Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/17
Friday’s minor NFL moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: C Derrick Nelson
- Waived: C Brandon Kublanow
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: DT Montori Hughes
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived-injured: C Dillon DeBoer
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: WR KD Cannon (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OT Kwayde Miller (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, on Twitter)
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Jeremy Faulk
- Waived-injured: DL Brandin Bryant, TE Brian Parker
- Placed on injured reserve: DB Corey White
Oakland Raiders
- Waived: DE Chris Casher
Fins Fear Ryan Tannehill Will Miss Season
The Dolphins’ “fear” is that quarterback Ryan Tannehill will have to undergo season-ending surgery on his left knee, according to Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington of ESPN. They haven’t made a decision yet, however, and Tannehill could choose to rest for six to weight weeks in lieu of surgery.
A few reports have trickled in regarding Tannehill’s knee since he departed practice on Thursday. While one of those has been positive, the majority have offered pessimistic outlooks, which is the case here. Tannehill has injured his left knee twice since last December, when he partially tore his ACL and had to sit out the Dolphins’ final three regular-season games and their wild-card round loss to the Steelers.
Darlington reported earlier Thursday that there are some Dolphins officials who would like Tannehill to undergo surgery as a way to put his left knee problems behind him for good, and a source told him and Schefter that “[Tannehill’s] done, I think,” in regards to his chances of playing this year. Another informed the reporters that Tannehill’s knee is “a ticking time bomb that was going to go off at any time.”
Even in a best-case scenario, it seems the Dolphins could go without Tannehill until sometime in October, which would leave them with Matt Moore as their only experienced quarterback. Moore performed admirably in Tannehill’s stead down the stretch last season, but he hasn’t started extensively since his first year with the Dolphins in 2011. While Miami could choose to ride it out with Moore under center, it’ll still look for insurance at the position. The retired Jay Cutler is reportedly willing to table his fledgling broadcasting career to play for the Dolphins and reunite with head coach Adam Gase, who meshed nicely with the signal-caller as the Bears’ offensive coordinator in 2015. However, the 34-year-old Cutler would only return if the Dolphins were to guarantee him a starting job for the entire season.
Unlike Cutler, other options won’t be in position to demand a starting job at this point. Colin Kaepernick, who has drawn some interest from the Dolphins, is one possibility. Robert Griffin III, Christian Ponder, Shaun Hill and Zach Mettenberger are also among the league’s unemployed QBs. No one from that group has ties to Gase, though veteran Browns backup Brock Osweiler does from their days together in Denver. Osweiler might end up on the outs in Cleveland in the coming weeks if he doesn’t win its starting job, which could make him a Dolphins target.
Regardless of where Miami goes from here, it’s now in a disastrous situation on the heels of its first playoff season since 2008. Tannehill was instrumental in the Dolphins’ success last season, and he has served as a capable starter since they chose him eighth overall in the 2012 draft. The ex-Texas A&M standout fared well enough earlier in his career for the Dolphins to hand him a four-year, $77MM extension prior to the 2015 campaign. Tannehill’s under team control through 2020 as a result.
NFC Notes: Freeman, Panthers, Vikes
An extension for Falcons running back Devonta Freeman doesn’t appear imminent, but an agreement should come together by early September, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. The Falcons and Freeman’s agent, Kristin Campbell, are engaging in daily conversations, and both sides are motivated to reach a deal, adds Graziano. Atlanta regards the 25-year-old as a cornerstone player after witnessing him pile up 1,000-plus rushing yards in each of the previous two campaigns, to go with 27 touchdowns (22 on the ground, five as a receiver) and 127 catches. Freeman provided that production while making a relative pittance, and he’ll earn another low base salary this year ($1.797MM) if talks with the Falcons fall through. It doesn’t appear that will happen, however.
More from the NFC:
- Corey Graham visited the Panthers last week, but the two sides could not agree on money, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (on Twitter). The safety signed with the Eagles on Thursday.
- Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes‘ five-year, $70MM extension features $32.8 million in guaranteed money (excluding the $8.026MM he’ll make this season as a fifth-year option player), writes Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. The accord also comes with $500K in per-game roster bonuses from 2018-22 and annual workout bonuses of $100K.
- Quarterback Luke McCown‘s one-year pact with the Cowboys includes a $1MM base salary, $170K guaranteed and an $80K signing bonus, per Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link).
- The Redskins worked out rookie safety Alex Gray on Thursday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Gray previously spent time with the Buccaneers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent from Appalachian State.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Austin Howard Visiting Ravens
Free agent offensive tackle Austin Howard is in Baltimore visiting the Ravens, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). The Sun’s Mike Preston first reported Baltimore’s interest in Howard last week.
Given the attrition they’ve faced up front since the end of last season, the Ravens are known to be on the lookout for offensive line help. It’s no surprise, then, that they’re pursuing Howard, one of the most accomplished blockers available. He’d somewhat help cover for the departure of right tackle Ricky Wagner, who signed a mega-deal with the Lions in free agency. Baltimore’s O-line also lost center John Urschel to retirement earlier this summer, and interior rookie Nico Siragusa suffered a season-ending knee injury this week.
For the moment, the Ravens are counting on right tackle James Hurst – he of 16 career starts – to line up opposite No. 1 left tackle Ronnie Stanley. The 30-year-old Howard brings far more experience, having notched 72 starts in 76 appearances over six seasons spread among the Eagles, Jets and Raiders.
Howard battled an ankle injury during an 11-game campaign last year in Oakland, where he started 10 times and ranked a below-average 52nd in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 77 qualified tackles. The Raiders released Howard last week, which came with two seasons remaining on the five-year, $30MM deal he signed with them in 2014.
Raiders Sign IK Enemkpali
The Raiders have signed pass rusher IK Enemkpali to a one-year deal, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
The addition of Enemkpali comes just a few days after renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews gave the 26-year-old a clean bill of health from the torn ACL he suffered last summer. Enemkpali was then a member of the Bills, with whom he appeared in 11 games in 2015 and didn’t make much of a dent on the stat sheet, only registering 13 tackles. He picked up three tackles in six games the year before with the Jets.
Enemkpali’s claim to fame isn’t on-field production, of course, but an off-field dust-up with ex-Jets quarterback Geno Smith. The defensive end broke Smith’s jaw with a punch prior to the 2015 season, which led to a four-game suspension for Enemkpali and his ouster from the Jets. Meanwhile, Smith missed a significant portion of time that year.
Although Enemkpali’s a household name for the wrong reasons, the 2014 sixth-round pick will nonetheless get another opportunity with the Raiders, adding to their DE options behind Khalil Mack and Mario Edwards Jr. One of the Raiders’ top ends, Jihad Ward, is on the active/physically unable to perform list with a foot issue, so they could use the depth.
Jay Cutler Interested In Dolphins
After encountering a tepid market for his services in free agency this year, longtime quarterback Jay Cutler elected to walk away from football in May and pursue a career in broadcasting. Three months later, the 34-year-old is having second thoughts. If Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s left knee injury proves to be major, Cutler would be willing to sign with the team as a full-time starter, reports Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com.
Miami is the only team for which Cutler would consider resuming his NFL career, and he’s not coming back if it means sitting on the bench, per Darlington. The Dolphins haven’t considered signing him yet, adds Darlington, but Cutler already has a good relationship with head coach Adam Gase. The two worked together to positive results in 2015, Gase’s only season as the Bears’ offensive coordinator. That year will go down as Cutler’s last productive campaign if he doesn’t leave the FOX broadcasting booth to return to the gridiron.
A potential Cutler pursuit will be moot if Tannehill’s knee doesn’t end up being a problem. Since he left practice Thursday, optimistic and pessimistic reports have surfaced regarding Tannehill’s status. The 29-year-old missed the tail end of last season with a partially torn left ACL, and while the severity of the injury he suffered Thursday in the same knee is unknown, Dolphins officials do regard it as a setback, writes Darlington. Moreover, there are some within the organization who believe Tannehill should go under the knife to fully repair his knee once and for all. If that were to happen, Tannehill likely wouldn’t play at all in 2017, which could set up a Cutler-Gase reunion and leave FOX short a color commentator.
AFC Notes: Ravens, Fins, Texans, Bolts
In the wake of John Urschel‘s retirement and Nico Siragusa‘s season-ending knee injury, the Ravens’ top priority is to add to their offensive line, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. General manager Ozzie Newsome has discussed trades with other teams, reports Zrebiec, who points out that free agency could be a tough route to take because the Ravens don’t have much cap room. Further, while the Ravens showed interest in free agent center Nick Mangold during the offseason, there are questions as to whether the 33-year-old is committed to continuing his career, relays Zrebiec. Notably, Mangold indicated in May that he could retire.
More from the AFC:
- Dolphins guard Ted Larsen will be a candidate to begin the season on injured reserve if his biceps does prove to be torn, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. In that case, the Dolphins could check in on the free agent and trade markets for help at the position, suggests Jackson, who notes that ex-Miami Hurricane Orlando Franklin would have interest in signing with the team. Franklin’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, reached out to the Dolphins earlier this offseason, but they were content with their guard situation at the time. Franklin was most recently with the Saints, who cut the cord shortly after signing him – partly because of a knee injury.
- Safety Marcus Gilchrist‘s one-year deal with the Texans carries a max value of $3MM, according to Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link). It includes a $1.2MM base salary, an $800K signing bonus and $1MM in per-game roster bonuses.
- The Chargers worked out undrafted rookie center Barrett Gouger on Thursday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Gouger’s audition came after the Bolts lost guard Forrest Lamp, an expected starter, to a torn ACL on Wednesday
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/17
Thursday’s minor NFL moves:
- The Saints claimed offensive tackle Jerry Ugokwe off waivers from the Colts, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. In a corresponding move, the Saints waived fellow tackle Martin Wallace with an injury designation, per Nick Underhill of the Advocate (on Twitter). Ugokwe is an undrafted free agent from William & Mary who was with the Colts from May until Wednesday. Wallace, who joined the Saints in late July, has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2013. He appeared in one game with Cleveland that year.
- Defensive end Rufus Johnson agreed to a deal with the Raiders, relays Rapoport (on Twitter). Johnson was involved in a “serious” car crash on Wednesday, notes Rapoport. The 26-year-old was previously with the Saints, Patriots and Redskins. His sole appearance came with New England in 2015.
- The Jaguars signed long snapper Matt Overton to replace Carson Tinker, who suffered a torn right ACL. The team also added guard Malcolm Bunche. The headliner is Overton, who was the Colts’ long snapper from 2012-16. He appeared in 16 games in each of those seasons and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2013.
- The Seahawks signed receiver Jamel Johnson and waived wideout Rodney Smith, per Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. This is the second Seattle stint for Johnson, who was previously with the organization from late January through early May. Johnson went undrafted back in 2014 and has also been a member of the Green Bay organization. Smith, who signed with the Seahawks in January, combined to appear in eight games with the Vikings and Browns from 2013-14.
- The Packers waived-injured cornerback Herb Waters with a shoulder issue, reports Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Waters came into the league last year as an undrafted receiver from Miami before shifting to corner. He made enough progress on the practice squad for the team to promote him during the playoffs.
- Defensive back Stefan McClure agreed to a deal with the Redskins, per his reps at Uso Sports (on Twitter). McClure went undrafted from California last year and spent some time on the Colts’ practice squad.
- The Buccaneers reached an injury settlement with receiver Thomas Sperbeck, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). The club waived the undrafted rookie from Boise State after he suffered a hamstring strain last weekend.
- The Texans announced they have moved outside linebacker Davon Pratt to the active roster and waived defensive end T.J. Daniel. Pratt, from East Carolina, joined the Texans as an undrafted free agent in May. So did Daniel, who went to Oregon.
- The Chiefs placed undrafted rookie Jordan Sterns on waivers. Sterns is a safety from Oklahoma State.
- The Panthers signed tight end Bryce Williams and waived-injured safety Travelle Dixon. The Panthers are the fourth team for Williams, who has also spent time with the Patriots, Rams and Seahawks since going undrafted out of East Carolina last year. Dixon, undrafted from Washington two years ago, first joined the Panthers in January 2016.
- The Bears added running back Josh Rounds and waived-injured fellow RB Joel Bouagnon. Both players went undrafted this year (Rounds from Tulane, Bouagnon from Northwestern).
- The Rams signed receivers Justin Thomas and C.J. Germany. They also waived fullback Zach Laskey (Twitter links via Rapoport and Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com).
- The Chargers signed center Barrett Gouger, who worked out for the team Thursday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Gouger’s an undrafted rookie from Vanderbilt.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Surgery Possible For Ryan Tannehill
While there was a hopeful report on Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s injured left knee earlier Thursday, he’s not in the clear yet, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. An MRI on Tannehill’s knee came back inconclusive, writes Salguero, who hears that “all options remain on the table” – including surgery. Tannehill will go for a second opinion, adds Albert Breer of The MMQB (Twitter link).
Tannehill departed practice Thursday on the heels of a non-contact injury, after which the Dolphins feared the worst, per Salguero. If the 29-year-old’s knee issue actually does require him to miss time, it would force Miami to check into free agent options – whether they’re low-profile types or more polarizing options such as Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III, Jay Cutler and Tony Romo. While Cutler and Romo are retired, the Dolphins could still kick the tires on either should Tannehill’s injury prove serious. Cutler, Chicago’s longtime starter, has a connection to Dolphins head coach Adam Gase, who was the Bears’ offensive coordinator in 2015.
As of now, the only healthy QBs on the Dolphins’ roster are Matt Moore, David Fales (one of Cutler’s ex-Chicago teammates) and 2016 seventh-round pick Brandon Doughty. Moore, to his credit, is a better reserve option than most – he stepped in late last season after Tannehill succumbed to a partial ACL tear and helped the Dolphins to a 2-1 finish en route to a 10-6 record. Moore completed 55 of 87 passes, averaged 8.3 yards per attempt and tossed eight touchdowns against three interceptions in his four appearances (three starts). The 32-year-old was also at the helm for the Dolphins’ wild-card round game against the Steelers, and while he fared OK statistically (29 of 36 for 289 yards with a touchdown and a pick), his club was on the wrong end of a 30-12 decision.
Ted Larsen May Have Torn Biceps
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill wasn’t the only Dolphin to suffer an injury Thursday. Guard Ted Larsen left practice with what the team fears is a torn biceps, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). The likelihood is that Larsen will miss “several” regular-season games, per Jackson.
The Dolphins signed Larsen as the outset of free agency in March, and he immediately became a strong contender to start at left guard for the club. The 30-year-old brings plenty of experience to the table, having combined to start in 65 of 102 appearances as a Buccaneer, Cardinal and Bear from 2010-16. In Chicago last year, Larsen posted the fifth 16-game slate of his career and logged eight starts, during which he ranked a respectable 37th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 75 qualified guards.
As they brace for a prolonged Larsen absence, the Dolphins will go forward with Anthony Steen, Kraig Urbik and fifth-round pick Isaac Asiata as potential options opposite No. 1 right guard Jermon Bushrod. Steen started seven games at center in 2016 while Mike Pouncey was on the shelf. Fortunately for Miami, there’s hope that the hip issues which have troubled Pouncey in the past won’t cause problems this year.