AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Jaguars, Titans
We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s check out some notes from the AFC…
- Adam Teicher writes that it’s possible for the Chiefs to retain Tamba Hali and Justin Houston longterm, but they have to be clever with their cap manipulation.
- Teicher adds that the Chiefs will certainly look to re-sign upcoming free agents Houston, Allen Bailey, Rodney Hudson and Anthony Sherman, but they proved last offseason that they won’t overspend to keep their own players.
- Looking forward to free agency, Michael DiRocco says the Jaguars biggest needs are a “pass rusher, speed at linebacker, tight end and more depth along the offensive line.”
- It wasn’t that long ago that Vince Young was the Titans starting quarterback, and Paul Kuharsky believes that the team may be wary of a player like Jameis Winston. He later notes that the team needs an edge rusher “more than anything.”
Jaguars Sign Tommie Campbell
The Jaguars announced that they have signed former Titans cornerback Tommie Campbell, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. In a corresponding move, the Jags placed fellow corner Alan Ball on injured reserve.
Campbell, 27, worked out for the Seahawks, Dolphins, Lions, and Bucs this fall but didn’t land a roster spot with any of them. His September audition with Jacksonville, however, clearly made an impression. Campbell has 37 games of experience across three seasons with the Titans with 28 career tackles.
Ball, 29, has been struggling with a biceps injury for the past week. He has arguably been the Jags’ best cornerback since joining the team last season, so this is a tough blow for Jacksonville. Ball made 15 starts last season and led the team with 14 pass deflections and a career-high 47 tackles to go along with two picks. This year, Ball recorded has 22 tackles, one interception, and three pass breakups in seven games.
Trade Notes: Tuck, Seahawks, Chargers
The 2014 trade deadline is less than four hours away, and while we saw one major deal completed this month, when the Seahawks sent Percy Harvin to the Jets, it remains to be seen whether any other notable names will be on the move before 3:00pm central time today. While we wait to find out what happens, let’s round up a few trade-related items from around the NFL….
- In addition to trade candidates we’ve already heard about, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) identifies veteran pass rusher Justin Tuck as one player who could be on the move today. Tuck just signed a two-year deal with Oakland in the offseason, but with the team still winless and Tuck owed as much as $5MM next season, it’s only logical that the Raiders would listen to any offers they receive.
- In his latest piece for CBSSports.com, Jason La Canfora takes a look at several non-contending teams, suggesting which players he’d make available if he were the general manager of the Buccaneers, Jaguars, Raiders, Falcons, and others. In many cases, La Canfora names the Seahawks as potential suitors for the trade candidates he mentions, pointing out that Seattle is one of the league’s most aggressive teams and is actively trying to improve its roster at the deadline.
- The Chargers, having not executed a midseason trade since 2007, are unlikely to be active at today’s deadline, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Workout Notes: Chargers, Eagles, Jags, Bucs
Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has passed along a few updates on free agents working out for teams this week, so let’s round up the highlights….
- Cornerback Roc Carmichael, who saw a decent amount of action last season for the Eagles, tried out for the Chargers (Twitter link). Carmichael was waived by Philadelphia during this summer’s cutdowns to 53-man rosters.
- Speaking of those Eagles, they had running back Kenjon Barner in for a workout recently (Twitter link). The team traded for Barner in the summer and has now brought him in for multiple looks since cutting him with an injury settlement in August, so it’s clear the Eagles see something they like, even if they’re not ready to use a 53-man roster spot on the back at this point.
- In addition to safety Matt Daniels, who the team signed to its practice squad, the Jaguars worked out linebacker Justin Jackson and safety Jeremy Deering (Twitter link). Jackson most recently spent time with the Vikings, while Deering was on the Raiders’ roster this summer.
- Former Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Siddoway, who went undrafted in May, worked out for the Buccaneers (Twitter link).
Jaguars Sign Matt Daniels To Practice Squad
Today’s practice squad news..
- The Jaguars are signing safety Matt Daniels to the practice squad, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Daniels was cut from the Rams’ practice squad last month.
Minor Moves: Saturday
Here are today’s minor transactions, with the latest updates at the top of the list:
- The Raiders are set to activate cornerback D.J. Hayden, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The No. 12 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Hayden played in eight games as a rookie and started two. The club has filled their other remaining vacancy by signing defensive end Denico Autry to the active roster, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Rams placed Brandon McGee on the injured reserve with a foot injury while replacing him with Jemea Thomas from the practice squad, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. McGee hasn’t played since Week 2.
- The Dolphins announced (on Twitter) that they have waived wide receiver Damian Williams to make space for Jordan.
- The Dolphins are moving defensive end Dion Jordan to the active roster today, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. There’s no word yet on a corresponding move, but they’ll have to cut someone to make space. Jordan was recently reinstated from his six-game suspension.
- The Cardinals signed wide receiver Solomon Patton to their practice squad while cutting fellow WR Jalen Saunders, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
- The Ravens waived tight end Ryan Taylor and promoted fellow tight end Phillip Supernaw from the practice squad, tweets Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
- The Lions announced that they have suspended defensive tackle C.J. Mosley for two weeks for conduct detrimental to the team and subsquently sent him home from London earlier today. To fill his spot, Detroit has signed safety Jerome Couplin from the practice squad, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (on Twitter).
- In addition to center Daniel Kilgore, the 49ers have also placed cornerback Chris Cook on the injured reserve. The team has signed safety Bubba Ventrone to fill one of the two roster spots.
- The Jaguars have cut wide receiver Tavarres King and signed cornerback Peyton Thompson, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. The writer adds that the move was made as insurance in case injured cornerback Dwayne Gratz can’t play this weekend.
- Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweets that center Nick McDonald was activated from the Browns‘ non-football injury list. To make room on the roster, the team waived tight end Gerell Robinson.
AFC Mailbags: Jets, Daniel, Raiders, Gerhart
It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN’s NFL writers are answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some of the notable tidbits from the AFC…
- Assuming the Jets get a top-5 pick in next year’s draft, Rich Cimini believes the team should focus on drafting a quarterback, wide receiver or cornerback.
- The Jets need to acquire a speed running back after the season to pair with Chris Ivory, opines Cimini. Chris Johnson clearly hasn’t been the answer and Bilal Powell is set to be a free agent.
- Adam Teicher rejects a pair of fan-made Chiefs trade proposals. The writer doesn’t think it’d be in the team’s best interest to trade backup quarterback Chase Daniel unless they’re overwhelmed by an offer. Teicher also can’t envision the Chiefs acquiring high-priced receiver Vincent Jackson, especially since they already have plenty of money tied up to Dwayne Bowe.
- Bill Williamson writes that Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly would have many suitors if he decided to pursue an NFL job, with the Raiders among them. However, the writer notes that the team would have to “pony up” to secure Kelly’s services. Meanwhile, Williamson believes Hue Jackson would be interested in returning, but the writer fears that he may have burned too many bridges on his way out.
- If Jaguars running backs Denard Robinson and Storm Johnson continue to improve, there’s a chance the team could part ways with Toby Gerhart following the season, writes Michael DiRocco.
- If A.J. Green‘s toe injury suddenly goes from bad to worse, the Bengals could peruse the trade market for a wide receiver, says Coley Harvey.
Cap Notes: Rice, Kerley, Trades
With the trade deadline approaching, it’s worth keeping an eye on which teams have cap room to spare and which clubs don’t have much flexibility to make moves. Before we get into that though, we have a couple notes on how a pair of players will affect their respective teams’ (or former teams’) caps. Let’s dive in….
- Because Ray Rice filed a grievance against the Ravens in an attempt to recoup his 2014 base salary, he’ll count against the cap for 40% of that disputed amount, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com. Because Rice had been in line for a $3,529,412 salary, the cap charge for Baltimore works out to $1,411,765.
- Adam Caplan of ESPN.com adds another note on Jeremy Kerley‘s contract details, tweeting that the Jets wideout has $3.841MM in fully guaranteed money at the time of his signing, with an additional $2MM becoming guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2015 league year.
- As Albert Breer of the NFL Network considers whether there will be any deals of note before Tuesday’s trade deadline, he points out that 15 teams have less than $5MM in cap space, which could make it tricky to complete any sort of significant move.
- Breer goes on to add that there are six teams with more than $10MM in cap room: The Jaguars ($22.84MM), Browns ($19.06MM), Eagles ($16.31MM), Jets ($12.82MM), Titans ($11.86MM), and Patriots ($10.54MM).
AFC South Notes: Titans, Woodyard, Mallett
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.
South Notes: Panthers, Griffin, Titans, Bucs
Plenty of Panthers players were caught off guard by the team’s release of veteran defensive back Charles Godfrey, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, who says words like “shocking” and “surprising” were used to describe the move.
“With a guy of his stature who’s been here for as long as he had, and all of a sudden you wake up and he’s not here, it’s definitely got to be a shock. It’s shocking to me,” said fellow defensive back Roman Harper. “But it’s a job. We’ve got to take it seriously and understand that nobody’s job is safe from top to bottom. They’ll always fire you before you get them fired. That’s just what I’ve always been taught.”
As the Panthers’ defense adjusts to life without Godfrey and one of the newest additions to the free agent market looks for work, let’s check out a few more items from around the NFL’s two South divisions….
- We heard yesterday that the Titans had been entertaining trade discussions involving wide receiver Nate Washington, and it sounds like he’s not the only veteran the team is mulling moving. In addition to confirming the Washington report, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com says he has heard defensive back Michael Griffin may be on the block as well (Twitter link). The Titans, who announced last night that Zach Mettenberger will start at quarterback this weekend, seem to be “embracing” a rebuild, notes McCormick.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) adds several new names to the list of players to audition for the Panthers this week. According to Wilson, the club took a look at cornerbacks Trevin Wade, Robert Steeples, Ellis Lankster, and Josh Victorian, as well as offensive linemen Ryan Miller and Matt Patchan.
- Besides the players they signed to their 53-man roster or practice squad, the Buccaneers also worked out linebackers Erin Henderson and Lawrence Wilson this week, tweets Wilson. Per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Henderson had a tryout with the Titans too.
- Cornerback Deveron Carr auditioned for the Jaguars this week, according to Wilson (via Twitter).