Report: Chiefs set to trade cornerback Peters to Rams
The Kansas City Chiefs are trading Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters to the Los Angeles Rams for what is expected to be a package of draft picks, according to published reports.
ESPN.com first reported the trade, which will not become official until the start of the new league year on March 14. It’s the second major trade involving the Chiefs that will occur that day following the deal that will send quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins.
The Chiefs have been aggressively seeking to trade Peters, an All-Pro during the 2016 season, as part of both a youth movement and shift in locker room culture.
The 25-year-old Peters emerged as one of the NFL’s best cover cornerbacks, picking off at least five passes each of his first season in the league. But he also carries significant character concerns, beginning with getting thrown off his college team at Washington after a run-in with his coaches.
Peters has drawn the ire of some fans for refusing to stand for the national anthem, even though he has never explained why he is protesting. He’s been involved in shouting matches with assistant coaches on the sideline, bizarre and sometimes divisive locker room antics, and was even suspended for a game last season after tossing an officials’ penalty flag into the stands.
Peters thought he was ejected after that incident against the New York Jets and left the field, only to run back out — not wearing socks — when he realized he was not disqualified.
None of those character concerns was evidently enough to dissuade the Rams from making a deal, though. They were desperate for a shutdown cornerback for defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, especially with Trumaine Johnson due to hit free agency after spending two seasons playing on the franchise tag.
Jaguars: The team gave two-year extensions to coach Doug Marrone, executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin and general manager Dave Caldwell. All three had two years remaining on their deals, which now will run through the 2021 season.
The Jaguars won the AFC South for the first time in franchise history, made the playoffs for the first time in a decade and advanced to the AFC title game for the first time since 2000.
Also, the Jaguars cut veteran running back Chris Ivory, who was ineffective and then inactive late in the season.
Ivory averaged 3.4 yards a carry, finishing with 382 yards and a touchdown last season. He was inactive for four of Jacksonville’s final five games.
Cutting Ivory will save the Jaguars $3.6 million in salary-cap space in 2018.
Ivory has 4,852 yards and 28 touchdowns in eight seasons with New Orleans, the New York Jets and Jacksonville. He topped 1,000 yards with the Jets in 2015.
Cowboys: Kellen Moore is Dallas’ new quarterbacks coach after spending the previous three seasons as the backup to Tony Romo and then Dak Prescott.
Moore’s move is part of a significant overhaul to coach Jason Garrett’s staff.
Sanjay Lal, who has worked with receivers for four NFL teams over the past 11 seasons, is the new receivers coach in what could be a crucial year for 2014 AllPro Dez Bryant’s future in Dallas. After spending last season with Indianapolis, Lal replaces Derek Dooley, who left to become offensive coordinator at Missouri.