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).
West Notes: F-Jax, Catanzaro, Ward, Injuries
It should be a busy day around the NFL, since many teams won’t wait until Saturday’s deadline to make their roster cuts down to 53 players. While we wait for clubs to announce roster moves, let’s check in on a few items from out of the league’s two West divisions….
- Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Fred Jackson‘s visit to Seattle went well, but wouldn’t commit to anything definitive with that situation, leading Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter links) to speculate that the club could be waiting until after Week 1 to sign the veteran running back. Veterans signed before Week 1 have their salaries fully guaranteed when the season gets underway, which isn’t the case for players signed later.
- Following a pair of missed extra points by Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro, head coach Bruce Arians gave him a vote of confidence, indicating that Catanzaro’s job isn’t in jeopardy, as Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com notes: “We’re not going to look for a kicker. He’s our guy, so [we’re] glad it’s a preseason game and he can learn from it.”
- Broncos safety T.J. Ward was caught off guard for his one-game suspension for a minor legal run-in that happened over a year ago, telling Troy Renck of the Denver Post, “I just don’t feel the whole process is very fair.” Asked if there’s any more he can do to get the penalty overturned, Ward replied, “I’m going to try, but my last name’s not Brady.” Of course, since the suspension was officially announced, the appeal process has already run its course.
- A pair of NFC West players suffered apparent major injuries during Thursday night action. The Seahawks confirmed (via Twitter) that cornerback Mohammed Seisay suffered a dislocated shoulder, while Arians said that Cardinals tight end Gerald Christian has an MCL injury and may have an ACL issue as well, adding that “he’s probably out” (Twitter link via Weinfuss).
Broncos’ T.J. Ward Suspended One Game
Broncos safety T.J. Ward has been suspended for the first game of the 2015 season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, reports Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Ward will miss the Broncos’ Week 1 game against the Ravens before returning two weeks from tonight to play the Chiefs.
As Garafolo notes, Ward’s personal conduct violation stems from an incident that took place at a strip club shortly after the safety signed with the Broncos in 2014. Ward was accused of throwing a glass mug at a bartender after she told him outside drinks were not allowed in the Denver club. Misdemeanor charges against the 28-year-old were dropped last August when Ward agreed to perform four hours of community service.
Ward, who came to Denver after spending four years with the Browns, earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod last season, recording 76 tackles, two interceptions, and two sacks for the Broncos. His stout play contributed to Denver ranking fifth overall in passing defense DVOA last season, per Football Outsiders.
In Ward’s absence, David Bruton figures to be the next man up at strong safety.
West Notes: Manning, Chancellor, 49ers
Here’s a look at the AFC and NFC West..
- Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said on ESPN that he hopes to play next season, as Troy Renck of The Denver Post tweets. “I am really enjoying myself.. I feel good and feel I can help and contribute,” Manning said. Manning, 39, had another excellent season for the Broncos in 2014, putting up 4,727 passing yards to go along with 39 touchdown passes. However, he was hampered by injuries late in the season and struggled down the stretch, particularly in the team’s divisional playoff loss to the Colts, in which he totaled just 211 passing yards on 46 attempts.
- Both the Seahawks and Kam Chancellor need to find a way to save face, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, and he doesn’t think that it will be hard to do. Chancellor is due to make $4.55MM this year, $5.1MM in 2016, and $6.8MM in 2017, so Florio suggests that the Seahawks could take $1MM from next year and $1MM from 2017 and move it to 2015. Alternatively, the Seahawks could give Chancellor more guaranteed cash in 2016 and/or 2017. At some point, Seattle should stop reworking deals, but Florio doesn’t think that this is the place to draw the line given Chancellor’s importance in the locker room.
- Niners head coach Jim Tomsula said the decision to waive defensive lineman Lawrence Okoye during the first round of cuts to 75 players was made to give him the best opportunity to land with another team this season, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. “Just to be frank, Lawrence hasn’t played a lot of football,” Tomsula said. “So for somebody to give him an opportunity in fairness to him, they’re going to want to (see him before the cut to 53 players). So, when you have a guy in that situation, was my thought, that it gives him a better opportunity … What he’s done in three years or two-and-a-half years is remarkable.”
Bears Claim Zac Dysert Off Waivers From Broncos
4:44pm: The Bears announced that running back Senorise Perry is headed to the IR, as Jahns tweets.
The Bears also claimed tight end Gannon Sinclair off waivers from the Cardinals and released guard Lucas Nix, per Jahns (link).
With that, the Bears are at the 75-man limit.
3:47pm: The Bears have claimed Zac Dysert, who was waived Monday by the Broncos, team sources tell Adam Jahns of the Chicago Tribune. Dysert is expected to play Thursday night in the Bears’ final preseason game against the Browns.
Dysert was a seventh-round pick out of Miami of Ohio in 2013 and Jahns hears that Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase is very high on him. Dysert spent the 2014 season on the Broncos’ practice squad, so he’s plenty familiar with the signal caller.
The Bears may need a viable backup for Week 1 against the Packers after Jimmy Clausen suffered a concussion in preseason. As it stands, David Fales and Shane Carden are the Bears’ other two quarterbacks, but the UDFA Carden will be released, according to Jahns. Fales has missed most of training camp with an illness.
Broncos Down To 75-Man Roster
The Broncos have gotten down to a 75-man roster with a handful of moves. Denver has waived tight end Dan Light and linebacker Danny Mason, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets. Wide receiver Nathan Palmer has also been shown the door and he has no remaining practice squad eligibility, Mike Klis of 9NEWS tweets.
Palmer spent the bulk of 2014 on the team’s practice squad and now the third-year receiver will be looking for work elsewhere in the NFL. Light, a Fordham University product known as “The Gronk of the Bronx,” had a tryout with the Broncos earlier this month that resulted in a deal. Mason, a speedy 235-pound linebacker, came to Denver after playing some indoor football in recent years.
NFC Notes: FJax, Cowboys, Mathis, Long
The Cowboys have no interest in Fred Jackson at this time, sources tell David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. For now, they plan on going into season with a committee of Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, and Lance Dunbar, but they haven’t closed the door on adding a tailback either. Jackson, of course, is on the open market after getting cut by the Bills on Monday.
Here’s more from the NFC..
- Cowboys COO Stephen Jones admitted that he would pursue a talented tailback if there was a fit, though he said that age is a factor. “If we saw a young running back to add to the mix, we’d certainly look at it,” Jones said, according to Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News (on Twitter).
- Evan Mathis is now a Bronco, but he received interest from the Seahawks before he landed in Denver, and according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Seattle wanted to know if the veteran guard could play center. The Seahawks moved Max Unger in the Jimmy Graham trade with New Orleans back in March, and will likely roll with the inexperienced Drew Nowak at center to start the season.
- Falcons head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that he has not ruled out signing veteran offensive tackle Jake Long, as Andrew Hirsh of AtlantaFalcons.com writes. “He’s somebody we’ve still talked about for sure,” Quinn said of Long, who auditioned for Atlanta earlier this summer. “(He’s) a guy we have lots of regard for.”
Broncos Waive 9; Trade Chris Clark To Texans
The Broncos made a whole lot of moves today as they get set to trim their roster down to 75. Among their transactions, Denver traded tackle Chris Clark to the Texans for a seventh-round choice in 2016, as Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com tweets. The sixth-year offensive tackle appeared in 69 games (27 starts) with Denver during the last five seasons. Prior to that, Clark spent two years competing on Minnesota’s practice squad.
The team also announced a litany of transactions on Monday morning. Vested veteran Reggie Walker has been cut loose while nine other players were waived:
Released:
- Reggie Walker, ILB
Waived:
- Tevrin Brandon, CB
- Andre Davis, G
- Joe Don Duncan, TE/FB
- Zac Dysert, QB
- Spencer Lanning, P
- Ross Madison, S
- Jake Murphy, TE
- Jeremy Stewart, RB
- Chase Vaughn, OLB
Walker, a former special-teams standout for the rival Chargers, was signed in March but unable to win a job amongst a competitive group of inside linebackers. That batch of ILBs includes 2014 draft picks Corey Nelson and Lamin Barrow. In addition to the moves listed above, Denver also placed third-round pick Jeff Heuerman on injured reserve.
AFC Notes: Green, Albert, Mathis
With Julio Jones being the latest star receiver to sign a contract extension this summer, joining Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas and T.Y. Hilton, all eyes turn to the Bengals’ A.J. Green. The 27-year-old has been one of the best playmakers in the league since the Bengals took him in the first round of the 2011 draft and is a season away from potentially becoming a free agent.
The deals awarded to Jones, Bryant, Thomas and Hilton (all five-year accords worth $70-plus million with guarantees ranging from $39MM to $47MM) have set the market for Green, according to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry – who tweets that guaranteed money will be a sticking point for the two sides. Corry added in another tweet that the Bengals don’t guarantee base salary in veteran deals, so they might have to compromise by giving Green the biggest signing bonus in franchise history.
Jones’ extension will kick in next season, which means he’ll play 2015 under the same one-year, $10.18MM option as Green. Considering that, Jones’ contract is more relevant to Green than the ones given to Bryant, Thomas and Hilton, per Corry (Twitter link). Green’s numbers compare favorably to those of Jones, who has added 249 catches and 26 touchdowns in 49 regular-season games. Green has been more durable, appearing in 60 regular-season games, and more productive (329 receptions and 35 scores). He also has outpaced Jones in 1,000-yard seasons (four to two) and Pro Bowl nods (again, four to two). Add all of that up and the likelihood is that the Bengals will have to give Green a richer deal than Jones’ in order to keep him.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert tore his ACL last season and has been working toward a return since. While it’s unlikely Albert will be ready for Week 1, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald doesn’t rule it out (Twitter link). On the other hand, ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that Albert probably won’t return until Week 3.
- Broncos guard Evan Mathis – whom the team signed earlier this week – is on track for the opener, Troy Renck of The Denver Post reports (Twitter link).
- Denver’s Week 1 opponent, the Ravens, will definitely be without Matt Elam, Brent Urban and Lorenzo Taliaferro, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- In the unlikely event Seattle trades linebacker Bruce Irvin before the season, Ryan O’Halloran doesn’t expect the Jaguars to acquire the three-year veteran. Jags general manager David Caldwell isn’t one to trade picks in the first three rounds, tweeted O’Halloran – who added that Irvin’s contract status (one year before free agency) makes the chances of an acquisition even more remote for Jacksonville.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/15
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves..
- The Broncos have signed tight end Dan Light, who played college football at Fordham University in New York, writes Andrew Mason of DenverBroncos.com. The team has waived Solomon Patton to clear room on the roster.
- The Steelers have cut injured skill position player Ross Scheurman, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Scheurman played running back in college but might have also had value as a slot receiver, before injuring his Achilles during a drill in training camp early this month.
- Tackle Quinterrius Eatmon has been cut by the Oakland Raiders, per Wilson (via Twitter). Eatmon was a rookie free agent out of the University of South Florida.
- The Giants have reached an injury settlement with linebacker Tony Johnson, according to James Kratch of NJ Advance Media (via Twitter). Johnson was waived/injured earlier this week after suffering a knee injury.
- The Texans have released safety Stevie Brown, reports Tania Ganguli of ESPN (via Twitter). The former Giant gained notoriety with an eight-interception campaign in 2012, but hadn’t picked off a pass before or since.