Bills Cut Mike Williams, Sign Deonte Thompson
TUESDAY, 9:56pm: Williams has cleared waivers and reverted to the Bills’ injured reserve list, writes Rodak, who estimates that the club reach a settlement with the receiver.
MONDAY, 3:17pm: Williams wants to play now and is hoping to catch on with a contender, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Wawrow’s previously-linked report indicates that the Bills reached a settlement with Williams, so it sounds as if he’ll hit the open market rather than landing on the team’s injured reserve list.
3:04pm: A little more than eight months after they acquired him from the Buccaneers in exchange for a sixth-round pick, the Bills are parting ways with veteran wideout Mike Williams, according to reports from John Wawrow of The Associated Press and Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
Williams, 27, was expected to contribute this season to a revamped Bills receiving corps that lost Steve Johnson, but added No. 4 overall pick Sammy Watkins. However, Williams didn’t see much action during his stint in Buffalo, partly due to injuries, and compiled just 142 yards and one touchdowns on eight receptions in 2014. There were reports earlier in the season that Williams – or his agent – had requested a trade, but the former Buccaneer denied asking to be moved.
As Rodak indicates, Buffalo is waiving Williams with the injured designation, which means he should revert to the injured reserve list, assuming he goes unclaimed tomorrow on waivers. The team’s official press release on the move confirms as much, noting that Williams has been put on the waived/injured list.
To replace Williams on the roster, the Bills have signed wide receiver Deonte Thompson from off the Ravens’ practice squad, as first reported by Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
AFC Notes: Ray Rice, Coaches, Tryouts
Ray Rice‘s grievance hearing against the Ravens will take place on January 15 and 16, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. We heard last week that Rice’s representatives were working with the NFL to schedule a date for the hearing, and it looks like an agreement has been struck. Rice, of course, has already won his reinstatement to the league after Judge Barbara S. Jones overturned his indefinite suspension. In this matter, Rice will seek to recoup the more than $3.5MM in salary he lost as a result of his release, which he believes was unfounded. Here’s more from the AFC…
- Rex Ryan is likely to leave the Jets this offseason, albeit involuntary, but one other New York coach would like to leave on his own accord. As Mark Berman of My Fox Houston writes, Thomas McGaughey, the Jets’ special teams coordinator, would like to become the head coach at the University of Houston, his alma mater. McGaughey, 41, is in his first season directing Gang Green’s special teams, and previously served in the same capacity at LSU from 2011-13. He was a defensive back at Houston from 1991-95.
- With firing season inching ever closer, Alex Marvez of Fox Sports’ looks at which head coaches may soon be out of a job, and a pair of AFC coaches are listed. Rex Ryan and Joe Philbin, in Marvez’s view, could soon be shown the door by the Jets and the Dolphins, respectively.
- The Jets worked out fullback/linebacker Mario Harvey and LB Uani ‘Unga today, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link) and the New York Post’s Brian Costello (Twitter link).
Ravens Sign Antoine Cason
12:15pm: The Ravens have confirmed in a press release that they’ve signed Cason and placed Gorrer on IR. The team added that wide receiver Aldrick Robinson has been added to the practice squad, replacing fellow wideout LaQuan Williams.
8:51am: A week after being released by the Panthers, Antoine Cason has found a new home, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the Ravens are signing the veteran cornerback.
Cason, a former first-round pick, started 11 of the Panthers’ first 12 games, but had plenty of ups and downs throughout the year. The 28-year-old was benched in Week 13 after allowing a touchdown to Vikings wideout Greg Jennings, and has a grade of -10.2 on the season, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). Although he has grabbed a pair of interceptions, Cason has also allowed six touchdowns, a 122.2 passer rating, and an 80.3% completion rate on passes thrown into his coverage, per PFF.
Despite Cason’s struggles in 2014, he could help provide some depth in a Ravens’ secondary that has been ravaged by injuries this season. Top cornerback Jimmy Smith landed on injured reserve earlier in the year, and Danny Gorrer is headed there as well, in what will be the corresponding move to accommodate the signing of Cason, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Cason worked out for the Bears this week before landing with the Ravens.
Monday Roundup: QB Dilemmas, Pitta, Lewis
After predictably non-committal responses in his post-game press conference yesterday, Browns head coach Mike Pettine said today that “it’s natural to lean the other way” when considering who his starting quarterback should be moving forward (per ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon) The “other way” in this case is, of course, Johnny Manziel, whom Dennis Manoloff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes will get the nod over the struggling Brian Hoyer in next week’s matchup against Cincinnati.
Now for some more links from around the league:
- Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes that the Ravens expect Dennis Pitta to return in 2015 and that his second major hip injury will not force him into retirement.
- Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall supports quarterback Jay Cutler, but Marshall agrees with reports that the team is probably experiencing buyer’s remorse for Cutler’s contract, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com.
- The Jets will work out cornerback Keith Lewis tomorrow, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (writing for the National Football Post).
- Rick Stroud of the Tampa Times writes that Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith will re-evaluate whether Josh McCown or Mike Glennon should be the bridge to the franchise quarterback that many believe the team will select with its first pick in next year’s draft. Stroud notes that Glennon, at least, could show enough in the season’s final three weeks to generate some trade interest, and an Associated Press report suggests that Tampa Bay could indeed turn to Glennon down the stretch.
- The Eagles‘ poor offensive showing against Seattle naturally generated a great deal of conversation regarding the team’s quarterback situation, especially with Nick Foles‘ return nearing, writes Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. However, head coach Chip Kelly said simply, “I have no updates on Nick.”
- Like its division rivals, Washington has a quarterback dilemma on its hands, but Gary Mihoces of USA Today writes that head coach Jay Gruden will wait for an update on Colt McCoy‘s neck sprain before naming a starter for Week 15.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at the players who saw their stock drop in Week 14, including, of course, Hoyer.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are Monday’s minor transactions, including practice squad signings and cuts, from around the NFL:
- As Cowboys defensive back Tyler Patmon continues to improve from a sprained knee, the team has parted ways with another cornerback. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com writes that the Cowboys have waived Micah Pellerin. The 26-year-old has appeared in three games this season with Dallas.
- The Chargers placed offensive lineman Ryan Miller on their reserve/non-football injury list last week, but the team changed course today. Miller was moved to the injured reserve list and subsequently waived with an injury settlement, tweets Howard Balzer.
- Less than a week after he joined the Dolphins practice squad, linebacker Jake Knott has been promoted to the team’s active roster, the 24-year-old announced on Twitter. Knott previously spent time with the Eagles, where he made 12 appearances last season.
- Even though running back Marcus Lattimore announced his retirement last month, the 49ers continued to keep him on their non-football-injury list. That ended today, as Aaron Wilson tweets that the team has cut the former fourth-rounder.
- The Broncos have signed returner Isaiah Burse to their practice squad, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. To make room, Denver waived guard Mark Asper. Burse, who has returned 29 of the team’s 30 punt returns this season, was waived on Saturday to make room for kicker Brandon McManus.
Earlier updates:
- After being cut last week by the Panthers, veteran linebacker Jason Williams has a new home, catching on with another NFC South team. The Buccaneers announced that they’ve signed Williams, placing fellow linebacker Brandon Magee on injured reserve in order to accommodate the new signing.
- The Packers have signed defensive tackle Bruce Gaston from off the Cardinals‘ practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. To make room for Gaston, the club placed rookie defensive tackle Luther Robinson, who sustained a calf injury, on the injured reserve list.
- The Chargers have parted ways with a pair of players, releasing center Jeff Baca from their 53-man roster and cutting cornerback Kendall James from their practice squad, tweets Eric Williams of ESPN.com.
- Having lost wide receiver Deonte Thompson off their practice squad to the Bills earlier today, the Ravens filled the opening by re-signing tight end Allen Reisner to the unit, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Wideout Rashad Ross has signed to Washington‘s taxi squad, the club announced today (Twitter link).
Injury Updates: Monday
In our Sunday roundup of the latest notable injury news from around the NFL, we passed along postgame items on a number of players, including several who will miss the rest of the season. Today, we’ll continue to provide updates on those players and others, as diagnoses are modified or confirmed. We don’t cover every single injury at PFR, but we’ll keep tabs on the ones that may require a roster move, with the latest notes added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- While it’s less an injury update than a health update, the Chiefs provided some news on safety Eric Berry today, announcing that the Pro Bowler has been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. “This is a diagnosis that is very treatable and potentially curable with standard chemotherapy approaches,” said Dr. Christopher R. Flowers in a statement. “The goal of Mr. Berry’s treatment is to cure his lymphoma and we are beginning that treatment now.” We wish Berry and his family our well-wishes and support as he begins his treatment.
- The Ravens confirmed a Sunday report today, indicating that cornerback Danny Gorrer will miss the rest of the season after tearing his MCL and PCL, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The club will place Gorrer on injured reserve.
Earlier updates:
- As expected, Titans quarterback Zach Mettenberger will be out for the rest of the year with an AC joint separation, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The rookie signal-caller may be placed on IR this week to make room for a new addition.
- While Cardinals running back Andre Ellington is expected to miss the rest of the season, cornerback Antonio Cromartie’s injury doesn’t appear as serious as initially feared, GM Steve Keim confirmed today (link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). Cromartie is day-to-day with the injury, which affects the peroneal tendon rather than the Achilles, and will undergo more testing today.
- As first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Chargers have diagnosed punter Mike Scifres with a fractured clavicle. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Scifres is undergoing surgery today, and should be okay to return for the playoffs, assuming San Diego makes it.
Injury Updates: Sunday
Let’s take a look at some injuries that could force clubs to make a change to their rosters as they enter the final quarter of the regular season:
- Ravens cornerback Danny Gorrer has ligament damage in his knee and will miss the rest of the season, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The 28-year-old did not tear his ACL, but the damage was severe enough to end his year.
Earlier updates:
- Dolphins safety Louis Delmas was carted off the field in his team’s loss to the Ravens, and Adam H. Beasley and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald write that initial reports are pointing towards a torn ACL. This would presumably end Delmas’ season.
- Percy Harvin had his best game of the season today, finishing with six catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. However, the Jets‘ wideout injured his ankle late in the game, and ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini says the veteran’s season could be over.
- Cardinals‘ running back Andre Ellington will likely be placed on injured reserve with his hip pointer, reports Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 AM in Phoenix (via Twitter). Ellington will see a specialist in Philadelphia this week.
- Cardinals‘ cornerback Antonio Cromartie was carted off the field during their tight contest with the Chiefs, reports Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). He suffered an achilles injury (via Twitter). Kent Somers of AZCentral.com writes that Cromartie was unable to put any weight on his left leg (via Twitter).
- Titans‘ quarterback Zach Mettenberger is likely done for the year with a right shoulder sprain, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean (via Twitter). The X-Ray was negative, but an MRI is scheduled for Monday (via Twitter). He had suffered an injury to the shoulder last week as well, but this one could be enough to end his season.
- 49ers‘ defensive back Chris Culliver left the game with a knee injury and has been ruled out for the game, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). Guard Mike Iupati left the game with an elbow injury and is questionable to return. Both players will deeply impact the 49ers’ playoff chances, and Iupati could also cost himself money as he is prepared to hit free agency this offseason.
Extra Points: Webb, Peterson, Cowboys
While everyone was watching the college football crown its conference champions, a few NFL stories trickled through worth mentioning. To take a break from arguing TCU, Baylor, and Ohio State, here a few stories from around the NFL this Saturday night:
- Ravens‘ cornerback Lardarius Webb has not had his best season in 2014, which could lead to a difficult decision for the team this offseason. Given his poor performance, it will be not be easy to swallow his $8MM salary next season, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN. He is the sixth highest paid corner in the league next year, and with his injury history the team would prefer to see if Webb would accept a pay cut to stay with the team going forward.The team has already reworked the Webb’s contract to clear up cap space this past offseason, The Ravens biggest weakness has been among its cornerbacks, and losing Webb for nothing would only save the team $2MM in cap space and leave them thin in the defensive backfield.
- Adrian Peterson has stated that he believes he will continuing playing in his extended prime for five or six more years. At $13MM in 2015, the Vikings might not be the place where Peterson finishes his career, but he will have his choice of landing spots writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Wesseling writes that Peterson proved doubters wrong when he returned from a torn ACL to have his best year as a pro, and could be the outlier who continues his success later in his career.
- If the Vikings do move on from Peterson, the obvious suitor for his services would be the Cowboys, writes Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The team has treated DeMarco Murray like a “rented mule” according to Souhan, and all indications are that the team is going to use up Murray in the last year of his contract before looking for a bigger name back like Peterson via trade or free agency this offseason.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are Saturday’s minor moves, with the most recent transactions added to the top of the list:
- Washington has placed cornerback Chase Minnifield on injured reserve, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter). The team promoted defensive back Kenny Okoro to the 53-man roster.
- The Seahawks have promoted wide receiver Chris Matthews from their practice squad to the active roster, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
- The Steelers have activated outside linebacker Jarvis Jones off the injured reserve-designated to return, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The team placed cornerback Cortez Allen on injured reserve to make room for Jones.
- The Patriots have activated defensive tackle Sealver Siliga from the injured reserve-designated to return, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Siliga will join the active roster in time for the Sunday Night matchup against the Chargers tomorrow.
Earlier Updates
- The Broncos‘ kicking carousel continues, as Mike Klis of the Denver Post tweets that the team has promoted kicker Brandon McManus from the practice squad. The former undrafted free agent made his NFL debut with Denver earlier this season, connecting on nine of his 13 attempts. To make room, the team waived returner Isaiah Burse.
- The Giants have signed linebacker/defensive end Paul Hazel from their practice squad, tweets ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. The 24-year-old appeared in 13 games with the Browns last season. To make room on the roster, the team released defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton.
- Washington has promoted linebacker Gabe Miller from their practice squad to the 53-man roster, according to agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). A fifth-round pick in the 2011 draft, the 27-year-old finally made his NFL debut earlier this season. To make room on the roster, the team cut third-year wideout Aldrick Robinson (via ESPN’s John Keim on Twitter). Robinson signed a one-year deal with Washington following a solid 2013 campaign, but he hasn’t seen the field since Week 5.
- The Ravens have activated cornerback Asa Jackson from the injured reserve, tweets ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. The former fifth-rounder started four games earlier this season before succumbing to a foot injury. The team also placed undrafted rookie Tramain Jacobs on the injured reserve.
Haloti Ngata Suspension Notes
Ravens’ star defensive lineman Haloti Ngata was suspended for the final four games of the regular season earlier this week for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. This is a significant blow to the team’s immediate playoff hopes, as the team’s defensive strength was in the front seven.
Here are some notes from the fallout following Ngata’s suspension:
- The Ravens replaced Ngata on the active roster with tight end Phillip Supernaw, as we reported yesterday her on Pro Football Rumors.
- Ravens’ second-round pick Timmy Jernigan will receive a large uptick in snap count in Ngata’s absence, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Jernigan was one of the best players on the national championship winning defense at Florida State last year.
- Wilson also looks at a silver lining of the suspension, that the Ravens now have $6.249MM in salary cap space this season. The team is unlikely to spend that this year, but could carry that extra money over and apply it to next year’s salary cap.
- While the team is still much in the playoff hunt, John Eisenberg of BaltimoreRavens.com believes the Ngata suspension could be the difference between the team reaching the postseason or not.
- The suspension has complicated Ngata’s status with the Ravens going forward, writes Sarah Ellison of BaltimoreRavens.com. He is owed a heft $16MM in 2015, but was hoping the team would renegotiate that figure into a long term extension. Ellison also believes that the team will re-evaluate Ngata’s impressive season in light of the PED suspension.
- According to ESPN Stats and Info, the Ravens may be better off without Ngata. The team has surrendered an impressive 3.8 yards per rush with Ngata, but an excellent 3.1 yards per rush without him (via Twitter). Opposing quarterbacks have also been better with Ngata, posting a QBR of 71 against him, while that figure drops to a 47 QBR without him (via Twitter).