Here’s the latest from the workout circuit, courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Rishard Matthews (story), K Daniel Carlson, K Kai Forbath, QB Malik Zaire
Baltimore Ravens
- LB Alvin Jones
Buffalo Bills
- WR Aaron Burbridge, WR Bennie Fowler, QB Landry Jones, P Drew Kaser, P Brad Nortman
Carolina Panthers
- LB Thurston Armbrister, LB Brandon Chubb, LB Josh Keyes
Cincinnati Bengals
- TE Blake Bell, TE Khari Lee, TE Clive Walford
Cleveland Browns
- OT Brant Weiss
Detroit Lions
- LB Garret Dooley, LB John Timu, LB Aaron Wallace, DT Jamie Meder, DT David Parry
Green Bay Packers
- RB Tra Carson (signed to practice squad), WR Keon Hatcher (signed to PS), WR Devin Lucien, WR Teo Redding
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
- S Mike Mitchell (signed, story)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- RB Jamaal Charles (signed, story), RB Charcandrick West, LS Jon Condo, LS Matt Overton, LS Zach Triner, TE Pharoah McKever (signed to PS), WR Breshad Perriman, QB Josh Woodrum
Kansas City Chiefs
- LB Nate Orchard, LB Gimel President, LB Frank Zombo (signed, story)
New Orleans Saints
- WR Quan Bray, WR Rashad Greene, WR Jordan Leslie, WR Brandon Reilly, WR Lucky Whitehead, WR Shane Wynn, CB Chris Campbell, LB Kennan Gilchrist, LB Manase Hungalu, LB Greer Martini, DB Lardarius Webb
Oakland Raiders
- LB Josh Carraway, DE Anthony Lanier, CB Quinten Rollins
San Francisco 49ers
- RB Matthew Dayes (signed to PS), RB Andre Ellington, RB Jeremy McNichols, RB Shane Vereen, RB Charcandrick West (story), QB Jack Heneghan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- OG Kofi Amichia, WR Jace Billingsley, Fred Brown, Corey Coleman, Damoun Patterson, Austin Proehl, QB Joe Callahan, OT De’Ondre Wesley
Tennessee Titans
- LB B.J. Bello, LB Nigel Harris (signed to PS), LB Tegray Scales
I find it interesting in the way that players released by one organization are frequently “worked out” by other teams that are future opponents or divisional rivals. Seems to me this borders on “industrial spying”, trying to tap a player’s knowledge about their former team.
WITNESS = Cardinals workout Daniel Carlson and Kai Forbath (formerly of the Vikings – Cardinals play the Vikings on 10/14/18.
WITNESS = Lions workout Garrett Dooley and David Parry (formerly of the Vikings – Teams will play against each other twice this season).
WITNESS = Bears sign Bryan Witzmann (formerly of the Vikings – Teams will play against each other twice this season).
Too much of a coincidence to not be planned.
DIRTY POOL???
I think it’s just a coincidence. Teams bring in a ton of guys for workouts on a near daily basis as a matter of due diligence, so the odds of bringing in someone that used to play for a future opponent would probably be high. Also, it’s debatable how much info (if any) that some player on the roster bubble of another team would even be able to help, or why they’d be willing to do it anyway.
Plus the Cardinals might as well tank at this point because any wins they’d get are for nothing.
There really is no need for the type of spying you mention in the age of internet. Everything gets filmed now and it’s next to impossible to keep secrets from leaking. Back in the day there were some great anecdotes about how paranoid coaches were about rivals spying. Woody Hayes of Ohio State was notorious for his mistrust of anyone from Michigan and of course George Allen of the Redskins had the practice field fenced off with a security guy patrolling the perimeter looking for infiltrators.