Extra Points: Titans, Morgan, McKenzie
The Titans are 2-13, and looking at a very high draft pick this offseason, but they also have a number of contributors who are set to hit free agency at the end of the year. Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com takes a look at a 16 players who the Titans will make decisions on, and gives an idea of whether the team will try to keep them.
Notably, he writes that Michael Roos would probably not sign even if the Titans wanted to keep him. With Taylor Lewan taking over at left tackle, Roos would likely find work elsewhere rather than make the transition to right tackle. Jake Locker is another player who isn’t expected to return, although his is a case of the team not being interested.
Kuharsky doesn’t pick out many players the team would have to keep, aside from Derrick Morgan, but most of the list are players who can contribute but are not vital to the operation, much as one would expect from a two-win team.
Here are some other notes from around the league:
- While Morgan is probably the best player on the Titans that is hitting free agency, he has said that the team has not approached him at all regarding an extension, according to Terry McCormack of TitansInsider.com (via Twitter). Kuharsky wrote that Morgan adjusted well to the 3-4 defense, but could pursue a return to a 4-3 in free agency.
- Raiders‘ general manager Reggie McKenzie has had a tumultuous season, in which he fired head coach Dennis Allen and heard rumors that his own job may be in jeopardy. However, he believes that he has built a foundation in Oakland, highlighted by rookies Khalil Mack and Derek Carr, writes Vic Tafur of SFGate.com. “Derek and Khalil stopped being rookies a little while back. Now they are veteran players. They can carry this into next season and help build this team into winners,” said McKenzie. “They’ve shown their teammates who they are as players and men off the field, and they’re definitely guys everybody can count on.”
- The Panthers have activated defensive end Frank Alexander for this week’s matchup against the Falcons, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter). Alexander is coming off a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The move was expected after the team decided not to activate him in time for the Browns’ game on Sunday.
Poll: Which Team Will Win NFC South?
The 2014 NFL schedule saw the NFC South plays its inter-conference games against the four AFC North teams, and the three clubs still in the hunt for the NFC South crown didn’t fare so well in those games against the AFC — the Falcons, Saints, and Panthers have combined to go 1-9-1 against the Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, and Browns.
Nonetheless, at least one of those AFC North teams – and perhaps more than one – will be left out of the postseason, and at least one team from the NFC South will host a playoff game. The 6-8 Saints, 5-8-1 Panthers, and 5-9 Falcons continue to vie for a division that could end up being won with just seven – or even six – victories.
With two weeks left in the season, the third-place Falcons are the key team in the race. Atlanta, already 4-0 in divisional games, plays both the Saints and the Panthers to finish the regular season, and if the Falcons win both contests, they’ll win the NFC South with a 7-9 record. Still, that won’t be easy — the Saints haven’t been their usual dominant selves in the Superdome this season, but they still enter tomorrow’s game as solid favorites over Atlanta, and then would just have to defeat the South’s last-place team (Tampa Bay) in Week 17 to clinch the division. In fact, a Week 16 win could guarantee New Orleans a division title if the Panthers don’t keep pace with a victory of their own against the Browns.
The Saints look like the current frontrunners, but the Falcons control their fate, and the Panthers’ tie means they could finish a half-game ahead of their division rivals and not have to worry about tiebreaker scenarios. What do you think? Which of these teams wins the South and hosts a first-round playoff game?
Which team will win the NFC South?
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New Orleans Saints 47% (132)
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Atlanta Falcons 27% (75)
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Carolina Panthers 26% (72)
Total votes: 279
NFC Links: Gore, Cutler, Griffin, Sanchez
49ers‘ running back Frank Gore has seen a decline in his play this season, and his future in San Francisco is in question. Aside from his rookie season and injury-shortened 2010, Gore is on pace to post career lows in yards, attempts, touchdowns, yards per carry, and longest run. He has also been phased out of the passing game, with career lows in targets, catches, and receiving yards.
Gore will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and spoke to Eric Branch of SFGate.com regarding his future with the team. “If they want to bring me back, they will,” Gore said. “They’ll come to me in a respectful way. We’ll sit down, see what they want me to do. See what my role is and if I like it, I’ll sign. If I don’t, I’ll try to see what other teams think of me.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- Joel Corry of the National Football Post takes a look at the financial implications that would take place if the Bears decided to trade Jay Cutler. Because of his contract, he writes the Bears would be unlikely to get much in return for the embattled quarterback, but writes that the Titans, Jets, Buccaneers, Rams and Texans could all have at least some interest in acquiring Cutler at the right price.
- Despite some rumors that Washington would fire head coach Jay Gruden after only one season, the former Bengals’ offensive coordinator is confident that he will get a second season with the team, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com. “I feel good about my chances of coming back next year,” Gruden said. “I feel good about some of the core group of guys we have here and building a football team, and I think we can get this thing turned around a lot sooner than later if given the opportunity.”
- Gruden returning is not a given, but after that the biggest question of Washington’s offseason is at the quarterback position. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com would not be surprised to see Robert Griffin III back in Washington next season, noting that his salary is fully guaranteed for 2015 (via Twitter). He writes that Gruden wants to win, and Griffin could be his best option at quarterback (via Twitter).
- With Nick Foles closer to being healthy each week and the Eagles still in the thick of the playoff race, Mark Sanchez needs to be better, writes Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. While he writes that Sanchez is not concerned about his own stock, the team’s playoff chances are directly related to how well Sanchez plays. Whether Sanchez’s top priority is making the playoffs or getting a starting job in 2015, he needs to be better over these next two games.
- The Panthers will not activate defensive end Frank Alexander for this weekend’s game against the Browns, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox sports 1 (via Twitter). Alexander came off of his suspension this week, after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Garafolo writes that the team is expected to activate him on Monday.
NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Saints, Packers
We took a look at ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now focus on what the NFC writers had to say…
- Even if the Panthers make the playoffs, David Newton wouldn’t be surprised if the organization makes some changes. The writer believes it would be difficult to let go of offensive coordinator Mike Shula (especially if the team finishes strong), but they could make a move to help improve the special teams.
- Newton would offer Panthers offensive tackle Mike Remmers a contract extension, but he warns that the money can’t get out of hand.
- Mike Triplett writes that the Saints may be able to retain defensive ends Cameron Jordan and Akiem Hicks at a reduced value. The duo’s subpar season will benefit New Orleans, but Triplett points out that the process is unpredictable.
- While the Saints normally stick with a platoon at running back, Triplett says a player like Mark Ingram may be worth re-signing. As the team transitions into a new era, it may be worth the gamble to keep the veteran.
- Rob Demovsky believes it would be a “major surprise” if the Packers didn’t re-sign Randall Cobb. While the negotiations may drag out, Demovsky says general manager Ted Thompson won’t let the wide receiver get away.
- With the emergence of Letroy Guion on the Packers defensive line, one reader asked Demovsky about the future of B.J. Raji. The writer opines that the defensive tackle won’t have much interest coming off a missed season, and the Packers could likely snag the veteran on a cheap, one-year deal.
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
A number of practice squad players have received promotions to their respective clubs’ 53-man rosters this week, or have been signed by a rival club. As such, we should expect plenty of signings today, as teams fill in their openings. Here’s the latest:
- After his suspension was lifted by the league, fullback Nikita Whitlock signed on with the Giants‘ practice squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter).
- Chargers taxi squad guard Craig Watts has been suspended four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances, according to Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (via Twitter). To replace him, the Bolts signed former San Diego State offensive lineman Bryce Quigley (link).
- Wide receiver and kick returner Greg Jenkins, who spent last season with the Raiders, has returned to the club, signing today with the taxi squad, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). The team has since confirmed the signing, tweeting that defensive back Vernon Kearney has joined the practice squad as well.
- The Saints have filled the final opening on their practice squad by signing kicker Dustin Hopkins, head coach Sean Payton confirmed today to reporters (Twitter link via Chad Sabadie of FOX8).
Earlier updates:
- The Vikings have signed rookie guard Jordan McCray to their practice squad to fill the spot vacated when Ahmad Dixon received a promotion, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Minnesota will have another spot to fill after losing cornerback Chris Greenwood to the Ravens.
- In addition to making changes to their 53-man roster today, the Patriots also tweaked their practice squad, adding quarterback Garrett Gilbert, according to a team release.
- The Packers have filled out their practice squad by signing safety Jean Fanor to the unit, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Fanor played for the Arena League’s Tampa Bay Storm this year, setting a team record for tackles in a season.
- Former sixth-round guard Jon Halapio has signed with the Broncos‘ practice squad, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
- Having entered the day with three openings on their practice squad, the Dolphins added a pair of players to the unit, signing defensive end Emmanuel Dieke and guard Mark Asper, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
- The Falcons have filled the 10th and final spot on their practice squad by signing cornerback Jordan Mabin, the team announced today in a press release. The opening was created earlier in the week when the club promoted cornerback Ricardo Allen to the 53-man roster.
- The Steelers have also filled out their taxi squad, signing former South Carolina offensive lineman Ronald Patrick, tweets Burt Lauten, the team’s PR rep.
- Defensive back Varmah Sonie, who played this year for Portland’s Arena League team, has signed to the Buccaneers‘ practice squad, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).
- The Panthers have signed linebacker Horace Miller to their practice squad, giving them a full 10-man unit, tweets David Newton of ESPN.com. Miller was cut by Carolina over the weekend and has since cleared waivers.
- Offensive tackle Tyler Hoover, who started the season with a brief stint on the Colts‘ practice squad and has since spent time with the Eagles as well, has rejoined Indianapolis’ squad, according to Mike Chappell of RTV6 (Twitter link).
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
We’ve already got one ongoing post designed to track today’s minor 53-man roster moves from around the league, but we’ll use this space to keep tabs on Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts. Here’s the latest:
- The Saints added guard Andrew Miller to the taxi squad while releasing offensive tackle DeMarcus Love and defensive tackle Garrison Smith, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Panthers cut running back Tauren Poole from their taxi squad yet again and replaced him by re-signing Micanor Regis, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
- A source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) that the Chiefs have cut tight end Adam Schiltz, creating a second open spot on the Kansas City practice squad.
- The Cowboys have their practice squad back up to 10 players, signing linebacker Mister Alexander to fill the final opening, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.
- Wide receiver Travis Labhart has been placed on the Texans‘ practice squad-injured list, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Having lost cornerback Chance Casey to the Raiders, the 49ers replaced him on their practice squad by signing cornerback Cameron Fuller, tweets Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
Earlier updates:
- The Ravens have filled up their practice squad by signing cornerback Quinton Pointer, the team announced today.
- Earlier today, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported (via Twitter) that the Texans were working out quarterback Seth Lobato, but the club ended up signing another quarterback to its taxi squad. Ricky Stanzi is the signal-caller that landed with the Texans, tweets Wilson.
- The Jets have signed former Marshall linebacker Mario Harvey to their practice squad, according to the team (Twitter link).
- After cutting him over the weekend, Washington has re-signed linebacker Steve Beauharnais to the club’s practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team also added defensive tackle Isaako Aaitui to the unit, cutting linebacker Justin Jackson to accommodate the move (Twitter link).
- Having lost Zach Mettenberger and Jake Locker to injuries, the Titans added quarterback Jordan Palmer to their active roster yesterday, and have added another signal-caller to their practice squad today for emergency purposes. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean tweets that QB Alex Tanney has signed with Tennessee’s taxi squad.
- Former Wake Forest defensive lineman Zach Thompson is signing to the Ravens‘ practice squad, taking one of the two open spots on the unit, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The 49ers have brought back a player who was part of the club’s practice squad earlier this season, announcing today in a press release that they’ve re-added tight end Xavier Grimble.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are Monday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including practice squad signings and cuts, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- Washington cut Chase Minnifield from injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Minnifield had been on IR ever since suffering a concussion in November.
- Tight end Gerell Robinson has received a promotion in Miami, as the Dolphins added him to their 53-man roster from the practice squad (Twitter link). To accommodate the move, tight end Gator Hoskins has been cut.
- The Rams have filled one of their two practice squad openings by signing defensive lineman Doug Worthington, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).
- The Colts have promoted cornerback Sheldon Price from their practice squad to their active roster, the team announced today in a press release. To make room for Price, the club waived tackle Andrew McDonald.
Earlier updates:
- Although it appeared last month that cornerback Robert Alford would return this season after suffering a broken wrist, Falcons head coach Mike Smith confirmed today that Alford will have surgery on that wrist and is being placed on the team’s injured reserve list, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
- The Panthers have made a change on their defensive line, parting ways with defensive tackle Micanor Regis and signing fellow defensive tackle Kyle Love to take his place on their 53-man roster, according to the team (Twitter link). Carolina also re-added defensive end Frank Alexander to its roster following his suspension — the club receives a week-long roster exemption for Alexander, so nobody needs to be cut to accommodate him quite yet (Twitter link).
- As expected, in the wake of Drew Stanton‘s knee injury, the Cardinals have added a quarterback to their practice squad for emergency purposes. According to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter), the team has added former Cornell signal-caller Jeff Mathews to its taxi squad, cutting linebacker Kion Wilson to create space.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are Saturday’s minor moves, with the most recent transactions added to the top of the list:
- The Packers have placed backup linebacker Jamari Lattimore on the injured reserve, tweets Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo. The team will promote safety Chris Banjo from the practice squad to take the open roster space (also via Garafolo).
- The Dolphins have promoted defensive back T.J. Heath, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. The former Jacksonville State standout previously spent time with the Jaguars, Bengals, Bills and Browns.
- The Seahawks have released cornerback Kennard Cox from their practice squad, tweets The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. Taking his place will be linebacker Allen Bradford, who was cut from the team’s active roster earlier this week.
Earlier updates:
- The Raiders have signed safety Ras-I Dowling and linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu to the active roster from the practice squad, according to the team website. They have also placed safety Larry Asante on the reserved/injured list.
- The Ravens have promoted running back Fitzgerald Toussaint from the practice squad to the active roster, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team has placed offensive tackle Jah Reid on injured reserve after re-aggravating a hand injury (via Twitter).
- The Bears have placed linebacker Darryl Sharpton on the injured reserve list, and signed quarterback David Fales to the active roster, reports Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter).
- The Browns have signed former Saints‘ kicker Garrett Hartley, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). The team has released kicker Billy Cundiff with an injury settlement (via Twitter).
- The Panthers have promoted linebacker Kevin Reddick from their practice squad and have waived linebacker Horace Miller, according to team’s official Twitter page.
NFC Mailbags: Garrett, Panthers, Prater
It’s Saturday morning, and ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some of the interesting notes from the NFC…
- The Cowboys have been one of the surprise teams in the NFL this season, and head coach Jason Garrett has gone from all but fired to a legitimate Coach of the Year candidate. Todd Archer believes he has done enough this season to keep his job even if they miss the playoffs, but notes that nothing is set in stone with three games to go.
- If the Panthers do not comeback to win the division, they will likely be staring at a very high draft pick this offseason, and David Newton believes that offensive tackle would be a top priority. However, if Alabama’s Amari Cooper falls to them, the team would have to consider taking him and putting him opposite Kelvin Benjamin to make a scary young pair of wideouts.
- Ben Goessling looks at what positions the Vikings will target in the 2015 NFL Draft, and believes the team could focus on defense. He writes that they could benefit from an inside linebacker to play alongside Anthony Barr and Gerald Hodges, or a versatile safety to pair with Harrison Smith. They could also look for another cornerback, or even a running back or offensive lineman.
- Washington has a number of problems in addition to their volatile quarterback situation, and John Keim believes the team will come into 2015 with two new starting safeties. He writes they should try to find a veteran free agent and also draft a safety capable of coming in and playing.
- While the main focus of the Packers‘ mailbag is the chances of a rematch of their week one loss to the Seahawks, this time at Lambeau Field, Rob Demovsky also takes time to explain why the team is consistently signing players to the active roster but not activating for gameday. He notes that most of these signings go hand in hand with key players who are questionable with injuries.
- The Lions have a number of decisions to make this offseason, but whether or not to re-sign Matt Prater will be one of the smaller yet no less significant choices. Mike Rothstein believes the team should try to keep Prater on a long-term deal.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
As NFL teams get their 53-man rosters in order for Week 15’s slate of games, we’ll round up Wednesday’s minor transactions in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:
- The Seahawks have signed defensive end David King from the Bengals practice squad, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. The defensive end, who was drafted by the Eagles in the seventh round of the 2013 draft, was signed by Cincinnati in August.
Earlier updates:
- The Cowboys continue to shuffle pieces to and from their roster and practice squad, with team executive Stephen Jones indicating that defensive end Kenneth Boatright is the latest taxi squad player to receive a promotion, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Dallas now has a full 53-man squad.
- The Panthers have released quarterback Matt Blanchard from their injured reserve list, now that he’s been deemed healthy, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. As Person adds in a second tweet, Blanchard sustained a severe concussion during a preseason game and wasn’t cleared for more than two months.
- Having waived defensive back Roc Carmichael yesterday, the Eagles filled the opening on their roster today by adding another player to their secondary. The team announced (via Twitter) that it has signed safety Jerome Couplin from off the Lions‘ practice squad. Couplin originally signed with Detroit back in May as an undrafted free agent out of William and Mary.
- Like the Eagles, the Vikings have also poached a player from another club’s practice squad, plucking offensive tackle Carter Bykowski away from the 49ers, per a team release. To make room for the incoming signee, Minnesota has placed linebacker Michael Mauti on the injured reserve list.
- Washington completed a series of roster moves on Tuesday that left the team with an open spot on its 53-man roster, and the club has now signed cornerback Justin Rogers to once again max out the squad (Twitter link). Rogers was one of several players to work out for Washington earlier this week.