Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/15
Today’s minor NFL signings, cuts, and other moves..
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The Giants cut wide receiver Chris Harper from IR, the Raiders cut offensive lineman Anthony Morris from IR, and the Chargers cut Gordon Hill from IR, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Dolphins will sign offensive lineman Mike Leidtke to their taxi squad, as agent Brett Tessler tweets. Liedtke, an Illinois State product, recently auditioned for the Saints and Jets.
- The Raiders released cornerback Chimdi Chekwa from their injured reserve list, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The defensive back was drafted by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
- The Rams will sign wide receiver Nick Toon, a source tells Ross Jones of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Toon had workouts with the Rams and Seahawks last week.
- To make room for Dion Bailey, the Jets waived Ronald Martin, as Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. New York claimed Martin from Seattle just a few weeks ago.
- The Cowboys cut backup defensive tackle Davon Coleman, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets.
Some NFL Owners Oppose Rams Moving To L.A.
A group of influential owners strongly opposes the relocation of the Rams to Los Angeles, multiple sources tell Mike Florio of PFT. That group apparently includes Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who is emerging as one of the more outspoken members of the league’s L.A. committee. One source indicated that these owners view the Chargers and Raiders as more eligible to move under the league’s relocation policy, especially since it appears that St. Louis has a quality stadium proposal on the table.
Right now, it’s hard to say whether the Chargers and Raiders have the upper hand over the Rams. At this time, it appears that the Chargers definitely have the votes to block the Rams and that the Rams probably have the votes to block the Chargers.
Here’s more on the L.A. situation..
- If only one team goes to L.A., it could be the Chargers, Florio writes. One league source says that the thinking is that moving the Bolts would make the most sense, because it would preserve much of the San Diego fan base while expanding the team’s existing fan base in L.A.
- Neither L.A. proposal has enough league votes to make the move, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes. At least 24 of the league’s 32 teams must vote in favor of a franchise in order for the transaction to be authorized and things are very fractured at this time.
- Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune doesn’t believe that the Chargers will be willing to share a stadium with the Rams. If the Rams relocate to L.A., he believes that the most likely scenario will be Rams owner Stan Kroenke paying off the Chargers and Raiders as a consolation prize.
Breer’s Latest: Incognito, Gurley, Manziel, Jets
In his latest piece for NFL.com, Albert Breer leads off by examining the performances of the seven clubs who hired new head coaches during the offseason, specifically taking a look at the Falcons and Jets, with whom Dan Quinn and Todd Bowles, respectively, have started a combined 4-0. Despite that robust start, both men were quick to deny that their teams had achieved much of anything. “I don’t know if I’d use the word ‘accomplished’,” said Quinn candidly.
“We haven’t accomplished anything,” Bowles said. “It just means we’re off to a good start. We’re trying to establish ourselves and guys are coming together. To me, it’s a long season, a very long season. No guarantees. The only guarantee is we won’t be worse than 2-14.”
Let’s dive into some more notes from Breer’s column…
- Embattled Bills guard Richie Incognito will make a homecoming of sorts this weekend when Buffalo heads to Miami to play the Dolphins, and despite his reputation, Incognito still has a positive reputation among members of Miami’s coaching staff. “Awesome guy,” one Dolphins assistant told Breer. “Would talk to everyone in the building, always worked hard, very respected … A guy you wanted on your side.”
- The Rams saw rookie running back Todd Gurley as a “generational talent,” according to Breer, which lead the club to not only select the former Georgia star with the 10th overall pick, but to display caution in terms of Gurley’s return from an ACL injury. Gurley is expected to be active for Sunday’s contest against the Steelers, and St. Louis believes that he’ll be able to perform as would any normal rookie, unencumbered by his knee ailment.
- After Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel returned from his stint in rehab, Cleveland’s coaching staff, including new offensive coordinator John DeFillipo, worked with Manziel to reshape his delivery and mechanics. Specifically, the club wanted to ensure that Manziel exhibited better footwork and demonstrated “quieter” lower body, per Breer. Manziel had a solid start against the Titans last week, but he’ll head back to the bench in Week 3 following the return of Josh McCown.
- Sam Bradford was never expected to be a running quarterback, but the complete lack of a mobile QB in Philadelphia has led to defenders ignoring the possibility of a quarterback run, allowing them to send waves of defenders into the backfield, according to Breer. However, Breer has heard that Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is not stubborn, meaning he won’t to allow subpar play — either due to play-calling or a lack of talent at offensive guard — to persist without looking for some sort of solution.
Extra Points: Wilkerson, Graham, Manziel, Brady
As Muhammad Wilkerson begins another standout season, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News begins wondering if he could be the trade chip that lands the Jets a quarterback.
After noting the Jets prefer the skill set of currently troubled 2013 defensive rookie of the year Sheldon Richardson to Wilkerson, Mehta speculates whether Wilkerson’s contract-year campaign could still benefit the Jets down the road by allowing them to keep the defensive end around for trade purposes. Using the Chiefs’ 2008 trade of Jared Allen to the Vikings as an example, Mehta proposes the Jets use a non-exclusive franchise tag on Wilkerson after this season and dangle him in trade talks, as Kansas City did seven years ago.
He continues in saying the only way the Jets could keep both of their star ends is one agreeing to take far less than their value, which will not happen. Of course, this talk of trading Wilkerson is contingent on Richardson re-routing his career, which is far from a certainty at this point.
Here is some other news from around the league.
- Jimmy Graham‘s level of happiness with the Seahawks has been one of the key points of discussion in the NFL this week, and the sixth-year tight end might not experience a morale uptick, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk offers. While noting satisfaction could come in time as Graham and Russell Wilson increase their rapport, Florio suggests Graham is not a fit for what the Seahawks do. Graham’s begun to lobby for Wilson to not shy away from throwing his way, even if he’s covered. “Obviously, Drew (Brees) wasn’t running the read options, Graham told media. If (Wilson) is in trouble, he was going to read me, and I was the option. … I tell Russ every day, it don’t matter (if coverage is tight) and sometimes just throw it because sometimes it just doesn’t matter.”
- Sufficiently recovered from a high-ankle sprain, Eric Fisher will return to the Chiefs‘ starting lineup against the Packers, doing so at right tackle now, after sitting behind waiver pickup Jah Reid in the first two games, reports Kevin Patra of NFL.com. Although Andy Reid denied the speculation Fisher delayed his recovery in order to not have to face J.J. Watt in the Chiefs’ opener, Fisher hasn’t remotely lived up to expectations as a No. 1 pick and will begin a critical campaign in hopes of rescuing his career.
- Nick Toon‘s workout itinerary now includes a stop in St. Louis, as the Rams examined the former Saints backup, per Florio. The Rams also worked out wideouts Issac Blakeney, Kain Colter, DaVaris Daniels, Jordan Leslie, Tyler Rutenbeck and Taylor Washington. Florio opines that the Rams, who carry six healthy receivers presently, are sending a message to some in the unimpressive group. Toon also worked out for the Cowboys and Titans this month after being waived by the Saints.
- After news emerged on the timeline for the Tom Brady case, Michael Coyne of the Massachusetts School of Law explains to CSNNE.com how that will affect the 38-year-old quarterback’s season, should the Patriots return to the playoffs as expected. While distractions are inevitable given how this has unfolded, Coyne points out Brady will not have to be present for the appeal hearings.
- Johnny Manziel fumbling twice in each of the Browns‘ first two games was the driving force behind them opting to relegate him back to the bench in favor of Josh McCown, Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com writes. The Browns lost possession on both mishaps against the Jets and recovered each loose ball against the Titans. “The No. 1 thing when you play quarterback is you have to protect the football,” Browns OC John DeFilippo told media. “. . . If you don’t protect the football, then you’re not giving yourself the best chance to win.”
- A knee injury this week during practice will keep Trent Cole from traveling with the Colts to Nashville, Tenn., for their Week 3 tilt with the Titans, reports Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (on Twitter). Robert Mathis‘ workload will increase as a result, Holder reports.
NFL Could Move Only One Team To L.A.
For the last few months, it has been widely reported that the NFL wanted to move two franchises to Los Angeles. At first, that appeared to be a positive for the joint Chargers/Raiders effort, though there were also rumblings that the Bolts and Rams could hook up on a stadium project.
Now, the NFL may ultimately move only one team to Los Angeles, a league source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of PFT. That would not be a short-term plan, either – it would be an indefinite move that could result in a second team never going to L.A. If only one team goes, that team likely would be the Rams, since owner Stan Kroenke already has plans in place to fund privately a one-team stadium. Florio writes that the league is concerned that they might not be able to connect with Angelenos if they come in cold with two teams after a 20+ year absence from the market. Instead, they may choose to ensure that they get things right with just one club.
Here’s more on Los Angeles and even news on a possible London team..
- Things could be getting more serious as the Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities, comprising six owners, along with Commissioner Roger Goodell, will be taking a more prominent role in the L.A. proceedings, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times writes. While that might not seem like a big change, it is noteworthy since things have been fairly stagnant since the spring.
- When asked on Twitter when there will be an NFL franchise in London, mayor Boris Johnson responded, “We are working hard on deal – high hopes for Tottenham in the next few years…watch this space.”
- The L.A. committee was scheduled to discuss a potential relocation fee in detail last week, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. The committee is expected to set the fee and structure of the payment at an October meeting in New York.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/17/15
Here are Thursday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: QB David Fales (via Brad Biggs on Twitter)
Dallas Cowboys
- Cut: RB Gus Johnson (via Todd Archer on Twitter)
Detroit Lions
- To be cut: WR Saalim Hakim (via Dave Birkett on Twitter)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- To be signed: CB Rashaad Reynolds (via Ryan O’Halloran on Twitter)
- Placed on PS IR: LB Todd Thomas (link)
New England Patriots
- To be signed: WR Chris Harper (via Jeff Howe on Twitter)
Oakland Raiders
- Cut: OT Dan Kistler (via John Dickinson on Twitter)
- Signed: TE Gabe Holmes
St. Louis Rams
- Signed: CB Brandon McGee (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner)
- Signed: CB Melvin White
NFC Notes: Maxwell, Cousins, Seahawks
The Eagles’ secondary was a major weakness last year and the main step they took to improve it during the offseason was signing ex-Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell to a $63MM deal. Unfortunately for the Eagles and Maxwell, his debut in their 26-24 loss to Atlanta on Monday couldn’t have gone much worse. Maxwell, whom Falcons receivers roasted for 179 yards and 10 catches, was one of the primary reasons behind the Eagles’ defeat. Nevertheless, defensive coordinator Bill Davis remains confident in Maxwell’s abilities.
“He did not have a good game,” Davis said, according to Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com. “He’s got to play better. He can play better. He will play better. He’s been a great football player in this league and will continue to be for us. He knows that, we know that. I’ve got nothing but confidence in him. He’s a hell of a competitor.”
A look at some of Philly’s NFC counterparts:
- Kirk Cousins thinks he’s in a better position to develop properly now that he’s Washington‘s starting quarterback. “It’s a very beneficial role. I do feel different now in this role,” Cousins said, per Liz Clarke of the Washington Post. “It feels a little more stable. It caters to the ability to develop as a quarterback. This is a great opportunity for me, as I’ve said. I want to take full advantage of it and just keep building day after day.” The fourth-year man completed 21 of 31 passes for 196 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in Washington’s 17-10 loss to Miami in Week 1.
- Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett made a salient point regarding teammate Kam Chancellor‘s ongoing holdout. “I think you can’t have hard feelings because at the end of the day, the NFL they cut people every day,” Bennett said, according to The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. “Right now there is some guy who thinks he is going to play on Sunday who will be cut on Friday because the team feels like they need to save money. When teams do it it’s usually called business but when the players do it it’s usually called ungrateful.’’
- The Rams worked out three cornerbacks – Josh Thomas, Melvin White and Robert McClain – earlier this week, ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweeted. They ended up signing White to their practice squad.
NFC West Notes: Rams, RGIII, Hayne
The Rams have been pitching a solo project in Los Angeles for quite some time, but recent reports have indicated that they might wind up sharing a stadium with the Chargers in the end. The Chargers, of course, have been teamed up with the Raiders on a stadium proposal, but is concern that the Raiders don’t have the capital to see it all the way through. While we wait to see how the rush to L.A. plays out, here’s more on the Rams and other items from the NFC West..
- The Rams and Washington will always be tied together as a result of the RGIII trade, even though more than three years have passed since the swap. As the two teams get set to face each other this weekend, Peter Hailey of CSNMidAtlantic.com looked at the players that St. Louis drafted as a result of the deal. The Rams didn’t come away with any megastars – at least not yet – but they did land quality players such as linebacker Alec Ogletree and tackle Greg Robinson.
- While serving as the head coach of the Rams, Steve Spagnuolo says that he was in awe of Julio Jones before the 2011 draft. He told others within the organization, “We have to find a way to get this guy,” as Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. Of course, that didn’t wind up happening, and Jones is now a superstar for the Falcons.
- Despite fumbling away his first NFL punt return against the Vikings on Monday, former Australian Rugby League star Jarryd Hayne hasn’t lost his job on special teams, as Taylor Price of 49ers.com writes. “We put him out there for the next two punts,” the 49ers coach said. “He would have stayed out there all day.” The 49ers signed Hayne this past offseason to a deal with a partial guarantee, despite the fact that he had never before played American football.
Workout Notes: Phillips, McClain, Still
The Ravens worked out veteran outside linebacker Shaun Phillips, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Of course, after the Ravens reached agreement with Jason Babin earlier this evening, there might not be a spot for Phillips in Baltimore.
Phillips, 34, played nine seasons for the Chargers before joining the Broncos in 2013 and then signing with the Titans last March. The veteran inked a two-year, $5MM contract with Tennessee, but wasn’t overly effective in a part-time role, recording just a pair of sacks after reaching double-digits in 2013. With the Colts in 2014, Phillips made even less of an impact, recording seven tackles and no sacks in his five regular-season contests with the team.
Here are more notable NFL workouts from today..
- We learned earlier today that Terrelle Pryor worked out for the Patriots. Pryor, making the transition from quarterback to wide receiver this summer, impressed Browns coaches in training camp. However, after the team set its 53-man roster prior to Week 1, Pryor was essentially the 53rd man, making him expendable when other holes needed to be filled.
- Former Patriots cornerback Robert McClain was one of three cornerbacks who worked out for the Rams today, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Colts worked out former Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
- The Jets worked out a number of outside linebackers today, including former Falcon Jonathan Massaquoi, Brian Costello of the New York Post tweets. Massaquoi, 26, was selected by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, and has since played 40 games for the team, starting seven of them.
- The Patriots had wide receiver Evan Spencer in for a tryout on Tuesday, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/15/15
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
- To be signed: C Eric Kush (via Greg Auman on Twitter)
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: QB Matt Blanchard (via press release)
- Cut: OL Erle Ladson (via press release)
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Zurlon Tipton and OL Robert Myers (via press release)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OT Patrick Miller (via Mike DiRocco on Twitter)
- Cut: DT Toby Johnson (via press release)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Deon Long (via Jason La Canfora on Twitter), QB Logan Thomas (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
New England Patriots
- To be signed: LB Eric Martin (Twitter link via Mike Reiss)
New Orleans Saints
- To be signed: OT Sean Hickey, WR R.J. Harris and TE Blake Annen (Twitter link via Mike Triplett)
New York Giants
- To be signed: CB Tramain Jacobs (via transactions wire)
- To be cut: QB G.J. Kinne (link via Jordan Raanan)
Philadelphia Eagles
- To be signed: RB Kevin Monangai and NT Travis Raciti (via team website)
- To be cut: TE Andrew Gleichert
St. Louis Rams
- To be signed: CB Brandon McGee (via Howard Balzer on Twitter)
- To be cut: S Jacob Hagen
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- To be signed: LB Julian Stanford
- To be cut: TE Cameron Brate, WR Kaelin Clay, G Martin Wallace (via press release)
Washington
- To be signed: CB Dashaun Phillips (Twitter link via Mike Jones)
- To be cut: FB Ray Agnew