Rams Waive Austin Pettis
5:36pm: The Rams cut Pettis after he was late to a meeting on Saturday, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). A league source confirms the same news to ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner (via Twitter), who adds that practice squad receiver Emory Blake, who was also cut today, was late to the same meeting.
4:40pm: The Rams have parted ways with wide receiver Austin Pettis, placing him on waivers today, according to Brian McIntyre (Twitter link). Assuming Pettis goes unclaimed, he’ll be free to sign with any team as of tomorrow afternoon.
A third-round pick in 2011, Pettis has caught 107 balls for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns since joining the Rams, seeing fairly consistent snaps for the club but failing to develop until a bona-fide starter. His roster spot appeared to be in jeopardy earlier this season, but he and the Rams reworked his contract, reducing his base salary and allowing him to stay with the team. Seven weeks into the season though, the club has decided to let him go.
The move opens up a spot on the 53-man roster for the Rams, who could opt to sign an outside free agent or promote one of their practice squad players.
Bills Notes: Spiller, Jackson, Hoffman
While it looks like running back C.J. Spiller will be sidelined for the rest of the season after breaking his collarbone on Sunday, the team is holding off on any injured reserve decision until after his surgery, head coach Doug Marrone indicated today (Twitter link via Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550). Buffalo has yet to use its designated to return slot, so that could be an option for Spiller if the club feels as if he has a a chance to return by December, though placing him on season-ending IR appears more likely.
Here’s more on the Bills:
- Spiller earns a spot on Jason Fitzgerald’s weekly “Stock Down” list at OverTheCap.com, since his injury will likely result in a one-year, prove-it type contract for 2015.
- The Bills are still working through their options when it comes to adding a running back to the roster in the wake of injuries to Spiller and Fred Jackson, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
- Jackson confirmed today that the recovery timetable for his injury is typically four weeks, though he won’t require surgery and hopes to return sooner than that (Twitter links).
- The Bills are working out former BYU wideout Cody Hoffman today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- As Rodak tweets, the Bills will soon have to start considering contract extensions for Jerry Hughes and Marcell Dareus, who have combined for 12.5 sacks so far this year. Hughes is eligible for free agency at season’s end, while Dareus had his fifth-year option for 2015 exercised.
Falcons Sign Jonathan Scott, Put Konz On IR
The Falcons have lost a second center for the season, announcing today (Twitter link) that Peter Konz has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury this weekend. The team signed offensive lineman Jonathan Scott to fill the newly-opened roster spot.
Konz, 25, started 25 contests during his first two seasons with the Falcons after being drafted in the second round in 2012, but was relegated to a backup role to open the 2014 season. When center Joe Hawley was placed on injured reserve, Konz slid back into the starting lineup, but will now see his campaign end after just seven games.
Earlier today, ESPN’s Adam Caplan had reported (via Twitter) that while the results of Konz’ MRI weren’t in yet, the feeling was that he had at least suffered a significant sprain. It appears the MRI confirmed the injury is a serious one, and the designation to return wasn’t an option for the Falcons, who already used that spot on safety William Moore earlier in the year.
As for the Falcons’ newest lineman, Scott hasn’t played in a regular season NFL game since 2012, but has plenty of experience, having logged 35 total starts for the Lions, Bills, Steelers, and Bears.
Lions Sign Kellen Davis
With their top three tight ends all dealing with injuries to some degree, the Lions have added another one to their roster, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who reports (via Twitter) that the club has signed Kellen Davis. Per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link), safety Jerome Couplin has been waived to make room for Davis, while the Lions have also signed wideout Ifeanyi Momah to their practice squad.
Davis, who turned 29 earlier this month, has grabbed 50 balls for 561 yards and 12 touchdowns during his six-year NFL career. Although he won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks last year, most of Davis’ career has been spent in Chicago, with a Bears team that drafted him in the fifth round in 2008.
Eric Ebron and Joseph Fauria were both inactive for Detroit’s Week 7 game against the Saints, forcing Brandon Pettigrew into a larger role and prompting the team to promote Jordan Thompson from the practice squad. The signing of Davis gives the Lions five tight ends on their active roster for now.
Jaguars To Place Paul Posluszny On IR
12:10pm: The Jaguars recorded their first win of the 2014 season this weekend, but that victory came at a price. According to John Oehser of Jaguars.com (Twitter link), Pro Bowl linebacker Paul Posluszny tore his pectoral muscle and will be placed on injured reserve, ending his season. Defensive lineman Andre Branch will also miss the next six weeks with a groin injury, tweets Oehser.
Posluszny, 30, was Jacksonville’s leading tackler last season, compiling 162 stops to go along with three sacks, two interceptions, and nine passes defended. His absence will be a significant blow for a Jags defense that has been surprisingly effective in recent weeks. According to head coach Gus Bradley, J.T. Thomas is expected to move over to Posluszny’s middle linebacker spot, with Dekoda Watson and LaRoy Reynolds manning the Otto linebacker position (Twitter link via Oehser).
The Jaguars used their injured reserve spot with the designation to return on tight end Marcedes Lewis earlier this season, so that won’t be an option for Branch, whose recovery timeline would make sense for such a designation. Instead, the club will have to either keep Branch on its 53-man roster or place him on season-ending IR while he recovers from his groin injury.
NFC West Notes: Rams, Seahawks, Spiller
Things are getting interesting in the NFC West after the Rams‘ upset win of the Seahawks yesterday, as last year’s Super Bowl champs now sit at 3-3, two games behind the division-leading Cardinals. Besides playing catch-up to Arizona, the Seahawks will also have to deal with the 4-3 Niners, who have been up and down so far this season but should have defensive reinforcements, including NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith, returning in the second half.
As we look forward to seeing how one of the league’s most competitive divisions plays out, let’s round up a few items from out of the NFC West…
- While the Chargers and Raiders are viewed as candidates to move to Los Angeles, the Rams are considered the favorites to relocate, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who writes that Stan Kroenke‘s piece of land at Hollywood Park would become the most likely location for a new stadium if the Rams were to head west. Florio also adds that the Chargers’ concerns about splitting the Los Angeles market could likely be resolved if the Rams or Raiders moved to L.A., perhaps by giving San Diego a larger piece of the relocation fee.
- The Percy Harvin trade, which was reported less than 48 hours before the Seahawks‘ game on Sunday, played a part in Seattle’s loss to the Rams, according to wideout Doug Baldwin (link via Terry Blount of ESPN.com). “Obviously the shock of the transaction and what took place there made for a bit of an emotional roller coaster,” Baldwin said. “When something that drastic happens, right before we get on the bus [to go to the airport for the trip], there is going to be an emotional impact. I felt we handled it to the best of our ability, but I think it might have been a factor in some way.”
- There had been whispers around the league that the Seahawks had worked out a deal to acquire running back C.J. Spiller from the Bills, but a “well-placed source” tells Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link) that’s not true. Of course, now that Spiller has suffered a broken collarbone and will miss the rest of the season, it’s a moot point anyway.
Bills President Talks Role, Whaley, Marrone
When Terry Pegula and Kim Pegula officially became the new owners of the Bills, Terry assumed the CEO title that Russ Brandon had previously held, but Brandon retained his role as the team’s president. As the club transitions into a new era, Brandon sat down for a Q&A with Tim Graham of the Buffalo News and touched on plenty of interesting topics during the course of their conversation. While the whole interview is worth checking out for Bills fans, we’ll round up several of Brandon’s more notable comments right here:
On why Brandon is the right fit for his current job despite the Bills’ 14-year streak of no playoff berths:
“I’ve only been president since January 1, 2013, and have hired only one coach, Doug Marrone, and one GM, Doug Whaley. They have complete autonomy to run the football side of the operation. If someone wants to grade me since I was hired in 1997, it should be for building our business model and keeping the franchise financially competitive. I have a passion for what I do, and I’m going to continue to do everything I can for this franchise and continue to build this business. My credentials stand for themselves here.”
On the job Whaley has done since taking over as the club’s general manager:
“When you look at the Jerry Hughes trade, Ty Powell off Seattle’s practice squad, Stefan Charles off Tennessee’s practice squad and some of the other moves [Whaley] has made, he’s put us in a very good position moving forward. He’s revamped the personnel department since he took over by bringing in Jim Monos from New Orleans to oversee player personnel and Kelvin Fisher from Pittsburgh to oversee college scouting. He has not sat on his hands since he took over as GM, and whether people did like the move or didn’t like the bold move to trade up for Sammy Watkins, it shows a lot of conviction on his end. I give him a lot of credit for that.”
On Brandon’s comment that 2014 was Whaley’s first draft, which some viewed as an attempt to distance the GM from 2013’s E.J. Manuel pick:
“Buddy Nix completely ran the football operations [in 2013]. You have your scouts and your personnel, but at the end of the day the responsibility of every draft is the person pulling the tag. I was just stating the facts. In the 2013 draft, Buddy Nix was general manager. My responsibility is to empower people, and Doug Whaley is empowered to run the football operations. This year was his first draft as general manager.
“That being said, no one is running away from anything. Doug was very involved in that 2013 draft. There’s ownership across the board, but my point was that was Buddy’s draft. At the end of the day, the general manager makes the decision, just like Whales made the decision to move up and take Sammy Watkins. That was his job, his responsibility, and that’s what he’ll be graded on down the road.”
On the futures of Marrone and Whaley in Buffalo:
“I will sit with Terry and Kim, and we’ll discuss and evaluate everything regarding the organization. I think we’re 22 games into their collective careers. I’ve stated it often that Coach Marrone was brought here in early January 2013 to change a culture and build a franchise that everyone’s proud of, and Doug Whaley took over in May of that year. They’re in their infant stages of building that process. We’ve had a lot of change here since 1998, and that is not a formula for success. Obviously, everything is a discussion at the conclusion of the year.”
AFC Notes: Jags, Raiders, Cody, Browns
It’s no secret that GM David Caldwell has overhauled the Jaguars‘ roster since arriving in Jacksonville, and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union has some eye-opening numbers on just how significant that overhaul as been. According to O’Halloran, no team has fewer pre-2013 draftees on its current 53-man roster (and reserve lists) than Jacksonville — the Jags are carrying just six players that they drafted prior to ’13.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- Only one team in the NFL has fewer sacks this season than the Raiders‘ five, and free agent signees Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley haven’t helped matters, combining for just one sack so far. As Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, Oakland needs the veteran pass-rushing duo to pick up its game going forward in order to help justify the team’s approach to the offseason.
- Defensive tackle Terrence Cody was eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list this week, but he won’t be activated by the Ravens quite yet. Still, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the team has been encouraged by Cody’s progress.
- In his latest Browns mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com fields almost exclusively questions about the team’s quarterback situation, as Brian Hoyer‘s performance continues to keep rookie Johnny Manziel sidelined.
- While the Browns’ early success has raised questions about Hoyer’s long-term future in Cleveland, it may be doing the same for offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, says Jeff Schudel of the Morning Journal. In Schudel’s view, Shanahan continues to improve his resumé and figures to be considered in January by teams with head coaching openings.
Jets Acquire Percy Harvin
11:50am: There have been a couple of clarifications on the deal. Ian Rapoport tweets that the draft pick is a conditional sixth-rounder that could turn into a fourth-round pick. ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini confirms (via Twitter) that there will be no renegotiations and the Jets will indeed pick up the remainder of Harvin’s contract.
Meanwhile, Seahawks general manager John Schneider released a statement:
“Although this was an extremely difficult decision, we are constantly evaluating our team and believe at this time, that this is in our best interest to move the team forward. We thank Percy for his efforts that contributed to a Super Bowl XLVIII victory and wish him well.”
11:05am: The Jets have officially announced the transaction. However, they did not release specifics about the traded draft pick.
“Percy is a versatile, dynamic player who has been productive on offense and special teams,” said general manager John Idzik. “We’re excited about adding him to the Jets.”
SATURDAY, 10:15am: Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets that the reported value of the conditional draft picks heading to Seattle are too high. He notes in a subsequent tweet that the pick won’t go as high as the second round.
FRIDAY, 6:12pm: The conditional pick is reported to be at least a fourth-round selection as high as a second-rounder depending on performance, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). Cimini credits his report to John Clayton of ESPN.
4:30pm: With 11 days to go until this year’s trade deadline, the Jets have moved aggressively to add an offensive playmaker to their roster. According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link), the Jets and Seahawks have agreed to a trade that will send wideout Percy Harvin to New York in exchange for a conditional draft pick. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the pick is a mid-rounder.
While Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports indicates (via Twitter) that Seattle had been “nosing around” the trade market for Harvin a little, the move still comes as a huge surprise — it was only 19 months ago that the recently-acquired Harvin inked a huge long-term extension with the Seahawks.
Although Harvin proved in February’s Super Bowl that his game-breaking ability could be a huge asset for the Seahawks, he missed the majority of the 2013 season, and has been somewhat slowed by injuries again in 2014. Even when the 26-year-old has been healthy this year, the Seahawks have struggled to get him the ball. Through five games, Harvin recorded 22 receptions for just 133 yards and no touchdowns. He added 92 yards and a TD on the ground, and returned kicks for the team, but it had still been an uphill battle for offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as he tried to get the most out of the former Viking.
On the heels of a heartbreaking loss in New England, the timing of the move is curious for the 1-6 Jets. While the team may still have hope of salvaging this season, it’s extremely unlikely that Rex Ryan and company have a significant enough turnaround to challenge for a playoff berth. With Ryan and GM John Idzik fighting to keep their jobs, it’s easy to view the deal as a desperation move, though we’ll have to wait to hear exactly what the Jets gave up.
Adding Harvin to the roster, after signing Eric Decker in free agency this year. should help give Geno Smith every possible opportunity to prove he’s the answer for the team at quarterback. However, Harvin is on the books for a $10.5MM salary in 2015, so if his injury woes persist, it’s not clear if he’ll be a part of the team’s long-term plans. None of Harvin’s salary beyond this season is fully guaranteed, so the Jets’ remaining nine games could serve as an extended audition for the former first-round pick.
For the Seahawks, Doug Baldwin figures to take on the title of the No. 1 wideout in the offense by default. Receivers like Jermaine Kearse and Paul Richardson should see their roles expanded as well, and both players have big-play ability, even if they won’t necessarily draw as much defensive attention as Harvin or match his explosiveness. Unlike last season, the team won’t be able to rely on Golden Tate, who signed in the offseason with the Lions at a price that was virtually impossible for the Seahawks to match with Harvin on their books.
By acquiring Harvin via trade, the Jets will take on the remainder of his six-year contract, minus the prorated bonus money, which will accelerate onto Seattle’s cap for 2014 and 2015. A prorated portion of Harvin’s $11MM base salary for this season will be transfered to the Jets’ cap, while the Seahawks will be charged the rest of his ’14 cap hit, as well as $7.2MM in dead money for ’15. If things work out between Harvin and the Jets, the team will have the ability to keep him through the 2018 season.
The Jets had been carrying in the neighborhood of $20MM in cap room, so the club won’t have any problem fitting Harvin under the cap this season. However, New York will have to make a corresponding move and cut a player on the 53-man roster in order for the move to become official.
AFC South Notes: Brackett, Colts, Mallett
Three AFC South teams are squaring off against AFC North opponents this week, as the Jaguars seek their first win of their season against the Browns, the Texans look to knock off the Steelers in Pittsburgh, and perhaps most importantly, the Colts will face the Bengals in a battle of first-place teams. With 11 weeks still to play, there’s plenty of time for teams to move up or down in the standings, but there’s a real possibility that Sunday’s Colts/Bengals matchup could have seeding or home field implications for two teams with 2013 playoff teams with Super Bowl aspirations.
As we look forward to that game and the rest of this weekend’s slate, let’s check out the latest out of the AFC South:
- The Texans traded for Ryan Mallett just before the beginning of the season, and his history with head coach Bill O’Brien from their time in New England led some to believe that Mallett would eventually get a chance to play. O’Brien spoke up on Friday, praising the strong-armed former Patriot for his preparation and presence on the sidelines, reports Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. However, O’Brien stops short of saying Mallett is ready to go under center and get his first real NFL action.
- Titans’ head coach Ken Whisenhunt indicated today that tight end Brett Brackett, who’s currently on the team’s practice squad, could be re-added to the 53-man roster again this week, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- In addition to the offensive lineman whose auditions have been previously reported, the Titans also worked out Dennis Roland and Kevin Murphy this week, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links).
- The Colts will be looking very carefully at the 2015 transition tag numbers, with Andrew Luck and Trent Richardson both approaching the final year on their respective rookie deals. The 2015 transition tag will be equal to the 2016 fifth-year options for the top ten picks of the 2012 NFL Draft, where both Luck and Richardson were selected, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com. Keeping Luck for a fifth year at $16.12MM is a no-brainer, but declining Richardson’s number of $9.02MM is just as obvious a choice according to Breer.
Rob DiRe contributed to this post.