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NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/15

By | at September 9, 2015 2:37 pm

Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: LB Jason Ankrah; LB Justin Staples (Twitter link via Terry McCormick)
1 comment Atlanta Falcons Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Detroit Lions McLeod Bethel-Thompson Miami Dolphins New York Giants Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Transactions

NFC Notes: Saints, Novak, Bowers, Panthers

By | at September 7, 2015 9:45 pm

The Saints are set to audition former Chargers kicker Nick Novak, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). As La Canfora notes, the Saints could use a veteran kicker and the 34-year-old would fit the bill for them. Novak made 22-of-26 field goals last year and is only two years removed from his best campaign, making 34-of-37 kicks in 2013. He also hasn’t missed more than four kicks in a season since his first in San Diego.

  • Former Buccaneers defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers will work out for the Panthers, according to a source who spoke with Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. Bowers, a second-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft, was released by the Buccaneers over the weekend. In his four seasons with the Bucs, Bowers has totaled just seven sacks. Last year he had one sack in 11 games, including two starts.
  • In order for the Seahawks to get the Cowboys’ seventh-round pick in 2016, Christine Michael will have to be on the 46-man gameday roster three times this season, Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Michael came to the Cowboys over the weekend in a deal that will help strengthen up a group of running backs that includes Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, and Lance Dunbar.
  • If quarterback Ryan Griffin wasn’t claimed by the Buccaneers this week, he would have wound up joining the Browns, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Browns were the only other team to put a claim in on Griffin.
  • Lions GM Martin Mayhew said that he plans on signing a quarterback to the practice squad, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com tweets. A signing could happen as soon as Tuesday.
0 comments Carolina Panthers Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Detroit Lions New Orleans Saints Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Uncategorized

Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South

By | at September 6, 2015 5:52 pm

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Extra Points: RGIII, Panthers, Cassel

By | at September 6, 2015 3:15 pm

Washington head coach Jay Gruden is confident that backup quarterback Robert Griffin III will receive medical clearance and be ready for Week 1, writes Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

“He’s got to see the independent neurologist one more time early this week,” said Gruden.

Gruden recently stripped the starting job from Griffin, who suffered a concussion in the preseason, and awarded it to Kirk Cousins. If healthy, it’s no lock RGIII will even be Washington’s No. 2 QB. Gruden wouldn’t commit to it when asked, according to Smith. That role could go to Colt McCoy instead, which would leave RGIII as a third-stringer.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Despite their shortage of viable wide receivers, the Panthers are not interested in free agent James Jones, according to Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
  • The Texans have contemplated adding another quarterback in the wake of third-stringer Tom Savage‘s season-ending shoulder injury. But they have no interest in free agent Matt Cassel, whom Buffalo cut on Saturday (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Speaking of the Texans, one of their ex-players, wideout Damaris Johnson, will work out for the AFC South rival Titans, reports ESPN’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). The three-year veteran played in all 16 games last season and totaled career bests in receptions (31), yards (350) and touchdowns (one).
  • The Titans will work out linebacker Diaheem Watkins on Tuesday, according to agent Jeff Jankovich (via Twitter). Watkins, an undrafted rookie out of UAB, was a victim of Philly’s roster cuts Saturday.
  • Rookie cornerback Justin Coleman, whom the Patriots signed Friday, also had interest from other teams, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. He worked out for the Seahawks on Wednesday, which came after Minnesota cut him a week ago.
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Panthers Organize Regular-Season Roster

By | at September 5, 2015 3:57 pm

The Panthers cut 22 players to officially reduce their roster to 53, reports Max Henson of Panthers.com.

In addition to placing rookie defensive end Arthur Miley on injured reserve and reaching an injury settlement with offensive lineman Brian Folkerts, the Panthers cut Jordan Todman. This leaves Fozzy Whittaker and Cameron Artis-Payne as Jonathan Stewart‘s primary backups.

The remaining Carolina cuts are as follows:

  • Chas Alecxih, DT
  • Marcus Ball, S
  • Brenton Bersin, WR
  • Brian Blechen, LB
  • Mike Brown, WR
  • Carrington Byndom, CB
  • Damiere Byrd, WR
  • Rakim Cox, DE
  • David Foucault, T
  • Adarius Glanton, LB
  • T.J. Heath, CB
  • Ricky Henry, G
  • Marcus Lucas, TE
  • Jordan McCray, G
  • Terry Redden, DT
  • Scott Simonson, TE
  • Jason Trusnik, LB
  • Martin Wallace, T
  • Lou Young, CB
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Panthers To Put Arthur Miley On Short-Term IR

By | at September 5, 2015 10:28 am

The Panthers will use their short-term injured reserve designation on defensive end Arthur Miley, reports Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). The undrafted rookie out of Southern University is set to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery.

Miley inked a three-year, $1.59MM deal with Carolina back in May, including a $15K signing bonus. The senior finished last season with 59 tackles and seven sacks.

Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez tweets that the team was “really impressed” with how Miley could “sense where a play is going,” noting that the player has a “really good feel for the game.”

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Panthers Cut Brenton Bersin, Three Others

By | at September 5, 2015 8:34 am

Panthers wideout Brenton Bersin was among the Panthers cuts this morning, according to Joseph Person and Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer.

The former Wofford standout joined the organization last season as an undrafted free agent, and he ended up compiling 13 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown in 15 games. The 25-year-old reportedly had a solid camp, but the recent acquisition of former Seahawks wideout Kevin Norwood made Bersin expendable.

Even after acquiring Norwood, the writers note that the Panthers plan on being aggressive on the waiver wire as they look to reinforce their receiving corps. The team’s depth chart was thrown into disarray following the season-ending injury to Kelvin Benjamin.

The Panthers also let go of three other players this morning:

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Panthers Extend Derek Anderson

By | at September 4, 2015 12:33 pm

FRIDAY, 12:33pm: Adam Caplan of ESPN.com provides some specifics on Anderson’s extension, tweeting that the veteran quarterback gets $4.7MM for the two new years, including $1.5MM guaranteed.

WEDNESDAY, 12:37pm: Anderson’s two-year extension is worth $5MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

12:12pm: After locking up their starting quarterback, Cam Newton, to a long-term contract earlier in the offseason, the Panthers have extended their No. 2 signal-caller as well. According to a team release, Derek Anderson has added two years to his deal with the Panthers, keeping him under team control through the 2017 season. Anderson’s contract had previously been set to expire after this year.

“Derek adds stability to the quarterback position as the backup, and we have tremendous confidence in him,” head coach Ron Rivera said in a statement. “His experience and veteran leadership has been important in the quarterbacks room and with the coaches. We’re securing a veteran player who has been a big part of what we’re building.”

Anderson, who has been with the Panthers since 2011, saw his first two starts for the team in 2014 when Newton went down, and led the club to victories in both of those games, throwing five touchdowns to no interceptions and completing 67.0% of his passes. It was arguably the best stretch in his career since he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2007 after winning 10 of 15 starts for the Browns.

Earning a salary of $1.175MM in 2015, Anderson isn’t among the league’s highest-paid backups, though the 32-year-old figures to be in line for at least a small raise on his new deal, which he called a “no-brainer.”

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Panthers Acquire Kevin Norwood From Seahawks

By | at September 1, 2015 5:19 pm

TUESDAY, 5:19pm: The Panthers are sending the Seahawks a conditional 2017 seventh-round choice for Norwood, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

MONDAY, 3:32pm: The draft pick the Panthers are giving up for Norwood is a 2017 selection, per a team release.

2:50pm: After initially deciding to cut wide receiver Kevin Norwood, the Seahawks have found a trade partner, sending the former fourth-round pick to the Panthers, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The exact compensation for Seattle isn’t yet known, but Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports says (via Twitter) it’ll be a draft pick.

Norwood, who turns 26 next month, joined the Seahawks last season out of Alabama, but saw limited action. For the season, he caught nine balls for 102 yards, with no touchdowns. Norwood may have an easier path to playing time on offense in Carolina, where the Panthers will be without their No. 1 receiver, Kelvin Benjamin, who tore his ACL earlier this month.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera had said earlier today that there could be a veteran available after this week’s cuts that might fit in the team’s scheme, as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. Earlier in the offseason, Rivera seemed determine to roll with the receivers that Carolina already had on the roster. However, with Jerricho Cotchery and Devin Funchess sidelined, and other wide receivers underperforming this preseason, that stance may have changed.

I would expect the Panthers to still keep an eye on the waiver wire and the free agent market for potential upgrades, even after acquiring Norwood.

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Bills Claim Dalton Freeman, Kevin Reddick

By | at September 1, 2015 5:14 pm

The Bills announced that they have claimed center Dalton Freeman and linebacker Kevin Reddick off waivers as a part of today’s moves. Here’s the full rundown:

Claimed Off Waivers:

  • Dalton Freeman, C (waived by Jets)
  • Kevin Reddick, LB (waived by Panthers)

Released:

  • Jimmy Gaines, LB

Waived/Injured:

  • Tyson Chandler, OT

Freeman was released on August 30th by the Jets and Rex Ryan wasted little time in orchestrating a reunion. The 6-5, 291 pound Clemson product originally entered the NFL as an UDFA in 2013 with the Gang Green. Freeman played in all 16 games last season for the Jets, starting one.

Reddick originally entered the NFL as an UDFA in 2013 with the Saints before having stints with the Panthers and Chargers.

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