HEADLINES

Month: April 2024

Giants Place Jon Beason On IR

October 29th, 2014 at 4:17pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 4:17pm: The Giants have officially placed Beason on injured reserve, announcing the signing of cornerback Mike Harris to take his spot on the roster. Harris’ signing had been previously reported.

MONDAY, 11:16am: Giants linebacker Jon Beason needs surgery on his toe and will miss the remainder of the season, according to Dan Graziano of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter). The former first-round pick met with a specialist in North Carolina last week and, apparently, the prognosis was not good.

Beason missed most of the offseason thanks to an injury on the same foot. Beason suffered a sesamoid fracture in his right foot, as well as a ligament tear, back in July. Beason represented himself in free agency this offseason and did a pretty solid job on the deal that brought him back to the Giants. Beason got a three-year deal that carries a base value of $16.8MM, with a $4.4MM signing bonus and $6MM in overall guaranteed money.

Pro Football Focus’ metrics ranked Beason 47th out of 55 qualified inside linebackers last season, in large part due to poor grades in pass coverage. However, the ex-Panther piled up 93 tackles and an interception in just 12 games with the Giants. In four games this season, Beason registered 11 tackles.

Rams Promote Washington, Sign Williams

October 29th, 2014 at 2:54pm CST by Zachary Links

2:54pm: The Rams have made a few more moves, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Williams has indeed been added to the active roster, with cornerback Jemea Thomas waived to make room. Additionally, the team has cut wideout Kadron Boone from its practice squad and added offensive lineman Travis Bond.

12:04pm: The Rams have promoted offensive lineman Brandon Washington to the active roster, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). In addition to that, the Rams have added wide receiver Emory Blake, offensive tackle Steven Baker, and tight end Justice Cunningham to the practice squad, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets.

Washington was one of the final cuts made before the 53-man deadline in late August and was added to the taxi squad soon after. The 6’3″, 320 pound lineman has one game of NFL experience on his resume.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Rams appear poised to continue with just four wide receivers on the active roster. Earlier today, Wagoner tweeted that if and when the Rams add a wide receiver to the active roster, it will be former Dolphins WR Damian Williams. St. Louis recently lost Brian Quick, who was placed on IR, for the year as he was in the midst of a breakout campaign.

Seahawks Sign Will Tukuafu, L.J. Fort

October 29th, 2014 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

After waiving a pair of offensive players – wideout Phil Bates and tight end Brett Brackett – yesterday, the Seahawks have filled those open roster spots by adding a free agent and a player off their practice squad. According to the team (Twitter link), Seattle has signed fullback Will Tukuafu and promoted linebacker L.J. Fort to the 53-man roster.

The Seahawks had been without a fullback since placing Derrick Coleman on injured reserve, and could have some depth issues at linebacker with Bobby Wagner out and Malcolm Smith battling an injury, so it makes sense that the team would add a player at each of those positions.

Still, it’s also worth noting that both Tukuafu and Fort have been listed at other positions during their NFL careers. When the Seahawks signed Fort to their taxi squad, they listed him as a fullback, after he auditioned at that spot during his tryout with the team. For now, he’ll be returning to his original position. As for Tukuafu, he has experience on the defensive line as well as at fullback during his previous seasons with the division-rival Niners.

The Seahawks now have a full 53-man roster, with two openings on their practice squad.

Audition Notes: Wednesday

October 29th, 2014 at 1:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys scheduled a visit for linebacker Will Smith, a source tells Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. However, there might not be a spot for Smith after Tim Dobbins was picked up earlier today. The Cowboys have needs at offensive guard and at linebacker with injuries to starting left guard Ron Leary and starting weakside linebacker Justin Durant. Durant is done for the year while Leary is out with a groin strain. A look at today’s auditions from around the NFL..

Cowboys Sign Tim Dobbins

October 29th, 2014 at 11:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys have signed linebacker Tim Dobbins, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com (on Twitter). To make room, the Cowboys are expected to place Justin Durant on injured reserve.

The Falcons signed Dobbins to help replace the injured Sean Weatherspoon this offseason, but he did not make the final cut in late August. Since then, he has auditioned for the Raiders and Pats but didn’t find an NFL home until today. Over parts of eight seasons with the Chargers, Dolphins, and Texans, Dobbins has appeared in 110 games and made 22 starts. He has 195 total tackles to his credit with two sacks and seven fumble recoveries. Four of those fumble recoveries came during an especially fortuitous 2012 season.

Durant, who was starting at weakside linebacker, suffered a season-ending biceps tear earlier this week.

Patriots Sign Alan Branch

October 29th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Zachary Links

10:46am: The Pats formally announced the signing, Reiss tweets. To make room for Branch, rookie linebacker Deontae Skinner has been released. Skinner, a product of Mississippi State, was signed as a UDFA in May.

10:45am: Free agent defensive tackle Alan Branch is at Gillette Stadium today and finally he’s on the verge of joining the Patriots, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter). Branch is expected to practice with the team today and an official signing should be announced afterwards.

Branch and the Pats appeared to have struck agreement on a deal last week but the deal was put off until today. Branch should help to fill the void on the defensive line that was left by Chandler Jones‘ injury that will keep him out for an undetermined period of time.

The 29-year-old was released by the Bills after he was arrested for a DUI in August. Branch signed a three-year, $9.1MM extension ($3.1MM signing bonus) with Buffalo, only to see the deal terminated before the start of the 2014 season. Branch started 13 games for the Bills last season, and has started 47 during his career, racking up 112 tackles and eight sacks in total.

New England also acquired defensive end Akeem Ayers from the Titans last week to help fill the gap left by Jones.

Jaguars Sign Tommie Campbell

October 29th, 2014 at 9:45am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars announced that they have signed former Titans cornerback Tommie Campbell, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. In a corresponding move, the Jags placed fellow corner Alan Ball on injured reserve.

Campbell, 27, worked out for the Seahawks, Dolphins, Lions, and Bucs this fall but didn’t land a roster spot with any of them. His September audition with Jacksonville, however, clearly made an impression. Campbell has 37 games of experience across three seasons with the Titans with 28 career tackles.

Ball, 29, has been struggling with a biceps injury for the past week. He has arguably been the Jags’ best cornerback since joining the team last season, so this is a tough blow for Jacksonville. Ball made 15 starts last season and led the team with 14 pass deflections and a career-high 47 tackles to go along with two picks. This year, Ball recorded has 22 tackles, one interception, and three pass breakups in seven games.

Jets Notes: Smith, Idzik, Ballard, Revis

October 29th, 2014 at 8:53am CST by Zachary Links

Geno Smith‘s former teammate and current FOX broadcaster Brady Quinn came to his defense in a chat with Chris Strauss of USA Today. While Smith has struggled mightily, Quinn pointed to the lack of consistency in his receiving corps and the media’s focus on the quarterback competition training camp as factors that have held him back. Something tells me that most Jets fans aren’t quite as sympathetic. More on Gang Green…

  • Smith says he can “without a doubt” be a franchise quarterback in the NFL, but in a sit down with SNY earlier this week, Jets GM John Idzik wasn’t quite as confident, Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday writes. “I don’t know that. Don’t know that. That’s still to be determined. You don’t want to try to answer that question too prematurely, especially when you’re dealing with a younger quarterback in Geno,” Idzik said of Smith, whom the organization drafted 39th overall in 2013.
  • If the Jets are in the market for a GM, they might look into Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, who will be the hottest GM candidate after the season, two sources tell Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. Ballard was a candidate at Tampa Bay last offseason but bowed out because coach Lovie Smith would have had final say over him in personnel matters. Myers, meanwhile, thinks former Jets exec and current Falcons assistant GM Scott Pioli would be a strong fit for Gang Green.
  • Myers also hears from a source that Jets owner Woody Johnson began his interviews with GM candidates by saying that cornerback Darrelle Revis had to go. If a candidate disagreed and made a point that it might be in the Jets’ best interest to keep their best player, even if he was coming off ACL surgery with contract issues ahead, “Woody didn’t want to hear it,” the source said. Idzik, who traded Revis to the Bucs three months into his tenure, likely agreed with Johnson during the interview.
  • Idzik may have talked his way out of town with his bizarre press conference earlier this week, writes Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News.

Extra Points: Romo, Rams, Keenum, Broncos

October 28th, 2014 at 10:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Tony Romo left last night’s game against the Redskins during the third quarter with a back injury, but ultimately returned to play the fourth quarter and overtime. Per Ian Fitzsimmons of ESPN Radio in Dallas (via Twitter), Romo’s season is not in jeopardy. However, the Cowboys’ quarterback’s short-term health could be a concern, and he will be labeled “questionable,” at best, for Sunday’s contest against the Cardinals. Here’s more from around the league.

  • The Rams took on about $902K in 2014 cap charges when they acquired Mark Barron from the Bucs earlier today, and as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap notes, St. Louis only had roughly $540K in cap room, meaning the club likely had to restructure another player’s contract in order to fit Barron on the roster. Fitzgerald also writes that the new CBA was central to this trade — though Barron was a first-round pick, his guarantees are still relatively low, enabling Tampa Bay to take on his dead money without causing much financial discomfort.
  • Quarterback Case Keenum was waived by the Rams in order to clear a spot for Barron, but it’s fair to wonder if he could soon find another job with the Ravens. As Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com points out (Twitter link), Keenum has a familiarity with Baltimore offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak from the duo’s time in Houston. The Ravens were rumored to be looking for an upgrade over backup QB Tyrod Taylor during the offseason.
  • Sources tell Mike Klis and Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post that although several teams were interested in trading for Broncos cornerback Tony Carter, no club was willing to part a “significant draft pick” in order to acquire the defensive back. We first heard last Friday that carter was drawing interest around the league, but the 28-year-old will finish out the season with Denver.
  • A torn biceps is a season-ending injury for most players, but Eagles offensive lineman Todd Herremans will attempt to play through the ailment, write Jeff McLane and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce should return to the Birds’ line soon, so if Herremans can manage his health concern, Philadelphia should have its Week 1 starting offensive line together again soon.
  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News wasn’t impressed with Jets general manager John Idzik’s Monday state-of-the-franchise press conference, and doesn’t believe Idzik should be allowed to hire a new coach if Rex Ryan is let go.

NFC West Notes: Barron, Rams, Cards, 49ers

October 28th, 2014 at 9:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s check out the latest from the NFC West, where the Rams made a relatively surprising trade earlier today…

  • Acquiring Mark Barron from the Buccaneers was a low-risk, high-reward move for the Rams, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, but it’s fair to wonder how Barron will fit in with St. Louis’ defense. Barron has been more successful as an in-the-box type safety, but as Wagoner notes, the Rams currently deploy T.J. McDonald near the line of scrimmage. In fact, McDonald grades as the second-worst safety in the league in terms of pass coverage, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Nevertheless, St. Louis can use the remainder of the season to determine if Barron has a future with the club, and more specifically, if it wants to exercise his fifth-year option.
  • Several bullets into his latest notes post, Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) examines the Rams’ free agent miscues during head coach Jeff Fisher’s tenure. Jake Long is now injured once again, Jared Cook hasn’t been worth his $7MM annual salary, and a third high-priced addition, cornerback Cortland Finnegan, was released prior to the season.
  • Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link), Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians said that he and general manager Steve Keim discussed several potential trades, but none came to fruition. Additionally, Arians suggested the trade deadline be moved later in the season.
  • The 49ers currently have an open space on their 53-man roster, notes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter). San Francisco did not make a transaction today, and while the club could be saving a spot for Aldon Smith, the league did not make an announcement regarding a reduction of his suspension. Jim Harbaugh told reporters yesterday that he had yet to hear anything about Smith’s ban being lessened.
  • After giving up multiple draft picks for Percy Harvin (and then dealing him away one year later), the Seahawks were right to not make a trade today, opines ESPN.com’s Terry Blount.
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