Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/15
Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from across the NFL:
- The Raiders have waived safety Tevin McDonald, the team announced today in a press release. Although no corresponding move was provided, it appears McDonald’s release will pave the way for safety Nate Allen to be activated off IR-DTR within the next day or two.
- The Jets added a third safety to their 53-man roster for tonight’s game by signing Ronald Martin from their practice squad, tweets Manish Mehta of the Daily News. To clear a spot for Martin, who will add a little depth to a banged-up secondary, New York has waived defensive lineman T.J. Barnes.
- The Colts promoted linebacker Daniel Adongo from the practice squad to the active roster and cut running back Josh Robinson, the team announced today in a press release. With Frank Gore and Ahmad Bradshaw carrying the load in Indianapolis’ backfield, and Zurlon Tipton also around to provide depth, Robinson became expendable for the time being.
- The Patriots made a small change to their active roster today, promoting linebacker Eric Martin from the practice squad and cutting safety Dewey McDonald to make room, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
- After being waived-injured by the Cardinals yesterday, cornerback Cariel Brooks cleared waivers and landed on Arizona’s injured reserve list, per Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Colts Eyeing Jason Campbell
2:22pm: Even with the Colts pushing to get Campbell to unretire, the veteran quarterback is “highly unlikely” to return to action this season, says Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, adding that Campbell could still make a comeback next year.
1:39pm: With Andrew Luck sidelined for the next few weeks, the Colts are considering their options for adding a quarterback to back up Matt Hasselbeck. According to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the Colts’ search for a backup has the team attempting to lure free agent signal-caller Jason Campbell into unretiring. As the PFT report notes, Campbell played for the Browns the year that new Colts offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski was the team’s head coach.
Campbell, who turns 34 next month, was said to be planning on retirement back in June, but he never made the decision official. The veteran QB reportedly received inquiries from at least three teams in the summer, and got a call from the Cowboys when Tony Romo went down.
Over the course of his NFL career, Campbell has appeared in 90 games (79 starts) for Washington, Oakland, Chicago, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. He saw his most extensive action in D.C., where he started 52 contests for Washington after being selected by the club in the first round of the 2005 draft. Most recently, he backed up Andy Dalton with the Bengals in 2014.
While Campbell’s 32-47 career record as a starter isn’t overly impressive, his career stats – including a 60.3% completion percentage, an 81.7 passer rating, and 87 touchdowns to 60 interceptions – are respectable. For a Colts team vying to make the playoffs, he’d likely be a more reliable insurance policy than someone like practice squad quarterback Alex Tanney.
Andrew Luck Out Two To Six Weeks
WEDNESDAY, 8:02am: The Colts are realistically expecting Luck to be out a month, and are preparing for an even longer absence, a league source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
TUESDAY, 2:05pm: Colts quarterback Andrew Luck will be sidelined for the next two to six weeks due to a lacerated kidney and a partial tear of an abdominal muscle, the team announced today. With Indianapolis heading into its bye week, Luck may not miss many games, but it’s still a significant blow for a club clinging to a half-game lead in the AFC South.
“It’s way too early to guess how long Andrew will be out,” Chuck Pagano said in a statement. “We’re going to keep listening to the doctors and evaluating his progress on a week by week basis. We’ve got all the confidence in the world in Matt Hasselbeck and we’re not going to put Andrew back out there until he’s healed and ready to go.”
It’s been a rough season so far for Luck, who was sidelined a shoulder injury earlier in the year and reportedly played with broken ribs in recent weeks. The former first overall pick has only won two of his seven starts, having completed just 55.3% of his passes, with 12 interceptions and a career-low 6.4 yards per attempt.
Sunday’s performance against the Broncos was a high point so far in 2015 for both the Colts and Luck, but that victory came at a price. According to Pagano, Luck sustained his injuries early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, meaning he was able to play through them in order to finish the game.
With Luck sidelined, and expected to recover without requiring surgery, Indianapolis will once again turn to Hasselbeck, who won both of his starts when he filled in for Luck in Weeks 4 and 5. If Luck is unable to return for six weeks, his 40-year-old backup would face the Falcons in Week 11, followed by the Buccaneers, Steelers, Jaguars, and Texans.
Colts Notes: Luck, Pagano, Hasselbeck
Earlier today, the Colts announced that quarterback Andrew Luck will be sidelined for the next two to six weeks due to a lacerated kidney and a partial tear of an abdominal muscle. The Colts know who the primary fill-in will be, but who will back up Matt Hasselbeck? Here’s more on that and other items out of Indianapolis..
- The Colts are going to need another quarterback on the roster now that Luck is sidelined and Josh Johnson isn’t available for another tour of duty, Mike Florio of PFT writes. Right now, Hasselbeck is the only other QB on the 53-man roster, though they could promote Alex Tanney from the taxi squad. If they look out of house, options might include Ryan Mallett, Jason Campbell, and Rex Grossman. The Cowboys also released quarterback Kellen Moore on Tuesday night, so he might also be a consideration.
- Colts management is still concerned with coach Chuck Pagano and his decision-making, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) reports. The Colts topped the Broncos on Sunday, but a special teams mistake allowed Denver to return a punt for a touchdown at the end of the first half. Still, Pagano remains very popular with the players in the locker room.
- Many are wondering when Luck will return to the Colts, but Gregg Doyel of the Indy Star is worried about the QB’s long-term future with the team. Luck could theoretically become a free agent as early as 2017, Doyel points out, though that doesn’t mean much as the Colts are armed with the franchise tag. Doyel’s concern is that the Colts have not been adequately protecting their franchise quarterback who has missed multiple games due to injury in 2015. From 2012-2014, when the offensive line was stronger overall, Luck was an iron man for Indianapolis.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/10/15
Here are Tuesday’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL:
- The Saints have signed linebacker James Anderson, as Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune tweets. The Saints have been thin at linebacker recently, with injuries to strongside linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha (ankle), weakside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hip/groin), and backup Ramon Humber, so Anderson will provide additional depth for New Orleans. To make room for Anderson, the Saints have cut fellow linebacker Mike Mohamed, as Mike Triplett of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Vikings announced that they have signed linebacker Jason Trusnik while placing fellow linebacker Audie Cole on IR. Trusnik, a former Division-III standout, was cut by the Panthers before the final trim down to a 53-man roster. He first broke into the league as a UDFA with the Jets in 2007. The Ohio native has played in 109 career games with 24 starts, tallying 146 total tackles, 4 PDs, 4 FRs and 1 FF in his first eight NFL seasons. Cole wasn’t a factor on the Vikings’ defense, but he was playing more than half of the club’s special teams snaps before fracturing his ankle.
- The Giants announced that they have added defensive tackle Montori Hughes to the active roster while placing defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins on IR. Hankins suffered a torn pectoral muscle over the weekend, ending his 2015 season prematurely. Hughes, who stands at 6’4″ and weighs 350 pounds, played in 16 games for the Colts between 2013 and 2014.
- The Browns announced that they have activated defensive back Charles Gaines and running back Glenn Winston. Both players were previously sidelined with injuries.
- The Buccaneers announced that they have signed safety Kimario McFadden, who played with them in the preseason. To make room for McFadden on the 53-man roster, the Buccaneers waived defensive end Lawrence Sidbury.
- The Chargers announced that they have signed tight end Sean McGrath while waiving guard Craig Watts. McGrath briefly retired following his second season in 2013, a season in which he caught 26 balls for 302 yards and two touchdowns.
- The Chiefs will promote safety Saalim Hakim from the practice squad, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Bears will promote wide receiver Deonte Thompson to the 53-man roster from the taxi squad, Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune tweets.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/10/15
Earlier today, we learned that the Ravens had signed running back Terrance West to their practice squad, cutting defensive end Nordly Capi to make room. That’s one of a handful of practice squad changes around the league today, so let’s round up the rest….
Chicago Bears
- To be signed: G/T Martin Wallace (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
Detroit Lions
- To be signed: T Tyrus Thompson (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press)
- Cut: RB Marion Grice (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com)
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DT Eric Crume (press release via team)
- Cut: DT Justin Hamilton
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Dezmen Southward, QB Alex Tanney (press release via team)
- Cut: QB Matt Blanchard, G Kitt O’Brien
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Keavon Milton, OL Torrian Wilson (press release via team)
- Cut: WR Austin Hill, DB Floyd Raven
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: TE Rashaun Allen (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune)
- Cut: LB Henry Coley
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Nico Johnson, DT Louis Nix (press release via team)
St. Louis Rams
- Signed: LB Matthew Wells (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: S Akeem Davis, DE Martin Ifedi (press release via team)
- Cut: WR Andre Davis
- Placed on PS-IR: DE Ronald Powell
Colts Place Henry Anderson On IR
11:08am: The Colts have freed up a pair of spots on their 53-man roster as they enter their bye week. The team announced today that it has placed Anderson on the injured reserve list and waived cornerback Tony Carter.
10:36am: The Colts notched their biggest and best win of the season on Sunday, knocking off the undefeated Broncos to move ahead of the Texans for first place in the AFC South. However, that victory appears to have come at a cost.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), after conducting initial tests, the Colts believe that promising rookie defensive end Henry Anderson tore his ACL. An MRI is still forthcoming, but it’s expected to confirm the diagnosis feared by the team.
Anderson, 24, was selected by the Colts with the 93rd overall pick in the third round of the draft back in May. Immediately slotted into the club’s starting lineup, Anderson has been one of the pleasant surprises of this year’s rookie class, totaling 31 tackles, a sack, and a pair of passes defended in his first nine games in the NFL.
Assuming the MRI confirms that Anderson has a torn ACL, he’ll be sidelined for the rest of the season, prompting the Colts to turn to potential fill-ins like T.Y. McGill, Zach Kerr, and Billy Winn. Indianapolis would also likely add another defensive lineman to the roster, since moving Anderson to IR would leave the team with just five healthy players on the line.
AFC Notes: Titans, Browns, Cobb, Luck
Peyton Manning‘s return to Indianapolis will headline the Week 9 slate of games from a public relations perspective, but two other matchups might actually be more consequential in terms of playoff odds. The 3-4 Dolphins will head to Buffalo to take on the fellow 3-4 Bills, while two more contenders for AFC wild card spots — the Raiders (4-3) and Steelers (4-4) — will face off in Pittsburgh.
With those contests in mind, let’s take a look at some notes from the AFC:
- The Titans waived running back Terrance West earlier today, and that move will have implications on the Browns, West’s former club. Cleveland will not not receive the conditional seventh-round pick they were set to gain for West when they traded him to the Tennessee, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports. West’s departure from Tennessee today prevents him from earning the playing-time incentives to trigger the pick exchange.
- David Cobb will likely rejoin the Titans next week off IR-DTR, Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com reports (on Twitter), further marginalizing the free-falling West. ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan agrees, tweeting that he expects Cobb to join the 53-man roster next week as opposed to today despite West’s waiving.
- The league is still investigating the Colts‘ compliance with injury reporting due to revelations that Andrew Luck could be dealing with a rib injury, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Luck reportedly suffered several broken ribs, but that injury was never listed on the club’s official injury sheet, a potential violation of NFL rules.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
AFC Notes: Colts, Harvin, Jets, Browns
The 3-5 Colts, losers of three straight games and one of the NFL’s most disappointing teams, are a strong bet to drop their fourth consecutive contest this Sunday when they match up with the 7-0 Broncos. Their season has also gone poorly away from the field, as speculation regarding the statuses of beleaguered general manager Ryan Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano has abounded and offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton lost his job earlier this week.
Indy’s players – specifically team leaders Robert Mathis and D’Qwell Jackson – are cognizant of the organization’s off-field turmoil and called a meeting among themselves last week in an effort to galvanize each other. At the meeting, the players encouraged one another to ignore distractions coming from the front office and coaching staff, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star reports. One issue players are unhappy with centers on the front office – not the coaching staff – making certain lineup decisions, a dysfunctional action that takes a significant amount of power from Pagano & Co.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- Bills receiver Percy Harvin could end up on injured reserve with a knee injury, general manager Doug Whaley told The Buffalo News’ Vic Carucci (Twitter link). Harvin’s knee “flared up,” Whaley said (via Twitter). The seventh-year man has 19 catches on 30 targets this year. He has been out of the Bills’ lineup with injuries since mid-October.
- Jets cornerback Dee Milliner is back to full health after undergoing wrist surgery during the summer, but the team is unlikely to activate him from short-term injured reserve for this weekend’s game against the Jaguars, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini (Twitter link). On why Milliner won’t be in the lineup, head coach Todd Bowles said (via Howie Kussoy of the New York Post), “It’s just a numbers thing.” If the Jets don’t activate Milliner by Tuesday, they’ll have to place him on season-ending IR.
- Browns head coach Mike Pettine said cornerback Charles Gaines, who had been on short-term IR because of a hamstring injury, is likely to start playing soon (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). Gaines, a sixth-round rookie out of Louisville, hasn’t appeared in an NFL game yet.
- The Jets worked out two free agent receivers – LaRon Byrd and Damarr Aultman – on Friday, according to Cimini (Twitter link). Byrd is the only of the two who has seen action in the league, though it was for just four games back in 2012. He has one career catch.
AFC South Notes: Texans, Titans, Mariota
Through eight weeks of the NFL season, AFC South teams have a combined 9-21 record, with five of those wins coming in intra-divisional contests. The dismal division-wide performance has Texans owner Bob McNair looking at the silver lining of Houston’s disappointing first half as his team heads into its bye week, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com.
“We knew our offense was not going to be a high-powered offense, but we felt our defense would be one of the top-five defenses, and we’ve been far from that,” McNair said, speaking to KRIV and the Houston Chronicle. “The good news is that this is a new season, and we’re tied for first. The Colts have to play Denver next week, and we might be in first place by ourselves.”
As the Texans hope that a week off will move them into the AFC South’s top spot, let’s check on a few more items from across the division….
- Titans wide receiver Harry Douglas has nothing but positive things to say about new interim head coach Mike Mularkey, telling Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com that the former Falcons offensive coordinator is one of the main reasons he signed with Tennessee.
- Mularkey got some good news as he prepares for his first game as the Titans‘ head coach, telling reporters today that Marcus Mariota will start at quarterback this week for the club (Twitter link via Wyatt).
- Here’s one more from Wyatt, who spoke to Titans GM Ruston Webster about Mularkey, former head coach Ken Whisenhunt, and retooling Tennessee’s offensive line, among other topics.
- A Sunday date with Peyton Manning and the Broncos is right around the corner for the Colts, so Mike Wells of ESPN.com revisits Indianapolis’ decision to part ways with Manning three years ago, concluding it remains the right call for the franchise.
- The city of Jacksonville and Jaguars owner Shad Khan have announced $90MM in planned upgrades for EverBank Field, according to an Associated Press report.