Audition Notes: Tuesday
Wide receiver Luke Tasker, the son former Bills receiver Steve Tasker, worked out for the Packers, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). The younger Tasker, also a wide receiver, currently plays for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. We’ll keep track of today’s workouts and visits here..
- The Ravens tried out defensive backs Anthony Gaitor, LeQuan Lewis, and Brandon Smith today, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (via Twitter). It was Quinton Pointer, however, who was picked to fill the practice squad opening.
- The Bengals tried out linebacker Victor Butler, according to Balzer (Twitter link). In the same link, Balzer shares that cornerback Dominique Franks worked out for the Lions, who also brought in Roc Carmichael.
- Prior to adding defensive tackle Doug Worthington to the practice squad, the Rams also tried out fellow defensive tackles David Carter and Everett Dawkins, Balzer tweets.
- The Packers also worked out cornerback Vernon Kearney, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
We’ve already got one ongoing post designed to track today’s minor 53-man roster moves from around the league, but we’ll use this space to keep tabs on Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts. Here’s the latest:
- The Saints added guard Andrew Miller to the taxi squad while releasing offensive tackle DeMarcus Love and defensive tackle Garrison Smith, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Panthers cut running back Tauren Poole from their taxi squad yet again and replaced him by re-signing Micanor Regis, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
- A source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) that the Chiefs have cut tight end Adam Schiltz, creating a second open spot on the Kansas City practice squad.
- The Cowboys have their practice squad back up to 10 players, signing linebacker Mister Alexander to fill the final opening, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
- Wide receiver Travis Labhart has been placed on the Texans‘ practice squad-injured list, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Having lost cornerback Chance Casey to the Raiders, the 49ers replaced him on their practice squad by signing cornerback Cameron Fuller, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Earlier updates:
- The Ravens have filled up their practice squad by signing cornerback Quinton Pointer, the team announced today.
- Earlier today, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported (via Twitter) that the Texans were working out quarterback Seth Lobato, but the club ended up signing another quarterback to its taxi squad. Ricky Stanzi is the signal-caller that landed with the Texans, tweets Wilson.
- The Jets have signed former Marshall linebacker Mario Harvey to their practice squad, according to the team (Twitter link).
- After cutting him over the weekend, Washington has re-signed linebacker Steve Beauharnais to the club’s practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team also added defensive tackle Isaako Aaitui to the unit, cutting linebacker Justin Jackson to accommodate the move (Twitter link).
- Having lost Zach Mettenberger and Jake Locker to injuries, the Titans added quarterback Jordan Palmer to their active roster yesterday, and have added another signal-caller to their practice squad today for emergency purposes. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean tweets that QB Alex Tanney has signed with Tennessee’s taxi squad.
- Former Wake Forest defensive lineman Zach Thompson is signing to the Ravens‘ practice squad, taking one of the two open spots on the unit, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The 49ers have brought back a player who was part of the club’s practice squad earlier this season, announcing today in a press release that they’ve re-added tight end Xavier Grimble.
Ravens Place Jackson, Brooks On IR
TUESDAY, 1:40pm: The Ravens have officially placed Jackson on their injured reserve list, along with fellow defensive back Terrence Brooks, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team promoted offensive lineman Ryan Jensen from their practice squad, so there should be on open spot left on the 53-man roster.
MONDAY, 3:29pm: The Ravens’ secondary took yet another hit this weekend, as head coach John Harbaugh announced today that cornerback Asa Jackson will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury (Twitter link via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), Jackson suffered a PCL injury with a five-week recovery period, so Baltimore will bring in a healthy replacement as the team pushes for a playoff berth.
It’s the second major injury of the season for Jackson, who was placed on IR once already this year, with the designation to return, due to a foot issue. For the Ravens, it’s just the latest in a string of season-ending injuries for defensive backs. Jimmy Smith, Danny Gorrer, Aaron Ross, and Tramain Jacobs are among the one-time members of the team’s secondary that currently find themselves on the injured reserve list.
With Jackson heading to IR, the Ravens will be on the lookout for cornerback help, Harbaugh said today (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun). The club doesn’t currently have a defensive back on its practice squad, so signing a free agent – or poaching a corner from another team’s taxi squad – looks like the next move.
Extra Points: JPP, Cameron, Gruden, Locker
Jason Pierre-Paul’s walk year spike may cost the Giants, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. After performing solidly but not spectacularly for the bulk of the season, Pierre-Paul is putting on a great show down the home stretch, just in time to increase his worth. “That’s one of those things that go unnoticed, but I think people are starting to realize he gets tremendous sack numbers but his sack numbers, just because they went down, they don’t realize how much of a hustle player he is,’’ said second-year defensive end Damontre Moore. More from around the NFL..
- Not everyone is looking strong heading into free agency. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looked at three players who hurt their stock with their play on Sunday, including Browns tight end Jordan Cameron and Ravens running back Justin Forsett.
- Jon Gruden openly wonders if the Bears should have kept Josh McCown and ditched Jay Cutler, as Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) writes. While Cutler has struggled, I would note that McCown hasn’t exactly shined in Tampa Bay.
- Given his issues with durability as well as the fundamentals of the position, Jake Locker will have to settle for a backup job as a potential reclamation project in 2015, writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. The Titans quarterback was placed on IR earlier today.
- With many issues still to be settled, it sounds unlikely that the league will put a team in Los Angeles in time to play in 2015, writes Peter King of The MMQB.
- In an interview on WBBM-AM 780, Bears GM Phil Emery spoke about last week’s controversy involving offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer. Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune has the goods.
- In case you were worried, the Super Bowl will go on, despite the failure of Congress to renew the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
Injury Updates: Sunday
We’ll keep track of the latest injury news here, with the newest updates added to the top of the list…
- Lions‘ right tackle LaAdrian Waddle left today’s game with a right knee injury, according to Josh Katzenstein of DetroitNews.com. Waddle’s teammates were not optimistic about the injury, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN (via Twitter).
- Seahawks‘ left tackle Russell Okung was forced out of the matchup with the 49ers before halftime with a chest injury, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
- The 49ers were eliminated from playoff contention earlier today, and were down to their third string running back at times. We heard that Frank Gore was knocked out of the game with a head injury, which was diagnosed as a concussion, according to Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News (via Twitter).
- Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy hyperextended his knee, an injury that could end his season, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. With no chance of playoffs and the 2015 top pick in their grasp, keeping McCoy on the sidelines for the final two games could be the smart long-term decision for the team.
- Washington lost two starters earlier today, with left tackle Trent Williams and quarterback Colt McCoy both leaving the game and not returning, reports Tarik-El Bashir of CSNWashington.com. Williams suffered a shoulder injury, while McCoy aggravated his neck during the game.
Earlier updates:
- After having his right ankle taped during the first half of today’s game against the Broncos, Chargers receiver Keenan Allen had to be carted off the field during the second half, tweets Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. It’s unclear whether Allen re-aggravated his ankle ailment, or suffered a new injury.
- Texans quarterback Tom Savage was limping after today’s game against the Colts, and will have an MRI tomorrow, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Savage, selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft, was filling in for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is likely lost for the year. If Savage can’t go next week, Houston would presumably turn to journeyman Thad Lewis, who was signed less than a month ago.
- 49ers running back Frank Gore is headed to the locker room after suffering an head injury while blocking in today’s game against the Seahawks, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link).
- The Ravens’ secondary has been ravaged by injuries this season, and it appears as though they’ve lost a few more key defenders. Rookie safety Terrence Brooks‘ season is over after he suffered damage to his PCL and possibly his MCL on a kickoff today, while cornberback Asa Jackson‘s status is unclear after he injured his PCL, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Another AFC North team is down several players in its defensive backfield, as Browns corners Joe Haden (shoulder) and Joe Haden (concussion) were forced from today’s game against the Bengals, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Starting in the absence of an injured Zach Mettenberger, Titans quarterback Jake Locker suffered what appears to a shoulder injury after taking a hit from the Jets’ Quinton Coples, per Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Charlie Whitehurst has taken over at QB for Tennessee.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are Saturday’s minor moves, with the most recent transactions added to the top of the list:
- The Packers have placed backup linebacker Jamari Lattimore on the injured reserve, tweets Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo. The team will promote safety Chris Banjo from the practice squad to take the open roster space (also via Garafolo).
- The Dolphins have promoted defensive back T.J. Heath, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. The former Jacksonville State standout previously spent time with the Jaguars, Bengals, Bills and Browns.
- The Seahawks have released cornerback Kennard Cox from their practice squad, tweets The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. Taking his place will be linebacker Allen Bradford, who was cut from the team’s active roster earlier this week.
Earlier updates:
- The Raiders have signed safety Ras-I Dowling and linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu to the active roster from the practice squad, according to the team website. They have also placed safety Larry Asante on the reserved/injured list.
- The Ravens have promoted running back Fitzgerald Toussaint from the practice squad to the active roster, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team has placed offensive tackle Jah Reid on injured reserve after re-aggravating a hand injury (via Twitter).
- The Bears have placed linebacker Darryl Sharpton on the injured reserve list, and signed quarterback David Fales to the active roster, reports Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter).
- The Browns have signed former Saints‘ kicker Garrett Hartley, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). The team has released kicker Billy Cundiff with an injury settlement (via Twitter).
- The Panthers have promoted linebacker Kevin Reddick from their practice squad and have waived linebacker Horace Miller, according to team’s official Twitter page.
AFC North Notes: McPhee, Ravens, Browns
With Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee approaching the end of his rookie contract, he’ll be a hot item if he hits the open market this winter. However, as he tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, the pass rusher would like to work out a long-term deal that keeps him in Baltimore.
“I would love to be here,” McPhee said. “It’s a business. I hope they’ll want me back. I hope so, man. I don’t know if they’re talking, but I hope so. This is where I was born in the NFL, and I wouldn’t mind continuing to live here and keep it going.”
Here’s more on the Ravens and one of their AFC North rivals:
- Ravens wide receiver Aldrick Robinson is being paid an upgraded practice squad salary of $10K per week, above the usual rate of $6,300 per week, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
- Wilson (via Twitter) also has the goods on the Ravens‘ deal with defensive back Antoine Cason. The deal is worth the veteran’s minimum of $730K and he’ll earn the prorated portion of that for the last three games (~$129K). Cason, a former first-round pick, signed with Baltimore earlier this week to help provide depth in a secondary that has been hit hard by injuries.
- There was some speculation earlier in the week, particularly after the club worked out multiple kickers, that the Browns would replace kicker Billy Cundiff, who has been inconsistent this season. While Cleveland initially elected not to sign another kicker due to Cundiff’s performance, the team may have to do so anyway, with the veteran listed as questionable on this week’s injury report due to a knee injury, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. The Browns took a look at Garrett Hartley, Zach Hocker, and Nate Freese this week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
North Notes: Hawk, Packers, Leonard
Ravens safety Will Hill has the talent and he’s determined to stay out of trouble so that it can shine through, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “My living habits, I don’t go out on the town much,” Hill said. “I sit in the house with my family. I used to be a nightclub guy, especially coming out of college. I’ve just been watching a lot of movies. I’m a homebody. I took a long look in the mirror and decided to change a lot of things.” More from the AFC and NFC North..
- Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com wonders if we’re seeing the end of A.J. Hawk in a Packers uniform. The 30-year-old has spent his entire career with Green Bay ever since being drafted fifth overall in 2006, but he has seen his role diminish as of late. Hawk, who is owed $3.5MM in salary and bonuses in 2015, says he doesn’t plan on hanging ’em up after this year.
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Echoing comments he made back at the start of training camp, Browns safety Jim Leonhard said today that he continues to plan to retire from the NFL at season’s end, tweets Michael Beaven of the Akron Beacon Journal. “It’s time,” Leonhard said. “For me, I’ve made the decision. It’s more of mentally being ready to move on rather than the physical side” (Twitter link).
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The Ravens tried out wide receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu and running backs William Powell and Derrick Strozier, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter).
AFC Links: Jaguars, Ravens, Clowney, Browns
Jaguars wide receiver Cecil Shorts will be a free agent at the end of the season, but the four-year veteran claims he’s only focused on his team’s final three games. However, when asked about the future, the 26-year-old gave some hints about where he’d like to play next year (via Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union):
“Do I want to be here? Yeah. We’ll deal with that when the off-season comes. But right now, we have three games left so I’m trying to focus on Baltimore.
“I really like what’s going on here. I like how [general manager] Dave [Caldwell] is building the team, I like what [owner] Shad [Khan] is putting into the team and I’m a huge fan of [coach] Gus [Bradley] and the coaching staff. This is a team I feel is going in the right direction and I would feel terrible if I end up somewhere else and this team [goes], ‘Boom [and gets better],’ because I’ve been through the rough times.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC…
- Ravens linebacker Daryl Smith, who has spent the last two seasons in Baltimore, briefly reflected on his time with the Jaguars, where he spent the first nine seasons of his career. “I had a good nine years down there, and I’m in Baltimore now,” Smith said (via Wilson). “I’m definitely thankful I got an opportunity and I love being here. I’m happy here. At the end of the day, we’re here to win games. I’m just happy to have these games mean something at this time of the year.”
- Ravens president Dick Cass clarified his initial statement to Ray Rice following the early reports of domestic abuse. “I never suggested to Ray that he soften or tone down his description of what happened,” Cass said (via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun on Twitter). The president added that he told Rice to do three things: “tell the truth… don’t sugarcoat it…assume the league saw all the video.”
- Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole says there is “grave concern” within the Texans organization regarding rookie Jadeveon Clowney‘s injury. Cole estimates that the first-overall pick could be a productive defensive end for four to six years, but a long career at the position is “highly unlikely.”
- Browns defensive end John Hughes returned to practice today, but Wilson tweets that he hasn’t been activated from the injured reserve-designated to return list.
- The Saints weren’t the only team working out a trio of kickers today. According to Howard Balzer on Twitter, the Browns worked out Garrett Hartley, Zach Hocker and Nate Freese.
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Raiders announced that they have filled their two open practice squad spots, signing wide receiver Kenny Shaw and tight end Evan Wilson. Shaw, a former standout at Florida State, briefly spent time with the Browns and Jaguars. Wilson was among the Dolphins final cuts in August, and he had workouts with the Patriots and Giants earlier this season.
- The Seahawks have signed linebacker Mike Zimmer, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Zimmer (no relation to the coach) played with the Vikings during the preseason.
Earlier updates:
- Cornerback Kennard Cox has signed with the Seahawks‘ taxi squad, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Cox last played in the NFL with Seattle in 2011.
- The 49ers have filled the last opening on their practice squad by signing offensive tackle Chris Martin, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
- According to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter), the two openings on the Lions’ practice squad have now been filled, as the team added wide receiver Skye Dawson and linebacker Jerrell Harris.
- The Cowboys have made a change to their practice squad, replacing defensive end Lavar Edwards with cornerback Micah Pellerin, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link). Edwards lands on the team’s practice squad IR list.
- The Panthers have re-signed running back Tauren Poole to their practice squad, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Poole had a very brief stint on the active roster earlier this season when Carolina was dealing with several injuries in the backfield.
- Wide receiver Alec Lemon, a former local high school standout, has joined the Ravens‘ taxi squad, filling the 10th and final spot, according to a team release.
- The Broncos have filled the lone opening on their practice squad by adding defensive end Gerald Rivers back to the unit, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold (via Twitter). Rivers, who tried out for the Giants this week, was cut last week from Denver’s 53-man roster.
- The Buccaneers have removed tight end Taylor Sloat from their practice squad, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link), who says the move may indicate improving health for the team’s tight ends. Linebacker Ka’Lial Glaud has replaced Sloat on the squad.
- With outside linebacker Jason Ankrah having been promoted to the Texans‘ active roster, former Clemson defensive end Kourtnei Brown has been added to Houston’s practice squad to replace Ankrah, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.