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AFC South Notes: Titans, Woodyard, Mallett

October 23rd, 2014 at 9:15pm CST by Zachary Links

They say the “idiot on the field” doesn’t belong there, but that’s not always the case. 23-year-old Kryshana Pierce, who rushed the field during the Colts-Bengals game, is actually a former professional women’s football player, as Dana Hunsiger Benbow of the Indy Star writes. The former wide receiver was arrested and charged with criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct, and resisting law enforcement. She did not get a contract offer from the Bengals, however, even though A.J. Green is sidelined with an injury. More from the AFC South..

  • Last night we heard that wide receiver Nate Washington is on the block and today safety Michael Griffin was mentioned as a Titans trade candidate. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) now adds linebacker Wesley Woodyard to the list. Woodyard, 28, signed a four-year deal worth up to $16MM with the Titans in March. The veteran’s deal includes $4.75MM in guaranteed money. With Zach Mettenberger under center on Sunday, the Titans are apparently looking towards the future.
  • Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) looked at some backup quarterbacks from around the league who could start in 2015, including Texans pending free agent Ryan Mallett. The QB free agent class looks like it’ll be rather thin and the same can be said of the QB talent pool in the draft. That could make Mallett a desirable starting option on the open market for another team or it could lead the Texans to re-sign him to be their own No. 1 guy.
  • Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter) is perplexed by the Jaguars‘ apparent waste of resources. Jacksonville has had top-10 draft choices in each of the last seven seasons and top five picks in each of the last three years. Despite that, they’re currently 1-6.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

October 21st, 2014 at 7:00pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re keeping tabs on today’s minor moves that affect 53-man rosters right here, but we’ll use the space below to track transactions involving teams’ practice squads:

Earlier updates:

  • The Panthers have announced a pair of practice squad additions, confirming (via Twitter) that they’ve signed safety Robert Lester and offensive tackle Martin Wallace using their two open spots.
  • The Jaguars have signed cornerback Lou Young to their practice squad, filling the 10th and final opening on the unit, the club announced today (Twitter link).
  • The Cowboys have released edge defender Michael Sam from their practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. Although Sam spent several weeks on Dallas’ taxi squad, he never got the opportunity for a promotion to the 53-man unit, and figures to draw some attention around the NFL as he looks for a new job. Using the two openings on their practice squad, the Cowboys added linebacker Troy Davis and defensive tackle Ken Bishop, according to the team.

Workout Notes: Tuesday

October 21st, 2014 at 6:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, the Giants looked at an eye-popping 15 players, including Felix Jones, Jonathan Baldwin, Terrelle Pryor, and Tony Moeaki. Here’s a look at other notable auditions from around the league..

  • The Colts worked out defensive back Chance Casey, wide receiver Mike Davis, quarterback Pat Devlin, and wide receiver Tramaine Thompson, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (via Mike Wells on Twitter). Running back Jeff Demps and Konrad Reuland were also part of the workout and earned spots on the Colts’ practice squad.
  • The Seahawks looked at free agent linebacker Paris Lenon, according to Yates (on Twitter). Lenon, 37 next month, has 12 years of NFL experience under his belt. Remarkably, he has missed a grand total of three regular season games during that span.
  • Before signing running back Phillip Tanner earlier today, the Bills also auditioned Evan Royster, Yates tweets. Royster was with the Redskins from 2011-2013. The Bills also auditioned wide receiver Kenny Shaw and quarterback Brad Sorensen today, according to Yates (via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com on Twitter).
  • The Packers auditioned four players today, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky (on Twitter): wide receiver Jace Davis (Northern Colorado), running back David Fluellen (Toledo), guard Andrew Miller (Virginia Tech), and cornerback David Van Dyke (Tennessee State).

South Notes: Bucs, Jackson, Titans, Wayne

October 20th, 2014 at 8:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Even at 1-5, the Buccaneers are still right in the thick of it, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times writes. The Panthers (3-3), Saints (2-4), and the Falcons (2-5) all lost on Sunday, meaning that Tampa Bay is just two wins out of first place in the NFC South. “I watched all the games this week,” coach Lovie Smith said. “I know what happened in our division. I realize how many games we’re out of first place. We’re in it as much as anyone with our record. That’s what we’re focused on. There’s life when you take a little time off to not play a game and you end up in better position than when we started Sunday … we’re excited about that.” More from the South divisions..

  • When asked about reports that teams are interested in trading for Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson, Smith insisted that Tampa Bay doesn’t have him on the block. “We’re not trying to shop any of our players,” Smith said, according to Rick Stroud of WDAE (on Twitter).
  • The Titans‘ 2014 free agent acquisitions haven’t been contributing all that much, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. In their most recent outing against the Redskins, outside linebacker Shaun Phillips played just 44% of the defensive snaps while supposed X factor Dexter McCluster saw just six snaps on offense.
  • Reggie Wayne‘s elbow injury probably won’t force the Colts to go shopping for a wide receiver. Mike Chappell of the Indy Star (on Twitter) hears that Wayne’s injury isn’t too serious and he should only miss a game or two. He’ll have extra time to heal up as well with the club’s Week 10 bye still ahead.

AFC North Notes: Forsett, Steelers, Gresham

October 19th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Rory Parks

After Justin Forsett‘s surprising emergence as the Ravens‘ best running back this season, fans are wondering if he will have a future in Baltimore beyond 2014. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes that it is too early to answer that question, particularly since Forsett is a small back that cannot withstand a big workload and is 29 years old. Hensley notes that Baltimore could certainly give Forsett a “modest” two-year contract at the end of the year, but the team remains high on younger players such as Bernard Pierce and Lorenzo Taliaferro.

  • In the same piece, Hensley writes that if the Ravens‘ offense continues its upward trajectory under new OC Gary Kubiak, the chances increase that Kubiak will get another crack at a head coaching job in 2015. If that happens, current quarterbacks coach Rick Dennison, Kubiak’s right-hand man, would likely leave with Kubiak, and the Ravens ‘ only other legitimate in-house option would be current offensive line coach Juan Castillo. In other words, if Kubiak leaves, expect Baltimore to bring in an outside candidate to replace him.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that an appeal hearing date has been set in the Ray Rice case, and a final decision could be handed down by mid-November, which means that Rice could be reinstated and eligible to play within the next four weeks. Whether a team would take the risk and sign him is another story, but La Canfora points to the Colts and Patriots as potential landing spots.
  • Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that, although the Steelers prefer to “reload” rather than “rebuild,” that strategy has them currently caught in no man’s land: “not good enough to compete for a championship, but not bad enough to select high in the draft.”Although their decision to not entirely rebuild the roster in recent years is understandable, given that they have a franchise quarterback, the declining performance of some of the team’s veterans may soon make Pittsburgh’s front office reevaluate its strategy going forward.
  • Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal describes how Browns OC Kyle Shanahan, like Kubiak, is reestablishing himself as a viable head coaching candidate as he leads Cleveland’s suddenly potent offense.
  • With the trade deadline just over a week away, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham, who is in a contract year, could be available for the right price.

More Harvin Notes: Cameron, Ryan, Wilson

October 19th, 2014 at 9:14am CST by Rory Parks

More and more interesting storylines continue to arise from the Percy Harvin trade, including a big name player that could have been shipped off to Seattle in return for the explosive wideout. Let’s have a look:

  • We heard several days ago that the Browns, Buccaneers, and Bengals were most interested in a Harvin deal, but the Colts and Broncos were apparently also interested, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Per Rapoport, the Jets, Browns, Bucs, Broncos, and Colts had the best offers.
  • The Seahawks are on the lookout for tight ends, and one of the names that was floated in a possible Harvin deal was Browns TE Jordan Cameron, tweets Rapoport.
  • As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reiterates, the Harvin deal could end up being a very short-term move for the Jets. Since Harvin’s base salary for 2015 is $10MM, the Jets may choose to cut or trade him in the offseason. That decision, Florio writes, will “hinge on whether [head coach Rex] Ryan remains as the coach, whether a new coach would want Harvin, and whether Harvin will accept less than $10 million next year to stay with the Jets.”
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com writes that Harvin’s poor fit in the Seahawks‘ locker room serves as a reminder as to why “some teams shy away from investing big in players until they’ve spent time with them through the draft-and-develop process.”
  • Dave Boling of the News Tribune wonders if the Seahawks have sent a message to the rest of the team by dealing Harvin.
  • Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that the deal heated up Friday morning, after the Jets‘ loss to the Patriots.
  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes that the Jets dealt for Harvin to help Geno Smith, not Rex Ryan.
  • Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes that the Vikings have once again been vindicated for the original deal that sent Harvin to Seattle.
  • In a pair of articles, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora writes that although many Seahawks players like Harvin, his poor relationship with Russell Wilson threatened to divide the locker room, and La Canfora also wonders if this deal will signal Jets‘ owner Woody Johnson‘s return to his high-spending ways.

AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Raiders, Colts, Jags

October 18th, 2014 at 12:03pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means a fresh batch of mailbags from ESPN.com’s NFL writers. Let’s take a look at some of the interesting tidbits from the AFC…

  • The Chiefs may have some second thoughts about releasing cornerback Brandon Flowers following his success with the Chargers, writes Adam Teicher.
  • The Raiders need to either sign a top free agent wideout next offseason or use one of their top draft picks at the position, opines Bill Williamson.
  • If the Colts were going to release LaRon Landry, they would have done so already, writes Mike Wells. The writer notes that cutting ties with the safety would be “admission” that the team made the wrong choice in signing him to a four-year deal.
  • Michael DiRocco would be shocked if the Jaguars selected an offensive lineman with their upcoming first-rounder. Instead, the writer says the team should focus on pass-rushers, linebackers and safeties.
  • Paul Kuharsky can’t envision the Titans re-signing Jake Locker to be a backup. The writer believes if the team is in fact done with the quarterback, they should completely move on.

AFC South Notes: Brackett, Colts, Mallett

October 17th, 2014 at 9:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Three AFC South teams are squaring off against AFC North opponents this week, as the Jaguars seek their first win of their season against the Browns, the Texans look to knock off the Steelers in Pittsburgh, and perhaps most importantly, the Colts will face the Bengals in a battle of first-place teams. With 11 weeks still to play, there’s plenty of time for teams to move up or down in the standings, but there’s a real possibility that Sunday’s Colts/Bengals matchup could have seeding or home field implications for two teams with 2013 playoff teams with Super Bowl aspirations.

As we look forward to that game and the rest of this weekend’s slate, let’s check out the latest out of the AFC South:

  • The Texans traded for Ryan Mallett just before the beginning of the season, and his history with head coach Bill O’Brien from their time in New England led some to believe that Mallett would eventually get a chance to play. O’Brien spoke up on Friday, praising the strong-armed former Patriot for his preparation and presence on the sidelines, reports Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. However, O’Brien stops short of saying Mallett is ready to go under center and get his first real NFL action.
  • Titans’ head coach Ken Whisenhunt indicated today that tight end Brett Brackett, who’s currently on the team’s practice squad, could be re-added to the 53-man roster again this week, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
  • In addition to the offensive lineman whose auditions have been previously reported, the Titans also worked out Dennis Roland and Kevin Murphy this week, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links).
  • The Colts will be looking very carefully at the 2015 transition tag numbers, with Andrew Luck and Trent Richardson both approaching the final year on their respective rookie deals. The 2015 transition tag will be equal to the 2016 fifth-year options for the top ten picks of the 2012 NFL Draft, where both Luck and Richardson were selected, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com. Keeping Luck for a fifth year at $16.12MM is a no-brainer, but declining Richardson’s number of $9.02MM is just as obvious a choice according to Breer.

 

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

Irsay: Colts Considering Trades

October 16th, 2014 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

After serving a six-week suspension, Colts owner Jim Irsay was allowed to return to work last week, and he didn’t waste any time in getting involved again in the football operations of the club. As Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star writes, Irsay met this week with general manager Ryan Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano to discuss opportunities to improve the roster during the season.

“Obviously we’re taking it a game at a time, but this week Ryan and Chuck and I met and talked about anything we can do before the trade deadline [or] past the trade deadline in terms of having some young, ascending players who might be able to help us… and do whatever we can to get that edge,” Irsay said. “Obviously health is going to play a big role in how we move forward. If we can stay relatively healthy, I think this team really has something special. That’s what I’m focused on. It’s exciting to see.”

The free agent market doesn’t currently feature many potential difference-makers, so if the Colts intend to aggressively upgrade any position, it would likely have to happen by way of a trade. This year’s deadline is 12 days away, and as we saw last year, when the team sent a first-round pick to the Browns for Trent Richardson, Indianapolis won’t hesitate to make a major move if the opportunity arises.

Of course, as Holder points out, Grigson is aiming to stockpile draft picks for 2015 rather than giving them up, so dealing picks for an impact player isn’t as likely this time around. With pricey contract extensions on the horizon for a few players, including quarterback Andrew Luck, those draft picks will be valuable, since they’ll allow the club to collect inexpensive pieces to complement those high-priced players.

Still, with Irsay potentially pushing for upgrades, the Colts shouldn’t be overlooked as a possible player at the October 28 deadline. The Colts owner told reporters that he thinks his team has a chance “to do something special this year,” so if there’s a player available who could help Indianapolis in the second half and the postseason, expect the club to at least kick the tires.

South Notes: Gruden, Titans, Saints, Bucs

October 15th, 2014 at 2:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Before Jay Gruden signed on to coach the Redskins, he had a very positive interview with the Titans, writes Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. “It was a good visit,” Gruden said. “I was very interested in the job, but Washington called me I guess the night after the interview and had me fly up here and they offered me the job right away.” Gruden says he was never offered the Tennessee job and soon after, the Titans hired Ken Whisenhunt as their head coach.

Here’s more from out of the league’s two South divisions:

  • Titans tight end Craig Stevens underwent surgery today to repair a torn quadriceps tendon, and will be sidelined for the season, writes Terry McCormick of 247Sports.com.
  • The Saints‘ reasons for releasing fourth-round linebacker Khairi Fortt were never made entirely clear, and head coach Sean Payton declined to elaborate today on the team’s thinking, indicating that the move was in the club’s best interest, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Fortt was claimed off waivers by the Bengals and has since been cut by Cincinnati as well.
  • The Buccaneers, who signed corner Isaiah Frey earlier today, are clearly toying with their nickel back spot, tweets Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune. Keith Tandy worked in that role last week and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has said that the team needs better play out of that position.
  • The Buccaneers likely re-signed Lonnie Pryor to their practice squad in anticipation of Jorvorskie Lane‘s suspension, Cummings tweets.
  • Bears cornerback Charles Tillman told Robert Klemko of The MMQB that he “maybe” has two years left in the tank. Tillman also says that divine intervention led him to sign with Chicago this offseason rather than join Lovie Smith with the Buccaneers.
  • In an investigative piece for ESPN The Magazine, Shaun Assael takes a look at the addiction issues battled by Colts owner Jim Irsay.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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