HEADLINES

Month: August 2014

Minor Moves: Wednesday

August 27th, 2014 at 5:02pm CST by Luke Adams

A day after 2014’s deadline for rosters to be reduced from 90 players to 75, the transactions wire isn’t nearly as busy today, but things will undoubtedly pick up soon, with the deadline for 53-man rosters just three days away. In the meantime, here are a few of Wednesday’s minor moves from around the league:

  • Running back Demitrius Bronson was one of the Seahawks‘ roster casualties earlier this week, but with Christine Michael nursing a hamstring injury, Seattle has re-signed Bronson for the team’s final preseason game this week, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter links). Center Greg Van Roten has been cut to clear space on the roster.
  • The Cowboys claimed defensive back Jemea Thomas off waivers from the Patriots today, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The Georgia Tech product was a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft. As Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets, Dallas waived wideout Tim Benford to open up a roster spot.
  • Cornerback Danny Gorrer has been released off the Buccaneers‘ injured reserve list with a settlement, says Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).

AFC Notes: Alex Smith, Lindell, Ravens, Pats

August 27th, 2014 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Alex Smith has indicated that he would prefer not to let extension talks bleed into the regular season, but with Week 1 fast approaching and no agreement in place yet, the Chiefs quarterback told Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star yesterday that he didn’t have a specific deadline in mind for ending negotiations.

“I wish I had an answer for you,” Smith said. “I feel like I’ve kind of been locked into games and practicing. With camp winding down here, preseason winding down, certainly we’ll see. But sorry. No answer for you today.”

As we wait to see if Smith and the Chiefs can agree on a new deal before the team begins its season, let’s check in on a few other notes from around the AFC…

  • We heard yesterday that ex-Cardinals kicker Jay Feely would be working out for the Titans this week, and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports says (via Twitter) that Rian Lindell will also be a part of that audition. Brazilian youngster Maikon Bonani currently sits at the top of the team’s depth chart, but he has yet to attempt a regular-season NFL kick, so Tennessee may be seeking a veteran alternative.
  • While a deal isn’t necessarily likely, it sounds as if the Ravens are keeping their trade options open, as Aaron Wilson and Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun detail. In the view of Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, the fact that Baltimore restructured Lardarius Webb‘s deal is notable and could signal that another move is forthcoming, since the team usually tries to avoid reworking contracts.
  • According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), Tom Brady wasn’t overly pleased with the Patriots‘ decision to trade Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay. However, Cole suggests that it should only take a day or two for Brady to move past it.
  • The Patriots‘ trade of Mankins is the latest example of the lack of sentimentality the team has for its long-tenured veterans, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Although Mankins probably has some good years left in him, the Pats likely concluded he wasn’t worth carrying on an eight-digit cap number, says Volin.
  • Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star lays out the pros and cons for the Colts hypothetically signing free agent guard Richie Incognito.
  • Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News takes a look at Reggie McKenzie‘s track record since joining the Raiders, suggesting that the general manager hasn’t brought in many impact players since taking over the reins.

Cardinals To Sign Tommy Kelly

August 27th, 2014 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

2:56pm: The Cardinals have officially announced the signing, and according to Darren Urban of Cardinals.com (Twitter link), the team will cut defensive lineman Ryan McBean to make room for Kelly.

2:28pm: It’ll be a one-year deal for Kelly with the Cardinals, tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

2:18pm: After hosting him for a visit, the Cardinals will be signing free agent defensive lineman Tommy Kelly, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports had indicated (via Twitter) earlier this afternoon that Kelly’s meeting with the team was going well and could result in a deal.

Kelly, 33, joined the Patriots on a two-year deal prior to last season after spending the previous nine years in Oakland. He tore his ACL in Week 8, and spent the remainder of the season on IR. In 134 career games (122 starts), Kelly has racked up 301 tackles and 37 sacks. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has graded Kelly as relatively average over the past few years, noting that he is much better pash rusher than as a run defender. The veteran was released by the Patriots during this weekend’s roster cutdowns.

At 6″6″, 300 pounds, and capable of playing both end and tackle, Kelly should add some versatility to a Cardinals 3-4 scheme that recently lost Darnell Dockett for the year. After Brett Keisel turned down Arizona’s invitation for a free agent visit, the Cardinals ended up signing fellow veteran lineman Isaac Sopoaga to a deal. While Kelly and Sopoaga won’t necessarily replace Dockett’s production, they’ll provide some veteran depth on the line, allowing the team to avoid having to rely heavily on inexperienced alternatives.

Before they finalize the signing of Kelly, the Cardinals will have to remove a player from their active roster in order to create an opening.

Bengals Sign Vontaze Burfict To Extension

August 27th, 2014 at 2:37pm CST by Rob DiRe

2:37pm: The deal, which has now also been announced by the Bengals, has been slightly adjusted since the initial agreement, according to Adam Caplan, who says Burfict will earn $10.75MM in salary and bonuses in the first six months, and $12MM in the first two years of the pact (Twitter link).

AUGUST 27, 2:07pm: Burfict and the Bengals finalized the linebacker’s new deal today, according to agent Audie A. Attar of Paradigm Sports Management (via Twitter).

AUGUST 20, 4:38pm: The Bengals have agreed to a contract extension with Vontaze Burfict, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter).

According to Caplan, Burfict will earn $9.75MM in salary and bonuses by March of 2015, and is set to take in $11MM over the first two years of the deal (via Twitter).

Caplan’s colleague at ESPN, Adam Schefter, reports that that contract is a three-year extension, keeping Burfict with the team through 2017. His total contract is now a four-year, $20MM deal that will pay him a salary of $7.6MM in 2014 (via Twitter).

Burfict was once considered an early first-round talent, but issues on and off the field contributed to a drop in his stock prior to the 2012 NFL Draft. He ran poorly at the combine and tested positive for marijuana, which contributed to him going undrafted and signing with the Bengals as a rookie-free agent.

The troubled linebacker has since turned his career around, becoming the star player he was once thought of. He led the NFL in tackles in 2013, and was the only member of the vaunted Bengal defense selected to the Pro Bowl.

Ravens Rework Lardarius Webb’s Contract

August 27th, 2014 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens have reworked the contract of cornerback Lardarius Webb in order to create some additional cap space, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. According to Pelissero, it’s a simple restructure, with $4MM of Webb’s 2014 base salary converted into a signing bonus.

Webb, 28, had been in line for a $7.5MM base salary this season, with an additional $3MM in prorated bonus money resulting in a $10.5MM cap hit. Because his deal runs through the 2017 season, the new $4MM bonus will be spread out in equal $1MM installments over the next four years. So, by reducing Webb’s 2014 salary to $3.5MM and adding that additional $1MM to his prorated bonus total, the Ravens create $3MM in cap savings for ’14.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the Ravens now have about $6.95MM in cap room for the coming season, nearly double what they had before reworking Webb’s deal. It remains to be seen whether the team will need any of that space for a major signing – such as perhaps a Torrey Smith or Jimmy Smith extension – but at the very least it will provide some flexibility in case any in-season additions are required.

Josh Gordon’s One-Year Suspension Upheld

August 27th, 2014 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Josh Gordon‘s one-year suspension has been upheld and his appeal has been denied, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The Browns wideout released the following statement through the NFLPA shortly after the news broke:Josh Gordon

“I’d like to apologize to my teammates, coaches, the Cleveland Browns organization and our fans. I am very disappointed that the NFL and its hearing office didn’t exercise better discretion and judgment in my case. I would like to sincerely thank the people who have been incredibly supportive of me during this challenging time, including my family, my agent, my union, my legal team, and the Cleveland Browns staff.”

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter both reported earlier this morning (Twitter links) that an announcement was expected on Gordon by the end of the day. According to Schefter, Browns sources were “baffled” over why the ruling had taken so long. Back on August 4, we heard that an announcement on Gordon’s appeal was expected in one to three weeks, but it ended up taking 23 days.

Now that the year-long penalty has been upheld, it’s expected to run through 2015’s training camp and most of the preseason as well, which could have been avoided if a decision had been handed down earlier. However, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets, the NFL’s statement on the ruling reads, in part: “Gordon’s eligibility for reinstatement will be determined following the 2014 season.” That suggests the league may decide to reinstate Gordon in advance of next year’s camp, depending on his behavior. At the very least though, he’ll miss the entire 2014 season.

The NFL’s leading receiver in 2013, Gordon will serve his suspension as a result of repeated violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy. During his appeal hearing, his lawyers argued that his positive test was a result of second-hand smoke, and called into question the results of his test, in which one urine sample passed and one failed by a small margin.

Because the decision on the appeal and the suspension was left to hearing officer Harold Henderson, the decision was an all-or-nothing proposition. Had Henderson decided not to let the penalty stand, he would have had to wipe out Gordon’s ban entirely — a suspension somewhere in between those two extremes would have had to be negotiated by the NFL and the NFLPA, and there was no indication that the two sides entered into any real talks about that possibility.

Despite missing the first two games of the 2013 season due to another drug-related suspension, Gordon caught 87 passes for a staggering 1,646 yards, and added nine touchdowns. The 23-year-old was named as one of the two All-Pro wide receivers, alongside Lions superstar Calvin Johnson. With the standout pass catcher no longer in the mix for 2014, Brian Hoyer – and perhaps Johnny Manziel – will have a decidedly less impressive receiving corps with which to work, one that includes free agent signees Miles Austin, Andrew Hawkins, and Nate Burleson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys To Sign Phillip Tanner

August 27th, 2014 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

A week after being cut by the Colts, running back Phillip Tanner will be returning to the team with whom he spent the first three seasons of his NFL career. According to agent Christina Phillips of Precision Sports (via Twitter), Tanner has reached an agreement to re-sign with the Cowboys.

Tanner, 26, recorded 149 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 56 carries during his three years in Dallas, along with 93 receiving yards on nine catches. The Middle Tennessee State product, who also contributed on special teams in 2013, signed with the Colts in late July, but was waived following the club’s acquisition of running back David Fluellen.

In Dallas, Tanner will compete for a roster spot in a backfield that also includes DeMarco Murray, Lance Dunbar, Joseph Randle, Ryan Williams, and D.J. Adams. His familiarity with the team and its coaches could provide an advantage, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Tanner waived this weekend when rosters are trimmed to 53 players.

Before the move is finalized, the Cowboys must remove a player from their active roster to make room for Tanner.

Ravens To Sign Derek Cox

August 27th, 2014 at 9:20am CST by Luke Adams

9:20am: Wide receiver Jace Davis, who signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Colorado in May, will be cut to make room on the roster for Cox, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).

9:06am: Two days after he was released by the Vikings, cornerback Derek Cox has found a new home, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who reports (via Twitter) that the Ravens will sign the veteran free agent. Per Wilson (Twitter links), Cox visited the Ravens yesterday and will officially ink his minimum salary benefit deal today.

Cox, who turns 28 next month, spent his first four seasons with the Jaguars before signing a four-year, $20MM contract with the Chargers in 2013. However, he was released after just one season, despite receiving $10.25MM in guaranteed money. Cox played in all 16 games for the Chargers in 2013, but started only 11 games, and signed a modest one-year, $1MM pact with Minnesota in March. A lack of guaranteed money in that deal made it easy for the Vikings to cut ties with him this week as roster cutdowns begin.

Although the Ravens have been on the lookout for cornerback help for a good portion of the offseason, it remains to be seen whether Cox will be the answer for the club. The fact that he’s been cut twice in the last six months suggests that at least two clubs didn’t believe he’d contribute positively in 2014, and that appears to be a fair assessment based on Pro Football Focus’ grades of his 2013 performance (subscription required) — Cox ranked 106th out of 110 qualified corners.

The Ravens will have to make a corresponding roster move to clear space for Cox once the signing becomes official.

Extra Points: Sam, Boone, Burleson

August 26th, 2014 at 10:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings star Adrian Peterson is approaching 30 but the running back says he’s far from done, writes Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune. “I work with the mind-set of being the best ever,” he said. “That, and my approach, set me apart. I have it in my mind that I’m doing things that nobody else is doing. You’re not just saying you’re going to be the best ever, you’re putting in the work to accomplish that.” More from around the NFL..

  • Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter) believes that Michael Sam will wind up making the Rams‘ roster. Garafolo adds that Sam can clinch his spot with a strong performance on Thursday night.
  • Before acquiring Logan Mankins from the Patriots, the Bucs inquired on 49ers guard Alex Boone, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Meanwhile, the 49ers and Boone’s representatives still have not spoken or exchanged proposals since the opening of training camp, according to a source. Multiple teams are calling on Boone but San Francisco is asking for a first- or second-round pick, a price that is probably too high for a guard, even one as talented as Boone.
  • Browns wide receiver Nate Burleson knows that his resume alone won’t keep him safe from roster cuts, write George M. Thomas and Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal. “This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league,” he said. “So I can watch as many YouTube highlights of myself, but what I did today and what I do tomorrow is going to have a more profound effect than my resume.”

AFC East Notes: Pats, Mankins, Wright, Hill

August 26th, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Two sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter) that the Patriots asked guard Logan Mankins to take a pay cut before today’s trade sending him to the Buccaneers. Mankins gave the club the same answer as when they asked him right after last season’s Pro Bowl: No. Here’s more from the AFC East..

  • The Patriots were interested in trading for tight end Tim Wright for two weeks now, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The Pats got their man earlier today in a deal that sent Mankins to Tampa Bay.
  • Former second round pick Stephen Hill has been having trouble dropping the ball and Jets coach Rex Ryan isn’t giving him much of an endorsement, writes Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. “He’s had some strong moments, but there are others where we wish maybe he had hung on to a ball or so,” Ryan said. “But he’s had a pretty good training camp. I don’t want to say it’s been outstanding, but it’s been pretty good. “He’s blocked consistently, but he just hasn’t had a lot of shots at catching the ball. We’re still evaluating that receiving group, and we’ll see how it shakes out.”
  • Free agent addition Earl Mitchell is already looking like a gem for the Dolphins, writes Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald. The defensive lineman signed a four-year deal with Miami early in free agency. Mitchell is smaller than the departed Paul Soliai, but he’s shown that he can be rather effective.
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