HEADLINES

C.J. Spillman

Extra Points: NFL-NBA, Supp. Draft, Spillman

July 1st, 2016 at 8:31pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Several NFL players took to social media Friday to post incredulous reactions to the big money thrown around at the outset of NBA free agency, as ESPN.com highlights. Among those who weighed in were Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams and Lions tight end Eric Ebron. One of Sanders’ teammates, safety, T.J. Ward, had perhaps the strongest and most controversial response, referring to the money NFLers are making as “peanuts” compared to NBA and Major League Baseball players. As a result, ESPN’s Jim Trotter (Twitter link) expects the dollars bandied about in the NBA to come up when union meetings with NFL players take place at training camp. The system in the NFL favors the owners, meaning the players don’t have the ability to institute real change, Trotter notes (Twitter link).

To keep up with all the latest from the NBA, bookmark Hoops Rumors and follow HR on Twitter.

Back to the NFL…

  • In addition to Purdue defensive tackle Ra’Zahn Howard – who declared for the July 14 supplemental draft last week – the league has given eligibility to Cameron Walton (Concordia College), running back Jalen Overstreet (Sam Houston State), defensive back Tee Shepard (Mississippi), wide receiver Rashaun Simonise (Canada) and long snapper Eddie D’Antuono (Virginia Tech), reports The Associated Press. Given that he’s almost completely deaf, Shepard’s story is the most interesting of the group, and the defender insisted when he left the Ole Miss program last October that his hearing problems have never served as an impediment on the field. Mississippi’s coaches disagreed, though, according to a frustrated Shepard. If an NFL team selects any of these players, it’ll have to surrender a corresponding pick in the 2017 draft. That means a player who goes in, say, the fourth round of the supplemental draft would cost his new team a fourth-rounder in next spring’s draft.
  • Returning to the basketball-football connection, former NBA point guard Nate Robinson has shifted his focus to becoming an NFL wideout, writes ESPN.com’s Sheil Kapadia. The 32-year-old previously tried out for the Seahawks as a defensive back, and head coach Pete Carroll suggested that Robinson take a shot at receiver. The former dunk champion is now working with trainer Dwayne Frampton, whose other clients include Odell Beckham Jr. and DeSean Jackson.
  • One year after his arrest, former NFL cornerback C.J. Spillman has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexual assault, reports FOX 4 News in Texas (via Twitter). Spillman, 30, played with the Chargers, 49ers and Cowboys from 2009-14.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Clear, Jones, Hughes, Cowboys

June 30th, 2016 at 9:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

A teammate of Johnny Manziel‘s at Texas A&M, tight end Cameron Clear joined the embattled quarterback among those suspended on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Like Manziel, Clear is also a free agent suspended for four games. The Colts signed him to a reserve/futures contract after the 2015 season but cut him in May.

A 6-foot-5 tight end who would be a second-year player if given another chance after this suspension, Clear spent time with the Steelers last season but did not see any game action.

Sheldon Richardson and Rolando McClain were also suspended on a news-dump Thursday before the July 4 weekend, with Demarcus Lawrence‘s four-game ban being upheld as well.

Here’s the latest from around the league.

  • Former Chargers, 49ers and Cowboys special teams contributor C.J. Spillman was convicted of sexual assault Thursday, Claire Z. Cardona of the Dallas Morning News reports. The 30-year-old spent most of his six-year career with the 49ers but last played as a Cowboys reserve defensive back in 2014. The incident that prompted the conviction, which carries a two- to 20-year prison sentence, occurred Sept. 20, 2014. Spillman played for the Cowboys for the rest of that season.
  • McClain’s suspensions in Dallas now total 14 games after the middle linebacker began the 2015 season with a four-game ban. Todd Archer of ESPN.com advocates the Cowboys cut ties with him despite re-signing the soon-to-be 27-year-old this offseason. McClain is signed to a one-year, $3.375MM deal as a stopgap until Jaylon Smith proves ready. The latter does not look like he’ll be ready to play this season, and the Cowboys now have three of their starting front seven — McClain, Lawrence and Randy Gregory — set to begin 2016 suspended.
  • After a potential felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor for resisting arrest, Seahawks reserve quarterback Trevone Boykin received probation on Thursday, Austin Knoblauch of NFL.com reports. The rookie UDFA incurred this charge after a Dec. 31, 2015 incident before TCU’s Alamo Bowl, a game for which Boykin did not dress.
  • Datone Jones will shift to a stand-up, edge-defending position after he relocated there late last season, Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com reports. The Packers plan to play their 2013 first-round pick at outside linebacker in a 3-4 set and on the outside in passing-down sets, which he did beginning with a two-sack game against the Vikings last November. Given the team’s depth at each position, Jones’ role adjustment is interesting. As Roster resource shows, the Packers are more stocked on the edge than they are inside in their 3-4 set. Julius Peppers, Nick Perry and a recently relocated Clay Matthews reside at outside linebacker.
  • The Bills will also look to move Jerry Hughes into more of a stand-up outside-linebacking role, Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News reports. Hughes had his best seasons as a 4-3 end in 2013-14, when he notched 10 sacks in each slate en route to signing a five-year, $45MM contract.

C.J Spillman Charged With Sexual Assault

July 1st, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

Free agent cornerback C.J. Spillman has been formally charged with sexual assault stemming from an incident at the Cowboys’ team hotel last September, according to Michael O’Keeffe of the New York Daily News. The police investigation was completed in February and a Tarrant County grand jury handed down an indictment charging Spillman with sexual assault on Monday.

The timing of the incident was notable it came to light on September 20th, just one day after commissioner Roger Goodell vowed at a press conference to get tough on players who commit violent crimes. Because Spillman was not charged, however, he was not disciplined by the Cowboys or the NFL. Spillman wound up playing the next day against the Rams and he did not miss a single regular season game for Dallas all year. The 29-year-old also appeared in both of the Cowboys’ postseason games last year. For his career, Spillman has appeared in 83 career regular season games with the Chargers, Niners, and Cowboys.

Spillman is currently looking for work and today’s news obviously will throw a wrench into things. The special teams ace worked out for the Patriots back in May but was not signed.

AFC East Notes: Geno Smith, Jets, Patriots

May 20th, 2015 at 5:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins are making all the right moves this offseason, Jeff Darlington of NFL.com writes. This offseason, the Dolphins dumped overpaid receiver Mike Wallace, added Ndamukong Suh, drafted DeVante Parker, and extended both Mike Pouncey and Ryan Tannehill. Here’s more from the AFC East..

  • The Jets have five quarterbacks on the roster, but head coach Todd Bowles says the team will go to training camp with four, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets.
  • Meanwhile, Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey says there will not be a quarterback competition going into camp “Because [Geno Smith] is the starter,” Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets.
  • The Patriots had free agent cornerback C.J. Spillman in for a workout today, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter). While the Pats could use some help at cornerback, Spillman has primarily shined as a special teams player in the past for the Chargers, 49ers, and Cowboys. The Pats had fellow cornerback Tarell Brown in for a second visit on Tuesday.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Bears

October 2nd, 2014 at 11:16am CST by Luke Adams

All four Thursday Night Football games so far this season have been one-sided affairs, with the winning team outscoring their opponents by a total margin of 163-50. The underdog Vikings will look to keep tonight’s game against the rejuvenated Packers close, but they may have to do so without their starting quarterback. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier today that signs were pointing to Teddy Bridgewater being unavailable tonight, while Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Minnesota will make a decision on its QB 90 minutes before kickoff tonight.

If Bridgewater can’t go, the Vikings will turn to Christian Ponder, who was third on the depth chart and was being frequently mentioned as a trade candidate just a few weeks ago.

As we wait to see which signal-caller gets the nod for the Vikes tonight, here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett has made it clear to his players that they won’t be allowed to play in games if they’re involved in a domestic violence incident, even before the legal process is finalized, writes Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. “If you’re dealing with anything off the field and we can help with, we’re here for you,” Garrett said. “Having said that, there are standards that we have about all off-the-field behavior and certainly domestic violence applies to that. We’re just very clear with how we’re going to handle things.”
  • Pointing out that Cowboys special-teamer C.J. Spillman continues to practice and play for the team despite being under investigation for sexual assault, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News says he expects Garrett makes a distinction between an allegation and an actual charge. So far, police say Spillman “is involved in a sexual assault investigation,” but no charges have been filed and no arrests have been made.
  • Conor Orr of NJ.com points to the Giants‘ under-the-radar signing of cornerback Zackary Bowman as one key move that has helped shape the team’s defense off the field.
  • Bears defensive coordinator Mel Tucker has taken a lot of heat this season, but Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times says that GM Phil Emery hasn’t provided him with enough talent. Morrissey notes that defensive end Lamarr Houston, one of Emery’s big offseason signings, has struggled so far and has yet to register a sack through four games.
  • Saints wide receiver Marques Colston purchased a piece of the Arena League’s Philadelphia Soul and is now part owner of team, Ron Jaworski tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Cowboys Sign C.J. Spillman

September 1st, 2014 at 3:03pm CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 3:03pm: Spillman’s one-year, minimum-salary contract includes a $40K signing bonus, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 1:05pm: Another player cut by the 49ers this past week has found a new NFL home, as the Cowboys announced in a press release that they’ve signed former Niner C.J. Spillman. We’d heard previously that the defensive back was en route to Dallas to ink a deal with the Cowboys.

Spillman, 28, logged 79 defensive snaps last year for San Francisco, playing a larger role in kick and punt coverage. According to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), Spillman recorded an impressive 18 special teams tackles. He’ll become one of nine players in the Cowboys’ secondary, and one of five safeties.

NFC Links: Boone, Packers, Spillman, Wright

August 31st, 2014 at 10:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some extra notes out of the NFC on this Sunday evening…

  • ESPN’s Ed Werder notes (via Twitter) that the $2MM added to Alex Boone‘s deal with the 49ers means the player is guaranteed no franchise or transition designation when his contract expires.
  • The Packers currently have a pair of backup quarterbacks for Aaron Rodgers in Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzien. That hasn’t prevented the team from auditioning other quarterbacks, as ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that the team worked out Jeff Mathews, Pat Devlin and Jon Jennings earlier today.
  • Former 49ers special teams ace C.J. Spillman is on his way to Dallas to presumably sign with the Cowboys, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
  • Rapoport also (via Twitter) predicts that safety Major Wright, who was cut by the Buccaneers yesterday, will be on an NFL roster by the start of the season.
  • Lache Seastrunk was informed at the last minute that he wouldn’t be added to the Redskins practice squad, tweets The Washington Post’s Mike Jones. The team cited that they wanted to go in a “different direction.”

49ers Trim Roster Down To 53

August 30th, 2014 at 5:45pm CST by Luke Adams

5:45pm: The 49ers have officially set their 53-man roster, announcing the moves in a press release. Earlier, we learned that the team cut ways with 13 players, and we now have the other six players that have been released:

Released:

Placed on injured reserve:

It was previously reported that Tukuafu was released, but it appears that the former Oregon Duck will stick around on the team’s IR.

1:47pm: The 49ers are whittling their roster down to 53 players, and have cut the following players so far, according to various reports: