Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Raiders announced that they have filled their two open practice squad spots, signing wide receiver Kenny Shaw and tight end Evan Wilson. Shaw, a former standout at Florida State, briefly spent time with the Browns and Jaguars. Wilson was among the Dolphins final cuts in August, and he had workouts with the Patriots and Giants earlier this season.
- The Seahawks have signed linebacker Mike Zimmer, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Zimmer (no relation to the coach) played with the Vikings during the preseason.
Earlier updates:
- Cornerback Kennard Cox has signed with the Seahawks‘ taxi squad, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Cox last played in the NFL with Seattle in 2011.
- The 49ers have filled the last opening on their practice squad by signing offensive tackle Chris Martin, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).
- According to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter), the two openings on the Lions’ practice squad have now been filled, as the team added wide receiver Skye Dawson and linebacker Jerrell Harris.
- The Cowboys have made a change to their practice squad, replacing defensive end Lavar Edwards with cornerback Micah Pellerin, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link). Edwards lands on the team’s practice squad IR list.
- The Panthers have re-signed running back Tauren Poole to their practice squad, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Poole had a very brief stint on the active roster earlier this season when Carolina was dealing with several injuries in the backfield.
- Wide receiver Alec Lemon, a former local high school standout, has joined the Ravens‘ taxi squad, filling the 10th and final spot, according to a team release.
- The Broncos have filled the lone opening on their practice squad by adding defensive end Gerald Rivers back to the unit, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold (via Twitter). Rivers, who tried out for the Giants this week, was cut last week from Denver’s 53-man roster.
- The Buccaneers have removed tight end Taylor Sloat from their practice squad, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link), who says the move may indicate improving health for the team’s tight ends. Linebacker Ka’Lial Glaud has replaced Sloat on the squad.
- With outside linebacker Jason Ankrah having been promoted to the Texans‘ active roster, former Clemson defensive end Kourtnei Brown has been added to Houston’s practice squad to replace Ankrah, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
South Notes: Clowney, Newton, Locker
After undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee today, Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney is expected to miss nine months as he recovers from the procedure, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That timeline could prove problematic, as John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes, because it could mean that Clowney will be still be sidelined when the 2015 season begins. Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, was placed on injured reserve last week after playing in only four games, registering just seven tackles. Here’s more from the South divsions…
- Cam Newton is unlikely to play this weekend after being injured in a car accident earlier today, reports Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Newton suffered two transverse process fractures in his lower back, the same injury that forced Tony Romo to miss one game earlier this season. The Panthers, who at 4-8-1 are still in NFC South hunt, will turn to backup Derek Anderson against the Buccaneers.
- While one quarterback in a contract year – Browns signal-caller Brian Hoyer – has been benched as he nears free agency, another will get an opportunity to showcase his skills before he hits the open market. Former first-round pick Jake Locker will start the Titans’ final three games with Zach Mettenberger out, as John Glennon of the Tennessean details.
- Two days after he made several errors in the Saints’ loss to the Panthers, second-year safety Kenny Vaccaro has been benched, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Vaccaro, the fifteenth overall pick in the 2013 draft, recorded an outstanding rookie season, and was expected to form an excellent defensive backfield duo with free agent signee Jairus Byrd. Now, Byrd is on injured reserve, while Vaccaro, who rates as the third-worst safety in the league per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), will watch from the sideline.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
We’ve already rounded up several of the day’s more notable transactions in posts of their own, but we’ll use this space to keep tabs on the 53-man roster moves that may have slipped under the radar. Here’s the latest:
- The Panthers have cut quarterback Matt Blanchard from injured reserve, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Free agent linebacker Rob Ruggiero has been suspended for four weeks by the league, per Wilson (Twitter link) — no word on what led to the ban.
Earlier updates:
- The Raiders have cut linebacker Jamar Chaney, according to Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune. The club hasn’t yet filled Cheney’s roster spot, but McDonald surmises that receiver Rod Streater, currently on IR-DTR, could soon be added to the 53-man.
- Cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson, who dislocated his shoulder during Sunday’s loss to the Giants, has been placed on the injured reserve list by the Titans, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). According to Wyatt (via Twitter), the team has filled the newly-opened spot on its roster by signing free agent offensive lineman Jamon Meredith, who was cut by the Bengals a week ago.
- The Lions officially removed running back Montell Owens from their roster today, releasing him from IR, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Unless the two sides reached an injury settlement, the move suggests that Owens is now fully healthy.
Cam Newton Involved In Car Accident
2:26pm: After undergoing further tests, Newton has been diagnosed with two transverse process fractures in his lower back, and no further internal injuries, according to the team (Twitter link). The injury is similar to the one that sidelined Tony Romo for one game earlier this season.
1:35pm: Newton “is in fair condition and undergoing tests at Carolinas Medical Center and will remain there overnight for observation,” the Panthers have announced in a tweet.
12:22pm: The Observer has passed along a photo of Newton conscious and smiling following the accident (Twitter link). Meanwhile, WBTV in Charlotte is reporting (via Twitter) that Newton was taken to the hospital as a precaution and didn’t suffer any major injuries.
12:09pm: A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer confirms to Jones (Twitter link) that Newton was driving the vehicle that overturned, and that the Panthers QB was able to communicate before being loaded into an ambulance.
12:04pm: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was involved in a car wreck today near Bank of America Stadium, according to a report from the Charlotte Observer. A car – believed to be Newton’s – crashed and overturned on the Church Street bridge in Charlotte. Per Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter), Newton was placed onto a stretcher and taken to the hospital.
It’s not clear yet whether Newton is seriously injured or whether the trip to the hospital is precautionary, but we’ll pass along details as soon as they become available.
The Panthers – and their quarterback – are coming off their best game of the season, a 41-10 drubbing of the division-rival Saints, which saw Newton throw for 226 yards and three touchdowns and run for another 83 yards and a TD. At 4-8-1, the team is a half-game out of first place in the NFC South.
NFC Notes: Newton, Lynch, Bucs, 49ers, Cards
Because the Panthers already exercised his fifth-year option, Cam Newton will be Carolina’s quarterback in 2015 — technically, the option doesn’t become guaranteed until the start of the league year, but it’s highly unlikely that the club will rescind the $14.666MM offer before then. The Panthers still need to decide if the former No. 1 overall pick will be their signal-caller for the long-term, however, leading Joseph Person and Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer to examine Newton’s current level of play and the prospect of signing him to an extension.
While Person allows that Newton has regressed during the second half of the season, he points to the Panthers losing key pieces from both their offensive line and their receiving corps as reasons why Newton’s production has waned. Fowler, meanwhile, argues that due to the fragility of running quarterbacks, Carolina should take a “wait and see” approach” — let the 2015 season play out, and then determine if Newton is worth the franchise tag tender or a long-term deal. Back in August, PFR’s Luke Adams looked at the the possibility of the Newton and the Panthers agreeing to a multi-year pact.
More from the NFC:
- Appearing on the NFL Network, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch spoke about the possibility of remaining in Seattle past 2014. “I’m still under contract (for 2015),” Lynch said (link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). “I haven’t even made it through this year. I’m chasing after another one of these [Super Bowl rings].” Lynch is due a $5MM base salary and a $2MM roster bonus next season, but the Seahawks can save $7MM by cutting the veteran RB.
- In a piece scrutinizing the current head-coaching and front office landscape, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes that Lovie Smith is a candidate to be fired after the season. “It’s one thing to lose games,” a source said regarding Smith and the Buccaneers, “but to give up 35 points in a quarter?” A league insider also tells Volin that the 49ers will contemplate promoting defensive coordiantor Vic Fangio if Jim Harbaugh exits. “They just want someone with less noise,” said the source.
- We passed along Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com’s Cardinals-centric mailbag yesterday, but there is one additional item of note within, as Weinfuss points out that Arizona’s 2015 quarterback situation is extremely muddled. Coming off an ACL tear, Carson Palmer probably won’t be ready for OTAs, and while Drew Stanton is the Cards’ short-term remedy at the position, Logan Thomas figures to be the long-term answer. Therefore, the club will have to determine how to manage offseason reps, both in order to ready Stanton to be the starter, and to develop Thomas.
Rory Parks contributed to this post.
NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Cards, Lions
We took a look at ESPN’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now focus on notes from the NFC…
- If the Panthers get a top-10 pick, David Newton believes the team will use their selection on an offensive tackle, a defensive back or a defensive lineman. When asked if the team would trade back for multiple assets, Newton says that “quality will be more important than quantity.”
- Josh Weinfuss isn’t convinced the Cardinals will re-sign linebacker Sam Acho, stating that the team should be able to find an adequate replacement. Meanwhile, the writer believes the team should try to retain Antonio Cromartie for a reasonable price.
- If Lions wideout T.J. Jones continues to prove that he’s capable of a bigger role, Ryan Broyles could ultimately find himself without a job, writes Michael Rothstein.
- Ben Goessling is under the impression that Adrian Peterson will not be playing for the Vikings next season. Instead, he believes the team will go with Jerick McKinnon as their primary running back while pursuing a running back later in the draft.
- John Keim says the league’s new CBA, which limits the interaction between players and coaches during the offseason, hurts the development of any young quarterback (including Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III).
NFC Notes: Suh, Peterson, RGIII, Hardy
Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy signed the richest contract ever for a player at his position two months ago and he’s rooting for Lions pending free agent Ndamukong Suh to shatter that figure, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I hope he breaks the bank,” McCoy said. “He’s an awesome player, an all-pro, Pro Bowl player. Was Rookie of the Year. Just a dominating force since he’s been in the league. Everything that’s coming to him, he deserves it.” More from the NFC..
- There has been no settlement reached in the Adrian Peterson appeal yet, so the hearing went on as planned today, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). The hearing for the Vikings running back wrapped up around 3:20 CT (link).
- There’s a “real chance” Robert Griffin III will be Washington‘s starting QB before this season is over, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). A report earlier today indicated that coach Jay Gruden wants the team to get rid of RGIII in the offseason.
- Rams coach Jeff Fisher is most certainly telling the truth when he says that he doesn’t regret the 2012 blockbuster deal that sent the draft rights to RGIII to Washington, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t missed opportunities in that draft. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, of the 74 picks used before the Seahawks took quarterback Russell Wilson, the Rams had five of them. Instead, the Rams selected Michael Brockers, Brian Quick, Janoris Jenkins, Isaiah Pead, and Trumaine Johnson with those picks.
- Panthers coach Ron Rivera had positive things to say after pending free agent Greg Hardy visited with some of his teammates on Saturday. “He looks good. He looks like he’s fit and in shape,” Rivera said, according to Bill Voth of Black And Blue Review. “I had a chance to say hello, talk a little bit. Between he and I, it was a nice conversation. He’s trying to keep himself busy, and he’s just waiting to find out what his situation and circumstances are going to be.” Still, given Hardy’s baggage, it’s unclear if there’s a future for him in Carolina.
Workout Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Browns, Broncos
In our roundup of several AFC East and NFC East items this morning, we passed along word on a handful of free agents who recently worked out for East teams. Across the rest of the league, several more auditions took place, so we’ll take a look at all those updates right here. All links are from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, and go to Twitter:
- The Colts brought in a few notable free agents for tryouts, taking a look at running back Mikel Leshoure, ex-Jets cornerback Ellis Lankster, and former LSU wideout Kadron Boone. Of the three players, Leshoure is the most interesting name, considering Indianapolis is believed to be considering adding running back depth.
- Linebacker A.J. Edds ultimately signed with the Jaguars, joining the team’s active roster yesterday, but Edds also worked out for the Bengals earlier in the week. Additionally, Jacksonville auditioned veteran linebacker Victor Butler before deciding on Edds.
- Browns kicker Billy Cundiff has had his ups and downs this season, missing six field goals, including three from less than 40 yards. While I don’t expect Cleveland to replace him, the team did take a look at a couple other kickers this week, bringing in Michael Barnard and Zach Hocker.
- The Broncos worked out an extensive list of players this week, and Wilson has all the previously-unreported names: Rodney Barnes (S), Deion Belue (CB), Kenny Horsley (DE), M.D. Jennings (S), Vernon Kearney (CB), Keon Lyn (CB), Leon Mackey (DL), Ross Madison (S), and Danny Mason (LB).
- In addition to trying out wideout Jace Davis, who signed with their practice squad, the Texans auditioned quarterback Brad Sorensen and several other receivers, including Rashad Ross, Willie Snead, and former Niner Kyle Williams.
- Former Cardinals defensive end Ronald Talley worked out for the Chiefs. Talley spent some time with the Buccaneers earlier this year, but was removed from the roster prior to the regular season.
- The Packers tried out cornerback Lavelle Westbrooks, a 2014 seventh-round pick waived by the Bengals during the preseason.
- Tight end Xavier Grimble, who hit the open market once again last week after a brief stint with the Patriots’ practice squad, worked out for the Panthers.
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
We’ll use this space to round up Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the league. Here’s the latest:
- Confirming the previously-reported signing of linebacker Jake Knott to their practice squad, the Dolphins also added wide receiver L’Damian Washington, parting ways with safety Ahmad Dixon and tight end Jake Stoneburner to make room, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald.
Earlier updates:
- The Ravens‘ practice squad underwent some turnover today, with the team cutting tight end Allen Reisner and signing tight end Phillip Supernaw and wide receiver LaQuan Williams, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- With three spots open on their practice squad, the Patriots got the unit back up to 10 players by signing defensive back Justin Green, linebacker Deontae Skinner, and defensive back Daxton Swanson, the team announced today in a press release.
- Tight end Kevin Greene, who worked out for the Panthers several weeks ago, has now signed with the team’s practice squad, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter).
- Having promoted tight end Anthony Denham from their practice squad to their 53-man roster, the Texans quickly filled the open spot on their taxi squad by adding wide receiver Jace Davis, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston.
- Former Notre Dame defensive lineman Kona Schwenke has signed with the Jets‘ practice squad, per Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). No corresponding move was necessary, since New York had been carrying nine players.
NFC Notes: Briggs, Panthers, Peterson
The Bears placed veteran linebacker Lance Briggs last week, and while Briggs intends to continue his career next season, he sounds resigned to the fact that it may not happen in Chicago. The former third-round pick, who has been with the club since 2003, may become the latest longtime Bear to find work elsewhere, as he acknowledged on his Comcast SportsNet show yesterday.
“I’ve been through some nasty contract disputes,” Briggs said, per Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. “I got a chance to see a lot of guys come and go. And I got a chance to see how things were handled with players before me. So for me, it just laid the foundation for what’s to come. For me, I prepared myself for the days that are coming. So I don’t hold bitterness. There’s no bitterness. When I think of the whole situation, I think of all the great years and I’m thankful for everything that Chicago has meant to me.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- The Panthers‘ willingness to part with veteran players whose mental lapses cost the team is sending a strong message to the rest of the roster, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. After releasing players like Charles Godfrey and Jason Avant earlier this season, Carolina cut cornerback Antoine Cason and linebacker Jason Williams this week after Cason gave up an easy touchdown catch late in the first half and Williams missed an assignment on a blocked punt that resulted in a TD for the Vikings.
- Arbitrator Harold Henderson encouraged the NFL and NFLPA to try to reach a settlement on Adrian Peterson‘s case, but so far no offers have been exchanged between the two sides, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com.
- As our Offseason in Review post on the Giants shows, New York was extremely active in free agency in 2014, but the spending spree hasn’t paid off at all for the club this season, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
- The fact that Jim Harbaugh has a year remaining on his contract with the 49ers wouldn’t be an impediment if he wanted to pursue a college job, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Still, if Harbaugh is coaching a team besides San Francisco in 2015, it’s likely to be an NFL franchise.