Minor Moves: Thursday
Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the following players are now on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists: Darnell Dockett (Cardinals), Greg Latta (Broncos), Fendi Onobun (Jaguars), Jeremy Deering (Raiders), and Mike Caussin (Redskins). Because he has four or more accrued seasons, Dockett can be placed on IR without passing through waivers, and we heard previously that Latta, Onobun, and Deering were waived-injured by their clubs. Caussin’s case is less clear — he doesn’t appear to have four accrued seasons, so he should have to be waived before landing on IR. For what it’s worth, the Redskins’ official site still lists him as on the team’s active roster.
Earlier updates:
- Former Falcon Eric Weems has returned to the team, according to Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com, who tweets that wideout Jabin Sambrano has been cut to make room for the veteran receiver and return specialist. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who reported earlier this week that Weems wanted to sign with Atlanta but appeared headed to the Titans, said today (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear took a physical in Tennessee, but it hit a snag. The Falcons, who entered the picture last night, signed Weems to a one-year, minimum-salary contract, per McClure (Twitter link).
- The Saints have begun making cuts in advance of next Tuesday’s first deadline, parting ways with four players today. As Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune details, the club waived outside linebacker Chidera Uzo-Diribe, running back Tim Flanders, tight end Je’Ron Hamm and wide receiver Tobais Palmer.
- Defensive tackle Anthony McCloud has been waived by the Cardinals, opening up a second spot on the team’s 90-man roster, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Buccaneers have swapped a pair of players at the back of their roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed guard R.J. Mattes and waived defensive end James Ruffin.
- The Patriots have made two cuts, letting go of defensive lineman Marcus Forston and tight end D.J. Williams, according to a team release.
AFC Notes: Bills, Allen, Gase, Mays, Texans
It’s been a rough few weeks for Jon Bon Jovi‘s Toronto-based group that is bidding on the Bills. The group had to resubmit its initial bid, which was unacceptably low, and only advanced to the final stage of the sale process after providing additional assurances that the team wouldn’t be moved out of Western New York. Now, according to John Kryk of the Toronto Sun, the Toronto group is debating whether or not to even continue its pursuit of the Bills.
“They’re hanging on by the skin of their teeth,” one source told Kryk. “The bid’s on life support.”
As Tim Graham of the Buffalo News writes, finalists have been invited to tour the Bills’ facilities at Ralph Wilson Stadium, but a source tells Kryk that Bon Jovi and company canceled their Wednesday visit to the stadium, and don’t have plans to reschedule. According to Kryk, the Toronto group will take the next week or so to assess and discuss what they do at this stage to mount “a formidable, effective bid.”
Let’s check out a few more links from out of the AFC….
- After locking up kicker Shaun Suisham and tackle Marcus Gilbert to contract extensions, the Steelers continue to work on new deals for their players. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter), the team is now focusing on an extension for cornerback Cortez Allen, and is hoping to get something done before the preseason ends.
- While Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase focused on the Broncos’ playoff run last season rather than actively pursuing a head coaching job elsewhere, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com thinks the demand for Gase will be too high after this season for him not to be running his own team in 2015.
- Linebacker Joe Mays, who signed with the Chiefs this offseason, will undergo wrist surgery, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). The timetable for Mays’ recovery isn’t yet known.
- Texans general manager Rick Smith spoke at length to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle on the team’s disappointing 2013 season, and the retooling process that followed. “We’re trying to get our organization to a place where we are successful every year,” Smith said. “We were moving along that path and we had the setback.”
- Monotony may be boring, but it’s welcome when it comes to the Raiders‘ offensive line, writes Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group. Oakland had an NFL-high eight different combinations up front, and no starter made it through all 16 games last season. Now, center Stefen Wisniewski has had guard Khalif Barnes and tackle Donald Penn to his left and guard Austin Howard and tackle Menelik Watson to his right all offseason long.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
NFC Notes: Bowers, 49ers, Giants, Davis
Former Buccaneers second round defensive end Da’Quan Bowers could be on the hot seat, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com. Bowers has been sidelined by a groin injury and missed another practice on Wednesday.
“I think every day you don’t practice you’re hurting your chances,” coach Lovie Smith said. “We’ve seen enough to like Da’Quan a lot, but all the reps that he’s not getting, someone else is getting. The best way to beat your competition sometimes is just to stay on the field. You can’t get Wally Pipped.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com explains why the 49ers are pushing to get a new deal done with Michael Crabtree. Maiocco writes that the team is feeling extra pressure to get a deal done, in part, because of Colin Kaepernick’s willingness to take less in guaranteed money in order to give the organization more cap space this season to get contracts done with teammates.
- The Giants are definitely on the lookout for offensive line reinforcements, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, who suggests (via Twitter) that the team is unsure whether right guard Brandon Mosley is a starter and will be keeping a close eye on the waiver wire when roster cutdowns begin.
- Falcons wideout Drew Davis, who underwent foot surgery earlier this summer, will begin the season on the team’s PUP list, head coach Mike Smith tells ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure.
- Matt Cassel says he has no ill will toward the Chiefs organization or fans, and is looking forward to returning to Kansas City for the first time this week when the Vikings play the Chiefs, as Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune details.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Chiefs Acquire Kelcie McCray From Bucs
The Buccaneers and Chiefs have completed a trade, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, who tweets that safety Kelcie McCray will go to Kansas City in the deal, in exchange for guard Rishaw Johnson. Since it’s a one-for-one swap, no corresponding roster moves will be required on either side.
McCray, who turns 26 next month, has spent time with the Dolphins and Bucs, and was a part-time player in Tampa Bay last season, logging 104 snaps on defense as well as recording six tackles on special teams. He’ll look to earn a roster spot and playing for a Chiefs team whose secondary lost several key pieces this offseason, including Kendrick Lewis, Brandon Flowers, and Dunta Robinson.
As for Johnson, he’ll head to a Buccaneers team seeking some interior line depth after parting ways with veteran guard Carl Nicks. The 25-year-old saw his first extensive regular-season action in Week 17 last year, playing at right guard for Kansas City while the team rested its starters.
DeVonte Holloman Expected To Retire Due To Injury
According to Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, a neck injury is expected to end the playing career of linebacker DeVonte Holloman (link via Jon Machota and Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News). Holloman suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s preseason game against the Ravens.
“DeVonte got information back from the doctors in San Antonio and some other doctors he visited with regarding his neck and it doesn’t look like he’s going to be able to play football anymore,” Garrett said. “This becomes an easy decision for him and his family when you’re dealing with that kind of an injury.”
Holloman, 23, was selected by the Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2013 draft out of South Carolina. He contributed sparingly on defense and special teams up until the last three weeks of the season, when injuries forced him into the role of Dallas’ regular middle linebacker. This isn’t the first neck-related injury for Holloman, who sustained a spinal contusion in practice last season that sidelined him for seven games.
Holloman is the latest young NFL player to see his career prematurely cut short by spine or neck injuries. Others who have been forced into early retirement recently include ex-Packers running back Johnathan Franklin and former Giants running back David Wilson.
Steelers Re-Sign Brett Keisel
THURSDAY, 11:46am: According to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter), Keisel’s two-year deal has an overall value of $3MM. That includes a 2014 base salary of $1MM and a signing bonus of $500K.
WEDNESDAY, 10:05am: The Steelers have officially re-signed Keisel to a two-year contract, the team announced today in a press release. To make room on the roster, Pittsburgh has waived defensive tackle Al Lapuaho.
TUESDAY, 5:01pm: After drawing interest from the Cardinals in the wake of Darnell Dockett‘s season-ending ACL injury, veteran defensive lineman Brett Keisel will instead return to Pittsburgh. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Steelers have reached an agreement to re-sign Keisel. Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets that a deal should be done by the end of the week. Bouchette was also the first to report (via Twitter) that the two sides were closing in on a deal.
Keisel, 35, is entering his 13th season in the NFL, all of which have been spent in Pittsburgh. He started 12 games in 2013, missing the final four contests while dealing with plantar fasciitis, and racked up 20 tackles and four sacks. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) were bearish on Keisel’s work, ranking him as just the 36th-best 3-4 end out of 45 qualifiers. However, the Steelers likely place a high value on Keisel’s experience in defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s scheme, as Pittsburgh’s current rotation at end includes rookie Stephon Tuitt, third-year player Cameron Heyward, and free agent addition Cam Thomas.
After Keisel cited proximity to his family as the reason for declining to sign with Arizona, it seemed likely that the Steelers might be the only team the veteran was willing to join. In fact, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com wonders (via Twitter) if Keisel’s flirtation with the Cardinals was simply a leverage play in order to pique the Steelers’ interest. However, as of July 28, Pittsburgh general manager Kevin Colbert was still open to a reunion with Keisel, so perhaps the team was waiting for his price to come down.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Kyle Cook To Retire
Former Bengals center Kyle Cook has decided to end his NFL playing career, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). The veteran lineman had been a free agent since being released by Cincinnati back in March.
Cook, 31, was one of the best interior lineman still available on the free agent market, as I noted when I examined notable veteran free agents earlier in the week. The Michigan State product had been the Bengals’ regular starter at center for the last five years, missing most of 2012 with a foot injury but playing all 16 games in each of the season from 2009-11 and in 2013.
Although Cook only played out half of the four-year extension he signed with Cincinnati back in 2011, he made out fairly well on that deal, earning base salaries of $2.5MM in 2012 and 2013 to go along with a $2.56MM signing bonus and $400K in workout bonuses. His release left the Bengals with $1.28MM in dead money on their cap for 2014.
With Cook no longer in the picture, the Bengals appear ready to hand the starting center job to fourth-round rookie Russell Bodine.
Notable Remaining Veteran FAs: Defense
Brett Keisel and Isaac Sopoaga both reached agreements with NFL clubs this week, with Keisel returning to Pittsburgh and Sopoaga reportedly heading to Arizona. The two signings further diminished the amount of veteran defensive talent remaining on the free agent market, but even so, there are a handful of intriguing names among the defenders still available.
After taking a look earlier this week at some of the notable veteran free agents on offense, we’ll turn our attention to the other side of the ball today. As I noted when writing about those offensive players, not all of these players will find work this season, and they’ll likely be joined by many more noteworthy free agents in the coming weeks, as NFL teams cut their rosters down from 90 players to 53. Still, these guys are worth keeping an eye on, since they’re still capable of having an impact on the field.
You can view our full list of current free agents right here, but for now, let’s focus on a few interesting veteran defenders….
Defensive ends: Jason Hunter, Daniel Te’o-Nesheim
The pickings are awfully slim at defensive end, where Hunter and Te’o-Nesheim are the only two free agents who were regular starters last season for their respective teams (the Raiders and Buccaneers). According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required), both players graded among the bottom five 4-3 defensive ends in the NFL last season, with Te’o-Nesheim ranking dead last, so perhaps it’s not a surprise that we haven’t heard any reports of interest in the two players since they hit free agency.
Defensive tackles: Aubrayo Franklin, Johnny Jolly, Vaughn Martin, Ryan Pickett, Shaun Rogers
Even after Keisel and Sopoaga found work, there are still some decent options on the defensive tackle market. Players like Franklin, Jolly, and Pickett are somewhat one-dimesional, providing size in the middle and not much else, but in a part-time role, such a player can have value. As for Rogers, he was playing well in a part-time role in 2013 before a knee injury ended his season, but having missed most of the last two years with various ailments, the former Pro Bowler’s playing career seems to be nearing its end.
Outside linebackers: Michael Boley, James Harrison, Rocky McIntosh, Marvin Mitchell, Stephen Nicholas, Will Witherspoon
Harrison’s is the name that stands out on this list, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s in a Steelers-or-bust mindset at this point. He was effective last season in Cincinnati, but it was the first and only time in his 11-year NFL career that he’d played for a team besides the Steelers, and reports this offseason have suggested he’d like to return to Pittsburgh. We’ll have to see if, like they did with Keisel, the Steelers can get something done with a defender who has spent more than a decade with the club.
The rest of this group is mostly made up of former starters who have transitioned into reserve roles — Boley, McIntosh, Nicholas, and Witherspoon have 384 combined career starts on their résumés, but just seven of those came in 2013. Mitchell, meanwhile, started 10 games for the Vikings last season and played reasonably well in part-time action, so I’m a little surprised he hasn’t drawn more interest this offseason. The Titans kicked the tires back in June, but elected not sign him.
Inside linebackers: Nick Barnett, Kevin Burnett, Erin Henderson, Paris Lenon, Ernie Sims, Jonathan Vilma
A handful of teams have seen key linebackers go down with serious injuries in recent weeks, but this group of free agents still hasn’t received a whole lot of interest. The Cardinals signed and later released Sims, and the Cowboys and Falcons have both been linked to Vilma, but the fact that those guys aren’t on rosters now suggest teams may not have confidence in them as regular contributors anymore, opting for younger, cheaper players instead. The same may be true for Barnett and Lenon, though any of those veterans could still get a look in the coming weeks.
Henderson may be the player here capable of contributing the most on the field, but his off-field issues may keep him out of the league this season — multiple arrests since and a rehab stint since last fall mean he could be facing a suspension if and when he resurfaces. As for Burnett, he probably shouldn’t be logging the 1,000+ snaps he did last season, and it doesn’t seem as if he’s fully healthy – the Raiders cut him last month with a failed physical designation – but as Pro Football Focus’ data shows (subscription required), he can be a valuable asset against the run.
Cornerbacks: Drayton Florence, Jabari Greer, Chris Houston, Quentin Jammer, Dunta Robinson, Asante Samuel
While there are plenty of questions about injuries and declining performance among this group, experience certainly isn’t a problem — these six players have started an average of 117 games each in their NFL careers. With several teams around the league already on the lookout for cornerbacks, it wouldn’t be surprising if many of these guys were snatched up in the near future to provide some secondary stability. Still, it’s not clear whether all of them have interest in returning to the field in 2014. Greer and Houston are still on the mend following major injuries, and Samuel reportedly turned down overtures from the Jets recently.
Safeties: Reed Doughty, Matt Giordano, Michael Huff, Quintin Mikell, Ed Reed
Doughty has spent his entire eight-year career with the Redskins, starting 45 games over the last five seasons, but last we heard, the team hasn’t reached out to him, and he doesn’t seem to be receiving interest from other clubs either. And although Giordano and Huff aren’t far removed from seasons as significant contributors, they’re probably both better suited for reserve roles now.
Mikell, a former Pro Bowler and a regular starter for the last seven seasons, is the most notable name of this bunch, having ranked 31st among 86 qualified safeties last season, per Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). However, he’s coming off foot surgery and is mulling retirement, suggesting last week that it would have to be the “right situation” for him to return. The same can probably be said for Reed, who hasn’t announced his retirement but already seems to be transitioning into his post-playing career, having secured a job on Showtime’s Inside the NFL.
Steelers Extend Marcus Gilbert Through 2019
THURSDAY, 10:19am: Gilbert received a $7.65MM signing bonus on his new extension, which is the only fully guaranteed part of the deal at this point, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter).
TUESDAY, 3:52pm: The Steelers have locked up one of the key cogs on their offensive line through the 2019 season, announcing today in a press release that right tackle Marcus Gilbert has signed a five-year extension. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the five new years on the contract are worth $30MM.
“It means I am locked in hopefully as a Steeler for the rest of my career,” Gilbert said of his new deal. “It’s a blessing to work for a great organization, the Rooney family, Kevin Colbert and Coach [Mike] Tomlin. Just to be around in Pittsburgh, where they show you so much love, I couldn’t be happier and in a better place.”
We heard earlier this month that the Steelers and agent Drew Rosenhaus were negotiating a new deal for Gilbert, with the intention of either getting something done by September or waiting until after the season. The 26-year-old has been the Steelers’ regular starter at right tackle since entering the league in 2011. Because he was a second-round pick, Gilbert’s rookie contract didn’t feature a fifth-year option for 2015, meaning his free agency was looming and the club was likely a little more motivated to work something out.
As our Rory Parks pointed out when he examined Gilbert as an extension candidate in June, the young tackle hasn’t been exceptional during his stint with the Steelers, at least according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics. Still, as I noted last week, non-elite tackles like Austin Howard, Breno Giacomini, and Michael Oher made out reasonably well on the open market back in March.
Based on the initial numbers reported, Gilbert’s extension looks awfully similar to the contract Howard signed with the Raiders. That deal was also worth $30MM over five years, though before we can determine exactly how they stack up, we’ll need to know the structure of Gilbert’s contract. Howard’s pact included $9.9MM in fully guaranteed money, including a $7MM up-front bonus.
Gilbert is the latest Steeler to sign an extension in what has been a busy summer for the team. Center Maurkice Pouncey inked a new deal of his own back in June, and the club also secured kicker Shaun Suisham to a long-term contract earlier this month. Jason Worilds is among the potential 2015 free agents who could still try to get something done with Pittsburgh before the season begins, but according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), despite some conversations, the two sides aren’t close to an agreement at this point.
With a handful of players who had been eligible for 2015 free agency now locked up, the Steelers will soon be able to shift their focus to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is expected to discuss an extension with the team after the season. Roethlisberger is currently under contract through the 2015 season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
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