Minor Moves: Sunday
We’ll round up today’s minor transactions here, with the latest news appearing at the top:
- To open a roster spot for tight end Kyle Auffray, the Raiders have cut kicker Kevin Goessling, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
Earlier updates
- To fill the roster spot vacated by Ott’s departure, the Patriots have re-signed tight end Justin Jones, according to Tom Curran of CSSNE.com (Twitter link). Jones, an undrafted free agent, had been released a week ago.
- Former Illinois receiver Steve Hull signed on with the Saints as a undrafted free agent just three months ago, but he has decided to end his playing career. Hull posted the news himself on his Instagram account.
- The Patriots have waived long snapper Tyler Ott, an 2014 undrafted free agent out of Harvard, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Veteran Danny Aiken is now the only LS on New England’s roster.
- The Bengals have waived OT Chandler Burden, tweets Coley Harvey of ESPN.com.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Colts have cut running back Davin Meggett and signed running back Deji Karim.
- The Lions have signed linebacker Shamari Benton and waived linebacker Justin Jackson, reports Wilson (Twitter links).
- Wilson tweets that the Chiefs have cut Rokevious Watkins from the reserve non-football injury list.
Extra Points: Bowe, Bortles, Blue
Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe will be suspended for the season opener as a result of his marijuana possession arrest last November, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Bowe is dealing with a “shot” finger, as Andy Reid told the KC Star’s Terez Paylor.
Here’s some more miscellaneous links from around the league:
- Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles’ second preseason game was televised nationally last night, and praise is pouring in. “It was against the second- and third-team defenders for the Bears, but there was no question Blake Bortles looked the part of a viable NFL quarterback on Thursday night in Chicago,” said CBS’ Will Brinson. Bortles “showed why he’s the future of the franchise, and why the future just might be now,” said Bleacher Reports Ty Schalter. “Bortles has looked to be every bit of the future Pro Bowl quarterback a team expects to get with a top three draft pick,” said USA Today’s Chris Strauss, who calls for the Jags to name Bortles the starter immediately. And ESPN’s Michael DiRocco says Bortles needs first-team reps this week.
- Could the Ravens be trying to sneak sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning onto the practice squad? Backup Tyrod Taylor is scheduled for most of the work in tomorrow’s preseason game, and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley makes an “educated guess” the team will limit Wenning’s exposure to other teams who might want to poach him. “The presumed plan is to develop Wenning into the primary backup by next season, when Taylor is a free agent,” says Hensley.
- Another rookie making waves is Texans sixth-round running back Alfred Blue. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli relayed praise for Blue from Bill O’Brien, who assessed the rookie’s skill set: “Good teammate, hardworking guy, football smart, three-down back — he’s got to continue to improve catching the football. But good runner, good vision, good on special teams, understands football, asks good questions. I see some good things from Alfred.” An ACL injury and crowded LSU backfield limited Blue’s college exposure — he carried just 209 times in 40 games — but scouts took notice of his physical ability once he declared for the draft, forgoing another year of eligibility. In his NFL Draft Preview book, Nolan Nawrocki described Blue as “A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness.” Nawrocki added that Blue is a prime candidate to be a “far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.”
- ESPN’s staff spotlighted each team’s most intriguing skill-position battle. Among the most notable capsules, Mike Reiss talks about the Patriots’ trio of running backs, saying Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen or James White could be featured any given week.
- Greg Toler and Donte Moncrief are among four standouts in Colts camp identified by IndyStar.com’s Stephen Holder. On Toler, Holder says, “Toler has been all over the field during camp, showing his superior ball skills and ability to play man coverage in the Colts defense. If he continues to perform like this heading into the regular season, the Colts won’t see much of a dropoff from franchise cornerback Vontae Davis to Toler.”
- The Packers are deeper this season in the eyes of Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn, who analyzes the team’s projected roster position by position.
AFC South Links: Ronnie Brown, Colts, Oher
Let’s check in on the latest items from around the AFC South….
- Although Ronnie Brown will turn 33 later this year, making him one of the league’s oldest running backs, he only has 131 more career carries than Arian Foster, the man he’s now backing up in Houston, writes Dale Robertson of the Houston Chronicle. Having signed this week with the Texans, Brown still feels as if he has “a lot” left in the tank, as he tells Robertson.
- In his latest mailbag at Colts.com, Kevin Bowen fields a handful of questions about the Colts‘ offensive line, addressing whether he thinks the club would have interest in signing Richie Incognito or trading for Alex Boone.
- With Michael Roos still the Titans‘ starter at left tackle, there may not be room for both free agent signee Michael Oher and first-round pick Taylor Lewan on the team’s offensive line, but Oher isn’t pleased with any speculation that he’ll start the year on the bench, as he tells John Glennon of the Tennessean. “I’m kind of tired of getting disrespected by a lot of people who don’t know anything about the work I put in and how hard I work, and the love and passion I have for this game,” Oher said.
- Considering Lewan has played predominantly on the Titans‘ second team at left tackle, and no one seems to be calling for him to start over Oher lately, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com thinks maybe the former Raven “needs to chill a little with the disrespect deal.”
AFC Links: Ravens, McCarthy, Texans, Colts
The Ravens could use some cornerback help, but the free agent market is thin and Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun isn’t sure either Asante Samuel or Jabari Greer would have interest in joining the team. A preseason trade may be Baltimore’s best chance for an upgrade, says Zrebiec, though he admits the Ravens may not want to part with any more 2015 draft picks after trading a couple for Jeremy Zuttah and Michael Campanaro.
Let’s round up a few more Tuesday updates from out of the AFC….
- It sounds as if Titans linebacker Colin McCarthy will need shoulder surgery, which makes injured reserve a viable possibility for him, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- Asked about the Texans’ overhaul of their backfield – which included signing Ronnie Brown and cutting Andre Brown – head coach Bill O’Brien said the Texans “had a chance to improve our team, and that’s what we did” (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).
- Although he believes the Broncos have several good contracts, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap picks Terrance Knighton’s deal as the most team-friendly one on Denver’s books. On the other hand, Fitzgerald wasn’t a fan of the contract the Broncos gave DeMarcus Ware this offseason, which includes $16.5MM in fully guaranteed money.
- Because the Colts only had five draft picks in May – the fewest of any NFL team – the team extensively scouted college free agents and placed a greater emphasis on those players this year, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. As such, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a few earned spots on Indianapolis’ roster and/or practice squad.
- In his exploration on the positional investments successful and non-successful teams make in running backs, the Patriots and Browns are among the teams examined by Zach Moore of Over the Cap. The Pats only spent about $3.4MM on their productive group of runners last season, and Moore thinks that inexpensive rookie Terrance West should be a better value for Cleveland than free agent addition Ben Tate.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are Monday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- In addition to releasing Andre Brown, the Texans have also cut running backs Dennis Johnson (via tweet from ESPN’s Tania Ganguli) and Tim Cornett (via tweet from Fox Houston’s Mark Berman).
- The Texans have added a running back, as ESPN’s Josina Anderson tweets that the team has added William Powell on a two-year deal.
- Former Redskins cornerback Peyton Thompson has cleared waivers and is now a free agent, tweets Zac Boyer of The Washington Times.
Earlier updates:
- According to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter), tight end Richard Quinn has been placed on the Saints‘ reserve-retired list, so it appears the former second-round pick has elected to end his playing career.
- Wide receiver Quintin Payton was cut by the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). The move clears a spot for new wideout Conner Vernon, who Detroit claimed off waivers from the Bengals, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports.
- The Chiefs have signed safety Jonathon Amaya, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- Per a series of tweets from Wilson and ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson, the following players have cleared waivers and been placed on their respective teams’ IR lists: Ben Malena (Cowboys), Daniel Adongo (Colts), Jeris Pendleton (Colts), Dezman Moses (Chiefs), Alvin Scioneaux (Chargers), Mike Taylor (Seahawks), and Chuck Jacobs (49ers).
- Less than a week after signing him, the Browns have waived tight end Kyle Auffray, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
- Tight end Brad Smelley, who was on the Rams‘ roster briefly at the end of last season, has been re-signed to take the place of Mason Brodine, who sustained a fractured ankle (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner).
- As the Dolphins explore the free agent market for quarterbacks, they parted ways with one of their undrafted rookies, former North Dakota State signal-caller Brock Jensen (Twitter link via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). With the open roster spot, the club re-added running back Cameron Marshall.
- The Colts have signed defensive end Gannon Conway, cutting offensive lineman Eric Pike to make room on the roster, tweets assistant director of communications Matt Conti.
- Running back Jawan Jamison has been waived by the Steelers, according to the team’s PR man Burt Lauten (on Twitter).
- With the empty 90th spot on the roster, the Cowboys will sign Australian punter Tom Hornsey, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com. Incumbent punter Chris Jones ranked in the league’s top ten last season according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and has had a solid camp, so Hornsey seems unlikely to make the team.
AFC Notes: Jones, Texans, Raiders, Browns
The Bengals will be without wide receiver Marvin Jones for at least “a few weeks,” according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Jones broke his foot and had a pin put in his fifth metatarsal. The timetable for Jones’ return isn’t clear yet, but Hobson suggests (via Twitter) that placing him on the short-term IR isn’t entirely out of the question — I doubt the Bengals make that move, but we probably shouldn’t expect to see the wideout back on the field by the time Cincinnati’s regular season gets underway.
Here’s more from across the AFC:
- The Texans worked out veteran running backs Ronnie Brown, Brian Leonard, and William Powell today, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). None of the three were immediately signed by the club.
- While a move to San Antonio by the Raiders already seemed very unlikely, a new report may further reduce Mark Davis‘ interest in South Texas. According to Tom Orsborn and Josh Baugh of the San Antonio Express-News, the Spurs’ ownership group would want a controlling interest in any NFL franchise that moved to San Antonio.
- Only about a week after he was claimed off waivers from Seattle by the Browns, offensive lineman Michael Bowie suffered a shoulder injury that may sideline him for the season. Head coach Mike Pettine says no decision has been made yet, though it’s looking like Bowie will be out for the year, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
- Ulrich was also among the reporters who spoke to Jordan Cameron today, and the tight end said talks with the Browns on a contract extension have been ongoing and positive. Cameron is hopeful that something can be worked out in time for the regular season (Twitter link).
- Although they auditioned a few veteran quarterbacks today, it seems the Dolphins wanted a look at those players just in case they need one down the road, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, adding that the club doesn’t necessarily need to bring one aboard right now (Twitter link).
- After rewarding him in the offseason with a lucrative four-year contract extension, the Colts are hoping for elite play out of cornerback Vontae Davis in 2014 and beyond, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Colts, Titans
The Jaguars have a number of players battling for a very few roster spots, and Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com has evaluated which players he thinks the Jaguars will be putting on the field come the opener. He writes that the team is only keeping five cornerbacks, and that four spots are already taken, which leaves Rashaad Reynolds fighting five corners for the last spot. However, he does believe the team will keep four running backs and a fullback, so they will have room for Jordan Todman, Denard Robinson, and Storm Johnson on the roster.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:
- While first-round pick Blake Bortles is still a long way from taking over as the starter for the Jaguars, DiRocco writes that he is far ahead of expectations so far. His knowledge of the offense has impressed, and he has made improvements as a passer since coming into camp.
- The Jaguars could still use help at center, but John Oehserof the O-Zone does not seeing that happening (via Twitter). He said the issue is closed for this season, but that the team would revisit the position at some point next offseason.
- The Colts worked out two linebackers today with hopes that one could earn a spot on the team, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Former Texan Mister Alexander and former Redskin Brandon Jenkins will both both have their chance to impress the Colts’ coaching staff.
- The Titans have an ongoing battle between two kickers trying to make the team, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. He writes that Maikon Bonani has the stronger leg, but Travis Coons has been far more consistent and accurate during camp.
Minor Moves: Friday
You can find Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL below, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the afternoon and evening….
- Per a couple of tweets from the Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder, the Colts have waived-injured linebacker Daniel Adongo and defensive end Jeris Pendelton. In addition, Indianapolis has signed guards Thomas Austin and Marcus Hall, and re-signed receiver Nu’Keese Richardson.
Earlier updates:
- In a series of several tweets, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun lists the players who have been waived from their teams’ respective injured reserve lists with injury settlements: offensive lineman Darius Morris (Cowboys), cornerback Brandon Burton (Colts), defensive tackle Jordan Miller (Jaguars), and wideout Danny Coale (Steelers).
- According to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Colts have waived former Arena Football League offensive lineman Chad Anderson, who originally signed with the team last month.
- Despite catching a touchdown in the Bengals‘ preseason opener, wide receiver Conner Vernon was one of three players cut by the team today, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Per Hobson, the team also waived wideout Jeremy Johnson and defensive tackle Zach Minter. The Bengals, who now have 86 players on the roster, may have interest in filling one of their open roster spots with a quarterback as Jason Campbell and A.J. McCarron work through some health issues, Hobson adds.
- The Cardinals created a third opening on their 90-man roster today, cutting linebacker Trevardo Williams just a few days after claiming him off waivers. Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com has the details.
- Wide receiver Kofi Hughes has been waived by the Texans, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- The Lions swapped one defender for another today, signing defensive back Nate Ness and parting ways with linebacker Cory Greenwood to open up the necessary roster spot, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
Extra Points: Herman, Finnegan, Boone, Colts
Over at ESPN.com, Jim Trotter has published an interesting piece on why teams are inclined to pay big bucks to lock up non-elite quarterbacks.
“Teams are just afraid to say, ‘Let’s start again, because we literally do not have a legitimate chance to win a Super Bowl with the quarterback that we have,’” one club president told Trotter. “They’d rather have an average to above-average quarterback than wait to get a great quarterback. I think it’s more than fair to say that the fear of the unknown is greater than the fear of the known.”
Let’s check in on a few more odds and ends from around the NFL….
- Giants offensive lineman Eric Herman has been suspended for four games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. The NFLPA released a statement on behalf of Herman explaining the positive test.
- Cornerback Cortland Finnegan tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com that he considered a pitch from the Falcons this offseason before ultimately reaching an agreement with the Dolphins (Twitter link).
- In the wake of the 49ers‘ first preseason contest, it doesn’t sound as if there has been any movement on contract talks with holdout guard Alex Boone, tweets Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group.
- As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk details, former Colts running back Chris Rainey doesn’t seem to believe he should have been cut by Indianapolis for breaking team rules, and took to Twitter to vent last night. Rainey, a free agent, has since deleted the tweets.
- The Colts’ offensive line is thinning out, with both Khaled Holmes and rookie Ulrick John suffering injuries this week. According to Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter), the team believes Holmes may have sprained his left ankle, which would sideline him for a few weeks. As for John, Stephen Holder of the Star reports (via Twitter) that his ankle might be broken. Meanwhile, Xavier Nixon tweeted today that he’s set to undergo surgery, presumably on the knee that his been bothering him.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Here are the NFL’s minor transactions for Tuesday, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the afternoon and evening:
- The Bears waived linebacker Conor O’Neill to make room for the addition of Greg Herd, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
- The Browns reached an injury settlement with James Oboh, Wilson tweets.
- The Broncos waived defensive end Hall Davis with a left squad designation, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Denver signed Davis to a reserve/futures contract in February.
- The Vikings waived Lestar Jean from injured reserve, tweets Wilson. The wideout has ten career receptions for 186 yards and one touchdown.
- Running back Kendall Hunter will spend the season on the 49ers’ injured reserve list after he cleared waivers on Tuesday, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.
- The Dolphins announced that they have signed kicker Danny Hrapmann and waived linebacker Ryan Rau, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Hrapmann was one of at least three kickers Miami auditioned recently.
- The Bears added wide receiver Greg Herd today, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter). Chicago must make a corresponding roster move for Herd, who had short stints with the Cowboys and Seahawks after entering the NFL in 2013.
Earlier updates:
- The Colts agreed to sign former Eagles outside linebacker Phillip Hunt, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). To make room for Hunt, the Colts dropped wide receiver Nu’Keese Richardson, who signed with the club just two days ago.
- The Browns announced that they have signed tight end Martell Webb, linebacker Keith Pough, and wide receiver Tim Smith, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Originally signed by Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent in 2011, Webb has spent time on the practice squads of the Jets (2011), Bucs (2011), Colts (2012), Titans (2012), and Lions (2013).
- The Browns waived defensive back Darwin Cook, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter).
- The Titans will sign Lanier Coleman, a defensive lineman who has spent time with the Jets and Packers, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Tennessee has a full 90-man roster, so the team will need to cut someone to make it official.
- The Saints have signed former second-round tight end Richard Quinn, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). In a separate tweet, Mike Triplett of ESPN.com adds a few more Saints moves courtesy of Yates: New Orleans also signed wideout Tobais Palmer, waiving receiver Steve Hull (injured designation), defensive tackle Tyrone Ezell, and linebacker Marcus Thompson.
- As first reported by NFL Draft Diamonds, the Browns have reached a deal to sign tight end Kyle Auffray, writes Mike Wilkering of Pro Football Talk. Cleveland entered the day with four open roster spots, so there’s plenty of room for Auffray, who spent some time with the Patriots in the spring.
- The Buccaneers completed a series of roster moves today, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed defensive ends Ryne Giddins and James Ruffin, and waived-injured linebacker Jeremy Grable and safety Mycal Swaim.
- The Steelers are set to sign wide receiver James Shaw, who previously played for the Arena League’s Pittsburgh Power, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Pittsburgh has a full 90-man roster, so the club will need to make a corresponding roster move to make room for the latest signee.
- Jermaine Cunningham, who tore his Achilles tendon during training camp, has been waived-injured by the Jets, who signed offensive lineman Bruce Campbell to fill Cunningham’s roster spot, per Rich Cimini of ESPN New York (Twitter link). Campbell attended the team’s minicamp back in June on a tryout basis.
- Armed with an open spot on their 90-man roster, the Broncos have signed former Browns defensive end Brian Sanford, as Mike Klis of the Denver Post details. Sanford, who turns 27 next month, has been active for 13 career regular-season contests for Cleveland and Oakland.
- The Seahawks have waived-injured safety Dion Bailey and signed defensive back Trey Wolfe to replace him, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.