DeMarcus Van Dyke

Falcons Cut Simms, Two Others

The Falcons waived a number of players yesterday in anticipation of the roster deadline, and they’ve continued to cut players today.

Here’s a running list of the team’s cuts:

The team has also put a pair of players on the injured reserve:

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/15/16

Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves:

  • The Rams have re-signed tight end Cory Harkey, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Harkey, whose primarily used as a blocker, saw time in all 16 regular season games in 2015. He did see some passes thrown his way, however, catching five balls for 26 yards.
  • Former Washington offensive lineman Tom Compton will be signing with the Falcons, according to Rand Getlin of NFL Network (on Twitter). It’s a new team for Compton, but he’ll have some familiar faces in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and offensive line coach Chris Morgan.
  • The Falcons announced that they have signed safety Damian Parms, wide receiver Aldrick Robinson, and cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke. Robinson, a 5’10” receiver, played in 36 games for Washington over the years and recorded 30 receptions for 608 yards and five touchdowns in total. Robinson has also spent time on the Ravens’ taxi squad.

Vikings Trim Roster To 75 Players

TUESDAY, 9:10am: The Vikings are now down to 75 players, having waived/injured quarterback Mike Kafka, according to the team (Twitter link). He’ll land on the team’s injured reserve list if he clears waivers.

MONDAY, 2:13pm: The Vikings have announced two more moves today, removing another two players from their active roster. According to a team release, Minnesota has waived/injured tackle Carter Bykowski, who will be out for the year with a pectoral injury, and placed cornerback Josh Robinson on the reserve/PUP list, meaning he’ll miss at least the first six weeks of the season.

SUNDAY, 6:30pm: The Vikings have moved closer to securing their 75-man roster, announcing that they’ve cut 11 players:

  • Joe Banyard, RB
  • Brandon Bostick, TE
  • Jalil Carter, CB
  • Justin Coleman, CB
  • DaVaris Daniels, WR
  • Stephen Goodin, OT
  • Josh Kaddu, LB
  • Jordan Leslie, WR
  • Caesar Rayford, DE
  • Chrishon Rose, DT
  • DeMarcus Van Dyke, CB

They currently have 78 men on the roster, and will need to cut an additional three players in time for the Tuesday deadline.

Minor Moves: Monday

We’ll keep tabs on Monday’s minor transactions from around the NFL in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Rams have signed to two players to reserve/futures deal, adding tight end Brad Smelley and punter Michael Palardy, per Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).
  • The Giants have added a veteran to their offseason roster by singing linebacker Victor Butler to a reserve/futures deal, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Butler, 27, played for the Cowboys from 2009-12, but has bounced around in recent years, spending time with the Saints, Cardinals, and Colts in the past two seasons.

Earlier updates:

  • In addition to formally announcing the signing of DeMarcus Van Dyke (noted below), the Vikings also tweeted out word of their signings of defensive end Leon Mackey and defensive tackle Chigbo Anunoby.
  • The Jaguars announced three signings today, two of which had been previously reported. The new one is kicker Derek Dimke, who inked a reserve/futures contract with the team, per John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter).
  • Washington also confirmed a handful of signings that had already been reported, and added one more to the list. According to the club (via Twitter), former Abilene Christian wideout Braylon Bell has signed a futures deal.
  • Tight end Dorin Dickerson has signed a reserve/futures contract with the Titans, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. The team removed Dickerson from their IR list back in August with a settlement, but worked him out again in November.
  • The Vikings have signed cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke to a one-year futures contract, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Van Dyke was placed on injured reserve by the Chiefs at the end of the 2014 preseason, and was later released with an injury settlement.
  • The Buccaneers have added three players to their list of reserve/futures signings for 2015, according to Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link). The most notable player in the trio is safety M.D. Jennings, who spent his first three seasons with the Packers before being signed and cut by the Bears in 2014. Tampa Bay also signed tight end Taylor Sloat and punter Chase Tenpenny, whose agreement was previously reported.
  • Having previously signed nine of their 10 practice squad players to reserve/futures contracts for the 2015 season, the Eagles made it a clean sweep today, announcing that linebacker Brandon Hepburn had inked a deal of his own (Twitter link).

Workout Updates: Tuesday

We’ll keep track of today’s workouts here..

  • Cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke and former 49ers and Chiefs wide receiver Kyle Williams auditioned for the Titans, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • Former Rams wide receiver Austin Pettis worked out for the 49ers on Monday, according to Caplan (via Twitter).
  • Defensive end Kenny Horsley auditioned for the 49ers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
  • The Titans worked out former rugby star Carlin Isles, quarterback Seth Lobato, Van Dyke, and Williams, according to Wilson (on Twitter). Ri’Shard Anderson was a part of the same workout and wound up getting signed to the taxi squad.
  • Washington worked out nose tackle Junior Aumavae, wide receivers Jamar Howard, Kemonte Bateman, Darius Reynolds, and Braylon Bell, quarterbacks Tajh Boyd, and Dominique Davis, defensive tackles John Drew, Lakendrick Ross, and Michael Brooks, and fullback Jordan Campbell, Wilson tweets. Washington also hosted linebacker James Gayle for a visit (link).
  • The Jaguars worked out defensive end Shawn Lemon and safety Ian Wild, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The Broncos worked out punter Brock Miller, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The Jets worked out wide receiver Joe Morgan, quarterback Bryn Renner, ex-CFL quarterback Eric Ward, wideout Greg Childs, quarterback Dominique Davis, linebacker Brandon Denmark, former Lions cornerback Aaron Hester, Wilson tweets.

Extra Points: Chiefs, Sam, Ravens

The football world is abuzz over Jay Gruden‘s decision to bench Robert Griffin III, but the quarterback is taking a diplomatic approach to the situation. “Coach’s decision,” Griffin said when asked about the move, according to John Keim of ESPN.com. “I’m here to help this team win.” This is a lost season for Washington, but the decision to go with Colt McCoy raises all sorts of questions about their future. More from around the NFL..

  • The Chiefs worked out defensive backs Ellis Lankster, DeMarcus Van Dyke, and Johnny Patrick, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Both Lankster and Patrick are former Jets. Lankster, 27, has 47 NFL games to his credit between 2009-2013. He auditioned for the Lions and Panthers this fall but he has yet to find an NFL home since his release from the Jets in September.
  • Montreal Alouettes GM Jim Popp said that Michael Sam was close to joining the team with three weeks to go in the CFL season, tweets David William Naylor of TSN. Maggie Hendricks of USA Today identified the Bears and Lions as a couple of clubs that might have interest in the linebacker earlier this month, but no one has signed him since he was dropped from the Cowboys’ practice squad.
  • The Ravens were smart to listen to Kirk Ferentz when they took a chance and drafted offensive guard Marshal Yanda, writes Childs Walker of The Baltimore Sun. In fact, Walker argues that Yanda is quietly becoming one of the greatest players in Ravens history. “He’s definitely one of the best linemen in the league,” said Steve Palazzolo, a senior analyst for Pro Football Focus. “He can play the power game and maul people but then you see some of the reach blocks he makes, and he moves awfully quickly over a short space.”

Extra Points: Ryan, Holliday, Allen, Chiefs

Bad news for Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has his return may come later than once expected, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Foles’ left clavicle has to be strong enough for the Eagles quarterback to sustain contact, otherwise another blow could cause further harm. Because of that, he might not be healed enough to return in late December. Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..

  • Most people around the league never thought Jets coach Rex Ryan and GM John Idzik would be able to co-exist, Adam Schefter told Michael Kay of ESPN Radio (audio link).
  • Kick returner Trindon Holliday, who is now healthy, worked out for the Bills today, a source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
  • Over the past 48 hours, several sources have told Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (on Twitter) that the chances range from very likely to an absolute that USC running back Javorius Allen will enter the 2015 draft. Allen has garnered comparisons to Titans tailback Bishop Sankey, the first running back taken in the 2014 draft.
  • Free agent cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke worked out for the Chiefs today, a source tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). Paylor (link) wouldn’t be surprised to see him come back to KC at some point. The speedy defensive back had a great preseason with the Chiefs before suffering a high ankle sprain.
  • The Raiders worked out Brandon Denmark, Cam Henderson, Keith Lewis, Keon Lyn, Kona Schwenke, Jansen Watson, and Nickoe Whitley, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter).

North Notes: Rice, McPhee, Vikings, Lions

A date has been set for Ray Rice‘s appeal hearing, which will get underway on November 5 and conclude the following day, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The investigations being conducted by Robert Mueller and the NFLPA into the league’s and the Ravens‘ handling of the Rice incident almost certainly won’t have concluded in time for the hearing. Still, Rice’s camp is expected to argue that the running back was punished twice for the same infraction, and that the league’s decision to increase Rice’s punishment was based on a video that was edited by TMZ.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Ravens defender Pernell McPhee may be in the process of pricing himself out of the team’s plans beyond this season, says Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Although Zrebiec expects the Ravens to try to bring McPhee back when his contract expires, he figures the 25-year-old will have plenty of suitors.
  • Free agent cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke, who auditioned for the Dolphins earlier this week, worked out for the Vikings today, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • Lions head coach Jim Caldwell didn’t shoot down the idea that the team might be interested in Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne, but was noncommittal when asked about the possibility. “Obviously, there are a lot of good athletes around this country, and there are a bunch of them playing other sports,” Caldwell said, per The Detroit Free Press. “Basketball, baseball, rugby, which is similar to our sport, and there is a lot of carryover. So, we’ll see.”

East Notes: Cowboys, Jets, Dolphins

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently said he’s not interested in discussing the possibility of a contract extension for Jason Garrett at this point, and the head coach agreed with that assessment. When Garrett was asked about his contract situation, he shifted the focus back to his team’s play on the field, as Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com details.

“I just know where I need to focus, where our team needs to focus and it needs to focus on playing our best football,” Garrett said. “The way we do that is we focus on being our best today, do a great job evaluating that game, get ready for the players coming in, let’s go to work. That’s really what I think about.”

Let’s round up a few more items from around the AFC East….

  • After coming under criticism for his lack of offseason maneuvers, Jets general manager John Idzik is surely hoping his acquisition of Percy Harvin works out, and he sounds confident that the move will reap benefits. “This could be a potential coup for the New York Jets,” Idzik told reporters, including Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Idzik, a former Seahawks executive, also noted that his Seattle background allowed him to perform an extensive background check on Harvin.
  • Wide receiver Dez Bryant boosted his stock once again this weekend as he nears free agency, and Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap thinks the Cowboys receiver may be the best player at his position in the NFL. While DeMarco Murray and his looming free agency has been a hot topic given the running back’s huge first half, Bryant appears to be in line for a mammoth new deal of his own.
  • Free agent cornerback Curtis Marsh worked out for the Dolphins today, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Marsh, a former Eagle, has also auditioned for the Titans and Lions recently.
  • Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports adds (via Twitter) that cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke also tried out for the Dolphins today.

Minor Moves: Monday

With the season’s first Sunday in the books, a handful of teams are shuffling their rosters in preparation for next week’s games. Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • The Bears have added receiver Greg Herd to the practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Herd spent time with the team during training camp before he was cut on August 23.
  • The Seahawks have signed cornerback Josh Thomas to take the place of the injured Jeremy Lane, reports ESPN’s Terry Blount (via Twitter). They’ve also made some changes to their practice squad, adding guard Nate Isles and safety Terrance Parks in place of guard David Arkin and safety Josh Aubrey, the club announced today (Twitter link).
  • With Dave Zastudil being bothered by a groin injury, the Cardinals have signed punter Drew Butler, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (via Twitter).
  • Defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi has been claimed off waivers by the Ravens, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Bilukidi was cut over the weekend by the Bengals.
  • When the Bengals cut Bilukidi, they signed Onterio McCalebb to their active roster, but he lasted just two days — he has been waived, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who adds (via Twitter) that the club has also terminated wide receiver Cobi Hamilton from the exempt list of the practice squad.
  • To make room for Bilukidi, the Ravens waived running back Fitz Toussaint, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The Broncos have cut long snapper Kevin McDermott from their practice squad, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. His spot will be taken by tight end Dominique Davis, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • Tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi has been replaced on the Browns‘ practice squad by defensive lineman Calvin Barnett, says Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

  • The Bears have signed safety Ahmad Dixon from the Vikings‘ practice squad, cutting cornerback Demontre Hurst to open up a spot on their roster, the team announced today (via Twitter). Dixon was drafted by the Cowboys but was waived by Dallas during preseason roster cutdowns.
  • Offensive tackle Andrew McDonald is also making the move from one team’s practice squad to another club’s 53-man roster, according to agent Brett Tessler, who tweets that his client has a deal with the Seahawks. McDonald had previously been one of the 10 players on the Panthers‘ practice squad.
  • The Bills have cut defensive end Jacquies Smith to make room for Nigel Bradham, who is returning this week from his one-game suspension, tweets ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak.
  • The Seahawks have placed cornerback Jeremy Lane, who is suffering from a groin injury, on their injured reserve list with the designation to return, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • Defensive back Jamarca Sanford, who had been on the Vikings‘ injured reserve list, has been released with a settlement, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
  • The Chiefs have signed wideout Armon Binns to their practice squad and removed cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke from their IR with an injury settlement, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links).