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NFL rumors roundup

Here's a look at some of the top rumors for Friday, Nov. 27:

  • Dropped passes were a major issue for the Green Bay Packers in their Thanksgiving Day loss to the Chicago Bears and, according to team writer Vic Ketchman, no one was a bigger culprit than Davante Adams. Head coach Mike McCarthy singled out Adams' sub-par performance when speaking to reporters after the loss. "Didn’t have a very good day today," McCarthy said when asked about Adams’ drops. "The consistency we’re getting in certain areas needs to pick up." It wasn't just the dropped passes that had McCarthy fired up; he also pointed out that Adams ran a poor pattern on Aaron Rodgers' fourth-quarter interception. "It’s a basic route," McCarthy told reporters. "It didn’t look like it was a very good route." ProFootballTalk's Michael David Smith went so far as to blame Adams for his quarterback's recent struggles. Smith broke down Rodgers' numbers when targeting Adams over the last three games, versus when he targets all of his other receivers in those contests, and the results are staggering. Rodgers is 15-for-35 for 129 yards with no touchdowns and one interception when targeting Adams. When targeting any of his other skill players, he’s 58-for-103 for 618 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Adams' struggles this season have been exacerbated by the absence of Jordy Nelson, which has forced the Green Bay offense to rely heavily upon the second-year wideout despite his lack of production.

  • The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been eagerly awaiting the return of tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins for a while now, but it seems like their patience will be tested for another week. Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune tweeted that Seferian-Jenkins, who was listed as questionable last week, will likely be listed as doubtful for Week 12 against the Indianapolis Colts. On Wednesday, Cummings had reported that the tight end was still not cleared for contact, so his lack of availability on Sunday should not come as a shock. Seferian-Jenkins hasn't played since injuring his shoulder in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints. At the time, the tight end was Tampa Bay's leading receiver with seven catches for 139 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

  • The Arizona Cardinals' wide receiver corps might be back to full strength in Week 12 against the San Francisco 49ers. Azcardinals.com writer Darren Urban tweeted that both John Brown and Michael Floyd were practicing again Friday and should be ready to go for Sunday. Floyd returned to practice on a limited basis Wednesday after missing the Cardinals' prime-time victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11. Head coach Bruce Arians told reporters on Wednesday that, "[Floyd]’s not full speed but he’s close." Given Arians' tendency to sit players who miss Friday practice, Floyd's continued involvement this week is certainly an encouraging sign. John Brown has continued to practice and play through a hamstring injury of his own, he caught a touchdown pass in Week 11 despite being at less than full speed. Arizona showed its impressive depth at receiver last week when burner J.J. Nelson stepped into Floyd's role in the offense and flourished. With Floyd returning and Brown continuing to heal, the Cardinals are in the enviable position of having too many mouths to feed at the skill positions.

  • Could linebacker Lawrence Timmons be in for a contract extension at the end of the season? Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review explored the possibility of the Pittsburgh Steelers giving the veteran linebacker a new deal once the season is through. Timmons, who turns 30 in May, will be entering the final year of his current contract, which carries a $15.1 million cap hit. Kaboly notes that Timmons' numbers are down a little this year, but that is because he has been asked to drop back into coverage more often in defensive coordinator Keith Butler's scheme, something Timmons has struggled with. If the two parties can't agree on an extension this offseason, Timmons could end up playing out his final days in a different uniform, something the LB wants to avoid. "I love it here," Timmons said. "I can't see myself being anywhere else."

  • The Colts will be without starting left tackle Anthony Castonzo for their Week 12 game with the Buccaneers, creating some questions across their offensive line, reports ProFootballTalk's Josh Alper. Chuck Pagano had stated on Monday that the veteran O-lineman would be "week-to-week" as he dealt with an MCL strain he sustained in the closing minutes of their Week 11 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Team writer Kevin Bowen examined Indianapolis' options for protecting Matt Hasselbeck's blindside against a team that has generated 23 sacks so far this season. The most likely replacement seems to be the man who played the final three snaps in place of Castonzo last week, right tackle Joe Reitz. According to Bowen, Reitz moving to left tackle would make Jack Mewhort the starter at RT. However Alper believes rookie Denzelle Good, who practiced all week on the right side, could receive his first career start at right tackle instead.

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