NFL Workout Updates: 9/15/17
The latest workouts from around the NFL (all links go to Twitter):
Cleveland Browns
- DEs Ian Seau, Jhaustin Thomas; CBs De’Chavon Hayes, Marcus Sayles, JaCorey Shepherd; LB Garrett Sickels (links via Adam Caplan of ESPN)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- WRs Montay Crockett, Tim Patrick; Ps Matt Darr, Jordan Gay, Richie Leone, Austin Rehkow; QB Jerod Evans, Joel Stave; PKs Andrew Franks, Josh Lambo, Mike Meyer; LS Colin Holba (link via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union)
Los Angeles Rams
Saints Could Trade Kenny Vaccaro
The Saints are discussing a Kenny Vaccaro trade with a “handful of teams,” according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. There’s potential for a deal to come together, adds La Canfora, who notes that the Saints are “overloaded” at safety (Twitter link).
Vaccaro was on the field for all 65 of the Saints’ snaps in their loss to the Vikings on Monday, showing that he remains a prominent part of their defense, but the team has heavily invested in his position lately. New Orleans spent second-round picks on safeties in each of the previous two drafts, selecting Vonn Bell in 2016 and Marcus Williams this year. And Vaccaro is scheduled to hit free agency after the season, further calling his future in New Orleans into question. Currently on a $5.68MM salary, Vaccaro has made it known that he wants to stay with the Saints, yet there haven’t been reports of any serious contract talks between the sides.
Now 27, Vaccaro has been one of the few consistently good parts of New Orleans’ defense since the club used a first-round pick on him in 2013. The former Texas Longhorn has started in 56 of 57 appearances and is attempting to build on a 2016 in which he ranked an above-average 38th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 90 qualified safeties. Notably, Vaccaro did miss a quarter of last season on account of a suspension for Adderall use.
AFC Notes: Bengals, Barnidge, Texans, Pats
A “near mutiny” among Bengals players left head coach Marvin Lewis no choice but to fire offensive coordinator Ken Zampese on Friday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. The Bengals’ best offensive player, wide receiver A.J. Green, was part of the unhappy bunch, notes Florio, though Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer disputes the notion that there was anything resembling a “mutiny” (Twitter link). There was a disconnect between Zampese and the players, though, Owczarski adds. The Zampese-led Bengals scored a mere nine points in the team’s first two games, both losses, and the offense racked up just 516 yards in that span. Green posted respectable production along the way, picking up 10 receptions for 141 yards, but new O-coordinator Bill Lazor is going to have to involve him (and the Bengals’ other top skill players) in their attack more, Florio observes. Green agrees, having told reporters after Thursday night’s 13-9 loss to Houston: “We are playing like sh– right now. We got to find a way to get our playmakers the ball. That’s it. It’s a superstar-driven league. You are not going to win without them” (via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Enquirer).
More from the AFC:
- It appears free agent tight end Gary Barnidge‘s stay on the unemployment line will continue. Barnidge worked out for the Texans on Friday, but they’re not going to sign him, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com suggests (on Twitter). The team opted to add tight end MyCole Pruitt to its practice squad after his own Friday tryout. Barnidge carries a more impressive track record than Pruitt and many other tight ends, of course, having logged quality seasons in Cleveland over each of the previous two campaigns. However, the 31-year-old hasn’t been able to find work since the Browns released him after the draft.
- The Patriots will go without linebacker Dont’a Hightower and wide receiver Danny Amendola in New Orleans on Sunday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Hightower suffered a right knee injury in the third quarter of Week 1 against the Chiefs, perhaps helping to pave the way for a late-game collapse from New England’s defense. The Patriots yielded 21 fourth-quarter points en route to a 42-27 loss. Amendola, who was the Patriots’ leading receiver against the Chiefs (six catches, 100 yards), is dealing with a concussion and a knee injury. Down Amendola, Julian Edelman and Malcolm Mitchell, the Pats look poised to take on the Saints with Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett as their only options in a suddenly thin receiving corps.
- The Luckless Colts have settled on a quarterback for Week 2.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/17
Friday’s practice squad moves…
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Bucky Hodges
- Cut: WR Keyarris Garrett
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB C.J. Smith
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE MyCole Pruitt
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Fred Brown
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/15/17
Friday’s minor moves from across the NFL…
- The Jets will promote linebacker Freddie Bishop from their practice squad in advance of Sunday’s game against the Raiders, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Injuries will keep linebackers Bruce Carter and Edmond Robinson out of action, creating a need at the position. Bishop, undrafted back in 2013, made his NFL debut with the Jets last season and appeared in four games. He started three of those contests, totaling 152 defensive snaps and nine tackles.
- The Cardinals have released linebacker Philip Wheeler, who has been in and out of the organization on multiple occasions since signing with Arizona in July. Wheeler garnered a ton of experience with the Colts, Raiders, Dolphins and Falcons from 2008-16 (133 games, 66 starts), but the 32-year-old hasn’t made much of a defensive impact in recent seasons.
Jets Work Out Howard Jones
Free agent pass rusher Howard Jones auditioned for the Jets on Friday, Howard Balzer reports (on Twitter). Wide receivers C.J. Board and Kenny Lawler also tried out, per Balzer.
The only somewhat known commodity here is Jones, who’s two years removed from a productive first season in 2015. Then with the Buccaneers, Jones piled up five sacks across 12 games, five starts and 386 snaps. That type of output was unexpected, as Jones entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Shepherd University in 2014 and didn’t see any on-field time with his first team, the Steelers.
Jones came back to earth last season, registering a lone tackle and no sacks in eight games (no starts, 84 snaps), before suffering a torn ACL in November. The Buccaneers opted against tendering the then-exclusive rights free agent a contract over the winter, and he has drawn scant interest on the open market. The Jets have been eyeing Jones for a while, though, as they met with him in March. The 27-year-old would likely play a 3-4 outside linebacker role with Gang Green after working as a 4-3 defensive end in Tampa Bay.
Kenneth Dixon Gets Additional Suspension
The NFL has added an extra two games to Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon‘s four-game suspension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Dixon’s latest ban came after he violated the league’s substance abuse policy. The NFL first disciplined him for a performance-enhancing drugs offense.
Given that Dixon’s out for the season because of a torn meniscus, this suspension isn’t going to have an on-field effect for the Ravens. Before his injury, the 23-year-old was slated to compete for carries alongside Terrance West, Javorius Allen and Danny Woodhead. A fourth-round pick in 2016, Dixon managed 4.3 yards per carry on 88 rushes as a rookie last season, and also added 30 receptions out of the backfield.
Already without Dixon and now Woodhead, who’s on injured reserve, the Ravens are down to West, Allen and Jeremy Langford as their RB options. West and Allen were effective in the Ravens’ 20-0 win over the Bengals in Week 1, combining for 151 yards on 40 carries.
Texans Work Out 8, Sign Cobi Hamilton
Fresh off their first win of the season, the Texans worked out a variety of offensive players on Friday, including the previously reported Gary Barnidge, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). Fellow tight ends Larry Donnell, Gavin Escobar, David Johnson and MyCole Pruitt joined Barnidge in auditioning, while wide receivers Cobi Hamilton and Jordan, offensive lineman Jah Reid and quarterback Garrett Grayson were also on hand. The Texans saw enough from Hamilton to sign him to their practice squad, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Houston has an obvious need at tight end, with C.J. Fiedorowicz, Ryan Griffin and Stephen Anderson dealing with the aftereffects of concussions. Fiedorowicz is on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss a significant chunk of time, while neither Griffin nor Anderson dressed for the Texans’ 13-9 win over the Bengals on Thursday. As you’d expect, the tight end position was a non-factor for Houston against Cincinnati, as all 15 of quarterback Deshaun Watson‘s completions went to wide receivers and running backs.
All of the tight ends the Texans looked at Friday come with NFL experience, though only Donnell and Escobar have extensive pro track records. Donnell had a 63-catch, six-touchdown season with the Giants in 2014, but his production has gone downhill since, thanks in part to injuries, and he hasn’t stuck anywhere since becoming a free agent in the offseason. The 28-year-old’s only employment since last season ended came in the form of a short stint in Baltimore, which signed him July 30 and released him Sept. 1.
Escobar, meanwhile, was a high pick in 2013, when Dallas took him in the second round, but he didn’t make much of a mark there behind all-time great Jason Witten. The 26-year-old, who caught 30 passes and eight TDs during his four-year Cowboys run, signed with the Chiefs as a free agent in March but didn’t crack their Week 1 roster.
Reid was a teammate of Escobar’s for a brief period in Kansas City, which released the tackle/guard on the final day of August. A veteran of 61 appearances and 18 starts, he’d provide depth along a Houston line that’s without its left tackle, holdout Duane Brown, and has already yielded 13 sacks in two weeks.
The other fairly notable player on this list is the Texans’ newest addition, Hamilton, who had been looking for work since the Steelers cut him Sept. 1. The Texans are already the sixth organization for the 26-year-old Hamilton, who’s coming off a career season (albeit a modest one) in Pittsburgh. Hamilton started in eight of 11 appearances and caught 17 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He added another four receptions and a TD in three playoff games last January.
As is the case at tight end, Houston’s receivers aren’t the picture of health. Both Bruce Ellington and Will Fuller missed Thursday’s game with injuries (the latter will be out until the fall), leaving the Texans wanting at wideout. Believe it or not, DeAndre Hopkins and Braxton Miller are their only receivers who have caught passes this season. Hamilton could be a factor sometime this year, then.
Rams To Start Aaron Donald Vs. Redskins
The perceived Aaron Donald-acclimation period will not keep him out of any more Rams games. Sean McVay said Friday the two-time All-Pro will start Sunday against the Redskins after reporting to the team six days ago.
While McVay didn’t provide clarity on Donald’s role as a full- or part-time player in his first game back — and first in a new defense — the Rams will have their top player suited up and ready to help the team push for its first 2-0 start since its 2001 Super Bowl season.
Donald remains without an extension but has procured an insurance policy. He’s making less than $2MM in base salary in this his fourth season.
Reports out of Los Angeles indicated Donald may sit for at least one game in order to shake off rust and feel comfortable in Wade Phillips‘ defense, but it looks like he’ll be doing that while playing. Donald’s landed on the top All-Pro team in each of his past two seasons, and while he’s going to be playing in a 3-4 base set for the first time, the three technique stands to provide a significant talent boost for the Los Angeles defense.
Texans’ Kevin Johnson Out 4-6 Weeks
For the second time in his three NFL seasons, Kevin Johnson is looking at a lengthy absence due to injury. The Texans cornerback suffered a sprained MCL in Houston’s Thursday-night win in Cincinnati, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Schefter provides the timetable of four to six weeks for the third-year corner, which will deplete a Texans team that lost standout A.J. Bouye in free agency.
Houston still has Johnathan Joseph and slot man Kareem Jackson, but the Texans’ depth chart is noticeably thinner now after having both Bouye and Johnson — for a time — in the fold last season. Johnson sustained a broken foot in October of 2016, ending his sophomore season. The former first-round pick out of Wake Forest played all 16 regular-season games as a rookie, starting 10.
The Texans signed Marcus Burley as a free agent and have fifth-round pick Treston Decoud on the roster as well. The team, riddled by injuries at other positions as well, will likely have to make a roster move to add a corner in the coming days.