Jeremy Deering

FA Rumors: Packers, Wayne, Mathis, Deering

The Packers are still waiting on the official results of Jordy Nelson‘s MRI, but if the star wideout has a torn ACL, as is feared, the team is expected to inquire on Reggie Wayne, reports Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Green Bay still has a good deal of wide receiver depth without Nelson, and the club typically doesn’t sign outside free agents very often, so it seems unlikely that Wayne would land with the Packers. It’s fair to wonder if Wayne’s camp is using Green Bay as a leverage play, as the veteran free agent attempts to negotiate a deal with the Patriots or perhaps another team.

As we wait to see where Wayne lands, let’s round up a few more notes on free agents….

  • Agent Drew Rosenhaus expects free agent guard Evan Mathis to have a new team by the end of the week, he said during an appearance on South Florida’s WSVN-7 (link via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald). According to Rosenhaus, his client has received interest from the Seahawks and “other teams,” and Salguero suggests the Dolphins should be in the mix if Mathis’ asking price is coming down at all.
  • It’s a busy week for former Rutgers safety Jeremy Deering, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, who tweets that Deering tried out for the Eagles, is working out for the Colts today, and has an audition with the Jets later in the week.
  • Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin examines the Packers‘ wide receiver situation, speculating that ex-Packer James Jones could be an option for the team. For now though, Jones is a Giant, so he’d probably have to be cut for Green Bay to consider him. Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports made a similar point yesterday.

Bennett Jackson Suffers Knee Injury

2:50pm: Jackson tore his ACL, a source tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, meaning that Jackson is likely to miss the 2015 season.

8:51am: The Giants‘ secondary, already ravaged by injury, suffered another major blow in last night’s preseason victory over Jacksonville. In addition to losing rookie safety Justin Currie for the season, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that second-year safety Bennett Jackson sustained a knee injury on a defensive play in the fourth quarter. Raanan reports that Jackson, who enjoyed an excellent training camp and who appeared poised to land a starting role, left the team locker room limping badly and with his right knee in a brace. The extent of Jackson’s injury is unclear at this time, and he will get an MRI today, but as Raanan tweeted last night, there are concerns that it could be serious.

Of course, given the state of the Giants’ secondary–by the time the game ended, six of the nine safeties on the roster were unavailable due to injury–it is fair to wonder why Jackson was even on the field in the fourth quarter, having played 56 snaps already. At the moment, Brandon Meriweather, Jeromy Miles, and Justin Halley, all of whom have been signed in the past five weeks, are the only safeties left standing. Dan Graziano of ESPN.com tweets that Nat Berhe is expected to return to practice this week, but that will do little to assuage the team’s concerns at safety.

Unfortunately for the Giants, there are just not a ton of outside options to fortify the position, which is well-illustrated by a tweet from Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle this morning. Wilson notes that former Rutgers safety Jeremy Deering, who signed with New England as an undrafted free agent last year and who will be auditioning with the Eagles today, will next visit the Colts and Jets if he is not signed by Philadelphia. As PFR’s Ben Levine wrote yesterday, at least six teams are currently interested in Deering, which bespeaks the lack of quality safety options available at this point in the year. Graziano tweeted that Big Blue will likely “poke around” the free agent market again this week–it is unknown whether the Giants have interest in Deering–but it’s not as if the the team expects to find the answer to its prayers in the process. As head coach Tom Coughlin said of the mounting injuries, “It’s amazing with the way that’s going. It’s just hard to even comment on.”

We will pass along an update on Jackson’s injury as soon as it becomes available.

 

NFC East Notes: Giants, Cowboys, Barkley, Eagles

A year ago, Newberry College standout Corey Washington was a standout during Giants training camp. The undrafted wideout went from having practically no chance at making the roster to suddenly being a reserve receiver.

However, the player hasn’t been turning heads during this summer’s camp, and the 23-year-old understands he has to contribute in other areas to make the team.

“I’m still considered a special-teams player,” Washington told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “So I have to perform on offense and special teams, and hopefully be able to make the team again.

“With the three receivers we’ve got in front of me — Odell and Rueben and Vic — I’m pretty sure the fourth receiver has to be a special teamer. That’s what I’m aiming for, to be the fourth receiver. So, we’ll see.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC East…

  • Although cornerback Byron Jones, defensive end Randy Gregory and guard La’el Collins will steal most of the headlines among Cowboys rookies, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram believes a number of other first-year players are primed to make an impact for Dallas. In particular, the writer points to linebacker Damien Wilson (fourth round) and wideout Lucky Whitehead (undrafted).
  • With Tim Tebow‘s apparent emergence on the Eagles, Garry Cobb of GCobb.com believes Matt Barkley could be on the outside looking in. Still, the former USC standout has impressed during camp, leading the writer to believe that the team could get a draft pick for the quarterback.
  • Former Rutgers safety Jeremy Deering will audition for the Eagles on Sunday, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The writer notes that six teams are interested in the 2014 undrafted free agent.

Jaguars Sign Five, Waive Four

The Jaguars have signed five players who tried out at their rookie camp this past weekend, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link). The team agreed to deals with defensive end Nordly Capi, defensive tackle Richard Ash, returner Kasey Closs, free safety Desmond Cooper, and offensive lineman Jack Rummels.

To make room for their five new additions, the Jags waived tight end Marcel Jensen, safety Jeremy Deering, kicker Derek Dimke, and wide receiver Tommy Streeter, reports ESPN’s Michael DiRocco (via Twitter).

Minor Moves: Wednesday

Playoff teams and non-playoff teams both continue to make roster moves this week, and we’ll round up today’s minor transactions below. Here’s the latest:

  • The Jaguars signed wide receiver Arrelious Benn to a two-year deal, a league source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Dan Duggan of NJ.com reports (via Twitter) that the team also signed safety Jeremy Deering.
  • Long snapper Brandon Hartson inked a futures contract with the Chiefs, according to agent Brian McLaughlin (via Twitter). Kansas City has been busy locking up players for 2015, announcing 14 reserve deals yesterday.
  • Per Oliver Thomas of PatriotsObserver.com (via Twitter), the Patriots signed three players to reserve/futures contracts today: Defensive tackle Antonio Johnson, linebacker Rufus Johnson, and running back Dion Lewis. Since New England’s season isn’t over, the team can’t yet lock up any players from its practice squad to futures deals.
  • The Saints have added another player on a reserve/futures contract, signing veteran safety Kenny Phillips today, tweets Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune. A former first-round pick, Phillips worked out for New Orleans in November.

Earlier updates:

  • Cornerback Roc Carmichael and guard Antoine McClain inked reserve/futures deals with the Cardinals, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link). Carmichael has spent time with the Eagles over the last two seasons, while McClain finished the 2014 campaign on the Bears’ practice squad.
  • The Panthers signed guard Tyronne Green to a futures contract for 2015, the team announced today (Twitter link). Green most recently spent time with the Cowboys, having been cut by the team in July.
  • The Bengals have placed wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher on the injured reserve list due to a concussion, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). While losing Sanzenbacher, who caught just nine balls this season, isn’t a significant blow for Cincinnati, the team hopes A.J. Green won’t miss this weekend’s game with a similar ailment. With the newly-opened spot on the 53-man roster, the Bengals promoted wideout Cobi Hamilton from the practice squad.
  • Offensive tackle Joe Long, the brother of Rams tackle Jake Long, has been added to the Lions‘ taxi squad, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Detroit had been carrying just nine players on its unit, so no corresponding move was required to make room for Long.
  • The Buccaneers have signed former Northern Colorado quarterback Seth Lobato to a reserve/futures contract for 2015, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times.

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).

Minor Moves: Thursday

Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:

  • According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the following players are now on their respective teams’ injured reserve lists: Darnell Dockett (Cardinals), Greg Latta (Broncos), Fendi Onobun (Jaguars), Jeremy Deering (Raiders), and Mike Caussin (Redskins). Because he has four or more accrued seasons, Dockett can be placed on IR without passing through waivers, and we heard previously that Latta, Onobun, and Deering were waived-injured by their clubs. Caussin’s case is less clear — he doesn’t appear to have four accrued seasons, so he should have to be waived before landing on IR. For what it’s worth, the Redskins’ official site still lists him as on the team’s active roster.

Earlier updates:

  • Former Falcon Eric Weems has returned to the team, according to Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com, who tweets that wideout Jabin Sambrano has been cut to make room for the veteran receiver and return specialist. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who reported earlier this week that Weems wanted to sign with Atlanta but appeared headed to the Titans, said today (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear took a physical in Tennessee, but it hit a snag. The Falcons, who entered the picture last night, signed Weems to a one-year, minimum-salary contract, per McClure (Twitter link).
  • The Saints have begun making cuts in advance of next Tuesday’s first deadline, parting ways with four players today. As Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune details, the club waived outside linebacker Chidera Uzo-Diribe, running back Tim Flanders, tight end Je’Ron Hamm and wide receiver Tobais Palmer.
  • Defensive tackle Anthony McCloud has been waived by the Cardinals, opening up a second spot on the team’s 90-man roster, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com.
  • The Buccaneers have swapped a pair of players at the back of their roster, announcing today in a press release that they’ve signed guard R.J. Mattes and waived defensive end James Ruffin.
  • The Patriots have made two cuts, letting go of defensive lineman Marcus Forston and tight end D.J. Williams, according to a team release.

Minor Moves: Wednesday

We’ll keep tabs on Wednesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL in this space, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day:

  • The Bills have placed linebacker Stevenson Sylvester on injured reserve with a torn patella tendon, ending his season, tweets ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak. Because Sylvester had four years of NFL experience, he didn’t have to pass through waivers before being put on the team’s IR list.
  • The Raiders have waived-injured safety Jeremy Deering, replacing him on the roster with kicker Kevin Goessling, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • After reporting earlier today that Eric Kettani worked out for the Jaguars, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post now says the team is signing the fullback, so his audition must have gone well. Kettani was cut by the Chiefs earlier this year. Wilson adds in a tweet that tight end Fendi Onobun, who will miss the season with a torn quad, has been waived-injured.
  • The Broncos have waived-injured defensive end Greg Latta, according to Wilson (via Twitter). The Purdue product was one of more than a dozen undrafted free agents signed by Denver immediately following the draft.
  • The Buccaneers have reduced their receiving corps by one, cutting ex-Titan Lavelle Hawkins today, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
  • On the heels of acquiring Kenjon Barner from the Panthers, the Eagles have cut rookie running back David Fluellen, the team announced today (Twitter link). A roster move wasn’t necessary to make room for Barner, so Philadelphia now has one opening on its roster.
  • Punter Blake Clingan has been cut by the Redskins, a source tells Tom Schad of the Washington Times (Twitter link). That leaves Robert Malone as the only punter on the club’s roster.

Minor Moves: Monday

We’ll round up the day’s minor transactions from around the NFL right here, with additional moves listed at the top of the page throughout the afternoon and evening:

  • The Colts have waived WR Aaron Burks, tweets Craig Kelley of Colts.com.

Earlier updates:

  • Guard Cody White and receiver Alan Bonner have been placed on the Texans’ injured reserve list after being waived/injured, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
  • The Bills have removed linebacker Darrin Kitchens from their injured reserve list with an injury settlement, reports Wilson (Twitter link).
  • Rookie defensive lineman Kalonji Kashama has been waived by the Lions, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
  • The Giants have replaced one offensive lineman with another, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, tweeting that the team claimed Mark Asper off waivers from the Bills and dropped Demarcus Love.
  • The Browns have waived kicker Jake Rogers, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
  • The Broncos now have three open roster spots after waiving tackle Aslam Sterling with a left squad designation, per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • In addition to their move noted below, the Dolphins have also signed offensive tackle Tony Hills and waived wideout Gerald Ford, the club confirmed today (via Twitter).
  • The Chiefs have signed South Alabama cornerback Damond Smith, the team announced today (via Twitter). By our count, Kansas City was already carrying 90 players, so a corresponding move figures to be made at some point today.
  • The Raiders have filled the open spot on the roster by signing safety Jeremy Deering, who also returned kicks at Rutgers, says Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
  • Former Buccaneers defensive back Anthony Gaitor has re-signed with the club, joining Michigan defensive tackle Jibreel Black as Tampa Bay’s new additions, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (via Twitter), undrafted rookies Brendan Bigelow (RB) and Quintin Payton (WR) have been waived to make room for the incoming players.
  • The Browns have waived offensive lineman Chris Faulk, who was coming off a major ACL injury, according to Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald (via Twitter).
  • Offensive lineman Michael Philipp, who signed with the Dolphins two months ago, has been cut by the club, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

Extra Points: Matthews, Gordon, Rams, Pats

It’s a new day when it comes to rookie contracts in the NFL, writes former exec Andrew Brandt for The MMQB. Of course, salaries and contract length are now predetermined for every pick, taking the negotiating out of the process. Because of that, many players are questioning why they need to have an agent to handle rookie contracts at all. Here’s more from around the league..

  • Falcons first round pick Jake Matthews will receive a $10.269MM signing bonus on his four-year, $16.435MM guaranteed deal, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. As is the case for the rest of his fellow first-rounders, the deal for the No. 6 overall pick also includes a fifth-year option.
  • Browns General Manager Ray Farmer said that he doesn’t think a superstar receiver is crucial to a team’s success, which may not bode well for Josh Gordon‘s long-term future with the club, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer. “I would say ‘how important are those guys?”’ Farmer told 92.3 The Fan. “Name the last big-time receiver to win a Super Bowl. Name the last mega-guy. (Gordon) matters to me because I like the guy and I think he’s a really good player, but at the end of the day, when you look at the teams that have these mega-receivers, name the last guy that won a Super Bowl?… There are none. The last guy that really helped his team get there was T.O. (Terrell Owens).
  • The Rams signed undrafted free agent wide receiver Jordan Harris, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The Baylor product racked up over 2,200 yards over the last two years.
  • The Patriots announced that they have signed first-year defensive back Daxton Swanson out of Sam Houston State and undrafted free agent defensive lineman L.T. Tuipulotu from Utah. To make room, the Pats released rookie free agent safety Jeremy Deering (Rutgers) and first-year wide receiver Greg Orton (Purdue).
  • Packers free agent Jermichael Finley tweeted out that he has received “Awesome News!” with the hashtag “#IWillRiseAgain” which could be an indictation that he has been cleared to play. Finley, once regarded as one of the best tight ends in the NFL, missed the bulk of last season.