Josh Victorian

NFC Notes: Ginn, Kerrigan, Chancellor

Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Panthers wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. admitted that he was “chasing a check” when he signed with the Cardinals last year, suggesting he took the highest offer he got in free agency for the benefit of his family (link via Tim Durr of the Black and Blue Review). Although Ginn signed a three-year deal with the Cards, his stint in Arizona didn’t last long — he was cut by the team in February.

Here’s more from across the NFC:

  • ESPN.com’s John Keim and Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examine the specific details on Ryan Kerrigan‘s new contract with Washington, and Fitzgerald also provides a breakdown of the extension in chart form. The deal, which includes a $16MM signing bonus, features cap hits of $6.238MM in 2015 and $8.45MM in 2016 before jumping to $11.7MM+ for the final four years.
  • Since Kam Chancellor‘s holdout from Seahawks camp is now at six days, Seattle is allowed to recoup 15% of the safety’s signing bonus proration for 2015, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. Since Chancellor’s bonus counts for $1MM against the team’s cap this year, Seattle could recoup $150K.
  • Lions GM Martin Mayhew explained that the team’s depth at cornerback led to the trade that sent Mohammed Seisay to the Seahawks, a deal he called “win-win for everybody.” Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the quotes from Mayhew.
  • Packers defensive end Datone Jones told reporters, including Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link), that he did not appeal his one-game suspension. Jones was suspended last month after receiving a citation for marijuana possession.
  • Free agent cornerback Josh Victorian, who recently auditioned for the Texans, worked out for the Panthers following Chris Houston‘s retirement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Free Agent Rumors: Bengals, Cherilus, Long

The Bengals are considering adding a veteran receiver to compete in training camp for a roster spot and playing time, and they worked out a couple interesting names today, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link). Getlin reports that, in addition to Greg Little, Santonio Holmes and David Nelson also auditioned for Cincinnati. Holmes, a longtime Jet, played for the Bears in 2014, while Nelson has accumulated 138 receptions in five seasons with the Bills and Jets. So far, none of the three wideouts have signed with the Bengals.

Here are a few other notes, rumors, and updates on free agency around the NFL:

  • Having visited the Bills and Lions, offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus headed home today without a deal in place, and will assess his options, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. If Cherilus is deciding between Buffalo and Detroit and doesn’t plan on making any more visits, I’d expect him to sign soon.
  • Another veteran offensive lineman who made some visits this week also remains on the market, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, who writes that Jake Long‘s meeting with the Broncos ended without the club signing the former No. 1 pick. Long is also said to be drawing interest from the Falcons and Giants.
  • The Cowboys have been linked to free agent running backs most of the offseason, but executive VP Stephen Jones says the team doesn’t have any plans to bring in another one at this point. The team will, however, add a couple linebackers, according to Jones (Twitter link via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
  • Free agent cornerback Josh Victorian, who last played a regular season game for Houston in 2013, tried out for the Titans, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link).

Minor Moves: Wednesday

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL. As always, any additional moves will be added to the top:

Earlier Updates:

  • The Packers have taken a flyer on developmental quarterback Matt Blanchard of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Blanchard joins Scott Tolzien on the depth chart behind Aaron Rodgers.
  • The Giants have added two players, signing defensive back Josh Gordy and linebacker Ryan Jones, writes Michael Eisen of Giants.com. Gordy has played in 59 games since signing with the Jaguars as an undrafted rookie in 2010, and Jones was signed by the Ravens last June but was waived after a foot injury.
  • The Saints have signed center Mike Golic Jr., according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Golic also spent time with the team last offseason.
  • The Dolphins have re-signed wide receiver LaRon Byrd, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

Giants Place Michael Cox On IR, Sign Darkwa

The Giants have made a change to their 53-man roster, placing running back Michael Cox on injured reserve and signing another running back, Orleans Darkwa, off the Dolphins’ practice squad to replace Cox, the team announced today in a press release. Cox suffered a fractured lower leg during the fourth quarter of the Giants’ loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.

Cox, who turns 25 this week, joined the Giants in 2013 as a seventh-round draft pick out of Massachusetts. In his year and a half with in New York, Cox has 26 rush attempts for 76 yards, five receptions for 21 yards, and has occasionally handled kick returns for the club as well. As for Darkwa, he has spent time on both the Dolphins’ active roster and practice squad this season after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Tulane.

The Giants also updated their practice squad, announcing the release of safety Kyle Sebetic, which was first reported yesterday. Cornerback Josh Victorian, who worked out for the team this week, has been added to the unit to fill the 10th and final slot.

New York Notes: Workouts, Coughlin, Harvin

Cornerback Derek Cox was among the free agents to work out for the Giants today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), but Cox was far from the only veteran in for an audition. Per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, the Giants looked at 13 players in total. Here’s the full list, along with a few other notes on the NFL’s two New York teams:

  • The full list of players who tried out for the Giants today, in addition to Cox, via Raanan: Defensive backs Jalil Brown, Kanorris Davis, Thomas Gordon, Robert Steeples, Brandon Taylor, and Josh Victorian; quarterback Dominique Davis; wideouts Lee Doss and Chris Matthews; defensive tackle Clifton Geathers; linebacker Uani Unga, and tight end Evan Wilson.
  • As the Giants stumble toward the finish line in another disappointing season, head coach Tom Coughlin should make this his last year, announcing his retirement at season’s end before the team has a chance to ask him to “retire,” argues Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. Of course, we’ve seen Coughlin’s Giants squads make surprising late-season runs before, but it’s unlikely that this year’s team gets back into playoff contention.
  • Many players wouldn’t be happy making the move from the defending champions to a 2-8 club, but wideout Percy Harvin is “at peace” with the Jets, as he tells Danny Knobler of ESPNNewYork.com.
  • After watching Mark Sanchez light up the Panthers in Philadelphia last night, Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post writes that the only way the Sanchez saga could get stranger is if he somehow made his way back to the Jets. Of course, as Hubbuch points out, the Jets figure to be in the market for a quarterback this offseason, and Sanchez will be eligible for free agency. A reunion seems awfully unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
  • George Willis of the New York Post outlines a handful of reasons why the Jets shouldn’t tank in the hopes of landing the No. 1 pick and quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Workout Notes: Bengals, Saints, Lions, Bucs

As teams around the league assess themselves during the early part of the week, we’ll learn about the latest tryouts as clubs try to remake the back ends of their rosters. We’ll keep track of today’s audition notes here:

Earlier updates:

  • The Bengals worked out tight end Michael Egnew, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Egnew, a third-round pick in 2012, has spent time with the Dolphins, Lions, and Jaguars. Cincinnati also brought in defensive back Josh Victorian, who was dropped from the Lions’ practice squad in early October, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • With fullback Austin Johnson nursing a knee injury, the Saints auditioned fellow FBs Michael Zordich and Ray Agnew, per Caplan (on Twitter). New Orleans also tried out ex-Washington safety Bacarri Rambo, who started three games last season, tweets Caplan. Wilson passes along a few more names (on Twitter), noting that the club brought in defensive backs Malcolm Bronson, Stan McKay, and Brandon Taylor, and running back Toben Opurum.
  • The Lions worked out cornerbacks Trevin Wade and Robert Steeples, says Wilson (Twitter link). The duo worked out for the Panthers a few weeks ago.
  • The Buccaneers auditioned linebacker Jeremy Grable, per Wilson (via Twitter). Grable was on Tampa Bay’s roster over the summer.
  • Offensive lineman Maurice Hurt is one of 15 players whom Washington is trying out today, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). We should learn the names of the other participants shortly.

South Notes: Panthers, Griffin, Titans, Bucs

Plenty of Panthers players were caught off guard by the team’s release of veteran defensive back Charles Godfrey, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, who says words like “shocking” and “surprising” were used to describe the move.

“With a guy of his stature who’s been here for as long as he had, and all of a sudden you wake up and he’s not here, it’s definitely got to be a shock. It’s shocking to me,” said fellow defensive back Roman Harper. “But it’s a job. We’ve got to take it seriously and understand that nobody’s job is safe from top to bottom. They’ll always fire you before you get them fired. That’s just what I’ve always been taught.”

As the Panthers’ defense adjusts to life without Godfrey and one of the newest additions to the free agent market looks for work, let’s check out a few more items from around the NFL’s two South divisions….

  • We heard yesterday that the Titans had been entertaining trade discussions involving wide receiver Nate Washington, and it sounds like he’s not the only veteran the team is mulling moving. In addition to confirming the Washington report, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com says he has heard defensive back Michael Griffin may be on the block as well (Twitter link). The Titans, who announced last night that Zach Mettenberger will start at quarterback this weekend, seem to be “embracing” a rebuild, notes McCormick.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) adds several new names to the list of players to audition for the Panthers this week. According to Wilson, the club took a look at cornerbacks Trevin Wade, Robert Steeples, Ellis Lankster, and Josh Victorian, as well as offensive linemen Ryan Miller and Matt Patchan.
  • Besides the players they signed to their 53-man roster or practice squad, the Buccaneers also worked out linebackers Erin Henderson and Lawrence Wilson this week, tweets Wilson. Per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Henderson had a tryout with the Titans too.
  • Cornerback Deveron Carr auditioned for the Jaguars this week, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

With practices resuming following the weekend’s games, and teams having a better of idea of how serious its players’ injuries are, Tuesdays are often a busy day for practice squad transactions, as clubs replenish their rosters and swap in players at potential positions of need. As such, we expect to update this post plenty of times throughout the day, with the latest news of practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL. Here’s the latest:

  • Defensive tackle Joe Vellano, who was waived by the Patriots on Monday, has agreed to stay with New England on its practice squad, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Vellano is the beneficiary of the new practice squad rules that allow a second-year player to be eligible despite playing in 16 games in 2013.
  • Defensive back Chandler Fenner and wide receiver Julian Talley, both waived by the Giants yesterday, have been re-signed to the practice squad, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
  • The Eagles re-signed linebacker Brandon Hepburn to their practice squad, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
  • The Packers signed Joe Kruger, the brother of Paul Kruger, to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
  • Former Ravens defensive tackle A.J. Pataiali’i has been added to the Browns’ taxi squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • As noted below, cornerback Mike Harris has signed with the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing fellow defensive back Josh Victorian, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • The Jets have released cornerback LeQuan Lewis from their practice squad, signing another cornerback – Dashaun Phillips – in his place, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • One wide receiver has replaced another on the Cowboys‘ practice squad, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, as Tim Benford has been cut and LaRon Byrd has been signed.
  • The Rams are down to nine players on their practice squad, having cut wide receiver Justin Veltung today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
  • The Lions have signed defensive back Mike Harris to their taxi squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Detroit had a full 10-man unit, so a corresponding cut will be necessary to finalize the move.
  • Offensive tackle Ryan Miller has been cut from the Broncos‘ practice squad, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
  • The Browns have cut long snapper Charley Hughlett from their practice squad, per agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). Hughlett was brought in to provide competition for the team’s regular long snapper, Christian Yount, but Cleveland has opted to continue on with Yount.
  • The 49ers have swapped one offensive lineman for another on their practice squad, cutting tackle John Fullington in order to bring aboard guard Andrew Tiller, according to the club.
  • Guard William Campbell and defensive tackle Jeremy Towns are the newest members of the Bills‘ practice squad, replacing fullback Lonnie Pryor and tight end Jamie Childers, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • Three days after cutting him from their active roster, the Jaguars have re-signed tight end Mickey Shuler to their practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. To make room on the squad, wide receiver Kerry Taylor has been cut.
  • Last week’s promotion of quarterback Chandler Harnish to the active roster suggested the Vikings were more confident in him than McLeod Bethel-Thompson in an emergency scenario, and the team’s moves today reflected that as well. The Vikes announced in a press release that Bethel-Thompson has been let go from the practice squad, with Harnish, wideout Donte Foster, and defensive back Pierre Warren joining the unit.
  • To keep tabs on all 32 practice squad rosters, be sure to check out our complete list.

AFC West Notes: Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers

As I noted in a poll yesterday, there are only three unbeaten teams remaining in the NFL — at the other end of the spectrum, only three clubs are still looking for their first win of the season. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examines those three franchises in his latest piece for The Sporting News, writing of the Raiders that they’ve “built one of the strangest rosters in recent memory.”

As Fitzgerald notes, Oakland added a number of aging veterans in free agency on its way to compiling the oldest roster in the NFL, and the team handed the quarterbacking reins to rookie Derek Carr shortly after trading for high-priced veteran Matt Schaub. The Raiders figure to win some games at some point this season, but it’s hard to imagine GM Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen still having their jobs a year from now unless things turn around quickly, writes Fitzgerald.

Here’s more from around the AFC West:

  • Although Bill Williamson of ESPN.com has received many inquiries from Raiders fans on whether or not the team has interest in free agent defensive back Champ Bailey, Williamson says the team isn’t considering the veteran at this point (Twitter link).
  • Before they signed with the Packers’ and Lions’ practice squads, respectively, offensive lineman Josh Walker and defensive back Josh Victorian worked out for the Chiefs, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), who says Kansas City team also auditioned wideout Ryan Spadola.
  • In addition to the players who signed to their roster or practice squad, or those whose workouts have been previously reported, the Chargers tried out the following players, according to Wilson (via Twitter): Offensive linemen Michael Bamiro, Travis Bond, and Bryce Quigley, linebacker Yawin Smallwood, and tight end Brian Wozniak.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

We’re tracking Tuesday’s minor 53-man roster transactions around the NFL in a separate post, but we’ll use this spot to keep tabs on Tuesday’s practice squad moves. Here’s the latest:

  • The Texans have signed punter Chris Boswell to their practice squad, according to James Palmer of CSNHouston.com (on Twitter).
  • The Packers have signed offensive lineman Josh Walker to the practice squad, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The team released center Josh Allen to make room on the roster.
  • The Chargers signed D.J. Adams and former University of Oregon tight end David Paulson to the practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
  • The Saints signed fullback/tight end Orson Charles to their practice squad, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
  • The Bears have re-signed Josh Bellamy to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
  • The Browns signed wide reciever Lee Doss to their practice squad, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. The move fills the vacancy left by Charles Johnson leaving the Browns’ taxi squad for the Vikings.
  • Brandon Smith had a successful tryout for the Jets and they’re expected to sign him to their practice squad, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • Defensive back Josh Victorian has filled the final opening on the Lions‘ practice squad, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • The Redskins have finalized the addition of center Tevita Stevens to their practice squad, and also announced that offensive lineman Braxston Cave has been cut (Twitter link). That leaves the club with nine players on its taxi squad still.
  • The Panthers have filled the final opening on their practice squad by bringing aboard wide receiver Willie Snead, according to David Newton of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Snead was cut by the Browns at the end of the preseason.
  • After working out for the club earlier today, tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi has signed with the Ravens‘ practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Ogbuehi takes the spot vacated by Phillip Supernaw, who has been promoted to the team’s active roster.
  • Offensive lineman Reid Fragel, who was on Indianapolis’ practice squad earlier this season, has signed with the Falcons‘ taxi squad, replacing tackle Terren Jones on the unit, per a team release.
  • As part of the flurry of transactions they made today, the Jaguars added fullback Eric Kettani to their practice squad, filling the 10th and final spot, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.
  • The Colts have removed defensive end Nnamdi Obukwelu from their practice squad with an injury settlement, the club announced today in a press release. Linebacker Trevardo Williams takes Obukwelu’s place on the squad.
  • With outside linebacker Cordarro Law set to join the Chargers‘ 53-man roster, another outside linebacker – rookie Colton Underwood – will take Law’s spot on San Diego’s practice squad, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Zach Links contributed to this post.