Latest On NFL Personal Conduct Policy
The latest round of NFL owner meetings are set to take place today in Dallas, and one of the main topics on the agenda will be the creation and implementation of a new personal conduct policy for the league. While some reports have suggested that the NFL won’t be ready to vote on the proposal quite yet, Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link) hears that the league could push for the adoption of the new policy today.
The league appears to be moving forward with the new policy despite objections from the NFL Players Association. NFLPA president Eric Winston called recent meetings between the two sides a “farce,” claiming that the league had already finalized its policy before meeting with the union, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.
The NFL fired back by listing several objections to the NFLPA’s proposed policy, and many of those points of contention center around whether or not players should be punished in certain scenarios. Those scenarios include: after acquittal or when charges are dropped; when players are accused or convicted of misdemeanors (rather than felonies); and when the legal process is still playing out.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), the issue of paid leave when a player has been charged with a felony is still up for discussion. Additionally, commissioner Roger Goodell is willing to remove himself from the initial discipline process, creating a new special council for investigations and conduct. Despite that concession, the NFLPA is unlikely to be happy if a new policy is approved by owners today without any collective bargaining, so we’ll have to wait and see whether a vote actually takes place.
Bills Cut Mike Williams, Sign Deonte Thompson
TUESDAY, 9:56pm: Williams has cleared waivers and reverted to the Bills’ injured reserve list, writes Rodak, who estimates that the club reach a settlement with the receiver.
MONDAY, 3:17pm: Williams wants to play now and is hoping to catch on with a contender, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Wawrow’s previously-linked report indicates that the Bills reached a settlement with Williams, so it sounds as if he’ll hit the open market rather than landing on the team’s injured reserve list.
3:04pm: A little more than eight months after they acquired him from the Buccaneers in exchange for a sixth-round pick, the Bills are parting ways with veteran wideout Mike Williams, according to reports from John Wawrow of The Associated Press and Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
Williams, 27, was expected to contribute this season to a revamped Bills receiving corps that lost Steve Johnson, but added No. 4 overall pick Sammy Watkins. However, Williams didn’t see much action during his stint in Buffalo, partly due to injuries, and compiled just 142 yards and one touchdowns on eight receptions in 2014. There were reports earlier in the season that Williams – or his agent – had requested a trade, but the former Buccaneer denied asking to be moved.
As Rodak indicates, Buffalo is waiving Williams with the injured designation, which means he should revert to the injured reserve list, assuming he goes unclaimed tomorrow on waivers. The team’s official press release on the move confirms as much, noting that Williams has been put on the waived/injured list.
To replace Williams on the roster, the Bills have signed wide receiver Deonte Thompson from off the Ravens’ practice squad, as first reported by Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the rest of the day:
- Center Jeff Baca was cut by the Chargers to make room for newly-signed punter Mat McBriar, but he’s cleared waivers and been added to San Diego’s taxi squad, tweets Wilson. The Chargers only had nine players on its PS, so they won’t have to drop anyone.
- The Saints have cut fullback Michael Zordich from their practice squad, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune (Twitter link). Zordich was originally added to New Orleans’ PS just over a month ago.
Earlier updates:
- Linebacker Jerrell Harris has been released by the Lions from their taxi squad, per Aaron Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Jets have signed cornerback Keith Lewis to their practice squad, the team announced today (via Twitter). Aaron Wilson reported earlier today at the National Football Post that the club would be working out Lewis.
- After working out cornerbacks Kevin Fogg and Anthony Gaitor today, the Steelers signed Fogg to their practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The team’s PR rep, Burt Lauten, confirmed the signing of Fogg, tweeting that safety Jordan Dangerfield has been released from the taxi squad to accommodate the addition.
- The Bills have replaced one wide receiver with another on their practice squad, signing former N.C. State product Tobais Palmer and letting go of Eric Thomas, the club announced today in a press release.
- Defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton, who was cut by the Giants on Saturday, has rejoined the team’s practice squad, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter).
- Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal has the details on the latest change to the Browns‘ practice squad, tweeting that the team has released defensive lineman Christian Tupou and signed defensive back Kendall James.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
We’ve already rounded up several of the day’s more notable transactions in posts of their own, but we’ll use this space to keep tabs on the 53-man roster moves that may have slipped under the radar. Here’s the latest:
- The Panthers have cut quarterback Matt Blanchard from injured reserve, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Free agent linebacker Rob Ruggiero has been suspended for four weeks by the league, per Wilson (Twitter link) — no word on what led to the ban.
Earlier updates:
- The Raiders have cut linebacker Jamar Chaney, according to Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune. The club hasn’t yet filled Cheney’s roster spot, but McDonald surmises that receiver Rod Streater, currently on IR-DTR, could soon be added to the 53-man.
- Cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson, who dislocated his shoulder during Sunday’s loss to the Giants, has been placed on the injured reserve list by the Titans, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). According to Wyatt (via Twitter), the team has filled the newly-opened spot on its roster by signing free agent offensive lineman Jamon Meredith, who was cut by the Bengals a week ago.
- The Lions officially removed running back Montell Owens from their roster today, releasing him from IR, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Unless the two sides reached an injury settlement, the move suggests that Owens is now fully healthy.
Devin Funchess Declares For NFL Draft
4:31pm: Funchess will be represented by CAA agents Tom Condon and Patrick Collins, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter).
2:45pm: University of Michigan wide receiver Devin Funchess has decided to forgo his senior season and enter the 2015 NFL draft, the school announced today in a press release.
“I would like to thank my family, coaches and teammates for their support,” said Funchess, who also thanked recently-fired Wolverines coach Brady Hoke in a statement. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL, and I am prepared to take the next step in my journey.”
A second-team All-Big Ten selection, Funchess grabbed a team-leading 62 passes for 733 receiving yards and four touchdowns during the 2014 season, his first full year as a wide receiver. The Michigan junior currently ranks as the 19th-best prospect in the 2015 class, according to ESPN.com, whose rankings place him fourth among wideouts.
West Notes: L.A., Kaepernick, Workouts
While the Broncos could clinch the AFC West with a victory in San Diego this weekend, the race over in the NFC West is getting more interesting by the week. The 10-3 Cardinals head to St. Louis this Thursday as underdogs against the 6-7 Rams, and an Arizona loss, combined with a Seahawks win over the reeling 49ers, would set up a huge Week 16 battle between the two division leaders in Arizona.
As we look forward to seeing how this week’s games play out, let’s round up a few items out of the NFL’s two West divisions….
- No major developments involving Los Angeles are expected at this week’s NFL owner meetings, and a source tells Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) that the league isn’t anticipating movement on the L.A. front until the new year.
- In an Insider-only piece, Mike Sando of ESPN.com takes a closer look at Colin Kaepernick‘s future in San Francisco. Sando notes that moving away from Kaepernick quickly likely isn’t an option for the 49ers, but suggests making changes to the club’s coaching staff and offensive system could help get the young QB back on the right track.
- The Broncos tried out former Dolphins quarterback Seth Lobato today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The club is likely considering him for a potential reserve/futures contract at season’s end.
- The Rams, who recently extended punter Johnny Hekker, also recently worked out punter Michael Palardy, tweets Wilson. Of course, with Hekker – one of the league’s best specialists – locked up for several seasons, the Rams were likely looking at Palardy because he’s a left-footed kicker, rather than because they have interest in signing him.
Washington Announces Roster, PS Moves
There’s a chance that we could see a starting quarterback change in Washington for Week 15, depending on Colt McCoy‘s health, and the club is also making plenty of changes at the back of its 53-man roster. Washington announced (via Twitter) a series of roster and practice squad transactions today, and we’ve got the breakdown right here:
Signed to 53-man roster:
- LB Ja’Gared Davis (from Chiefs’ practice squad)
- LB Trevardo Williams (from practice squad)
Waived from 53-man roster:
- LB Steve Beauharnais
- LB Everette Brown
- CB Greg Ducre
Signed to practice squad:
- RB Michael Hill
- LB Justin Jackson
The series of roster moves leaves Washington with a full 10-man practice squad and one opening on its 53-man roster.
Eagles Release Roc Carmichael
The Eagles have reduced their roster by one, announcing today that they’ve parted ways with cornerback Roc Carmichael (Twitter link). Carmichael, who re-signed with the team three weeks ago, didn’t see any action during his most recent stint in Philadelphia.
A former fourth-round pick, Carmichael rejoined the Eagles after having spent the majority of the 2013 season in Philadelphia. Having been waived by the Eagles during the team’s preseason cutdown to 53 players, Carmichael had worked out for the Lions, Buccaneers, and Chargers this season before catching back on with Philadelphia. Now he’ll return to the open market, assuming he goes unclaimed on waivers tomorrow.
There won’t be a corresponding move today to fill the newly-created opening on the Eagles’ 53-man roster, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
Cam Newton Involved In Car Accident
2:26pm: After undergoing further tests, Newton has been diagnosed with two transverse process fractures in his lower back, and no further internal injuries, according to the team (Twitter link). The injury is similar to the one that sidelined Tony Romo for one game earlier this season.
1:35pm: Newton “is in fair condition and undergoing tests at Carolinas Medical Center and will remain there overnight for observation,” the Panthers have announced in a tweet.
12:22pm: The Observer has passed along a photo of Newton conscious and smiling following the accident (Twitter link). Meanwhile, WBTV in Charlotte is reporting (via Twitter) that Newton was taken to the hospital as a precaution and didn’t suffer any major injuries.
12:09pm: A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer confirms to Jones (Twitter link) that Newton was driving the vehicle that overturned, and that the Panthers QB was able to communicate before being loaded into an ambulance.
12:04pm: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was involved in a car wreck today near Bank of America Stadium, according to a report from the Charlotte Observer. A car – believed to be Newton’s – crashed and overturned on the Church Street bridge in Charlotte. Per Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter), Newton was placed onto a stretcher and taken to the hospital.
It’s not clear yet whether Newton is seriously injured or whether the trip to the hospital is precautionary, but we’ll pass along details as soon as they become available.
The Panthers – and their quarterback – are coming off their best game of the season, a 41-10 drubbing of the division-rival Saints, which saw Newton throw for 226 yards and three touchdowns and run for another 83 yards and a TD. At 4-8-1, the team is a half-game out of first place in the NFC South.
Saints To Waive Joe Morgan
Mired in a disappointing 5-8 season that somehow still sees them tied for the NFC South lead, the Saints are making some changes, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that wide receiver Joe Morgan has been informed he’s being waived. In a second tweet, Rapoport adds that things sound “very tense” in New Orleans today, with more than 10 players called individually into Sean Payton’s office for review.
Morgan, who has only played for the Saints since entering the league in 2011, has displayed big-play ability in his limited action — he has averaged 33.6 yards per catch on 14 career receptions, and 34.0 yards per carry on two career rushes. However, he has also been plagued by off-field issues. Earlier this season, he served a suspension that was handed out by the team rather than the league.
Morgan will have to pass through waivers before he becomes a free agent, so if another team decides to take on what’s left of his contract, we should find out tomorrow.