Panthers Sign Cortland Finnegan
Less than nine months after he announced his retirement, cornerback Cortland Finnegan has returned to the NFL. The Panthers announced today in a press release that they’ve signed Finnegan to a contract. The veteran free agent fills the roster spot vacated by long snapper Danny Aiken, who was cut on Friday.
Despite the fact that Finnegan said he was retiring back in March, the former seventh-round pick hired agent Drew Rosenhaus in the summer, and suggested he was open to an NFL return. At the time, Rosenhaus said that he was “working on teams” for Finnegan, who indicated a willingness to play either cornerback or safety. The 31-year-old has since auditioned for the Patriots and earned a look from the Panthers last week, along with free agents Bradley Fletcher and Robert McClain.
Carolina had been in the market for secondary depth after having played the last two games without cornerback Charles Tillman, who is expected to miss more time. It’s not clear if Finnegan will get a shot to play right away, but he’ll provide some veteran depth at a position where the undefeated Panthers have been a little short-handed.
Of course, for Finnegan to provide positive value, he’ll have to play better than he did in 2013, when he was one of the league’s worst cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. PFF ranked Finnegan 109th out of 110 qualified corners, with a grade of -19.7 in just seven games.
The former Ram was a little better for the Dolphins in 2014, but still placed just 74th out of 108 corners, with a -4.4 grade in 2014, per PFF. Miami released Finnegan before free agency began this year, and the Samford product entered his brief retirement about a week later.
La Canfora’s Latest: McDermott, Lions, Kroenke
Let’s take a look at some of the latest notes and observations from CBS Sports scribe Jason La Canfora:
- Both La Canfora and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com have delved into some of the most notable names who will be connected to head coaching vacancies this offseason. Rapoport mentions Bears OC Adam Gase, Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, Jaguars offensive line coach Doug Marrone, and Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable as veterans of the head coaching interview circuit who will be generating plenty of buzz this offseason. Other less familiar candidates who have also piqued the interest of teams around the league include Panthers coordinators Mike Shula (offensive) and Sean McDermott (defensive), and Bills RB coach Anthony Lynn (all Twitter links). La Canfora explores the case for McDermott in more detail, noting that Carolina’s defense under McDermott’s watch has been among the league’s best for some time, but given the Panthers’ success this season, McDermott has been getting more attention around the league. La Canfora says it would not be a surprise if McDermott met with four to six teams during wildcard weekend, which is likely to be a bye week for the Panthers. Per La Canfora, a team that hires McDermott would do well to add current Chargers head coach Mike McCoy as its offensive coordinator. McCoy is rumored to be on his way out of San Diego at the end of the year, and he and McDermott share a “mutual admiration” for each other. The addition of McCoy would also help to alleviate concern regarding McDermott’s abilities on the offensive side of the ball.
- La Canfora also has a look at potential candidates for the Lions GM job, noting that the team may have difficulty courting some of its top choices given the questions concerning team ownership and the fact that new team president Ron Wood is an unknown commodity in football circles. However, the Lions’ resurgence in recent weeks, the talent on the roster, and the fact that the club has a history of “unwavering loyalty” to its front office executives could allow the team to nab a prized candidate. Those candidates include names like Seahawks pro personnel director Trent Kirchner, Packers player personnel director Eliot Wolf, Patriots director of pro scouting Bob Quinn, and Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta. Of those names, Quinn may be the most likely option, considering that Wolf and DeCosta are both fairly comfortable in their roles as GM-in-waiting for their current clubs, and Kirchner will be the top candidate for a number of teams.
- If Stan Kroenke‘s plan to move the Rams to Los Angeles falls though, La Canfora identifies several other options for the St. Louis owner. The league knows that if Kroenke loses out to the Chargers and Raiders in the race to LA, it would have to work actively to find other solutions for Kroenke, with London and Denver representing two such solutions. Kroenke–who remains focused on LA at the moment and has not actively considered any alternatives–has business interests in England and owns Premier League powerhouse Arsenal. Colorado, meanwhile, serves as Kroenke’s base, and his family owns the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. La Canfora’s sources indicate that Kroenke could purchase the Broncos at some point down the road–La Canfora writes that team ownership will be in flux when Pat Bowlen passes on–and sell the Rams to an investor looking to keep the team in St. Louis. However, Broncos Vice President of Public Relations Patrick Smyth took to Twitter shortly after La Canfora’s report, tweeting that the plan is to keep ownership of the Broncos in the Bowlen family.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/15
Here are Friday’s minor transactions, including signings and cuts, from around the NFL:
- The Steelers have released veteran running back Isaiah Pead and elevated running back Fitzgerald Toussaint from their practice squad, tweets Missi Matthews of Steelers.com. Pead, who started the season with the Rams, was cut and then signed with Pittsburgh earlier this month when Le’Veon Bell was placed on IR. However, the 25-year-old didn’t see any action for the Steelers.
- The Patriots opened up a spot on their 53-man roster today by waiving linebacker Eric Martin, says Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Doug Kyed of NESN.com reports (via Twitter) that the Pats are adding tight end Asante Cleveland to their active roster from the practice squad, though that move might not become official until Saturday.
- Having officially placed cornerback Chris Culliver to the injured reserve list today due to his torn ACL/MCL, Washington has promoted another cornerback, Dashaun Phillips, to its 53-man roster, the team announced in a press release.
- Prior to Thursday’s game against the Cowboys, the Panthers signed long snapper Danny Aiken as an insurance policy in case starter J.J. Jansen was unable to go. Jansen played against Dallas, and Carolina cut Aiken today, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Panthers Work Out Finnegan, Other CBs
With Charles Tillman out of action for the last two games, the Panthers have been a little short-handed in the secondary, and are searching for some potential help for their slot cornerback spot. A day after a Thanksgiving win over the Cowboys, Carolina brought in several free agent corners, including Cortland Finnegan, as Bill Voth of the Black and Blue Review details.
Despite the fact that Finnegan announced his retirement in March, the former seventh-round pick hired agent Drew Rosenhaus in the summer, and suggested he was open to an NFL return. At the time, Rosenhaus said that he was “working on teams” for Finnegan, who indicated a willingness to play either cornerback or safety. The 31-year-old has since auditioned for the Patriots.
In addition to working out Finnegan, the Panthers also brought in veteran cornerbacks Bradley Fletcher and Robert McClain for tryouts, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Fletcher, who appeared in 71 games (54 starts) over six seasons for the Rams and Eagles, started the 2015 season in New England, but was released by the Patriots in October. McClain was also a Patriot before becoming a free agent, having been let go by Bill Belichick and company at the end of the preseason.
With no reports of signings yet, it appears the Panthers may just be getting the lay of the land for now, with an eye toward identifying the veteran cornerbacks they like in case it becomes necessary to add one.
NFC Notes: Saints, Romo, Panthers, Kelly, Lane
Sean Payton addressed the Saints‘ firing of Rob Ryan and handing over the defensive coordinator reins to Dennis Allen, noting New Orleans’ No. 32-ranked defense’s lack of preparation played a key role in the vocal DC’s exit.
“There were a few things that you looked at from a year ago when you said look, we can’t have X number of snaps with not the right number of guys on the field,” Payton told media, including NOLA.com’s Larry Holder. “You can’t burn timeouts every other week because we cannot get the right personnel on the field. We can’t have guys looking left and right at the snap of the ball.”
The Saints’ defensive coordinator since 2013 after stints with the Raiders, Browns and Cowboys, the 52-year-old Ryan has only coordinated one defense to the playoffs — the Saints in his initial season in New Orleans. He’s reportedly a candidate for the Tulane head-coaching job, however.
Ryan’s lack of proper adjustments posed an issue for Payton as well.
“We had to look at, hey, as teams have changed offensively, we’ve got to have some flexibility and find a way to reduce the variation on defense,” Payton said. “We’ve got to find a way to get a call in and play a defense without it being a panic where guys are late getting lined up.”
Let’s look at some more news from the NFC as Thanksgiving night commences.
- Prior to Tony Romo‘s return from short-term IR last week in Miami, Jerry Jones disclosed the 13th-year quarterback suffered six fractures from the initial collarbone injury, per Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Romo re-injuring his clavicle Thursday provided another chapter in this season-defining saga for the Cowboys, one that the aforementioned revelation of six fractures may have been worse than the team initially let on, Werder writes.
- After acting condescending and arrogantly in the wake of the Eagles‘ three-game losing streak, Chip Kelly‘s Philadelphia tenure should end despite the promise of his breakthrough methods, Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com writes. Frank notes Kelly’s behavior’s turned a city against him and flies in the face of Jeffrey Lurie‘s concern for public perception and a likable coach.
- Former Panthers GM Marty Hurney‘s imprint remains large on the 11-0 squad’s roster, with the since-fired GM bringing in the core of the team — Luke Kuechly, Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, etc. — and Ron Rivera. Pro Football Talk’s Darin Gantt writes that while Hurney’s salary cap decisions disrupted future Carolina financial decisions, owner Jerry Richardson refused to allow him to sign players prior to the 2011 lockout as he was helping Roger Goodell negotiate a new CBA.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes Mike Shula should receive the kind of consideration Adam Gase and Josh McDaniels will this offseason for head-coaching positions after overhauling Newton from a one-read college quarterback to a Pro Bowler in the NFL. The former Alabama coach has been with the Panthers since 2011, as the quarterback coach before becoming the OC in 2013.
- The man who helped hire Dave Gettleman to succeed Hurney in North Carolina, former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi, will provide a big boost by aiding the Lions‘ GM search, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. Accorsi also helped the Falcons and Bears hire their current GMs, Thomas Dimitroff and Ryan Pace, respectively.
- Jeremy Lane looks to make his season debut this week, with the Seahawks set to activate the cornerback who’s been sidelined since Super Bowl XLIX, Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk reports. “Jeremy’s going to be active,” Pete Carroll told media. “And if he makes it through the week okay, he’s going to be dressing and playing.” Lane tore his ACL after intercepting Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. After the Seahawks benched recently signed Cary Williams in favor of DeShawn Snead on Sunday, Lane will compete with those performers to for Seattle’s right cornerback job across from Richard Sherman, Crabtree reports.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/25/15
The Ravens will activate defensive end Brent Urban off of the IR-DTR list, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets. It still hasn’t been determined whether he will play against the Browns on Monday, however. Urban, 24, was selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft by the Ravens, but missed his entire rookie campaign with a torn ACL. The Virginia product sustained a torn bicep this year, but Baltimore liked him enough to use its only IR-DTR slot on him back in September.
Here are the rest of Wednesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL:
- The Saints are set to sign cornerback Chris Owens to the 53-man roster, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Owens, who turns 29 on Tuesday, played in 11 games for the Chiefs last season.
- The Raiders will promote wide receiver/return man Jeremy Ross from the practice squad to the active roster, a source tells Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (on Twitter).
- The Panthers have signed long snapper Danny Aiken, as Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Aiken will give Carolina an option as they wait to learn more about J.J. Jansen‘s availability.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/24/15
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL, with any further moves added to the list throughout the day:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE D.J. Tialavea (press release via team)
- Cut: TE Marcel Jensen
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DL Jerel Worthy (Twitter link via Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News)
- Cut: LB Kevin Riddick
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OL Reese Dismukes (Twitter link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer)
- Cut: T Pierce Burton (Twitter link via Person)
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Danny Mason, QB Justin Worley (Twitter link via Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times)
Houston Texans
- Signed: C Dalton Freeman, OLB Gerald Rivers (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
- Cut: QB Zac Dysert
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: T John Wetzel (Twitter link via Matt Conti of Colts)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Kevin Snyder (link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Tyler Slavin (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports), RB DuJuan Harris (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com)
- Placed on PS-IR: OL Terry Poole (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times)
Panthers’ Frank Alexander Suspended One Year
Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander has been suspended for the third time in the last two years, and his latest violation will cost him a full 12 months. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the NFL has suspended Alexander for one year for violating the league’s substance abuse policy again. It’s the second suspension this week for Carolina, as the team also saw DE Wes Horton get hit with a four-game ban.
It’s been a rough couple years for Alexander, who was banned four games last year for his first substance abuse violation, then almost immediately received a 10-game suspension upon returning to the team. While his 2014 season was ruined by those suspensions, his 2015 season came to an early end due to a torn Achilles, which he suffered during the preseason.
Alexander, who played 29 regular season contests for the Panthers from 2012 to 2014, has likely played his last game for the club. The former fourth-round pick will be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason, but considering he’ll be coming off a major injury, has only played one game since 2013, and won’t be reinstated before next November, there’s no real reason for Carolina to want to bring him back.
Extra Points: K. White, Panthers, Elliott
The Bears‘ decision on rookie receiver Kevin White was due today, and the team is opening up his 21-day practice window, a league source tells Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. The Bears have since officially confirmed that move, which ensures that White remains on the PUP list rather than going on season-ending IR.
Chicago will now have 21 days to decide whether to activate the young wideout. If the team isn’t ready to move him to the 53-man roster at that point, White will be shut down for the year, moving to IR after Week 14.
As we look forward to seeing whether this year’s seventh overall pick will make his NFL debut in 2015, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from around the league…
- The Panthers may go with 52 players for Thursday’s game, leaving a spot open on their active roster, head coach Ron Rivera said today (link via David Newton of ESPN.com). As Rivera explains, there’s no need for Carolina to promote a practice squad player to replace suspended defensive end Wes Horton if that player isn’t going to see any action.
- After Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott expressed frustration with the Buckeyes’ coaching staff and play-calling following a weekend loss to Michigan State, Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com surveyed a trio of NFL scouts to see how Elliott’s draft stock might be affected. The consensus? It won’t be. One scout said he’s more worried about Elliott’s leg infection from last week, while another said his team would “gladly” draft the junior, adding that “he’s better than the Wisconsin kid [Melvin Gordon] last year.”
- People around the NFL believe that the gap between the lure of an NFL head coaching job and a college head coaching job has closed, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links). According to Breer, many coaches dislike recruiting, which tips the scales toward those NFL positions, but the money is “closer than ever,” and college coaches have more control and stronger job security. It’ll be something to keep an eye on as those positions become available this winter.
- In a secret NFLPA meeting earlier this month, at least 15 NFL agents argued against cutting the maximum agent fee from 3% to 2%, writes Liz Mullen of the SportsBusiness Journal.
- As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details, passing along a pair of reports from SportsBusiness Daily and the Hollywood Reporter, the NFL could sell a portion of the NFL Network to another TV network as part of its next Thursday Night Football deal.
NFC Notes: Martin, Packers, Caldwell
Buccaneers running back Doug Martin, the 32nd overall pick in the 2012 draft, was one of 12 first-rounders from that year to have his fifth-year option for 2016 turned down by his team earlier this year. Tampa Bay may regret that decision now, though it’s possible that, without that motivation, Martin wouldn’t be having the season he is. The fourth-year back is currently the NFL’s second-leading rusher, with his 941 yards placing him behind only Adrian Peterson.
As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes, the Bucs will have a tough call to make this offseason on Martin, whom Lovie Smith calls a “priority.” Tampa Bay has the flexibility to bring back the 26-year-old, and his production certainly warrants a new deal, but the club may decide that investing heavily on a running back coming off a huge bounce-back year isn’t the best use of its cap room.
Here are a few more items from across the NFC:
- Having been cut by the Buccaneers a week ago, free agent safety D.J. Swearinger paid a visit to the Packers on Monday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Green Bay safety Micah Hyde left Sunday’s game against the Vikings with a hip issue, so the team may be considering veteran options in case Hyde has to miss time.
- With the Lions all but eliminated from the playoff hunt, the job security of head coach Jim Caldwell has become a popular topic of discussion and speculation in Detroit. However, Caldwell told reporters, including Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, not to “fixate” on it, adding that “I don’t think about it as much as you do.” Assuming the Lions bring in an outside candidate to fill the permanent general manager role, it seems likely Caldwell will eventually be replaced by that new GM.
- Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has yet to play a game during his second stint in New York, and his practice time has been limited so far, but head coach Tom Coughlin likes what he sees so far, per Fred Kerber of the New York Post. “He’s energetic, he looked good,” Coughlin said of Nicks. “Veteran experience, catcher, outstanding hands. He’ll work very hard. He’s excited about being here. He’s missed the opportunity to compete.”
- The Talk of Fame Network spoke to former Panthers GM Marty Hurney, who is responsible for drafting a number of key contributors on this year’s 10-0 squad.