Delano Howell

Colts Finalize Roster, Deal Burley To Seahawks

The Colts have finalized their 53-man regular season roster, according to the team, which announced in a press release their roster moves to get down to 53 players. In addition to the moves listed below, the team also pulled off a trade, sending defensive back Marcus Burley to the Seahawks for a 2015 sixth-round pick, according to the Colts’ Twitter account.

Here’s Indianapolis’ full list of transactions:

Waived:

Released:

Waived-injured:

Placed on reserve-suspended list:

AFC Notes: Burfict, Watt, Howell, Patriots

Typically, when contract agreements are first reported, it takes just a matter of hours before those deals become official. But linebacker Vontaze Burfict, whose extension with the Bengals was reported on Wednesday, has yet to finalize his new contract with the club and has been missing from practice for the last three days with a stomach virus. According to head coach Marvin Lewis, it’s probably just a matter of time until the deal gets formally announced (link via Richard Skinner of Cincinnati.com).

“As you know how we believe it here, until the club and the player have signed off, it’s not signed off,” Lewis said. “I would guess we expect him to sign. Obviously the agent believes he has a deal, so, we didn’t release it.”

As we wait for official word on Burfict’s reported extension, let’s check in on a few other items from out of the AFC….

  • Joel Corry of the National Football Post breaks down the numbers on the Burfict extension, explaining why the Bengals had leverage in negotiations and why the linebacker made out pretty well.
  • In a separate piece for CBSSports.com, Corry takes a look at another extension candidate, J.J. Watt, writing that if Watt and the Texans are going to reach an agreement before the season gets underway, it will probably require the star defender – rather than the team – to relent a little.
  • Colts safety Delano Howell has suffered another neck injury, but it shouldn’t be career-ending, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Wells, who says Howell spent part of the week in Minnesota meeting with a specialist.
  • The Patriots would benefit if Isaac Sopoaga earns a spot on the Cardinals’ regular season roster, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com, noting that the offsets in Sopoaga’s contract would allow New England to free up $855K in cap space.
  • The NFL’s changes to practice squad eligibility criteria mean that a few more Titans are candidates for spots on the squad, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. I outlined the rules relating to practice squads earlier today.

Colts Sign Mike Adams

WEDNESDAY, 8:58am: Adams’ minimum salary benefit contract includes a $65K signing bonus and an additional $100K in guaranteed money, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

SATURDAY, 9:06am: A day after placing veteran safety and special-teams standout Corey Lynch on injured reserve, the Colts announced they have agreed to terms with another veteran safety: 33-year-old Mike Adams, who spent the last two years with the Broncos. With Antoine Bethea now in San Francisco, the Colts’ safety depth now consists of LaRon Landry. . .and the rest, including Adams, Colt Anderson, Sergio Brown and Delano Howell.

Adams, 33, started seven games last season and totaled 64 tackles, six passes defended and an interception. According to Pro Football Focus, Adams rated as a middle-of-the pack safety (-1.0 overall grade), though he had career highs in tackles (80) and passes defended (11) in 2012.

Before his two years in Denver, Adams played five in Cleveland and three in San Francisco. He entered the league in 2004 as an undrafted free agent out of Delaware.

AFC Mailbags: Jags, Colts, Steelers, Ravens

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers open up their mailbags and answer questions from readers. Here are some interesting notes out of the AFC…