Packers To Cut QB DeShone Kizer
The 53-man roster deadline is always full of surprises. Here’s the latest one – the Packers have cut quarterback DeShone Kizer, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Just a couple of months ago, Kizer indicated that he did not see him “as Aaron Rodgers’ backup for the final era of his career.” Instead, he envisioned being a “future Super Bowl MVP.”
“That’s the level I want to play at. Therefore, if I’m competing and focused in on the backup competition, then once again, I’m limiting myself,” he said.
The good news for Kizer – he won’t be Rodgers’ backup for the final era of his career. The bad news – well, you know.
A second-round selection in 2017, Kizer was pegged as a green talent that had high upside. Unfortunately for the Notre Dame product, he was taken by the Browns, who proceeded to lose every game that season. At year’s end, he was shipped to Green Bay. Now, at the age of 23, he’ll look for his third NFL squad.
Jets To Cut 2019 Third-Round Pick Jachai Polite
Yes, you read that headline correctly. The Jets are cutting Jachai Polite, their third-round pick from just a few months ago (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the Daily News).
Polite once had first-round buzz, but slipped after bombing at the combine. Mike Maccagnan, the Jets’ former GM who wasn’t fired until after the key parts of free agency and the draft, saw an opportunity for value. New GM Joe Douglas and head coach Adam Gase, meanwhile, saw waiver wire fodder.
“We know some of the risk in [Polite],” Maccagnan said after the draft. “We also think there are some very good qualities about him.”
The Jets certainly could have used Polite’s potential pass rushing ability. He racked up eleven sacks during his final season with the Gators and the Jets finished in the middle of the pack last year with 39 quarterback takedowns.
Polite’s deal was to be a four-year pact worth a total of $3.6MM. It includes a $1.1MM signing bonus. Depending on what happens from here, the Jets could remain on the hook.
Jets Waive Davis Webb
Davis Webb just can’t get any love in the New York/New Jersey area. The Jets have waived the quarterback, as Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets.
The Jets inked former Broncos starter Trevor Siemian to a one-year, $2MM this offseason, which spelled the beginning of the end for Webb. The Giants’ 2017 third-round pick joined Gang Green off waivers last year, but he has yet to take his first NFL snap. Siemian, meanwhile, has started 24 pro games, and has performed well at times.
Cutting Webb will have no real financial ramifications for the Jets. Dropping Siemian, meanwhile, would have resulted in $1MM in dead money. In any case, the Jets preferred Siemian as Sam Darnold‘s backup, and their QB room is now set for 2019.
Browns To Trade Or Release Britton Colquitt
The Browns informed Jamie Gillan that he has won the punting job, a source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). With “The Scottish Hammer” booting the ball, the Browns will make Britton Colquitt available in one fashion or another.
Colquitt has been a successful punter with multiple stops in the NFL, and was named a Pro Bowl alternate last year. However, Gillan, a rookie from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, edged him out this summer.
There are at least a handful of teams with shaky punting situations and Colquitt figures to be at the top of most lists.
Dolphins Drop Dwayne Allen
The Dolphins have reached an injury settlement with tight end Dwayne Allen and released cornerback Torry Mctyer, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Allen was unable to stay healthy or produce in camp, leading to his late-August release.
“They got younger guys they want to invest more time in,” Allen told ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (on Twitter). “They decided to let me go, but I appreciate the opportunity that they gave me. There are teams calling, but we will see. I had an offseason knee surgery that I need to heal up from.”
Allen was expected to be a big part of the Dolphins’ offense, but it appears they are comfortable with tight ends Mike Gesicki, Nick O’Leary, and Durham Smythe. Allen, meanwhile, could look for work elsewhere, though he hinted at leaving the NFL altogether.
“I love the game of football. It’s a great gift to all us all, but I will take some time to think about my future,” Allen told Anderson. “I know at some point I want to go back to school.”
Redskins To Release Josh Doctson
The Redskins will release wide receiver Josh Doctson after failing to broker a suitable trade, according to Mike Jones of USA Today (on Twitter). Doctson, a former first-round pick, has yet to prove himself at the NFL level, so the lack of overall interest is not shocking.
Doctson has been a rumored trade candidate for some time. The Redskins have shopped him to at least a couple of different teams, but they couldn’t pawn off the 26-year-old or his $3.19MM cap charge.
Doctson has started 26 games over the past two years for Washington, but this has only resulted in 79 total catches for 1,034 yards and eight touchdowns. Last year, he placed 96th out of 107 qualifying wideouts in yards per route run last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
The organization declined the receiver’s fifth-year option this past offseason. Had the Redskins picked up his option, Docston would have been due $10.162MM for the 2020 campaign.
Even without Doctson, the Redskins have a good deal of offensive options, including tight end Jordan Reed (if healthy), running backs Chris Thompson, Adrian Peterson, and Derrius Guice, and receivers Paul Richardson, Trey Quinn, and Terry McLaurin.
Falcons To Sign Matt Bryant
The Falcons are re-signing veteran kicker Matt Bryant, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year, $3MM deal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Bryant retired after parting ways with Atlanta in the offseason, but he’ll return at the age of 44 to handle Atlanta’s kicking duties.
Bryant will take over the job that was supposed to belong to either Giorgio Tavecchio or Blair Walsh this year. Both kickers struggled in practice – with Walsh having serious hiccups in full view of the press earlier this week – so Bryant will go from the couch to the field to solidify their special teams.
Bryant, 44, nailed 95.2% of his field goal tries for the Falcons last year, but the Falcons elected to save money by declining his 2019 option. Now, Bryant will resume work in Atlanta for his eleventh-straight season with the club.
Saints Cut Kayvon Webster
The Saints have cut cornerback Kayvon Webster, according to multiple reports. The 28-year-old’s run in New Orleans lasted less than three months.
The Saints auditioned several cornerbacks early on this summer and liked what Webster brought to the table. But, with a solid group of CBs already locked in, a spot was far from guaranteed for the vet.
Webster garnered some hype as a backup in Denver, but injuries spoiled what could have been his true coming out party with the Rams. Instead of taking off in old friend Wade Phillips‘ system, his season ended after just eleven games. Last year, he latched on with the Texans, but he was limited to just two games thanks to multiple injuries and two IR stints.
Panthers Place Graham Gano On IR
The Panthers have placed kicker Graham Gano on injured reserve (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com). There was some discussion about Gano being carried on IR, but they’ll move on from him instead and turn to Joey Slye.
Gano, a kicker with a solid track record, was not a trade candidate because of his injury and his high cap number (roughly $3.7MM).
Slye, a Virginia Tech product, auditioned for the Bucs last year but ultimately remained unsigned. He’s impressed the Panthers enough to get a crack at the job for 2019, and potentially beyond if he performs well.
Eagles Cut CB Orlando Scandrick
The Eagles are cutting cornerback Orlando Scandrick (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Scandrick, who spent years with the rival Cowboys, joined Philly earlier this summer.
At the time of signing, the back-half of the Eagles’ defense was badly banged up. Things have improved on that front, so the veteran’s services were no longer needed.
After playing the first ten years of his career with the Cowboys, Scandrick signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Redskins last offseason. He didn’t even make it out of camp with them before he was released. Then, he was then scooped up by the Chiefs. He played out the year in Kansas City’s league-worst secondary, making seven starts.