Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC East
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, and Washington are noted below.
Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Dallas Cowboys
- Acquired via trade:
- RB Christine Michael, from Seahawks (link)
- Cut:
- DL Lavar Edwards (Twitter link via Charean Williams)
- Signed to practice squad:
- RB Gus Johnson (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- QB Jameill Showers (Twitter link via Brandon George)
- QB Kellen Moore (Twitter link via Chadd Cripe)
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers:
- Cut:
- DT Kenrick Ellis (link)
- CB Mike Harris (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano)
- Signed to practice squad:
- DE Brad Bars (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- OL Emmett Cleary (via press release)
- CB C.J. Conway (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan)
- LB Cole Farrand (via press release)
- OL Adam Gettis (via press release)
- WR Julian Talley (Twitter link via Raanan)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed off waivers:
- QB Stephen Morris (link)
- Signed to practice squad (via press release)
- T Brett Boyko (Twitter link via Adam Caplan)
- G Malcolm Bunche
- CB Randall Evans (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- WR Freddie Martino
- DE Brian Mihalik
- RB Raheem Mostert (Twitter link via Brett Tessler)
- TE Chris Pantale
- WR Quron Pratt
- S Ed Reynolds (Twitter link via Caplan)
- LB Deontae Skinner (Twitter link via Tony Pauline)
Washington
- Signed to practice squad:
- FB Ray Agnew (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- LB Houston Bates (via press release)
- OT Takoby Cofield (Twitter link via John Keim)
- DE Corey Crawford (via press release)
- CB Quinton Dunbar (via press release)
- TE Je’Ron Hamm (via press release)
- LB Terrance Plummer (Twitter link via Tarik El-Bashir)
- RB Trey Williams (Twitter link via Mike Jones)
Cowboys Trade For Christine Michael
The Cowboys have traded a conditional seventh-round pick draft pick to the Seahawks in exchange for RB Christine Michael, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Albert Breer of The NFL Network tweets that Michael must be on the Cowboys’ roster for a certain number of games. If he is not, the Seahawks will receive no compensation.
Michael, a former Texas A&M product, will return home to join a Dallas backfield that includes Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, and Lance Dunbar. Michael had been used in a part-time role for Seattle since being selected by the team in the second round of the 2013 draft. Over his two years in the league, he played in 14 games, carrying the ball 52 times for 254 yards. He has yet to cross the goal line.
As Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes, the move clears the way for the Seahawks to add veteran running back Fred Jackson to the roster. Jackson agreed to a one-year contract on Friday, but the team had yet to sign him while it tried to find a taker for Michael. Condotta adds that Michael had an inconsistent preseason, rushing for 118 yards on 32 carries, an average of 3.7 per attempt, while also fumbling once and showing intermittent success in pass protection. Michael’s departure leaves Jackson and Thomas Rawls as the two backs behind Marshawn Lynch on Seattle’s depth chart.
Given McFadden’s health problems and the fact that Randle and Dunbar have yet to prove themselves in the league, Michael will now have the chance to live up to his potential behind what is arguably the best offensive line in the NFL.
Cowboys Cut A.J. Jenkins, Down To 53 Players
The Cowboys have announced their Saturday roster moves, paring down from 75 players to 53 in preparation for the regular season. One of the players waived today by the Cowboys was former first-round wideout A.J. Jenkins, who signed with the team earlier in the offseason. With failed stops in San Francisco, Kansas City, and Dallas now under his belt, Jenkins’ NFL opportunities are likely running out.
Here are the players removed from Dallas’ active roster today, per a team release:
Waived:
- QB Dustin Vaughan
- QB Jameill Showers
- RB Gus Johnson
- RB Ben Malena
- FB Ray Agnew
- WR Clyde Gates
- WR Nick Harwell
- WR A.J. Jenkins
- T Laurence Gibson
- T John Wetzel
- C Shane McDermott
- C Ronald Patrick
- DE Ben Gardner
- DE Efe Obada
- LB Donnie Baggs
- LB Dakorey Johnson
- CB Joel Ross
- S Tim Scott
Waived/injured:
- LB Ka’Lial Glaud
- CB Rod Sweeting
Reserve/suspended:
- DE Greg Hardy
- LB Rolando McClain
Meanwhile, Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram weighs in on rumors from earlier in the day that linked running back Jonas Gray to the Cowboys. According to Williams (via Twitter), the Cowboys didn’t have interest in trading for Gray, but could be interested now that he has been cut by the Pats. The young back will become a free agent tomorrow unless he’s claimed on waivers or signs to a practice squad.
Offers Coming In For Browns’ Terrance West?
As the roster cutdown deadline looms, the Browns are fielding offers for Terrance West, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, the Texans are one of the suitors for last year’s third-round selection.
The Cowboys also appear to have engaged in discussions for West, but the Browns’ asking price proved too much at this time, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
The former third-round pick lost playing time to Isaiah Crowell last season, and coach Mike Pettine indicated Crowell could be given the opportunity to start before West this year.
2015 third-rounder Duke Johnson could also usurp West on the depth chart but is currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com noted that West is not necessarily guaranteed a roster spot (on Twitter).
Extra Points: Ball, Patriots, Giants, Savage
Vic Lombardi of CBS4 and Benjamin Allbright of AM1340 in Denver (Twitter links) have heard that the Cowboys and Broncos are discussing a potential trade involving running back Montee Ball, who has slipped down the depth chart in Denver. However, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link) cites a Cowboys source who says no trade talks are occurring, and Star-Telegram colleague Charean Williams tweets that Dallas would likely only be interested in Ball if he’s released.
The Cowboys have been adamant throughout the offseason that they likes their running backs, though acquiring Ball on the cheap seems more like a more realistic option for the team than signing a veteran free agent.
As we wait to see if anything materializes for the Cowboys, let’s round up some odds and ends from around the NFL…
- As expected, the Patriots don’t intend to try to recoup the $1MM fine or the two draft picks they lost as a result of DeflateGate, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Team owner Robert Kraft made the decision months ago not to fight the penalties, and even after Tom Brady‘s win in court, it would be a major uphill battle, since teams aren’t protected by the same CBA rules as players.
- The Giants will spend the next couple days looking for safeties, either via trades or waiver claims, according to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That’s no surprise, considering the position looked a little thin even before the team lost several safeties to injuries.
- The Texans got some good news on quarterback Tom Savage, who left Thursday’s game with a shoulder injury. According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), Savage just sustained a severe sprain, and won’t require surgery. Houston’s third-string QB is expected to miss at least four to six weeks, and head coach Bill O’Brien indicated today that the club will consider signing another QB for the roster or practice squad (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Asked if the Cardinals have any interest in their former defensive lineman Darnell Dockett, who was released today by the 49ers, head coach Bruce Arians said his club isn’t interested “at this point,” per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).
- Former Bears long snapper Rick Lovato is trying out for the Dolphins, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link).
Extra Points: Hardy, Asamoah, Falcons
Greg Hardy is waiting for a final recommendation from the NFL Players Association before deciding on whether to make a legal challenge on his four-game suspension, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Even if he does, Florio writes that it’s hard to see the Cowboys star getting that four-game ban cut down based on the timing of everything. If Hardy files something now, he won’t get a final ruling before Monday, September 21st. There’s also the possibility of a PR backlash against Hardy, who has already had his suspension stemming from domestic violence reduced significantly.
Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Falcons guard Jon Asamoah wasn’t seen with the team tonight during its preseason game and that led some, including ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (on Twitter) to speculate that he could be involved in a trade. However, the Falcons quickly took to Twitter to declare that Asamoah is not being traded. Still, Chris Chester has taken the spot of the former third-round draft choice and it’s conceivable that he might not survive the cutdown to a 53-man roster. Prior to the 2014 season, Asamoah inked a five-year, $22.5MM deal including $8MM guaranteed with Atlanta. After the game, coach Dan Quinn told reporters, including McClure (link), that Asamoah and Jake Matthews were excused from the game with injuries.
- The Falcons announced linebacker Brooks Reed underwent groin surgery, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport hears that Reed will be out for six weeks and that is a tough blow for the Falcons’ front seven.
- Bills coach Rex Ryan is less-than-pleased with kicker Dan Carpenter. “I’m tired of seeing us miss a field goal. We’ll certainly be looking. Nobody earns this job by default,” Ryan said, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (on Twitter). If the Bills cut Carpenter, they would save $1.3MM this season and $1.75MM next season.
- The Vikings have added a veteran lineman after final cuts the last two years and Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (on Twitter) would not be surprised at all to see them do the same thing again this year.
NFC Notes: Hardy, Crowder, Falcons
Earlier today, we heard that the Tom Brady decision by Judge Richard Berman had prompted Greg Hardy‘s camp to reconsider whether or not to challenge his own suspension in court. The Cowboys defensive end appealed his 10-game suspension and had it reduced to four games, but there was a belief that he and the NFL Players Association would consider a lawsuit for anything over two games.
According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), it has seemed all along as if Hardy would rather not go to court over the suspension, preferring that the issue is laid to rest instead. The NFLPA, on the other hand, would like to fight the ruling.
As we wait to see which side wins out, let’s check in on a few more odds and ends from around the NFC….
- An NFL spokesman has told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that Washington receiver Jamison Crowder won’t face league discipline stemming from a domestic violence accusation on social media.
- Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio last night, with Marvez and Gil Brandt speaking to him about the team’s extension with Julio Jones, how player evaluation has changed under Dan Quinn, and the club’s up-and-down offensive line. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution provides a transcript of some of the GM’s more notable comments.
- In the wake of Dimitroff’s comments, Ledbetter published a second AJC story wondering aloud if it was a mistake for the Falcons to cut veteran linemen Sam Baker and Justin Blalock.
- Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com examines whether or not the Eagles should have any interest in trying to acquire Robert Griffin III, who is a candidate to be traded or waived by Washington.
Tom Brady’s Suspension Overturned By Judge
Judge Richard Berman has ruled in favor of Tom Brady and the NFLPA, nullifying the quarterback’s four-game suspension, according to Larry Neumeister and Tom Hays of The Associated Press. While the NFL figures to appeal the decision and continue the litigation process, the ruling paves the way for Brady to start for the Patriots in Week 1.
After Brady was initially suspended for four games by the league for his supposed involvement in DeflateGate, commissioner Roger Goodell acted as the arbitrator during Brady’s appeal, and upheld the suspension. The NFLPA appealed that decision in court, and throughout the legal process, Judge Berman was critical of the NFL’s case, hammering the league’s lawyers with questions, an indication that momentum was shifting in Brady’s favor.
Judge Berman continually encouraged the NFL and NFLPA to work out a compromise, but with Brady unwilling to acknowledge any involvement in deflating footballs, and the league unwilling to budge from its stance that he accept guilt, the two sides never got close to reaching a settlement. That left Berman to make a decision one way or the other, either upholding the four-game suspension or overturning it. As the AP report indicates, he opted for the latter.
Three primary factors are at the core of Berman’s ruling, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com: Goodell’s decision not to allow NFL counsel Jeff Pash to be examined during Brady’s appeal; a failure by the NFL to give Brady “adequate notice” of potential discipline; and the league denying access to files during the appeal process. Berman’s full, 40-page ruling can be found right here.
With Brady no longer having to serve the suspension, Jimmy Garoppolo will return to a backup role, while the Super Bowl MVP prepares to face the Steelers a week from tonight. If Brady had been forced to miss the first four games of the season, he also would have sat out contests against the Bills, Jaguars, and Cowboys, but he now appears poised to play in all of those games. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, the NFL is unlikely to seek an injunction to keep Brady off the field, if and when the league appeals Berman’s ruling.
The decision to vacate Brady’s suspension leads to a handful of additional questions. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com wonders (via Twitter) if Patriots owner Robert Kraft may reconsider his acceptance of the penalties his team received for DeflateGate. The league fined the Patriots $1MM and took away two draft picks, including a 2016 first-rounder, a decision Kraft accepted at the time for the good of the league.
Meanwhile, Trey Wingo of NFL Live observes (via Twitter) that the NFL has now lost several court decisions in recent years, including having their penalties for Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson overturned. As such, it may be time for the league to revisit its discipline and appeal process. In the meantime, a player like Greg Hardy may be more inclined to challenge his suspension in court — Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that Hardy’s camp is discussing that possibility, in the wake of the Brady decision.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Titans, Trent Williams, Cowboys
The NFL Players Association recently filed an injury grievance on behalf of former Titans tight end Taylor Thompson, according to a league source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan. Thompson, who was officially waived June 19th, is expected to have knee surgery in the near future, but he was not released with an injury designation at the time of the transaction.
Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Washington‘s new deal with Trent Williams resets the market for left tackles, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. Williams’ deal is similar to the contract Joe Thomas signed with the Browns in some respects, like the $42MM value of the first three years of the deal. However, in years four and five, Williams could earn a good deal more than Thomas or Tyron Smith of the Cowboys. The biggest difference of all, of course, is the guarantee structure, which amounts to $30MM in total.
- Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said there could be a lot of action from the team after final cuts, as Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram tweets. Jones added that running back will be a position of interest for the organization.
- The Raiders are very likely on the look out for a kick returner on the waiver wire, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets.
East Notes: Cassel, Bills, Giants, Cowboys
After having let go of one veteran offensive player earlier this week, the Bills may part ways with another before the season begins — albeit one that has only been on the roster for several months, rather than several years. According to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News (Twitter links), there’s an expectation among multiple NFL personnel people that Buffalo will cut quarterback Matt Cassel and go with E.J. Manuel as Tyrod Taylor‘s backup.
As Carucci notes, Cassel is a costly bench player, with a cap hit of nearly $5MM for 2015, and the Bills need all the cap space they can get in order to extend star defensive lineman Marcell Dareus. Fred Jackson‘s cap number likely played a significant part in his Monday release as well.
Speaking of Jackson, we heard this morning that the decision to cut the veteran running back appears to have been made by general manager Doug Whaley, and Carucci points out that Manuel has “strong support” from Whaley. It may be worth keeping an eye on these sorts of roster decisions in Buffalo this year to see how the relationship between Rex Ryan and Whaley evolves, and how much influence each of them has over personnel decisions.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com has the details on Stevie Brown‘s new contract with the Giants, tweeting that the safety will earn the minimum salary and will get a $40K bonus if he’s on the team’s Week 1 roster.
- Given the Giants‘ problems at the safety position this summer, the decision not to re-sign veteran defensive back Antrel Rolle back in March looks especially bad now, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
- With the Cowboys‘ roster now down to 75 players, Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News takes a look at some position battles across the roster, predicting which players might hit the waiver wire when the club cuts down to 53.