Extra Points: Reed, Decker, Gordon, Young
We heard a couple months ago that Ed Reed was still hoping to play in the NFL in 2014, but the chances of that happening look slimmer today, after Showtime and CBS announced that the former Ravens safety will join Inside the NFL for the coming season. Bears wideout Brandon Marshall is also a new addition to the show, so Reed’s inclusion doesn’t necessarily rule out his return to the field, but CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus referred in a statement to “Ed just coming off the playing field and Brandon still on it.”
As Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets, Reed said today that he may “never” officially announce his retirement, so while we shouldn’t close the book on his career quite yet, it’s possible we’ve seen the veteran take the field for the last time.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Wideout Eric Decker spoke to Brian Costello of the New York Post about how some offseason online research on Geno Smith helped convince him to sign with the Jets. “I was impressed by the games I watched of Geno, and then I Googled and YouTubed interviews to get a feel of who he was as a person more than just the physical skill on the field,” Decker said. “That’s a big thing.”
- As the Browns await final word on Josh Gordon’s suspension, they’ve been proactive about lining up a support system and possible treatment for the wideout if he has to spend a significant amount of time away from the team, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the NFL is mulling harsher penalties for domestic abuse incidents, including potential season-long suspensions for repeat offenders. The move, which remains under consideration, is undoubtedly related to Ray Rice‘s modest two-game ban for a domestic abuse incident, and all the negative publicity that decision garnered.
- Two months after announcing his retirement from the NFL, Vince Young has accepted a job at his alma mater, with the University of Texas announcing today that the former quarterback will serve as a development officer for program alumni relations.
Chinese Football League To Launch In 2015
Marty Judge, the co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League, has an agreement in place with Chinese officials to launch a new football league in China, he tells Richard Sandomir of the New York Times. The new Chinese American Football League wouldn’t emulate the NFL’s outdoor, 100-yard fields, but rather would follow the blueprint established by the AFL — 50-yard indoor arenas, with eight players per side.
The league, which has a targeted launch date of August 2015, will feature 20-man rosters comprised of Chinese and American players. Many of those players are expected to be drawn from the AFL, as well as colleges. While six to eight teams are anticipated for the league’s debut, Judge told Sandomir confidently that the CAFL will have up to 30 teams in just in a few years. Still, in spite of Judge’s optimism, it’s too soon to know how the league will be received in China.
“Like any endeavor, there is some risk involved,” said ESPN’s Ron Jaworski, who co-owns the Soul with Judge. “No one else has tried it. I don’t have a crystal ball, but we’re highly confident this will work. I think we can find great passion for football in China.”
Judge suggested that he felt the arena football model would fail in Europe, but says he says a golden opportunity in China. He has invested in training players at six Chinese universities, and those schools will play a season of games starting this October.
Former Eagles, Rams and Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil is among the investors in the new Chinese American Football League, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter links). In addition to being a league partner, Vermeil is expected to serve as a spokesman and perform ambassadorial work for the CAFL.
Buccaneers Sign Larry English
The Buccaneers have signed free agent edge defender Larry English, tweets Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com. According to Smith, the team has waived-injured former Michigan defensive tackle Jibreel Black, who had just been added to the roster last month, in order to clear room for the newcomer.
English, a former first-rounder who was drafted with the 16th overall pick in 2009, appeared in 52 games for the Chargers during his five years with the team, struggling with injuries in recent years and never establishing himself as a consistent performer. He started five of nine games for San Diego in 2013, recording 2.5 sacks, before a pectoral injury sidelined him for the season.
With Dwight Freeney starting at one outside linebacker spot in San Diego, a healthy Melvin Ingram ready to reclaim his position on the other side, and players like Jarret Johnson and second-round pick Jeremiah Attaochu also in the mix, there wasn’t a defined role for English with the Chargers, so the team cut him last month. After his release, English drew some interest from the Cowboys, but ultimately lands in Tampa Bay, where he’ll try to break camp with the Bucs as a defensive end.
Christian Ponder Open To Trade
As Christian Ponder himself acknowledged last week, a preseason trade that ships him out of Minnesota is probably unlikely, so the third-string signal-caller is making the most of the practice reps he gets as he adjusts to new offensive coordinator Norv Turner‘s offense. Still, if the Vikings were able to find a deal with another team intent on moving Ponder up higher on its depth chart, the former first-round pick would welcome it, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today.
“If something happens – I get traded, or there’s an opportunity elsewhere to play – I want to play,” Ponder said. “But this is where I am right now. I can’t control it.”
Ponder added that there are “a lot of benefits” to remaining in Minnesota, where he feels like he’s learning a lot in a less stressful situation. Still, for a player who has started 35 games in his first three NFL seasons, heading into a contract year behind both Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater on the Vikings’ depth chart isn’t an ideal situation, and it’s likely not what the team wants either. A report in June suggested the Vikes had interest in dealing Ponder — a trade could save the club from paying his salary and potentially bring back another asset, either in the form of a player or a future draft pick.
For now, Ponder is preparing for the season as if he’ll be wearing a Vikings uniform. While an opportunity to play may not arise in Minnesota or elsewhere during the 2014 season, the 26-year-old is already considering how to earn more playing time down the road, as he tells Pelissero.
“I’ve got to go to the right situation, and there obviously are things I’ve got to improve upon in my play,” Ponder said. “The turnovers were big with my three years as a starter. That’s something I’ve got to change — and keep developing the mental side of the game. That’s something that Norv and [Vikings quarterback coach] Scott [Turner] really preach.”
NFC West Notes: Cards, Abraham, Bowie
On the heels of Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report observing (via Twitter) that some people in Cardinals camp believe Michael Floyd will be the team’s No. 1 receiver, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Arizona is already “detaching” from Larry Fitzgerald. An offseason contract restructure means Fitzgerald will carry a $23.6MM in 2015, meaning the Cardinals may be forced to part ways with the veteran wideout — such a move may be a little easier for the club to swallow if Floyd is truly on the verge of becoming a top option.
Here’s more on the Cards and a couple of their division rivals:
- After being absent from training camp for nearly three weeks, veteran outside linebacker John Abraham reported to the Cardinals today, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Arizona GM Steve Keim declined to comment on Wednesday about the reason for Abraham’s absence, which has so far been undisclosed.
- Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable wasn’t overly pleased that the Browns – and multiple other teams – placed waiver claims on former Seattle lineman Michael Bowie when the ‘Hawks cut him with an injured designation earlier this month. Cable said on 710 ESPN Seattle on Wednesday (link via Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle) that it’s “kind of an unwritten rule” not to poach another team’s injured players when they pass through waivers. “Typically when you waive someone injured, they kind of get through and you’re going to get them back, fix them and move on,” Cable said. “Cleveland chose to take him, and whether you agree with it or not, I guess that’s business.”
- Colin Kaepernick‘s extension with the 49ers is one recent example of how teams continue to have all the long-term leverage in contract talks, with players continuing to cede control, writes former Packers executive Andrew Brandt of TheMMQB.com.
Cardinals Sign Desmond Bishop
10:42am: The Cardinals have officially announced the signing of Bishop, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com details.
10:05am: The Cardinals have reached an agreement to sign veteran linebacker Desmond Bishop, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but it will likely be a one-year, minimum salary pact with no guarantees for the former Packer and Viking.
Bishop, 30, spent the first six years of his NFL career in Green Bay, emerging as one of the team’s starting linebackers in 2010 and 2011. The former sixth-round pick racked up more than 100 tackles in each of those seasons, totaling eight sacks, 10 passes defended, and four forced fumbles in those two combined years. However, a ruptured hamstring cost him the 2012 season, paving the way for his departure to the Vikings. After appearing in four contests for Minnesota last season, Bishop suffered another season-ending injury, tearing his ACL.
Although that ACL injury occurred about 10 months ago, Bishop’s deal with the Cardinals seems to suggest the team believes he’s healthy enough to compete for a roster spot. Arizona is seeking linebacker depth after losing Karlos Dansby in free agency and losing Daryl Washington to a year-long suspension.
The Cardinals won’t have to waive anyone to make room for Bishop, since the team already had three openings on its roster.
Poll: Which Rookie QB Will Be Best In 2014?
ESPN’s Ron Jaworski made comments earlier this week that raised a few eyebrows, suggesting that he believed Cardinals signal-caller Logan Thomas has been the best rookie quarterback he’s seen so far this summer (link via Marc Sessler of NFL.com).
“When I plugged the tape in yesterday morning and I saw Logan Thomas, I was shocked,” Jaworski said on ESPN yesterday, referring to the Cards’ contest against Houston. “He was fantastic in this game. He’s big, strong and he can rip throws. … Of all the rookie quarterbacks that I’ve watched so far – yes, early in the preseason – Logan Thomas has been the best that I have seen.”
Even if Jaworski’s assessment of Thomas is spot-on, the sixth quarterback selected in this year’s draft may not have the opportunities for playing time that many of the guys selected ahead of him will have. Carson Palmer isn’t an elite QB, but for a Cardinals team expecting to compete for a postseason berth, he’s the more reliable option than the rookie at this point.
On the other hand, players like Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, and Derek Carr will play for teams who combined for a total of 17 wins in 2013. While the Browns, Vikings, Jaguars, and Raiders may have aspirations of a playoff spot, it would be somewhat surprising if any of those clubs actually earned one.
As such, those situations are more ripe for a rookie quarterback to receive a more significant opportunity, to help him develop and learn his new team’s system in preparation for contention in a year or two. Perhaps a strong performance from one of those rookie signal-callers in 2014 could even help his club contribute immediately.
Still, for now, veterans like Brian Hoyer, Matt Cassel, Chad Henne, and Matt Schaub remain penciled in as starters, so there’s no guarantee that any one of those rookies makes a huge impact this season. What do you think? Which rookie do you expect to have the most productive 2014 campaign?
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- In order to make room for incoming defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, the Patriots will waive tight end Terrence Miller with an injured designation, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Cowboys are expected to sign tight end Asa Watson, who was recently cut by the Patriots, but Dallas will still have to clear a roster spot on the 90-man roster, tweets Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com.
Earlier updates:
- After signing with the 49ers as a free agent this offseason, linebacker and special teams contributor Blake Costanzo has been placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury, the team announced in a press release. San Francisco signed linebacker Kion Wilson to replace Costanzo, who didn’t have to pass through waivers before hitting IR since he has more than four years of NFL experience.
- The Saints have signed former Giants tight end Travis Beckum to a one-year deal, a source told Ramon Antonio Vargas and Nick Underhill of the New Orleans Advocate today. A third-round draft choice in 2009, Beckum has not played since suffering a knee injury in New York’s Super Bowl win after the 2011 season. He was on injured reserve for the duration of 2012 and out of the league in 2013.
- Using the open roster spot they created after shuffling various running backs in and out earlier in the week, the Texans have added cornerback Junior Mertile to their roster, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). An ex-Giant, Mertile has been a free agent since he was cut by New York in May, though he auditioned for the Jags in the interim.
- Running back Stephen Houston has signed with the Steelers, according to the team’s PR man Burt Lauten (Twitter link). The former Indiana rusher got a partially guaranteed contract from the Patriots after the draft, but was waived by the team over the weekend.
- According to John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter), the Jaguars have replaced one center with another, signing Antoine Caldwell and waiving Matt Stankiewitch, who sustained a wrist injury.
AFC East Notes: Spiller, Bills, Pats, Dolphins
After the Bills gave up a draft pick to acquire Bryce Brown from the Eagles, then signed Fred Jackson to a contract extension, there has been some speculation this offseason that C.J. Spiller could be on the trade block. But if that’s the case, he either isn’t drawing much interest or Buffalo GM Doug Whaley isn’t interested in acknowledging that interest. Whaley today told reporters, including ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak (Twitter link), that the Bills haven’t been contacted by any teams regarding Spiller, so it doesn’t sound like the 27-year-old is going anywhere anytime soon.
Here’s more out of the AFC East:
- Although it’s not clear if he submitted a bid and remains involved in the Bills sale process, Raiders minority stakeholder David Abrams initially expressed interest and signed a non-disclosure agreement with the franchise, reports Tim Graham of the Buffalo News.
- It had been six weeks since any NFL teams had made a trade, but the Patriots agreed to two swaps yesterday, adding a defensive lineman in both deals. Jeremy Gottlieb of the Boston Globe takes a look at the refurnishing job the Pats’ interior defensive line is undergoing.
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald breaks down some of the key position battles taking place at Dolphins training camp.
Titans Sign Steve Vallos
The Titans completed a handful of roster moves today, announcing (via Twitter) that they’ve signed offensive lineman Steve Vallos and linebacker Kendrick Adams, cutting linebacker David Gilbert and lineman Viondy Merisma to clear spots for the newcomers. The series of transactions leaves Tennessee with a full 90-man roster.
Of the four players, Vallos is the only one with regular-season NFL experience, having been active for 59 total contests for the Seahawks, Browns, Jaguars, Eagles, and Broncos. The 30-year-old, who worked out for the Dolphins and Colts this offseason, spent the 2013 campaign with Denver, providing veteran insurance on the interior offensive line after center Dan Koppen suffered a season-ending injury. For Tennessee, he figures to compete for a roster spot, but even if he earns one, he likely won’t see much playing time if the line stays relatively healthy.
As for Adams, since going undrafted out of LSU, he has seen time on multiple clubs’ practice squads, including the Bucs’, Lions’, and Giants’. However, he was cut earlier in the month by New York when the team signed Israel Idonije.
Gilbert and Merisma will have to pass through waivers before becoming free agents.