Eagles Sign Wade Smith
WEDNESDAY, 7:59am: In addition to confirming the signing of Smith, the Eagles also announced that offensive lineman Kevin Graf and linebacker Emmanuel Acho have been promoted to the 53-man roster from the practice squad (Twitter links). Evan Mathis, Allen Barbre, and Najee Goode head to injured reserve to make room on the roster, with Mathis designated to return.
TUESDAY, 3:16pm: The Eagles have begun attempting to repair an offensive line that has been decimated in the early going by injuries and a suspension. According to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (via Twitter), the team has agreed to terms with veteran guard Wade Smith, who was recently cut by the Seahawks.
Smith, 33, was among the players who visited the Eagles today, along with tackle Eric Winston, who left Philadelphia without a deal. Smith has appeared in 138 games over the course of his 11-year NFL career for the Dolphins, Jets, Chiefs, and Texans, starting 98 of those contests. Most recently, he spent several seasons in Houston as the club’s full-time left guard, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2012.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Smith earn some playing time right away with the Eagles, who were already without the suspended Lane Johnson for four weeks coming into the season and have since seen Evan Mathis and Allen Barbre go down with potentially significant injuries.
The Eagles will have to make a corresponding roster move before the signing of Smith can become official. With reports this afternoon suggesting that Barbre’s ankle injury could be season-ending, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the club places him on the injured reserve list.
NFLPA Doesn’t Vote On New Drug Policy
9:45pm: The saga continues. NFL player reps could vote on a new drug policy soon as tomorrow and suspended players expecting their reinstatement believe that a quick return to the field is possible, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.
9:20pm: In the new proposed program, players who test positive for marijuana will have a few extra stages and the second offense will drop from a four-game suspension to two games, tweets Glazer.
9:06pm: There are still five issues at hand for the NFLPA and the NFL to iron out, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The union is hoping to have an update for players within the next 24 hours.
8:56pm: The conference call is ongoing but the sense amongst the NFLPA is still that the proposal isn’t good enough to vote on, Breer tweets.
8:44pm: It doesn’t sound like there will be a vote anytime soon either, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
8:38pm: NFL player reps will not vote on the new policy tonight, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The two sides were hung up on the issue of DUI punishment, says Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
Sources tell Albert Breer of the NFL Network (on Twitter) that there were so many issues with the proposal that the NFL put in front of the players tonight that it just wasn’t worth voting on. On top of that, the NFL didn’t get their latest proposal to the NFLPA until very late in the day, Getlin tweets.
10:46am: The NFLPA has informed the player reps that a conference call to discuss the drug policy will be held at 8:00pm central time tonight, reports Breer (via Twitter). According to Breer, that discussion could ultimately result in a vote on the new policy.
10:05am: As we heard last night, the NFLPA’s 32 team player reps are set to vote today on whether or not to accept a new drug policy proposed by the NFL. However, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, that vote isn’t necessarily guaranteed to take place. Florio reports that there’s no tentative agreement in place at this point, and that the NFLPA has asked the league to make a proposal on which the players could decide. If union leadership decides that proposal is worth voting on, then the vote will take place.
As Florio suggests, that “somewhat unorthodox protocol” suggests that the NFLPA’s leadership – including executive director DeMaurice Smith – is facing pressure from players to get something finalized, perhaps because an agreement could mean that several suspended players, such as Josh Gordon and Wes Welker, would have the opportunity to be reinstated. Retroactively evaluating those penalties based on a new drug policy has been one of the key points for a new agreement, and both sides seem to be in agreement on that issue.
However, as Albert Breer of the NFL Network writes, the two sides remain apart on some issues, most notably how to handle DUI arrests. According to Breer, who hears that the DUI issue is “by far” the biggest sticking point, the players are unlikely to approve any proposal which involves immediate suspensions upon a DUI arrest, without due process. A one-game deactivation without pay upon a DUI arrest seems like the most logical compromise.
Still, while the DUI rules need to be ironed out, there is agreement in many other areas, per Breer. A few other terms that could be part of the new agreement are as follows:
- An increased threshold for positive marijuana tests.
- Offseason positive tests for amphetamines falling under the substance of abuse policy rather than the performance enhancing drug policy.
- Immediate implementation of HGH testing.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
With Week 2 of the NFL season underway, teams have begun to again modify their 10-man practice squads. We’ll have Tuesday’s updates right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Eagles signed linebacker Brandon Hepburn and offensive lineman Tyler Hoover to the practice squad, writes Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, they released linebacker Colton Underwood, who was signed to the practice squad last week.
- Running back Chris Rainey and cornerback Teddy Williams have joined the Cardinals‘ practice squad, taking the spots of receiver Kevin Cone and running back Dominique Williams, who was placed on the PS-injured list, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Redskins have made a couple more changes to their practice squad. According to Mike Barber of the Richmond Times-Dispatch (via Twitter), former Virginia Tech defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins has been added, while Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that cornerback Richard Crawford has been cut.
- In order to make room for the previously-reported practice squad addition of wideout Greg Herd, the Bears have terminated the contract of defensive tackle Roy Philon, the team announced today (via Twitter).
- Linebacker Josh Kaddu has filled the final opening on the Vikings‘ practice squad, the club announced (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- Tight end Michael Egnew, a former third-round pick, has signed to the Jaguars’ practice squad, replacing offensive tackle Cody Booth, the club announced today in a press release. Tight end Reggie Jordan was also removed from Jacksonville’s injured reserve list.
- The Chiefs will sign tight end Adam Schiltz to their practice squad, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). We heard yesterday that wideout Armon Binns would also join Kansas City’s practice squad, so the club will have to cut two players from the unit to make the additions official.
- With an opening on their practice squad, the Broncos have filled it by signing tight end Dominique Jones, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
- The Redskins have cut wide receiver Nick Williams from their practice squad, a source tells Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (Twitter link).
Arthur Brown Drawing Trade Interest
7:20pm: Brown tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links) that he was aware of the rumblings and has been told by the team that he’s not on the block. “Somebody from the staff told me it’s just a rumor and there was some interest and they’d listen, but I wasn’t on the block,” Brown said. The linebacker added that he was somewhat flattered by the talk.
11:25am: Second-year linebacker Arthur Brown has been the subject of trade discussions the Ravens have been having with other teams, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Brown isn’t likely to be moved, but is “a popular target” for other teams, given his talent and his place on Baltimore’s depth chart.
Brown, a second-round pick in 2013, played reasonably well in 211 defensive snaps in his rookie season, but has failed to take a step forward so far this year. After losing his starting job to rookie linebacker C.J. Mosley in the preseason, Brown was a healthy inactive for the Ravens’ Week 1 game against the Bengals.
While it’s not clear what sort of return Baltimore might be seeking in exchange for Brown, running back looks like it could be an area of need for the Ravens following Ray Rice‘s release. However, the team may be inclined to see how its current backs fare, and could focus on future draft picks in any discussions involving Brown.
As for possible trade partners, Brown could make sense for a handful of clubs, including the Cowboys and Chiefs, who both lost key inside linebackers – Sean Lee and Derrick Johnson, respectively – to season-ending injuries. Ian Wharton of Bleacher Report also reports (via Twitter) that the Dolphins are among the teams to inquire on the 24-year-old.
Based on Wilson’s report, it sounds like Brown won’t be going anywhere, but he’s still a player worth keeping an eye on, particularly if he continues to sit on the bench for the next few weeks.
Browns Sign Gerell Robinson, Cut Two Players
The Browns have added a pair of players to their 53-man roster, announcing today that they’ve signed tight end Gerell Robinson and activated wideout Marlon Moore from the reserve-suspended list (Twitter link). To make room for the incoming players, Cleveland has waived offensive lineman Ryan Seymour and released cornerback Aaron Berry.
Robinson had been on the Broncos’ practice squad, making him the latest player to make the move from Denver’s practice squad to Cleveland’s active roster. Offensive lineman Vinston Painter made the same jump a week ago. As for Moore, he has served his one-game suspension, but it’s hard to tell where he’ll fit in even on a Browns receiving corps that’s missing Josh Gordon. The 27-year-old has caught just 19 passes in four NFL seasons.
In addition to the changes made to their 53-man roster, the Browns also shuffled their practice squad, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, who tweets that linebacker Justin Staples was cut to make room for wideout Ifeanyi Momah.
NFC Notes: Redskins, Lions, 49ers, Boykin
Following Jordan Reed‘s injury on Sunday, the Redskins auditioned a few tight ends today, including Michael Higgins, Kevin Brock, and Tony Scheffler, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. Scheffler is the most interesting name in the group — the last we heard from him, he was announcing his retirement after sustaining three concussions in the last four years. Apparently he hasn’t decided to move entirely away from the NFL quite yet though.
- The Lions were already on the lookout for secondary help, having worked out Champ Bailey and other veteran defensive backs last week. Now, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes, the team will have to deal with a season-ending ACL injury for cornerback Bill Bentley, meaning some sort of roster addition appears likely.
- Having recently rejoined the 49ers, special-teams ace Kassim Osgood tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link) that he hopes to play in the NFL at least another three years — that would give him 15 total seasons in the league, at age 37.
- 49ers CEO Jed York reiterated today that he and head coach Jim Harbaugh will sit down and discuss Harbaugh’s contract, which runs through next year, at the end of the 2014 season, tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
- In a look at Brandon Boykin, who is playing the nickel role in Philadelphia, Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com examines the cornerback’s contract situation. Boykin is eligible for a new deal at year’s end, and McManus points out that it will be interesting to see if the 24-year-old is content with re-signing in the same role with the Eagles or wants the opportunity to be a starting outside corner elsewhere.
- Michael Rand of the Star Tribune thinks it makes sense for the Rams to work out a trade with the Vikings for Christian Ponder.
Bears Re-Sign Eben Britton
3:20pm: The Bears have confirmed they’ve re-signed Britton, cutting wide receiver and special-teamer Micheal Spurlock to make room on the roster (Twitter link).
2:07pm: After some Week 1 injuries to their offensive line, the Bears are expected to bring back veteran offensive lineman Eben Britton, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). The team had originally released Britton during its cutdown to 53 players at the end of August.
Britton, who spent the first four season of his NFL career with the Jaguars, saw 239 offensive snaps for the Bears in 2013, primarily at right guard. While the sample size was limited, Britton recorded a respectable +4.1 grade according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). The club re-signed the 26-year-old back in April, but he was unable to earn a spot on the Week 1 roster.
The Bears are in need of some veteran line depth after a Week 1 contest in which both center Roberto Garza and guard Matt Slauson suffered ankle injuries. It’s not clear yet how much time either player will miss, but the recoveries could take multiple weeks in both cases.
Chiefs Announce Series Of Roster Moves
The Chiefs officially finalized a series of roster moves today, according to a team release. Besides confirming the signing of defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson, and the additions of wideout Armon Binns and tight end Adam Schiltz to their practice squad, which had been previously reported, the Chiefs also announced the following moves:
Added to 53-man roster:
- Dwayne Bowe, WR (activated from reserve-suspended list)
- Jerry Franklin, LB (promoted from practice squad)
Removed from 53-man roster:
- Mike DeVito, DE (placed on injured reserve)
- Derrick Johnson, LB (placed on injured reserve)
- Daniel Sorensen, S (waived)
Signed to practice squad:
- Curtis Feigt, T
- Robert Steeples, CB
- Jerel Worthy, DT
Removed from practice squad:
- Jordan Campbell, FB
- Hebron Fangupo, DT
- Ben Gottschalk, C
- Darryl Surgent, WR
Pegulas Reach Agreement To Buy Bills
2:46pm: The Pegulas’ winning bid was worth $1.4 billion, a record figure for an NFL franchise, tweets Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal, adding that there were a total of five bidders for the team.
1:48pm: The Bills have officially announced that an agreement has been reached with the Pegulas, who will be the next owners of the franchise. That parties will submit the agreement for approval in advance of the NFL’s owner meetings in New York a month from now.
8:42am: A tentative agreement between the Bills and Terry and Kim Pegula as been reached, according to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News, who reports (via Twitter) that an official announcement on the sale of the franchise should come later today. We heard last night that the Pegulas, who also own the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, were closing in on a purchase of the Bills after the deadline for binding bids had passed.
While there were reports that other suitors were in the mix, the only bidders for the Bills confirmed publicly were the Pegulas, Jon Bon Jovi’s Toronto-based group, and Donald Trump. Trump was never viewed as a viable candidate for approval by the NFL’s 31 other owners, and Bon Jovi’s group – which included the Rogers family and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment chairman Larry Tanenbaum – was plagued by issues throughout the process. The Toronto group faced skepticism about its intentions for keeping the Bills in Western New York, and had difficulty getting its bid up to a suitable figure with Bon Jovi acting as the potential controlling owner (meaning he had to have at least a 30% stake in the club).
It’s not clear yet what the amount of the Pegulas’ final bid was, though Graham indicated last night that it looked like it would be a “record sale” for the NFL. Reports on the round of initial bidding pegged the offers from the various suitors anywhere from about $800MM to as high as $1.3 billion, but there was plenty of conflicting information, and the final bids may have been even higher.
In any case, John Kryk of the Toronto Sun indicated last night that Morgan Stanley, the investment bank heading the sale of the Bills, would consider more than just a dollar figure when evaluating the prospective owners. Whereas there were many question marks surrounding the other bidders, the Pegulas were viewed as the most likely candidates to close the deal immediately and to receive approval from the NFL.
Although an official announcement on an agreement between the Pegulas and Bills may come soon, the Sabres owners won’t officially take over control of Buffalo’s NFL team until the league’s owners formally vote on the issue. That’s expected to happen at the NFL’s in-season meetings in October. Before the sale process reaches that point, the agreement will also require initial approval from the league, which should happen at some point this week.
Eagles Rumors: Barbre, Winston, Smith
After a slow start against the Jaguars on Sunday, the Eagles eventually fought back with 34 unanswered points for a comfortable 34-17 win over Jacksonville, but Philadelphia paid a steep price for the win. Two offensive linemen, Evan Mathis and Allen Barbre, left the game with injuries, and are expected to miss significant time. Here’s the latest on one of those two injured linemen, along with more out of Philadelphia:
- Barbre is expected to undergo surgery on his injured ankle that could end his 2014 season, a league source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). Barbre, who signed a contract extension with the Eagles this summer, was expected to step in to replace the suspended Lane Johnson for September, but now Philadelphia will have to find another replacement at that spot for the next three weeks.
- With holes to fill on that offensive line, the Eagles are taking a look at veteran tackle Eric Winston and guard Wade Smith, who are visiting the team today, tweets Caplan. According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter), Winston has already left Philadelphia without a deal, though that doesn’t necessarily preclude an agreement at a later date.
- In addition to kicking the tires on some offensive linemen, the Eagles are also expected to host some linebackers for tryouts, says Caplan (via Twitter). According to the ESPN.com scribe (via Twitter), inside linebacker Najee Goode sustained a pectoral injury during Sunday’s game.