Minor NFL Transactions: 2/19/16
Here are Friday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL, plus a pair of notable moves from the CFL wire:
- CFL pass rusher Tristan Okpalaugo has signed with the Cardinals, according to his agent Brett Kessler (Twitter link). Okpalaugo, who recorded 23 sacks during the past two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, also received an offer from the Jets and visited Seahawks before choosing Arizona.
- In addition to confirming their previously-reported deal with wide receiver A.J. Cruz, the Dolphins announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed cornerback Chimdi Chekwa to a contract. Chekwa, who appeared in 32 games for the Raiders from 2011 to 2014, was cut from the club’s injured reserve list last September, and didn’t see any regular-season action in 2015.
- Offensive tackle Tavon Rooks, who suffered a heart attack last September in practice, was officially waived today by the Chiefs, tweets Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle adds (via Twitter) that Rooks received the non-football illness designation.
- The CFL’s Edminton Eskimos announced today in a press release that they’ve signed former NFL players Jacoby Ford (WR) and Joe McKnight (RB). Ford, a former fourth-round pick, caught 57 balls and had four kickoff return TDs for the Raiders between 2010 and 2013, while McKnight compiled 746 yards from scrimmage in 41 total games with the Jets and Chiefs from 2010 to 2014.
Eric Weddle Hopes To Join Contending Team
5:43pm: Chargers GM Tom Telesco confirmed today that the Chargers won’t use their franchise tag this year, which is the latest indication that Weddle will be able to hit the open market next month, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
12:28pm: Back in January, free agent safety Eric Weddle suggested there’s virtually no chance he’ll re-sign with the Chargers this winter after the relationship between the player and team grew increasingly fractured, particularly toward the end of the 2015 season. Around the same time, Weddle told Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune what sort of factors he’ll prioritize when he reaches the open market, citing a desire to contend for a Super Bowl as an important one.
“In the next three or four years, are they going to be competitive, are they going to be division winners, are we going to have a chance at the Super Bowl?” Weddle asked hypothetically, referring to teams that might pursue him. The veteran safety also mentioned a few more factors that will play a role in his decision: “The division, where they see me fitting, how can I help, will I be what they want, is it a good fit? I think I can play any scheme, so that’s not really an issue.”
Of course, considering Weddle referred to the possibility of winning a Super Bowl with his next team “in the next three or four years,” his definition of a potential contender may be generous. He might not reciprocate interest from a team like the Titans, which still looks multiple years away from legit contention, but a rising club like the Raiders could make a strong pitch to Weddle in free agency, despite the fact that they haven’t been to the postseason in more than a decade.
Weddle, 31, has spent all nine seasons of his NFL career with the Chargers, capped off by what was perhaps his most unusual year since entering the league. After being told by the team that his contract wouldn’t be extended prior to the season, the three-time Pro Bowler reported to camp and played well during the season, logging 76 tackles and six passes defended in 13 games.
While the contract situation was one point of contention between the two sides, the year ended on an even more acrimonious note, with the Chargers reportedly informing Weddle late in the season that he was being fined $10K for remaining on the field during halftime of a game to watch his daughter perform in a dance ceremony. Weddle and agent David Canter initially declined to go public about the fine, but the agent opened up after the Chargers placed the safety on IR in Week 17, a move that was made against his wishes. Per Canter, the team also informed Weddle that there would be no room for him to travel on the team plane to the regular season finale in Denver.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Lions Release C.J. Wilson
The Lions continue to clear salary from their 2016 cap, announcing today in a press release that they’ve released veteran defensive lineman C.J. Wilson. Wilson, who was added to Detroit’s roster via waiver claim halfway through the 2015 season, helped fill in on a defensive line plagued by injuries, but his cap number was too high to keep him in the mix going forward.
[RELATED: Lions to release Stephen Tulloch]
Wilson, 28, accrued 23 tackles and two sacks in 16 games (seven starts) with the Raiders in 2014. However, he didn’t have as significant a role in 2015, and was cut by Oakland several weeks into the season, at which point the Lions grabbed him off waivers. The East Carolina alum had been set to earn a base salary of $1.8MM in 2016, along with roster and workout bonuses totaling $500K. The Lions will clear that entire $2.3MM figure from their cap by cutting him.
With Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker facing free agency and Wilson no longer in the fold, the Lions will be in the market for interior defensive line reinforcements this winter, addressing the position in free agency and/or the draft.
The Lions have also removed RB Joique Bell (released) and CB Rashean Mathis (retired) from their cap this week, and will cut LB Stephen Tulloch when the new league year begins. Of course, the team could clear a significant chunk of cap room if WR Calvin Johnson officially decides to retire, though that would leave a major hole to fill on offense.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
East Rumors: McCoy, R. Matthews, Bradford
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s office released a statement today that essentially says there’s no update on the LeSean McCoy investigation (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News).
“I understand that people are interested in the outcome of our investigation, but we’re not going to rush because some people are impatient,” said Philadelphia DA R. Seth Williams in the statement, adding that his “only goal is to get it right, not fast.”
Williams said he has not yet decided whether to press charges against the Bills running back or anyone else involved in the nightclub altercation that took place earlier this month, so it looks like we’ll have to wait until at least next week for any sort of decision.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Wide receiver Rishard Matthews has been considered likely to leave the Dolphins this offseason, but the club has reached out to Mathews about discussing a new deal, according to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald. That doesn’t necessarily means that the Fins will re-sign Mathews, but there’s some level of interest in bringing him back.
- The Eagles continue to say they want to re-sign quarterback Sam Bradford, with de-facto GM Howie Roseman the latest to weigh in on the topic, as Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com details. Still, Roseman cautioned that any deal has “got to work for the other side and the player” in addition to working for the team. At this point, I’d be surprised if the two sides got something done prior to free agency, unless the Eagles are willing to use the franchise tag, since there’s no incentive for Bradford to accept a below-market offer.
- While it’s premature to say Jets linebacker Demario Davis is a goner, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com expects the team to let Davis test the open market, where he’s likely to get a better deal than the Jets will be willing to offer.
- According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter), Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie will make $1.1MM on his new one-year contract with the team, which features $275K in guaranteed money.
Bengals Unlikely To Re-Sign Mohamed Sanu
3:28pm: The Browns, mentioned below as a potential suitor for Sanu, are indeed expected to pursue him in free agency, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The source added that former Bengals OC Hue Jackson “loved Sanu’s versatility.”
8:38am: The Bengals have multiple wide receivers eligible to hit the open market in March, and at least one of them is unlikely to return to Cincinnati. According to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, there’s “virtually no chance” that the Bengals re-sign Mohamed Sanu, who is expected to explore other opportunities in free agency.
Sanu, 26, established new career highs in 2014 with 56 receptions, 790 receiving yards, and five touchdowns. However, with fellow free-agent-to-be Marvin Jones back in the mix for Cincinnati in 2015, Sanu took on a decreased role in the Bengals’ offense. Receiving half the targets that he did the year before, the former third-round pick saw his numbers dip to 33 catches and 394 yards, and he didn’t record a single touchdown. Sanu admits that he’d like a bigger role going forward, wherever he lands.
“I think about that all the time,” Sanu told Marvez on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “When you’ve got so much talent on one team, it’s hard to get the ball. It definitely crossed my mind going elsewhere. We’ve just got to see how everything unfolds.”
While Sanu’s contract year wasn’t overly impressive, he’s expected to draw interest from multiple teams in free agency, including perhaps the Browns, Falcons, and Giants, writes Marvez. This year’s wide receiver market isn’t strong, so once the top two or three options come off the board, the Bengals wideout could become a more attractive target for teams that need to upgrade the position, particularly since so many clubs will have cap space on hand. One report earlier this week estimated a deal worth $5MM annually for Sanu.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Randy Gregory Suspended Four Games
Cowboys edge defender Randy Gregory has been suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Gregory will be eligible to return for Dallas’ fifth regular-season game.
Gregory, 23, didn’t see a ton of action during his first NFL season — he was slowed by an early-season ankle sprain and ended up recording 11 tackles over the course of 250 defensive snaps. Viewed as a surefire first-round pick – and a potential top-10 selection – based on talent, Gregory slipped in last year’s draft to 60th overall, where he was snatched up by the Cowboys. Off-field concerns, including a failed drug test at the combine, contributed to his slide.
While Gregory didn’t make any off-field headlines during his first year in Dallas, he has apparently failed several drug tests, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport points out that the NFL’s drug policy calls for a two-game fine and then a four-game fine before a player is suspended.
With Gregory set to miss the first quarter of the season and Greg Hardy potentially departing in free agency, the Cowboys figure to be in the market for pass-rushing help this offseason, in free agency and/or the draft.
In addition to Gregory, another defender, Packers defensive tackle Mike Pennel, also received a four-game ban for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, tweets Jason Wilde of ESPN.com.
Pennel, 24, started five games for the Packers last season, recording 24 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery on the year. Like Gregory, he won’t be eligible to return to action until the fifth game of his club’s regular-season schedule.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ravens TE Nick Boyle Suspended 10 Games
Ravens tight end Nick Boyle is facing another suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, the team announced today (via Twitter). Boyle has been suspended without pay for the first 10 games of the 2016 season.
[RELATED: Dennis Pitta “definitely” wants to play again]
Boyle, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, caught 18 balls for 153 yards in his rookie season. However, his first year in the NFL was cut short in December when he was suspended four games for a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Having finished serving that penalty, Boyle will begin serving his 10-game ban when the 2016 season gets underway.
At the time of Boyle’s initial suspension in December, John Harbaugh said the rookie’s ban wasn’t for steroids. The Ravens head coach declined to name the substance that resulted in the failed test, but suggested it was a common violation, adding that Boyle admitted it was a stupid mistake (Twitter links via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun).
With Boyle now facing a lengthier suspension for a similar violation, apparently having repeated last year’s “stupid mistake,” it’ll be interesting to see whether Harbaugh continues to publicly stand by his player.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams Cut Chris Long, Jared Cook, James Laurinaitis
The Rams have confirmed the release of three veteran players, announcing in a press release that defensive end Chris Long, tight end Jared Cook, and linebacker James Laurinaitis have been cut. As vested veterans, all three players will become free agents without having to pass through waivers.
[RELATED: Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Rams]
“This is the time of year when all NFL teams are faced with difficult decisions regarding their veteran players,” Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said in a statement. “Chris and James are the epitome of what it means to be a pro in this league and it’s been an honor to coach them both. They’ve been the pillars of our defense for many years and not enough can be said of their love for the game and for their teammates.
“Jared made an immediate impact when he joined the team in 2013. It’s been a pleasure watching him grow from the time I drafted him in Tennessee to seeing him set franchise records in St. Louis. Like Chris and James, he’s been a mainstay in the community and his contributions are commendable.”
Long, Cook, and Laurinaitis all had top-five cap hits for the Rams heading into 2016, making them logical release candidates — when PFR’s Zach Links previewed the club’s offseason earlier this week, he mentioned all three players as potential cap casualties.
Assuming none of the three veterans are designated as post-June 1 cuts, the Rams should create nearly $23MM in cap savings for 2016 with today’s moves, according to Over the Cap’s data. The trio will count toward the Rams’ ’16 cap for about $6MM in dead money.
Los Angeles had entered the day with upwards of $36MM in projected cap room already, per OTC, so the club should have a huge amount of flexibility in the coming weeks to re-sign its own free agents, including cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson, safety Rodney McLeod, and quarterback Case Keenum, among others.
As for the three players who hit the market today, it shouldn’t take too long for Long, Cook, and Laurinaitis to find new homes. Cook and Laurinaitis have been regular contributors for the last several seasons in St. Louis, but perhaps weren’t producing enough to justify their increasing cap figures — on more modest deals, they’ll draw interest.
Long, meanwhile, has seen his last two seasons derailed by injuries, but he’s still only 30 years old. If he can get healthy, the former second overall pick should still have something left in the tank. From 2010 to 2013 – his last four healthy seasons – Long totaled 41.5 sacks, an average of more than 10 per year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Steelers TE Heath Miller Retires
Veteran tight end Heath Miller has decided to retire, the Steelers announced today in a press release. Miller, a two-time Pro Bowler, will call it a career after spending 11 seasons in the NFL, all in Pittsburgh.
[RELATED: James Harrison to return to Steelers in 2016?]
Miller, 33, begain his career back in 2005, when the Steelers selected him with the 30th overall pick in the draft. The Virginia product immediately became a starter, and appeared in 168 regular-season games (167 starts), plus another 15 playoff contests, for the franchise over the next 11 years.
Miller’s best years came in 2009, when he caught a career-high 76 passes, and in 2012, when he racked up 816 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. However, he remained productive for the Steelers until his final season, totaling 60 receptions, 535 yards, and two touchdowns in 2015. No tight end in franchise history accumulated more total catches (592), receiving yards (6,569), or receiving touchdowns (45) than Miller.
With Miller set to move to the Steelers’ reserve/retired list, the team will no longer be on the hook for his $4MM base salary for 2016, which would have been the final year of his current contract. That frees up some cap space for Pittsburgh, but the club will have to find a way to replace the veteran’s production.
Matt Spaeth and Jesse James also saw playing time at tight end for the Steelers in 2015, and both players remain under contract going forward, but they combined for just 10 receptions between them. While the duo will likely get a chance to compete for increased snaps in 2016, the Steelers figure to address the tight end position in the draft and/or free agency.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Bennett, Titans, Okpalaugo
Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett has left Rosenhaus Sports and doesn’t currently have representation, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter). Without a new agent in place, and without a clear indication of what Bennett’s plan for the offseason is, it’s hard to know for sure what his motivation for the change was.
However, it’s worth considering that Bennett was vocal last offseason about wanting the Seahawks to address his contract, suggesting in the summer that he was contemplating a holdout. Bennett ultimately didn’t hold out and didn’t get a new deal, so perhaps he’s looking for an agent that will help him take a different approach to the situation this time around.
Let’s check in on a few more odds and ends from around the NFL….
- Speaking on Thursday about his team’s approach to free agency, GM Jon Robinson said that just because the Titans are prioritizing value pickups, that doesn’t mean they’ll be bargain-basement shopping all offseason. Robinson said he’s not afraid to spend money in free agency, adding that the team will go after an impact player if the fit is right and there’s a chance to get him (three Twitter links via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com and Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com)
- CFL pass rusher Tristan Okpalaugo, who has recorded double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons for the Toronto Argonauts, is drawing interest from multiple NFL teams. Okpalaugo has received an offer from the Jets, and had a “great visit” with the Seahawks, according to agent Brett Tessler, who says his client is visiting the Cardinals next (Twitter links).
- In a conversation with ESPN’s Hannah Storm, Saints head coach Sean Payton said that he can’t see himself coaching another team besides New Orleans for the rest of his career, praising the franchise’s structure and its absence of dysfunction. Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune has the details and the quotes from Payton.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap lays out a case for why the representatives for free agents ought to be seeking 20% more than the current market prices for their clients. Meanwhile, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com also explores the probable increase in the value of free agent contracts, writing that NFL teams will have somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 billion in total cap space this offseason.