HEADLINES

Month: August 2014

Minor Moves: Tuesday

August 12th, 2014 at 8:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the NFL, with the latest transactions added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • The Dolphins signed tight end Evan Wilson, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter).
  • Less than two weeks after signing tight end Raymond Webber, the Dolphins have waived him, a source tells ESPN.com’s Field Yates (Twitter link).
  • Tight end Dorin Dickerson has been removed from the Titans‘ injured reserve list with an injury settlement, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • With the open spot on their 90-man roster, the Buccaneers have signed former Toledo defensive end T.J. Fatinikun, who participated in the club’s minicamp in June, tweets Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.

Earlier updates:

  • The Steelers placed veteran punter Adam Podlesh on their reserve/did not report list, tweets Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Podlesh isn’t in attendance at Pittsburgh’s camp after his wife underwent a complicated – but successful – delivery of their child. He can be reinstated when he reports, but for now the Steelers are also free to sign someone else to take his roster spot.
  • Offensive lineman Stephen Goodin has signed with the Cowboys, taking the roster spot of guard Andre Cureton, reports Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter links). Goodin, a former Giant, was waived earlier in the offseason by New York with an injury settlement.
  • The Jets have swapped one defender for another, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, who tweets that the club signed defensive back LeQuan Lewis and cut linebacker Tim Fugger. Per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Lewis, who ran a 4.36 40-yard dash during his tryout, received a two-year contract from the Jets.

Extra Points: Giants, Bryant, Cowboys

August 12th, 2014 at 6:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is leading a new-look Giants secondary but he believes that the gelling process won’t be too arduous, writes George Willis of the New York Post. “When you’ve got a whole bunch of older guys, it can (come quickly) because you’ve been around the league and you understand the game,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “When you’re young it takes time. But with Walt coming over, with me and Antrel having already been here with Prince and Steve, I think it’s been smooth.” More from around the NFL..

  • Former Ravens outside linebacker D.J. Bryant tried out for the Titans today, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Bryant, who spent last season on injured reserve with a torn ACL, wasn’t immediately signed to a contract. The athletic 6’3″, 240-pound linebacker who was an All-Colonial Athletic Conference selection as a defensive end at James Madison.
  • A scout who studied new Cowboys cornerback Justin Green described him as someone who is “tough, physical, and competes,” tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Green, the source added, has above average movement skills and is a back-end guy with special teams value.” In short, Dallas will still miss Orlando Scandrick, but Green can be a solid depth pickup.
  • New Browns quarterback Rex Grossman is happy to be reunited with long-time offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, writes Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer. “I just want to help this team win, no matter if it’s going out there playing or helping or just being somebody they can rely on that can go in the game and play or whatever it is,” said Grossman, who will be charged with breaking down the offensive system to his younger teammates.
  • The CFL’s Montreal Alouettes officially announced that Jeff Garcia has been named the team’s quarterbacks coach.

Cowboys Acquire Justin Green From Patriots

August 12th, 2014 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have acquired cornerback Justin Green from the Patriots in exchange for defensive tackle Ben Bass, according to Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com. The Cowboys, of course, recently lost starting cornerback Orlando Scandrick to a four game suspension.

Green, who stands at 5’10” and 200 pounds, came to the Pats as a UDFA and was mainly on the practice squad but also enjoyed a two-game stint on the active roster. Green will join stable of cornerbacks including Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Sterling Moore, B.W. Webb, and Terrance Mitchell, until Scandrick returns in Week 5. Claiborne and Carr are the presumptive starters at the two primary cornerback spots. The 23-year-old began his collegiate career as a running back before coaches asked him to apply his speed to the cornerback position starting in his sophomore year.

Bass, 25 in October, has been hobbled with hamstring issues and hasn’t practiced much in training camp with the Cowboys this season. The defensive tackle/end first made the Cowboys’ roster in 2012 as an undrafted free agent from Texas A&M who played two games as a rookie. Last year, injuries cost him his entire season and he spent all year on the injured reserve.

Pigskin Links: Bears, Jennings, Bridgewater

August 12th, 2014 at 5:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Here at Pro Football Rumors, we deliver up-to-the-minute news on NFL transactions and high-quality original analysis. In addition to that, we also feature some of the best blog articles from around the web in our weekly feature, Pigskin Links.

We’re looking for interesting reads on all things football from blogs of all sizes. While PFR is dedicated to player movement, Pigskin Links is open to pieces on all areas of the game. If you would like to suggest your blog post (or someone else’s) for Pigskin Links, send Zach an email with the link and a brief synopsis at PigskinLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the football blogosphere..

 Got a great football blog post that you want to see featured in next week’s Pigskin Links? Email it to Zach or tweet it to him: @ZachLinks.

Poll: How Long Will Gordon Be Suspended?

August 12th, 2014 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been a little over a week since we heard that a decision on Josh Gordon would be made in about one to three weeks, so an announcement from the league on the Browns wideout could come any day now. Facing a year-long suspension for repeated violations of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, Gordon and his representatives made the case at his appeal hearing earlier in training camp that the penalty was unwarranted, and that Gordon’s positive test – which barely passed the league’s strict threshold, was a result of second-hand smoke.

Given the way the league’s appeal system works, hearing officer Harold Henderson will have to make an all-or-nothing judgment on Gordon, either upholding the initial year-long suspension or wiping out the ban entirely, allowing the Browns receiver to play in Week 1 and beyond. As such, it was expected that the NFL and NFLPA would attempt to negotiate a settlement, perhaps reaching a compromise that saw Gordon’s suspension reduced, but not altogether eliminated.

As of last Thursday, no settlement talks between the two sides had taken place. However, there’s no guarantee that’s still the case, five days later. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report indicated yesterday that the league would “like to find a way” for Gordon to play for at least a portion of the 2014 season, in part because a year-long ban for a transgression most fans don’t view as significant would create bad PR for the NFL coming so closely on the heels of Ray Rice‘s modest two-game penalty for an ugly domestic abuse incident.

From the perspective of Browns fans – and fans of the NFL in general – a season without Gordon, who racked up an incredible 1,646 receiving yards in just 14 games last season, would be a huge disappointment, but there isn’t a ton of wiggle room when it comes to the league’s policy relating to substance abuse. So a settlement may be Gordon’s best chance of seeing the field this year.

What do you think? Will Gordon’s suspension eventually be upheld, eliminated, or reduced?

AFC Links: Ravens, McCarthy, Texans, Colts

August 12th, 2014 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens could use some cornerback help, but the free agent market is thin and Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun isn’t sure either Asante Samuel or Jabari Greer would have interest in joining the team. A preseason trade may be Baltimore’s best chance for an upgrade, says Zrebiec, though he admits the Ravens may not want to part with any more 2015 draft picks after trading a couple for Jeremy Zuttah and Michael Campanaro.

Let’s round up a few more Tuesday updates from out of the AFC….

  • It sounds as if Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy will need shoulder surgery, which makes injured reserve a viable possibility for him, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
  • Asked about the Texans’ overhaul of their backfield – which included signing Ronnie Brown and cutting Andre Brown – head coach Bill O’Brien said the Texans “had a chance to improve our team, and that’s what we did” (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Although he believes the Broncos have several good contracts, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap picks Terrance Knighton’s deal as the most team-friendly one on Denver’s books. On the other hand, Fitzgerald wasn’t a fan of the contract the Broncos gave DeMarcus Ware this offseason, which includes $16.5MM in fully guaranteed money.
  • Because the Colts only had five draft picks in May – the fewest of any NFL team – the team extensively scouted college free agents and placed a greater emphasis on those players this year, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. As such, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a few earned spots on Indianapolis’ roster and/or practice squad.
  • In his exploration on the positional investments successful and non-successful teams make in running backs, the Patriots and Browns are among the teams examined by Zach Moore of Over the Cap. The Pats only spent about $3.4MM on their productive group of runners last season, and Moore thinks that inexpensive rookie Terrance West should be a better value for Cleveland than free agent addition Ben Tate.

Pro Football Rumors Features

August 12th, 2014 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Pro Football Rumors passes along the latest news and rumors on NFL player movement 365 days a year, but those aren’t the only updates you’ll see on the site. On our right sidebar, you’ll find a number of additional features and featured posts. Here’s a rundown of a few of them:

  • Most of the most noteworthy players on the 2014 free agent market came off the board back in March, but there are still plenty of recognizable veteran names available. You can find the full breakdown of veteran free agents by position using our list.
  • With teams having completed most of their major offseason moves, our Offseason in Review series looked back at the changes clubs made to their rosters over the last few months. Our team of writers examined all 32 NFL teams, so be sure to take advantage of our index to find your club of choice.
  • Several players figure to receive contract extensions from their respective teams between now and the start of the 2014 regular season, and we’ve identified a number of potential recipients in our Extension Candidate series, which profiles players eligible for extensions and assesses their value. As the list shows, a handful of the players we’ve profiled have since had their contracts extended.
  • Teams around the league have been active in tweaking their rosters since training camps opened last month. With dozens of transactions being made each week, we’re doing our best to keep tabs on which clubs have full 90-man rosters and which still have open roster spots, as you can see using our updated list of NFL roster counts.
  • 36 trades have been consummated by NFL teams in 2014, and you can find them all on our recap of 2014 NFL trades, which will continue to be updated up to this year’s trade deadline. Meanwhile, you can keep tabs on traded draft picks for 2015 with our tracker.
  • The Pro Football Rumors glossary highlights a number of aspects of the NFL’s salary cap, free agency, and Collective Bargaining Agreement. Feel free to let us know if there’s a specific concept that you’d like us to discuss in a future Glossary piece.
  • We value your input at PFR, which is why we regularly publish polls and have a regular feature called Pigskin Links, in which we highlight a few interesting recent articles from football blogs. You can find our poll archives here and our Pigskin Links pieces right here.
  • The Pro Football Rumors app for the iPhone and iPad is available for free on iTunes.
  • While a handful of our notable articles can be found under the “Featured Posts” section on the right sidebar, the PFR Originals archive rounds up all the original posts from our staff. Recently, we gauged the stocks of veteran free agents Jonathan Vilma and Richie Incognito, and listed the league’s longest-tenured general managers.

NFC East Notes: Scandrick, Giants, Redskins

August 12th, 2014 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the four-game suspension handed out to his client, Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick, agent Ron Slavin of BTI Sports Advisors issued a statement suggesting that if the proposed agreement related to HGH testing had been instituted by now, it would significantly reduce the number of PED suspensions (Twitter link via Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports). A number of drugs that currently fall under the PED umbrella would instead be tested under the substance abuse policy under that proposal, and first-time substance-abuse violations typically result in counselling and treatment rather than immediate suspensions.

Let’s round up a few more items on Scandrick and on some other NFC East clubs and players….

  • Scandrick’s positive test came as a result of the recreational drug MDMA being found in his system following a vacation to Mexico, a source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Jay Glazer of FOX Sports adds (via Twitter) that MDMA on its own should be subject to the substance abuse policy, but the drug can sometimes be laced with amphetamines, which likely resulted in the PED classification.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap notes that the timing of the suspension was actually somewhat fortuitous for Scandrick, since he restructured his contract with the Cowboys in the offseason to reduce his base salary. By converting a portion of his 2014 salary to a signing bonus, Scandrick will only lose out on about $847K in salary, rather than around $1.55MM.
  • With David Wilson forced into retirement and Andre Brown back on the free agent market, a reunion between Brown and the Giants may seem logical, but Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets that the Giants seem comfortable with the running backs on their roster, and don’t appear to have interest in Brown at this point.
  • Redskins GM Bruce Allen confirmed today to reporters, including Jason Reid of the Washington Post (Twitter link), that his team only has about $2MM in cap space. Cap-clearing moves will likely be necessary for the club before the start of the regular season, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com.
  • Mike Jones of the Washington Post fields a few Redskins-related questions in his latest mailbag.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Bills, Dolphins

August 12th, 2014 at 9:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Jets look awfully thin at cornerback after three of their top four players at the position went down with injuries, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. In Mehta’s view, that lack of cornerback depth could eventually lead to Rex Ryan‘s ouster in New York if it becomes a significant and ongoing problem during the regular season. Mehta doesn’t think John Idzik should be on the hot seat, but says the GM’s inactivity in addressing the position during the offseason shouldn’t be swept under the rug either.

Here’s more on the Jets’ cornerback woes, along with a couple other items from out of the AFC East:

  • Discussing Ryan’s and Idzik’s comments to the media yesterday, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com describes the duo as in “damage control” mode, “covering their butts” after not doing more in the offseason to strengthen the Jets‘ cornerback depth. As Cimini points out, the club failed to re-sign Antonio Cromartie after indicating he’d be welcome back, didn’t pursue Darrelle Revis despite Revis saying he wanted to return to the Jets, and couldn’t lock up Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in spite of having him in for a visit. The Jets also opted for safety Calvin Pryor over cornerback Darqueze Dennard in the first round of the draft, and have now resorted to playing safety Antonio Allen at corner during practice.
  • Led by Jon Bon Jovi, the Toronto group bidding on the Bills has been approved as a finalist in the sale process for the franchise, reports John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. The only surprising thing about that development is how long it took to happen — the group’s initial bid was viewed as uncompetitively low, and the group was also asked to provide greater assurances that it would keep the club in Western New York. The Toronto group, Donald Trump, and any other finalists are still considered underdogs in a process where Sabres owner Terry Pegula appears to be the frontrunner.
  • Despite the fact that the Dolphins have shown interest in other quarterbacks – and signed Brady Quinn yesterday – Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) expects the team to retain Matt Moore as its backup this season. Moore, who has a $4MM base salary and a $5.5MM cap hit, is one of the league’s most highly-paid backups, but he’s also one of the more reliable No. 2 options out there.

NFC Links: Saints, Bucs, Cardinals, Vikings, Packers

August 11th, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints’ 2014 roster isn’t likely to match or exceed the total of eight undrafted free agents who earned spots on the roster or practice squad a year ago, but the team prides itself on finding hidden gems, as GM Mickey Loomis tells Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.

“Our college scouting staff takes a lot of pride in finding guys that no one’s heard about, or small college guys, and finding a trait that each one has that transfers to the NFL,” Loomis said. “It’s also a great credit to our coaching staff being willing to look at player and not worry about how we acquired them but just go by what we see and going by what their potential is to fit within our scheme offensively and defensively. We’ve had a lot of success with undrafted free agents, and I think that’s going to continue.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…

  • Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the Buccaneers have real interest in 49ers guard Alex Boone if the price is right (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). However, another source told Rapoport that there’s been no “real” conversations between the two sides.
  • The Buccaneers could use some help on the offensive line, and coach Lovie Smith was asked if the team would consider Richie Incognito. “[A]ll players are looked at and [if] we think they could fit we bring them in,” he told the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud (via Twitter). 
  • Rookie wide receiver John Brown continues to make a “buzz” at Cardinals camp, tweets CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora. Considering the team’s depth at the position, La Canfora suggests that the team could carry six wideouts on their final roster.
  • ESPN’s Ben Goessling tweets that Vikings tight end Chase Ford is getting close to a return and may not need to start the season on the PUP list.
  • Packers running back Rajion Neal caught the eyes of coaches after he ran for 39 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown, on five carries in the team’s preseason opener. Unfortunately, the undrafted rookie suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, and he understands that he has to get healthy quickly if he hopes to make the squad. “I’ve got to play; there ain’t no way around it,” Neal told ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. “Being in the position I’m in, I can’t afford it.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Load More Posts