Packers Place Andrew Quarless On IR
FRIDAY, 9:45pm: To fill Quarless’ roster spot, the Packers promoted cornerback Robertson Daniel from their practice squad, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Even after the team ruled out Davante Adams for Saturday’s divisional-round game against the Cardinals, the Packers opted not to bring up one of the two receivers on their practice squad. They’ll go with just four vs. Arizona.
THURSDAY, 11:08pm: In advance of their divisional playoff game against the Cardinals, the Packers will be placing tight end Andrew Quarless on the injured reserve list, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Quarless himself alluded to the move on his Instagram account earlier today.
“Wanted to be the first to thank all my loyal fans who have supported me this past year,” Quarless wrote. “You all have been a blessings to my life. My season has come to an end not by choice but I will continue to trust God’s plan for my life.”
Quarless, 27, has already spent most of the season on injured reserve, though he was originally placed on IR with the designation to return. An MCL injury sidelined Quarless for about two and a half months, beginning in late September, limiting him to five games and just four receptions for 31 yards for the season.
A source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com that the tight end recently underwent a procedure to drain fluid from his knee, and it seems the Packers had concerns about his health going forward. Once the team makes the move official, there will be an open spot for Green Bay to add a player to the 53-man roster — likely someone from the practice squad.
It’s been a rough year for Quarless, whose July arrest raised doubts about whether he’d even remain with the Packers. While Green Bay did keep him around, Quarless was on the shelf for most of the season as second-year tight end Richard Rodgers enjoyed a breakout campaign, hauling in 58 balls and racking up eight touchdowns.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Workout Updates: 1/15/16
After working out earlier this week for the Jets, free agent offensive tackle Lamar Holmes got a look from another AFC East team, auditioning for the Dolphins, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Holmes, a former third-round pick, started 19 games at tackle for the Falcons in 2013 and 2014. However, he spent most of the 2015 season on the PUP list due to a foot injury, and was ultimately cut by Atlanta in December with an injury settlement, allowing him to explore other opportunities. If he’s healthy, he should get a chance to sign somewhere and compete for a roster spot in 2016.
Here are the rest of today’s workout updates:
- In addition to trying out Holmes, the Dolphins also brought in CFL pass rusher Cleyon Laing, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. An Iowa State product, Laing recorded 40 tackles and eight sacks for the Toronto Argonauts this season.
- Another CFL star, wide receiver Eric Rogers, continued his NFL tour by working out for the Titans, tweets Caplan. Wilson (Twitter link) adds Laing and quarterback Jerry Lovelocke to the list of players who tried out for Tennessee.
- Linebacker Jason Ankrah, who appeared in two games in 2014 for the Texans, auditioned for the Packers, per Wilson (Twitter link).
- The Chiefs worked out a pair of tackles, Kevin Graf and Bryce Quigley, according to Wilson (Twitter link). Kansas City remains alive in the postseason, so the team could be considering those offensive linemen as additions to the current roster, but I expect they’re candidates for reserve/futures contracts instead.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/12/16
Today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves:
- The Jets signed wide receiver Chandler Worthy to a reserve/future deal, as Mark Berman of FOX 26 tweets. Worthy was previously on Houston’s taxi squad.
- The Packers worked out former Nebraska linebacker Jason Ankrah on Tuesday, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Chargers have signed former CFL inside linebacker Dexter McCoil to a futures deal, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
- The Broncos have signed tight end Manasseh Garner, punter Will Johnson, and tackle Darrion Weems to futures deals, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets.
- Washington signed defensive linemen Corey Crawford and Kamal Johnson and linebacker Derrick Mathews to reserve/future contracts, as Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post writes.
- The Panthers have signed guard David Yankey to a futures contract, as Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets.
- The Cardinals signed Quayshawn Nealy to the practice squad, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets.
- The Patriots signed safety Cedric Thompson and wide receiver J.J. Worton to the practice squad and cut wide receiver DeAndre Carter, Wilson tweets.
Sunday Roundup: Wood, Burfict, Koetter
As the Vikings and Seahawks do battle in frigid Minneapolis, let’s take a look at some links from around the league:
- New Lions president Rod Wood admits to not having any football experience, but no one was especially concerned about that, as Wood is expected to handle the business side of the club while new GM Bob Quinn will handle the football side. But as Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes, Detroit’s press release announcing Quinn’s hire noted that Quinn would report to team ownership and to Wood, which suggests that Wood could be wielding more power than initially believed.
- Unsurprisingly, Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict is facing a suspension for his hit on Antonio Brown last night, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
- ESPN’s Ed Werder believes it is “unlikely” that the Bengals will part ways with head coach Marvin Lewis (Twitter link), and Mark Maske of the Washington Post lays out the reasons for his belief that Lewis should stay.
- Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel believes the Packers‘ efforts this season have been hampered by GM Ted Thompson‘s lack of in-season roster moves to address the team’s weaknesses. Since 2010, Green Bay has been awarded just two players on waivers, and Thompson has gone to the practice squad 70% of the time to fill vacancies on the 53-man roster.
- Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune tweets that Dirk Koetter is still the leading candidate for the Buccaneers‘ head coaching job, though Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that Koetter “really impressed” the 49ers during his interview with San Francisco yesterday. Tampa Bay also interviewed Panthers DC Sean McDermott yesterday.
- Gus Bradley is taking his time with the Jaguars‘ search for a new defensive coordinator and has yet to establish a deadline for the decision, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida-Times Union.
- Texans unrestricted free agents Ben Jones and Jared Crick both expressed their desire to remain in Houston, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- Meanwhile, two notable players have declared that they will enter the NFL draft: Arkansas RB Alex Collins (Twitter link via ESPN’s Joe Schad) and Utah State LB Nick Vigil (Twitter link via Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net).
FA Rumors: Brooks, JPP, Gates, James Jones
Bills cornerback Ron Brooks is eligible for free agency this offseason, but he technically remains under contract with the team until the new league year begins in March. Perhaps he was reminded of that this afternoon.
Earlier today, Brooks published a tweet that read, “Preciate everybody with the @Buffalobills and the great fans of WNY!!! It’s been a good ride. Sad to leave but business is business.” He has since deleted the tweet.
It’s not clear whether Brooks plans or expects to leave the Bills, or he was just a little premature in assuming his free agency. Either way, with the tweet deleted, we may have to wait until March to find out the fate of the defensive back and special-teamer.
Here are some other Friday updates on players eligible for free agency this winter:
- Appearing on The Michael Kay Show, Giants co-owner John Mara confirmed that he’d like to see his team bring back Jason Pierre-Paul. However, he cautioned that it will depend on the price, adding that the Giants “have to see more before [Pierre-Paul] gets paid like the top free agents in this league” (Twitter links via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News). A report last week suggested there’s mutual interest between JPP and the Giants in having the veteran defensive end re-sign with the team.
- Antonio Gates has previously indicated he’ll likely return for at least one more season in 2016, and if he does, the Chargers would love to have him back, general manager Tom Telesco said today, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com.
- Another veteran pass catcher, Packers wideout James Jones, says he’d love to stay in Green Bay and finish his career with the team. However, as Jason Wilde of ESPN.com details, Jones acknowledges that he wasn’t necessarily counting on a multiyear stint when he re-signed with the Packers in 2015. “I kind of felt, ‘You’re here on a one-year deal; Jordy [Nelson] comes back next year; they’ve got a bright young star in Davante [Adams], drafted Ty [Montgomery], got Randall [Cobb],’ so my expectation was not to really fight for a contract here,” Jones said. “I’d love to finish it out, but at the same time, we’ll see.”
Extra Points: Dolphins, Gruden, Browns, Titans
As the Dolphins search for their next head coach, the areas they’re prioritizing when talking to candidates are quarterback and defense, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Dolphins brass wants to hear from prospective head coaches how they plan to help the two improve after an up-and-down fourth season from Ryan Tannehill and a year in which the defense finished 25th overall.
Further, per Salguero, interim head coach Dan Campbell‘s only chance to get a promotion to the full-time role is if he presents Miami’s hierarchy with two proven coordinators willing to join his staff. Whether it’s Campbell or someone else, the Dolphins want a coach who has real solutions to repair their problems on both sides of the ball.
More from around the NFL:
- A report Thursday night stated that ex-head coach Jon Gruden is interested in the Eagles’ job, but CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets otherwise. Gruden to the Eagles is “not happening and not discussed,” La Canfora offers.
- With perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas facing an uncertain future with the Browns, Cleveland.com took a look at which teams could be candidates to acquire the 31-year-old during the offseason. The list consists of the Packers, Broncos (who tried to acquire Thomas at this season’s trade deadline), Colts, Titans, Jaguars, Chiefs, Vikings and Patriots.
- It was reported earlier Thursday that the Titans received permission to speak with Chiefs director of football operations Chris Ballard regarding their vacant general manager job. The two are likely to powwow Monday, reports Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link).
- Marc Ross, another candidate for the Titans’ GM job, might make the most sense for Tennessee if the club is looking to promote interim head coach Mike Mularkey, notes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Ross, who’s currently the Giants’ vice president of player evaluation, was a member of Buffalo’s front office when Mularkey was its head coach from 2004-05.
- The NFL has chosen the staffs of the Cowboys and Jaguars to coach the 2016 Reese’s Senior Bowl from Jan. 25-30, according to a press release. The Cowboys will coach the North team against the Jags-led South squad.
Extra Points: Welker, Browns, Workouts
Earlier today, our own Zach Links joined David Schultz of 103.7 The Game to talk about all of the latest NFL head coaching rumors, including what might happen with the Saints and Sean Payton. You can listen to that conversation right here:
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NFL:
- Wes Welker didn’t exactly make a huge impact for the Rams during his stint with the team this season, but he enjoyed getting back on the field, and intends to continue his career in 2016 “as long as I feel good and am having fun,” he tells Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- Although Chris Matthews and B.J. Daniels no longer play in Seattle, they’ll both probably be rooting for the Seahawks to come out of the NFC in the playoffs, since they could benefit financially from the team’s success. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com explains that situation, along with several others, in an enlightening breakdown of how the NFL’s postseason pay works.
- The Browns‘ new front office structure is creating a little confusion, so Conor Orr of NFL.com explores how Paul DePodesta and Sashi Brown will work together, and what their roles will be in Cleveland.
- According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Packers recently worked out tackle Cody Booth, wide receivers Jarrod West and Conner Vernon, linebacker Kacy Rodgers, and defensive linemen Davon Walls, Ethan Hemer, Lavon Hooks, and Quayshawne Buckley.
- Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle has workout updates for a couple more clubs, tweeting that safety Shaun Prater, along with CFL wide receivers Eric Rogers, Kenny Stafford, and Terrell Sinkfield, worked out for the Bears. Per Wilson (Twitter link), Washington recently auditioned CFL linebackers Willie Jefferson and Dexter McCoil, as well as wide receiver A.C. Leonard.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/5/16
Only the 12 teams in the playoffs can still make changes to their practice squads, so there were a handful of made by Wild Card clubs today. Here’s are today’s PS signings and cuts:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: LB Jayson DiManche (Twitter link via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DT William Campbell (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
- Placed on PS-IR: DE B.J. McBryde
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: T Reid Fragel (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Abou Toure (Twitter link via team)
Washington
- Signed: CB Al Louis-Jean (press release via team)
- Cut: LB Derrick Mathews
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/5/16
Here are today’s reserve/futures contract signings from around the league. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2016 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ 90-man rosters.
Arizona Cardinals
- Taylor Boggs, C (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com)
- Valerian Ume-Ezeoke, C
- Mike Reilly, OLB
- Tyrequek Zimmerman, S
Baltimore Ravens
- Jerod Johnson, QB (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Zach Hocker, K (Twitter link via team)
- Dezmond Johnson, DE
- Floyd Raven, S
Green Bay Packers
- QB Ryan Williams (Twitter link via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
Indianapolis Colts
- Burton Pierce, OT
- Ben Heenan, G
- Edwin Jackson, LB
- Kitt O’Brien, G
- Dezmen Southward, DB
- Joshua Stangby. WR
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Quanterus Smith, DE (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Kenny Cook, WR
- Dominique Davis, DE
- Cameron Gordon, LB
- Jordan Kovacs, DB
- Trey Millard, RB
- Alameda Ta’amu, DT
Miami Dolphins
- Jahwan Edwards, RB
- Robert Herron, WR
- Terrell Manning, LB
- Vinston Painter, G
- Anthony Steen, G
- Dax Swanson, DB
- Julius Warmsley, DE
- Jordan Williams, DE
New Orleans Saints
- Ashaad Mabry, DT (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune)
- Chris Manhertz, TE (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Advocate)
New York Jets
- Joe Anderson, WR (link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com)
- Deion Barnes, LB
- Brandon Bostick, TE
- Jarvis Harrison, OL
- Julian Howsare, FB
- Wes Saxton, TE
- Kevin Short, DB
- Deon Simon, DL
- Julian Stanford, LB
Oakland Raiders
- Garrett Gilbert, QB (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle)
- Giorgio Tavecchio, K
San Diego Chargers
- Kasey Redfern, P (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego)
- Torrence Allen, WR
- Michael Huey, G
San Francisco 49ers
- Corey Acosta, K (link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle)
St. Louis Rams
- David Arkin, OL (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com)
- Justice Cunningham, TE
- Zack Hodges, LB
- Zach Laskey, RB
- Deon Long, WR
- Matthew Wells, LB