Minor NFL Transactions: 11/9/17
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed off Bengals‘ practice squad: S Derron Smith
- Waived/injured: S Ibraheim Campbell
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from injured reserve: OL Denzelle Good
- Promoted to active roster: WR Matt Hazel
New England Patriots
- Waived: DE Geneo Grissom
Washington Redskins
- Waived from injured reserve: S Stefan McClure
Giants Won’t Make Coaching Change In 2017
The Giant don’t intend to make changes to their coaching staff or front office during the 2017 season, a source tells Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. As such, head coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese should be safe until the offseason.
While some New York players have reportedly voiced negative opinions on McAdoo, Giants ownership considers those anonymous comments the “normal griping” that comes with a losing campaign, per Graziano. Whether or not McAdoo has lost the team’s locker room, the Giants want to view the 2017 season as a whole, and won’t make a judgement until the year is complete.
Reese theoretically isn’t guaranteed to keep his job once the season concludes, either, but he’s been with the Giants since 1994 (and been the team’s GM since 2007), which could make a break all the more difficult. But Reese has failed to accrue depth on New York’s roster in recent seasons. The Giants’ front office has a mandate to find the team’s next quarterback, but Reese may not be part of that effort.
2018 NFL Free Agents
Pro Football Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2018 NFL free agents is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2017 season. The player’s 2018 age is in parentheses. Players are generally sorted by the position at which they played most in ’17, or the position at which their most recent team listed them.
Players who are currently on an NFL roster but don’t have a contract for 2018 are listed below, along with a few other notable free agents who aren’t on a roster at the moment.
Players eligible for restricted free agency are marked with (R), while franchise and transition players will be marked with (F) and (T) respectively. Exclusive rights free agents are not included. All other free agents are assumed to be unrestricted.
If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us. For instant free agent updates, be sure to follow us on Twitter @pfrumors.
Updated 11-26-18 (2:58pm CT)
Quarterbacks
Sam Bradford (31)
Trevone Boykin (25)
Kellen Clemens (35)
Austin Davis (29)
Chad Kelly (24)
Josh Johnson (32)
Landry Jones (29)
Paxton Lynch (24)
Ryan Mallett (30)
EJ Manuel (28)
Matt McGloin (28)
Kellen Moore (30)
Matt Moore (34)
Scott Tolzien (31)
Running Backs
C.J. Anderson (27)
Joe Banyard (29)
Brice Butler (28)
Jamaal Charles (31)
Orleans Darkwa (26)
Lance Dunbar (28)
Andre Ellington (29)
Kenneth Farrow (25)
Tyler Gaffney (27)
Mike Gillislee (28)
Mike James (27)
Matt Jones (25)
Eddie Lacy (27)
Christine Michael (27)
Branden Oliver (27)
Cedric Peerman (32)
Bobby Rainey (31)
Thomas Rawls (25)
Bishop Sankey (26)
Charles Sims (28)
De’Anthony Thomas (25)
Jordan Todman (28)
Mike Tolbert (32)
Fitzgerald Toussaint (28)
Robert Turbin (28)
Terron Ward (26)
Charcandrick West (27)
Terrance West (27)
Andre Williams (26)
Kerwynn Williams (27)
Read more
Colts CB Vontae Davis Likely Done For Year
Cornerback Vontae Davis may have played his last game for the Colts, as the veteran defensive back — and pending free agent — is likely to undergo season-ending surgery on his injured groin, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
Davis’ injury situation has been riddled with controversy, as Colts head coach Chuck Pagano indicated Davis’ inactivation — which the cornerback refers to as a “demotion” — was simply a personnel decision based on performance. While the issue may seem minor, Davis indicated that his recent poor play is a result of his health questions.
“I’ve been here six years,” Davis said, per a separate piece from Holder. “We’ve had similar situations where I played hurt. These things happen. And I never got confronted and (no one) said, ‘Your play has slipped.’ Nothing. I was playing at a level that was acceptable.But now, my play slips and this? They should have come to me way earlier and said, ‘Vontae, you’re not yourself. You’re not playing well.’ I told the trainers my groin was not responding.”
“It should be more about the respect. I’m a professional,” Davis continued. “I’ve been in (the league) long enough. When I look at the situation, I feel like there was no respect. Knowing Chuck, I figured it would come from him. It really bothered me. I just figured it would be handled differently just knowing our (relationship). That’s the frustrating part. I felt like I was demoted for my (health). That’s the thing. If I get demoted and it’s because I can’t play, I would just say, ‘I (freaking) suck.’”
Regardless of how the situation was handled, there’s no question that Davis has struggled over the past two seasons. Following an entirely successful career that topped out with Pro Bowl appearances in 2014-15, Davis hasn’t played well since 2016. This year, he’s played on roughly half of Indianapolis’ snaps and graded as the league’s No. 94 cornerback among 117 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
Davis is a free agent at season’s end, and while his relationship (whether positive or negative) with Pagano may not matter much given that the Colts could have a new head coach next year, Indy could certainly move on from Davis, whom they acquired via trade in 2012. Entering his second campaign as general manager, Chris Ballard may opt to secure younger options on the defensive side of the ball.
NFL Workout Updates: 11/8/17
Today’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:
Chicago Bears
- WR Rodney Smith; TEs Josiah Price, Beau Sandland (link)
Kansas City Chiefs
- WRs Alonzo Russell, Noel Thomas, Paul Turner; CB Will Redmond (link)
Los Angeles Chargers
- G Jake Eldrenkamp; C Anthony Fabiano (link)
New England Patriots
- S Lorenzo Jerome (link)
New York Giants
- LBs Akeem Ayers, Chris Casher, Jayrone Elliott, Boseko Lokombo (link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com)
Philadelphia Eagles
- LSs Andrew East, Jimmy Landes, Jeff Overbaugh (link)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- RBs Dare Ogunbowale, Kalif Phillips; CB Sojourn Shelton; S Jack Tocho (link)
Roger Goodell “Furious” Over Contract Delay
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is reportedly “furious” over the league’s insistence that he accept a contract that includes performance-based incentives that could still allow him to reach his prior salaries, according to Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com.
A potential Goodell extension has been in the works for months, but has been consistently delayed — the latest hurdle, of course, is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones‘ threat to sue the NFL over Goodell’s contract. At least one source tells the ESPN scribes that Jones’ lawsuit is simply a “scare tactic,” although Jones could hope to change rules that currently require only two-thirds of NFL owners to approve a Goodell extension. Jones reportedly wants a new deal to be signed off on by three-fourths of the league’s owners.
Jones had essentially been acting as an “ad hoc” member of the NFL’s compensation committee, but that group has since removed his access. Still, Jones believes four to five owners agree that Goodell should be replaced as commissioner, while another 12-15 owners are “on the fence.” Jones, though, reportedly has his own candidate in mind to serve as the league’s next commissioner, a fact that may have lessened his support.
Goodell, meanwhile, has earned in excess of $200MM since taking over as NFL commissioner in 2006, and isn’t interested in accepting a pay reduction. “He feels as if the owners have made a lot of money and he should be compensated accordingly,” a source tells Van Natta and Wickersham. “The incentives thing really angers him.”
While Goodell is seemingly under fire, other reports have indicated his situation isn’t quite as dire — Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter link) Goodell’s extension is still a “certainty,” adding Jones has “maybe three” owners on his side.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/8/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: K Mike Meyer
- Released: QB Garrett Grayson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: OL Korren Kirven
Denver Broncos
- Signed: C Dillon Day
- Released: WR Tim Patrick
Houston Texans
- Signed: OL Dorian Johnson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Devin Lucien
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DE Patrick Gamble
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DE Tavaris Barnes, WR Keenan Reynolds
- Released: T Givens Price
Colts To Place DT Henry Anderson On IR
The Colts will place defensive tackle Henry Anderson on injured reserve after he suffered a laryngeal fracture during Sunday’s game, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Anderson will undergo surgery on Friday.
Anderson’s injury — a break in the neck region that not only sounds incredibly painful, but can cause life-threatening airway obstruction — will end the third-year interior defender’s 2017 campaign. While the severity of Anderson’s injury doesn’t sound as though it would have let him return this year, the NFL’s IR rules wouldn’t have allowed it, anyway. The league stipulates an eight-week absence before a player can come off IR, meaning Anderson would have missed regular season’s second half.
While the Indianapolis defense has been forgettable this season (bottom five unit in both DVOA and adjusted sack rate), Anderson has shined as one of the club’s few bright spots. While Anderson has been effective for the duration of his NFL tenure, he’s continued that production in 2017 while increasing his snap rate to 62.3%, 30% greater than his average heading into the season.
The results have been excellent, as Anderson ranks as a top-40 interior defender among 117 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, which gives the former draftnik favorite positive marks as both a run-defender and a pass rusher. He’s eligible for an extension this offseason, and will earn $720K this year before hitting the free agent market in 2019.
Seahawks Place OL Rees Odhiambo On IR
The Seahawks have placed offensive lineman Rees Odhiambo on injured reserve in order to clear a roster spot for newly-activated defensive lineman Dion Jordan, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).
Odhiambo, a 2016 third-round pick, became Seattle’s starting left tackle this year following a preseason injury to George Fant. The 25-year-old was extremely ineffective in his seven starts, however, grading as a bottom-three blindside protector, per Pro Football Focus. The Seahawks offensive line continued to struggle as a unit, ranking 16th in adjusted sack rate and 27th in adjusted line yards.
Those problems forced Seattle general manager John Schneider to make a move before the NFL’s trade deadline, and the club ultimately sent second- and third-round picks to the Texans in exchange for veteran left tackle Duane Brown. Brown started against the Redskins in Week 9 and played all 83 offensive snaps, while Odhiambo was not only relegated to the bench, but listed as inactive for Sunday’s game.
Odhiambo dealt with a serious chest injury earlier this year, but it’s a multiple hand issues — which will require surgery — that will sideline him for the rest of the season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/17
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed off waivers: LB Josh Keyes
- Promoted to active roster: CB Darius Hillary
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Reggie Porter
- Waived: LB Deon King
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted to active roster: DT Lewis Neal
Houston Texans
- Promoted to active roster: DL Jarrod Clements
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT John Hughes
- Waived: OL John Greco
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted to active roster: WR Freddie Martino