AFC Mailbags: Titans, Chiefs, Raiders
We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier today. Let’s now check out notes from ESPN’s AFC mailbags…
- Even though Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt previously said that he’d make roster changes if play doesn’t improve, Paul Kuharsky doesn’t think that’s realistic. As the writer points out, roster building takes place in the spring, not in October.
- Adam Reicher writes that it may take some time, but the Chiefs will eventually look to extend linebacker Justin Houston. If that doesn’t happen, Reicher suggests that the team could franchise the 25-year-old.
- If the Raiders can’t get Jon Gruden or Jim Harbaugh as their next head coach, Texas A&M skipper Ken Sumlin could be a candidate, writes Bill Williamson.
- Michael DiRocco can’t see linebacker Dekoda Watson returning to the Jaguars after the season unless his play improves. The writer adds that Watson wasn’t signed to be a building block, and that will make it easier to cut the player.
- Jamison Hensley observes that the Ravens have historically kept the players they’ve wanted to keep. As a result, he believes that Torrey Smith will ultimately sign an extension with the team.
PUP, IR-DTR Players Soon Eligible To Practice
Week 6 of the NFL season will come to an end after Monday night’s game between the 49ers and Rams, and when teams begin preparing for Week 7, many of those clubs may be welcoming some players back to practice. Six weeks into the NFL season, players who were placed on the physically unable to perform list or the injured reserve list with the designation to return prior to Week 1’s games will be eligible to return to practice.
Of course, just because those players are able to return to the practice field doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be healthy enough to do so. Players on the PUP list have a five-week window to begin practicing. Once they return to practice, they have three weeks to be added to their respective teams’ active rosters. In other words, a player on the PUP list could theoretically return for his team’s Week 7 game, or could return as late as for his team’s Week 15 contest. If the player doesn’t return to practice or game action in time, he’ll revert to season-ending injured reserve.
Here are the players currently on the physically unable to perform list who can begin practicing as soon as next week:
- 49ers: NaVorro Bowman (LB), Garrett Celek (TE), Kaleb Ramsey (DT)
- Chargers: Jeromey Clary (OL)
- Colts: Stanley Havili (FB)
- Falcons: Drew Davis (WR), Zeke Motta (S)
- Jets: Antwan Barnes (LB)
- Lions: T.J. Jones (WR)
- Panthers: De’Andre Presley (WR)
- Raiders: D.J. Hayden (CB)
- Ravens: Terrence Cody (DT)
- Redskins: Stephen Bowen (DE), Leonard Hankerson (WR)
- Saints: Cheta Ozougwu (OLB)
Players who began the season on the PUP list didn’t participate in any preseason practices, but that’s not the case for players on the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Teams can use this spot on one player per season, placing him on the injured reserve list without necessarily ruling him out for the season. As we explained in an earlier post, players given this designation can begin practicing after six weeks and can return after eight weeks.
That means that players who were placed on IR-DTR prior to Week 1 can begin practicing next week. A player who was placed on IR-DTR after – for instance – Week 2 will have to wait another two weeks to return to practice.
Here’s the list of players currently on IR-DTR who can begin practicing as soon as next week:
- 49ers: Glenn Dorsey (DT)
- Bears: Marquess Wilson (WR)
- Buccaneers: Charles Sims (RB)
- Chiefs: Joe Mays (LB)
- Colts: Xavier Nixon (T)
- Cowboys: Demarcus Lawrence (DE)
- Giants: Geoff Schwartz (G)
- Lions: Kyle Van Noy (LB)
- Packers: J.C. Tretter (C)
AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Spikes
Sunday’s Week 6 slate includes several intra-conference games featuring AFC teams, but perhaps none of them will be more interesting than the Patriots visiting Buffalo to face the Bills. New England has dominated the AFC East for more than a decade, but both teams head into this weekend with 3-2 records, and the Pats have looked surprisingly shaky so far this season. While Buffalo enters the matchup as a three-point underdog, a home victory would bode well for the club’s chances of earning a playoff berth.
Here’s more from around the AFC, including a couple notes on a former Patriot who will face his old team this weekend:
- The Browns have a tough decision looming at quarterback, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Pending free agent Brian Hoyer is playing well enough to force the Browns to give him serious consideration for the starting job in 2015, which would mean keeping Johnny Manziel on the bench. If Hoyer leads the Browns to their first playoff appearance since 1999, then Florio feels it would be impossible to let him go. Yesterday, our own Luke Adams asked you to weigh in on the Browns’ QB situation. Roughly 58% of you predicted that Hoyer would be the starter in 2015.
- The Ravens had to cut Bobby Rainey a year ago due to a numbers crunch but they wish they could have retained him on the practice squad, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “We like Bobby, it was unfortunate that we lost him,” said head coach John Harbaugh. “We really wanted him to be here to be a part of what we were doing, but he was claimed and we had to make a move there. The rest is history. He’s put a bunch of yards up.”
- Former Patriots center Dan Koppen told CSNNE that he doesn’t think much of former New England linebacker Brandon Spikes as a locker room guy. “I think Brandon Spikes is a good football player,” Koppen said of Spikes, who left for the Bills in the offseason. “I think he’s a good run defender. I just don’t think he’s a good teammate.“
- Spikes, meanwhile, spoke to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald about the end of his time with the Patriots, expressing that he believes his IR placement at the end of last season was Bill Belichick‘s way of suspending him. Still, Spikes didn’t totally rule out the possibility of returning to New England at some point in his career, if the opportunity arises.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Practice Squad Updates: Thursday
As this weekend’s slate of games nears, teams around the NFL continue to add and subtract players from their respective practice squads. Here are Thursday’s practice squad transactions:
- Using one of the openings on their practice squad, the Cowboys have signed wide receiver Kerry Taylor, who was just waived by the Jaguars this week, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Taylor himself tweeted earlier today that he was joining the Cowboys. Meanwhile, Wilson adds (via Twitter) that Dallas has reached an injury settlement with wideout LaRon Byrd, who had also been on the team’s practice squad.
Earlier updates:
- After waiving him from their active roster, the Redskins have brought safety Akeem Davis back into the fold on their practice squad, according to the team (via Twitter). Washington now has a full 10-man taxi squad.
- The Falcons have filled the final opening on their practice squad by signing wide receiver Ryan Spadola, the team announced today in a press release.
- According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the Chiefs have signed former Ravens cornerback Deji Olatoye to their practice squad. Kansas City already had a full 10-man unit, so we’ll have to wait for the corresponding cut before the addition of Olatoye becomes official.
- We heard yesterday that tight end Phillip Supernaw had rejoined the Ravens‘ practice squad, and now the team has announced the corresponding move, confirming that cornerback Lou Young has been cut (Twitter link).
Ray Rice Seeking Fast Tracked Appeal
The investigation into the NFL’s handling of the Ray Rice case isn’t expected to be completed for some time and the running back is asking the NFLPA to fast track his appeal, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA Today Sports’ Tom Pelissero. Surprisingly, it now looks like Rice’s indefinite suspension could be resolved before Robert S. Mueller’s investigation comes to a close.
The collective bargaining agreement says a hearing date must be set within ten days of the appeal but, initially, the union initially agreed to waive that deadline. Now that the investigation is dragging – Giants owner John Mara said it will be “several months” before the investigation is wrapped – Rice’s camp wants to change course.
A hearing could come as soon as the end of this month, according to Pelissero’s source, but no date has been set. It would seem that the 27-year-old, like fellow embattled running back Adrian Peterson, is hoping to get back on the field this season.
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
We’ll keep tabs on today’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- After the Seahawks plucked offensive lineman Patrick Lewis from their taxi squad, the Browns replaced him with fellow tackle Braxston Cave, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.
- The Bears re-signed defensive end David Bass to their practice squad, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter). Bass was dropped yesterday to make room for cornerback Al Louis-Jean‘s promotion.
- A day after cutting tight end Phillip Supernaw to claim Ryan Taylor off waivers, the Ravens have re-signed Supernaw to their practice squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Baltimore will have to cut a player from its squad in order to make the move official.
- Linebacker Marshall McFadden has taken the 10th and final spot on the Rams‘ practice squad, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- The Chargers have signed former Lions cornerback Aaron Hester to their practice squad, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Safety Adrian Phillips has also joined the unit, replacing injured running back D.J. Adams, says Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- In addition to confirming the signing of defensive lineman Joe Vellano to their practice squad, which was reported yesterday, the Patriots have also announced the addition of offensive lineman Chris Martin and the release of fellow offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann.
- While the Broncos expect to be fine on Sunday with the running backs on their current 53-man roster, the team has added Jeremy Stewart to its practice squad “just in case,” tweets Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
- The Buccaneers have replaced tight end Taylor Sloat on their practice squad with wideout Eric Page, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter).
- Using the 10th and final opening on their taxi squad, the Bengals have added interior offensive lineman Jeff Baca, head coach Marvin Lewis told reporters today (Twitter link via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com).
- The Redskins signed linebacker Steve Beauharnais to their practice squad today, according to the club (via Twitter). That leaves one spot still open on the unit.
- Tight end Jacob Maxwell has been let go from the Dolphins‘ practice squad, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, who tweets that running back Orleans Darkwa will fill the newly-opened spot.
- The Lions have swapped out one defensive lineman for another, with Derrick Hopkins replacing Xavier Proctor, who has been placed on the practice squad IR (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
North Notes: Peterson, Rice, Lions, Browns
Adrian Peterson‘s trial date was set today for December 1, and could happen even sooner than that if Peterson’s camp can expedite the process. With the case likely to be resolved during the season, it could create a predicament for the Vikings and the NFL, whether or not Peterson is found guilty, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Since the use of the exempt/commissioner’s permission spot for players facing charges is a new development, there’s no blueprint for how to proceed once the legal proceedings wrap up.
If Peterson is acquitted, will the Vikings reactivate him immediately? If Peterson is found guilty, will he face an immediate suspension from the league, and will the time he missed count toward that ban? It’s new territory for the league, and as Florio points out, it will be interesting to see how cases like Peterson’s and Greg Hardy‘s play out, and when we’ll see those players back on the field.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Having already appealed the indefinite suspension handed down by the NFL, Ray Rice also may pursue a grievance against the Ravens for terminating his contract after the public release of the elevator video, sources tell Florio. As Florio explains, Rice’s camp would make a similar argument to the one being made in the appeal of the suspension, pointing out that the running back had already been punished for the incident, and that the league and team should have already known all the relevant facts.
- While the Lions were the only team reported to have Matt Prater in for a workout, the veteran kicker tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) that “five or six” clubs had some interest after he was released by the Broncos.
- Former Raiders linebacker Kaelin Burnett worked out for the Browns this week, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Wilson also has the details on the free agents who tried out for the Lions and have yet to be reported. We already heard about a few kickers and defensive backs to audition for the club, but Wilson adds the following names to the list of participants (via Twitter): DB Bryan McCann, DT Kheeston Randall, LB Caesar Rayford, CB R.J. Stanford, and CB Trevin Wade.
- In addition to their workouts reported yesterday, the Bengals also took a look at guard Antoine McClain and linebacker Troy Davis, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
- Former Packers safety Jerron McMillian auditioned for another NFC North team this week, visiting the Vikings, tweets Wilson.
Ravens Re-Sign Dominique Franks
WEDNESDAY, 9:25am: The Ravens have formally confirmed in a press release that they’ve re-signed Franks and placed Jackson on IR with the designation to return.
TUESDAY, 1:30pm: In search of cornerback depth, the Ravens will re-sign veteran free agent Dominique Franks, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Franks was signed this summer by Baltimore, but was let go in the preseason when clubs cut their rosters down to 53 players from 75.
The Ravens had been on the lookout for help in the secondary after Asa Jackson suffered a foot injury on Sunday. Jackson is expected to formally be placed on the injured reserve list with the designation to return this week, meaning the team wouldn’t have to cut a player to make room for Franks on the 53-man roster.
Franks, who turns 27 tomorrow, spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Falcons, contributing on defense, in kick and punt coverage, and occasionally returning punts as well. I wouldn’t expect him to see significant action in Baltimore, but he’ll provide insurance at corner in the event of further injuries to the team’s regulars.
Extra Points: Megatron, Peterson, Bailey
Dodger Stadium is in play as a potential temporary venue for an NFL team moving to Los Angeles, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). Hopefully, whatever team moves there will fare better than the Dodgers did tonight. Tonight’s look around the league..
- Calvin Johnson carries a cap number of more than $20MM into the next league year and given his recent health trouble, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that the Lions could move on from him after this season or next. The fact that Detroit considered trading up for Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans and ultimately decided to use that pick on tight end Eric Ebron suggests that the Lions are at least considering the wisdom of reallocating their dollars, Florio writes.
- A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson hopes to emerge from court tomorrow with a December 1st trial date. If he goes to trial on December 1 and is acquitted that week, he could theoretically return to action on December 7, when the Vikings take on the Jets.
- The Ravens tried out veteran cornerback Champ Bailey, a league source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Bailey recently said that he was willing to play nickel or safety if it meant getting back in the NFL. Meanwhile, on the D-line, the Ravens expect to be without Chris Canty for three weeks following a procedure to alleviate swelling in his wrist, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
- The Bengals worked out linebackers Adrian Robinson and Yawin Smallwood today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Robinson, who originally signed with the Steelers as a UDFA, also had stints with the Chargers, Eagles, and Redskins.
- Linebacker Kevin Reddick is available after being waived by the Chargers and Vic Tafur of The San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter links) could see the Raiders dropping the newly-signed Ray Ray Armstrong in favor of him. The Raiders were fans of the UNC product at last year’s Senior Bowl.
- The Vikings cut Mistral Raymond from their injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
- Somewhat surprisingly, the Raiders were the only team to put in a claim on wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Talk of a new stadium and an NFL team coming to Los Angeles should scare the Chargers, writes U-T San Diego’s Kevin Acee. Both the Rams and Raiders could make a play to return to their one-time home and that would hurt the Bolts’ bottom line.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
With practices resuming following the weekend’s games, and teams having a better of idea of how serious its players’ injuries are, Tuesdays are often a busy day for practice squad transactions, as clubs replenish their rosters and swap in players at potential positions of need. As such, we expect to update this post plenty of times throughout the day, with the latest news of practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL. Here’s the latest:
- Defensive tackle Joe Vellano, who was waived by the Patriots on Monday, has agreed to stay with New England on its practice squad, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Vellano is the beneficiary of the new practice squad rules that allow a second-year player to be eligible despite playing in 16 games in 2013.
- Defensive back Chandler Fenner and wide receiver Julian Talley, both waived by the Giants yesterday, have been re-signed to the practice squad, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
- The Eagles re-signed linebacker Brandon Hepburn to their practice squad, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
- The Packers signed Joe Kruger, the brother of Paul Kruger, to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
- Former Ravens defensive tackle A.J. Pataiali’i has been added to the Browns’ taxi squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- As noted below, cornerback Mike Harris has signed with the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing fellow defensive back Josh Victorian, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
- The Jets have released cornerback LeQuan Lewis from their practice squad, signing another cornerback – Dashaun Phillips – in his place, the team announced today (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- One wide receiver has replaced another on the Cowboys‘ practice squad, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, as Tim Benford has been cut and LaRon Byrd has been signed.
- The Rams are down to nine players on their practice squad, having cut wide receiver Justin Veltung today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
- The Lions have signed defensive back Mike Harris to their taxi squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Detroit had a full 10-man unit, so a corresponding cut will be necessary to finalize the move.
- Offensive tackle Ryan Miller has been cut from the Broncos‘ practice squad, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- The Browns have cut long snapper Charley Hughlett from their practice squad, per agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). Hughlett was brought in to provide competition for the team’s regular long snapper, Christian Yount, but Cleveland has opted to continue on with Yount.
- The 49ers have swapped one offensive lineman for another on their practice squad, cutting tackle John Fullington in order to bring aboard guard Andrew Tiller, according to the club.
- Guard William Campbell and defensive tackle Jeremy Towns are the newest members of the Bills‘ practice squad, replacing fullback Lonnie Pryor and tight end Jamie Childers, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Three days after cutting him from their active roster, the Jaguars have re-signed tight end Mickey Shuler to their practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. To make room on the squad, wide receiver Kerry Taylor has been cut.
- Last week’s promotion of quarterback Chandler Harnish to the active roster suggested the Vikings were more confident in him than McLeod Bethel-Thompson in an emergency scenario, and the team’s moves today reflected that as well. The Vikes announced in a press release that Bethel-Thompson has been let go from the practice squad, with Harnish, wideout Donte Foster, and defensive back Pierre Warren joining the unit.
- To keep tabs on all 32 practice squad rosters, be sure to check out our complete list.