2014 NFL Roster Counts
On Tuesday, I took a look at the teams around the NFL who currently have open roster spots, most or all of which figure to be filled in time for the beginning of training camps next month. Since then, a handful of roster moves have been made around the league, with the Falcons creating a third available roster slot, while the Seahawks briefly opening up a spot on their 90-man roster before filling it again.
These minor transactions figure to be frequent over the next several weeks and months, so we’ve created this page to keep tabs on teams’ roster counts around the NFL throughout the year. This tracker, which can be found anytime under the “PFR Features” sidebar on the right-hand side of our site, will be maintained and updated throughout the offseason and the regular season, as the roster limit declines from 90 players to 75 and eventually to 53.
If you have any corrections, please contact us. Here are 2014’s NFL roster counts:
Updated 1-5-14 (8:07am CT)
- Baltimore Ravens (53)
- Carolina Panthers (53)
- Dallas Cowboys (53)
- Denver Broncos (53)
- Green Bay Packers (53)
- Indianapolis Colts (53)
- Seattle Seahawks (53)
New England Patriots (53)
North Notes: Vikings, Houston, Bears, Browns
Teddy Bridgewater made waves when he suggested after the draft that he hadn’t wanted to land with the Browns, but the Vikings quarterback says now that those remarks were misinterpreted, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group.
“I think it was misinterpreted,” he said. “What I was saying was I had a strong feeling about the Minnesota Vikings. I was able to meet with them five or six times in the pre-draft visits. I just had a pretty solid feeling about the Minnesota Vikings, but, you know, I try to put the pre-draft stuff behind and try to just focus on my career with the Minnesota Vikings.”
Let’s round up a few more of the latest items from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Dan Pompei of Sports on Earth examines the Vikings‘ offseason, which included the drafting of a potential franchise quarterback in Bridgewater.
- Veteran cornerback Chris Houston, who was cut by the Lions earlier this month, tells Ryan Autullo of the Austin American-Statesman that the decision was mutual. It’s hard to believe that Houston would’ve encouraged Detroit to release him, but he’ll at least have the opportunity to work his way back to full health without having to worry about winning a roster spot. The free agent corner hopes to be medically cleared by August or September.
- In his latest mailbag for the Chicago Tribune, Brad Biggs fields readers’ questions on the Bears‘ offensive line, Devin Hester‘s departure, and the club’s depth at wide receiver and tight end.
- New executive chief of staff Bill Kuharich will play the role of an experienced sounding board for GM Ray Farmer in the Browns‘ front office, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
NFC West Notes: Peterson, Seahawks, 49ers
The league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, which features fifth-year options for first-round picks, is ensuring that 2011 first-rounders will have a hard time securing contract extensions this year, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. As Somers notes, agent Joel Segal has discussed a new deal for Patrick Peterson with the Cardinals, but the two sides haven’t made significant progress. With two years still remaining on their rookie contracts thanks to those 2015 options, Peterson and his fellow 2011 first-rounders have little leverage at the moment, as teams aren’t feeling the pressure to offer anything but discounted deals.
Here’s more from around the NFC West:
- The Seahawks have signed former University of Washington receiver Kevin Smith to fill the last spot on their 90-man roster, reports Adam Jude of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Smith has bounced around among several teams over the last few weeks, having spent time with the Cardinals and Jaguars as well. He was cut by Jacksonville last week.
- Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wasn’t surprised to hear the 49ers had Brandon Flowers in for a visit but he also wasn’t surprised that they couldn’t do enough to drag him away from the Chargers. Williamson thinks San Francisco will be fine going into the season with its current group of cornerbacks, but if another established CB becomes available, the team will investigate.
- Former 49ers coach Mike Singletary wants Vernon Davis to talk it out with San Francisco brass, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “I think one of the most important things for Vernon is to make sure that right now with all of the things that are out there – the negative media, however it is – the most important thing in any holdout is the communication,” Singletary said Tuesday on NFL Network’s Total Access.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Extension Candidate: Jermaine Gresham
A former first-round pick, Bengals tight end Jermaine Gresham has earned spots in two Pro Bowls during the first four years of his NFL career, accumulating 218 total receptions for 2,262 yards and 19 touchdowns in 59 career overall contests. In many instances, those kind of impressive results would have the player’s team working hard to ensure he remains under contract beyond the 2014 season, the final year of his rookie deal.
In Cincinnati though, the Bengals’ interest in a long-term commitment to Gresham remains unclear. The team has a pair of more pressing extension candidates to worry about this summer, with quarterback Andy Dalton and standout linebacker Vontaze Burfict both eligible for new deals. Still, when head coach Marvin Lewis spoke about a Dalton extension on SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier this month, he pointed out that getting something done with the signal-caller would allow the club to focus on locking up other players — although he didn’t mention Gresham by name, Lewis identified “our tight end” as one of those extension candidates.
Of course, while Lewis has some input on roster decisions, it’ll be the front office, led by general manager Mike Brown, that ultimately has the final say on whether Gresham remains in Cincinnati for the long term. And there have been a few signals that extending the tight end’s contract may not be in the club’s plans. For one, just three years after selecting Gresham 21st overall in the draft, the Bengals picked a tight end again at No. 21 a year ago, snatching up Tyler Eifert out of Notre Dame. Eifert didn’t immediately usurp Gresham as the No. 1 option at the position, but the Bengals took advantage of his presence by implementing a two-tight-end offense, and the rookie certainly cut into Gresham’s targets. After seeing 92 passes thrown his way in 2012, Gresham was targeted just 63 times last season, with Eifert earning 56 targets of his own.
While the Bengals’ decision to draft Eifert a year ago may have been largely a product of the team wanting to run an offense with two pass-catching tight ends, Cincinnati also had reason to want an insurance policy for Gresham. Even though he was coming off consecutive Pro Bowl seasons, Gresham actually ranked dead last among 62 qualified tight ends in ’12, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), which docked him for his poor run blocking and an inability to avoid penalties. In both 2012 and 2013, no other tight end was called for more penalties than Gresham, who also tied for the most fumbles (five) among tight ends during those two seasons.
Just as one can’t overlook Gresham’s propensity to make mistakes though, his playmaking ability shouldn’t be underrated — the 26-year-old typically ranks among the tight end leaders when it comes to yards after catch and missed tackles. After Cincinnati lost Andrew Hawkins in free agency this offseason, the team will be relying more than ever on its tight ends to help carry the receiving load alongside A.J. Green and Marvin Jones, so even with Dalton potentially looking Eifert’s way more often, Gresham could be primed for a productive contract year.
Ultimately, I think the Bengals will wait to open extension talks with Gresham, whose place on the roster going forward looks significantly more precarious than it did a year ago. As ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey observed recently in a mailbag, Gresham’s relationship with fans in Cincinnati has been rocky, and the young tight end may ultimately command more on the open market than the Bengals are willing to pay. I do expect the team to make some effort to re-up Gresham before he reaches unrestricted free agency, but Dalton and Burfict will be the priorities, and if Eifert continues to emerge in his second year, there won’t be as much urgency for the Bengals to negotiate with Gresham.
If and when the two sides do engage in contract discussions, Brandon Pettigrew‘s new contract with the Lions may serve as a logical point of comparison. Pettigrew’s career per-year averages of about 57 receptions and 566 receiving yards are essentially identical to Gresham’s (55 and 566), and Pettigrew will also cede targets to a young first-round tight end (Eric Ebron) going forward. The Lions locked up Pettigrew this spring for four years and $16MM, with $5.2MM in guaranteed money. If the Bengals can get Gresham for a little cheaper than that, I think the club will be interested in working out an extension. If Gresham is aiming to top Pettigrew’s deal, he’s more likely to do it on the open market than in Cincinnati.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jaguars Links: Roster, Harris, Marks, Lewis
The Jaguars saw a former offensive line mainstay find a new team yesterday, when Uche Nwaneri confirmed that he had reached an agreement to join the Cowboys. Jacksonville also finalized a signing of its own, however, announcing that second-round wideout Allen Robinson had inked his rookie deal. Eight of nine Jags draftees are now under contract, with only fellow second-round receiver Marqise Lee still unsigned. As we wait for Lee to make it official with his new NFL club, let’s check in on a few links from out of Jacksonville….
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union projects what the Jaguars‘ 53-man roster will look like. Jacksonville has some interesting battles brewing, including at tight end, wide receiver, and in the secondary, and O’Halloran places his bets for all of them.
- Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com looks at cornerback Mike Harris as he tries to make the Jaguars‘ roster. After Alan Ball (86 games) and Will Blackmon (58 games), no Jaguars cornerback has appeared in more career games than Harris (31). Still, the Florida State product isn’t the kind of long and physical corner that coach Gus Bradley prefers.
- Sen’Derrick Marks‘ contract with the Jaguars currently ranks as the most team-friendly deal on the roster, in the estimation of Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. On the other end of the spectrum, tight end Marcedes Lewis repeats as Fitzgerald’s pick for the worst contract on Jacksonville’s roster.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
East Notes: Cowboys, Reynolds, Bills, Giants
The Cowboys appear to be on the verge of formally announcing their agreement with free agent guard Uche Nwaneri, though when the move becomes official, the team will need to cut a player, since Dallas isn’t one of seven NFL clubs with an open roster spot at the moment. Nwaneri wasn’t the only offensive lineman drawing interest from the Cowboys though, so let’s check in on that report, as well as the rest of the latest updates from around the NFL’s two East divisions….
- The Cowboys have some interest in free agent offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds, but have no plans to sign him for now, a source tells Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link). We heard over the weekend that Reynolds, who has spent the last several seasons with the Falcons, had paid a visit to Dallas.
- As Tom Precious of the Buffalo News notes, Donald Trump said today on Twitter that he’s the only prospective buyer for the Bills who will keep the franchise in Buffalo. However, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is among those skeptical of Trump’s claim, suggesting that he believes there are “a number of bidders who are seriously considering going forward are committed to keeping the team in Western New York.”
- In a slideshow at NJ.com, Jordan Raanan identifies five veteran players whose roster spots with the Giants may be in danger this year.
Jaguars Sign Second-Rounder Allen Robinson
The Jaguars have locked up one of their two unsigned second-round wideouts, announcing today (via Twitter) that Allen Robinson has inked his rookie deal with the club. The signing leaves Marqise Lee as the only Jacksonville draftee who has yet to put pen to paper.
Robinson, 20, was selected 61st overall by the Jaguars last month, as the team went heavy on offensive picks in the first few rounds. The former Penn State standout, who will be catching balls from either Chad Henne or fellow rookie Blake Bortles in 2014, is in line for a signing bonus worth about $873K, according to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. The full four-year value of Robinson’s deal should be in the neighborhood of $3.51MM.
With Robinson now under contract, only four 2014 draft picks still have to sign their deals. Besides Lee, Cleveland’s Justin Gilbert, Tennessee’s Taylor Lewan, and Miami’s Billy Turner remain unsigned.
Cowboys To Sign Uche Nwaneri
2:16pm: Nwaneri confirmed on his Instagram account that he has reached an agreement to join the Cowboys.
10:56am: After more than three and a half months on the free agent market, offensive lineman Uche Nwaneri is expected to sign a contract with the Cowboys, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Terms of the agreement aren’t yet known.
Nwaneri, 30, had been a longtime starter on the interior of the Jaguars’ offensive line, appearing in 104 contests (92 starts) for the team since entering the league as a fifth-round pick in 2007. However, the Purdue alum became a cap casualty this March, and was cut by Jacksonville a week before free agency began. Although he visited the Bengals and Titans this spring, Nwaneri had yet to find a new NFL home until now.
While Nwaneri isn’t one of the league’s elite guards, he ranked a respectable 34th among 81 qualified players in 2013, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), and recorded an overall PFF grade of +18.0 over the last five seasons. For the Cowboys, the Dallas native will compete for a roster spot and playing time on an offensive line that already looks very strong heading into the 2014 season, led by young standouts Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick, as well as ’14 first-rounder Zack Martin.
NFL Teams With Open Roster Spots
For many teams around the NFL, the 90 players on the roster when last week’s minicamps ended are the same 90 players the club hopes to carry into training camp next month. We should expect to see some minor roster shuffling over the next few weeks, but for the most part, teams have a pretty good idea of which players will be participating in camp and battling for spots on the regular-season roster a few weeks from now.
Still, not all 32 teams around the league have full 90-man rosters at this point. In a couple instances, recent unanticipated retirements have created roster openings, whereas other clubs may simply be keeping their options open and weighing multiple possibilities as training camp nears. In any case, by our count, there are seven NFL teams that currently have open slots on their 90-man rosters. Here’s the breakdown:
- Atlanta Falcons (2): Since maxing out the 90-man roster with draft picks and rookie free agents, the Falcons have made three cuts and moved Sean Weatherspoon to injured reserve following his season-ending Achilles injury. During that same span, they’ve only signed two players, so there should be two open spots on the roster at the moment.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2): The Bucs signed a pair of tryout players to contracts last week, adding David Gettis and Ronald Talley, but also cut four players. Over the weekend, Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com explored how the team might fill the two openings on its roster.
- Cincinnati Bengals (1): Running back Jeff Scott was waived by the Bengals last week, and the club has yet to sign a replacement.
- Cleveland Browns (1): Like the Bengals, the Browns made a cut a week ago (Earl Bennett) and haven’t yet filled his spot on the roster.
- Denver Broncos (1): Denver hasn’t made a roster addition since waiving Ramon Harewood last month, so the team should have one spot available.
- Green Bay Packers (1): A neck injury forced Johnathan Franklin into early retirement and forced the Packers to waive him with an injured player designation, creating an empty spot on the 90-man roster.
- San Francisco 49ers (1): Eric Wright‘s retirement announcement created an opening on the Niners’ roster last Tuesday.
AFC North Links: Gilbert, Browns, Ravens
All five remaining unsigned 2014 draftees are on AFC teams, and the highest unsigned pick will play in the AFC North. But even without a contract in place, Browns cornerback Justin Gilbert doesn’t sound too concerned about his situation. Here’s the latest on the No. 8 overall pick, along with a couple more items out of the division:
- One of two first-round picks without a deal in place, Gilbert tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link) that his agent continues to work on his contract, though he’s not sure when it’ll get done. The two sides may be haggling over something like offset language, but when the deal gets completed, the Browns cornerback will be in line for a signing bonus worth more than $7.65MM.
- Browns GM Ray Farmer added several new faces to his staff yesterday and promoted a handful of executives to new roles, as the team announced in a press release. “We’re committed to building our roster through the draft, developing that talent once it’s here, and retaining it. Each of these people is central in that process,” Farmer said of the new additions to the player personnel staff.
- The Ravens parted ways with some veteran players this offseason, but signed or extended a handful of players in their 30s, including Daryl Smith, Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith, and Owen Daniels. As Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun writes, getting younger is always a consideration for the club’s front office, and a few young players will play increased roles this year, but getting better was the Ravens’ priority this year.
- Earlier today, I asked which team you expect to win the AFC North in 2014. So far, the Bengals hold a slim lead, with the Steelers and Ravens jockeying for the second spot.