Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
- The Giants signed former Chiefs guard Rishaw Johnson to their practice squad, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Johnson worked out for Big Blue last week.
- After promoting multiple players from their practice squad to their active roster, the Giants added linebacker Paul Hazel to the taxi squad, per Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
- Defensive back Lowell Rose has rejoined the Dolphins‘ practice squad, with the club placing wideout LaRon Byrd on the PS-IR list in a corresponding move, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Linebacker Marshall McFadden, who was released by the Rams over the weekend, has cleared waivers and signed back to the team’s practice squad, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- Wide receiver Eric Thomas has replaced fellow wideout Travis Harvey on the Bills‘ practice squad, according to a team release.
Earlier updates:
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that former Eagles linebacker Jake Knott is set to sign with the Dolphins‘ practice squad. Miami, with a full 10-man unit, will have to make a corresponding move before the addition becomes official.
- After losing Solomon Patton off their practice squad to the Buccaneers, the Cardinals have replaced him by signing wide receiver Ryan Spadola, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- Cut by the Jaguars over the weekend, wide receiver Mike Brown cleared waivers and rejoined the team today, signing with Jacksonville’s practice squad, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
- The Panthers promoted a pair of players to their active roster from the practice squad today, and began filling the newly-created openings by signing safety Kimario McFadden to the unit, the team announced (Twitter link).
- Defensive end Jordan Stanton, who was cut from the Giants‘ practice squad back in September, re-signed with the unit today, per agent Landon Betsworth (via Twitter). The team has yet to announce the move that will create an opening for Stanton.
Giants Put Ayers, Kiwanuka, Snyder On IR
5:43pm: Even more bad news for the Giants. The Giants have also placed guard Geoff Schwartz and linebacker Terrell Manning on injured reserve, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano (via Twitter). Meanwhile, running back Chris Ogbonnaya has been added to the roster (link).
Ogbonnaya, 28, saw his second stint with the Panthers come to an end recently when he was waived to make room for the promotion of defensive tackle Micanor Regis. The running back/fullback compiled 50 yards on 14 carries this season, but he hasn’t played since Carolina’s loss to the Saints in late October.
Schwartz, 28, signed a four-year deal with the Giants when he hit free agency in March, but has barely played for the club in 2014. Sidelined with a toe injury, Schwartz was placed on injured reserve with the designation to return prior to Week 1. The 28-year-old returned for November contests against the Cowboys and Jaguars, but that apparently was the beginning and end of his 2014 campaign.
The Giants plucked Manning off of the Bengals’ taxi squad just days ago, but an ankle injury took him off the field. The Giants placed 5 players on IR today but they can only replace four of them since Manning was signed off Cincy’s practice squad last week. NFL rules stipulate that a player signed off of another’s teams practice squad can’t be replaced on the 53-man roster until three weeks have lapsed since the signing.
4:37pm: The Giants’ lost 2014 season took another downward turn today, as the team placed three more veteran players on injured reserve, bringing the total count of Giants players on IR up to 18. According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), defensive end Robert Ayers, defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, and offensive lineman Adam Snyder are the latest New York players to land on the injured reserve list.
As we heard yesterday, Ayers sustained a torn pectoral muscle during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars, which was expected to end his season. Kiwanuka and Snyder are both on the shelf with knee ailments, and will also see their 2014 seasons end prematurely. For the Giants, these are just the latest in a series of season-ending injuries that have plagued the team all year. Notable contributors like Victor Cruz, Jon Beason, Walter Thurmond, and Prince Amukamara have also been placed on the IR at some point this season.
While Ayers remains under contract for 2015 at an affordable rate and will likely return to the team next season, assuming he makes a full recovery, Kiwanuka and Snyder may have played their last games for the Giants — Kiwanuka’s cap hit increases to an unpalatable $7.45MM next year, while Snyder’s contract expires at season’s end.
As for this season, the Giants will promote three players from their practice squad to fill the newly-created openings on the roster, tweets Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. Linebacker James Davidson, guard Eric Herman, and defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton will receive promotions to the 53-man unit.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Here are today’s minor 53-man roster moves from around the NFL, with the latest transactions added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Chiefs have replaced one tight end with another, signing Richard Gordon to their roster and waiving Phillip Supernaw to accommodate the move, per a team release. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun first tweeted the news that Supernaw was being released.
- The Colts have agreed to terms with free agent offensive tackle Andrew McDonald, cutting tight end Weslye Saunders in the corresponding move, tweets Kevin Bowen of Colts.com. The release of Saunders suggests that tight end Dwayne Allen, out with an ankle injury, should be ready to go next week against the Browns.
- Defensive tackle Kwame Geathers, who had been on the Chargers‘ injured reserve list since the preseason, has been deemed healthy and was cut from IR, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
Titans Place Justin Hunter On IR
3:16pm: Confirming that Hunter has been moved to IR, the Titans also announced that they’ve signed offensive tackle Terren Jones from the Ravens’ practice squad (Twitter link).
3:12pm: While quarterback Zach Mettenberger hopes to return to the field soon, one of his top targets will miss the rest of the season. According to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter), the Titans intend to place wide receiver Justin Hunter on injured reserve, with the transaction likely becoming official today.
Hunter, 23, was viewed as a potential breakout candidate entering the season, but struggled to put up big numbers in part due to the Titans’ revolving door at quarterback. Catching balls from Mettenberger, Jake Locker, and Charlie Whitehurst this season, Hunter recorded 28 receptions for 498 yards and three touchdowns. He left Sunday’s contest against the Texans due to a lacerated spleen, spending some time in a Houston hospital after the game. While he’s expected to make a full recovery, Hunter will see his sophomore season come to an early end.
Putting Hunter on IR will open up a roster spot for Tennessee, so we’ll have to see if the team decides to add a receiver or to bolster another spot. If the Titans were to promote a player from the practice squad, wideouts Derek Moye and Rico Richardson would be prime candidates.
Bengals Sign Eric Winston, Cut Meredith
2:26pm: The Bengals announced the signing of Winston, and cut two more players, waiving tackle Jamon Meredith from the active roster and linebacker J.K. Schaffer from injured reserve (Twitter link). The series of moves leaves the team with an opening on its 53-man roster.
1:35pm: The Bengals have agreed to terms with veteran free agent tackle Eric Winston, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Garafolo’s report comes on the heels of one from Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, who indicated (via Twitter) that the two sides were nearing an agreement. It’s a one-year deal, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter).
Winston, 31, has been one of the league’s most durable linemen over the last few years, starting all 16 of his teams’ games in Houston, Kansas City, and – most recently – Arizona in each of the last seven seasons, prior to 2014. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), the former third-round pick ranked as just the 69th-best tackle out of 76 qualified players last season. However, that may have been an aberration, considering Winston recorded consistently positive grades in every year leading up to 2013.
In any case, Winston was cut by the Seahawks at the end of the ’14 preseason and has been a free agent since then, despite tryouts with the Vikings, Falcons, and Eagles. In the meantime, Winston has been keeping busy with his role as the NFLPA president, but it appears he’ll get a chance to earn some playing time on Cincinnati’s offensive line as the team makes a push for a playoff spot.
Starting tackle Andre Smith was lost for the season and placed on injured reserve last week, prompting the team to sign Jamon Meredith and start Marshall Newhouse at right tackle. In Winston, the Bengals add a reliable veteran who is capable of stepping into a starting role if necessary.
Cincinnati opened up a roster spot yesterday by placing linebacker Jayson DiManche on IR, so the club won’t have to make another move to make room for Winston.
Latest On Adrian Peterson’s Appeal
The appeal hearing for Adrian Peterson‘s suspension took place today in New York, and the session has since come to an end, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that the Vikings running back gave a statement but didn’t testify.
As outlined by Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, one of the key issues in play during the hearing was whether or not NFL executive Troy Vincent, who may have told Peterson he would be credited with “time served” during his stint on the exempt list, would be required to testify during the process. And according to Florio, arbitrator Harold Henderson did indeed decide that he wants to hear from Vincent later this week. Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets that the hearing is expected to continue on Thursday, the day Vincent figures to testify.
While there’s a possibility Vincent will testify on Thursday and Henderson will eventually make a ruling one way or the other, the arbitrator would prefer the two sides to reach some sort of settlement, according to both Florio and Garafolo (Twitter link). Peterson’s current suspension calls for him to sit out the final several weeks of this season, and makes it possible for him to be reinstated starting in April.
As detailed at ESPN.com, Vincent allegedly told the Pro Bowl running back that agreeing to be placed on the exempt list would result in a two-game suspension once his legal case was resolved, assuming he attended a disciplinary hearing with commissioner Roger Goodell. However, Peterson didn’t attend that hearing, explaining later in a statement that the league refused to answer any questions about the involvement of outside experts in the meeting.
If the two sides reach a settlement, a resolution could come this week, but otherwise we may be waiting a little while for a decision from Henderson. Florio tweets that the deadline for a ruling is “as soon as practicable” once the hearing wraps up later this week, but as we’ve seen with past cases – such as Josh Gordon‘s appeal, which was also heard by Henderson – it can sometimes take weeks to resolve appeals, which greatly reduces the likelihood of Peterson getting back on the field this season.
Panthers Waive Antoine Cason
12:08pm: The Panthers have confirmed Cason’s release and Byndom’s promotion in a press release, announcing two more moves as well. The club has also cut veteran linebacker Jason Williams and elevated linebacker Horace Miller from the taxi squad.
10:53am: The Panthers will promote cornerback Carrington Byndom from their practice squad to take Cason’s spot on the roster, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
10:15am: Another shake-up is coming in the Panthers’ secondary, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), who reports that Carolina has waived cornerback Antoine Cason. While no corresponding move has been announced yet, I expect the club will fill the newly-created opening on the 53-man roster shortly.
Cason, a former first-round pick, had started 11 of the Panthers’ 12 games this season, but had plenty of ups and downs throughout the year. The 28-year-old was benched on Sunday after allowing a touchdown to Vikings wideout Greg Jennings, and has a grade of -10.2 on the season, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). Although he has grabbed a pair of interceptions, Cason has also allowed six touchdowns, a 122.2 passer rating, and an 80.3% completion rate on passes thrown into his coverage, per PFF.
The Panthers’ secondary has been inconsistent for most of the season, and Cason’s release marks the second time a notable veteran defensive back has been cut within the last few weeks — Carolina also parted ways with safety Charles Godfrey, who subsequently signed with the division-rival Falcons. Presumably, even in the NFC South, the Panthers are focused less on competing for the postseason and more on taking a look at younger players for the last few weeks of the year.
Assuming Cason isn’t claimed on waivers, he’ll clear tomorrow and will become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team.
New York Notes: Decker, Coughlin, Rolle
While Eric Decker‘s wife says the Jets‘ losing ways have left her husband feeling “depressed,” Decker himself admits that he’s disappointed by the team’s 2-10 record, but doesn’t regret his choice to leave the Broncos in free agency, as Jane McManus of ESPN.com details.
“I don’t second-guess my choice at all,” Decker said. “The New York Jets wanted me to come here and Denver didn’t. So I was excited about coming here and I wouldn’t have done anything differently.”
Here’s more on the NFL’s two New York teams, as the Jets and Giants stagger toward the 2014 finish line:
- The Giants‘ loss in Jacksonville on Sunday has accelerated speculation that Tom Coughlin‘s time with the team is nearing an end, and the head coach is willing to blame himself for the team’s failings. “I accept the full responsibility and whatever price has to be paid for that responsibility then it starts right here with me,” Coughlin said, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
- George Willis of the New York Post disagrees with Tony Dungy‘s suggestion that the Giants will be starting a “long-term rebuilding process” this offseason. In Willis’ view, GM Jerry Reese needs to spend on defense and perhaps to shore up the offensive line, but the club has plenty of offensive playmaking talent.
- Giants safety Antrel Rolle doesn’t know whether or not he’ll return to the team next year, but said today on WFAN in New York that he has “a lot left in the tank” (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News).
- The Jets‘ brain trust wants to further evaluate Geno Smith down the stretch, but they won’t learn much if the offense’s game plan continues to marginalize the QB as much as it did last night, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Meanwhile, Steve Serby of New York Post suggests that the Jets‘ decision to treat Smith with kid gloves is doing the quarterback – and the team – no favors.
- In a separate article for the New York Post, Serby makes the case for pursuing 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh to replace Rex Ryan. Mike Vaccaro of the Post provides the counterpoint, explaining why it would be ill-advised for the Jets to gamble on Harbaugh.
- The Jets should use the last four games of the season to take a look at some younger players – rather than veterans – all over the field, not just at quarterback, writes Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday.
NFC West Notes: Harbaugh, Cards, Carter
It’s still early on the west coast, but we’ve already got our first batch of links from out of one of the league’s most competitive divisions to get Tuesday started. Here’s the latest out of the NFC West:
- A Monday report indicated that the price tag in a trade for 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh could be somewhere in the ballpark of what the Buccaneers paid the Raiders for Jon Gruden 12 years ago. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out that the Browns nearly acquired Harbaugh for two third-round picks earlier this year in a deal that was “far closer to happening that anyone will admit on the record.” In Florio’s view, that sort of haul is more likely than a Gruden-esque package in any Harbaugh deal, particularly since the head coach won’t want his new team giving up a ton of draft picks before he even arrives.
- The Cardinals addressed their lack of veteran running back depth last week by bringing in Michael Bush, then saw their starting back – Andre Ellington – leave Sunday’s game with a hip pointer. Nonethless, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears from a source that Arizona has “no interest” in recently-reinstated free agent Ray Rice.
- Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Duron Carter, the son of former Vikings wideout Cris Carter, has drawn interest from about 15 NFL teams, and the Seahawks, 49ers, and Colts are all “very interested,” says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. With the CFL season now over, Carter can begin visiting with NFL teams, though he can’t sign anywhere until February. According to La Canfora, the 23-year-old may take a little time off to allow his body to heal, then pursue individual visits after that.
Seahawks Void Deal With Louchiez Purifoy
MONDAY, 4:40pm: Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter) that Purifoy did not pass his physical. Seattle still has an open roster spot as a result.
FRIDAY, 8:25pm: A day after he was unexpectedly cut by the Colts, defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy has been claimed off waivers by the Seahawks, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets that the team placed linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis on the injured reserve list to create an opening on the 53-man roster for Purifoy.
Purifoy, who will turn 22 in December, signed with the Colts in May as an undrafted free agent out of Florida, and had been a regular contributor on special teams for the club for most of the season. His release on Thanksgiving came as something of a surprise, leading to speculation that it was a non-football decision. However, presumably the Seahawks did their homework on the rookie defensive back and were comfortable bringing him aboard.
As for Pierre-Louis, the 2014 fourth-rounder played sparingly for the Seahawks this season, and had been sidelined since Week 11 with a shoulder injury. The move to IR ends his rookie year, but he remains under team control for several more years.