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Minor Moves: Saturday

September 20th, 2014 at 4:53pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ll keep tabs on all of Saturday’s NFL transactions here, with the latest moves at the top…

  • The Lions have cut veteran wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter). The move opened up room for practice squad cornerback Mohammed Seisay, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
  • The Raiders have signed linebacker Bojay Filomeatu from their practice squad, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • The 49ers have promoted tight end Asante Cleveland to their active roster, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). The team released quarterback Josh Johnson to make room.
  • The Dolphins have signed safety Brandian Ross from their practice squad to the active roster, reports James Walker of ESPN (via Twitter). They released defensive lineman Bruce Gaston to make room.
  • The Ravens have cut wide receiver Deonte Thompson, and signed running back Fitzgerald Toussaint from their practice squad, according to the team’s official Twitter page.

Earlier updates:

  • The Vikings announced that they have signed wide receiver Charles Johnson from the Browns practice squad. Johnson will take Adrian Peterson‘s spot on the roster.
  • The Lions will sign cornerback Mohammed Seisay from their practice squad, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
  • Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer tweets that the Panthers have promoted running back Darrin Reaves from their practice squad to take Greg Hardy‘s roster spot.
  • The Cowboys announced (via Twitter) that the team has waived defensive end Lavar Edwards and signed linebacker Keith Smith from the practice squad. Edwards, a former fourth-round pick, was acquired from the Titans in late August. He’s only played 15 snaps in two games this season. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com tweets that the release does not void the trade with Tennessee, noting that the Cowboys have to give up a seventh-rounder if Edwards stays on the roster for ten games. However, Archer also notes that Edwards will likely be back.
  • The Jaguars have signed wide receiver Kerry Taylor from their practice squad, the team announced. To make room, the team waived rookie safety Craig Loston. Taylor has 22 career receptions for 229 yards and one touchdown. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets that Taylor is injury-insurance for wideouts Cecil Shorts and Allen Hurns.

Minor Moves: Friday

September 19th, 2014 at 4:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including teams adjustments to the backs of their 53-man rosters and to their practice squads:

  • The Giants have waived offensive lineman Eric Herman, tweets Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com. Herman was reinstated from suspension this week, with the team receiving a two-day roster exemption for him. The Giants have elected to cut him rather than place him on the 53-man roster, but if he clears waivers, he’s a candidate for the practice squad.
  • The Lions are set to promote defensive back Mohammed Seisay from their practice squad to their active roster, says Justin Rogers of MLive.com (via Twitter). The club will have to remove a player from its 53-man roster to make it official though, so the move hasn’t yet been finalized. According to Rogers (via Twitter), the team is still mulling that corresponding move, with the IR a possibility for a couple players.
  • Linebacker Terrell Manning has joined the Bears‘ practice squad, replacing wide receiver Greg Herd on the unit, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • The Rams have signed cornerback Jemea Thomas to their practice squad, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). To make room, wide receiver and returner Justin Veltung has been cut by the club (Twitter link).
  • Defensive end Shelby Harris has rejoined the Raiders‘ practice squad after clearing waivers, tweets Bill Williamson of ESPN.com. The team will have to cut a player to open up a spot for Harris.

Lions Restructure Reggie Bush’s Contract

September 19th, 2014 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 12:16pm: The Lions converted about $2.333MM of Bush’s 2014 base salary to a signing bonus, according to Pelissero (via Twitter). That means the move created somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.55MM in ’14 cap room for the team.

THURSDAY, 2:42pm: The Lions have reworked the contract of running back Reggie Bush in order to create some cap space, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News confirms Pelissero’s report, adding (via Twitter) that it’s a simple restructure, with a portion of Bush’s 2014 base salary having been converted to a signing bonus.

The exact figures on Bush’s restructure aren’t clear — Pelissero notes that Bush is making $3.5MM this year, but that was the veteran running back’s base salary prior to the move. In any case, the cap savings will be minimal. Even if Bush’s salary was reduced to the minimum, with the difference being converted into a prorated bonus, it would create less than $2MM in cap savings.

Nonetheless, even that modest a figure should be valuable for the Lions, who don’t have a ton of breathing room under the cap, according to Over The Cap’s figures. The restructuring likely isn’t a precursor to a major signing or extension, but rather will allow the team to add reinforcements as necessary throughout the season.

Bush remains under contract with the Lions through 2016.

NFC Notes: Bucs, Sproles, Simpson, Lions

September 18th, 2014 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the NFL’s biggest spenders in the offseason, the Buccaneers made a significant splash in free agency, adding Josh McCown, Anthony Collins, Michael Johnson, Alterraun Verner, and others. So far, that spending spree hasn’t had much of an impact on the field, as the Bucs head into tonight’s game in Atlanta with an 0-2 record. As John Clayton of ESPN.com observes, that’s not unusual. In recent years, any of the teams that spend most lavishly in free agency don’t see their records improve much – or at all – the following season.

Here’s more from around the NFC, as look forward to tonight’s matchup of NFC South squads:

  • Redskins head coach Jay Gruden confirmed this week that his team had some interest in acquiring Darren Sproles when the Saints shopped him earlier this year, adding that Washington was disappointed to see the versatile back land with a division rival (link via Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com). “It didn’t work out for us, and when you find out it’s not going to work out with us, you dang sure want him to go to the AFC somewhere,” Gruden said. “But unfortunately he went to Philly.”
  • Vikings wideout Jerome Simpson is on track to return from suspension next week, but he’s dealing with additional legal issues, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Simpson has a November arraignment scheduled for misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession, driving with an open bottle and violating limited license restrictions, related to a July incident in Bloomington, Minnesota.
  • As Kyle Meinke of MLive.com explains, the Lions could have opted to sign Champ Bailey or another notable free agent defensive back, but added cornerback Danny Gorrer instead for two reasons — he’s familiar with the team’s scheme, and he’s versatile enough to play both inside and outside.
  • When the Packers elected to lock up Sam Shields to a $39MM contract during the offseason, games like this week’s contest against Calvin Johnson and the Lions were the ones the club had in mind, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

NFC North Notes: Vikings, Lions, Packers

September 17th, 2014 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

For now, the Vikings have placed Adrian Peterson on the exempt list, continuing to pay him while he stays away from the club and doesn’t count against the 53-man roster. However, sooner or later, Minnesota will have to make a more permanent decision on the running back, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com thinks terminating his contract – either later this year or next year – is the only route that really makes sense for the team.

Multiple sources who spoke to La Canfora believe the idea of a trade is a non-starter, and Peterson’s salaries and cap numbers are on the rise in coming seasons, making it unpalatable to keep him for the duration of his contract even if there were no off-field factors to consider.

Let’s check in on a few more updates from across the NFC North….

  • Don’t expect the Vikings to make a move to add a running back to their roster, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. According to Marvez, the team is comfortable moving forward with Matt Asiata, Jerick McKinnon, and Joe Banyard.
  • We’ve heard word of several players auditioning for the Lions in the past few days, and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun adds a couple more. Per Wilson (via Twitter), offensive lineman Reid Fragel and defensive back Justin Rogers auditioned for the club.
  • The Packers tried out guard James Brown, defensive back Tay Glover-Wright, and defensive tackle Greg Hickman, according to Wilson (Twitter links).
  • Packers linebacker and special-teams ace Andy Mulumba confirmed today on Twitter that he has suffered a torn ACL. While Green Bay has yet to make an official announcement, it appears likely that Mulumba will land on the injured reserve list, ending his season.

Extra Points: Jets, Bush, Idonije, Hill

September 16th, 2014 at 10:01pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets‘ erratic play is sending mixed signals, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. Gang Green looked great in the first 20 minutes against the Packers and produced more than 400 yards of offense against the Raiders in their opener. However, they blew an 18-point lead against Green Bay and their mistakes allowed the Raiders to stay in the game for longer than they should have. Here’s more from around the league..

NFC Notes: Hester, Urlacher, Sproles

September 16th, 2014 at 9:11pm CST by Zachary Links

In an interview with WFAN’s Boomer & Carton show, Lions tailback Reggie Bush said that embattled Vikings running back Adrian Peterson should be allowed to play football, writes NFL.com’s Marc Sessler. “Adrian Peterson, I’ve known for a while, and he’s a good guy,” Bush said. “... I don’t know all the details of the situation what happened, but I know me and like a lot of other guys who were born in the ’80s, and even before then, were raised differently and disciplined differently. And I was one of those kids. I got what we called ‘whoopings,’ whooped with belts and stuff like that. For me, growing up, it was normal. And not to say, not to try to downplay the situation at all, I think that this is genuine, and obviously, I’m sure there’s no ill intent against his own son.” More from the NFC..

  • Coach Lovie Smith definitely wanted Devin Hester in Tampa but the money situation simply didn’t work out in the Bucs‘ favor, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The former Bears standout wound up signing with the Falcons this offseason.
  • Former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher resigned his job as a broadcaster job at FOX Sports 1 Tuesday and the Bucs have an injury to starting middle linebacker Mason Foster. Some may be wondering if Urlacher would be a fit for Tampa Bay but if it does happen, it won’t be this week, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The Bucs plan to go with backup middle linebacker Dane Fletcher in Thursday night’s game at Atlanta.
  • Former Eagles president Joe Banner tweeted that he tried to sign Darren Sproles when he a free agent after his time with the Chargers. However, the speedy tailback badly wanted to reunite with Drew Brees in New Orleans and wound up with the Saints. Sproles’ presence in Philadelphia years earlier might have made a big difference for the team, Banner writes.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap gives his thoughts on Robert Quinn‘s extension with the Rams. The contract is similar to what Fitzgerald envisioned for J.J. Watt initially – it underpays him for his production, but it gives him a window for another mega-contract in just a few years. Quinn also gets a decent guarantee package from St. Louis.
  • The Peterson case shows a lack of leadership on the NFL’s part, writes Tom Powers of the Pioneer Press. The Vikings said they’ll let things play out in court for the running back but Powers notes that defensive back Chris Cook, cornerback A.J. Jefferson, and running back Caleb King were never given the same benefit of the doubt when they were in hot water.

Lions Sign Danny Gorrer; Lawson To IR

September 16th, 2014 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have placed their second cornerback on injured reserve in as many weeks, placing Nevin Lawson on IR today with a season-ending ankle injury, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. According to Twentyman, using the roster spots vacated by Lawson and Nate Ness, who was cut yesterday, the team has signed cornerback Danny Gorrer and promoted linebacker Julian Stanford from its practice squad.

The Lions have worked out several higher-profile defensive backs since the start of the season, including Champ Bailey, Dimitri Patterson, and Chris Clemons. While the club may ultimately decide to revisit one or more of those free agents, the team has opted for Gorrer for now. A Texas A&M product, Gorrer has appeared in regular season games for the Rams, Ravens, and Buccaneers since 2009.

In order to fill Stanford’s spot on the practice squad, the Lions have also signed former Alabama linebacker Jerrell Harris, says Twentyman (via Twitter).

Lions Worked Out Kickers, Beauharnais

September 16th, 2014 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions conducted workouts with several veteran players today, including a handful of kickers, according to various reports. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that Rob Bironas, Alex Henery, and Garrett Hartley all auditioned for the club, while Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that former Patriots linebacker Steve Beauharnais was also in Detroit for a tryout.

While Beauharnais’ workout looks fairly standard, the fact that Detroit brought in multiple veteran kickers is notable. Rookie Nate Freese won the job in the preseason, but he has struggled out of the gate for the Lions — he has made just two of five field goal attempts so far, with both converted tries coming from inside 30 yards.

Birons, Henery, and Hartley were the starting kickers for the Titans, Eagles, and Saints respectively for most or all of last season, and could prove to be more reliable than Freese. I’d expect the Lions to give their seventh-round pick at least one more chance to straighten things out, but his leash may not be much longer than that.

Minor Moves: Monday

September 15th, 2014 at 6:36pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll round up Monday’s minor transactions right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • Two days after promoting him to their 53-man roster, the Lions have waived safety Nate Ness, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Ness was placed back on the practice squad this evening, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (on Twitter).
  • The Bears announced that they have signed sixth-round rookie quarterback David Fales to their practice squad and re-signed fullback Tony Fiammetta to the active roster, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter).
  • The 49ers are set to sign Xavier Grimble to their practice squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
  • The Buccaneers have finalized a little roster shuffling, promoting linebacker Brandon Magee to their 53-man roster and signing linebacker Ka’Lial Glaud to take his place on the practice squad. To create an opening for Magee, the club has waived-injured cornerback Rashaan Melvin (Twitter link via Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com).
  • Defensive tackle Matt Conrath has been cut by the Rams, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). No corresponding move has been reported yet, but the team could be opening up a roster spot for wideout Stedman Bailey, who appears poised to be reinstated.
  • Bengals cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris, who is returning from a suspension this week, has joined the team’s roster, tweets Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. Cincinnati gets a two-day exemption for Lewis-Harris, though by our count the club had an opening on its 53-man roster anyway.
  • Linebacker Darius Fleming (Patriots) and defensive end Chris Smith (Jaguars) have passed through waivers and re-signed with their respective clubs’ practice squads, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald and Caplan, respectively (Twitter links).
  • The Giants have removed defensive end Jordan Stanton from their practice squad, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • The Ravens have signed cornerback Lou Young to fill the 10th and final spot on their practice squad, according to a team release.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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