NFL notebook: Saints acquire CB Apple from Giants

The New Orleans Saints acquired former first-round selection Eli Apple from the New York Giants on Tuesday in exchange for a fourth-round pick of the 2019 NFL Draft and seventh-round selection in 2020. New York made the trade one day after the team lost its fourth straight game and fell to 1-6 in a disastrous first season for general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Pat Shurmur. The Giants have now parted ways with a first-round pick for the second time in two weeks. Offensive tackle Ereck Flowers, who was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, was waived on Oct. 9. He now plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Apple enjoyed a solid rookie season after being selected by the Giants with the 10th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. Things went south from there, notably with New York suspending him for the final game of the 2017 season for a "pattern of behavior that is conduct detrimental to the team" as well as safety Landon Collins going so far as to call Apple a "cancer." Apple, who missed two contests due to a groin injury, has recorded 23 tackles, one forced fumble and five passes defended. --Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen will return to practice on Wednesday after being away for a month to address mental-health issues. The Vikings made the announcement of Griffen's return after he has missed five games. Griffen was treated at a mental health facility after he exhibited erratic behavior in a series of incidents that caused his wife to call police. Griffen has been named to the Pro Bowl each of the past three seasons, and he had a career-high 13 sacks in 2017. In two games this season, both as a starter, Griffen had one sack and six total tackles. --Philadelphia Eagles starting defensive end Derek Barnett will miss the rest of the season after having shoulder surgery, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported. Shoulder problems have plagued Barnett in recent weeks. He missed the Oct. 7 game against the Minnesota Vikings because of that issue, but he played in this past Sunday's loss to the Carolina Panthers. Barnett, the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, started all six games in which he played this season, recording 17 total tackles, including 2 1/2 sacks. He played in 18 games, including three playoff games, last season, but did not start any of them. Barnett had 21 total tackles, including five sacks, in the 2017 season. --Denver Broncos backup quarterback Chad Kelly was arrested Tuesday morning on a charge of first-degree criminal trespass. Per a release from the Englewood (Colo.) Police Department, Kelly illegally entered a home and was later chased by the resident. Officers spotted a man matching the description from the homeowner and identified him as Kelly. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Arapahoe County Jail. Kelly, who is no longer in police custody, is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday. --Quarterback Blake Bortles will be under center for the Jacksonville Jaguars in their next game, although his hold on the starter's job reportedly is tenuous at best. Multiple media outlets reported that Bortles could receive a quick hook if he struggles. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that backup Cody Kessler will see some first-team reps in practice. Bortles lost his second fumble and was benched early in the second half of Sunday's 20-7 setback to the Houston Texans. The 26-year-old Bortles had completed 6 of 12 passes for 61 yards against the Texans while Kessler went 21 of 30 for 156 yards with a touchdown and an interception. --Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver John Ross is expected to be sidelined a few weeks with a groin injury, according to a published report. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that Ross aggravated the injury during Sunday's 45-10 setback to the Kansas City Chiefs. Ross, who was the ninth overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, missed two games with the groin injury before returning for Sunday's game. --Free-agent wide receiver Rishard Matthews will sign with the New York Jets, multiple media outlets reported. Matthews said last week that he didn't think he would sign with an NFL team before the end of the season. Matthews began the season with the Tennessee Titans before asking for -- and receiving -- his release in September. The 29-year-old saw reduced playing time and finished with three receptions for 11 yards this season. --The grievance filed by the NFL Players Association on behalf of Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid regarding his visit with the Cincinnati Bengals last spring has been denied by an arbitrator, the players union reported . Arbitrator Shyam Das ruled that the Bengals had the right to ask Reid if he planned to continue to kneel during the national anthem. The Bengals did not sign Reid, who was a free agent until he was signed by the Panthers. The NFLPA's grievance was based on the claim that the Bengals based their decision not to sign Reid solely on his response to the question about his plans during the anthem. The union believed that violated the collective bargaining agreement, since the NFL had not established a policy that required players to stand on the sideline during the anthem or remain in the locker room. Reid has been kneeling during the national anthem this season to protest social injustice and racial inequality. --Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett defended the team's decision to send a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for wide receiver Amari Cooper. "The value for a player like that at his age (24), that's really what it costs you," Garrett said Tuesday on 103.5 The Fan, via the Dallas Morning News. "It costs you a first-round pick. If we were to get him in the draft next spring, you would say, 'Boy, is there any receiver who is as good as a guy like Amari Cooper?' He's not 28, 29, 30. You're not paying for a guy for what he's done for the past six, seven, eight years for another team." --Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay sounded cautiously optimistic in addressing the health of injured wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Kupp was injured in the first half of the Rams' 23-20 win over the Denver Broncos on Oct. 14. "Cooper's making good progress," McVay said. "Whether it's this week or whether it's another week, hard to say right now. We're just taking it a day at a time with him. But, very positive in terms of just the way that he's responding to some of the rehab. And we'll whether that means he's a go for this week or not." Kupp has 30 receptions for 438 yards and five touchdowns this season. The 25-year-old also has four carries for 25 yards.