NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/31/15
Here are the practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL on the last day of 2015….
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: OL Antonio Johnson (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Brian Vogler (press release via team)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: CB Richard Crawford (Twitter link via Eric Williams of ESPN.com)
- Cut: P Kasey Redfern
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/30/15
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DE/OLB Xzavier Dickson (Twitter link via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: G Leon Brown (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun)
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Manasseh Garner, S Phillip Thomas (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com)
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Daryl Richardson (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal)
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DE Michael McAdoo (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
- Signed: CB Brandon McGee (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Robert Nelson (Twitter link via Wilson)
New England Patriots
- Signed: FB Joey Iosefa (link via Doug Kyed of NESN.com)
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: FB Toben Opurum (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune)
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Glenn Carson, CB T.J. Heath (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of NJ.com)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: CB Richard Crawford (Twitter link via Wilson)
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Justin Hamilton (Twitter link via The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Gerod Holliman, CB C.J. Roberts, CB Joel Ross (press release via team)
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/30/15
Here are Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, as teams get their rosters set for Week 17:
- The Colts made a pair of tight end transactions, placing Dwayne Allen (calf) on season-ending injured reserve and promoting Erik Swoope from their practice squad, per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). A fourth-year man, Allen made 16 catches in 13 games for the Colts this season. He hasn’t been able to match the production he put up as a rookie in 2011 in terms of receptions (45) and yardage (521), but he did amass a career-best eight touchdowns last season.
- The Patriots waived cornerback Troy Hill, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss (Twitter link). The Pats claimed Hill off waivers from Cincinnati last week. In addition, they signed defensive tackle Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
- The 49ers have been awarded tight end Je’Ron Hamm off waivers, a day after he was cut by Washington, according to a Niners release. San Francisco moved running back Shaun Draughn to injured reserve to accommodate the waiver claim — Draughn joins fellow RBs Reggie Bush and Carlos Hyde on the Niners’ IR.
- The Bills created two roster spots on Tuesday by placing Charles Clay and Ron Brooks on injured reserve, and filled those spots today with a pair of practice squad cornerbacks. As Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweets, head coach Rex Ryan confirmed that Buffalo elevated Merrill Noel and Sammy Seamster from the team’s taxi squad.
- The Chargers also added secondary depth today, signing safety Brandian Ross and cornerback Cassius Vaughn to their active roster, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). The club has now added three defensive backs to its 53-man squad this week.
- After placing Dez Bryant and two other players on injured reserve today, the Cowboys have promoted wide receivers Rodney Smith and Vince Mayle from their practice squad, and also signed cornerback Josh Thomas, per Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).
- The Broncos are signing guard Robert Myers off the Ravens‘ practice squad to fill the 53rd spot on their roster, reports Mike Klis of 9News. That roster opening was created on Tuesday when Denver cut safety Shaun Prater.
- According to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link), offensive lineman Braxston Cave has been promoted from the Lions‘ practice squad to their active roster, taking the spot vacated by cornerback Bill Bentley, who was cut on Tuesday.
East Notes: JPP, D. Jackson, Maccagnan
There were some frustrating moments for the Giants and Jason Pierre-Paul over the summer, when the standout defensive end – having received the franchise tag – refused to report to the team and its doctors for several weeks while he was recovering from a July 4th fireworks accident. The situation, which resulted in the two sides eventually agreeing to a reworked contract, had the potential to create some acrimony, but JPP doesn’t seem too phased by it.
According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (Twitter link), Pierre-Paul said today that he would like to continue playing for the Giants next year, despite the fact that his contract will expire this winter. “I would like to finish my career here,” the veteran pass rusher said.
Contract negotiations between JPP and the Giants – or any other team – should be fascinating, since it’s hard to know exactly how high his ceiling is now that he’ll have to deal with his right hand issue for the rest of the his career. As we look forward to seeing how the situation plays out, let’s explore some other East notes…
- Washington likes wide receiver DeSean Jackson “a lot” and hopes to keep him around going forward, sources tell Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jackson will count against the cap for $9.25MM in 2016, the final year of his contract, though that figure could be reduced with an extension.
- Darrelle Revis‘ pick for executive of the year is Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan, as Seth Walder of the New York Daily News writes. Revis, having received $39MM in guaranteed money from Maccagnan in March, might be a little biased, but he may not be the only one who picks the Jets GM. Within his annual contract awards, former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com identifies Brandon Marshall and Ryan Fitzpatrick as the top two acquisitions of the year.
- After having to deal with health issues again in 2015, Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne will have a lengthy injury history on his résumé if and when he hits the open market this winter. For now, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes, Claiborne isn’t thinking about that, though the former first-round pick hopes to remain in Dallas.
Cowboys Place Dez Bryant, Others On IR
Dez Bryant‘s disappointing 2015 season will end a week early, as head coach Jason Garrett announced today that the star wideout is being placed on injured reserve (link via Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com). In addition to Bryant, defensive tackle David Irving and safety Barry Church will also head to IR, per Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link).
After going through an eventful offseason, which included receiving the franchise tag and eventually signing a lucrative long-term contract with the Cowboys, Bryant promptly had his season derailed by foot and ankle injuries, which limited him to the worst numbers of his career — in nine games, he caught just 31 balls for 401 yards and three touchdowns, all career lows.
According to Garrett, Bryant is expected to have surgery on both his foot and ankle over the course of the next week, tweets Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. That means both the Cowboys’ top wideout and starting quarterback could undergo procedures this offseason. Tony Romo indicated earlier this week that he may have a plate inserted to prevent further collarbone injuries.
As for the other two Cowboys who were placed on IR today, both of those moves had been expected. Church broke his right arm during Sunday’s game against Buffalo, while Irving sustained a fractured left wrist.
NFC East Notes: Bradford, Coughlin, Romo
Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur anticipates that quarterback Sam Bradford will re-sign with the team this offseason, as Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com writes. Bradford, of course, is eligible for free agency, but the Eagles will have the franchise tag at their disposal if they want – or need – to use it, and the former first overall pick could agree to a new deal with or without being franchised.
“I expect him to [re-sign],” Shurmur said. “He’s all along expressed to us that he enjoys what we’re doing. He likes our offense, he likes the culture here. And so it’s no surprise that that was revealed publicly. But, yeah, I hope he’s here for sure.”
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- The Giants will have a tough decision to make if they want to move on from coach Tom Coughlin. However, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com wonders if Coughlin could make things easier on the organization by simply walking away himself.
- If the Giants make a coaching change, they should go after current Saints coach Sean Payton, Gary Myers of the New York Daily News opines. Furthermore, Myers feels that if Coughlin goes, GM Jerry Reese should also be shown the door based on his disappointing results in recent drafts (with Odell Beckham Jr., of course, standing as an exception).
- After fracturing his collarbone twice this season, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is considering having a plate inserted in an attempt to prevent further injuries, as Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. Davison also passes along Romo’s comments on his future and on the possibility of the Cowboys drafting a quarterback.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Jerry Jones Won’t Overhaul Cowboys
Things did not go according to plan for the Cowboys in 2015, but owner Jerry Jones is not about to start from scratch. In a radio interview on Tuesday, Jones explained that he isn’t looking to overhaul the roster this offseason.
“Change just for change’s sake? You’re not going to have that because I too believe that we’re closer than this record indicates,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, according to Drew Davison of the Star Telegram.
However, Jones went on to indicate that there would be natural roster turnover and implied that there could be a few changes to the coaching staff. However, he certainly didn’t sound like he was going to make any significant changes on the coaching front. So, the Cowboys don’t sound intent on breaking the five-year, $30MM extension given to Jason Garrett after last season, nor will they break off the multi-year extensions handed to offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.
It’s been a trying season for Dallas thanks in no small part to the absence of Tony Romo. Without the quarterback in the lineup, the Cowboys went 1-10 on the year and they’re eagerly awaiting his return in 2016. There’s some news on that front as well, as a source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that Romo will have scans done on his collarbone next week as the team explores the option of surgery. For his part, Jones said in his radio hit that Romo will not have a plate inserted unless the healing process slows, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Jones added that the way Romo has healed so far likely means the QB will not have surgery (link).
NFC Notes: Forte, Lions, Lynch, Bonuses
With Matt Forte‘s contract set to expire, Bears tackle Kyle Long hopes to continue playing with his veteran teammate, but knows there’s a chance next week’s game could be their last together, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes.
“I’d love to play with Matt forever, but it’s a business,” Long said. “I understand that. If he is around, I’ll be as psyched as anybody. And it will be one of the hardest things ever to see him in another jersey if that’s the case. But we have one more game with him, sure. We’re going to run the workhorse until the wheels fall off.”
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has turned around his 2015 season since Jim Bob Cooter took over as the team’s offensive coordinator, so it’s no surprise that Stafford would like to see Cooter keep the job in 2016, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com details.
- Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch hasn’t progressed as quickly as expected in his recovery from a sports hernia ailment, but he was seen training on Christmas Day at a San Francisco facility. The 29-year-old is expected to be back in Seattle this week, with an eye on potentially returning to practice, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. A determination on Lynch’s ability to play in his fifth postseason with the Seahawks remains elusive, however.
- In advance of the Seahawks‘ rematch with the Rams on Sunday, GM John Schneider said offensive rookie of the year contender Todd Gurley rated as the No. 1 player on Seattle’s draft board, the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta reports (on Twitter).
- Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter links) identifies a couple players with major money on the line in Week 17, noting that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson‘s 2016 roster bonus will be reduced by $1MM if he doesn’t rush for 132 yards against the Packers, while Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee will miss out on a $2MM salary increase if his playing time for the season dips below 80% (he’s currently at 82.1%).
- One player who has cashed in on bonus money recently is Cardinals edge defender Dwight Freeney, who earned an extra $300K on Sunday after racking up three more sacks. Per Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter links), Cardinals president Michael Bidwell says he hopes to write Freeney a year-end bonus check worth more than the $500K the veteran pass rusher has already earned.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Updated Projections For 2016 Draft Order
Last week, we examined what the NFL’s projected draft order for the top 10 picks of 2016 would look like, with the Titans in the lead for the number one overall pick. Tennessee’s blowout loss to the Texans on Sunday kept the Titans firmly in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 pick, and the club could clinch that top selection with a loss next weekend against the Colts.
While the outlook at the top of the projected 2016 draft order remains the same, with the Browns right behind the Titans for that first overall pick, there were a few other changes to the top 10 based on this weekend’s results. The Ravens’ win over Pittsburgh dropped Baltimore from No. 3 to No. 8, while victories by the Saints and Bears removed those teams from the top 10 for now, with the Buccaneers and Giants taking over their spots.
Here’s the current projected order for the top 10 picks of the 2016 NFL draft, with just one week left in the regular season. Teams are sorted by worst record, with strength of schedule serving as the tiebreaker — the weaker a team’s schedule, the higher its draft pick.
- Tennessee Titans: 3-12 (.493)
- Cleveland Browns: 3-12 (.532)
- San Diego Chargers: 4-11 (.511)
- Dallas Cowboys: 4-11 (.529)
- San Francisco 49ers: 4-11 (.558)
- Miami Dolphins: 5-10 (.453)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-10 (.467)
- Baltimore Ravens: 5-10 (.489)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-9 (.453)
- New York Giants: 6-9 (.498)
While a loss by the Titans would lock them into the first overall pick, the door remains open for the Browns, and given all the ties on this list, it’s possible the top 10 could shuffle around significantly by next Monday, so stay tuned.
East Notes: Coughlin, Grimes, Eagles, Pats
Asked after Sunday night’s embarrassing loss to the Vikings about his job security, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin insisted that he’s not worried about it, and that it’ll “take care of itself,” according to Dan Graziano of ESPN.com.
While Coughlin claims he’s not concerned about his future with the Giants, he probably should be, says Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, who adds that the “walls are closing in” on the team’s longtime head coach. Graziano adds that there was a strange vibe in New York’s locker room after Sunday’s game, suggesting that players seem somewhat resigned to Coughlin’s potential fate, despite the fact that most of those players still strongly support and respect the coach.
As we wait to see what the next couple weeks hold for the Giants and Coughlin, let’s check in on some other notes out of the NFL’s East divisions….
- As Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes, members of the Dolphins‘ front office, including Mike Tannenbaum, aren’t thrilled with the attention that Brent Grimes‘ wife, Miko Grimes, brings to the organization. After being arrested before a game earlier this season, she has recently been critical of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, as well as certain local media members. Although her outspoken nature may not significantly impact Grimes’ future in Miami, it’s fair to wonder if it’ll be taken into consideration if the club explores the possibility of cutting the cornerback or asking him to take a pay cut.
- After Jason Peters removed himself from Saturday’s game against Washington, reports surfaced that the Eagles’ veteran tackle didn’t want to risk further injury for a team that wasn’t headed to the playoffs. Confirming that story, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News explores what it might mean for Peters and Chip Kelly in 2016.
- The Patriots took another injury hit on Sunday when starting tackle Sebastian Vollmer went down with a sprained ankle, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Vollmer has an MRI scheduled for Monday.
- The fact that the usually-effusive Jerry Jones wasn’t even willing to talk to reporters following the Cowboys‘ latest loss is a reflection of how bad things have gotten in Dallas this season, says Darin Gantt of Pro Football Talk. It’ll be interesting to see whether the frustrating year results in major offseason changes, or if the Joneses will simply count on Tony Romo‘s return to reverse the team’s fortunes in 2016.