Pro Football Rumors On Social Media, RSS
While the offseason is generally the busiest time of year for Pro Football Rumors, the Panthers’ acquisition of Jared Allen this week showed that teams are prepared to make major in-season roster moves as well. There are plenty of storylines to follow on PFR in the coming weeks, and you don’t necessarily have to keep refreshing our site to keep tabs on them. There are a handful of different ways you can follow us to get the latest updates on NFL news and rumors all year.
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Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/15
Here are Wednesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from across the NFL:
- The Patriots released linebacker Dekoda Watson, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. The veteran played primarily on special teams in the last two games.
Earlier Updates:
- It was a busy day for the Texans, who overhauled their linebacker corps in an effort to improve the club’s special teams play. According to a press release, the Texans promoted ILB Max Bullough from their own practice squad, signed ILB Brian Peters from the Vikings’ practice squad, and signed OLB Kourtnei Brown from the Bucs’ practice squad. As Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets, the club placed linebackers Mike Mohamed and Carlos Thompson on injured reserve.
- The Jets have parted ways with one of their draft picks from this past May, waiving seventh-round defensive tackle Deon Simon today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Simon, 25, has yet to see any action in a regular season NFL game.
- Having cut running back Mike James earlier in the week, the Buccaneers had an open roster spot, and used that opening to promote tackle Reid Fragel from their practice squad, according to a team release. Fragel initially survived Tampa Bay’s cutdown to 53 players, but was dropped and signed to the practice squad after the Bucs claimed several players off waivers.
- The Steelers made a change to their defense today, announcing that they’ve cut defensive end Caushaud Lyons, promoting linebacker Anthony Chickillo to their active roster to replace him.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/30/15
Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically the most active time during the NFL season for teams to make changes to their practice squads, so we should expect another busy day today. Here are the latest practice squad signings and cuts from around the league:
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: TE Blake Annen (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
- Placed on PS-IR: LB James Vaughters
Houston Texans
- Signed: QB Zac Dysert (Twitter link via Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DL Jimmy Staten (Twitter link via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: S Brock Vereen (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press)
New England Patriots
- Cut: WR Kenbrell Thompkins, DT Joe Vellano, OL Chris Barker (Twitter link via Ben Volin of The Boston Globe)
New York Giants
- Signed: QB/S G.J. Kinne (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of NJ.com)
- Cut: WR Julian Talley
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: G Antoine Everett, TE Tevin Westbrook (press release)
Washington:
- Signed: OLB Sage Harold (Twitter link via Mike Jones of the Washington Post)
AFC Notes: Raiders, Manziel, Forbath, Jets
Having rounded up a few items from around the NFC earlier today, let’s shift our focus to the league’s other conference, and check in on several AFC notes:
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), citing multiple sources, reports that Raiders owner Mark Davis has been in contact with a Los Angeles-based investor and developer about potential relocation. According to Cole, Davis may have to sell part of the Raiders in order for the Carson proposal to have a good chance of moving forward.
- The struggling Browns will inevitably turn to Johnny Manziel to gauge whether he is their future at the quarterback position, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com writes, and Grossi believes that time will come sooner for the Browns than coach Mike Pettine ever anticipated. Grossi believes that Johnny Football could get the start on October 18th against the Broncos, Cleveland’s next home game, if the offense sputters against the Chargers and Ravens
- Nick Novak got the job in Houston, but Kai Forbath was a close second in the Texans‘ kicker evaluations, according to sources who spoke with Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). That might not be much consolation to Forbath, who was also the runner-up for the Eagles’ kicking job this week.
- Former Jets GM Mike Tannebaum made some big mistakes near the end of his time with the team, but 17 players on New York’s current active roster were Tannenbaum acquisitions, says Brian Costello of the New York Post. Costello makes the case that it’s time to recognize that Tannenbaum, who is currently in the Dolphins’ front office, did a “very good job” with the Jets.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Kiko Alonso Won’t Miss Entire Season
Earlier today, a Philadelphia Daily News report indicated that Eagles linebacker Kiko Alonso would have his troublesome left knee scoped to determine the extent of the damage to his ACL graft. Alonso, who tore his ACL in 2014, sustained a partial tear of the ligament this year, and if the damage was significant, season-ending surgery was a possibility.
However, according to Ian Rapoport and Dan Hanzus of NFL.com, today’s scope, performed by Dr. James Andrews, determined that the damage is minimal, and another procedure won’t be necessary. Alonso will still be sidelined for about four weeks as he rehabs the knee, but he’s expected to return to the Eagles’ lineup for the second half of the season.
The diagnosis is great news for Alonso and the Eagles, and the fact that the linebacker should only require about a month of recovery time before he returns means that he’s probably not a candidate for the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Philadelphia is one of 16 NFL teams that has yet to use its IR-DTR slot.
DeMeco Ryans, Jordan Hicks, and Mychal Kendricks, who is expected to play in Week 4, figure to share the Eagles’ snaps at inside linebacker until Alonso gets back on the field.
Chiefs To Place Phillip Gaines On IR
Chiefs cornerback Phillip Gaines will see his 2015 season end early, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star, who reports (via Twitter) that Gaines has suffered a torn ACL. Kansas City will place the second-year defensive back on season-ending injured reserve.
Gaines, 24, was selected with the 87th overall pick in the 2014 draft by the Chiefs, and while he didn’t have a huge role on the defense in his rookie year, he had been starting in the early going this season, as Sean Smith served a three-game suspension. Through three games, only Marcus Peters has played more than Gaines’ 169 defensive snaps, among Chiefs cornerbacks.
With Gaines headed to IR, it clears a path for Smith to return to Kansas City’s 53-man roster. The team has a roster exemption for the returning cornerback and doesn’t have to officially place him on the active roster until later this week, but it would make sense as a corresponding move for Gaines.
After this season, Gaines will still have two years left on his rookie contract, so he figures to play a role for the Chiefs going forward.
NFC Notes: Alonso, Niners, Clausen
Four NFC teams remain undefeated, and two of those are NFC South squads, which is surprising, considering no team in that division posted a .500 record in 2014. As the Falcons, Panthers, Packers, and Cardinals prepare to put their 3-0 records on the line this weekend, let’s check in on the latest out of the conference….
- Discussing Kiko Alonso with reporters today, Chip Kelly mentioned that the linebacker isn’t an injured reserve candidate at this point, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com (via Twitter). While Shorr-Parks wasn’t the only reporter to interpret Kelly’s comments that way, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer isn’t so sure that’s what the Eagles head coach meant, as he explains (via Twitter).
- According to Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, Alonso will have his troublesome left knee scoped to determine the extent of the damage. If it’s minimal, the Eagles linebacker should be able to return to the field following some rehab. If the ACL graft is significantly damaged, Alonso may require season-ending surgery.
- The 49ers aren’t getting much out of their 2015 free agent class, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, pointing out that defenders Darnell Dockett and Philip Wheeler were released weeks ago, Jerome Simpson is serving a suspension, Reggie Bush has been injured, and Shareece Wright has been inactive for three games (and wants to be traded or cut).
- With Jay Cutler expected to miss another game this weekend, Bears quarterback Jimmy Clausen should get four quarters to prove why he still deserves a roster spot, opines David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. If Clausen can’t perform capably in a home game against Oakland this week, the Bears should look to upgrade the position, in Haugh’s view.
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identifies 20 players with big money on the line this year, including Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, Bears running back Matt Forte, and Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, among others.
Panthers Cut Colin Cole, Sign Ryan Delaire
The Panthers continue to make changes on their defensive line, adding another pass rusher and dropping a veteran defensive tackle to do so. According to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter), Carolina has signed defensive end Ryan Delaire from Washington’s practice squad, releasing Colin Cole to create room on the 53-man roster.
Delaire initially signed with the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Towson this spring, and the $15K signing bonus he received from Tampa Bay was one of the largest for any UDFA. However, he didn’t earn a spot on the club’s regular season roster, and landed on Washington’s taxi squad shortly after being cut by the Bucs. He’ll join a Panthers squad that will be without top pass rusher Charles Johnson for at least the next eight weeks, as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Cole, meanwhile, has been a key player for the Panthers since 2013, starting 26 of the 31 regular season games he played for the team during his first two seasons with the team. He has seen his part-time role reduced even further early in 2015 though, with Kawann Short, Dwan Edwards, and Kyle Love seeing most of the playing time at defensive tackle. Cole played just 49 defensive snaps during the first three weeks.
As David Newton of ESPN.com points out, the Panthers’ decision to release Cole “speaks volumes” about how the team feels about Love, as well as highlighting Carolina’s need at defensive end. Delaire is the second defensive end added to the roster this week, joining Jared Allen, who was acquired in a trade with the Bears.
Cole will immediately become a free agent without having to pass through waivers, so he’ll be free to join any team. His one-year, minimum salary benefit contract with Carolina included a modest $80K signing bonus, so the Panthers won’t carry much dead money on their cap after parting ways with him.
Saints Rework Drew Brees’ Contract
The Saints have created a little additional breathing room under the cap this season by converting $5.2MM of Drew Brees‘ base salary into a signing bonus, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The move creates $2.6MM of cap room for 2015, since the bonus is prorated over the two years remaining on Brees’ deal.
While the restructure creates cap room this year, it increases Brees’ 2016 cap hit to $30MM, exceeding Ndamukong Suh‘s and Joe Flacco‘s cap numbers and making it the highest in the NFL. Of course, it’s unlikely that the Saints will carry Brees at that $30MM figure next year, but the latest tweaking of his contract makes things a little trickier for New Orleans.
As I observed last week when I examined the Saints’ cap outlook for 2016, no NFL team has more salary on its 2016 books, so addressing Brees’ contract is crucial in order for the club to reduce its cap commitments for next season. Extending the Pro Bowl signal-caller – who is currently battling a shoulder injury – makes the most sense, though a trade, release, or pay cut could also be in play, depending on how this season plays out.
Trading or cutting Brees would leave the Saints with $10MM in dead money on their cap, creating $20MM in cap savings, but they’d have to make that decision quickly. As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter), over half of the quarterback’s $19.75MM base salary for 2016 becomes guaranteed on the third day of the league’s waiver period in February.
As for the short-term benefits of the Saints’ reworking of Brees’ contract, head coach Sean Payton says his club is “one short at tight end” and would like to add another player at that position. However, he cautioned that Brees’ contract adjustment wasn’t done for the purpose of adding a single player — it’s more about creating “wiggle room” for typical in-season moves (Twitter links via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune).
Browns Extend Austin Davis
With the roles of Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel dominating headlines in Cleveland during the season’s first few weeks, the Browns have made a move with the third quarterback on their roster. According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Cleveland signed Austin Davis to a two-year, $4.173MM extension, locking him up through the 2017 season.
Davis, who started 2014 as the third quarterback on the Rams’ depth chart, eventually took over for Sam Bradford and Shaun Hill as the team’s starter for eight games, leading the club to a 3-5 record in those games. He compiled 2,001 passing yards to go along with a 63.4% completion rate and an 85.1 passer rating, earning him a low-end ($1.542MM) RFA tender from St. Louis.
However, Davis didn’t make the cut when the Rams reduced their roster to 53 players, and days later, he was quickly scooped up by the Browns. Having been in Cleveland for less than a month, Davis has clearly made an impression on the club’s staff to earn a two-year extension, though it’s not clear how much of his new deal is guaranteed.
Interestingly, Davis’ extension comes during a time when general manager Ray Farmer is still serving a four-week suspension. Presumably, before Farmer began serving the four-game ban earlier this month, he outlined the potential parameters of a new contract for the ex-Rams quarterback, since it’s hard to imagine interim GM Bill Kuharich deciding on his own to get something done mere days before Farmer returns.
With Davis under contract through 2017, it gives the Browns some flexibility at the quarterback position going forward. McCown’s deal also runs through ’17, and Cleveland holds Manziel’s rights through his fifth-year option season in 2018. However, if the team decides to move on from any of the three quarterbacks during the next year or two, it can do so knowing it still has two viable options locked up.