4, 265-pounder back to their roster, waiving RB Kapri Bibbs to clear the spot.

Bibbs, who had been on the practice squad, was promoted to the 53-man roster Saturday because of Juwan Thompson's hamstring injury. The Broncos intitially released Gordon to make room for Bibbs because they needed three running backs on the active game-day roster at Cleveland on Sunday.

Gordon practiced throughout last week and is expected to provide the Broncos with some help as a blocking tight end.

He has four career catches for 14 yards and a touchdown since joining the NFL in 2011 as a sixth-round pick of the Oakland Raiders.

Bibbs made his regular-season debut Sunday and did not see any snaps on offense, but he did field a squibbed kickoff to start overtime that he returned for 15 yards.


(9news.com)

Jaguars wideout Allen Hurns caught just two of his seven targets for 30 yards and a touchdown in the Week 6 defeat to the Texans.

Despite seeing his typical number of targets, Hurns simply couldn't connect with Blake Bortles on a few occasions and failed to haul in a catch of at least 25 yards for the first time this season. He will try to rectify that in Week 7 against the visiting Bills.

It was the fourth straight week Hurns recorded a TD.


(cbssports.com)

ORCHARD PARK -- Buffalo Bills right tackle Seantrel Henderson went to the locker room to be evaluated for a possible concussion during the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Henderson has started all 22 games of his career since being drafted in the seventh round by Buffalo in 2014.

Cyrus Kouandijo, Buffalo's second-round pick in 2014, replaced Henderson in the lineup.


(kcci.com)

Frank Gore: He did what he could with the chances he was afforded. With 78 yards on 13 carries, Gore finished the game with a 6-yard per-carry average. That's a winning brand of football right there. Gore gives the Colts a rushing threat they've not had at any point in the Chuck Pagano/Andrew Luck era. Gore's ability to make running lanes where none really exist is a testament to his craftiness as a runner, allowing the Colts to salvage bad plays that might otherwise result in losses. While it didn't pay off Sunday, Gore is giving this offense a dimension it has sorely lacked. About the only criticism is the fact that Gore could have have been given more chances against a Patriots run defense that ranks 22nd in the NFL. Gore is a weapon the Colts have to find ways to fully utilize.


(indystar.com)

Orlando Franklin traveled with the Chargers to Green Bay and ran up and down the sidelines before the game but was inactive for his third straight game since suffering a high ankle sprain versus the Minnesota Vikings.

He made no bones about whether he expects to play on Sunday versus the division rival Oakland Raiders.

“I’m playing this week.”

That would be a boost for Philip Rivers and the depleted offensive line, which has lost three starters over the course of the season. A lot however, remains to be seen about the status of wide receiver Keenan Allen, who looked to be on course to for a record day with 14 catches and 157 yards before a hip injury forced him out of the game in the third quarter.

On Monday, Allen said he was feeling much better.

“I’m feeling better than I was at the end of the game. Got in, got treatment, just trying to work and get back. My mindset is definitely going on Sunday, we’ll see what happens. It was tough watching the team try to grind it out, go get a victory and not being able to help. That sucks.”


(mighty1090)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Faced with a shortage of cornerbacks for their game tomorrow night in Philadelphia, the Giants today signed corner Brandon McGee off their practice squad to the active roster.

McGee takes the roster spot of tight end Jerome Cunningham, who was waived.

The Giants will play without right cornerback Prince Amukamara, who is expected to miss two-to-four  games with a partially torn pectoral muscle. Also, nickel corner Trumaine McBride is listed as questionable because of a groin injury and an illness that forced him to miss one day of practice and left him limited in two others.

Without McGee, the Giants might have had only three corners to face the Eagles: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jayron Hosley and Trevin Wade.

McGee, 5-11 and 203 pounds, joined the practice squad last Wednesday. He has played in 17 regular-season games, all with the St. Louis Rams. McGee was credited with 10 tackles (eight solo).

McGee was a 2013 fifth round draft choice of the Rams (149th overall selection), from Miami. He played in 15 games that season, and had eight tackles. Last year, he played in two games before going on injured reserve with a foot injury.

McGee was waived on Sept. 5, signed to the Rams’ practice squad 10 days later, was signed to the active roster on Sept. 29, and was waived again on Oct. 2.


(giants.com)

Giants defensive captain Jon Beason is the unit's quarterback on the field, the traffic cop who keeps everything running smoothly. He's the guy the players look to for guidance and leadership.

But where does he turn when he needs to see those things?

"In Brandon we trust," he said. "And I trust."

That would be veteran safety Brandon Meriweather, whom the Giants took a flier on during the summer when they were nearly depleted at the position because of injuries -- and who has rewarded their gamble by becoming one of the most important pieces to the defense. He's started every game, played nearly every snap and made some big tackles as the Giants have compiled a 3-2 record.

When the Giants first signed him, that wasn't the kind of impact people wanted to talk about. The buzz was that the desperate Giants had to stoop down and bring in a washed-up headhunter who had run afoul of the NFL, been fined and suspended multiple times for illegal hits and likely would continue to play his reckless brand of football to the detriment of himself and the team.

That couldn't be further from what has happened. Meriweather has not drawn any penalties, nor has the league had to reach out to him regarding any of his hits.
"Not yet," Meriweather said with a smile. "Let's pray that it doesn't become an issue."

The Giants are happy it hasn't. "As the years go on, the fines get heavier, so he doesn't want to pay the fines," rookie safety Landon Collins said. "It's definitely been a good thing that he's been playing within the rules because then I get to keep him alongside of me and they don't kick him out of the game and stuff like that."
Meriweather said he doesn't feel as if he has changed his play as much as his attitude toward playing.

"I grew up a little bit," he said. "I'm not thinking about it anymore, I'm not harping on it, I'm not trying to prove the league wrong anymore. I'm not doing any of that . . . I'm not the same player I used to be. I'm not out trying to just bring pain to everybody. I'm actually trying to enjoy the game and have fun during the game and get to have fun with my teammates and win."

It's that word, "fun," that Meriweather says over and over when he talks about this team and this season. Maybe it's because he was out of football until the Giants called. Maybe he's been rejuvenated by his teammates and position-mates -- Collins and third-year backup Cooper Taylor, whom he collectively calls "hilarious."
Or maybe he's just found his happy place with the Giants.

"This is a little different than every other team I've been on," Meriweather said.

He's been on a few -- the Patriots, Bears and, for the previous three seasons, Washington. Now he is with the Giants in what might be his last best chance to be a key player for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

"I would prefer to get [a ring] this year," he said. "You never know when it's going to be that chance. You never know when your last play is going to be. If I can get one this year, that'd be great. But you never know."

The Giants have embraced Meriweather not only as a player but as a leader. They've even entrusted one of their most valuable young defensive players -- Collins, a second-round pick last spring -- to his care.

"He's a great role model, a great captain and a great person," Collins said. "He's taught me a lot, especially on the field. Just knowing things off the field and what to do, it's brought me a perspective of how to play the game and how I should be able to read and pick up concepts very quickly."

Because he has played so much football in his career, he also is a valuable resource for the coaching staff.

"I love that guy," defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. "He's really smart and he'll come over [to me] all the time. When he first got here, I had to calm him down a little bit. But now that he's got a little comfort level, he's great to bounce things off of. I always believe in checking with guys who actually play the game when you put in something new or you decide to do things a certain way, and he's great that way. He's good for the other players."

That Meriweather experience factor might be heightened Monday night against the Eagles. With Philadelphia's rapid-fire offense, the Giants will need someone at the back of the defense who has seen just about everything an NFL team can possibly run.

"Obviously where your eyes are, how quickly you line up, how quickly you see what you have to see, knowing full well the ball is going to be snapped quickly," Tom Coughlin said of the challenges the Eagles present. "Knowing that a lot of what you're dealing with is an attempt to distract, that's where the veteran part of it helps."
Said Beason, "In the secondary, it's all about communication, signals, getting guys on the same page so then you can go play fast, you can go be special. He's a leader. In my eyes, he's a captain."

That's quite an evolution, from scrap-heap pickup to trusted veteran. But it's nothing like the evolution that Meriweather himself has gone through. The player who once seemed unwilling to adjust to the new, safer rules of the NFL has mellowed. The player who used to call himself "the party-starter" for sparking his team with out-of-control plays is now the chaperone.

Instead of creating chaos, he now contains it. "The most important thing that he's brought to us is he's able to settle things down," Spagnuolo said.
Do it within the rules. And do it with a smile.

"It's just fun," Meriweather said. "It's fun to see the young boy [Collins] evolving, it's fun messing with Coop [Cooper Taylor] every day. It's just fun. I'm having fun with it and I'm going to have fun until it's over."


(newsday.com)

Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal played through a shoulder injury down the stretch and into the playoffs. Next week he’ll undergo surgery, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

The injury basically turned Grandal into a non-entity offensively, as he hit just .067 in his final 30 games before going 1-for-10 in the playoffs. Prior to that brutal stretch he’d hit .295 with 15 homers and a .913 OPS in 84 games to rank as one of the best catchers in baseball.

Grandal referred to the surgery as “just a cleanup thing,” but clearly his returning to full health is a huge key for the Dodgers heading into 2016. He was an All-Star for four months and a black hole in the lineup for two months. Or as he put it: “I’m looking forward to not having to deal with this anymore.”


(nbcsports.com)