Jeff Reed

AFC Notes: Mohamed, Steelers, Davis, Pats

The Texans placed linebacker Mike Mohamed on injured reserve this week, despite the fact that he says he has almost recovered from his calf injury. Mohamed tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle that he’ll talk to his agent, Ken Landphere, to determine what happens now — they may pursue an injury settlement with Houston, allowing the linebacker to reach free agency.

“I want to play this season,” Mohamed said. “It won’t be here, but I want to play somewhere and get back on the field. I’m almost back from the injury, so it’s kind of frustrating to go on injured reserve, but I understand that they didn’t feel like they could wait.”

While the Texans would like to bring back Mohamed when he’s healthy, an injury settlement prevents a player from re-signing with his old team for at least six weeks. During that time, Mohamed is a good bet to find a new job with another team.

Here’s more from across the AFC:

  • After missing a pair of field goals in the Steelers‘ loss last night, Josh Scobee has now missed four field goals and an extra point through four games with his new team. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that finding someone who can convert kicks on a consistent basis should be a top priority for Pittsburgh moving forward. Meanwhile, longtime Steelers kicker Jeff Reed, who hasn’t played an NFL game since 2010, still wants to make a comeback and says he’d love a shot to try out for Pittsburgh (link via CBS Pittsburgh).
  • Less than two weeks into his stint with the Ravens, cornerback Will Davis already looks better than he ever did with the Dolphins, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. As Salguero outlines, it’s the latest case of a player becoming more productive with a new team after leaving Miami, a worrisome trend for the Dolphins.
  • The Patriots have been active on the trade market during the last few weeks, and acquired two more defensive players this week. With the November 3 trade deadline just over a month away, Andy Hart at CSNNE.com wonders if Bill Belichick will look to land some help at cornerback as well.

North Notes: Reed, Steelers, Nelson, Fairley

Longtime Steelers kicker Jeff Reed hasn’t played in a regular-season NFL game since the 2010 season, but the 35-year-old has “every intention” of making a comeback, as he tells R.J. Schaffer of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“I looked into the CFL and the Arena League,” Reed said. “It’s just a lot of work for little pay, and it sounds kind of shallow, but when you’ve played for the most elite level of football and you think you can still do it, why wouldn’t you?”

According to Reed, he was contacted by Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt about possibly coming in for a workout, though Tennessee would prefer to find a younger option. Pittsburgh kicker Shaun Suisham had his best all-around season in 2013, so a reunion for Reed and the Steelers appears unlikely, but the free agent kicker hopes he’ll be one of the first options teams turn to if a replacement is needed for health or performance reasons.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • According to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers have some interest in bringing back Brett Keisel, but the veteran defensive lineman seems unwilling to accept a minimum salary contract at this point. Bouchette adds that he believes Pittsburgh will try to extend Maurkice Pouncey before the regular season gets underway.
  • Although talks haven’t progressed to the point where a new agreement is imminent, Packers wideout Jordy Nelson believes there’s a reasonable chance he’ll sign a contract extension in time for the regular season, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “Everyone knows deals get done closer to training camp,” Nelson said. Our Peter Sowards examined the standout receiver as an extension candidate last month.
  • The Lions‘ decision not to exercise their fifth-year option on Nick Fairley was one of the more of the more surprising outcomes this offseason for 2011’s first-round picks, and the defensive tackle himself was a little caught off guard, suggesting that he thought he played well enough to earn that fifth year (link via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press). “My first year wasn’t too good, but my next two came on,” Fairley said. “But like I said, they didn’t pick it up, so we’ve just got to move on and get ready for this year, and things are going to be good.” For now, Fairley is taking a wait-and-see approach to his potential 2015 free agency.
  • Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com identifies four Ravens veterans whose roster spots may be in jeopardy as the 2014 regular season nears, including quarterback Tyrod Taylor and defensive lineman Terrence Cody.
  • The Ravens have removed linebacker Ryan Jones from their IR with an injury settlement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Jones had received a modest $1K signing bonus when he joined Baltimore last month as an undrafted free agent.