Extra Points: Steelers, Bell, Bears
Here’s a quick look around the NFL:
- Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell passed his physical yesterday after showing up at the team’s facility, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He did not sign his franchise tag yet, but he will, Rapoport adds. Bell’s Steelers open up the season in Cleveland on Sept. 10.
- The Bears were the only team to put in a waiver claim on kicker Roberto Aguayo after the Bucs cut him earlier this month, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. They’re now likely going to be stuck paying his $428K guarantee after releasing him on Saturday.
- The Redskins are still trying to trade Derek Carrier and two teams are currently in on him, Mike Jones of The Washington Post (on Twitter) hears. It’s still unclear how likely a deal is, however. Carrier has been traded before – he came to Washington via a swap with San Francisco in 2015.
- The Cardinals will pursue punter Andy Lee now that he is a free agent, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic tweets. This makes sense considering that the Cardinals considered trading for him this week prior to his release.
- The Packers are looking for help at offensive guard, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle hears (Twitter link). Green Bay will start Lane Taylor and Jahri Evans at the two guard spots.
Packers Likely To Put Biegel On PUP
- Now that the Packers have added Ahmad Brooks to the fold, they can be more patient with rookie Vince Biegel‘s recovery, Ryan Wood of the Press-Gazette tweets. A source tells Wood that he’ll “probably” start the season on the PUP list, meaning that he won’t count against the initial 53-man limit.
Packers To Sign Ahmad Brooks
The Packers have agreed to a one-year, $3.5MM deal with linebacker Ahmad Brooks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The pact could be worth up to $5MM. Brooks visited with the Pack shortly after the 49ers released him Aug. 25.
Green Bay will be the third NFL destination for Brooks, who spent the first two years of his career in Cincinnati before joining San Francisco in 2009. He became one of the most accomplished pass rushers in 49ers history during his eight-year tenure in San Fran, where he racked up 51.5 sacks and never finished with fewer than five in an individual season. Brooks was also quite durable as a member of the 49ers, with whom he appeared in at least 13 games in each year.
Most recently, Brooks totaled six sacks during a 16-game, 15-start slate last season, indicating that the 33-year-old still has plenty to offer. While Pro Football Focus wasn’t enamored of Brooks’ work, ranking him just 87th in performance among 110 qualified edge rushers, he still figures to help a Green Bay defense that lost prolific rusher Julius Peppers to Carolina in free agency. Brooks’ presence on the outside could lead the Packers to move Clay Matthews inside, where he’d potentially be an upgrade over Jake Ryan and/or Blake Martinez in nickel packages, as PFR’s Dallas Robinson noted this week. Regardless, Brooks adds a third proven edge rusher behind the Matthews-Nick Perry duo, giving the Packers a trio that combined for 22 sacks in 2016.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/17
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: LS Taybor Pepper
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LS Jeff Overbaugh
- Waived/injured: Patrick Scales
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: P Will Monday
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: OL Gabe Ikard
Denver Broncos
- Waived/injured: DL Jimmy Bean
Detroit Lions
- Released: WR Keshawn Martin, TE Tim Wright
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: LS Derek Hart, WR Colby Pearson, RB William Stanback
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Earl Wolff
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Akeem Dent
- Waived from IR: CB Ezra Robinson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Released: LB Josh Mauga
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: K Travis Coons
New England Patriots
- Signed: DL Michael Bart, LB Christian Kuntz, LB Nick Usher
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Audie Cole
- Placed on IR: TE Clay Harbor
New York Giants
- Signed: DB Daniel Gray
- Placed on IR: OL Adam Gettis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DE Mehdi Abdesmad, DL Hendrick Ekpe
- Waived: RB Blake Sims
- Placed on IR: Justin Trattou
Packers To Host LB Ahmad Brooks
The Packers will meet with free agent linebacker Ahmad Brooks on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who reports the Broncos also have interest in the former 49er.
While Green Bay is theoretically set at outside linebacker with Nick Perry and Clay Matthews Jr., signing an edge rusher like Brooks would allow the Packers to move Matthews inside, where he’d likely be an upgrade over Jake Ryan and/or Blake Martinez in nickel packages. Entering his age-33 campaign, Brooks could also be a candidate to play a Julius Peppers-esque role for Green Bay: in such a capacity, Brooks would serve in a rotational basis (Peppers played about a third of the Packers’ snaps in 2016) and focus on pass rushing.
Denver, meanwhile, is in need of depth on the edge given that Shane Ray is doubtful to play in Week 1 due to a wrist injury. Fellow outside ‘backer Shaquil Barrett could hypothetically return from a hip issue in time to play in the Broncos’ season opener, but his availability isn’t a given. While Von Miller clearly locks up one side of the Denver defense, the club would turn to Kasim Edebali, Danny Mason, or Vontarrius Dora, or potentially use second-round rookie DeMarcus Walker in a stand-up role, if Ray/Barrett can’t play Week 1.
Brooks, who was released by San Francisco last week, has 10 years of NFL experience and 98 starts under his belt. Last season, Brooks played the most defensive snaps of any 49ers linebacker (981) and posted 53 tackles, six sacks, and a forced fumble. However, he graded as just the 87th-best edge rusher in the NFL out of 110 qualified players, per Pro Football Focus, has not ranked among the top-20 at his position since 2012.
Jordy Nelson Eyeing 2-4 More Seasons
Jordy Nelson provided some clarity about how much longer he wants to play. The 10th-year Packers wideout is looking past his current contract but isn’t sure he will make it beyond the deal, which runs through 2018.
“I would say anywhere between two to four more years. I think four more – so this one and three more – would be my max,” Nelson said during an appearance on The HawkCast podcast with former teammate A.J. Hawk (via Zach Kruse of Packers Wire). “That would put me at 13 years. I’d be happy with that, obviously. At some point, I have to get my family back to Kansas.”
The 32-year-old Pro Bowler signed a four-year, $39MM deal in 2014 that runs through the ’18 season. Both he and Randall Cobb are signed through 2018, while Davante Adams is entering his contract year. Nelson, though, isn’t guaranteeing he’ll venture past next season. He’s on Green Bay’s books for $11.55MM this season and $12.55MM in 2018.
“I got two more years left on this deal, it would be great to play those out and kind of see where we’re at,” Nelson told Hawk. “Me personally, how I feel, how the body feels. And then, obviously, it’s up to the organization what they would want to do.”
Nelson tore his ACL during the 2015 preseason and missed the year but returned to catch 97 passes for 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns, the latter figure being the second-most he’s compiled in a season. The former second-round pick produced four 1,200-plus-yard receiving seasons in his past five healthy campaigns. During each of those, the Kansas State product played in 16 games.
Aaron Rodgers‘ presence looks to factor into Nelson’s potential free agency decision in 2019, should he enter that position. He will turn 33 in May.
“For my wife and my family, we’ve signed two extensions here in Green Bay, a lot of it was this community and this organization. It was a perfect fit for us,” Nelson said. “We have more money than what we’ll ever spend. That wasn’t going to be the biggest issue. But like you said, having a quarterback like Aaron, the best in the game with what he could do with his arm, his mind, his feet, everything. That definitely matters.
“We’ve seen it with other receivers who have left here and struggled. Because there’s a significant difference between what he can do and what some other quarterbacks around this league can do.”
Could Packers Keep 3 QBs?
- The Packers have to decide whether to keep Taysom Hill as a third quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and Brett Hundley, Ryan Wood of USA Today writes. Hill, a 27-year-old UDFA, led two touchdown drives this preseason and boasts 4.4 second 40-yard-dash speed.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/17
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived from IR: RB Jahad Thomas (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com)
Denver Broncos
- Claimed off waivers: RB Stanley Williams
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Scott Orndoff
- Waived/injured: DT Bruce Gaston
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DL Calvin Heurtelou
Houston Texans
- Waived from IR: DeAndrew White (Link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived from IR: LB Jayson DiManche (Twitter link via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area)
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived/injured: TE Marcus Lucas, T Justin Senior
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: DL Mehdi Abdesmad
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- Giants UDFA wide receiver Keeon Johnson broke his foot during Thursday’s practice and needed surgery, a source tells Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). He has been waived with an injury designation, and Raanan expects he’ll land on IR.
- In related moves, the Giants signed wideouts Ed Eagan and Canaan Severin and waived wide receiver Kevin Snead with an injury designation. Eagan entered the league as a Cowboys UDFA last year but ended up joining the Browns midway through camp. He spent last season bouncing on and off the Bills’ practice squad. Severin spent his would-be rookie year on the Steelers’ IR list; Pittsburgh cut him earlier this week.
- The Cardinals announced they’ve signed inside linebacker Ryan Langford and released wide receiver Marquis Bundy. Langford and Bundy were teammates at the University of New Mexico. Bundy was promoted to Arizona’s active roster late last season after spending most of it on the practice squad. The Texans cut Langford after training camp last year.
- A former Saints fifth-round draft choice in 2015, outside linebacker Davis Tull will sign with the Rams, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Tull spent his rookie season on the Saints’ IR list and vacillated between free agency and the Falcons’ practice squad last season. The Tennessee-Chattanooga product was a Division I-FCS All-American in 2014.
- The Dolphins waived rookie seventh-round pick, wide receiver Isaiah Ford, with an injury designation. Ford had been rehabbing after a knee surgery. The Virginia Tech product is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Hokies. Ford will revert to Miami’s IR if unclaimed on waivers.
- The Packers reached an injury settlement with tight end Beau Sandland, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Green Bay signed Sandland to a reserve/futures deal in January but waived him earlier this week.
- The Redskins also reached one with wideout Kendal Thompson, a former Utah quarterback who spent last season on Washington’s practice squad.
Opinion: Packers Must Extend Aaron Rodgers Soon
- Staying on the subject of Hall of Fame-bound signal-callers, Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com opines that Green Bay must sign Aaron Rodgers to a new deal within the next year. While Rodgers is already under contract through 2019, awarding him a new pact would kill the possibility of the franchise tag coming into play, which Dougherty argues is rather important. Tagging Rodgers after 2019 would cost the Packers around $25MM, and that number would increase substantially if they were to franchise him again the next year. And if Rodgers doesn’t have an extension soon, the 33-year-old could decide he’d be better off playing under the tag for as long as possible and raking in all the guaranteed cash that comes with it, contends Dougherty.