Here's a look at some of the top rumors for Tuesday, Dec. 29:
Tony Romo is entertaining a few options for helping to heal his broken collarbone, including having a metal plate surgically attached to prevent future issues, according to a report by Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback has fractured his left collarbone three times since 2010, so he is familiar with the healing process. "We have a few ideas of what we can do with the collarbone," Romo said as a guest of Norm Hitzges on 1310 The Ticket. "There are a few plans." One of the plans Romo discussed was the insertion of the small plate, which he claimed "should ensure that that [break] doesn't happen, or the percentage of that goes way, way down." Although Romo seems willing to undergo the surgery as a preventative measure, owner/GM Jerry Jones didn't seem too pleased with the idea of his franchise QB going under the knife. "Unless something occurs that hasn't occurred, he will not have a plate," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "He will heal naturally. It's the way to go." With a promising season already lost to injury, it will be interesting to see what measures Romo ultimately decides to undergo to prevent missing more time in the future, and how much of an influence Jones will have on those decisions.
Tom Brady told Westwood One's Jim Gray that “It’s all hands on deck this week against Miami because we have to win this game." The New England Patriots have a chance to clinch home-field throughout the AFC playoffs with a victory over the Dolphins, or a loss by the Broncos, in Week 17. Brady also told Gray that hopefully the Patriots "can get some guys back this week — some of our really dependable, consistent players.” As Ryan Hannable of WEEI noted, the Patriots "were missing a number of key players Sunday against the Jets in Julian Edelman, Devin McCourty, Danny Amendola and Patrick Chung." In addition to being without the services of those core performers, New England's Dont'a Hightower also revealed to WEEI that he has been playing at less than full strength. "I’m definitely not 100 percent, but I’m feeling good,” Hightower said as a guest on Ordway, Merloni & Fauria. “I’m definitely back feeling good. The last couple of quarters definitely felt good getting out there and running around. I feel like I got my burst back." The Patriots defense struggled early against the run in their loss to the Jets, before being hurt through the air in the latter stages of the game. The absence of both Chung and McCourty, as well as Hightower's initial struggles, certainly made New England's D look vulnerable, so their health could be crucial to another playoff run for the Patriots.
Don't tell Chip Kelly that the Philadelphia Eagles' final game is meaningless. According to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kelly plans to coach to win the game. Kelly plans on playing his veterans just like every other week, despite already being eliminated from postseason contention. "It's also not fair to a guy that's playing and saying, 'Hey, you're not going to play just because I want to take a look at this other guy,'" Kelly said. "They have a chance to show us every single day." Berman notes that the coach delivered a similar message last year heading into the season-finale, a game the Eagles won 34-26 over the New York Giants. Kelly doesn't feel the need to give backups more playing time in the finale because "they've had an opportunity to evaluate those guys all the way through, and if they were good enough to play, they would be on the field right now." With the playoffs already out of reach for both the Eagles and the Giants, all that's left to jockey for is draft positioning. So, as Berman points out, the losers of this game could be the real winners when draft day arrives.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are hoping to walk out of a meaningless Week 17 matchup with the Houston Texans unscathed. The Florida Times-Union's Hays Carlyon believes Jacksonville should take a cautious approach with its star players in this game, given how defensive tackle Sen’Derrick Marks went down with an ACL injury in this exact same meaningless situation last year. Carlyon believes owner Shad Khan and GM Dave Caldwell should assure coach Gus Bradley that he will return next season regardless of the outcome of this weekend's game so he can take precaution without hesitation. Bradley insisted he doesn't need the assurance when he met with reporters on Monday. "No, my mindset has always been to do what’s best for this organization and what’s best for this team," Bradley said. "I’ll just continue with that." Bradley plans to compete with whoever is healthy, despite last season's cautionary tale. Marks' torn ACL in Week 17 of last season cost him the first five weeks of 2015, having to spend his offseason rehabbing as opposed to building off a strong year. UPDATE: Khan has publicly stated that Bradley will be the Jaguars' coach next season, so this could affect the playing time of healthy starters such as Allen Hurns, Allen Robinson and others. DFS players should keep a close eye on updates later in the week regarding their projected playing time.
Jaelen Strong has finally worked his way out of Bill O'Brien's doghouse. After Houston's third-round pick reported in the spring at 231 pounds, he has "dieted and exercised his way down to 197 pounds and is noticeably faster in the open field," according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Coach O'Brien has been impressed with his effort in practice, telling reporters he has essentially improved in all phases as a professional. “He’s really improved in practice,” O’Brien said. “He’s improved his conditioning. He’s improved his knowledge of our offense. He’s a good kid. He’s a fun, fun guy to coach. Very intense and works hard in practice. I think he’s got a good future.” Strong has eight catches for 105 yards and three TDs on the season, and should continue to see an increased role in Houston's offense as Cecil Shorts III remains sidelined with an injury.
