Chiefs Place Jamaal Charles On IR
The Chiefs have officially ended Jamaal Charles‘ season, placing their star running back on injured reserve due to a torn ACL, the team announced today (via Twitter). To replace Charles on the roster, running back Spencer Ware has been elevated from Kansas City’s practice squad.
With Charles out, Knile Davis and Charcandrick West are expected to vie for carries in Kansas City. However, once Charles landed on IR, Davis and West were the only running backs on the roster, so it made sense that the Chiefs would want to add a third back for depth purposes.
Initially, it appeared that the Chiefs might opt for a free agent, as the team brought in notable veterans like Ben Tate and Pierre Thomas for workouts. Head coach Andy Reid indicated yesterday though that the club would look in-house first, and that’s what led to the promotion of Ware from the practice squad.
Ware, who turns 24 next month, was originally selected in the sixth round of the 2013 draft by the Seahawks. The LSU product started his NFL career as a fullback, but attempted to transition to tailback before he was cut by Seattle in 2014. To date, Ware has only totaled 10 yards on three carries in his NFL career.
Steelers Activate Martavis Bryant
The Steelers have activated wide receiver Martavis Bryant to their 53-man roster, the team announced today in a press release. Bryant had missed the first four weeks of the season while serving a suspension, and Pittsburgh, armed with a roster exemption for the wideout, chose not to activate him for Week 5. Now, he’ll be eligible to play in Week 6, taking safety Ross Ventrone‘s spot on the roster.
Bryant, 23, came on strong in the second half of his rookie season in 2014, acting as a deep threat for the Steelers’ offense. For the year, the Clemson product caught 26 balls for 549 yards, an average of 21.1 yards per reception. He also hauled in eight touchdowns. Bryant had been expected to take a step forward in 2015, but a four-game ban for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy postponed his sophomore debut.
As for Ventrone, the veteran defensive back has been with the Steelers for parts of the last three seasons, providing depth in the secondary and seeing some action on special teams. He’ll be a free agent if and when he clears waivers.
East Notes: Bills, Taylor, Fells, Jets, Dolphins
The Bills signed quarterback Josh Johnson earlier today for depth purposes, but before they did, they looked into re-signing Matt Simms, who was with the team in camp, says Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter links). Simms, who knows the Bills’ playbook, would’ve been Buffalo’s preferred option, but he’s currently on the Falcons’ practice squad and thinks he has a better future in Atlanta, so he turned down the opportunity, says Carucci.
Why did the Bills need another quarterback in the first place? Carucci (Twitter link) hears that Tyrod Taylor is “hurt pretty bad,” noting that the team considered the passport status of potential QB additions, in advance of a Week 7 trip to London. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), Taylor could miss multiple games due to a sprained MCL, which figures to open the door for EJ Manuel to start.
As the Bills wonder whether they should have kept Matt Cassel, let’s check in on several other items from out of the NFL’s East divisions….
- Doctors treating Giants tight end Daniel Fells for his MRSA infection are increasinly more optimistic that Fells won’t lose his foot, sources tell Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Fells remains hospitalized, and multiple reports have indicated that his NFL career is likely over, but it sounds as if a combination of surgical procedures and antibiotics have improved his outlook over the last few days.
- The Jets almost certainly won’t be able to extend both Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, and “every indication” is that the team would prefer to lock up Richardson if he stays out of further trouble, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
- Multiple people around the NFL that have spoken to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) suspect the Dolphins will pursue a high-profile head coach for the permanent job after the season. Cole identifies Mike Shanahan as one notable potential target for Miami.
- Former 49ers and Dolphins running back LaMichael James – who now goes by LaMike James – is working out on Wednesday for the Cowboys, tweets Ross Jones of FOX Sports.
North Notes: Ravens, Browns, Mays, Vikings
Having already acquired Chris Givens and Will Davis via trades in recent weeks, the Ravens will continue to explore ways to upgrade the roster. However, as Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun writes, the club probably isn’t just one player away, so it’s unlikely that Baltimore would give up multiple future draft picks or other assets to plug several holes.
Let’s round up a few more items from across the NFL’s two North divisions….
- The Ravens are off to a disappointing 1-4 start, but head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that he’s not considering making any changes to his coaching staff, per Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com. “Our coaches are doing a good job,” Harbaugh said. “We just got to collectively find a way to finish games and get the job done. We’ve got tough challenges that we’re facing, but we’ve got just the men for the job.”
- Free agent linebacker Joe Mays is working out for the Browns today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Mays, who turned 30 this year, is well-traveled, having started games for the Broncos, Texans, and Chiefs since 2012.
- Center John Sullivan, who is on the IR-DTR list, and cornerback Josh Robinson, who remains on the PUP list, are optimistic about returning to the Vikings‘ active roster in the coming weeks, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, who notes that the club will have to make at least a couple roster moves to create room for the returning players. Robinson is eligible to return as early as Week 7, while Sullivan could be activated for Week 9.
Ravens Cut Jason Babin, Rashaan Melvin
The Ravens, hit hard by injuries in recent weeks, have made some changes on the defensive side of the ball. The team announced today that has cut veteran outside linebacker Jason Babin, along with cornerback Rashaan Melvin, promoting cornerbacks Asa Jackson and Charles James to fill the open spots on the active roster (Twitter links).
Babin, signed by the Ravens following the season-ending injury to Terrell Suggs, was inactive for his first two games with Baltimore, and barely saw the field in his next two games, committing multiple penalties when he did play. Despite his 64.5 career sacks, the 35-year-old clearly wasn’t a big part of the Ravens’ plans going forward, so it makes sense that the team would part ways with him in order to re-stock a depleted secondary.
Melvin has also been frequently inactive for the Ravens in the first few weeks of the season, so the team decided to give the two defensive backs on its practice squad a chance to earn playing time on the 53-man roster, with Jackson and James receiving promotions.
Jackson, 25, filled in last season for the Ravens when multiple cornerbacks went down with injuries, starting six games and recording 28 tackles. James, meanwhile, has seen most of his limited regular season action on special teams. He was cut by the Texans prior to the season.
The Ravens also announced a pair of previously reported moves, confirming that they’ve signed cornerback Shareece Wright and placed cornerback Will Davis on IR (Twitter link).
Bills Sign Josh Johnson, Cut Billy Cundiff
A day after he was released once again by the Colts, quarterback Josh Johnson has found a new NFL home. The Bills have signed the veteran signal-caller, cutting kicker Billy Cundiff to create room on the roster, the team announced today in a press release.
Johnson served as the Colts’ backup quarterback for the team’s last two games, with Andrew Luck sidelined due to a shoulder injury, and it’s fair to wonder if he’ll play the same role in Buffalo. Head coach Rex Ryan acknowledged after his team’s game this past weekend that Tyrod Taylor was banged up — E.J. Manuel had been the only other QB on the roster, so if Taylor is unable to play in Week 6, Johnson could back up Manuel for the Bills.
As for Cundiff, he’ll become a free agent again, just a week after joining the Bills. As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com wrote this morning, Cundiff appeared to do a good job in his role as a kickoff specialist this week, though Ryan didn’t exactly shower him with praise.
“He did OK, but he probably wishes he had worked on his kickoffs maybe a little more,” Ryan said. “But he did a … it wasn’t probably his best effort. But he was out there.”
Cundiff had been somewhat expendable, since he wasn’t the only kicker on the Bills’ roster — if the club doesn’t re-add Cundiff or sign another kicker before its next game, Dan Carpenter figures to handle kickoffs, along with his field goal and extra point duties.
Cardinals Sign Dwight Freeney
TUESDAY, 10:52am: The Cardinals have officially signed Freeney and – as expected – placed linebacker and special teamer Kenny Demens on the injured reserve list, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).
MONDAY, 1:21pm: Freeney’s deal is a minimum salary pact that includes some sack incentives, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Getlin adds (via Twitter) that Okafor is expected to miss two to four weeks with his calf injury, so Freeney figures to see some action right away.
1:01pm: The NFL’s highest-scoring team has made an addition on the defensive side of the ball today, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who reports (via Twitter) that the Cardinals are signing veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney to a one-year contract.
Freeney, 35, spent most of his NFL career in Indianapolis, but played 20 games for the Chargers in 2013 and 2014. While his sack numbers weren’t particularly impressive in San Diego – he recorded four in total – he continued to put pressure on quarterbacks.
As our Dallas Robinson noted when he examined Freeney’s free agent stock earlier this year, the Syracuse alum played on approximately 55% of San Diego’s defensive snaps last year, rushing the passer or defending the run on nearly every play (he saw just 14 coverage snaps). Freeney accrued just 3.5 sacks, but placed third among qualifying 3-4 OLBs with 40 quarterback hurries, and 14th with nine QB hits.
Playing in San Diego also provided Freeney with some more experience playing as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 system, something he figures to do in Arizona as well. According to Getlin (via Twitter), Freeney will serve as a designated pass rusher for the Cardinals, who lose John Abraham in a similar role last year.
Assuming he still has something left in the tank, Freeney should help bolster a pass rush that also features Alex Okafor, LaMarr Woodley, and Calais Campbell. Freeney may also be required to take a chunk of Okafor’s snaps if a calf injury the 24-year-old suffered in yesterday’s win over the Lions sidelines him at all going forward.
Ravens Rework Jeremy Zuttah’s Contract
The Ravens have created a little more breathing room under the cap by reworking Jeremy Zuttah‘s contract, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Yates reports that the team has converted $1,628,824 of Zuttah’s remaining base salary for the season into a signing bonus, prorating over four years, and creating an extra $1,221,618 in cap room.
Zuttah, the Ravens’ starting center, had been set to earn a $3MM salary for the season, with a $3.7MM overall cap number. By restructuring his deal, Baltimore reduces his cap hit to about $2.478MM, increasing his $4.2MM charges for 2016, 2017, and 2018 to about $4.607MM annually.
According to Over the Cap’s data, the Ravens were among the teams with the least amount of cap space left in 2015, with only about $2MM remaining. Baltimore has been hit hard by the injury bug this season, and the more players that land on injured reserve, the more new players the team has to add to its roster, increasing the need for cap flexibility.
In all likelihood, the Ravens don’t have a particularly trade or signing in mind for the extra cap room created by reworking Zuttah’s deal. That space will simply help the team make it through the rest of the season.
NFC Notes: Cards, Payton, Giants, Lions
While initial estimates suggested Cardinals outside linebacker Alex Okafor would miss two to four weeks, it’s now believed his calf injury will sideline him for up to six weeks, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network.
Okafor’s extended recovery timetable, along with Kenny Demens‘ season-ending ACL injury, makes Arizona’s signing of Dwight Freeney even more important. And speaking of Freeney, Ed Werder of ESPN.com provides a few more details on his contract with the Cards, tweeting that the veteran pass rusher can earn up to $1MM in sack incentives — $200K for four sacks, then another $100K for each one after that, up to 12 ($1MM).
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Saints head coach Sean Payton addressed the annual rumors about his potential departure from New Orleans on Monday, suggesting that he has no plans to go anywhere in the near future: “I’ll say what I said before. This is where I see myself. And I’ve said that now, for however many years.” Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune noted (via Twitter) that he can’t picture the Saints firing Payton.
- After Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle got banged up in Sunday night’s game against the Niners, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin acknowledged that the team may have to look at adding a receiver this week, though he’s optimistic his players will be ready to go next week (Twitter link via Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network). Jordan Raanan of NJ.com examines some potential outside options for the team in the event that a free agent signing becomes necessary.
- Lions head coach Jim Caldwell admitted on Monday that team owner Martha Firestone Ford isn’t happy with Detroit’s play so far this season, per Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. For now, the Lions don’t intend to make any coaching changes, but we’ll see if that changes in the coming weeks.
- Eagles head coach Chip Kelly praised the job Caleb Sturgis did for the team on Sunday, telling reporters on Monday that Philadelphia won’t have any kicker tryouts this week (Twitter link via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News). Sturgis missed another extra point in his second game for the Eagles, but made seven other kicks, including four field goals.
- Although Sunday’s loss was a tough one for Washington, there have been signs that the team’s culture is changing, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNMidAtlantic.com, who identifies Terrance Knighton, Chris Culliver, and Dashon Goldson as newcomers who are helping to change the attitude in the locker room.
Chiefs Working Out Ben Tate, Pierre Thomas
1:53pm: Former Saints running back Pierre Thomas is also auditioning for the Chiefs, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Although Kansas City is taking a look at some veteran backs, head coach Andy Reid said today that the Chiefs intend to look in-house first before addressing the running back position via free agency.
11:03am: With Jamaal Charles potentially lost for the year with an ACL injury, the Chiefs are bringing in another veteran running back, Ben Tate, for a workout on Tuesday, reports Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the team also takes a look at a few more free agent backs during Tuesday’s session, though Tate is the only name we know for now.
Tate, 27, was viewed as a possible breakout candidate heading into the 2014 season, as he finally stepped out from Arian Foster‘s shadow after spending four years as the backup in Houston. However, after signing with the Browns, Tate underwhelmed, and was eclipsed on Cleveland’s depth charts by rookies Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West.
The Browns opted to part ways with Tate last November, at which point three teams put in claims for the running back, with the Vikings landing him. Tate wasn’t any more impressive for Minnesota though, and was cut by the club before Week 17.
The former Auburn standout received one more opportunity in the postseason, signing with the Steelers and seeing five carries in Pittsburgh’s Wild Card loss to the Ravens. Since his contract with Pittsburgh expired, Tate has worked out for the Cowboys and Lions, but hasn’t found a new NFL home.
With Charles out, Knile Davis and Charcandrick West are expected to vie for carries in Kansas City. Still, it makes sense that the Chiefs would want to add at least one more back to the mix, especially with Charles likely headed to the injured reserve list, opening up a roster spot.