NFC South Notes: Goldson, Hardy, Soliai
The latest from the NFC South..
- In Sunday’s loss to the Falcons, Bucs safety Dashon Goldson was replaced on numerous passing downs by Bradley McDougald. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times rightly notes that this doesn’t bode well for the former Pro Bowl safety who has no guaranteed money left on his five-year, $41.25MM deal beyond 2014.
- Panthers coach Ron Rivera is quick to admit that the absence of Greg Hardy has been partially to blame for an inconsistent defense, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “That’s a part of it. He’s a guy that impacts the way that people approach you. People have got to game plan for him and do certain things with protections. It would help to have him. We don’t. So, unfortunately, we go on and do the best that we can without him,” Rivera said.
- Falcons free agent signings Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson are eager to show that they’re worth the big bucks, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Atlanta invested $25MM in the duo with the expectation that they would spark a defensive turnaround, but so far that hasn’t happened. Soliai has an average grade of -1.0 for run defense from Pro Football Focus so far this season.
Workout Notes: Tuesday
We’ll keep track of today’s workouts and visits here..
- The Colts worked out notable kick returner Josh Cribbs, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). Cribbs is the NFL’s all-time co-leader in kickoff returns for touchdowns with eight.
- The Titans worked out former Packers first round pick Derek Sherrod, Yates tweets. The offensive tackle was cut by the Packers late last month.
- The Panthers also auditioned Sherrod and Kevin Greene, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets.
- Defensive tackle Fred Evans tried out for the Seahawks, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (on Twitter).
- The Saints tried out safeties M.D. Jennings and Kenny Phillips, according to Balzer (on Twitter). Jamarca Sanford was signed earlier today, so Jennings and Phillips probably won’t be coming to New Orleans.
- The Saints also auditioned running backs Andre Brown, Tim Hightower, Mikel LeShoure, and Rutgers alum Brian Leonard, according to Yates (via Mike Triplett on Twitter).
- The Packers looked at defensive tackle Kenny Horsley, safety Kimario McFadden, and linebacker Chaz Sutton, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Falcons are working out former Utah State center Tyler Larsen today, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
- The Dolphins worked out Jonte Green, Wilson tweets.
- The Seahawks worked out running backs Johri Fogerson, Stanley Havili, and Karl Williams, Wilson tweets.
- The Titans worked out tight end Dorin Dickerson today, Wilson tweets. The Titans removed him from the IR with an injury settlement in August.
NFC Links: Avant, Palmer, Brooks
Panthers wide receiver Jason Avant is looking forward to returning to Philadelphia this weekend, but the veteran is also looking back on his time with the Eagles. The 30-year-old was asked about his departure from Philly, and the wideout understood that he was on the outside looking in. Via the Philly Mag’s Tim McManus…
“You have an emerging [Jeremy] Maclin, you have a receiver draft that is high on talent that year and then you just paid Riley Cooper, so you kind of put the pieces together. Me and DeSean or me and Mac, we knew two of us would be gone,” he said. “We didn’t know which one it would be but you kind of [understand] situations over the years.
“I saw my role and what they had me doing and it just didn’t make sense for them financially to keep me to do some of the things I was doing. That’s no slight at Chip [Kelly] or anyone, it’s just a good business decision. Man, if I was in the business decision I would have looked at it and said: Look, to catch bubbles and to block, we can get a rookie to do that for a lesser price. That’s just a smart move by Howie Roseman and Chip.”
“Every player wants to play in one city for their whole career, but I understood the business side of it,” he said. “I love the organization, I love [Kelly and Roseman], I don’t have any hard feelings. I’ll be giving [Kelly] a big hug when I see him. I respect him and I respect what he is doing. They’re having a great season so far and I am really, really excited for a lot of the guys there, and I still talk to a lot of people. I’m happy they’re doing well — I just hope they don’t do well this week. That’s it.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…
- The Packers will evaluate the availability of guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang today, and they could decide to activate lineman Josh Walker from the practice squad, writes Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel.
- The Cardinals made the correct move in signing Carson Palmer, says ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss. The 34-year-old’s performance since returning in mid-October has proven to the writer that the veteran was deserving of a three-year extension.
- 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh would not comment on rumors that the team was shopping linebacker Ahmad Brooks. “No, no, I don’t have any comment on that,” Harbaugh said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez). “As always, no comment on those things. It would be second-hand, and I don’t have the specific knowledge.”
NFC Mailbags: Giants, Panthers, Lions
It’s Saturday morning, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN’s writers. We’ve compiled some of the more interesting notes from the articles, and we’ll start with whispers out of the NFC…
- Dan Graziano believes that Giants general manager Jerry Reese is safe and will not be fired following the season. The writer shares a similar sentiment for head coach Tom Coughlin, but he warns that a lot could change in the second-half of the season.
- Based on what the team has seen from Robert Griffin III, Washington probably won’t be in the position to give their quarterback an extension this spring, writes John Keim.
- Following a disappointing season, teams often place the blame on somebody besides the general manager or head coach. David Newton opines that Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula could be that guy in Carolina.
- Michael Rothstein writes that Calvin Johnson is practically indispensable to the Lions organization, and having the wideout on the roster will have no impact on Ndamukong Suh or DeAndre Levy‘s future with the team.
NFC Notes: Bryant, Hardy, Morgan
After checking in on a pair of AFC divisions earlier today, let’s head over to the other conference and round up a few NFC items….
- Now that he’s represented by Roc Nation, Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has changed his stance on discussing a contract extension during the season, indicating earlier this week that he’d be willing to enter in-season negotiations “if it’s right.” Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News takes a look at what the “right” deal for Bryant would entail.
- With an eye toward players like Bryant, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com points out (at The Sporting News) that the market for wide receivers may be trending down after a handful of recent big-money deals have failed to pay big early dividends. That’s not to say that Bryant and other big-name receivers won’t sign big contracts this offseason, but Fitzgerald expects more difficult negotiations than in the past.
- While his chances of playing this season look increasingly slim, Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy told James Walker of ESPN.com that he still hopes to return to the field this season. Hardy agreed to be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list until his legal case was resolved, and his trial has now been postponed until January.
- Saints head coach Sean Payton confirmed yesterday that the suspension that receiver Joe Morgan is serving came from the team and not the league, and it won’t end Morgan’s season (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune).
- Former Norfolk State wideout Roderick Bell had a tryout with Washington on Thursday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Practice Squad Updates: Thursday
We’ll use this space to round up today’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
- A day after cutting him in order to make room on the roster for Leonard Hankerson, Washington has re-signed cornerback Chase Minnifield to its practice squad, the club announced today (Twitter link).
- One wide receiver has replaced another on the Panthers‘ practice squad, according to David Newton of ESPN.com, who tweets that the team has added De’Andre Presley and parted ways with Willie Snead.
- The Seahawks have re-signed linebacker L.J. Fort to their taxi squad, releasing defensive end Ryan Robinson in a corresponding move, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
South Links: Panthers, Antone Smith, Texans
Unlike Adrian Peterson, whose legal case has concluded, Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy has no clear-cut path back to the field now that his trial has been postponed until after the season. Still, if there were a way for the veteran pass rusher to be reinstated in 2014, his teammates would welcome him back, as David Newton of ESPN.com details.
“Selfishly, as a player, would we want him as a player on our team? Of course. He makes us better,” said tight end Greg Olsen. “We also have to understand there’s a bigger picture. There’s bigger things at play, socially, just the environment we’re in. You have to respect that. I’m glad I’m not the one making the decisions. I trust that the people that have that power – mostly on the league side – will do what’s in the best interest of everyone.”
Here’s more from around the league’s two South divisions:
- While Cam Newton has faced increased scrutiny during the Panthers’ recent slide, the former first overall pick remains the team’s best short-term and long-term option at quarterback, writes Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer.
- As he approaches free agency, Falcons running back Antone Smith has hired Atlanta-based agent Todd France of Five Star Athlete Management, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. France assumed full ownership of the agency after new Bills owner Terry Pegula divested his interest in the firm.
- Ryan Mallett will get a chance down the stretch this season to prove that he’s capable of being the Texans‘ quarterback of the future, but John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) doesn’t envision Mallett back with the team next season. In McClain’s view, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Savage will return, along with a third, new signal-caller.
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves that affect teams’ 53-man rosters around the league:
- In a reversal of a pair of roster moves made earlier this week, the Panthers have re-signed running back Chris Ogbonnaya using the roster spot created when the team cut De’Andre Presley yesterday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Carolina had previously activated Presley and waived Ogbonnaya, so the club’s motives here aren’t entirely clear.
- Defensive end Demarcus Dobbs, cut yesterday by the 49ers, has been claimed off waivers by the division-rival Seahawks, according to his agent Wesley Spencer (Twitter link). Since Seattle didn’t have an open spot on the roster, the team placed defensive end Greg Scruggs on the injured reserve list in order to accommodate the addition of Dobbs, tweets Brian McIntyre.
Earlier updates:
- One depleted secondary has added a piece from another, as the Giants announced today in a press release that they’ve claimed cornerback Chykie Brown off waivers from the Ravens. To make room on the roster for Brown, who lost his job in Baltimore after Ben Roethlisberger threw six touchdowns against the Ravens on Sunday, the Giants placed Prince Amukamara on injured reserve — as we learned yesterday, the cornerback is out for the year with a torn biceps.
- The Titans have replaced one tight end with another on their 53-man roster, bringing back Brett Brackett and placing the injured Taylor Thompson on IR, according to a team release. Thompson suffered his knee injury in Week 3 and had been unable to get healthy, while Brackett had been on the Seahawks’ practice squad before signing to Tennessee’s active roster.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
We’re already tracking today’s practice squad signings and cuts in one post, and we’ll use the space below to keep tabs on Tuesday’s minor 53-man roster transactions. Here’s the latest:
- Wide receiver Bryan Walters, who was cut over the weekend by the Seahawks, is celebrating his 27th birthday by re-signing with the team, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Seattle also made a few other roster moves, signing tight end Tony Moeaki and cutting linebacker L.J. Fort and defensive back Terrance Parks, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, adding in a second tweet that Parks received an injury settlement.
- As expected, Washington activated wideout Leonard Hankerson off the PUP list today, cutting cornerback Chase Minnifield in order to accommodate the addition (Twitter link). Earlier today, John Keim of ESPN.com had pointed to cornerback as a position where the club had a surplus and could cut a player to make room for Hankerson.
- The Saints have signed tackle Nick Becton off the Giants’ practice squad, placing fullback Austin Johnson on injured reserve with a knee injury to create an opening on their 53-man roster, says Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (Twitter links).
- De’Andre Presley was activated from the reserve/PUP list just yesterday, but the Panthers have waived the receiver today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
NFC Notes: Bryant, Hardy, Eagles, Schiano
The Cowboys are wary of offering Dez Bryant a long-term extension because of the receiver’s past off-the-field issues, sources tell Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. While Bryant wants a deal that pays him like a No. 1 WR, Dallas has offered the 26-year-old contracts that, while providing Bryant with significant guaranteed money, contain protection clauses for the club in the event of off-the-field incidents. Per Getlin, the Cowboys have provided therapists to help Bryant work out his anger management issues. Bryant, playing under the final year of his rookie deal, said on Sunday that he’d be “highly disappointed” if Dallas opted to place the franchise tag on him for the 2015 season. Here’s more from the NFC.
- The Mecklenburg County district attorney announced that Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy‘s trial will be postponed until early 2015, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Hardy is currently on the commissioner’s exempt list as his domestic violence case is litigated, but as Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes, Carolina head coach Ron Rivera believes Hardy should be able to return to the team immediately if his trial won’t take place until the season is completed, arguing that the star defender has already served an effective eight-week suspension.
- The Eagles will replace injured linebacker DeMeco Ryans internally, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who points to Casey Matthews and 2014 first-rounder Marcus Smith as options to see more snaps for Philadelphia.
- Offensive lineman Todd Herremans, who is trying to play through a torn biceps, will meet with Eagles team doctors today and discuss whether it’s best for him to be placed on injured reserve, per Bowen (Twitter link).
- Ex-Buccaneers and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano would like to return to an NFL or college sideline in 2015, writes Pete Thamel of TheMMQB.com in an engrossing profile.