Daily Email Update • Vol. 22, #279 • Jan. 21st, 2021
News & Notes Plus Win A Chance For Free 2021 Footballguys All-Pro Subscriptions
Howdy Folks,
We're almost to Championship Weekend.
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Check the Site News below for the survey. And sorry if you had trouble with the link below yesterday, should be good to go.
Now let's get to it.
J
SITE NEWS
A.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. PHI - Nick Sirianni tapped as head coach
2. JAX - Trent Baalke named GM for JAX
3. KC - QB Patrick Mahomes practicing Thursday
4. NO - QB Drew Brees dealt with numerous injuries
5. TB - WR Antonio Brown a likely GTD for NFC title game
7. MIN - Gary Kubiak calls it a career
8. MIA - Miami could cut three wideouts
9. GB - Limited practice for Allen Lazard
10. BUF - WR Stefon Diggs limited once again
11. GB - RB Jamaal Williams listed as limited
12. TB - RB Ronald Jones a limited participant
13. KC - Clyde Edwards-Helaire seen at practice
14. BUF - Gabriel Davis held out of practice again
15. CHI - WR Anthony Miller on his way out of Chicago?
16. BUF - WR Cole Beasley pops backs up on injury report
17. MIN - S Klint Kubiak to take over for dad in Minnesota?
18. PIT - Pittsburgh could move on from WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
1. PHI - Nick Sirianni tapped as head coach
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni on Thursday, Jan. 21, will be hired as the Philadelphia Eagles' head coach, according to sources.
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This is actually an exciting move for the Eagles. Sirianni has been a fast-riser in coaching circles but has done a good job working under Frank Reich with the Colts. He's never called plays in the NFL, so we'll see how the rest of Sirianni's staff takes shape with the Eagles. GM Howie Roseman makes the calls on personnel but will now work with Sirianni to get the team back on track.
2. JAX - Trent Baalke named GM for JAX
Source: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
Jacksonville Jaguars interim general manager Trent Baalke was officially named GM Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Baalke gets another shot as general manager after things fell apart for him when he ran the 49ers. He will work closely with new head coach Urban Meyer, and has the NFL experience that Meyer does not. Meyer should have a lot of sway in the room in terms of personnel decisions. Baalke gets $100 million in cap space and the no.1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. That's a pretty sweet start to his new gig.
3. KC - QB Patrick Mahomes practicing Thursday
Source: The Athletic - Nate Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (concussion, toe) is participating in practice with a helmet Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Mahomes keeps doing more as the week goes on. This is great news for his availability and he should be out there slinging it against the Bills in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
4. NO - QB Drew Brees dealt with numerous injuries
Source: The Athletic - Jeff Duncan
New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees dealt with more injuries than were previously known as, according to a post from his wife on Instagram, the veteran played with a torn rotator cuff and a torn fascia in his foot. Those are in addition to the 11 broken ribs and collapsed lung that were previously reported.
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His game was slowing down, but Brees did not look like himself in the 2020 season. Brees is expected to retire during the offseason, though he has not made that official, yet.
5. TB - WR Antonio Brown a likely GTD for NFC title game
Source: ESPN.com - Jenna Laine
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Antonio Brown (knee) did not practice for a second consecutive day Thursday, Jan. 21, and is expected to be a game-time decision for the NFC Championship game versus the Green Bay Packers, according to head coach Bruce Arians.
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This was expected with Brown's knee injury and him missing all of practice this week. There's always Friday, but we'd bet he misses that day too. Brown is a seasoned veteran who could still play a role on Sunday even if he doesn't practice at all during the week.
Source: Buccaneers.com
Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (knee) was limited during practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Evans has been limited with this knee injury since hyperextending it a few weeks ago. He'll have a better matchup this week against the Packers and should be able to shake free for some big plays.
7. MIN - Gary Kubiak calls it a career
Source: Vikings.com
Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Gary Kubiak announced his retirement Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Kubiak has retired from the NFL before but this time it might be for good. He's been coaching in the league since 1994 and John Elway's former backup helped his friend win multiple Super Bowl titles -- first as an assistant under Mike Shanahan and then as the head coach of the Broncos in Super Bowl 50. The Vikings are now looking for their sixth offensive coordinator in six years, but they may not have far to look. QB coach Klint Kubiak, Gary's son, is in line to take over the reins of the offense.
8. MIA - Miami could cut three wideouts
Source: The Miami Herald - Barry Jackson
Miami Dolphins WRs Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant and Allen Hurns are all potential cap casualties, in the opinion of The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson.
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The Dolphins could have a new-look WR corps in 2021. We'd expect them to try and upgrade the position and get more playmakers in the room besides DeVante Parker and Preston Williams.
9. GB - Limited practice for Allen Lazard
Source: Packers.com
Green Bay Packers WR Allen Lazard (back, wrist) was limited during practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Lazard is getting a bit of rest during the week but has his eyes on playing in the game on Sunday. He was a big part of what the Packers passing game did in the Divisional Round and could be again in the NFC Championship Game.
10. BUF - WR Stefon Diggs limited once again
Source: Buffalo Bills PR
Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs (oblique) was limited in practice for a second consecutive day Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Diggs has been limited in practice with this injury for some time. When game time rolls around on Sunday, Diggs will be ready to star with a chance to go to the Super Bowl.
11. GB - RB Jamaal Williams listed as limited
Source: Packers.com
Green Bay Packers RB Jamaal Williams (ankle) was limited during practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Williams and A.J. Dillon are both a little banged up. We'll see both serve as power backs behind starter Aaron Jones on Sunday.
12. TB - RB Ronald Jones a limited participant
Source: Buccaneers.com
Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Ronald Jones (finger, quadriceps) was limited during practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Jones will likely be out there for the Buccaneers again in the NFC Championship Game but we don't know if he's going to start or if Leonard Fournette will get that nod again.
13. KC - Clyde Edwards-Helaire seen at practice
Source: The Athletic - Nate Taylor
Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle, hip) is participating in practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Edwards-Helaire might be available to the Chiefs this week. He missed the Divisional Round game which led to the Chiefs leaning on Darrell Williams and Le'Veon Bell more. Let's see what the rookie first-round pick does on Friday but he's trending in the right direction.
14. BUF - Gabriel Davis held out of practice again
Source: Buffalo Bills PR
Buffalo Bills WR Gabriel Davis (ankle) did not practice for a second straight day Thursday, Jan. 21.
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That's back-to-back days missed for the young receiver. Davis can make big plays on limited opportunities, so it would be a blow to the Bills if he can't play in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
15. CHI - WR Anthony Miller on his way out of Chicago?
Source: Chicago Sun-Times - Patrick Finley
Chicago Bears WR Anthony Miller was warned not to get involved with New Orleans Saints CB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson ahead of the team's Wild Card matchup but ended up getting ejected from the game, which team chairman George McCaskey had a 'problem' with. That's 'bad news' for Miller's future with the team, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Patrick Finley, who noted that Miller has just one year left on his contract.
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A second-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Miller has been solid by unspectacular as a pro. Miller has one year left on his deal and is on the books with a $1.7 million cap hit in 2021 with only $493,000 left in dead money. We'll see if the team moves on this offseason or if they stick it out with Miller for one more season.
16. BUF - WR Cole Beasley pops backs up on injury report
Source: Buffalo Bills PR
Buffalo Bills WR Cole Beasley (knee) was added to the injury report and limited in practice Thursday, Jan. 21.
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Beasley is not quite himself, but he's been gutting out performances in the playoffs for the Bills. He'll do his best to be out there for his teammates with a chance to go to the Super Bowl if the team can beat the Chiefs on Sunday.
17. MIN - S Klint Kubiak to take over for dad in Minnesota?
Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune - Ben Goessling
Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak is expected by 'many' to replace his father, Gary Kubiak, as the offensive coordinator after the latter announced his retirement Thursday, Jan. 21, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
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That sounds about right. The younger Kubiak has been working as an assistant and is on the track to be a head coach, like his father used to be, some day. Kubiak would keep a lot of the wide-zone/Shanahan principles to the Vikings offense that has worked so well for guys like QB Kirk Cousins, RB Dalvin Cook and WRs Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson.
18. PIT - Pittsburgh could move on from WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
Source: ESPN - Brooke Pryor
The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to let WR JuJu Smith-Schuster 'walk' in free agency, in the opinion of ESPN's Brooke Pryor, who notes the team's cap issues and presence of WRs Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and James Washington on the roster.
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That has been the writing on the wall for quite some time. Smith-Schuster did not elevate his game as the no.1 wide receiver for the Steelers to the expected levels. There have been distractions with him in terms of social networking snafus (nothing sinister) and the team is stacked at the WR position. It's safe to say he'll likely be playing elsewhere in the 2021 season.
That'll do it for today, Folks. Thanks for reading and thanks for being part of the Footballguys Family. We'll see you tomorrow with the Update.
Peace,
J
