Redskins Claim OL T.J. Clemmings
The Redskins have claimed offensive lineman T.J. Clemmings off waivers from the Vikings, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com.
Clemmings, 25, has started 30 games for Minnesota since being selected in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. However, he’s consistently graded as one of the worst offensive linemen in the NFL, earning poor marks at both guard and tackle.
Washington’s starting offensive line is set, but Clemmings will give the club a reserve option behind tackles Trent Williams and Morgan Moses and guards Brandon Scherff and Shawn Lauvao.
Su’a Cravens Reverses Retirement Decision
Redskins safety Su’a Cravens informed the club on Saturday that he intended to retire, but has reversed his decision (for now) after a meeting with Washington decision-makers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Cravens will be placed on NFI list which will rule him out for at least a month while the team helps him to alleviate some “issues,” per Schefter (Twitter link) and Mike Jones of The Washington Post (Twitter link).
Cravens, 22, has contemplated retirement before, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post, and while details are slim as to the reasons behind Cravens’ decision, injury issues could be one possibility. Cravens is now required to wear glasses full-time following a concussion in 2016, and brain injuries have caused young players to hang up their cleats in the past. A torn biceps ended Cravens’ season last year, meanwhile, and he’s currently recovering from knee surgery. However, it’s “more than a physical thing” that’s led Cravens to mull retirement, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).
With veteran DeAngelo Hall starting the season on the physically unable to perform list, Washington has a vacancy at safety opposite D.J. Swearinger. Other defensive backs on the Redskins’ roster include Stefan McClure, Montae Nicholson, and DeShazor Everett.
Cravens, a second-round draft pick in 2016, appeared in 11 games and made three starts during his rookie campaign while playing both defensive back and linebacker. He’d been expected to shift to safety full-time for the 2017 season.
Giants Release CB Valentino Blake
The Giants have released cornerback Valentino Blake, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (Twitter link).
New York designated Blake as “left squad” at the end of last month after the veteran defensive back left the team for a personal reason. Because the Giants had a roster exemption for Blake, the club’s roster count isn’t affected by its decision to part ways, per Vacchiano. It’s unclear if Blake has interest in continuing his NFL career elsewhere.
The Giants signed the 27-year-old Blake in March, after he proved to be a durable defender for the Jaguars, Steelers and Titans over the first five seasons of his career. Blake, who has appeared in 78 of 80 regular-season games since going undrafted in 2012, logged his third straight 16-game campaign last year with the Titans, though Pro Football Focus graded his performance an underwhelming 76th among 110 qualified corners.
With Blake out of the picture, the Giants picked up extra cornerback depth on Saturday, acquiring Ross Cockrell from the Steelers in exchange for a conditional 2018 draft pick.
Saints OT Terron Armstead Avoids PUP List
Lost in the shuffle of Saturday’s roster cutdown madness was left tackle Terron Armstead‘s inclusion on the Saints’ initial 53-man roster. Armstead suffered a torn labrum in June and was facing a four-to-six month recovery timeline, but New Orleans didn’t place him on the physically unable to perform list, which would have required a minimum six-game absence to begin the season.
Armstead is still expected to miss several games, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, but he clearly won’t be sidelined for as many as six contests (or else New Orleans simply would have kept him on PUP). Head coach Sean Payton hinted last week that Armstead was ahead of schedule, and allowed that the veteran blindside protector might sneak onto the Saints’ active roster.
New Orleans will roll with first-round rookie Ryan Ramczyk at left tackle until Armstead is able to return to the field. Health has never been a strong point for Armstead, who’s missed 14 games over the the past three seasons. But when he’s right, Armstead has consistently ranked as a top-15 NFL left tackle per Pro Football Focus, which gave him an excellent 90.6 overall grade in 2015.
Free Agent CB Sam Shields Suspended
Free agent cornerback Sam Shields has been suspended for the first two games of the 2017 season, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Shields hasn’t received any known interest since being released by the Packers in February, and this suspension certainly won’t help matters. The 29-year-old Shields can serve the ban as a free agent, but health issues might dissuade clubs from signing him even after his penalty concludes. A concussion limited Shields to one game in 2016, but despite suffering two major brain injuries in a nine-month span, Shields reportedly has no plans to retire.
A former undrafted free agent, Shields spent seven years with Green Bay, starting 62 games and racking up 18 interceptions during that span. He’s now part of a free agent cornerback cadre that includes Darrelle Revis, Leodis McKelvin, and Ron Brooks.
Falcons Reduce Roster To 53
The Falcons have moved their roster to 53 players by making the following transactions:
Placed on commissioner exempt list:
Placed on reserve/suspended list:
Waived:
- WR Reggie Davis
- WR Marvin Hall
- WR Deante Burton
- RB Jhurell Pressley
- TE Joshua Perkins
- C Cornelius Edison
- T Daniel Brunskill
- DE Joe Vellano
- DE J’Terius Jones
- DE Chris Odom
- DT Taniela Tupou
- S Marcelis Branch
Waived/injured:
- DE Martin Ifedi
- LB Josh Keyes
- QB Matt Simms
Released with injury settlement:
Placed on IR:
Buccaneers Trim Roster To 53
The Buccaneers have moved their roster to 53 players by making the following transactions:
Waived:
- DE Mehdi Abdesmad
- G Josh Allen
- DE Sterling Bailey
- DE Tavaris Barnes
- LB Richie Brown
- LB Riley Bullough
- CB Mariel Cooper
- WR Donteea Dye
- DE Hendrick Ekpe
- RB Russell Hansbrough
- CB Vernon Harris
- G Jarvis Harrison
- WR Shaq Hill
- K Zach Hocker
- WR Josh Huff (story)
- S Marqueston Huff
- FB Austin Johnson
- S Isaiah Johnson
- T Korren Kirven
- LB Jeff Knox
- G Michael Liedtke
- T Marquis Lucas
- WR Freddie Martino
- RB Jeremy McNichols (story)
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- CB Cody Riggs
- G James Stone
- WR Derel Walker
- TE Tevin Westbrook
- WR Bobo Wilson
Waived/injured:
- QB Sefo Liufau
Released:
- LS Andrew DePaola (story)
- DE George Johnson (story)
- LS Garrison Sanborn
Placed on IR:
- DE DaVonte Lambert (story)
- DT Stevie Tu’ikolovatu (story)
Placed on Reserve/Suspended List:
- RB Doug Martin
Lions Set 53-Man Roster
The Lions have met the NFL’s 53-man maximum requirement by making the following transactions:
Traded:
- CB Johnson Bademosi (story)
Released:
Waived:
- LB Thurston Armbrister
- CB Adairius Barnes
- WR Jace Billingsley
- S Alex Carter
- DT Ego Ferguson
- WR Dontez Ford
- QB Brad Kaaya (story)
- C Leo Koloamatangi
- TE Khari Lee
- DT Derrick Lott
- DT Caushaud Lyons
- S Rolan Milligan
- T Storm Norton
- DE Pat O’Connor
- TE Scott Orndoff
- WR Michael Rector
- WR Noel Thomas
- CB Josh Thornton
- TE Robert Tonyan
- TE Cole Wick
- LB Antwione Williams (story)
Suspended:
- DE Armonty Bryant
- DT Khyri Thornton
Placed on non-football injury list:
Placed physically unable to perform list:
Patriots Acquire DE Cassius Marsh
The Patriots have acquired defensive end Cassius Marsh from the Seahawks, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).New England is sending a fifth-round pick and the seventh-round pick it acquired from Seattle in exchange for cornerback Justin Coleman back to the Seahawks, per Schefter.
New England has been searching for edge rushing help, and while Marsh isn’t exactly a premier defensive end, he’ll give the Pats depth at the position. Additionally, Marsh plays special teams (nearly 80% of Seattle’s snaps), meaning New England has now acquired two special-teamers today, with the other being former Lion Johnson Bademosi.
All told, the 25-year-old Marsh has appeared in 37 career games and made one start. He’s signed through 2017 at a rate of $690K.
Steelers’ Roster Now At 53
The Steelers have reduced their roster to 53 players by making the following transactions:
Cut:
- WR Demarcus Ayers
- C Ruben Carter
- OL Ethan Cooper
- RB Knile Davis (story)
- CB Brandon Dixon
- C Kyle Friend
- LB Matt Galambos
- LB Austin Gearing
- CB Senquez Golson
- S Jacob Hagen
- WR Cobi Hamilton (story)
- LS Colin Holba
- DE Lavon Hooks
- QB Bart Houston
- LB Farrington Huguenin
- TE David Johnson
- LB Steven Johnson
- DE Francis Kallon
- LB Keith Kelsey
- DE Johnny Maxey
- TE Jake McGee
- OL Brian Mihalik
- OL Keavon Milton
- CB Dashaun Phillips
- DT Roy Philon
- T Jake Rodgers
- CB JaCorey Shepherd
- WR Justin Thomas
- RB Fitzgerald Toussaint (story)
- WR Marcus Tucker
- S Terrish Webb
- RB Trey Williams
Waived/injured: