Falcons To Re-Sign O’Brien Schofield
For months, O’Brien Schofield has been lobbying for a return to the Falcons. It took a while, but the veteran linebacker is on his way back to Atlanta, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets. It’s a one-year deal for the Falcons and Schofield, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. The Falcons have confirmed the deal via press release. To make room, the team has waived running back Terron Ward.
Schofield will likely play SAM linebacker for the Falcons and help with the pass rush on occasion, McClure writes. The 29-year-old signed a one-year, $1.7MM deal with Atlanta last year and finished out the year with 28 tackles, four tackles for losses, two sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and one forced fumble.
The Falcons made Schofield an offer early on in the offseason, but he held out for more money. Schofield appears to have misjudged the market as the Falcons did not improve their offer and interest from other teams was mild to say the least. The Patriots met with Schofield in August and the Jets hosted him on a visit in September, but neither meeting led to a deal.
Schofield followed Dan Quinn to Atlanta last offseason when he signed a one-year, $1.7MM contract. He finished out the year with 28 tackles, four tackles for losses, two sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and one forced fumble.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Paul Worrilow Out 3-4 Weeks
- Falcons linebacker Paul Worrilow suffered a groin injury and will miss three to four weeks, his agent told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Worrilow has been the Falcons’ leading tackler over the past three seasons. Prior to Worrilow’s injury, second-round rookie Deion Jones knocked him out of the starting lineup.
Falcons Make Practice Squad Moves
Atlanta Falcons
Falcons Cut Two From Practice Squad
Atlanta Falcons
Vic Beasley On "Hot Seat?"
- Falcons outside linebacker Vic Beasley is on the “hot seat,” writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Despite playing 39 snaps in the team’s season-opener against the Buccaneers, Beasley didn’t compile a single tackle. The former eighth-overall pick understands that he needs to produce if he wants to stay on the field, and his coach is optimistic that he can be a force on the Falcons defense. “I’m looking for his arrow to be going up in this game,” said Dan Quinn. “He just didn’t perform the way he’s capable of. When those opportunities come up to go make a play, can we just nail the technique just right?”
[SOURCE LINK]
PFR’s Impact Rookies Series
All summer long, longtime scouting consultant Dave-Te Thomas of The NFL Draft Report has been breaking down the draft class of every team in the league and identifying the players that can immediately make a difference. The Impact Rookies series, which wrapped up today with a look at the Seahawks, provides unique insight to this year’s NFL freshman class from a veteran guru who worked closely with several teams around the league leading up to the draft.
Here is the full rundown of the Impact Rookies series:
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
NFC West
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/16
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Blake Sims (link via Matt Zenitz of AL.com)
- Cut: RB Gus Johnson (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Marquis Bundy (via team announcement)
- Cut: WR Chris Hubert (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB/KR Raheem Mostert (Twitter link via agent Brett Tessler)
- Cut: RB Senorise Perry (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune), OL Laurence Gibson (Twitter link via Biggs)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Sammy Seamster (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com)
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Reshard Cliett (Twitter link via Wilson)
- Cut: LB Kyle Kragen (Twitter link via Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post)
Indianapolis Colts:
- Signed: CB Tay Glover-Wright (Twitter link via Wilson), S Lee Hightower (Twitter link via Wilson)
- Cut: DT Kelcy Quarles, OL Adam Redmond (Twitter link via Wilson)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cut: WR Shaq Evans (Twitter link via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Tre Roberson, CB Julian Wilson (via team announcement)
- Cut: OT Carter Bykowski, S Shamiel Gary (via team announcement)
New England Patriots
- Cut: DB Mike Hilton (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN.com)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Taveze Calhoun (Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of The Advocate), TE Jake Stoneburner (Twitter link via Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com)
- Cut: FB Austin Johnson (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Times-Picayune), DE Bobby Richardson (Twitter link via Erickson)
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Deontae Skinner
- Cut: QB Logan Thomas (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY)
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: OT Takoby Cofield (Twitter link via reps at Precision Sports)
- Cut: LB Jason Fanaika (Twitter link via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: QB Aaron Murray (via team announcement)
- Cut: WR Marcus Johnson, TE M.J. McFarland (injury settlement, Twitter link via Wilson)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DE Tylor Harris (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle), QB Jake Heaps (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times), OL Michael Ola (Twitter link via Condotta)
- Cut: WR Kasen Williams (Twitter link via Condotta), DT Justin Hamilton (Twitter link via Condotta) and WE Rodney Smith (Twitter link via Condotta)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Cameron Lynch (Twitter link via Roy Cummings of WFLA News Channel 8), DT Rodney Coe (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
- Cut: RB Russell Hansbrough (Twitter link via Auman)
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: QB Alex Tanney (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com)
- Cut: OL Ronald Patrick
Washington Redskins
- Cut: OL Nila Kasitati (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s John Keim)
Falcons’ Hageman Facing Charges
Falcons defensive lineman Ra’Shede Hageman is under league investigation after being charged with three misdemeanors, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. The charges stem from a domestic violence incident in March. 
Hageman, a second round pick in the 2014 draft, was charged with interfering with a call for emergency help, battery family violence, and cruelty to children in the third degree. If the league office finds that those charges have merit, then Hageman is likely in for a lengthy suspension.
This offseason, the Falcons experimented with using Hageman at defensive end as well as defensive tackle. It remains to be seen exactly how the 6’6″, 310 pound lineman could be used since he was a healthy scratch on Sunday. The Falcons opted to place defensive tackle Courtney Upshaw on the active roster instead of Hageman so that they could use more of the nickel formation against the Bucs. Atlanta lost their season opener 31-24.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Falcons Worked Out Blake Sims
- Former Alabama quarterback Blake Sims worked out for the Falcons as a running back, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll be signing him at this time, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com tweets.
Buccaneers Work Out Jacquizz Rodgers
The Buccaneers worked out a handful of players today, including veteran running back Jacquizz Rodgers, according to Jenna Laine and Field Yates of ESPN.com. Tampa Bay also worked former collegiate QB Blake Sims (as a running back) and running back Antone Smith, per the ESPN scribes. Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com (Twitter link) reports that the Bucs looked at former Bengals linebacker P.J. Dawson, while Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links) says Tampa auditioned receivers DeAndrew White and Mekale McKay.
[RELATED: Buccaneers Sign Cecil Shorts]
Rodgers, 26, is typically regarded as a strong pass protector (and therefore a solid third down back), and could provide some depth behind Doug Martin and Charles Sims, and act as an upgrade on Mike James. Fellow running back Smith could also help in that regard, but he’s four years older than Rodgers. Both, however, offer familiarity with Tampa head coach Dirk Koetter, as each played in Koetter’s Falcons offense.
Dawson, a third-round pick in the 2015 draft, was surprisingly waived by Cincinnati over the weekend, and recent reports have indicated that Bengals coaches found him to be unreliable on the field. Still, he offers talent, and like the two running backs, Dawson has ties to the Buccaneers’ coaching staff. New Tampa Bay defensive line coach Jay Hayes coached the same position group in Cincinnati, and though he didn’t directly oversee Dawson, Hayes can likely vouch for TCU alum’s ability.
The trio of McKay, Sims, and White, meanwhile, has never taken a snap in the NFL. White originally signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent earlier this year, but was waived over the weekend.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.