Colts Finalize Roster, Deal Burley To Seahawks
The Colts have finalized their 53-man regular season roster, according to the team, which announced in a press release their roster moves to get down to 53 players. In addition to the moves listed below, the team also pulled off a trade, sending defensive back Marcus Burley to the Seahawks for a 2015 sixth-round pick, according to the Colts’ Twitter account.
Here’s Indianapolis’ full list of transactions:
Waived:
- Gannon Conway, DE
- David Fluellen, RB
- Chandler Harnish, QB
- Tyler Hoover, DE
- Phillip Hunt, OLB
- Andrew Jackson, ILB
- Ryan Lankford, WR
- Josh Lenz, WR
- FN Lutz, C
- Dewey McDonald, S
- Nnamdi Obukwelu, DT
- Sheldon Price, CB
- Rob Ruggiero, ILB
- Weslye Saunders, TE
- Kelvin Sheppard, ILB
- Erik Swoope, TE
- Josh Walker, G
Released:
- Brandon McKinney, NT
Waived-injured:
- Matt Hall, T
- Delano Howell, S
Placed on reserve-suspended list:
- Robert Mathis, OLB
AFC Notes: Alex Smith, Lindell, Ravens, Pats
Alex Smith has indicated that he would prefer not to let extension talks bleed into the regular season, but with Week 1 fast approaching and no agreement in place yet, the Chiefs quarterback told Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star yesterday that he didn’t have a specific deadline in mind for ending negotiations.
“I wish I had an answer for you,” Smith said. “I feel like I’ve kind of been locked into games and practicing. With camp winding down here, preseason winding down, certainly we’ll see. But sorry. No answer for you today.”
As we wait to see if Smith and the Chiefs can agree on a new deal before the team begins its season, let’s check in on a few other notes from around the AFC…
- We heard yesterday that ex-Cardinals kicker Jay Feely would be working out for the Titans this week, and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports says (via Twitter) that Rian Lindell will also be a part of that audition. Brazilian youngster Maikon Bonani currently sits at the top of the team’s depth chart, but he has yet to attempt a regular-season NFL kick, so Tennessee may be seeking a veteran alternative.
- While a deal isn’t necessarily likely, it sounds as if the Ravens are keeping their trade options open, as Aaron Wilson and Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun detail. In the view of Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, the fact that Baltimore restructured Lardarius Webb‘s deal is notable and could signal that another move is forthcoming, since the team usually tries to avoid reworking contracts.
- According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), Tom Brady wasn’t overly pleased with the Patriots‘ decision to trade Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay. However, Cole suggests that it should only take a day or two for Brady to move past it.
- The Patriots‘ trade of Mankins is the latest example of the lack of sentimentality the team has for its long-tenured veterans, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Although Mankins probably has some good years left in him, the Pats likely concluded he wasn’t worth carrying on an eight-digit cap number, says Volin.
- Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star lays out the pros and cons for the Colts hypothetically signing free agent guard Richie Incognito.
- Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News takes a look at Reggie McKenzie‘s track record since joining the Raiders, suggesting that the general manager hasn’t brought in many impact players since taking over the reins.
Colts Place Ballard, John, Karim On IR
The Colts have reduced their roster count from 79 players to 75 without waiving or releasing anyone, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who reports (via Twitter) that Indianapolis has made the following roster moves:
Placed on injured reserve list:
- Vick Ballard, RB
- Ulrick John, OT
- Deji Karim, RB
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- Stanley Havili, RB
The three players placed on IR won’t have to pass through waivers, since the Colts waited until the first roster cutdown date to move them to the injured reserve list. As for Havili, he’ll be eligible to return to the team’s active list after the season’s first six weeks.
Colts Waive 11 Players
The latest team to announce its roster purge is the Colts, who have confirmed the waiving of 11 players via press release.
- Johnny Adams, CB
- Qua Cox, CB
- Andre Cureton, G
- Marcus Hall, G
- Kameron Jackson, CB
- Nu’Keese Richardon, WR
- Jonathon Sharpe, LB
- David Sims, S
- Eric Thomas, WR
- Tony Washington, WR
- Cameron White, FB
Indianapolis’ roster still contains 79 players — they’ll need to cut four more to be in compliance with tomorrow’s 75-man limit.
AFC Notes: Burfict, Watt, Howell, Patriots
Typically, when contract agreements are first reported, it takes just a matter of hours before those deals become official. But linebacker Vontaze Burfict, whose extension with the Bengals was reported on Wednesday, has yet to finalize his new contract with the club and has been missing from practice for the last three days with a stomach virus. According to head coach Marvin Lewis, it’s probably just a matter of time until the deal gets formally announced (link via Richard Skinner of Cincinnati.com).
“As you know how we believe it here, until the club and the player have signed off, it’s not signed off,” Lewis said. “I would guess we expect him to sign. Obviously the agent believes he has a deal, so, we didn’t release it.”
As we wait for official word on Burfict’s reported extension, let’s check in on a few other items from out of the AFC….
- Joel Corry of the National Football Post breaks down the numbers on the Burfict extension, explaining why the Bengals had leverage in negotiations and why the linebacker made out pretty well.
- In a separate piece for CBSSports.com, Corry takes a look at another extension candidate, J.J. Watt, writing that if Watt and the Texans are going to reach an agreement before the season gets underway, it will probably require the star defender – rather than the team – to relent a little.
- Colts safety Delano Howell has suffered another neck injury, but it shouldn’t be career-ending, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Wells, who says Howell spent part of the week in Minnesota meeting with a specialist.
- The Patriots would benefit if Isaac Sopoaga earns a spot on the Cardinals’ regular season roster, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com, noting that the offsets in Sopoaga’s contract would allow New England to free up $855K in cap space.
- The NFL’s changes to practice squad eligibility criteria mean that a few more Titans are candidates for spots on the squad, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. I outlined the rules relating to practice squads earlier today.
Minor Moves: Wednesday Night
Here are tonight’s minor moves..
- Journeyman defensive tackle Corvey Irvin has signed with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.
- The Redskins claimed punter Tress Way after he was cut loose by the Bears, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Way is now the second punter on the Redskins’ roster alongside Robert Malone. Washington bid farewell to punter Blake Clingan earlier today.
- The Colts announced that they have signed linebacker Robert Ruggiero and waived-injured fellow linebacker Shawn Loiseau, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Loiseau, who has previously spent time on the Colts’ practice squad and offseason roster, last played for the Arena Football League’s L.A. Kiss. Ruggiero, an undrafted free agent out Bridgewater State University, tried out for the Colts during their rookie mini-camp back in May.
- For a look at the minor moves from earlier today, you can get caught up here.
Colts Waive Phillip Tanner
The Colts have waived running back Phillip Tanner, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (on Twitter). It was a short stay in Indianapolis for Tanner as the Colts signed him late last month.
Tanner, 26, spent his first three seasons in Dallas, recording 149 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 56 carries during that stretch, along with 93 receiving yards on nine catches. The Middle Tennessee State product, who worked out for the Seahawks last week, also contributed on special teams in 2013.
Tanner was picked up after the Colts lost Vick Ballard to a season-ending Achilles injury and dropped Chris Rainey due to a violation of team rules. However, with Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw occupying the top two running back spots on the depth chart, Dan Herron in support, and the newly-acquired David Fluellen now in the mix, Tanner was expendable.
Colts Acquire David Fluellen From Eagles
The Colts have traded for Eagles’ running back David Fluellen, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). Fluellen became expendable after the Eagles traded for Kenjon Barner of the Panthers earlier this week.
In return, the Eagles will receive kicker Cody Parkey from the Colts.
Fluellen, who was reported as cut earlier today, ended up on the trading block as his release was not set to become official until 4 P.M. EST, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
Both players were on the way out from their respective teams, therefore the swap was most likely made for each to avoid waivers, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
Mosher also notes that the team is unlikely to carry three kickers for very long, and expects Cary Spear to be relesed soon (via Twitter).
South Notes: Watt, Colts, Baker, Newton
While J.J. Watt would like to hammer out an extension with the Texans, he hasn’t considered holding out in order to get a larger payday. Speaking to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston (multiple Twitter links), Watt said he wouldn’t use his leverage against the team. “[T]hat would cause me to miss time with my teammates,” said Watt. “I want to practice. I want to be out here with these young guys. I want to teach them the things that I know. I want to better myself. It hasn’t really come to to that. I want to be a Houston Texan. I want to be the best I can be and I can’t do that by sitting on my couch.” More from the NFL’s two South divisions:
- Free agent linebacker Trevardo Williams worked out for the Colts today, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Williams was waived by the Cardinals on August 8, and has also spent time on the Texans’ roster this offseason.
- Following his season-ending patellar tendon injury, Sam Baker‘s future with the Falcons looks a bit murky. Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap looks at Baker’s unworkable (from Atlanta’s perspective) contract, and goes through the options the team might survey when looking to lower the tackle’s future cap hits.
- After fellow 2011 draftees Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton received new deals, it’s only a matter of time until the Panthers sign Cam Newton to an extension, writes Ari Nissim of the National Football Post. Nissim notes that because Carolina gave defensive end Charles Johnson a $30MM signing bonus, it might be difficult for them offer Newton a bonus that’s less than $40MM.
- The Saints have not been clear about the specifics of fullback Erik Lorig‘s injury, but it sounds like they’re getting set to be without the free agent addition when the regular season begins. “Our preparation’s got to be with the idea that, as Erik’s rehabbing, we’ve got to be ready to have a fullback Week 1, with the chance it’s not going to be Erik,” head coach Sean Payton told Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “And so both [Greg Jones and Austin Johnson] are competing.”
King’s Latest: CBs, Bortles, Fairley, 49ers
Those defensive penalties that have plagued preseason games for the last two weeks won’t be going away once the regular season gets underway, according to vice president of officiating Dean Blandino. Blandino tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that defensive holding and illegal contact penalties will continue to be a point of emphasis throughout the year, and that he expects coaches and teams to adjust their style of play over the next few weeks. In the second weekend of the 2014 preseason, there have been nearly nine more penalties per game than an average 2013 regular season contest, which is a number that will hurt the game if it extends into the regular season, writes King.
Here’s more from this week’s MMQB:
- King predicts that we’ll hear of several teams desperate for cornerbacks in the next week or so. “We’re going to get one,” a personnel man for one team said. “But we may have to pay a higher price than we want, or a higher price than the player deserves.” King identifies the Jets, Ravens, Lions, Colts, Vikings, and Buccaneers as teams that may be on the lookout for another corner.
- While Chad Henne may open the regular season under center for the Jaguars, the team has always planned to transition Blake Bortles into the starting role when he’s ready, regardless of how well or how poorly Henne is playing, says King. Based on how Bortles has looked so far in the preseason, that transition could end up happening sooner rather than later.
- According to King, Nick Fairley is now behind C.J. Mosley on the Lions‘ depth chart. So far, it doesn’t seem as Detroit’s decision to decline Fairley’s 2015 option as a motivational tactic has paid off for the defensive tackle or the team.
- One scout suggests the 49ers should be worried about the backup quarterback situation, and King writes that Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke may be thinking about elevating Josh Johnson to No. 2 on the depth chart after another poor performance by Blaine Gabbert.
- King praises the Bears‘ signing of wide receiver Santonio Holmes, writing that he has “no idea” why so many people view Holmes as a toxic locker-room presence — in King’s view, the veteran wideout has been “mildly disruptive,” but he’s hardly a cancer.