NFL news: Around the league in 32 plays
By Ben Almquist
If the Lions really are about to say “deuces” to Stafford, the Chiefs should have him ready on speed dial. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Detroit Lions: The Lions finally made some huge organizational changes by firing general manager Martin Mayhew and team president Tom Lewand. However, given the state of the franchise, it is hard to imagine they will be able to attract some of the more prominent names in those circles. There are also reports that Matt Stafford’s time in Detroit may be coming to a close. While Stafford may not have taken the Lions to new heights, it’s hard to blame him for the team’s struggles with the poor personnel decisions made over the past several years.
- Chiefs’ take: If the Lions do decide to cut ties with Stafford, it would be foolish for Kansas City to not make a move. Stafford is 27 years old and brings some excellent tools to the table. The Chiefs have weapons available that the Lions never bothered to provide him.
Houston Texans: The Texans have placed center Greg Mancz on injured reserve with a knee injury. To fill the void, they have turned to former Kansas City center Eric Kush. The Texans also brought former Chiefs players running back Cyrus Gray and offensive lineman Daniel Munyer in for tryouts, but did not sign either player.
Chiefs’ take
: It actually says a lot of good things that the poorer teams in the league are turning to Chiefs castoffs. It speaks highly of the talented roster that John Dorsey has brought to Kansas City.
Problems in Indy? Not this guy’s fault. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Indianapolis Colts: The Colts have begun the process of “blame firings” by letting go of offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton. To replace him, they have given playcalling duties to assistant head coach Rob Chudzinkski. It is doubtful that this will have any real bearing on the success of the team as the entire leadership probably needs to go.
Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs have been flexed out of their Sunday Night Football contest against the Chargers. The move isn’t surprising considering the better team is currently 3-5.
New Orleans Saints: The Saints have signed running back Tim Hightower to replace the injured Khiry Robinson. They have also brought in wide receiver TJ Graham to help bolster their depth chart. After a couple of recent wins, the Saints realize they are still in the thick of the playoff race in the NFC East and are trying to load up on offensive talent.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers have lost star running back LeVeon Bell for the remainder of the season to a knee injury. The team will turn to veteran running back DeAngelo Williams to carry the load, and have added Isaiah Pead to back him up. This injury comes at a bad time as the Steelers had just recently lost their hold on a Wild Card slot. The Steelers have claimed wide receiver Jacoby Jones off of waivers, and released Dri Archer.
Chiefs’ take
: This could play out huge for the Chiefs as they are still in the playoff hunt, especially since they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Steelers.
Next: Chargers continue to stumble