Lions Cut RB Jonathan Williams
Jonathan Williams won’t make the Lions roster, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll have to hunt for yet another NFL gig. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Detroit has cut the veteran running back. However, Williams is expected to land on their practice squad.
Williams has bounced around the NFL since being selected in the fifth round of the 2016 draft. The Arkansas product has had stints with the Bills, Broncos, Saints, Colts, and Lions. He had the best season of his career in 2019, compiling 235 rushing yards and one touchdown on 49 carries. He also added another five catches for 59 yards. That ended up earning him a contract with Detroit, who signed him in mid-August.
However, considering his limited time in camp, it was always going to be tough for Williams to make the roster. Kerryon Johnson, D’Andre Swift, Jason Huntley, and Bo Scarbrough (along with fullback Jason Cabinda) always seemed like shoo-ins to make the final roster.
Jets Cut CB Nate Hairston
Nate Hairston is a free agent. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports (via Twitter) that the Jets have cut the cornerback.
Last August, the Jets traded a conditional 2020 sixth-round pick to the Colts for the defensive back. Hairston ended up getting into 11 games (six starts) for New York, compiling 24 tackles, three passes defended, and one interception.
The 2017 fifth-round pick spent the first two seasons of his career with the Colts. He saw time in 27 games (11 starts) for Indy, compiling 65 tackles, two sacks, six passes defended, and one interception. During his Colts tenure, Hairston missed time with a concussion and a hamstring injury.
Hairston seemed like a long shot to make the 2020 Jets roster. Pierre Desir, Bless Austin, and Brian Poole are tentatively penciled in as starters, while Bryce Hall, Arthur Maulet, Quincy Wilson are projected to make the team as backups.
Patriots Release RB Lamar Miller
Lamar Miller‘s stint with the Patriots has come to an end, at least temporarily. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that New England has cut the veteran running back.
However, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes on Twitter, the Patriots fully guaranteed $200K of Miller’s base salary. Therefore, it “wouldn’t be a surprise” to see Miller return to New England, especially if the team were to suffer an injury at running back.
Miller signed a one-year deal with the Patriots last month. It was only a year ago that the 29-year-old tore his ACL in a preseason contest while playing for the Texans. Reports at the time of the signing indicated that Miller was fully recovered, and Pelissero notes in his tweet that the veteran is “healthy.”
If that’s true, then Miller could end up being a great grab for an RB-needy team. He earned a Pro Bowl nod during his last healthy season, rushing for five scores and 973 yards on 210 carries (4.6 yards per carry) with the Texans. He also added 25 receptions for 163 receiving yards and one touchdown during that 2018 campaign.
The Patriots have a propensity for adding veteran players to see if they’ve got anything left in the tank, but Miller wasn’t necessarily expected to just stick around for camp. Rather, it was thought that he’d play a rotational role with New England. Ultimately, the team seems content to move forward with their current grouping of Damien Harris, Sony Michel, James White, and Rex Burkhead.
Falcons Cut WR Laquon Treadwell
Laquon Treadwell is hitting free agency once again. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the wideout has been cut by the Falcons.
The 2016 first-round pick out of Ole Miss never made a name for himself during his time with the Vikings. Treadwell ultimately spent four seasons in Minnesota, hauling in 65 receptions for 701 receiving yards and two scores in 53 games (16 starts). His best season came in 2018, when he set career-highs in receptions (35) and receiving yards (302).
Treadwell signed with the Falcons back in March, and there was some hope that he’d emerge as a dependable back-of-the-rotation receiver. However, the team already had Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley locked in atop the depth chart, while Russell Gage and Olamide Zaccheaus seemed like guarantees to make the squad. That meant the 25-year-old Treadwell was competing with six other wideouts for one or two spots, so it was always going to be an uphill battle for him to make the Falcons.
Still, considering his age and draft stock, it wouldn’t be shocking if Treadwell gets at least one more shot in the NFL.
Titans Release QB Trevor Siemian
Trevor Siemian‘s stint with the Titans has already come to an end. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the team is cutting the veteran quarterback. He might not be gone for good however, as veteran beat writer Terry McCormick tweets that the team wants him back on their practice squad. Teams can add vets to the practice squad now under the new COVID-19 inspired rules. That being said, he notes they expect to face competition for his services from other teams.
It was less than a month ago that Tennessee added Siemian to their quarterbacks room. The 28-year-old was expected to provide some experience behind starter Ryan Tannehill. Instead, the organization will apparently roll with Bengals 2018 seventh-round pick Logan Woodside as their primary backup.
The team is currently only rostering two players at the position, so there’s a chance a third (potentially veteran) quarterback could catch on. When the team auditioned Siemian back in August, the team also gave a look at DeShone Kizer, so the team already has some options in their Rolodex.
Siemian has only seen time in one game over the past two years (thanks in part to a season-ending ankle injury during the 2019 campaign). The last time he got an extended look was 2017, when he went 5-5 as a starter for the Broncos.
Latest On Jadeveon Clowney
As Jadeveon Clowney zeroes in on his next gig, he’s let go of his agent. According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the defensive end has fired agent Bus Cook.
Does this sound familiar? Last year during Labor Day Weekend, Clowney fired Cook as his agent. The two ended up reconciling, and the franchise-tagged pass rusher was later traded from the Texans to the Seahawks. It sounds like there won’t be another reunion, however, as Clowney is expected to “eventually hire” Kennard McGuire for representation.
Meanwhile, as Clowney continues his free agency tour, Florio reports that the Saints brass visited the player in Houston. An image on Instagram showed Clowney posing with head coach Sean Payton, and the message indicated that two other Saints coaches attended the meeting. For what it’s worth, Clowney subsequently “liked” that post, which was posted by a chef at a restaurant.
We learned yesterday that Clowney could end up waiting until next week to sign a contract. By waiting for the roster deadline to pass, the veteran could find that suitors are operating with more financial flexibility. The Saints and Titans currently have offers out to Clowney, setting the stage for a high-priced bidding war. The Ravens have also been mentioned as a potential suitor.
Packers Cut WR Jake Kumerow
The Packers are moving on from “Touchdown Jesus.” NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Green Bay is cutting wideout Jake Kumerow.
This is a bit of a surprising move, and not just because Kumerow has emerged as a fan favorite. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently referred to the 28-year-old as one of his most reliable options, and Kumerow was generally expected to be one of the top four wideouts on the depth chart.
The 2015 undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin-Whitewater spent the first two-plus seasons of his career with the Bengals and Patriots. He caught on with the Packers in 2017, and after playing in five games through his first two year with the team, he took on a larger role in 2019. Kumerow ultimately finished the campaign with 12 receptions for 219 yards and one score.
With Kumerow out of the picture, the Packers will presumably be keeping the likes of Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Tyler Ervin, and Equanimeous St. Brown behind top receiver Davante Adams.
Washington Cuts S Sean Davis, Places LB Reuben Foster On IR
Our first surprise move of Labor Day weekend comes out of Washington. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the team has released safety Sean Davis. Schefter tweets that the team has also cut offensive lineman Timon Parris, while ESPN’s John Keim tweets that Reuben Foster is being placed on IR.
Davis joined Washington this past offseason, snagging a deal that included a $2MM signing bonus. Now, the former second-rounder will be seeking his third team in less than a year. Davis spent his first four seasons with the Steelers. He started 31 games for the team between 2017 and 2018, averaging 86 tackles, 7.5 passes defended, and two interceptions per season. A shoulder injury limited to only a single game in 2019.
Back in 2019, Foster suffered a torn ACL and MCL during his first practice with Washington. That naturally forced him to miss the entire campaign, but after opening 2020 camp on PUP, he was activated by the organization in early August. Unfortunately, Foster has lacked strength and explosiveness throughout the month, and Washington is buying themselves some time (and a roster spot) by placing him on IR.
An undrafted free agent out of Stony Brook in 2018, Parris has seen time in four NFL games.
Buccaneers Pursuing RB Leonard Fournette
Let’s add another team to the list of potential Leonard Fournette suitors. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets that the Buccaneers are among the teams “making a push” for the running back. Albert Breer of TheMMQB is hearing similar things, with the reporter tweeting that Tampa Bay has “emerged as a serious suitor” for Fournette.
The Buccaneers’ offense has received a major makeover this offseason, with Tom Brady, LeSean McCoy, and Rob Gronkowski joining wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. However, thanks to the team’s lavish spending, the front office doesn’t have a whole lot of financial flexibility; Greg Auman of The Athletic estimates on Twitter that the Bucs could only offer Fournette around $1.9MM without having to make another move.
While Tampa Bay may have added McCoy, the team has continued to tout Ronald Jones as their starter. The former second-rounder had a breakout campaign in 2019, finishing with 724 rushing yards and six scores on 172 carries. Of course, that production doesn’t hold a candle to Fournette, who finished last season with 1,152 rushing yards on 265 carries. He also added 76 receptions for 522 yards.
The 25-year-old was waived by the Jaguars earlier this week, and we’re naturally hearing about potential suitors. Earlier today, we heard that the Patriots could be a fit for the running back. Meanwhile, the Bears reportedly won’t pursue the former fourth-overall pick.
Patriots Release Mohamed Sanu
Mohamed Sanu‘s stint with the Patriots has already come to an end. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that New England has released the veteran wideout.
The move comes as a bit of a surprise; it was less than a year ago that the Patriots sent a second-rounder to Atlanta for the receiver. However, the 31-year-old underwhelmed during his eight regular season games (six starts) with New England, hauling in 26 receptions (on 47 targets) for 207 yards and one score. He was also invisible during the Patriots’ playoff loss to the Titans, as he caught a single 11-yard pass.
Sanu landed on PUP to start camp in early August, and reports have indicated that he’s been a step slow throughout the month. Ultimately, the Patriots decided to just move on from the veteran, clearing the team $6.5MM in cap space.
There are plenty of receiver-needy teams throughout the NFL, so it shouldn’t take Sanu very long to find another gig. Plus, he’s only a season removed from a 2018 campaign where he finished with a career-high 838 receiving yards to go along with 66 receptions and four touchdowns.
While the Patriots offense was already going to look a whole lot different in 2020 with Cam Newton at the helm, it was still assumed that Sanu would lead the depth chart along with Julian Edelman. Now, the team will see what they can get from former first-rounder N’Keal Harry, as well as the likes of Damiere Byrd, Gunner Olszewski, and Devin Ross.