North Notes: Bears, Hoyer, Jones, Bell
Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) reflected on the offseason’s top value signings. Bears defensive end Willie Young, signed to a three-year, $9MM deal, tops the list. Young has seven sacks so far, more than he had during the first four years of his career combined. One NFL coach told Yates that he’s quite impressed with Young’s improvement from last season to this season. “If you look at him from the Lions, he was a straight-line, situational rusher,” he said of Young. “Now he is not a straight-line rusher. Now he uses his hands and feet and has become a skilled pass-rusher.” More out of the AFC and NFC North..
- While there’s been plenty of speculation about a potential contract extension for Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer, the team has displayed “zero” interest so far in negotiating a new deal for him, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Yesterday a foot specialist told Marvin Jones that he’ll require surgery on his balky ankle, which is why the Bengals decided to place the wideout on injured reserve, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
- Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell waived his right to a preliminary hearing on marijuana possession and and DUI charges, writes Joe Mandak of The Associated Press. That means the 22-year-old won’t contest that police have enough evidence for the chargets to go to court, where he will either plead to all or some of the chargers or stand trial.
- Terrelle Pryor worked out for the Bengals as a quarterback, so it would seem that he’s not entertaining a position change, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports.
- Sunday was a rough day for Vikings GM Rick Spielman‘s recent first-round picks, as Michael Rand of the Star-Tribune explains (video link).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday
While we track today’s transactions relating to teams’ 53-man rosters in a separate post, we’ll use this space to keep tabs on the day’s practice squad signings and cuts. Here’s the latest:
- The Redskins signed wide receiver Rashad Ross to the practice squad, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com. Washington liked Ross this summer and they scooped him up after he was discarded by the Bears.
- A day after being waived by the Bears, linebacker Terrell Manning has rejoined the team’s practice squad, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
- The Redskins have parted ways with practice squad wideout Marvin McNutt, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times.
- As the Giants weight their options at receiver on the 53-man roster, they’ve made a change to the wideouts on their practice squad — Jordan Raanan of NJ.com tweets that Chris Harper has replaced Travis Harvey.
- Wide receiver Patrick Edwards is the newest addition to the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- Linebacker Kaelin Burnett and cornerback Ross Weaver have found a new home, joining the Cardinals‘ practice squad, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link). The team had one opening on its squad, so linebacker Jonathan Brown has been released to make room for the second incoming player.
- The Dolphins have parted ways with wideout Marcus Thigpen, replacing him on their practice squad with defensive back Rod Sweeting, tweets Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- The Jaguars have signed tight end Michael Flacco, the brother of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union notes (via Twitter) that Flacco replaces tight end Marcel Jensen, who was put on the practice squad IR list.
- Wide receiver Lee Doss has been cut from the Browns‘ practice squad, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
Bears Waive Manning, Sign Mitchell
The Bears waived linebacker Terrell Manning and signed cornerback Terrance Mitchell to the 53-man roster, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com (on Twitter). Chicago has also signed tight end Jacob Maxwell to the practice squad.
Mitchell, 22, was selected by the Cowboys in the seventh round of May’s draft. He didn’t make Dallas’ 53-man roster, however, and was waived in late August. The Bears offered him a spot on their practice squad soon after. In Chicago, Mitchell, an Oregon product, will add depth in the secondary behind Kyle Fuller and Tim Jennings.
Manning has been well-traveled thus far in 2014, spending time with the Giants, Vikings, and Chargers. The 2012 fifth-rounder has been active for just five games over the course of his career. Manning started for the Bears on Sunday against the Falcons, so the fact that he’s being waived now presumably speaks to the improving health of fellow linebackers Lance Briggs, Jonathan Bostic, Shea McClellin, and D.J. Williams. The 24-year-old could conceivably end up back on the Bears’ practice squad.
Maxwell, 23, signed with the Lions as a undrafted free agent out of Louisiana-Lafayette earlier this year. He was waived as Detroit moved to 75 players in August, and then spent time on the Dolphins’ practice squad before being let go last week.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Saturday
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here….
- The Bears have elevated linebacker Terrell Manning from the practice squad to the active roster, the team announced on Twitter. The move could be an indication that D.J. Williams won’t be available for Sunday’s contest with the Falcons. To make room for Manning, Chicago has waived safety Shamiel Gary.
Earlier Updates:
- The Steelers have signed safety Ross Ventrone from their practice squad, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Ventrone will provide depth with Shamarko Thomas out with a hamstring injury this weekend, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The team waived Wesley Johnson to make room for Ventrone.
- The Bills have signed safety Kenny Ladler off their practice squad, to replace guard Chris Williams who was placed on injured reserve, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter). Rookie fifth-round pick Cyril Richardson will replace Williams in the lineup, according to Rodak (via Twitter).
- The Seahawks have signed safety Steven Terrell off of their practice squad, reports Caplan (via Twitter). They waived defensive end Greg Scruggs to make room.
- The Titans have promoted Brett Brackett from the practice squad, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Brackett was undrafted in 2011, and spent time with the Dolphins, Jaguars, Eagles, and Cardinals before being released this past May. In order to make room for Brackett, the team placed left tackle Michael Roos on injured reserve. Roos is scheduled for surgery next week.
Bears Promote DeDe Lattimore
The Bears have made a change to their 53-man roster, promoting linebacker DeDe Lattimore from their practice squad, the team announced today (via Twitter). The club has waived-injured offensive lineman Taylor Boggs to clear an opening for the incoming addition.
Lattimore, an undrafted free agent out of South Florida, signed with the Bears following May’s draft, and was waived during the cutdown from 75 to 53 players at the end of the preseason. He has spent some time on Chicago’s practice squad during the season, though this will be the first opportunity he gets on the 53-man roster.
As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes (via Twitter), Lattimore’s promotion may suggest that Jonathan Bostic‘s status for Sunday is in doubt. Currently, Bostic is listed as questionable with a back issue. The team has already ruled out injured veteran Lance Briggs, so reinforcements may be needed for the linebacking corps anyway.
PUP, IR-DTR Players Soon Eligible To Practice
Week 6 of the NFL season will come to an end after Monday night’s game between the 49ers and Rams, and when teams begin preparing for Week 7, many of those clubs may be welcoming some players back to practice. Six weeks into the NFL season, players who were placed on the physically unable to perform list or the injured reserve list with the designation to return prior to Week 1’s games will be eligible to return to practice.
Of course, just because those players are able to return to the practice field doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be healthy enough to do so. Players on the PUP list have a five-week window to begin practicing. Once they return to practice, they have three weeks to be added to their respective teams’ active rosters. In other words, a player on the PUP list could theoretically return for his team’s Week 7 game, or could return as late as for his team’s Week 15 contest. If the player doesn’t return to practice or game action in time, he’ll revert to season-ending injured reserve.
Here are the players currently on the physically unable to perform list who can begin practicing as soon as next week:
- 49ers: NaVorro Bowman (LB), Garrett Celek (TE), Kaleb Ramsey (DT)
- Chargers: Jeromey Clary (OL)
- Colts: Stanley Havili (FB)
- Falcons: Drew Davis (WR), Zeke Motta (S)
- Jets: Antwan Barnes (LB)
- Lions: T.J. Jones (WR)
- Panthers: De’Andre Presley (WR)
- Raiders: D.J. Hayden (CB)
- Ravens: Terrence Cody (DT)
- Redskins: Stephen Bowen (DE), Leonard Hankerson (WR)
- Saints: Cheta Ozougwu (OLB)
Players who began the season on the PUP list didn’t participate in any preseason practices, but that’s not the case for players on the injured reserve list with the designation to return. Teams can use this spot on one player per season, placing him on the injured reserve list without necessarily ruling him out for the season. As we explained in an earlier post, players given this designation can begin practicing after six weeks and can return after eight weeks.
That means that players who were placed on IR-DTR prior to Week 1 can begin practicing next week. A player who was placed on IR-DTR after – for instance – Week 2 will have to wait another two weeks to return to practice.
Here’s the list of players currently on IR-DTR who can begin practicing as soon as next week:
- 49ers: Glenn Dorsey (DT)
- Bears: Marquess Wilson (WR)
- Buccaneers: Charles Sims (RB)
- Chiefs: Joe Mays (LB)
- Colts: Xavier Nixon (T)
- Cowboys: Demarcus Lawrence (DE)
- Giants: Geoff Schwartz (G)
- Lions: Kyle Van Noy (LB)
- Packers: J.C. Tretter (C)
NFC North Notes: Lions, Peterson, Angelo
This week, there were rumors floating around that 44-year-old Jason Hanson called the Lions about potentially returning to fill their void at kicker. When Jim Caldwell‘s heard those rumors, his first reaction was to laugh out loud, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. On Monday, Hanson’s agent confirmed that his client is done playing football, so it’s safe to say any talk of a comeback is bogus. As for the Lions, they’ve got their kicker situation squared away (hopefully) with the newly-signed Matt Prater in the fold. More out of the NFC North, where the Lions and Packers are tied at the top with 3-2 marks..
- Despite signing a Super Bowl-winning receiver and spending a top draft pick on another weapon for Matthew Stafford, the Lions‘ offense still hasn’t clicked, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. The Lions have the sixth-worst scoring offense in the NFL with an average of 19.8 points, their lowest point since they averaged 16.4 points in 2009.
- Vikings coach Mike Zimmer heaped praise on fill-in Matt Asiata, but he also supports Adrian Peterson and wouldn’t close the door on his return in a conference call with reporters. “We’re always going to stand behind Adrian and always hope for the best with him,” Zimmer said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “We haven’t gone that far into what-ifs and things that can happen. I’m just trying to focus on what we’re doing here. I like Adrian an awful lot.”
- Former Bears GM Jerry Angelo told David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter) that his comments in a USA Today piece regarding domestic violence in the NFL were taken out of context. When Angelo said that he had heard “hundreds of stories” of players getting away with abuse incidents, he was led into it and embellishing to make a point (link). The league declined to offer comment on the USA Today story, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
Extra Points: Foster, Angelo, Thompkins
The observation of the night comes courtesy of ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Twitter). Two teams invested a first round pick on Colts running back Trent Richardson, yet no one used a draft pick on Texans star Arian Foster. As he says, both facts are hard to believe. Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL as we enjoy the conclusion of the first exciting Thursday night game of the season..
- The NFL and the NFLPA will meet Tuesday to discuss potential changes to the league’s personal conduct policy, a source told ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. The union is open to changes but wants neutral arbitration for appeals of violations of the policy.
- Former Bears GM Jerry Angelo says that NFL teams hid “hundreds” of abuse incidents over the years, writes Josh Peter of USA Today Sports. Angelo himself said he did not report to the league cases of domestic violences involving players because disciplinary action would have put his team at a competitive disadvantage.
- Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson says new wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins is playing at “a little bit of higher speed” than everyone else on the field, tweets Vic Tafur of The San Francisco Chronicle. The Raiders plucked Thompkins off waivers earlier this week after he was dropped by the Patriots. The 26-year-old caught 32 passes for 466 yards and four touchdowns in eight starts last season, but wasn’t a major part of the Pats’ offense this year.
Bears Notes: Hester, Allen, White
The latest from Chicago..
- Devin Hester joined the Falcons this offseason on a three-year, $9MM deal and the belief was that the Bears just couldn’t match it. However, the veteran claims he wasn’t offered a contact at all, writes ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright. “Chicago didn’t offer me anything,” Hester said. “They didn’t offer me [a] contract. They didn’t call me period, pretty much. I didn’t hear from Chicago. They didn’t say they were going to re-sign me. All I know is they were just going in a different direction.” Hester isn’t dwelling on the past, however, and he insists that he’s happy in Atlanta.
- Bears coach Marc Trestman is happy to have free agent addition Jared Allen healthy and in the fold, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s been kind of an odd season for him. He missed a game for the first time in his career. He missed a lot of training camp. He had a family situation that he had to contend with. He’s coming back strong and he adds a big spark for us,” the coach said. “He’s done a good job for us running to the football and mixing it up. He’s gotten his strength back from being out over a week ago now. I believe that he’s back at full strength.”
- Before signing with the Panthers in 2013 as a UDFA, cornerback Melvin White also had interest from the Bears, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports 1 (on Twitter). The Bears probably wish that they landed him. White proved to be a solid find for Carolina and quickly morphed into a starter. In 20 games for the Panthers, White has amassed 69 tackles and three interceptions. Of course, White’s Panthers beat Chicago on Sunday, 31-24.
Practice Squad Updates: Wednesday
We’ll keep tabs on today’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- After the Seahawks plucked offensive lineman Patrick Lewis from their taxi squad, the Browns replaced him with fellow tackle Braxston Cave, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal.
- The Bears re-signed defensive end David Bass to their practice squad, according to Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter). Bass was dropped yesterday to make room for cornerback Al Louis-Jean‘s promotion.
- A day after cutting tight end Phillip Supernaw to claim Ryan Taylor off waivers, the Ravens have re-signed Supernaw to their practice squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Baltimore will have to cut a player from its squad in order to make the move official.
- Linebacker Marshall McFadden has taken the 10th and final spot on the Rams‘ practice squad, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- The Chargers have signed former Lions cornerback Aaron Hester to their practice squad, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Safety Adrian Phillips has also joined the unit, replacing injured running back D.J. Adams, says Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- In addition to confirming the signing of defensive lineman Joe Vellano to their practice squad, which was reported yesterday, the Patriots have also announced the addition of offensive lineman Chris Martin and the release of fellow offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann.
- While the Broncos expect to be fine on Sunday with the running backs on their current 53-man roster, the team has added Jeremy Stewart to its practice squad “just in case,” tweets Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com.
- The Buccaneers have replaced tight end Taylor Sloat on their practice squad with wideout Eric Page, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter).
- Using the 10th and final opening on their taxi squad, the Bengals have added interior offensive lineman Jeff Baca, head coach Marvin Lewis told reporters today (Twitter link via Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com).
- The Redskins signed linebacker Steve Beauharnais to their practice squad today, according to the club (via Twitter). That leaves one spot still open on the unit.
- Tight end Jacob Maxwell has been let go from the Dolphins‘ practice squad, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, who tweets that running back Orleans Darkwa will fill the newly-opened spot.
- The Lions have swapped out one defensive lineman for another, with Derrick Hopkins replacing Xavier Proctor, who has been placed on the practice squad IR (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).
Zach Links contributed to this post.