Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/16
Here are today’s minor moves.
- The Chargers signed cornerback Steve Williams and released nose tackle Ryan Carrethers, as Eric Williams of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Bears promoted fullback Paul Lasike from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
- Ravens tight end Daniel Brown has been promoted from the taxi squad to the active roster, as Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
- The Browns signed offensive lineman Anthony Fabiano off of their practice squad and waived defensive lineman Gabe Wright, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets.
Ravens Work Out Two Players
- Safety Winston Guy worked out for the Ravens, joining wide receiver Kenny Bell, who was visiting, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). The Colts cut Guy last month.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/5/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: WR Kenny Bell
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Rory Anderson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE E.J. Bibbs (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Luke Rhodes (Twitter link via Mich Chappell of CBS4)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Brian Leonhardt
- Cut: CB Tre Roberson (Twitter link via Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune)
New England Patriots
- Signed: G Chase Farris (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss)
- Cut: LB Quentin Gause
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams, LB Darnell Sankey (via Jimmy Durkin of the San Jose Mercury News)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LB Josh Keyes
Ravens Audition Seven
- Before he signed with the Browns’ practice squad, offensive lineman Mike Liedtke worked out for the Ravens and was scheduled to audition for the Jaguars, according to his agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link). Baltimore also tried out veteran safety Shamiel Gary today, per Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Gary has also been linked to the Giants in recent days.
- The Ravens didn’t stop there, according to Howard Balzer (Twitter link): Baltimore also worked out defensive backs Jeron Johnson and Ryan Murphy, linebackers Jamari Lattimore and Andy Mulumba, and guard Ian Silberman.
Ravens Release RB Justin Forsett
The Ravens announced that they have released running back Justin Forsett. Forsett took to Twitter moments ago to bid farewell to the organization (sic). 
“Baltimore will always have a special place in my heart. Love y’all & thank u for the amazing support over the years,” Forsett tweeted.
As a vested veteran, Forsett will not have to pass through waivers. He immediately becomes a free agent.
The 30-year-old was released by the team prior to the season, but he quickly returned to the club. There seemed to have been some prearranged agreement between the two sides and it was presumably done for cap reasons.
Following a 2014 season that saw him set career-highs in rushing yards (1,266), rushing touchdowns (eight) and receptions (44), Forsett came back down to earth in 2015. The veteran appeared in only ten games, compiling 641 yards on 155 carries. Still, Forsett managed to average 4.2-yards-per-carry, solid numbers for a veteran running back.
Forsett, 31 later this month, was the Ravens’ starting tailback to kick off the season, but the run game has been geared more towards Terrance West and Javorius Allen as of late. The injured Kenneth Dixon is getting closer to returning and he figures to get a good amount of carries as well.
The Ravens are still on the hook for Forsett’s $3MM base salary.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ravens To Meet With Mike Liedtke
- Offensive lineman Mike Liedtke will meet with the Ravens on Tuesday, as agent Brett Tessler tweets.
14 Players Returning From Suspension
Fourteen players will return from four-game suspensions this week, according to Howard Balzer (Twitter links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). The most high-profile returnee, of course, is quarterback Tom Brady, who will re-join the 3-1 Patriots on Sunday against the Browns.
The following players have completed their suspensions:
- QB Tom Brady, Patriots
- DL Armonty Bryant, free agent (waived by the Browns today)
- CB Jalen Collins, Falcons
- LB Aaron Colvin, Jaugars
- DT Marcell Dareus, Bills
- T Seantrel Henderson, Bills
- DE Arthur Jones, Colts
- DE Demarcus Lawrence, Cowboys
- LB Aaron Lynch, 49ers
- DE Rob Ninkovich, Patriots
- G Chris Scott, Panthers
- DL Damion Square, Chargers
- T Zach Sterup, free agent
- TE Darren Waller, Ravens
The club that employs each player will receive a short roster exemption that ends the day following the team’s Week 5 game. that means the 49ers’ exemption for Lynch ends Friday, the Panthers’ exemption for Scott ends next Tuesday, and the rest end next Monday.
Sterup, meanwhile, was on the Chiefs’ practice squad when he was banned, but he hasn’t completed the PED reinstatement requirements, according to Balzer. So although he can sign with a new club, Sterup can’t practice or play until he’s approved by the league.
Osemele: Ravens’ Offer “Didn’t Get Close”
While speaking to Baltimore-area reporters Wednesday, Raiders guard Kelechi Osemele had some less-than-kind words for his former team, the Ravens, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Osemele’s current and previous employer are set to meet in Baltimore on Sunday.
After spending the first four seasons of his career with the Ravens, Osemele headed to the Bay Area over the winter as a highly sought-after free agent. It took a five-year, $58.5MM deal for the Raiders to land Osemele, who commented on the Ravens’ offer Wednesday.
“We didn’t get close at all,” he said. “I wasn’t really offered much at all. I pretty much knew right away I was going somewhere else. Some of the things that were being brought back to me, borderline, they can hurt your feelings sometimes.”
Osemele’s assessment runs contrary to what head coach John Harbaugh said in February, notes Zrebiec. Back then, Harbaugh stated the Ravens had been “really aggressive” in trying to re-sign Osemele and he added that the offer that was on the table at the time “shows a lot of respect for K.O.” Regardless, Osemele knew entering last season that it might be his last in Baltimore.
“I talked to Torrey Smith about it and some other guys that ended up leaving and they kind of told me that it might be a situation where Baltimore won’t pay me enough for me to stay, and it’s something that does happen with that organization because they’re able to find so many young players,” he said. “I was prepared for it. There were even some people in the organization that approached me about it and told me about it prior to the year.”
Like Osemele, Smith parlayed a four-year Ravens tenure into a sizable payday in the Bay Area. Smith is with the 49ers, though, having inked a four-year, $40MM contract with the club in March 2015.
Osemele also revealed Wednesday that there’s a Ravens coach he didn’t get along with during his time there, but he declined to identify which member of Harbaugh’s staff it is. Despite both that and his unhappiness with the Ravens’ efforts to retain him, Osemele doesn’t have hard feelings for the franchise.
“I love the city and I love the organization,” he said. “I believe in what they do for the community and what they represent. But I’m somewhere else now. I’m 100 percent all in with the Raiders’ organization. We’re going to go in there on Sunday and put on a good performance.”
It’s early, of course, but Sunday’s matchup could have playoff implications down the line. The Osemele-less Ravens are off to a 3-0 start, while the Raiders have begun 2-1 as they look to break a 13-year postseason drought.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFL Waiver Priority Now Based On 2016 Record
We’re coming up on Week 4 of the NFL season and that means that waiver claim priority will be based on the current league standings instead of last year’s. Of course, waiver priority is based on the inverted NFL standings, which have built in tiebreakers to sort out the many logjams that naturally occur.
Throughout the offseason and the first three weeks of the regular season, the Titans enjoyed top priority thanks to their 3-13 finish last year. Now, we have a brand new pecking order. Here is a full rundown of the current waiver claim priority, which will change from week to week:
1. Jaguars
2. Saints
3. Bears
4. Browns
5. Chargers
6. Lions
7. Jets
8. Cardinals
9. Bills
10. Colts
11. Dolphins
12. 49ers
13. Buccaneers
14. Bengals
15. Titans
16. Redskins
17. Panthers
18. Falcons
19. Cowboys
20. Giants
21. Raiders
22. Packers
23. Chiefs
24. Rams
25. Seahawks
26. Texans
27. Steelers
28. Ravens
29. Eagles
30. Broncos
31. Vikings
32. Patriots
Ravens Coach Clarence Brooks Passes Away
Long-time Ravens assistant coach Clarence Brooks has passed away following a battle with esophageal cancer, the team announced the morning. Brooks was 65-years-old, and he was the longest-tenured member of the Ravens’ coaching staff.
Brooks first joined the organization back in 2005 as the team’s defensive line coach, and John Harbaugh declared him “the greatest defensive line coach” he’s ever worked with. Jason La Canfora tweets that much of the Ravens defensive success has been attributed to Brooks, while Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets that Brooks was “one of most popular and beloved assistants that Ravens have ever had.”
Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com highlights the respect the Brooks had earned in the locker room, adding that it “was evident throughout the last two seasons as he continued coaching despite the cancer diagnoses.” His wife, Justa, also remarked on the impact he left on his players.
“We knew he loved his players,” she said. “Through all of this, we’ve found out how much his players loved him. We thank everyone for the loving support.”
Prior to his tenure with the Ravens, Brooks spent time on the Dolphins, Browns, and Bears coaching staff. He also coached at the University of Arizona, Syracuse, and the University of Massachusetts, where he played for three seasons.
Our thoughts and condolences are with Mr.Brooks’ family and friends.