Bills Place Jarius Wynn, Ty Powell On IR
The Bills have made a handful of roster moves in the wake of a pair of season-ending ACL injuries, the team announced today in a press release. In addition to confirming the previously-reported signing of linebacker Quentin Groves, the Bills announced they’ve signed running back Ricky Seale, waived defensive lineman Erik Williams, and placed defensive end Jarius Wynn and linebacker Ty Powell on injured reserve.
Wynn and Powell both suffered ACL injuries that will prematurely end their 2015 seasons, creating some depth issues among the Bills’ front seven. Groves, a former second-round pick, will have an opportunity to compete for a roster spot and could be a solid veteran backup for Rex Ryan‘s squad. The 31-year-old has played in 100 regular season games for a total of five teams in his NFL career.
Although the Bills removed three players from their active roster and added just two, it doesn’t appear there will be a new opening on their 90-man roster. Prior to the first set of roster cutdowns, players with less than four years of NFL experience must pass through waivers before they can be placed on injured reserve. Since there’s no indication that Powell was waived/injured, which would have given another team the chance to claim him, it seems he’ll still count against the Bills’ 90-man roster for now, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets.
East Notes: Brady, Cooley, RGIII, Eli, Manuel
Multiple reporters in attendance at Patriots‘ practice today have indicated that Tom Brady is absent, and Tom Pelissero of USA Today offers a likely explanation, tweeting that Brady plans to attend tomorrow’s federal court hearing in New York. The session in Judge Richard M. Berman’s courtroom is optional for Brady and commissioner Roger Goodell, but the fact that the Patriots quarterback will attend in person could score him some points with Judge Berman.
As we wait to see what – if anything – comes of tomorrow’s hearing on the Brady case, let’s check in on several more items from around the NFL’s two East divisions….
- Former Washington tight end Chris Cooley admits he is “literally begging” to join his old team, explaining that he has offered to play on “the most minimum deal possible” if Washington signs him, per J.J. Regan of CSNWashington.com. Cooley’s proposal to Washington includes no bonuses or incentives, no guaranteed money, and a promise that he’d give $50K of his salary to charity.
- Robert Griffin III is currently under contract through the 2016 season, but he’d like to remain in Washington beyond that, telling CSNWashington’s Chick Hernandez that he hopes to stay with the club for his “whole career.”
- Despite John Mara‘s comments about wanting to get Eli Manning locked up to an extension before the season begins, there’s no rush or deadline for the Giants, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com, who writes that a new deal will happen sooner or later. We heard yesterday that Manning wants to become the league’s highest-paid player, and while that was met with disbelief by some, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains why it’s not as outrageous as you might think.
- As he competes for the starting job in Buffalo, quarterback E.J. Manuel acknowledges that his days with the Bills may be numbered if he doesn’t earn that No. 1 role, writes John Wawrow of The Associated Press. Wawrow suggests that Manuel is behind both Tyrod Taylor and Matt Cassel in the race for the Bills’ starting job, but the former first-round pick remains confident in his NFL future. “At the end of the day, if I play well, it should take care of itself,” Manuel said. “Whether it’s here or whether it’s somewhere else, I don’t know.”
Buccaneers Sign Gosder Cherilus
TUESDAY, 9:06am: The Buccaneers have officially confirmed the signing of Cherilus, announcing that they’ve cut FB/TE Evan Rodriguez to clear room on the roster (Twitter link). The details on Cherilus’ two-year deal can be found here.
MONDAY, 3:09pm: After hosting free agent offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus for a visit today, the Buccaneers have agreed to terms with him on a two-year contract, reports Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). As Stroud adds (via Twitter), Cherilus is poised to replace injured right tackle Demar Dotson, who could be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a sprained MCL.
Cherilus, who was released by the Colts in late July, started 29 games for the club at right tackle over the past two seasons. However, after a solid first season in Indianapolis, the 31-year-old struggled last year. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Cherilus 70th out of 84 qualified tackles, and he graded particularly poorly as a pass blocker. According to PFF’s data, he allowed six quarterback sacks, another 42 hits or hurries.
Despite his down year, Cherilus appeared to draw plenty of interest when he became a free agent. The veteran tackle reportedly visited the Bills and Lions, and Stroud tweets that the Chiefs and Vikings had some interest in him as well. Per Stroud, the Colts were also interested in bringing back Cherilus at a reduced salary.
While the financial terms of Cherilus’ new two-year deal with the Bucs aren’t yet known, he’ll certainly make less than he would have in Indianapolis, had the Colts held onto him. The former first-round pick signed a five-year, $35MM contract with the Colts back in 2013, and would’ve counted for $6.9MM against the team’s cap in 2015, including a $4MM base salary, if he hadn’t been released.
In Tampa Bay, Cherilus looks like the favorite to start the season at right tackle, though it’s not clear if he’ll continue to get regular playing time after Dotson returns from his MCL injury. Currently, second-round pick Donovan Smith is penciled in as the Bucs’ starter at left tackle, so his performance early in the season could determine whether or not there’s room on the line for Cherilus throughout the year.
Talks Heating Up Between Panthers, Kuechly
The Panthers and Luke Kuechly don’t appear to be on the verge of agreeing to terms on a new contract for the star linebacker, but extension negotiations between the two sides are “heating up,” a league source tells Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. According to Jones, one source estimated last week that there was a 50/50 chance of a deal getting done prior to the season, but talks have become more serious since then.
Kuechly, 24, has established himself as one of the NFL’s best defenders since entering the league in 2012. The Boston College product has started all 48 regular season contests during his three-year career, averaging 167 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and 10 passes defended per season. The former ninth overall pick has received his fair share of accolades, winning the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s also been named to a pair of Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams.
For the Panthers, there’s no real rush to get something finalized with Kuechly, since he remains under contract through the 2016 season. However, his cap hit for ’16 is $11.058MM, the value of his fifth-year option. Carolina will likely want to reduce that figure by working out an extension this year or next.
Kuechly’s floor was likely set earlier this month, when Bobby Wagner signed a new four-year, $43MM contract with the Seahawks. Wagner’s deal made him the highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL, surpassing Lawrence Timmons‘ $9.56MM annual salary, and Kuechly figures to set a new standard when he signs, since he has been even more productive than Wagner. A new-money, per-year salary in the ballpark of $12MM doesn’t seem out of reach for the Panthers linebacker.
Extra Points: Osweiler, Seahawks, Bills
As Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) explains, the Broncos have a pair of questions to answer in regard to Brock Osweiler. The first is whether the quarterback is capable of replacing Peyton Manning when the future Hall-of-Famer retires, and the second is whether the club will be able to retain Osweiler beyond the 2015 season.
According to Cole, John Elway and the Broncos decide they want to keep the young signal-caller around, they may try to work out a deal that’s heavy on incentives, meaning Osweiler would earn those bonuses if he eventually lands the starting job. However, it’s not clear yet if Denver would try to get something done with Osweiler in the next few weeks, or if the club is more inclined to wait until after the season to make its decision.
Let’s check out a few more Monday odds and ends from around the NFL….
- With Tarvaris Jackson dealing with a sprained ankle, the Seahawks may add another quarterback to their roster, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Per Condotta, the club worked out a QB today, though that player has yet to be identified.
- Having seen multiple players in their front seven go down injuries over the last few days, the Bills are bringing in several free agent defenders for workouts, according to Mike Rodak and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Per the ESPN report, defensive lineman Red Bryant and edge defenders Marcus Benard and Quentin Groves are auditioning for Buffalo.
- Free agent running back Joe McKnight, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, has been fully cleared for all activities by foot/ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, tweets Caplan. McKnight worked out for the Texans recently, but didn’t sign with the team.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com covers a number of topics in his latest piece, listing Ahmad Bradshaw atop his list of the best available free agent running backs, and suggesting that new Bills DE IK Enemkpali will likely face at least a two-game suspension.
- Colts head coach Chuck Pagano refuses to let his contract status be a distraction as he enters the final year of his deal, telling ESPN’s Mike Wells that he has “the best job in the entire world right now,” and his focus is on getting the most out of his team.
- There were rumblings that the Falcons might consider re-signing linebacker Prince Shembo after his legal case was resolved, but D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that the team decided to pass on bringing back the former fourth-round pick.
West Notes: Rivers, Cardinals, Seahawks
One of the factors that was considered a potential roadblocks when the Chargers and Philip Rivers begun discussing a new contract for the star quarterback was Rivers’ aversion to playing in Los Angeles. With the Chargers’ future up in the air, there was some uncertainty about whether Rivers would want to risk leaving San Diego a year after signing a new deal.
Having officially signed his extension though, Rivers told reporters today, “I’m going to be a Charger, wherever we are.” The veteran signal-caller added that he doesn’t have any sort of “disdain” or “hatred” for Los Angeles, and that comments he has made in the past reflect his attachment to San Diego more than an aversion to L.A. (Twitter links via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune).
Here’s more on Rivers, along with a handful of other notes from out of the NFL’s two West divisions….
- According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com, Rivers’ new contract features a no-trade clause, which means Rivers and the Chargers are unlikely to have a repeat of the situation that occurred earlier this year, when the QB was the subject of trade rumors and speculation.
- Since a report last week indicated that free agent running back Chris Johnson would visit and take a physical for the Cardinals, we haven’t heard any real updates. According to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link), Cards GM Steve Keim acknowledged today that the team has talked to Johnson, but said there’s “nothing on the horizon.” Meanwhile, ESPN’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link) says Johnson passed his physical with the team.
- Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com passes along another comment from Keim, tweeting that the GM believes there will be four to six Cardinals players picked up by other teams after Arizona cuts them in a couple weeks.
- Wide receiver LaQuan Williams, who has spent parts of the last few seasons with Baltimore, is working out today for the Seahawks, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Williams also tried out for the Cowboys over the weekend.
La Canfora’s Latest: Washington, Jets, Brown
Within his latest piece for CBSSports.com, Jason La Canfora praises the “honest, slow, and steady approach” that new GM Scot McCloughan is taking to building the Washington roster. In La Canfora’s view, McCloughan is a “pure departure” from most of the decision-makers who have preceded him during Daniel Snyder‘s tenure as the team’s owner.
While we wait to see whether McCloughan’s approach translates into on-field success in Washington, let’s round up a few more highlights from La Canfora’s piece….
- With training camps and the preseason in full swing, injuries have begun to take a toll around the league. According to La Canfora, many teams are scrambling to find healthy offensive tackles and tight ends, since those are two positions where clubs have been hit the hardest by injuries. As I noted last week when I examined some possible tight end options for Washington, the free agent market at the position is pretty thin.
- La Canfora has heard a lot recently about the kind of money some left tackles have been seeking, calling it “crazy, quarterback money.” The CBSSports.com scribe wouldn’t be surprised if players like Trent Williams (Washington) and Nate Solder (Patriots) ultimately get the franchise tag rather than signing extensions right away.
- The Jets are taking their time to consider possible quarterbacks, and one reason is that the team has interest in some veteran signal-callers who may be cut within the next few weeks.
- Despite reports to the contrary, there have been no contract talks between the Steelers and Antonio Brown, sources tell La Canfora. With three years left on his deal, the wideout won’t get a new contract this year, but may be able to revisit the issue in 2016.
East Notes: Powell, Giants, Eli, Brady
Earlier today, the Bills added another one of Rex Ryan‘s ex-Jets, signing cornerback Ellis Lankster to their roster. That’s just one of today’s stories out of the East though, so let’s round up the latest from around the league’s two East divisions….
- Ty Powell, who was a reserve linebacker and a special teams contributor for the Bills last season, may have a torn ACL, Ryan said today (Twitter link via Joe Buscaglia of WKBW). If that diagnosis is confirmed, it would end Powell’s season.
- There’s still a chance that the Giants could pursue a free agent offensive lineman like Jake Long or Evan Mathis, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. However, as Graziano suggests, it’s not as simple as making a contract offer, since there are concerns about Long’s health and Mathis’ asking price.
- With Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers having signed new contracts this offseason, a pair of New York reporters believe the other notable quarterback from the 2004 draft class should get an extension of his own. Steve Serby of the New York Post and Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News both make cases for why Giants signal-caller Eli Manning should get a new deal before the season begins.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains why Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shouldn’t sue investigator Ted Wells for defamation, like former Dolphins offensive line coach Jim Turner is doing.
- Before the Cowboys break training camp, owner Jerry Jones has several objectives he’d like to see the team meet, including deciding how to proceed on defense without Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain early in the season. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News has the details.
Bucs’ Akeem Spence Suspended One Game
Buccaneers defensive tackle Akeem Spence has been notified that he’s facing a one-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on substance of abuse, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). It’s not 100% clear, based on Rapoport’s tweet, if Spence can still appeal the penalty, but assuming he’s been notified of the suspension by the league, it sounds like the appeal process has already been completed.
Spence, 23, has been a regular contributor on the Buccaneers’ defensive line since being selected by the team in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft. In his two seasons with the club, he has started 19 of 32 contests, recording 68 overall tackles, four sacks, and three fumble recoveries. Spence, who remains on Tampa Bay’s PUP list, underwent back surgery earlier in the summer, and had already been expected to miss the first few weeks of the 2015 regular season.
When he does get healthy and is ready to return to the Bucs’ active roster, Spence will have to serve his one-game suspension as a result of a 2014 arrest on a marijuana charge. The incident, which took place way back in January of 2014, was the result of a traffic stop in Flomaton, Alabama.
Bills Sign Ellis Lankster
Another player who spent time with Rex Ryan‘s Jets has made the move to Buffalo to join Ryan’s Bills. The Bills announced today (via Twitter) that they have signed cornerback Ellis Lankster, waiving cornerback Lavelle Westbrooks to clear a spot on the roster.
Lankster, 28, spent parts of four seasons with the Jets after initially being drafted by the Bills in 2009. From 2011 to 2014, the veteran corner appeared in 39 games for New York, recording 51 tackles, grabbing a pair of interceptions, and forcing two fumbles.
Lankster’s stint last season with the Jets was brief — he was released once during preseason roster cutdowns, then again later in September after being re-signed a week into the season. I’d expect him to have an outside shot to earn a roster spot with the Bills this year, particularly if the team has injury problems in the secondary. But for now he just looks like preseason depth.
Westbrooks, a seventh-round pick by the Bengals in the 2014 draft, has yet to play in a regular season contest. He spent less than a week with the Bills, having been signed last Tuesday.