Broncos trade Thomas to Texans
Demaryius Thomas’ trade from the Broncos to the Texans wasn’t so much a good-bye as a see-you-later. As in Sunday, when Houston (5-3) visits Denver (3-5).
“I thought about it, yeah,” general manager John Elway said Tuesday. “But, ultimately, we had to look past that and (we) thought that it wouldn’t affect our game.”
So, Elway sent his big wide receiver to the Texans for a 2019 fourth-round draft pick prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline. The clubs also swapped seventh-rounders in next year’s draft.
Thomas, who’s in his ninth NFL season, is first or second on most of Denver’s lists of receiving records. He has 36 catches for 402 yards this season.
Despite averaging a careerlow 11.2 yards per reception, Thomas’ three TD catches were tied with Emmanuel Sanders for the team lead and gave him 66 for his career, including the playoffs.
“We were not hell-bent on trading Demaryius,” Elway said, explaining he was swayed to make the move by the package of picks and the rise of rookies Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton, along with that of second-year pro Tim Patrick, who caught his first career TD pass Sunday.
“It’s never easy when you trade a guy that’s been a household name around here for a long time and done a lot of great things, not only on the football field but also in the community, and is a good man,” Elway said.
The AFC South-leading Texans, who beat out “three or four other teams,” for Thomas’ services, according to Elway, found themselves thin at wide receiver when they lost Will Fuller for the season to a torn knee ligament Thursday and have had trouble keeping rookie Keke Coutee (hamstrings) on the field. Among other deadline deals: The Eagles acquired wide receiver Golden Tate from the Lions for a 2019 third-round draft pick. Tate has 44 catches for 517 yards and three touchdowns this season.
The slumping Jaguars traded defensive end Dante Fowler to the undefeated Rams. The move gives Los Angeles an even more formidable front that already features Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers. Jacksonville swapped the 2015 first-round pick, the third overall selection, for a third-round draft pick in 2019 and a fifth-rounder in 2020, decent compensation for a backup who would have become a free agent at the end of the season.
The Packers traded running back and kick returner Ty Montgomery, a Stanford alum, to the Ravens for a seventhround draft choice. Montgomery is departing two days after fumbling a kickoff return with about two minutes left in a 29-27 loss to the Rams after being told by coaches to take a touchback if the kick went into the end zone. The turnover cost the Packers a chance to drive for a potential game-winning score.
Washington acquired safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix from the Packers for a fourth-round draft pick. Giants’ QB arrested: Giants rookie backup quarterback Kyle Lauletta was arrested on motor vehicle and related disorderly persons offenses while driving near a road construction site to practice.
Weehawken, N.J., police said Lauletta, 22, was stopped Tuesday morning for failing to obey a police officer’s order to continue driving straight in his 2017 Jaguar. The report says Lauletta almost hit the officer while making an illegal turn. He was stopped by a second officer and refused to produce a driver’s license or exit the car.
Lauletta, a fourth-round pick from Richmond, had been getting reps in practice amid speculation about quarterback Eli Manning’s future with the Giants off to another 1-7 start. Briefly: The NFL suspended Seattle linebacker Mychal Kendricks, a Cal alum, for eight games for his role in an insidertrading scheme. The Seahawks also released wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who had appeared in all seven games this season but had just 11 catches for 136 yards and one touchdown . ... Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is dealing with a broken index finger on his left hand . ... The NFL will play four regularseason games in London next year . ... The Falcons signed tackle Zane Beadles, who spent the past two seasons with the 49ers . ... Defensive lineman Ziggy Hood, a 10-year veteran, signed with Miami, which is seeking to upgrade its run defense . ... QB Derek Anderson has a concussion, so the Bills might start Nathan Peterman against the Bears on Sunday. Buffalo also signed quarterback-receiver Terrelle Pryor.