Minor Moves: Friday
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, as teams ready their 53-man rosters and practice squads for Week 12:
- The Seahawks cut offensive tackle Andrew McDonald on Tuesday, but he’s cleared waivers and been added to Seattle’s practice squad, tweets McDonald’s agent, Brett Tessler. Per Tessler, McDonald received several offers from other interested clubs, but opted to remain in the Northwest.
Earlier updates:
- After spending the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, wide receiver Drew Davis has been activated by the Falcons, the team announced today in a press release. Atlanta waived wideout Freddie Martino to make room for Davis, who caught 12 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Falcons. The 25-year-old had been sidelined since the summer after undergoing foot surgery, and began practicing earlier this month.
- Having passed through waivers unclaimed, defensive lineman Casey Walker, who was cut yesterday when the Patriots signed LeGarrette Blount, is set to rejoin New England’s practice squad, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Walker played 159 defensive snaps in five games for the Pats, recording 10 tackles and a sack.
Chiefs Sign Jason Avant, Place Jenkins On IR
6:57pm: In addition to confirming the signing of Avant, the Chiefs announced that they have placed fellow receiver A.J. Jenkins, who had just nine receptions for 93 yards this season, on injured reserve.
3:38pm: Three days after he was waived by the Panthers and one day after their receivers were quiet again in a loss to the Raiders, the Chiefs brought in Jason Avant for a workout and will sign him to a contract, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links).
Avant, 31, signed with Carolina in the offseason as a free agent, and grabbed 21 balls for 201 yards and a touchdown during his time with the club. The Panthers cut him earlier this week after he questioned the team’s play-calling in Sunday’s loss to the Falcons, though head coach Ron Rivera insisted the move was unrelated to Avant’s comments, and reflected the team’s desire to give its younger wideouts more playing time.
By signing with the Chiefs, Avant will join perhaps the least productive receiving corps in all of football in 2014. Improbably, no Kansas City wide receivers have caught a touchdown this season — Alex Smith has tossed 13 TD passes, but all of them have been caught by a tight end or a running back.
The Chiefs don’t currently have an opening on their 53-man roster, so a corresponding move will be necessary to accommodate the addition of Avant.
AFC Notes: Hoyer, Woodson, Broncos, Colts
Just when we thought we were getting a clearer sense of what the playoff picture in the AFC would look like, the 7-3 Chiefs got knocked off by the 0-10 Raiders last night, clearing a path for the Broncos to reclaim the West division and opening the door for a handful of other contenders to push Kansas City for a Wild Card spot. As we look forward to seeing what other surprises this weekend’s games bring, let’s check in on the latest out of the AFC….
- It remains to be seen what kind of contract Brian Hoyer will land in the offseason when he becomes eligible for free agency, but it looks as if he’ll be in for a modest payday before then. As Jeremy Fowler and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com detail, Hoyer will earn more than $2MM in incentives if he handles 70% of the Browns‘ offensive snaps this year, which he’ll do assuming he’s not injured or benched in the next couple weeks.
- Speaking to Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter links), veteran defensive back Charles Woodson said he has no regrets about re-signing with the Raiders this year and hopes to play at least one more season beyond 2014.
- With Ronnie Hillman still sidelined, don’t be surprised if the Broncos promote running back Jeremy Stewart off the practice squad this weekend, tweets Lindsay Jones of USA Today. Stewart would be the club’s No. 3 back on Sunday ahead of Kapri Bibbs.
- Elevating a running back to the active roster is also a possibility for the Colts, according to head coach Chuck Pagano, who told reporters today that Zurlon Tipton could be promoted from the practice squad (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of RTV6).
- At 2-8, the Jets have no hope of reaching the postseason this year, but there are plenty of questions that must be answered down the stretch, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Besides the much-discussed fates of Rex Ryan and John Idzik, Cimini points to the quarterback position, free-agents-to-be, and in-season acquisition Percy Harvin as things to keep an eye on.
Roger Goodell Won’t Handle Peterson’s Appeal
2:33pm: Unsurprisingly, the Players Association doesn’t view Henderson as the independent arbitrator the union requested. “A long-time NFL executive and current legal consultant cannot, by definition, be a neutral arbitrator,” said the NFLPA in a statement on Henderson’s appointment, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
1:43pm: The NFLPA called for a neutral arbitrator, rather than league commissioner Roger Goodell, to be the hearing officer in Adrian Peterson‘s case when the Vikings running back appealed his suspension earlier this week, and Goodell has indeed agreed to delegate the responsibility. According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via Twitter), it will be Harold Henderson – and not Goodell – who will hear Peterson’s appeal on December 2.
While the fact that Goodell won’t hear Peterson’s appeal is something of a win for the running back and for the NFLPA, it’s reasonable to argue that Henderson himself isn’t entirely neutral — as Glazer notes (via Twitter), Henderson is a retired former NFL executive who ran the league’s management council. Henderson was the arbitrator for Josh Gordon‘s appeal earlier this year, and ruled against the Browns receiver, upholding his season-long suspension, which was later reduced to 10 games.
When Henderson was appointed to Gordon’s case, it was viewed as a bad sign for the Browns wideout, with one source telling Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that “you would have a better chance of convincing your teacher your dog ate your homework” than convincing Henderson that Gordon’s failed drug tests were a result of second-hand smoke. After Henderson upheld Gordon’s suspension, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report described him as a man who doesn’t believe in excuses, and one who recognized that Gordon needed to be strictly disciplined.
In other words, if Henderson approaches Peterson’s personal conduct policy violation the same way as he approached Gordon’s drug policy violation, it doesn’t bode well for the Vikings running back’s chances of getting his penalty reduced.
Five Teams Leave IR-DTR Spot Unused
Each year, NFL teams have the option of placing one player on their injured reserve list without necessarily ending his season. That player is designated to return, a move that allows him to begin practicing six weeks after he’s placed on IR, and makes him eligible to return to game action after eight weeks.
It’s a useful tool for NFL clubs who want to open up a spot on their active rosters, but don’t necessarily want to lose a player for the season with what may not be a long-term injury. During the 2014 season, 27 of 32 teams took advantage of the IR-DTR slot, while the remaining five clubs never ended up using it. And as we head into Week 12, there’s little point in using the designation now, since there are only six weeks left in the season. The following five teams declined to use their IR-DTR spots this season:
- Houston Texans
- Miami Dolphins
- Minnesota Vikings
- New York Jets
- Tennessee Titans
All five teams have plenty of players on their season-ending injured reserve list, and it’s possible that in some cases using that shorter-term designation on a player would have allowed him enough time to recover and to return this season. But for the majority of these clubs’ most notable injuries, there was no chance of those players coming back in 2014 — for instance, Jets cornerback Dee Milliner and Titans safety Bernard Pollard both tore their Achilles tendons, while Dolphins tackle Branden Albert tore his ACL and MCL.
Here’s how the league’s other 27 teams used their IR-DTR spots this season. Players listed in italics have since been re-activated by their respective clubs:
- Arizona Cardinals: Used on Matt Shaughnessy, LB (knee) after Week 5
- Atlanta Falcons: Used on William Moore, S (shoulder) after Week 4
- Baltimore Ravens: Used on Asa Jackson, CB (foot) after Week 5
- Buffalo Bills: Used on C.J. Spiller, RB (collarbone) after Week 7
- Carolina Panthers: Used on Mike Tolbert, RB (leg) after Week 3
- Chicago Bears: Used on Marquess Wilson, WR (collarbone)
- Cincinnati Bengals: Used on Tyler Eifert, TE (elbow) after Week 1
- Cleveland Browns: Used on John Hughes, DE (knee) after Week 8
- Dallas Cowboys: Used on Demarcus Lawrence, DE (foot)
- Denver Broncos: Used on Danny Trevathan, LB (knee) after Week 6
- Detroit Lions: Used on Kyle Van Noy, LB (abdomen)
- Green Bay Packers: Used on J.C. Tretter, C (knee)
- Indianapolis Colts: Used on Xavier Nixon, T (knee)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Used on Marcedes Lewis, TE (ankle) after Week 2
- Kansas City Chiefs: Used on Joe Mays, LB (wrist)
- New England Patriots: Used on Sealver Siliga, DL (foot) after Week 3
- New Orleans Saints: Used on Khairi Fortt, LB (leg)
- New York Giants: Used on Geoff Schwartz, G (toe)
- Oakland Raiders: Used on Rod Streater, WR (foot) after Week 4
- Philadelphia Eagles: Used on Evan Mathis, G (knee) after Week 1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Used on Jarvis Jones, LB (wrist) after Week 3
- San Diego Chargers: Used on Melvin Ingram, OLB (hip) after Week 2
- San Francisco 49ers: Used on Glenn Dorsey, DT (biceps)
- Seattle Seahawks: Used on Jeremy Lane, CB (groin) after Week 1
- St. Louis Rams: Used on Chris Long, DE (ankle) after Week 1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Used on Charles Sims, RB (ankle)
- Washington: Used on Barry Cofield, DT (ankle) after Week 1
Adrian Peterson Links: Friday
Vikings running back Adrian Peterson declined the opportunity to meet with Roger Goodell and the NFL last week at a disciplinary hearing to explain his perspective on his violation of the league’s personal conduct policy, but he spoke at length to Tom Pelissero of USA Today this week. Within the interview, Peterson expresses remorse about the way he disciplined his son, promising he “won’t ever use a switch again.”
It’s fair to wonder if the running back’s penalty from the league wouldn’t have been quite so punitive if he’d made these comments to Goodell last week, though perhaps they were made in response to the league’s claim that Peterson didn’t show much remorse for the incident with his son. In any case, Peterson sounds prepared to move on from Minnesota if the Vikings decide to release him before the 2015 season, suggesting that “maybe it’s best for me to get a fresh start somewhere else.”
Here’s more on Peterson:
- Considering Peterson is already preparing for the idea of playing for a new team, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) wonders if the running back’s next deal could include a number of not likely to be earned incentives. NLTBE incentives are based on the previous year’s performance, and don’t count against the cap unless they’re achieved. So a team could offer Peterson a deal that includes $1MM for 1,000 yards rushing, for instance, and only have it count against the cap if he surpasses that mark.
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network notes (via Twitter) that the only money the Vikings owe Peterson between next January and September is a $250K workout bonus, so the team will have plenty of time to make a decision on whether to keep him. Of course, as Corry points out (via Twitter), the team may not want to sit on his rights, considering he comes with a $15MM+ 2015 cap hit.
- In the wake of the Peterson ruling, there appears to be plenty of dissent between the NFL and the Players Association. NFLPA leaders DeMaurice Smith and Eric Winston spoke to Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com about the union’s frustration with the league’s handling of personal conduct policy issues, and Goodell’s arbitrary enforcement of discipline.
Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android
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Raiders Notes: Stadium, Future, McKenzie
Hours before the Raiders host the Chiefs and look to notch their first win of the 2014 season, let’s check in on the latest updates on that 0-10 club in Oakland….
- Speaking to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Raiders owner Mark Davis expressed that he doesn’t want to get caught up in an “endless cycle” of one-year lease extensions with the O.co Coliseum in Oakland. However, even though he’s acknowledged that Los Angeles and San Antonio are possible options for the franchise, Davis’ primary goal is to get a new stadium built in Oakland.
- Davis on the stadium situation: “We are trying everything possible to get something done in Oakland right on the same exact site we’re on right now. And I’d say 99% of my interests and energy are going towards getting something done there. That’s really the crux of it right now. People want to know about the other sites and there are always options. But we want to get something done in Oakland.”
- As Rapoport details in a second piece at NFL.com, Davis also gave a strong endorsement to general manager Reggie McKenzie, despite the fact that the Raiders haven’t won a game in more than a year. Pointing to this year’s draft class – including Khalil Mack, Derek Carr, and Gabe Jackson – as a success for McKenzie, the Raiders owner said that, while Tony Sparano may be an interim head coach, McKenzie isn’t an interim GM.
- More from Davis on McKenzie: “We are in really good shape, based on the way Reggie put all the contracts together and everything else. We’re not settled with a lot of upside-down situations anymore. The situation he walked into originally was pretty tough. The deconstruction phase of that went very, very well. I think we’re a pretty desirable place for someone that wants to come in and build.
Minor Moves: Thursday
We’ll keep tabs on Thursday’s minor transactions, including practice squad signings and cuts, in this post, with the latest updates added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Bills have made a change to their 53-man roster, claiming tight end MarQueis Gray off waivers and cutting running back Phillip Tanner to make room, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Gray was cut yesterday by the Vikings to accommodate the team’s waiver claim of Ben Tate.
Earlier updates:
- A pair of players recently cut from their respective teams’ active rosters have re-signed to those clubs’ practice squads. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports (via Twitter) that safety Steven Terrell is back with the Seahawks‘ taxi squad, while Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets that running back Edwin Baker has rejoined the Saints‘ unit. Tauren Poole was cut from the Saints’ practice squad in a corresponding move.
- After carrying an empty spot on their 53-man roster for a couple days, the Titans have filled it by promoting linebacker Justin Staples from their practice squad, the team announced today (Twitter link). Staples, who was cut by the Browns prior to Week 1, had been on the Titans’ practice squad since mid-September. The team has signed linebacker Yawin Smallwood, who was selected by the Falcons in May’s draft, to replace Staples on the taxi squad.
Falcons Sign James Anderson
Two days after being released by the Titans, veteran linebacker James Anderson has signed with the Falcons, the club announced today (Twitter link). Anderson takes the 53-man roster spot vacated by running back Antone Smith, who was placed on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a broken leg on Sunday.
Anderson, 31, started all 16 games last season for the Bears, with Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required) ranking him 33rd out of 35 qualified 4-3 outside linebackers. That poor grade was due in large part to subpar performance against the run — he was one of the league’s more effective linebackers in pass coverage. Still, he didn’t see any time on defense during his stint this season in Tennessee, appearing exclusively on special teams.
In Atlanta, Anderson, a former third-round pick figures to push Prince Shembo and Joplo Bartu for snaps on defense, and will likely get some action on kick and punt coverage as well.