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AFC Notes: Ravens, Dobson, Raiders

October 3rd, 2014 at 3:55pm CST by Zachary Links

New Ravens receiver Steve Smith Sr. is leading the Ravens in receptions and receiving yards and he’s happy to see fellow 35-year-old Reggie Wayne doing the same with the Colts, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “Yeah, I love that,” Smith said. “Reggie’s doing his thing, we’re from the same class. I think it’s awesome, man. I think it’s unbelievable and I think also when he went down with the knee injury, he comes back. You know, this is a young man’s game and you’ve got two older guys playing well. That’s great.” More from the AFC..

  • Former judge Barbara S. Jones appears to be an ideal choice to serve as the hearing officer in the appeal of former Ravens running back Ray Rice, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. In fact, Florio writes that she’s so ideal for the assignment that she probably should have been hired to be the independent investigator instead of Robert Mueller whose impartiality has been questioned.
  • The usually guarded Bill Belichick promised comment on the reports that Aaron Dobson mouthed off to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and he delivered one early this afternoon via the Patriots‘ website. “In my year and a half with Aaron Dobson, he has always been respectful to me and to the rest of the coaching staff. He has never once been argumentative or confrontational. The suggestion and reporting that his playing time was in any way the result of a ‘loud disagreement’ with a coach is completely false,” Belichick said in the statement.
  • Dobson told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter links) that he went to Belichick when he heard about the report and the coach promised to release a statement and “kill the story.”
  • In a perfect world, Raiders owner Mark Davis would be able to bring back Jon Gruden, but that doesn’t appear likely at this juncture. Oakland needs a seasoned, offensive-minded coach (the inverse of Dennis Allen) and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com suggests Darrell Bevell or Pat Shurmur as possible fits. Still, landing Gruden would be the crown achievement.
  • The Ravens are devoting over 30 percent of their salary-cap toward their front seven, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Wilson gives the full breakdown of the salary cap by position and notes that they have $6.434MM available in salary cap space.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Colts, Ryan, Blackmon

October 2nd, 2014 at 2:38pm CST by Luke Adams

After taking a look at a few Thursday headlines out of the NFC this morning, we’ll shift our attention to the league’s other conference and check in on the latest from around the AFC….

  • Earlier this week, Albert Breer of the NFL Network reported that Jon Gruden is a big fan of quarterback Derek Carr and that his presence could help lure Chucky back to Oakland. Now, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears that Raiders owner Mark Davis actually drafted Carr in the second round of this year’s draft as a part of his plan to bring Gruden back.
  • As Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star explains, the extra non-guaranteed year tacked onto the end of Robert Mathis‘ current contract isn’t the reason the Colts extended his deal. The extension included a reworking of his 2015 salary that makes it much more palatable for the team to move on from the veteran pass rusher after this season, if he’s viewed as too expensive or if he isn’t recovering well from his torn Achilles.
  • Asked earlier today about head coach Rex Ryan‘s job security, Jets owner Woody Johnson said that’s something the team would evaluate at season’s end. For his part, Ryan told reporters today, “I think we’ll win this year. … I believe in my heart that I’ll be a part of [the Jets’] long-term future” (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News).
  • News that Justin Blackmon has voluntarily entered a treatment facility is a good sign that the troubled receiver may finally be turning his life around, writes Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. In fact, that should make the Jaguars cautiously optimistic that the wideout may return to the field one day. Blackmon is currently serving an indefinite suspension for his third violation of the NFL’s substance abuse program.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Peterson, Blackmon, Redskins

October 1st, 2014 at 9:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL announced today that they have inked a new multi-year deal with DirectTV. Terms weren’t disclosed, but a source with knowledge of the deal told ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell that the pact is for eight years. The right fee was worth an average of $1.5 billion a year, up 50% from the $1 billion a year average DirecTV will pay through this season. Here’s more from around the league..

  • One of the topics on the agenda for the NFL owners meetings next week will be to discuss how teams should be financially responsible for players who are banned while being paid full salaries, sources told Ed Werder of ESPN.com. The Vikings are paying Adrian Peterson his full salary and the Panthers are doing the same with Greg Hardy per the conditions of the commissioner’s exempt list. One model that could be discussed is whether all teams should share the financial burden in such extreme situations.
  • Suspended Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon has voluntarily checked into a treatment facility and coach Gus Bradley says he’s “doing very well,” writes Mark Long of The Associated Press. Of course, given his litany of off-the-field problems and status with the league office, we shouldn’t expect to see the former first-round pick back on the gridiron anytime soon.
  • Former Dolphins quarterback Pat Devlin worked out for the Redskins on Monday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • In addition to safety Jamarca Sanford, who they signed earlier this week, the Redskins also worked out defensive backs Robert Steeples, Charles Mitchell, and Thomas Wolfe, guard William Campbell, wide receivers Chris Harper and Vidal Hazelton, and tackle Richard Muldrow. according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter links).
  • Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is glad that his team picked up center A.Q. Shipley just before the season started, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “A.Q. has done a great job of coming in, being a pro,” quarterback Andrew Luck said. “Came in the Monday before we played our opener, and starts that opener. Heck of a job, and I’m glad that we had history beforehand from my rookie year where we played a bunch of games together…He’s a consummate professional and the type of teammate, the type of guy you want in a locker room.” Shipley faces his former team, the Ravens, this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Mathis, Gordon, Jets

October 1st, 2014 at 5:16pm CST by Luke Adams

As speculation swirls around the idea of Jon Gruden reuniting with the Raiders, the Monday Night Football analyst did his best to quell that talk in an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike today, as Dan Hanzus of NFL.com writes. Meanwhile, it’s not a certainty that GM Reggie McKenzie will be the person to make the next coaching hire. McKenzie himself acknowledges that he’s on the hot seat. “I work every day like my job is on the line. That’s just the way I am. No one has to tell me my job is on the line. No one,” McKenzie said, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Here’s more out of the AFC..

  • Mike Wells and Field Yates of ESPN.com provide a breakdown of the one-year extension Robert Mathis signed with the Colts. The 2016 year includes a $1.5MM roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year, a $3.5MM base salary, and escalators worth up to $1MM depending on how many sacks he totals in ’16. Interestingly, Mathis’ 2015 roster bonus, worth $3MM, has been changed to $3MM in per-game roster bonuses. Because the veteran pass rusher won’t play in 2014, that should remove that bonus money from the Colts’ 2015 cap for the time being.
  • Browns wideout Josh Gordon, who has six games remaining on his suspension, spoke to Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN The Magazine about his suspension, and denied that he has a drug problem. “Definitely not,” Gordon said. “I wouldn’t know what I was addicted to because I don’t do anything.” According to Gordon, who believes he was already in stage two of the drug program when he entered the league, he has taken roughly 180 drug tests since being drafted in 2012.
  • With the Jets still seeking consistent play from their cornerbacks this season, head coach Rex Ryan acknowledged today that the club had interest in signing Brandon Flowers this past offseason before he landed in San Diego (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).
  • While many of the notable free agents signed by the Jaguars in the spring haven’t impressed much during their first season with the team, Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union points out that Jacksonville can easily move on from just about all of those players without having to carry much dead money next year or beyond.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC South Notes: Titans, Texans, Colts

October 1st, 2014 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

We’ve got plenty of news to round up today on teams working out free agents, including updates from all four AFC South clubs. Here’s a look at which players the Titans, Texans, Colts, and Jaguars have been auditioning recently:

Colts Extend Robert Mathis, Sign Jalil Brown

September 30th, 2014 at 11:06am CST by Luke Adams

The Colts announced a series of roster moves today, including the signings of one player to the 53-man roster and a pair of players to the practice squad. However, the most notable of the team’s Tuesday transactions is a contract extension for edge defender and pass rusher Robert Mathis, whose deal has been extended through the 2016 season.

In addition to locking up Mathis for an additional year, the Colts have also signed defensive back Jalil Brown to their active roster. The two openings on the club’s practice squad have been filled by wide receiver Chandler Jones and inside linebacker Rob Ruggiero.

Mathis was reinstated from his suspension following Indianapolis’ Week 4 win over the Jaguars, but rather than being moved to the active roster, the veteran defender was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list. The 33-year-old tore his Achilles while working out away from the club, which means he wasn’t necessarily entitled to his 2014 salary. However, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), Mathis is still receiving his full ’14 salary, while the new deal tacks on a $6MM salary for 2016.

As Breer explains (via Twitter), the one-year extension essentially represents a team option for 2016, with Mathis doing a favor for Indianapolis in exchange for receiving his salary this season. It’s not clear if the extension also reduces Mathis’ $10.75MM cap hit for 2015 at all.

As for Brown, he saw action on special teams and occasionally on defense for the Chiefs in 2011 and 2012, but didn’t see the field much last season during his time with the Colts and Dolphins. No corresponding move is necessary to add Brown to the 53-man roster, since the Colts had placed Mario Harvey on injured reserve earlier this week and had an opening. The club should also have room for another addition this week, with LaRon Landry heading to the reserve/suspended list.

Minor Moves: Monday

September 29th, 2014 at 5:39pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll keep tabs on Monday’s minor transactions from around the NFL right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day….

  • The Colts placed Mario Harvey on injured reserve, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
  • Defensive end Chase Vaughn has been cut from the Broncos‘ injured reserve list, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The Panthers have waived running back Tauren Poole, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter). Carolina is still short-handed at the position, but is expected to explore adding a more veteran back this week.
  • To make room for Chris Owusu, whose signing is noted below, the Jets are waiving cornerback LeQuan Lewis, per Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). As Cimini notes, Lewis committed two penalties on special teams in Sunday’s game.
  • The Chargers have swapped one defender for another on their practice squad, re-signing safety Adrian Phillips and cutting defensive lineman Chas Alecxih, the team announced today in a press release.
  • Defensive end Frank Alexander (Panthers), safety Jakar Hamilton (Cowboys), wideout Ace Sanders (Jaguars), and safety Reshad Jones (Dolphins) have all been reinstated from their suspensions, tweets Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange. Their respective teams won’t have to make corresponding moves immediately, since all four clubs will have roster exemptions that last until next Monday (Twitter link).

Earlier updates:

  • The Eagles‘ beat-up offensive line will receive a little help this week, as Lane Johnson has been activated after serving his four-game suspension (Twitter link). To make room on the 53-man roster, the club has waived offensive lineman Kevin Graf.
  • After adding T.J. Graham to the roster earlier today, the Jets will sign another wideout, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, who reports that former Buccaneer Chris Owusu is set to join the club (Twitter links).
  • The Colts have waived wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers on the heels of his arrest for DUI, according to a team release. Head coach Chuck Pagano confirmed to reporters, including Mike Chappell of RTV6 (Twitter link), that Rogers was cut for conduct detrimental to the team. Indianapolis also promoted safety Dewey McDonald from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, and moved Robert Mathis from the reserve/suspended list to the reserve/non-football injury list.
  • With a short week ahead of them and Teddy Bridgewater recovering from an ankle injury, the Vikings have added another quarterback to their practice quad, signing Chandler Harnish and cutting wideout Donte Foster (Twitter link).
  • Wide receiver Tommy Streeter has signed to the Jaguars‘ practice squad, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. Jacksonville currently has a full 10-man unit, so someone will have to be dropped – or promoted – to make room for Streeter.
  • The Redskins have signed outside linebacker Gabe Miller to fill the final opening on their practice squad, per agent Brett Tessler (Twitter link).

LaRon Landry Suspended For Four Games

September 29th, 2014 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Colts safety LaRon Landry has been suspended for four games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, the NFL and the team announced today in a press release. Landry will be eligible to return to the team following its October 26 contest against the Steelers.

Under the NFL’s new drug policy, first-time violators for steroids, stimulants, HGH, and other banned substances are subject to suspensions of four games without pay. If Landry were to fail a second test, he’d be facing a ban of 10 games, while a third violation would result in a banishment for a minimum of two years.

In Landry’s absence, Sergio Brown appears to be the likeliest candidate to assume a more significant role in Indianapolis’ secondary. The team also promoted safety Dewey McDonald to the 53-man roster from the practice squad earlier today, which now makes sense as a depth move.

The Colts will have an open roster spot to fill with Landry headed to the reserve/suspended list for the next four weeks.

Colts Notes: Hamilton, Bailey, Bowen

September 27th, 2014 at 7:53pm CST by Rob DiRe

Every time Andrew Luck turns around and hands the ball off to a running back, Colts’ fans take to the internet to demand that offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton’s job. Trent Richardson‘s struggles and the team’s 0-2 start to the season only added to the anti-Hamilton bandwagon. Mike Freeman of ESPN thinks that after the Colts put a huge number on the board against the lowly Jaguars, Hamilton’s job is safe. The team is ranked in the top three in the league in total yards, passing yards, and points per game. Here are some other notes from the Colts:

  • In the mailbag, Freeman writes that Champ Bailey is not an option at safety due to his declined play at 36 years old. He also addresses the team’s decision to keep Khaled Holmes out of the starting lineup despite being healthy, in order to keep continuity with that unit.
  • One of the biggest surprises of the season so far has been the effectiveness of a much maligned offensive line for the team, wrote Kevin Bowen of Colts.com earlier this week. Rather than being a weakness, Bowen sees them as being among the NFL’s best through three weeks.
  • Bowen also compiled some quotes from both coordinators, Hamilton and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, as well as an injury report going into this weekend’s matchup against the Titans.
  • Finally from Bowen, he grabbed a number of quotes from head coach Chuck Pagano regarding the rotation at running back, the offensive line, and many other topics.

Minor Moves: Saturday

September 27th, 2014 at 3:02pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ll continue to update you on all of today’s minor transactions right here, with the latest moves added to the top…

  • In addition to cutting Gabe Miller, as noted below, the Redskins have also waived defensive lineman Robert Thomas, who had been promoted from the practice squad for Thursday’s game, the team announced today (Twitter link). I expect if Thomas clears waivers, there’s a good chance he’ll rejoin Washington’s taxi squad.
  • The Colts have promoted linebacker Andrew Jackson to their active roster, tweets Aaron Wilson. To make room, the team waived-injured fullback Mario Harvey.

Earlier updates:

  • The Panthers have signed running back Tauren Poole from their practice squad, tweets Wilson. The team also placed offensive tackle Garry Williams on injured reserve.
  • The Patriots have signed defensive lineman Casey Walker from the Panthers‘ practice squad, the team announced. To make room, the Pats placed defensive lineman Sealver Siliga on injured reserve with a designation to return.
  • The Redskins have waived linebacker Gabe Miller, tweets agent Brett Tessler. The 26-year-old was originally drafted by the Chiefs as a defensive end. He was converted to a tight end during his stops with the Seahawks and Bears before returning to defense with Washington. He made his first career tackle on Thursday against the Giants.
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