Rams’ Stedman Bailey Suspended Four Games
Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey has been suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s the second suspension in the last 14 months or so for Bailey, who missed the first two games of the 2014 season after violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Bailey, who turns 25 this Wednesday, has been with the Rams since being selected in the third round of the 2013 draft. While he hasn’t played a huge role in the team’s offense, Bailey has been targeted 25 times this season, catching 12 balls for 182 yards and a touchdown. So his loss will be felt by Nick Foles and company in the coming weeks.
News of Bailey’s suspension also helps explain why the Rams were working out a handful of free agent receivers today, including Wes Welker, Hakeem Nicks, and Vincent Brown. At the time, I speculated that the team may be considering adding some veteran depth to an underwhelming receiving corps — with Bailey out for the next four weeks, Foles will have one fewer weapon on offense, increasing the need for depth at the position.
Bailey will miss games against the Bears, Ravens, Bengals, and Cardinals, and will be eligible to return to action for the Rams’ Week 14 tilt with the Lions.
Rams Working Out Wes Welker, Other WRs
The Rams are bringing in a few veteran free agent receivers today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the club is taking a look at Wes Welker, Hakeem Nicks, and Vincent Brown.
While all three wideouts have enjoyed some NFL success, Welker’s résumé is the most extensive — the former Patriot and Bronco has racked up 890 career receptions to go along with 9,822 receiving yards. However, health concerns – including an extensive concussion history – have made teams shy away from Welker following his two-year stint in Denver, despite the fact that he wants to continue his career.
As for Nicks and Brown, both players performed well below their career benchmarks in 2014, and so far neither receiver has gotten an extended look in 2015, despite the fact that age shouldn’t be a concern, like it may be with Welker. Nicks and Brown are 27 and 26, respectively, as opposed to Welker’s 34.
While the Rams won’t necessarily sign any of the receivers they’re auditioning, the team may be contemplating adding some veteran depth at the position for Nick Foles‘ benefit. Outside of Tavon Austin, who has caught 28 balls and four touchdowns this season, no St. Louis wide receiver has more than 15 receptions or a single TD so far in 2015.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/15
Here are Friday’s minor signings, cuts, and other transactions from around the NFL, as teams prepare for Week 9 action….
- The Falcons have waived cornerback Dezmen Southward, replacing him on their 53-man roster by promoting defensive back Akeem King from their practice squad, the team announced today (via Twitter). Southward, the 68th overall pick in the 2014 draft, becomes the second third-round pick from last year to be cut by his team this week – along with former Steelers RB/KR Dri Archer – and is now the fourth member of Atlanta’s 2014 draft class no longer with the club.
- With a few defensive lineman banged up, the Rams have elevated defensive end Matt Longacre from their practice squad to the active roster, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis had an opening on its 53-man roster after moving running back Trey Watts to the reserve/suspended list due to his indefinite suspension.
NFC Notes: Cowboys, Stafford, Cardinals
With the work week winding down, let’s round up some Friday news items and notes from around the NFC….
- Appearing on 105.3 FM in Dallas this morning, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that Tony Romo has offered to help identify his own eventual replacement, adding that Romo has put in time studying what he’d look for in a college quarterback. Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the story, with the quotes from Jones.
- Examining Matthew Stafford‘s future in Detroit, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press makes the case that the only way it makes sense for the Lions to part with their quarterback after the 2015 season is if they end up with the first – or perhaps second – overall pick, to give a new coach and GM a chance to groom a new QB. A Thursday report suggested that Stafford’s future beyond 2015 with the Lions is uncertain, with GM Martin Mayhew out of the picture and head coach Jim Caldwell a good bet to follow him out the door.
- In addition to the kickers and punters we heard about yesterday, the Cardinals also worked out several other players, including defensive backs Shaun Prater and Cassius Vaughn and long snappers Brandon Hartson and Andrew East, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link).
- The Bears also brought in a few players for tryouts today, auditioning offensive linemen Aaron Adams, James Brewer, and Martin Wallace, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Within his latest NFL.com column, Albert Breer of the NFL Network touches on several topics of notes, exploring the Lions‘ organizational changes, Geep Chryst‘s job status with the 49ers, and the Rams‘ decision to draft Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick in the spring.
Extra Points: Pead, Collins, Murray, Saints
Running back Isaiah Pead is confident that he’ll regain his footing with the Steelers after three unproductive seasons with the Rams, as Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. Pead, along with Jordan Todman, is expected to back up DeAngelo Williams during the second half of the regular season. To date, Pead hasn’t looked like the explosive athlete who helped Cincinnati capture the 2009 Big East championship, but he believes that he is about to turn a corner.
- Despite their shortcomings on the offensive line coming into the 2015 season, the Eagles didn’t explore signing undrafted free agent La’el Collins, as Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com writes. “We didn’t have any interest,” head coach Chip Kelly said Thursday. Collins went on to sign a three-year deal with the Cowboys worth $1.6MM guaranteed.
- Tom Pelissero of USA Today wonders if having DeMarco Murray would change the Cowboys‘ season. While Darren McFadden has been just OK for Dallas, the club’s offensive line continues to be strong. Behind the power running of Murray, the Cowboys boasted one of the league’s best offenses and the top rushing attack. There’s no way to tell if this would be a totally different season with Murray in the backfield, but it certainly wouldn’t have hurt, Pelissero writes.
- Saints defensive tackle Kevin Williams was non-committal when asked about his future beyond this season. “This is a fun thing. You get to be around your teammates, and if you can’t have fun with them, you know you’re not a close group,” the 35-year-old said, according to Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune. “So we joke and have fun. I think that’s what makes the game fun—the friendships you have.”
Rams’ Trey Watts Suspended Indefinitely
Rams running back Trey Watts has once again been suspended for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (via Twitter). After being banned for four games earlier this year, Watts has been suspended indefinitely for his latest violation.
Watts, who joined the Rams in 2014 as an undrafted free agent out of Tulsa, earned a spot on the club’s regular season roster in his rookie year. He didn’t see the field much, but the 24-year-old received a handful of offensive snaps, rushing seven times for 30 yards and catching three passes for 18 yards. Watts also contributed on special teams, recording seven tackles in kick and punt coverage.
When his first four-game suspension was announced this year, I speculated that it might cost Watts his spot on the roster, with Todd Gurley, Tre Mason, Benny Cunningham, and others in the mix in the Rams’ backfield. The team did cut Watts after he served his suspension, but brought him back to the practice squad, and promoted him to the 53-man roster again a couple weeks ago.
This time around, Watts will land on the Rams’ reserve/suspended list indefinitely, opening up a spot for St. Louis to add a new player to its roster.
Extra Points: McCourty, Pats, Murray, Cowboys
The Patriots tried hard to get cornerback Jason McCourty from the Titans, but in the end they simply could not get a deal done, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. McCourty, selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft by the Titans, is one of Tennessee’s more effective defenders, racking up 85 tackles to go along with three interceptions a year ago. After missing the first month or so of the season with a groin injury, McCourty has been active for the team’s last four games.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- The Cowboys cut ties with Joseph Randle today, but COO Stephen Jones says that he still doesn’t regret letting DeMarco Murray walk in free agency, as Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News writes. The Cowboys face Murray for the second and final time this regular season on Sunday night.
- Representatives from San Diego, St. Louis, and Oakland will make presentations to a joint meeting of the NFL’s Los Angeles committee and the Stadium and Finance Committees next week, according to Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
- Tight end Ryan Griffin, who is on the Texans‘ IR-DTR list, says he’ll begin working out with the team on Monday, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter). The tight end adds that he feels good and believes that he’s ready to go.
- Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com found it interesting that Titans GM Ruston Webster was not at the podium facing questions about the direction of the franchise as interim CEO/president Steve Underwood and interim coach Mike Mularkey spoke. Of course, after Ken Whisenhunt was shown the door, it’s fair to wonder what will happen to Webster. At the same time, the two execs spoke highly of him at the press conference.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/3/15
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves from across the league:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: WR C.J. Goodwin (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com)
- Cut: WR LaRon Byrd (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post)
Baltimore Ravens
- To be signed: Chuck Jacobs (via The Baltimore Sun)
Buffalo Bills
- Cut: RB Miguel Maysonet (Twitter link via team)
Denver Broncos
- Signed: S Ryan Murphy (link via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post)
- Cut: DT Deandre Coleman
Houston Texans
- Cut: RB Daryl Richardson (via Wilson)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: G Ben Heenan (Twitter link via team)
- Cut: G David Arkin
New Orleans Saints
- Cut: DB Sammy Seamster (Twitter link via Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune)
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Matt LaCosse (Twitter link via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post), S Cooper Taylor (Twitter link via Dan Graziano of ESPN.com)
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: DE Shelby Harris (Twitter link via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed: RB Dreamius Smith (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune), OLB Ryan Mueller (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego)
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Chris Davis (press release via team)
- Removed: DL Kaleb Ramsey (suspended four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances)
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: TE Rashaun Allen (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Cut: LB Julian Stanford (press release via team)
Trade Rumors: Cowboys, Young, McCourty
Will we see any trades finalized around the NFL today? Teams have less than an hour before this afternoon’s 3:00pm CT deadline arrives, so they’ll have to act fast to get anything done. Here are a few of the latest rumors and rumblings:
- The Cowboys won’t be making any trades today, according to owner Jerry Jones (link via Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com). Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said the team had some calls, but nothing serious developed.
- According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the defensive end market has been the most active today, with names like Vinny Curry (Eagles), Willie Young (Bears), and Jeremy Mincey (Cowboys) generating interest. It’s not clear yet whether their respective teams will move them, however.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) also mentions Young in his list of the players he’s heard mentioned the most today. La Canfora’s other names include 49ers tackle Joe Staley, Rams right end Jared Cook, Browns linebackers Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo, Raiders wideout Rod Streater, and Chiefs cornerback Marcus Cooper.
- Per La Canfora (via Twitter), the Jets are among the teams that have been “sniffing around” pass rushers.
- After reporting earlier that the Patriots had interest in Titans cornerback Jason McCourty, Rapoport says he’s now hearing that McCourty is no longer available (Twitter link).
NFC Rumors: Johnson, JPP, Gurley, Curry
One of the biggest surprises in the league this season may extend for a potential encore. The Cardinals are discussing an extension for Chris Johnson, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Although no deal is imminent, both sides discussed the issue this week. Johnson’s playing on a one-year contract he signed in August. Signed to an $870K deal with no guarantees, the 30-year-old Johnson ranks second in the league with 567 rushing yards.
Let’s take a look at what else is transpiring around the NFC before Week 8’s early tilts kick off.
- Jason Pierre-Paul has a chance to play next week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Giants are reportedly open to it. They rank 31st in the NFL with nine sacks thus far. Pierre-Paul can earn $50K for each half-sack he records in an incentive-laden contract and will receive $8.7MM if he can reach 10 in the Giants’ remaining nine games. The sixth-year veteran’s only recorded double-digit sacks in two seasons.
- The 49ers have discussed Alex Boone, Joe Staley and Vernon Davis (Twitter link) with teams, but CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora hears (Twitter link) that Staley is considered the most available. The 31-year-old Staley’s in the middle of a six-year, $44.65MM contract and has cap numbers of $8.3MM and $11.2MM the next two seasons. Staley’s deal runs through 2019.
- Eagles fourth-year defensive end Vinny Curry‘s surfaced in trade discussions, Schefter reports (as relayed by Andrew Kulp of CSNPhilly.com). A 6-foot-3, 279-pound tweener in a 3-4 scheme, Curry could have value as a 4-3 end. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal and likely to depart the Eagles after the season, Kulp writes. The CSNPhilly reporter notes the best the Eagles could get for Curry, who has never started a game but recorded nine sacks off the bench last season, is a mid-round pick.
- Rams GM Les Snead‘s paranoia over whether one of the team’s NFC West rivals would take Todd Gurley invited him to act quickly during the draft, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times reports. Snead was concerned about the 49ers or Cardinals drafting the potential NFC rookie of the year, so the team’s interest in the Georgia star remained a mystery. “I definitely was excited when they took me at No. 10. I was kind of shocked. They really kept it quiet,” Gurley told Farmer. “I know when they do those visits to do background checks back home, one of my high school coaches was like, ‘Yeah, the Rams came by,’ and I’m like, ‘They’re not going to take me.'”
- NFL executives peg Robert Griffin III‘s trade value as minimal, considering his fifth-year $16.2MM option that is guaranteed against injury, and are more inclined to let Washington release the beleaguered signal-caller, Liz Clarke and Mark Maske of the Washington Post report.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Lions GM Martin Mayhew will be the latest post-London staff casualty, using Matt Millen‘s 2008 ouster as a reference point of Detroit bucking the usual trend of firing GMs after the season.