The preseason is over, and after this so is Huddle Daily. But in the interim, let’s spin around the league one more time to see what’s transpiring…
Tim Tebow! Okay, no official Tebow news, but he always draws headlines. And his chances of sticking with the Eagles just got a whole lot better as Philadelphia shipped Matt Barkley to the Cardinals for a conditional draft pick. Arizona has Carson Palmer insurance for the price of a seventh (possibly sixth, if Barkley remains on the roster) round pick, and Chip Kelly has… well, Tebow!
In another trade in advance of cutdown day, the Falcons acquired guard Andy Levitre from the Titans for a sixth-round draft pick and future considerations. Levitre cost the Titans $46.8 million when he signed with them via free agency, but he had been bumped to the bench this preseason and was in danger of being cut. Levitre was never a particularly good scheme fit in Tennessee; perhaps he’ll mesh better with Kyle Shanahan’s offense in Atlanta.
- Be sure to check out “Don’t Take These Players Too Soon In Your Draft.”
LeSean McCoy returned to practice Friday, at least for individual drills. It’s evidence that he’s closer than not to playing Week 1. The expected primary backup, Karlos Williams, also returned to practice so Buffalo’s Ground ’N’ Pound should be operating at full capacity to kick off the regular season.
Montee Ball was underwhleming in what might be his Broncos finale last night. There’s a distinct possibility he won’t make the team, and there’s also a chance he’ll be traded before Denver has to make such a decision. Conflicting reports from Dallas, Denver, and NFL Media have the Cowboys either in discussions to acquire Ball… or not. Dallas has held firm that they can cobble together a competent ground game behind their elite offensive line with the flotsam and jetsam on their current roster, and there’s certainly no guarantee Ball is an upgrade over Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, and/or Lance Dunbar. But it sure is fun to speculate.
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The most notable cuts so far have been on the defensive side of the ball, let by the 49ers releasing Darnell Dockett—after signing him as a free agent this offseason. The Giants also kicked punter Steve Weatherford to the curb, trading for Pittsburgh punter Brad Wing. That deal means the Steelers will roll with Jordan Berry, who technically isn’t a rookie but who hasn’t punted competitively since playing his college ball at Eastern Kentucky. Both are Aussies, by the way.
Finally, perhaps the most entertaining player to watch this preseason was 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne, a rugby standout bringing his game to America. Hayne finished the fake schedule with 175 yards on 25 carries, three catches for 35 yards, 10 punt returns for 163 yards, and a 33-yard kickoff return. That’s 406 combo yards on 39 touches, or better than 10.4 yards every time he touched the football. If the Niners can’t make room for him, there has to be a club who can.
Let the real football begin!
